Run Your Dishwasher Full
The one environmental issue with dishwashers are they waste a lot of water. The easiest thing you can do to reduce the amount of water you use refrain from running your dishwasher until its completely full. Other options are Double Drawer Dishwashers and Energy Star Dishwashers.
DOUBLE DRAWER DISHWASHERS
Double-drawer dishwashers split the dishwasher in two, acting like two independent dishwashers in one. You no longer need to waste water and energy by running only half-full loads. A versatile appliance, these dishwashers can accommodate various workday and weekend loads. They’re ideal for smaller households.
ENERGY STAR APPLIANCES
Along with the Department of Energy (DOE), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created ENERGY STAR appliances to help consumers identify energy efficient products. These products are clearly marked with a blue and white ENERGY STAR label, and range anywhere from DVD players to dishwashers. In 2006, Americans saved $14 billion on their utility bills and avoided green house gas emissions equivalent to those from $25 million cars by using ENERGY STAR appliances.
THE FACTS
Double Drawer Dishwashers eliminate the need to waste water and energy by running only half-full loads.
Say No to Fast Food
There is nothing worse for you or for the environment than “fast food”. We spend over $130 billion dollars every year on fast or take-out food. Not only is fast food loaded with fat, sodium and carbohydrates, it is also very bad for the environment. While it may be convenient for us out on the road, getting that food to every fast food restaurant on every highway exit in the country consumes millions of gallons of fuel a year. And that’s not the only problem. Fast food packaging creates 1. 7 million tons of trash every year in the form of boxes, plastic or paper bags, plastic forks, etc.
Solution? Bring your own food with you whenever possible. Creating a meal at home is cheaper and healthier than eating out. Pack a lunch before work, school, or before a long car trip. You’ll lose weight, feel better, and save money all while helping the environment.
With a third of all children in the U.S. eating a fast food meal on any given day, the fast food industry is far reaching. The industry seemingly has a hold in every corner of American life and industry, from health care to agriculture, from transportation to marketing. Consumers, shareholders and other stakeholders are starting to look at the fast food industry and demand more accountability for both the food it serves and how it produces that food.
Signs exist that the fast food industry is moving to reflect people’s desires for healthier choices and greener products. The ban on trans fats in New York City is just one example of how quickly the restaurant industry can move to answer public demand or governmental policy. However, many shareholders may wonder if enough is being done by fast food chains to protect the environment, and how to tell the responsible burger and pizza peddlers from the rest.
THE FACTS
Americans spend over $130 billion dollars every year on fast food.
Energy Star Appliances
Along with the Department of Energy (DOE), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created ENERGY STAR appliances to help consumers identify energy efficient products. These products are clearly marked with a blue and white ENERGY STAR label, and range anywhere from DVD players to refrigerators. In 2006, Americans saved $14 billion on their utility bills and avoided green house gas emissions equivalent to those from $25 million cars by using ENERGY STAR appliances. According to the Energy Information Agency, the nation currently relies on coal - the dirtiest of all fossil fuels - for 50% of its electricity production. Natural gas makes up about 21%, and nuclear power comprises about 20%. Hydro and oil each contribute a bit as well, while traditional renewables - wind, solar, biomass and geothermal - ring in at only 3% combined.
For example, an ENGERGY STAR washing machine costs about $150 more than a normal washing machine but you’ll save $50 a year on your energy bill. And they use about 7,000 gallons less water a year!
SMART POWER STRIPS
Phantom Load, otherwise known as idle current or standby power, is what occurs when your appliances are turned off but are still using energy. Amazingly enough, this accounts for around 10% of your monthly energy bill, while emitting more than 27 million tons of CO2 into the environment. A great way to reduce Phantom Load is to use Smart Power Strips for your appliances. Instead of running around the house at night unplugging all your appliances, attach all small appliances to a central power strip with an on/off switch that is easily accessible. Then you can turn the power strip off when you’re not using them. Be especially conscious about oversized AC plugs (cube-shaped transformers), as these draw almost half of the energy turned off as they do while on. They have been coined as “vampires” in the energy world. Smart Power Strips are also great for when you’re away at work or on vacation. They are inexpensive and available at any hardware store or supermarket.
THE FACTS
Eco Chic
Living an eco-friendly lifestyle has become chic. Not so long ago, environmental awareness was left almost exclusively to the experts or the eccentrics. However, now a more environmental friendly approach to life is something people are realizing is necessary. As the harmful effects of consumerism and mass-production become increasingly apparent, many of us are becoming aware of the bonuses of living in tune with nature rather than against it. No longer the domain of the ‘brown rice and sandals’ brigade, eco-consciousness means knowing that you don’t have to sacrifice taste or style to look after your body and the environment.
SWISHING
http://www.swishing.org/you_swish/
Now swapping instead of shopping is so hot that it even has its own name: “swishing“. That’s the name given to swap parties by one organizer who says that she is reaching out to the many women who are “passionately committed to saving the planet, but don’t want to do it in bad clothes”.
The rules of swishing:
• Every guest must bring at least one clean item of clothing or an accessory to the swishing party
• Before the opening of the swish, everyone’s items must be on show
• Everyone has about an hour (depending on how big a swish) to look through all the goodies
• During this time, no items may be claimed
• Everyone is given a five minute warning before the official opening of the swish
• As soon as the swish is declared open, everyone may take what they want
• Remember, you may have brought just one item, but you can leave with as many as you want!
THE FACTS
Eat Local
Locally grown and harvested products can be purchased directly from the farmer at Farmers Markets, Farm Stands, U-picks, and by joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. Locally grown products can also be bought at restaurants, co-ops, and grocers that buy directly from farmers, ranchers, and fishermen. When you buy direct from local farmers, your dollars stay within your community, and strengthen the local economy. More than 90¢ of every dollar you spend goes to the farmer, thus preserving farming as a livelihood and farmland. This is important because as mergers in the food industry have increased, the portion of your food dollar paid to farmers has decreased. Vegetable farmers earn only 21¢ of your dollar; the other 79¢ goes to pay for marketing, distribution, and other costs.
ORGANIC VS. LOCAL
Although eating organically is healthy, the best thing for the environment is to focus on eating locally first. The average food item travels about 1,500 miles before reaching your plate. What does this mean? It means eating locally grown food can help reduce the amount of energy and CO2 emissions released into atmosphere. Support local farmers by buying locally grown food at farmers market and organic food stores.
THE FACTS
Eat Less Meat
No you don’t need to be vegetarian to save the environment, but eating less meat will not only benefit the environment it’ll benefit your health. Eating less meat can reduce your cholesterol level, we all know this. But here are some things you probably don’t know. Methane gas released from captive livestock accounts for nearly a fifth of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Producing a pound of meat requires 30 times more water than producing a pound of wheat, and 200 times more than a pound of potatoes. Producing one calorie of animal protein uses 10 times as much fossil fuels as producing a calorie of vegetable protein. And you can save money as well. A pound of lentils has the same amount of protein as a pound of ground beef, but only costs $2 compared to $3.50.
THE FACTS
Organic Beverages
Hey, we all like to settle in with a nice glass of wine from time to time right? The environmental issue with wine, tea, and crafted beer is the chemical pesticides used in their production. Luckily, today we have the option of consuming organic beverages that are produced without chemical pesticides. So no… you don’t have to stop drinking to Green!
Conventional agricultural practices, adopted in large part over the past 50 years, have stripped the minerals essential for healthy crops from the soil, necessitating the increasing use of artificial help to replace what has been lost. The cornerstone of organic farming is the soil. Maintaining a healthy, biologically active soil is the main objective for an organic farmer. It means using natural fertilizers, such as composted animal manure, versus chemical fertilizers. Organic growers use no synthetic growth-regulators.
ORGANIC WINE
In the vineyard, organic farming means cultivating the soil and planting cover crops, instead of applying herbicides. Organic farmers promote “biodiversity” and allow plants other than vines to grow in and around the vineyard. Biodiversity helps regulate the vineyard soil by attracting beneficial insects, spiders and predatory mites, as well as provide shelter and food therefore eliminating the need for chemical pesticides or insecticides. There are many organic wines available today that do not contain any pesticide or toxins. To learn more visit www.ecovinewine.com.
ORGANIC BEER
Organic beer is made using barley and hops grown without toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. These substances can cause soil degradation and chemical runoff that contaminate water sources and the ecosystems that they support. Using organically grown barley and hops also means these toxins never make their way into the beer. Organic beer is available at any major liquor store or online. Support the brewers that try and makes a difference, you’ll be drinking the most delicious beer possible and feel good about the positive environmental contribution we are making. Here is a quick list of great organic beers:
* Wolavers Certified Organic India Pale Ale, Pale Ale or Brown Ale
* Butte Creek Organic Ale, Porter, India Pale Ale or Pilsner
* Goose Island Organic Lamar St. Pale Ale
* Eel River Certified Organic Amber Ale, Porter or Extra Pale Ale
* Hawk’s Brewery Certified Organic Supernatural Porter, Supernatural India Pale Ale,
* Hawk’s Brewery SupernaturalE.S.B. and Supernatural Oatmeal Stout
* Fish Tale Organic Amber Ale or Indian Pale Ale
* Wild Salmon Organic Pale Ale
* Lakefront Organic E.S.B. Ale
* Kraftbrau Brewery Alt beer for Winter or English Pale Ale for Summer
* Crannog Ales Certified Organic Beyond the Pale Ale, Red Brance Irish Ale, and Back Hand of God Stout
* Crannog Ales Hell’s Kitchen Ale, and Old Mill Flax Ale
* Natureland Organic Lager
* Golden Promise
* St. Peter’s Organic English Ale or Organic Best Bitter
* Castelain Jade Organic
* Samuel Smith”s Organic Ale or Lager
* Pinkus’ Organic Munster Alt, Ur Pils or HefenWeizen
ORGANIC TEA
Organic tea is grown the same as organic wine and beer. The ingredients are organically grown without chemical pesticides that contaminate the tea, as well as contaminate our soil and water. Here is a list of great organic teas:
* Citrus Green Organic
* Organic Dragon Well
* Organic Golden Bamboo Hairpoint
* Organic Jing Mei Tea
* Organic Gold-Flecked Green
THE FACTS
Organic growers use no synthetic growth-regulators when producing wine, hops, or tea.
Dress Naturally
The days of faded synthetic fabrics are a thing of the past. Today’s green movement has brought forth a new consciousness for how fibers are grown and manufactured. Organic cotton and natural fibers are replacing traditional fabrics and synthetic fibers. Just as concern over the harmful effects of insecticides and pesticides in our food supply has given rise to the demand for organic produce and vegetables, concern over the high use of insecticides and pesticides in growing cotton and other natural fibers has given rise to demand for organic cottons and garments free of these and other poisons and carcinogens.
Visit Project571 for organically echo chic clothing.
Are you aware that:
- Conventionally grown cotton accounts for more than 25% of worldwide insecticide use and 10% of the pesticides. Pesticides used on cotton are among the most hazardous.
- Children are at greater risk for pesticide-related health problems than adults. Millions of children in the US receive up to 35% of their estimated lifetime dose of some carcinogenic pesticides by age five through food, contaminated drinking water, household use, and pesticide drift.
- It takes one pound of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to conventionally grow the three pounds of cotton needed to make a T-shirt and a pair of jeans.
- Farm workers working in conventionally grown cotton fields in the US and around the world suffer from an abundance of toxic exposures and related health problems. Pesticides used on cotton cause acute poisonings and chronic illness to farm workers worldwide. Acute respiratory symptoms and other health effects in communities surrounding cotton farms are correlated with high use of defoliation chemicals.
ORGANIC COTTON
Organic cotton is important for the future of our world. Besides the quality-of-life benefits from organic cotton, the quality of clothing produced from organic cotton is also substantially higher. Organic cotton plants produce longer-stable cotton fibers which yield stronger yarn and more durable fabrics. Pesticide-free long-stable cotton also feels softer and more breathable and luxurious against the skin.
HEMP
Hemp has many excellent properties and is being found more and more in quality garments. Hemp is the most environmentally positive crop, actually improving the condition of the soil. It requires no herbicides and is naturally resistant to insects, fungus, and other pests. Hemp has been in use since 770 AD. Since that time, it has been used to make everything from rope to clothing, to paper. As a fabric, hemp filters UV light, so your skin is protected. It resists bacterial growth, so you won’t smell, again, no guarantees about your personal habits, but we’re not adding to the cause. Hemp has four times the strength of cotton so it won’t weaken when washed. A step away from cotton, the drape and hang of hemp has been compared to linen. Like a baseball glove you’ve had for ten years, hemp fabric becomes softer with use. Hemp also absorbs moisture quickly, keeping your body dry. Being one of the most durable fibers on earth, hemp isn’t going anywhere for a long time, except out of our narrow-minded country.
BAMBOO
Bamboo fabric is made from the fibers of bamboo grass, and is softer and more sustainable than cotton. Because it grows so fast - up to one foot every 24 hours - it is one of the most renewable resources on the planet. It also produces 30% more oxygen than a hard wood forest on the same amount of land. Used in everything from flooring and construction to bed sheets, bamboo is quickly becoming a popular choice for environmentally conscious people around the globe.
ORGANIC WOOL
Conventional wool is dipped in pesticides and then a chemical bath to remove lanolin. Luckily there’s such a thing as organic wool from organic sheep farmers. Organic sheep farmers must maintain pastures without chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides, and sheep feed must be certified organic, sans antibiotics or hormones. Organic wool is a warm beautiful fabric and has natural antimicrobial properties. Another benefit of wool is that sheep re-grow wool at an incredible rate, up to 40 pounds a year each! Sheering sheep keeps them healthy and clean while providing plentiful wool for clothing. So no harm no foul!
RECYCLED POLYESTER
Recycled Polyester is a polyester that has been manufactured by using previously used polyester items. In the clothing world, recycled polyester clothes can be created from used clothes. Polyester is still a synthetic fabric, so it’s not going to be as organic as plant fibers such as hemp, bamboo, ramie etc. Traditional polyester has potential health hazards and environmental issues that make it a lot less eco-friendly than it could be. A relatively new brand of polyester called Eco-Intelligent® Polyester (launched in 2001) aims to overcome the health hazards and environmental issues inherent in traditional polyester.
THE FACTS
Conventionally grown cotton accounts for more than 25% of worldwide insecticide use and 10% of the pesticides. Pesticides used on cotton are among the most hazardous.
Stop Printing Everything
According to the Natural Resource Defense Council, the paper industry contributes more to global warming than any other industry worldwide. Harvesting trees for paper reduces the CO2 offset trees normally provide, pollutes our waterways, and create garbage. Paper products are thought to embody a third of all landfill space in our country. The average American office worker prints or copies 10,000 sheets of paper every year, with an average office sending 4 million tons of paper into landfills every year.
Solution? Don’t print a hard copy unless its absolutely necessary. Emailing and Scanning has given us the ability to send documents electronically reducing the need to print hard copies. Even Personal Handheld Devices have the ability to accept emails, text message, and even MapQuest directions electronically.
RECYCLED PAPER
If you have the need to print, at least do it on recycled paper. Every major office supply store now carries recycled printing paper. According to the Natural Resource Defense Council, buying 40 cases of copy paper made from 30% post consumer paper instead of paper made from virgin pulp saves more than seven trees, 2,100 gallons of water, 1,230 kilowatt hours of electricity, and 18 pounds of air pollution.
THE FACTS
Donate Green
The average American gives about 3.1% of their pretax income to charity, which equates to an average of $1,620 a year per household. We all have our favorite charities such as Breast Cancer and the Anti Cruelty Society, but maybe its time to start giving a little to Green charities as well. Here are a few:
SIERRA CLUB
The Sierra Club has been around for decades, and its 1.3 million members strong. They coordinate volunteer vacations to help farmers and communities, and focus on many different environmental issues. Visit www.sierraclub.org to learn more or donate.
THE NATURAL RESOURCE DEFENSE COUNCIL
The NRDC is made up lawyers and policy makers that focus on fighting crucial environmental issues that protect our homes and communities. Visit www.nrdc.org to learn more or donate.
THE ALLIANCE FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION
Led by former Vice President Al Gore, the Alliance for Climate Protection uses scientific facts to educate Americans on the severity and causes of global warming. To learn more about global warming, or to donate visit www.climateprotect.org.
THE FACTS