Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!
If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.
This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:
Last week we joined forces against climate change. We all know the problems associated with climate change but I'm guessing that not everyone knows that we can battle it by living green. So, we "took to the streets" and tried to encourage others to join our fight. It's not always easy. I spoke to a grocery store employee about wrapping food in plastic. While he acknowledged that it is good to be environmental, he also said that if we took every warning to heart, we'd do nothing and eat nothing. He went on to suggest that we not hate those who love plastic. Wow! While that particular conversation wasn't exactly optimistic, I still hope that it plants a seed in his mind which may, one day, blossom into positive action.
The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments.
I tweeted about several of your articles and my tweets were picked up in this edition of the Shopping Charity. Was your article included?
Argentum Vulgaris is banging his head against a brick wall in Change the World Wednesday – 10 Sep. Even so, he's reaching out to non-greenies in an attempt to encourage them to join the fight. Did you know that he writes several blogs? Yep, and he's using them all to spread the word. He also discusses another way to elicit change ... the political system (could Brazil become the greenest country on the planet?). It's an informative post! Check it out!
Lois stopped by and left this comment: "If I had to give one piece of advice to someone just starting to consider climate change I would tell them to start with things that save them the most money, switch out cleaning products for vinegar and baking soda, unplug appliances, switch light bulbs to LED and as they see savings invest it into the bigger items such as insulation on their homes." Great advice, Lois!
Laurel shared a couple of fabulous articles with us: 100 Things You Can Do Every Day to Help the Earth: The First 10: Water and Water Conservation and 100 Things You Can Do to Help the Earth: Ten More In The Home. Great tips! Thanks, Laurel!
La Alicia posted Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW) and encouraged her readers to join us. Thanks, Alicia!
Deborah accepted our challenge. She said, "Hi Cyndi, Thank you for sharing this week's CTWW Challenge with us at the Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Party Blog Hop. I appreciate it! Re: this week's CTWW Challenge:The earth is warming. The evidence is clear. Climate change is the most catastrophic issue impacting our lives and the future of our planet. I am sharing three blog posts related to climate change and simple green actions we can take to help reduce our environmental impact. Climate Change 2104: Impacts, Adaptation, Vulnerability: Findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control (IPCC) Report, Global Warming, Climate Change and Sea Level Rise: 8 YouTube Videos You Should Watch Now, and The Green 18: Quick and Easy Tips for Living Green Every Day." Wonderful posts, Deborah!
Nicki Woo heard our battle cry and shared this, "What a great post! I always love hearing how people take their own particular talents and make the world a better place. Sometimes I think people dont get involved because they think its not their thing. But truly, we all have a special way in which we can give back and help conserve our earth. I'm going to try and use my pulp from my juicer in casseroles like one of your readers suggested. Right now, I often add it to applesauce and my kids gobble it up, but I'm sure I could get more inventive:) Thanks so much for all you do! I appreciate you!!! And Oh! I almost forgot. . . .this week to live a greener life. . . .I transformed a ruined rug into a "new" rug with dye paint, rather than buying a new one and chucking out the old:) REUSE: How to spray paint your rug." Very clever reuse, Nicki!
Alica dropped by. She shared this, "The first thing I would tell someone who is concerned about climate change is to reduce or cut out meat completely in their diet. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reported that meat causes more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than either transportation or industry!! They stated that producing a half pound hamburger for someones lunch releases as much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere as driving a 3,000 pound car 10 miles! The billions of chicken, turkeys, pigs and cows who are crammed into factory farms each year in the U.S. produce enormous amounts of methane gas. Scientist report that every pound of methane is more than 20 times as effective as carbon dioxide is at trapping heat in our atmosphere.The EPA has shown that animal agriculture is the single largest source of methane emissions in the U.S. The World Watch Institute said that going Vegan is one of the most effective ways to fight global warming. A staggering 51% or more of global- greenhouse gas emissions are caused by animal agriculture! So just think how eating one non meat meal once a week could make a tremendous difference. I think most people find that it is easier to do than they thought. Peta even offers a FREE Vegan starter kit. that has recipes tips and videos. http://www.peta.org/living/food/free-vegan-starter-kit/. I challenge everyone who eats meat and dairy to give it up for just one day this week, It will be a small but very effective way to help combat global warming." Fabulous challenge, Alicia!
CelloMom joined our army. She shared this, " Wow, great suggestions so far! There are a lot of places where we can cut our carbon footprint; it doesn't matter where you start, it's more important *that* you start cutting. I have a post with a "menu" of options on where to reduce your household carbon emissions. Apart from your individual efforts at home, I think it's also important to let your voice be heard. Despite the money swirling around politics, at the end of the day politicians still need your vote. So let them know where you want them to stand on climate change. Citizens Climate Lobby can help you write letters. And of course, you can participate in a Climate March near you! Coming up, 20-21 September."
Mary came by and shared this, "Good idea! It's often forgotten that it makes a big difference to have other people join too since our changes add up! Great ideas are to encourage schools or neighborhoods to do community recycling! Once that's started, more and more will change!" Love the idea of community recycling, Mary!
Our Twitter friends joined the conversation and shared the following:
From @GiveTreeGifts
- What is climate change? ow.ly/BkxIY #CTWW
- A Call to Arms: An Invitation to Demand Action on Climate Change ow.ly/BkxUS #CTWW
- Climate Change Connection ow.ly/Bkyed #CTWW
- WWF Canada - Climate & Energy ow.ly/BkyyI #CTWW
From @smallftprints
- What can small cities do to fight climate change? grist.org/climate-energy… via @grist #CTWW
- 8 Easy Ways to Teach Kids About Saving Energy http://www.greenworld365.com/easy-ways-to-teach-kids-about-saving-energy-at-home/ #CTWW
From @SuppressThis
- Watering Lawns in the Desert: What Las Vegas Can Tell Us About Climate Change (and Ourselves) wp.me/p2llp1-pW
The #CTWW Gang are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:
My Final Thoughts:
Some people, even experts on the subject, suggest that there is no "cure" for climate change. Even if it's true, we've got to try. After all, the alternative isn't pretty. We'll have a better chance at success if everyone joins the effort. So I ask each of you to continue the battle and to encourage others to join the fight to save our planet!
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.
This Week's Challenge:
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| Old aerosol cans may contain ChloroFluoroCarbons |
ChloroFluoroCarbons (CFCs), responsible for damage to the ozone layer, have been banned (for the most part). They were most commonly used in refrigerants, blowing agents, propellants in medicinal applications (like asthma inhalers), and degreasing solvents. Other names for CFCs are Puron, Freon, and Halon. Older refrigerators, A/C units, cars, and fire extinguishers probably contain them. They may still be used in mold release agents and foam products.
Here's your challenge ...
This week, let's deal with any ozone-depleting chemicals in our lives. Here are some steps to take:
- Check labels and avoid any solvents, cleaning supplies, foams, etc. which contain CFCs (in addition to the common names mentioned above, they might be found on the label as methane, ethane, Trichlorotrifluoroethane).
- Check storage areas for old aerosol cans, fire extinguishers, or air conditioning units and dispose of them properly (call your hazardous waste disposal department for information on the best way to dispose of them).
- Does your refrigerator or air conditioner need repair? Ensure that technicians recover and recycle the old CFCs so they are not released into the atmosphere.
- Have your vehicle's air conditioning unit checked regularly for leaks.
- Replace halon fire extinguishers with alternatives (e.g. carbon dioxide or foam).
- If you use an inhaler for asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), check with your doctor or pharmacist to ensure that it does not contain CFCs. Inhalers with CFCs are being phased out but they are still around so ask.
Are you prepared to help the ozone recover? I know that you are!
Until next time ...
WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!