Getting ready for Halloween

It's that time of year again ... when the veil between the living and the dead becomes thin and spirits can be seen walking the earth. Shadows come alive and threaten to grab us ... witches fly and ghosts materialize before our very eyes.


In other words ... it's almost Halloween and time for our annual "Spooky" post!

Question: What's the ratio of a pumpkin's circumference to its diameter?

Answer: Pumpkin Pi

It's almost Halloween ... that creepy night of ghosts and ghouls. Little goblins everywhere are getting ready. Can Moms and Dads make it green? Well sure!! Here are some tricks and treats ... I mean tips:

-Are you going to carve a pumpkin ... or decorate one?

• If you haven't grown your own, buy one from a local farm or farmer's market.
• Use every part of the pumpkin. The seeds can be toasted and eaten as snacks ... they are healthy and taste great. One can toast them in the oven or in a dry frying pan on the stove. When they are brown, carefully remove them (they are very hot at this stage) and immediately sprinkle your favorite seasoning on them (mine is creole seasoning but kids might prefer something less spicy ... like a little salt). Not in the mood for toasting seeds? Try tossing them, either wet or dry, into the yard for birds ... they love them.
  
• Use the flesh of the pumpkin to make a pie, soup, cookies or flan ... it might require a bit more sugar than the smaller, pie pumpkins.
• After Halloween ... compost the shell instead of sending it to the landfill.

Question: How do you mend a broken Jack-O-Lantern?

Answer: With a pumpkin patch

-Are you planning a party for your little ones?

• Send email invitations rather than the "snail mail" variety. There are a lot of seriously spooky e-cards on the Internet.
  
• Use re-usable plates, cups, utensils, napkins and tablecloths. Paper party goods can be expensive and just add more clutter to our nation's landfills.
• Serve some healthy, fun treats that aren't individually wrapped ... popcorn, apples, fruit leather (in the shape of worms and snakes) and ghostly cookie skeletons.

-Get creative with costumes.

• Make costumes from old clothes (downsize adult suits, dresses, etc.)
• Check your closets for "retro" clothing (got any old "hippie" duds? Cool, dude!).
• Pull out costume jewelry ... little princesses, gypsies and pirates love "bling".
• Hats of any kind can "top off" an outfit.
  
• Shop at Goodwill ... they have not only organized merchandise into a special Halloween section but also offer some creative costumes ideas made from second-hand garb.

These are just a few ideas. I'm sure that with a little thought ... you can conjure up a few of your own.

OK ... one more ... then I'll stop ... I promise!

Question: What is a pumpkin's favorite sport?

Answer: Squash

OK ... I'm done!

Recycling & Composting - Three Lessons Learned

This week's challenge is about reducing the size of our trash bins by composting and recycling. We've been doing both activities for awhile so ... I thought I'd share some "lessons learned".

Lesson One: It IS possible to compost and recycle while living in an apartment.

Truthfully, when I began this blog, I didn't think either activity would work in a small space. We'd need an indoor spot to put recycle bins and an outdoor spot to put a compost. As with most things in life, however, the largest hurdle was simply getting my head wrapped around the idea. Once I did, the rest was easy.

We rearranged our laundry room a bit and stacked about four grocery boxes in the corner. These became our recycle bins ... one each for plastic, aluminum, glass and metal. We put another box in our office for paper. They fill up fast ... and we don't have curbside recycling or even a convenient center in our complex ... so, every time we leave the house, we take a box with us and place it in the trunk. If we happen to be driving by the recycle center (which is basically on our way to anywhere), we stop in and unload.

The compost bin seemed to be a little more challenging ... I thought it would be messy and smelly. It can be if a little care isn't taken. In my kitchen, I have an empty coffee container with a lid ... this is where I toss veggie scraps, coffee grounds and other compostables. When the container is full, I take it out to my patio where we've dedicated a large planter as our composter. We tossed some dirt in the bottom, added our organic material, covered it with a little more dirt and then ... and this is key ... we covered the container (we used an Eco-bag). This keeps the smell down.

Before we knew it, we had a routine for both recycling and composting.

Lesson Two: Almost everything can be either recycled or composted.

When one really starts considering what is tossed out, almost everything can either be recycled or composted. It does require that we break the habit of just tossing things into the trash and entails looking at things like recycle codes. And it sometimes requires separating components like removing paper labels from cans. But ... once in the habit of doing so, almost everything we touch has a place other than the trash.

Lesson Three: "Real" trash smells.

One of the things that bothered me about this process is that the trash bin started to smell way before it was even slightly full. This is because the only things getting trashed were cooked food items (I don't put anything cooked into the compost bin and we don't use the disposal ... it uses too much water). Not a lot of food goes to waste in our house ... we try to only cook what we can eat in a reasonable amount of time but ... occasionally cooked items get tossed. So does canned pet food that doesn't get eaten in a day. These items very quickly smell. I didn't feel right, however, about wasting a trash bag (even the Eco variety) before it was reasonably full. So ... we came up with a trick. We put any tossed out, potentially smelly stuff, into a small Eco-bag and then freeze it. We keep adding to the bag until it's full and then we take it to the dumpster. No more smelly trash bin.


It turns out that recycling and composting are easy activities ... activities that help us walk a little easier on the earth. On Wednesday, I hope you'll stop in and check out the Honor Society ... I've been reading everyone's efforts and there are some great recycling/composting tips and ideas.

As always ... I would love to hear from you.

Earth Day ...

Wednesday, April 22nd, is EARTH DAY ... a day intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment.

There are many celebrations and activities planned ... in towns and cities throughout the world. It's an excellent opportunity to have some fun while appreciating the Earth.

One of the many activities taking place is a CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamp) giveaway at Home Depot stores. Beginning on Sunday, April 19th, selected stores will give away one million free CFLs ... one to a customer (as supplies last, of course). The best news ... no purchase necessary. This is a great opportunity to try them out, if you haven't before and, as I mentioned in an earlier post (which you can read HERE), Home Depot will take any old CFLs back for recycling. They have a few other Earth Day specials and "freebies" so ... check them out!

Another activity taking place this Earth Day is a television program on the National Geographic Channel about a fabulous, new company called TerraCycle. This is a company that produces products entirely made of waste. Since its inception, it has saved over 70 million drink pouches, 10.5 million cookie wrappers, and 3.1 million plastic bottles from ending up in a landfill.

I first learned about TerraCycle awhile back and was truly impressed. Not only have they created an entire business model based on ... well ... garbage, they have also taken their "green" message to schools, teaching children that walking gently on the earth is a good thing. They are an example of creativity and enthusiasm ... and they give me hope for the future. Here is a brief video that will give you a little idea about them:



Wasn't that great? So ... for something fun to do on Earth Day ... tune in to the National Geographic Channel, on Wednesday, April 22nd, at 9PM ET/PT, to watch GARBAGE MOGULS. Then ... get inspired to find new ways that you can help protect the Earth.

These are just a couple of the activities planned for Earth Day ... there are so many more. All of them hope to accomplish the same thing ... to raise awareness and get everyone interested in saving our planet. I encourage you to take part ... and pass the word!

As always ... I would love to hear from you.

What is happening ... by Argentum Vulgaris

One of the very first people to follow Reduce Footprints was my "bloggy" friend Argentum Vulgaris of Tomus Arcanum. Many of you know AV ... he is a generous blogger who seems to always have time to reply to comments and promote other blogs. He's a frequent visitor here and typically leaves thought-provoking remarks on the "subject du jour".

If you've never been to Tomus Arcanum (or the nine other blogs AV owns), you're missing out. When you arrive at his blog, the first thing you'll notice are these fun little figures that pop up on the screen. As the page loads, you'll find gadgets of every kind ... all interesting and fun to browse. Finally, you'll see the day's post. Here's where it gets real interesting ... his posts range from the beautiful ... to the funny ... to the shocking ... and sometimes to the disturbing, like when he talked about child brides in Yemen or about the slaughter of whales in Japan. He pulls no punches and tells it like he sees it. He is one of the most honest and direct bloggers you'll ever find. That being said ... there's one other thing that is absolutely true ... you'll always be entertained at his site.

AV has graciously agreed to write for us today. So ... sit back ... relax ... and enjoy:



I have been invited as a guest blogger, my immediate reaction was “great!”, but then the sobering thought, what’s a guest blogger arose.

Well, I soon discovered that a guest blogger is one elected who does a lot of work in a short space of time, considered a labour of love, and I am honoured to be considered worthy of performing such a task.

I have burbled for sometime about environmental issues on my various blogs. Ranted about how we, as a race, don’t care for our backyards and continue not to care ignoring all that is before us, telling us in no uncertain terms that we should be caring; and caring a lot. I am not the greatest environmentalist, rather just a man who has lived 57 years, I do a small bit in my own way at home; one to reduce costs and two, make use of things that I have already used. In the case of one, I am a spendthrift, I hate being conned out of one cent change and demand the letter of the law, then give me five cents; and in the case of two, I can’t see the use of buying tupperware when I have perfectly good margarine containers and jam jars to use; and as for buying dirt to go in my pot plants, I compost and make my own. So it all goes back to number one really, money!

Hence, I read Small Footprints, indeed, I even go back and re-read some parts. It is people like Small Footprints, who will eventually be the saviours of the planet; not individually (SF put your Spider Woman suit away – you’re not a super heroine yet), but you and those like you are all super people. I find some of the issues tackled by SF to be somewhat sobering, things we take for granted, things we throw away (and millions of others throw away too) that make it a problem a million times bigger than if it were just me.

Small footprints has given me the chance to write as a guest blogger, I am honoured that my past ranting has been read by at least one other person apart from myself. Thank you SF, so less ado and more do.


What is happening?

We are literally pissing on the planet and we have to stop!

Our planet, the little mudball we call home, is becoming untenable. We, us humans, have already used, destroyed and polluted most of it, the land, oceans, rivers and air; and we are not satisfied, now (and have been for years) we are even polluting space.

It has been common knowledge for years that we are damaging the place. If we were tennants in a building and treated it this way we would have been evicted years ago. Our God is a very tolerant landlord.

The story starts at the beginning. It is evident from paeleontological sites that early man was not a tidy beast, and we have continued to soil our environment ever since with due disregard for nature.


The major change came with the industrial revolution. The introduction of steam, to produce steam you burnt coal, burning coal produces smoke, a lot of smoke and a lot of waste. Money was the driving force, capitalism advanced shame-facedly, to the point where we are today. No heed was given to the tons of pollutants that we threw into the air at this time.


So with all that untidy history we have become a devil-may-care “throw-away” society. We use, we throw away and all this throwing-away accumulates. Not only accumulates, but accumulates exponentially, remember, with each passing year the Earth’s population increases, each year there are more people to throw stuff away. We are turning the Earth into a giant garbage dump. We are fast running out of space.

It doesn’t matter if we are talking plastic bags, disposable razors or toothbrushes (all of which SF has alluded to in past posts), we are throwing more and more stuff away. We have to seriously STOP and take stock of ourselves. It doesn’t matter if I am talking to you, your family, your community, suburb, city, country, or some giant global conglomerate. We have to STOP; and unless we do, we’ll be living in that garbage dump, and living in it very soon; perhaps within some of your lifetimes.

Everybody can start and contribute, yes, even YOU! We must start at the bottom, the top will always ignore the problem as long as money is involved. Education must start at home and the schools, for it is the new generation that will take the issue to the top. Only then will we begin to see the huge corporations sit up and take notice and we will see governments begin to accept their responsibilities, responsibilities shirked for so long.



Each of us must take time out and sit on the beach of life and look at the world and wonder. We had a beautiful planet, we can have that again, but it won’t happen by magic, it won’t happen by leaving it to the other person. We all need to take a personal responsibility, be we are all the owners of this world.

Would you let your child throw chicken bones on the lounge floor?

Because that’s what we are doing to the planet!


I'd like to give a big THANK YOU to AV for that wonderful post. And ... I'd like to suggest that each of you hop over to his site(s) and browse around.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Shining a light on recycling CFLs

It finally happened ... that compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), which I purchased eons ago, finally died. It lasted for years (literally) and saved energy! It did a fine job! But what do I do with it now?

CFLs are efficient but they do contain small amounts of Mercury. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, "... the vast majority of mercury-containing lamps are considered a hazardous waste."

If a CFL is broken, mercury vapors will escape and this could present health problems when the vapors are breathed into the lungs. Some of the possible health issues are: tremors, emotional changes (e.g., mood swings, irritability, nervousness, excessive shyness), insomnia, and neuromuscular changes (such as weakness, muscle atrophy, twitching). For more on the health issues associated with Mercury, click HERE.

CFLs which end up in landfills cause environmental problems. Mercury, which leaks from a broken lamp, can be converted to an organic form that accumulates in living organisms and contaminates the food chain. We're already seeing food contamination ... many species of fish contain high levels of mercury and consumers are cautioned about eating them.

Should we stop using Compact Fluorescent Lamps? No ... their energy savings far outweigh the danger from Mercury. However, disposing of CFLs properly is vital.

According to the EPA, "Virtually all components of a CFL or other fluorescent light bulb can be recycled. The metal end caps, glass tubing, mercury and phosphor powder can all be separated and reused. Recyclers often sell the metallic portions as scrap metal. The recycled glass can be remanufactured into other glass products. The mercury can be recycled into new fluorescent light bulbs and other mercury-containing devices."

Here are a few ideas:

1. Check with your local garbage service: Find a customer service number (there should be one on your bill). Call and ask if they offer CFL or mercury recycling.

2. Check with your municipal government: Look up your local government's sanitation services department. Ask if there is either CFL curbside pick-up recycling or if there is a designated drop-off spot.

3. Check to see if your retailer has a take-back program.
   

4. Check on Earth 911 for CFL recycling centers. If nothing comes up for a search with "CFL," try "mercury" or "fluorescent bulbs."

5. Mail in your CFLs: Some for-profit companies provide recycling if you mail in your bulbs. One of these is LightBulbRecycling.com.

6. Live near an IKEA? They have recycling bins in every store, and will accept CFLs purchased from any retailer.

7. Hit up your local Home Depot: As of July 2008, Home Depot has started offering CFL recycling in store. Find the store closest to you here: Home Depot Store Locator

CFLs are energy efficient and ... if recycled ... are earth friendly as well.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Buyer Beware!

In July, when I began this blog, I wrote a post on plastic bags (you can read that post HERE). Reusable bags are one of the mainstays of living a green life ... right along such basics as replacing light bulbs with energy efficient versions and lowering the thermostat by 5 degrees.

In the beginning, not many people carried reusable bags into the store ... but now it is very common to see people with their giant totes carrying groceries to their cars. It has become so common, in fact, that companies want in on the "green" action and reusable bags with a store's logo or an advertiser's slogan are popping up all over.

The same thing is happening with reusable water bottles. They have become trendy and the perfect medium for advertising.

Unfortunately, these products are being made out of fresh plastic ... not recycled soda bottles ... not sustainable materials ... not earth friendly. Manufacturers will boast that their product is made out of polypropylene and tell you that polypropylene is easy to recycle and totally earth friendly. But it is plastic ... a by-product of oil refining processes. Yes, it can be recycled but the recycling process degrades the plastic's properties and recycling is difficult and expensive. That means that much of it will end up in our landfills and oceans.

So today's tip is easy ... be sure to find out what those reusable totes and water bottles are made of. If it's fresh, virgin plastic ... just say no. Choose, instead, bags made out of recycled or sustainable materials and stainless steel water bottles.

I'd like to leave you with the following video. It is the reality of plastics in our world.




As always ... I would love to hear from you!

15 "Green" Tips, Hints and Interesting Facts

Here are some miscellaneous "green" tips, hints and interesting facts:

1. According to the The Auto Channel, 147 million gallons of gas, each year, vaporize into the air due to loose, damaged or missing gas caps. Keep your fuel in the tank by making sure you screw the cap on tight.

2. It's time to get out those cosmetics and personal care products such as deodorants, shampoos, toothpastes and mouthwashes and check the labels. 1,4-Dioxane is a known eye and respiratory tract irritant. It is suspected of causing damage to the central nervous system, liver and kidneys. The State of California, under proposition 65, listed 1,4-Dioxane as a chemical known to cause cancer on January 1, 1988. Like many solvents, it forms contamination plumes in groundwater when released to the environment. Groundwater supplies have been adversely impacted in several areas. But you won't find 1,4-Dioxane on the label ... instead look for names that include: myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth (and any other "eth"), PEG, polyethylene, polyoxyethylene or oxynol.

3. Here's another good reason to look for products made out of recycled materials. According to the executive director of the Zero Waste Alliance, recycling aluminum uses 95% less energy than producing it from scratch. Recycling glass uses 31% less; newsprint, 45%; steel, 61%; and plastics, 57-71%.

4. Thinking of a new TV? Those with the Energy Star label are up to 30% more energy efficient than others.

5. Do you use flea collars on your pets? According to Pets for the Environment, they are a "source of constant toxic exposure for your pet and family. Instead, vacuum often and thoroughly, bathe your pet regularly, and ask your vet or local pet store about safer flea treatments and repellents." For more great Eco-friendly pet care tips, click HERE.

6. Pat yourselves on the back. Accordingly to a 16-month survey conducted in 2007 by the research firm Mintel, 36% of adults regularly buy green products. That's an improvement of 12% over previous studies.

7. Want to persuade your boss and co-workers to green up the office? Check out Ideal Bite's Top 10 Easiest Ways to Green your Office. They have a great list which can be printed out (on recycled paper, of course) and posted for all to see ... and hopefully act on.

8. Here's a great idea ... help our bird friends stay warm all winter. Instead of tossing out dryer lint, put it in your yard. Birds will collect it and use it to cozy up their nests.

9. Want to have a little fun? Host a green-cleaning party. Women's Voices for the Earth conceived the idea ... basically, people get together with glass jars and Eco-friendly ingredients and then ... they mix up everything from laundry detergent to furniture polish ... all environmentally safe. Check out their site womenandenvironment.org for information and party kits (which are for sale) ... or ... click HERE for their favorite recipes and design your own party.

10. Got the sniffles? Instead of using disposable tissues ... use a handkerchief.

11. According to the EPA, Americans toss out 2 million tons of "e-waste" each year. That includes approximately 130,000 computers. Instead of sending them to a landfill, consider these ideas:

• Donate computers and any peripherals to a nonprofit organization. Many will refurbish them for disadvantaged or disabled people.
• Check with stores like Staples for recycling programs ... some offer credit towards another purchase.
• Check with manufacturers ... some, like Dell and Apple, recycle their own brands for free. Others will take any brand when one of their own is purchased.
• Another idea ... turn them in to a local Computer Recycling shop where usable components will be turned into new products.

12. Each year, the average American throws away 68 pounds of clothing (from Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association). Think reduce, reuse and recycle instead.

13. Replace one outside incandescent light ... yearly CO2 savings: 210 pounds. Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit ... yearly CO2 savings: 214 pounds. Wash clothes in cold water ... yearly CO2 savings: 327 pounds. Source: Rocky Mountain Institute.

14. Interested in watching a short "green film"? Click HERE to watch dozens of them ... for free.

15. Here's a unique recycling idea ... put your used green tea bags in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Use them as cleansing pads in the morning. The bag helps exfoliate skin gently and tea has anti-inflammatory properties which will help to reduce puffy skin on the face.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

In the News ... Recycling

Earlier in the week, I watched a late night news program that grabbed my attention by saying ... think you're the best recycler in your block? Well your efforts might just be going to a landfill. OK ... that got my attention. The commentator then went on to suggest that maybe we should say ... why bother.

When they finally showed the entire piece (of course ... at the end of the program), it was a little different from their opening, "catch your attention" line. It turns out that the global economic crises is trickling down to all areas of our lives, including recycling. Evidently, there isn't much of a market for recycled materials right now. A recycling company in Oregon was featured ... the camera showed their warehouse with neatly stacked blocks of recycled aluminum and mountains of plastic. The owner said that they are having a hard time finding anyone to buy their product and if they run out of room, they'll have to send stuff to the landfill.

Here's the thing ... the economic downturn affects everything. It's not just recycling companies that are having a hard time finding a market for their products ... it's all companies. The smart recyclers will store as much as they can so that when things turn around (and they will), they'll be in the money.

So does this all mean that we give up our recycling efforts? NO WAY! We continue to recycle ... because it's the right thing to do. Perhaps that one company in Oregon won't have room for stuff ... but we have a lot of very creative people in this world ... people who wait for these kinds of opportunities. Yes ... this is an opportunity. It's an opportunity to collect recyclable materials and when the economy gets better, to sell those materials and cash in.

Here's something else we can do ... buy products which use recycled materials. In a previous post we talked about the power of purchases. In that article (which you can read HERE) the emphasis was on how we can influence the market by what we don't buy. In this case, we can influence the market by what we DO buy. Read the label and look for products and packaging with the greatest percentage of post-consumer recycled content. This ensures that the materials have been used before. Here are some examples; toilet paper, typing paper ... packaging such as aluminum and cardboard. Buy recycled items and the demand for recyclable materials will go up.

The "nightly news" may give us the events of the day ... but they do so in a manner which shocks us ... scares us ... and catches our attention. To me, telling us that our recycling efforts may be for naught is irresponsible. But we're smarter than that ... we know what's right! So keep recycling ... it's simply the right thing to do!

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

The year in review ..

I love the news programs on TV that review the year and remind us of all the events that took place in the last 12 months. So, what better time than the last day of the year to update you on some of the green living changes we made and how they worked out. Here are a few of the things that had the biggest impact on our house.

Composting and Recycling

This year we began composting ... something that we thought would be difficult in an Apartment. It has worked surprisingly well. We turned planters, not in use, into compost bins and started tossing raw fruit and vegetable matter into them. We now have three bins "working". There is no smell, no bugs and no "icky" factor. The food scraps are decaying rapidly and hopefully we'll have fertile soil in the spring.

Recycling was another activity that we thought would be difficult in a small space. But ... where there is a will, there is a way. We converted trash cans in our office to "paper only" cans. We also put some boxes in our laundry room, which is right off the kitchen, and now toss all recyclables into them. Every week or so ... we make a run to the local recycling area.

The result of these two actions is that the garbage bin has become our smallest can. And, before tossing anything into any bin, we consider whether or not it can be re-purposed.

Energy Consumption

This year we kicked up our energy saving practices. Out of 12 light bulbs in two bathrooms, we twisted off 8 (no one needs that much light). All electrical devices, with the exception of the VCR, the refrigerator and the stove, were put on power bars and when not in use, the power was completely off ... no phantom power gluttons. Things like cell phone chargers or battery chargers were unplugged until needed and then, they were only plugged in long enough to charge up the device. In the summer, rather than use air conditioning, ceiling fans were employed and we ... well ... opened the windows. Adjusting the curtains throughout the day also helped keep temperatures comfortable. In the winter, we dressed warmer and used blankets while watching TV. If the temperatures dipped too low, we turned on the heat ... but only long enough to warm things up and take the chill out of the air.

By far our biggest energy change was the use of the hot water heater. Rather than leave it on, all the time, we opted for turning it on for 30 minutes a day. Our water heater doesn't have an on/off switch but ... the circuit box is easy to get to so ... we just flipped it on and off as required.

These efforts were rewarded by lowering our electric bill considerably ... from $90.00 at it's highest to $34.00 last month. More importantly, there was an energy savings ... from a high 1054 kWh to the current 320 kWh.

Starting this blog

One of the most important green living changes in my life has been writing this blog. Through it, I have learned so many things. In addition, I've met wonderful people ... people who care about each other ... and the planet. In the beginning, my goal was to create a place where we could share ideas and perhaps, between us, compile a large enough list that everyone could do something. Thanks to all of you, that goal has been met.

Now it's your turn

What green efforts have you made this year? What are the efforts that you are most proud of ... and why? Of the green efforts you began this year, which has had the most impact? And has there been anything that was a bust?

I look forward to 2009 and sharing even more green ideas.

To all of you ...

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

Sharing ... and a green life

I've been thinking about the concept of sharing. As children, we were taught to share our toys. As adults, we are encouraged to share what we have with those less fortunate. We share our opinions in surveys, our time through volunteering, and our thoughts by blogging. Whether it is a learned idea or something inherent in our genes, the fact is that we share.

When it comes to green living, a little sharing goes a long way towards a healthier environment. Here are a few ideas:

Carpooling and ride sharing - We all know that cars pollute. So it only makes sense to reduce the number of cars on the road. Less cars ... less pollution. One way to do this is through carpooling. It's easy to get started ... check with co-workers to see who lives close (being on the same schedule helps but, if one is a little flexible, slightly different schedules can also work ... or ask your employer about adjusting your hours to accommodate carpooling). Organize shopping trips with neighbors. Craigslist has a "rideshare" category where one can post trips, either looking for riders or needing a ride. In addition to helping the planet, carpooling is cost effective. Where there are rotating drivers, there is less wear and tear on one's vehicle. If one chooses to drive and offer rides instead, the riders usually help with the cost of gas. And ... imagine the opportunity to have lively discussions while commuting.

Car Sharing - In Washington state there is a beautiful place called Stehekin which is at the end of Lake Chelan, a 55-mile long, glacier fed lake. Stehekin is remote ... the only way to get there is by water craft or a long, long hike. When I visited (years ago), the first thing that I noticed was the lineup of several cars. This seemed strange since there are no roads leading out of Stehekin. There are, however, roads in the area leading to cabins and private little hideaways. So, the residents share cars ... with each other and with guests. Each car is parked near the dock with the keys inside (and the doors unlocked). When one arrives off a boat, they can choose a car and drive it. When they leave, the car is left at the dock for the next user ... with a full tank. This idea has taken on new interest in many cities throughout the world. There are car sharing groups popping up everywhere. The idea is that, without owning a car, a car is available whenever one needs it. They are parked throughout a city and members use one whenever it's available. It's a brilliant way to share a car, cut down on pollution and ... cut down on the costs associated with owning a car. Here are a couple of sites to check out for more information: http://www.carsharing.net/ and http://www.zipcar.com/. For additional resources search the Internet for "car sharing".

Living Space - On this site, we usually think of "footprint" as our carbon footprint. But what about our actual footprint ... the actual amount of ground that we live on. With populations throughout the world soaring ... we are using more and more land for housing. Trees are being cut ... aquifers are being covered up and polluted ... and animals are becoming extinct as they run out of habitat. Sharing living space reduces our footprint. This isn't a new concept ... for years, it was traditional for more than one generation of a family to occupy the same home. So, if you find yourself looking for new "digs", consider an apartment or a condo. If living in a large house is your pleasure, consider renting out rooms or some portion of the home not in use. More people in one space is a good thing!

Office Supplies - Do you work in an office ... or are you the owner of a business? Consider cutting back on the amount of office supplies purchased and ask employees to share them. For example ... is it really necessary for each person to have a stapler or scissors? Can people share computers and paper shredders? How about sharing trash cans and recycle bins? If one looks around, I'm sure there are all kinds of office supplies which could be shared. And the less stuff we buy and use ... the less stuff gets tossed out.

Showers - Save water by showering with a friend. :) Planning to build a house ... instead of one bathroom for each room, put one between rooms.


Share the road - Here's an easy one ... share the road with bicyclists. Encourage this pollution free mode of transportation by slowing down and giving them plenty of room. And if you have a bicycle ... see if there are times when you can use it instead of driving a car.




Clothes - As kids, it seemed natural to share clothes. Usable clothing was handed down from older siblings to younger ones ... sisters shared wardrobes ... and friends often traded outfits. As adults, we can continue sharing clothes. Many items are unisex ... couples can share T-shirts and sweat shirts/pants. Dads and sons are often about the same size ... so share jeans, shirts and even shoes. The idea, here, is to share what's in your closet with others living in your house ... you'll increase your wardrobe without spending a cent or adding more stuff to the mix.

Donate - Here I'm talking about donating usable items which you no longer want or need. Rather than toss them out, take them to the nearest thrift store, shelter or Good Will. And while we're at it, before shopping for something new, consider buying previously used items.

Toothbrushes - before you get grossed out, I'm talking about battery operated or electric toothbrushes ... and not the manual kind. Why have one device for each person? Simply buy a supply of heads ... each person has their own but uses one electronic device. It'll give you all a brilliant smile!

Electronics - Advertisers would have you believe that each and every person in your house needs their own TV, computer, phone, radio, etc. That's a lot of stuff ... good for them but not so good for the environment. So ... rather than equip each room with the latest and greatest ... and never seeing the occupant again ... consider sharing electronics.



Pass it on - And finally, the best way to share is to pass on the "green" word. Share your ideas, your experiences, what works and what doesn't ... share tips, hints and advice. The world will be a better place for it.




Sharing ... who knew it was so "green".

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Food ... Glorious Food

Recently, to kick off the holiday season, we watched "A Christmas Carol". I love the scene where Scrooge comes out of his bedroom to find the Ghost of Christmas Present sitting atop a bountiful table of delicious food. This scene seems to represent everything we hold dear ... a table with plenty ... a generous and happy spirit ... the very essence of human kindness. In homes around the world, we try to recreate that opulence and generosity ... offering our guests much more than they could ever consume. And what is left over often becomes landfill waste.

As landfill contributions go, I've always thought that food would be less imposing than other items. After all, it will compost down and ultimately enrich the soil, right? Unfortunately ... there are problems with this thinking. To maximize the space used for landfills, the trash is compacted before being buried in the soil. These tidy bricks of garbage are air tight ... preventing decomposition. Simply put, the process of composting requires air. No air ... no compost. For landfills which allow organic materials to compost, there's another problem. We simply have too much waste. According to the EPA, methane (the gas produced by food waste) traps 23 times as much heat in the atmosphere as the same amount of CO2. Landfills account for 34 percent of all methane emissions in the U.S.

So ... how do we prevent food waste? I'm glad you asked. Here are some ideas:

• Planning a party? When entertaining, consider sending leftovers home with guests.
  

• Plan ahead ... twice. When I shop, I have an idea of what I'd like to cook during the week. This ensures that I have a use for everything ... and if I stick to my plan, everything gets used. But what happens when that dish that sounded oh so great at the beginning of the week, sounds less than appetizing today? That's where planning ahead twice comes in. Be sure that for every item purchased, an alternate dish is considered.

• Don't shop hungry ... and bring a list. Grocery stores are in the business of selling. They plan out their displays to entice us. And who can resist that box of donuts when their stomach is growling. So eat before shopping and make up a list ... it'll help avoid any impulse buying.

• Buy local produce. Have you ever purchased a bag of produce at a supermarket chain, just to get it home and find that there are rotten items at the bottom of the bag? Or how about those lovely tomatoes ... grown halfway around the world ... that are black inside? Produce in big chain supermarkets is older and typically isn't handled with care, causing many items to become bruised or broken which speeds up the decaying process. Buying produce locally ensures that the item is fresh ... which means less waste.

• Buying in bulk saves money and lessens the amount of packaging that gets sent to the landfill. However, one must use caution when buying large quantities. Ensure that the item being purchased has an adequate "use by" date. Also, make sure that the item is something you'll actually use. Most items, regardless of their shelf life, will get tossed out if, after a year or so, they haven't been used up.

• Store foods properly. If the food you purchase doesn't come with storage instructions, check out the Internet. Storing food properly will ensure it's maximum shelf life and safety ... not to mention it's taste.

• Check your refrigerator ... and your pantry. Adopt the grocer's strategy and rotate. Foods that are out of sight, usually get forgotten. Browse the contents of your food storage areas often ... at least once a week. You'll remind yourself what's there and you can move forgotten items to the front where they'll get used instead of turning into fuzzy, green stuff.

• Use what you have before shopping for more. In our house, we have fun with this. We try to use almost everything before making another shopping trip and this has generated some very creative meals.

• Cook only what is needed. If you're cooking for two and the recipe is for eight ... cut it down. Even if your family adores leftovers, there comes a point when everyone is tired of the same old thing.

• Don't toss out bits and pieces. You know the ones ... that last piece of bread in the package ... the crumpled chips at the bottom of the bag ... the peelings from the carrot you had at lunch. These things can be re-purposed. Save pieces of bread to make your own bread crumbs or take them to a park and feed the ducks. Crushed chips are great for topping a casserole or use them as coating for your favorite fried food. Vegetable peelings can be saved and turned into a natural, additive free, broth.

With a little effort, we can reduce ... if not eliminate ... food waste. And that ought to make the Ghost of Christmas Present joyous indeed.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Top 5 Reasons to Recycle Your Cell Phone

Awhile back, we talked about recycling batteries (you can read that post HERE). As mentioned in that post, cell phones are also recyclable.

Today, we are once again privileged, to have a guest author. Jeremy Sherman, Project Manager of Customer Magnetism, www.customermagnetism.com, has graciously submitted the following article for your consideration.

Top 5 Reasons to Recycle Your Cell Phone

Technology is constantly evolving, especially in the realm of cellar devices. You can’t turn on your TV without being bombarded by the newest, fastest, sleekest cell phone model. Each one comes with more capabilities and bells and whistles. So the time comes in every cell phone’s life to say goodbye. Change is good, but what happens to your old friend? Does it end up in a junk drawer? In an old box somewhere? If you’re like millions of Americans, it ends up in the trash….and this can be a serious problem. Recycling cell phones is an easy process which has many benefits. Below are 5 reasons why recycling your cell should be a priority.

Cell Phones Contain Toxic Materials

That sweet gun metal finish, back lit LCD screen, and QWERTY keypad come at a price, and that price is toxic materials. Most all cell phones these days contain lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. Yeah, arsenic. When you toss it in the trash, it ends up in an incinerator or landfill, where those materials can combust causing some major environmental issues. These materials often times sweep into the soil or drinking water which ends up affecting a lot more than just the landfill they get dumped in. Many of these materials like cadmium and lead are known to cause liver and lung cancer in humans. With the average shelf life of a cell phone peaking out at 18 months, it’s easy to see how these little devices can result in a much larger problem.

All Those Phones Add Up!

When was the last time you met someone without a cell phone? Nowadays kids take notes via text message and surf myspace on their iPhones. Just about everyone has a cell, and they all want the newer, better version coming out next year. If the average cell phone user is only holding on to a phone for 18 months, that creates a LOT of waste. The EPA predicts that more than 150 MILLION cell phones are thrown away each year. That’s 75,000 tons of toxic material waste every single year. There is no sign of those numbers slowing or decreasing in the future. By recycling your phone, you are helping to cut down on this growing problem.

Just Because It’s Not New, Doesn’t Mean It Can’t Work

Wait, you’re telling me that my phone only has a 7 mega pixel camera, but this super new phone has a 16 mega pixel camera?? I’m ready to upgrade. But that doesn’t mean that Mr. 7 mega pixel no longer works. In fact 80% of the 150 million cells that are thrown out each year are in perfect, or close to perfect working order. When you recycle your phone, it is thoroughly inspected for its quality and whenever possible, it is refurbished and resold. But how does this benefit you? You’ve moved on to higher quality pictures and unlimited texts. By recycling your phone, you’ve helped keep production costs down, and in turn it keeps product costs down as well. That’ll come in handy next time you upgrade.

Even If Your Phone Is Dead, It Can Still Be Recycled

You spilled coffee on your phone, your dog chewed it up, and the screen is dead? It can still be recycled even if it can’t be reused. Many times broken phones still have many working parts which are reused in the production of new phones. Even in the event your old faithful phone is truly dead, all the metals and materials used to make it can be broken down and reused to make new cell phones. By recirculating the materials, it can significantly cut back on the need for new metal mining. All this is done in a completely environmentally safe process.

Recycle and Get Involved

November 15^th is “America Recycles Day”. This national holiday is in its 11^th year and going stronger than ever. Through the countless efforts of many local and national recycling and environmental facilities millions of Americans will learn what they can do to help. According to the EPA, if only 1 million cell phones were recycled, they could produce enough energy to power 1,940 homes with electricity for a full year! If 150 million phones got recycled that’d mean electricity for 291,000 homes. What better way to be a part of ARD than by starting off with recycling your old cell phone.

If you’d like more information on cell phone recycling, or if you’d like to find out what you can do to help, contact GRC Recycling, http://www.grcrecycling.com/

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Falling Leaves

In Asheville, NC, the fall colors are peaking. It's beautiful.


Soon, the colors will fade and the leaves will fall ... all over the yard ... the patio .. and the driveway.


That brings me to today's quick tips:

• Leaves that fall in the yard and flower beds can be left to decompose and nourish the soil. They also act as mulch, protecting plants from winter temperatures.
  
  
• Forgo the air blower or hose for walkways and decks ... grab a broom and get busy. The only energy you'll burn is your own ... and how healthy is that!!
  
  
• Once leaves are gathered up from the driveway, walkway or patio, add them to your compost pile ... or start one if you haven't already done so. In the spring, you'll have rich soil for your garden.

Easy tips ... big environmental benefits.

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Batteries and the Environment

Do you give much thought to batteries? No? Neither do I. My storage closet has the usual assortment of sizes and types ... none of which seem to be what I'm looking for when the TV remote goes dead or the flashlight doesn't work (I knew I should have checked it before going camping).

The other day, the battery in the toothbrush died (may it rest in peace). The storage closet didn't have the one we needed (of course) and a quick look through drawers in the bathroom and kitchen got us nowhere (although I found a 9 volt that I didn't know we had). So ... with teeth that needed brushing ... we headed out to a nearby store. We chose one of the rechargeable varieties that came with its own recharger. Feeling proud of our choice (rechargeable is better than a single use, right), we headed home.

Purchasing a battery ... such a simple task ... sent my brain into overtime, wondering whether rechargeable was indeed better than single use, wondering what old batteries of any type do to landfills and wondering if batteries can be recycled. It turns out that the subject of batteries is a complex one.

Here are some interesting facts:

• Americans purchase nearly 3 billion dry-cell batteries per year (these are either single-use or rechargeable and are typically used for toys, phones, tools and laptops)
• Americans purchase nearly 100 million wet-cell batteries per year (used for cars, boats, etc.)
• All batteries need some sort of heavy metal to function properly

The best environmental choice would be no batteries at all. But let's face it, we are a society in love with our laptops, hand held tools, digital cameras and cell phones. We're on the go and want our gadgets to go with us ... without a cord. So ... if we're going to use batteries, which is the best: disposable or rechargeable?

In 1996 a law was passed in the U.S. regulating mercury levels in batteries. Since then, most companies have either eliminated or almost eliminated its use in single use batteries. This is a step in the right direction. However, since these batteries no longer contain expensive heavy metals, there is no incentive for companies to recycle them. Additionally, the public now has the perception that it's OK to toss them into the garbage. While they are less toxic than they used to be ... they still contain toxic substances which leach out into our landfills. And a lot of them are ending up in landfills.

Rechargeable batteries continue to make use of potentially toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, nickel and lead. Their long life, however, and the abundance of recycling centers means these metals can easily be diverted from the waste stream. A typical rechargeable battery, used long term for things like computers or digital cameras, can usually be recharged 500-800 times before it loses its ability to hold a charge. It would take hundreds of the disposable variety to equal that kind of lifespan. There are over 50,000 recycling centers nationwide for rechargeable batteries, many at large retail chains like Home Depot, Circuit City and Sears.

Rechargeable batteries, if recycled, are the environmental favorite. Disposable batteries are difficult to recycle and usually end up in landfills. Disposable batteries are considered hazardous household waste so ... be sure to check with your local waste management to find out how to best dispose of them.

Recycling rechargeable batteries is the key. To recycle them, check with the retail companies listed above or the following:

In the US & Canada:
http://www.rbrc.org/

In the US:
http://earth911.org/recycling/

By the way ... companies that recycle rechargeable batteries usually handle cell phone recycling as well (another item that I didn't realize could be recycled).

So ... I'll bet that you're looking at batteries in a whole new light now, aren't you?

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

Become an activist

In September we went to the fair. It's a lovely little fair ... full of community, family and "old timey" values. It's also full of Styrofoam food containers, garbage bins but no recycle bins (that we saw) and very few vegetarian/vegan food options. Call me crazy but ... it seems to me that a festival which celebrates agriculture, farming and "back to basics" lifestyles ... should be green.

My first impulse was to accept things as they are ... going green isn't always financially agreeable to organizations and as for the veggie food ... well, one doesn't go to a fair expecting to eat anything healthy. But then again ... maybe no one has asked the fair organizers to go green, letting them know that it's important and that people are watching ... and maybe people don't expect veggie food because it isn't offered.

The more I thought about it ... the more I needed to take action. So ... I searched the Internet for the names and email addresses of the organizers. Then I wrote very polite letters to them, thanking them for all they do and telling them what I enjoyed about the fair. Next, I suggested some easy changes ... putting out recycle bins .. encouraging their food vendors to discontinue the use of Styrofoam ... encouraging more vegetarian/vegan food options.

And guess what ... they wrote back. They told me of the green efforts they make behind the scenes. They said that they had a few recycle bins out but would put out more of them in prominent places. They said they would be happy to include more veggie food vendors and asked me for suggestions of restaurants which may be willing to attend (which I gave to them). They didn't address the Styrofoam issue but ... the seed has been planted.

Here's the point ... if we respectfully voice our concerns, maybe things will change. At the very least, it will let businesses and organizations know that it's important to the population ... to their customers. It will plant the seeds of change.

I'm hoping that next year, when we attend the fair, we'll see a lot of "green" going on. And if we do, I'll write more letters ... thanking them for their efforts.

So I challenge you ... write a letter ... make a call ... let your voice be heard. Congratulate those who are making efforts and make suggestions to those who can do better. Become an activist and make the world a better place.

As always ... I would love to hear from you!

Phone Books

How often do you use a phone book? No ... I'm not talking about using it as a door stop ... nor am I talking about using it to boost your child up at the dinner table. I'm talking about actually opening it up to find a phone number.

Every year, three phone books show up at my door. I set them by the phone ... dust them ... get sick of seeing them so move them to the bedroom ... dust them some more ... and eventually, when new books arrive, recycle them. Maybe (and this is a big MAYBE) I open one of them ... usually just to see if my name is there.

If everyone receives three ... or even one ... that's a lot of phone books. Sure, we can recycle them ... but wouldn't it be better not to get them in the first place? After all ... most people have access to the Internet or a cell phone ... both of which are fast, efficient and inexpensive resources for looking up phone numbers and addresses. So ... here's what we can do: opt out of phone books. Brilliant! Here's a link that will get you started:

http://www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/

This site also includes an "opt out" link for junk mail.

If you live outside the U.S., I suggest either calling or emailing your phone book provider and asking them to discontinue distribution to your address. If you find a link to opt-out ... let us know ... we'll publish it here for others to use.

One note: this is the first year that I've opted out of receiving a phone book and while I'm hoping that my door step will forever be free of those lovely yellow dust collectors, this method isn't yet tried and true. So ... should they grace my door again, I'll be on the phone ... calling to get them discontinued.

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!

A Brilliant Smile

Every morning when I stumble into the bathroom and brush my teeth, my only concern is waking up (oh to be able to run back to a warm, comfortable bed). I don't think about the fact that my toothbrush is made of plastic or that in a lifetime, most people will go through over 1000 toothbrushes. Nor do I think about the fact that 50 million pounds of toothbrushes end up in US landfills each year.

Plastic toothbrushes in landfills are, all by themselves, a concern. Plastic anything in a landfill is a real problem. But there's more. Did you know that every year approximately 14 billion pounds of trash are dumped into the ocean ... a large percentage of which is plastic? In an article entitled "Trashed", Captain Charles Moore of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation states, "... I now believe plastic debris to be the most common surface feature of the world's oceans. Because 40 percent of the oceans are classified as subtropical gyres, a fourth of the planet's surface area has become an accumulator of floating plastic debris."

Walk any beach and you're sure to see some plastic. Go out on a boat and you'll probably see some floating plastic. But, besides being an unsightly mess, what are the consequences of plastic in our oceans? Plastic is not biodegradable. It does, however, break down physically ... to very small particles. We're talking the size of a fish egg ... and even particles as small as the diameter of a human hair. These tiny particles of plastic persist in our environment for years ... maybe forever.

Perhaps at this point you're saying ... well ... so what ... it's now the size of sand. But guess what ... fish are consuming it ... and it's lethal. And ... there is now a real concern that it's getting into our food chain. Remember the warning awhile back about putting plastic water bottles in the freezer and how toxins leach out of the plastic into the water causing all kinds of health problems? Well ... those toxins are now leaching out into the ocean waters ... and into marine animals ... and plants ... and into our diets. Definitely not good!

So how does all this relate to my toothbrush? Well, plastic ends up in the oceans in many different ways. Recreational boaters, merchant ships, the military, garbage barges and our sewer systems all contribute. Some of the biggest culprits are plastic manufacturers. They use small plastic pellets in their manufacturing process and a lot of these pellets have been found in ocean waters.

So here's how it all relates to my toothbrush. If I don't buy plastic toothbrushes (demand), the manufacturers won't make as many of them (supply) which means they'll require less plastic pellets which means that there will be less opportunity for those pellets to find their way to the ocean. Whew ... we got there!

All of this is to say ... there is a better way. Instead of buying the standard plastic toothbrush, buy an Eco-friendly version from a health store. One can also buy them online through a company called Recyline. Another idea ... buy a toothbrush with a replaceable head ... yes, it's made of plastic but the body is reusable ... for a long time ... and much less plastic will get tossed out every 3 months (the recommended amount of time after which one should replace their toothbrush).

Who knew that being mindful with a toothbrush could help the world's oceans? Now that's cause for a brilliant smile!

As always ... I'd love to hear from you!