| For many of us, Al Gore's "An Inconvenient | | | | earth worm castings and as it ages, it shrinks and |
| Truth" was a wake up call that was loud and | | | | becomes a great soil amendment for garden pots |
| clear. Even more compelling (and scary) is | | | | or better yet, for your veggie garden! You can |
| Leonardo Di Caprio's film "The Eleventh Hour". As | | | | also buy a compost bin or box or even just use a |
| the news keeps coming in, my guess is we're | | | | large, extra sturdy plastic trash bags. |
| actually in the last ten minutes if we're going to | | | | If you haven't already, invest in a good number |
| stop the runaway devastation of our planet. For | | | | of reusable shopping bags. I try to keep at least |
| me that means, making smarter, eco choices has | | | | 4 in my car at all times so I don't have to choose |
| become a mandate and I'm no longer too shy to | | | | between paper or plastic. If you do have to |
| educate friends and family. The problem is that | | | | choose plastic, stash it until you get a bundle then |
| we have all become so habituated to a world | | | | drop it off at the recycle bin in most |
| that's been redesigned for our convenience. | | | | supermarkets. Paper bags get recycled in my |
| Changing these bad habits can be challenging, but | | | | house as coloring paper, place mats for messy |
| they are definitely worth the effort. | | | | projects and book covers. In fact, plastic |
| Two of the biggest ways we can use less energy | | | | packaging of all kinds is a major energy cost and |
| are in our home. Switching from incandescent to | | | | when I am shopping for something I try to |
| compact florescent lights (CFLs) will use up to 75 | | | | choose items that are not excessively packaged. |
| percent less electricity than incandescent light | | | | Buying a concentrated laundry detergent in a |
| bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. This one | | | | cardboard box rather than a plastic jug is a little |
| simple change will help you cut your utility bill, while | | | | less cost for the environment. Our consumer |
| you reduce greenhouse gas emissions that lead to | | | | choices do get noticed. |
| global warming. The shocking fact is that if every | | | | While some cities provide different colored |
| home in America replaced just one incandescent | | | | containers for different recyclable materials, if |
| light bulb with a CFL, in one year it would save | | | | your town doesn't, take a trip to your local dump |
| enough energy to light more than 3 million homes. | | | | and discover what they recycle. We have a bin |
| That would prevent the release of greenhouse | | | | each for aluminum cans, plastic and glass bottles in |
| gas emissions equal to that of about 800,000 | | | | the garage. Paper and cardboard can be stacked |
| cars. I had over 20 incandescent lights in my | | | | as well. The kids know where the soda can goes |
| home and as they go out, they are being | | | | and dad knows where the empty wine bottle |
| replaced by CFL's. You can do the same. | | | | goes. Once a month we drive to the dump and |
| Another way we can use less energy in our | | | | end up getting paid for our recycling efforts. This, |
| home is to make it more energy efficient. That | | | | plus our compost bucket cuts down our |
| means, checking that you have adequate ceiling | | | | household garbage so much, that even with a |
| insulation, double or triple pane windows and snug | | | | family of 6, we rarely fill our small garbage can. |
| seals to all your outside doors. When we switched | | | | Little changes make a big difference. |
| to dual pane windows years ago it made a huge | | | | Driving a fuel efficient car can save you money |
| difference. Not only did our heating and cooling bills | | | | and save the planet from global warming. But |
| go down dramatically, but our home was also | | | | reducing all driving is also important. Consider car |
| insulated from traffic noise. Old appliances use | | | | pooling, ride sharing to work, and shopping with a |
| more electricity so when you need to choose a | | | | friend. Every Saturday morning a girlfriend and I |
| major appliance, consider upgrading to a super | | | | share the ride to our local Farmers Market. We |
| efficient model. It may cost a bit more, but your | | | | try to save on gas by combining trips and plotting |
| long term cost of use will be less and your | | | | our errands in a giant loop. I always try to buy |
| 'carbon footprint' will be smaller. And, definitely | | | | organic, but when I discovered that organic food |
| donate any large ticket item that still has life in it | | | | in the grocery store travels about 3,000 miles |
| to a charity group where it can be used a little | | | | before it reaches my store, I was horrified. This |
| longer before it's journey to a landfill. | | | | probably negates the carbon saving of buying |
| Living in sunny CA, it's easy for me to throw my | | | | organic. The problem is that food is required to |
| laundry on a line, especially sheets and towels | | | | first go to a distribution center before it is shipped |
| smell so fresh after being out in the sun and wind. | | | | out to individual stores. So, apples grown in |
| But I was amazed to discover when I traveled to | | | | Seattle may have to be trucked to Atlanta |
| England (a not so sunny place) that most homes | | | | before they get shipped back to your local store |
| didn't have dryers but hung their laundry up in | | | | in Seattle! Ironically, non-organic foods are shipped |
| their kitchens! The British went through a long | | | | an average of 1,000 miles before they get to |
| period of post war austerity as did our | | | | your store. However, your veggies at the |
| grandparents during the depression and many of | | | | farmers market, are local - a huge carbon saving |
| the economies that were necessary then are | | | | and fresher than store bought by about 2 weeks. |
| needed now - if not for financial reasons, then to | | | | With a large family and a tight budget, I got over |
| put less strain on our eco system. Granted, line | | | | the stigma of shopping second hand. Today, |
| drying may not be practical for everyone, but | | | | consignment shops and thrift stores are doing a |
| there truly seems to be an infinite number of | | | | great job of cleaning, sorting and making it easy |
| ways to use less energy when we put our minds | | | | to cut your clothing budget way down. |
| to it. | | | | Underwear, socks, shoes and the occasional must |
| Drinking 8 glasses of water a day is a healthy | | | | have items are still purchased new, but by sharing |
| practice, but not when the water comes in plastic | | | | baby clothes with other moms, taking advantage |
| bottles. Investing in a good home water | | | | of the occasional rummage sale or trip to a |
| purification system will give you water that is free | | | | charity shop, you can save money while doing |
| of toxic chemicals, tastes good, costs a lot less | | | | your bit for the environment too. |
| than packaged water and is better for the | | | | Another tip that can save money and safeguard |
| environment. Use a stainless steel water bottle to | | | | your family from a long list of toxic chemicals, is |
| take water with you and refill as needed. Get mini | | | | to use the old fashioned cleaning ingredients that |
| ones for your children's lunch box and explain why | | | | our grand parents used. It's amazing how much |
| your family doesn't drink bottled water. Bring your | | | | you can clean with some combination of white |
| own travel mug to work or Starbucks and wash | | | | vinegar and baking soda. In fact, it's amazing to |
| and reuse it during the day. | | | | realize that most of the products that fill the |
| Our kitchens generate an amazing amount of | | | | shelves of our stores, didn't even exist a hundred |
| landfill and some simple changes here can make a | | | | years ago. We have been seduced into a world of |
| huge difference. Instead of using paper towels for | | | | artificially generated needs and an assumption that |
| every wipe and paper napkins at every meal, | | | | convenience is always better. It may be easier |
| substitute cloth napkins and towels. Create a rag | | | | for us, but it's certainly not been better for our |
| bag by tearing up old towels and sheets to be | | | | health or our environment. Making these changes |
| used for wiping floor spills or dusting. Create a | | | | and more will demonstrate to your children the |
| small compost pile if you have any outdoor | | | | values you hold. It's time we all practiced the |
| garden area at all. I use a gallon plastic juice jug to | | | | Native American values of asking how will this |
| collect fruit and vegie scraps and when it's full, it | | | | affect my people and the land in 7 generations. |
| goes into a heap in the backyard. Grass clippings | | | | Our daily decisions do make a difference. |
| and leaves get added along with some water and | | | | |