When You Must Use Plastic and Paper

No matter how hard we try to utilize reusable materials, sometimes the occasion calls for disposable goods. When it comes to hosting a large event, community fundraiser or any larger get together we need to start thinking about how best to offset the carbon footprint of the event by being green consumers.

The world of plastics has changed in response to consumer demand for recyclable and compostable products. Plastics that are made from vegetables such as corn and paper products free of bleach and made from post consumer waste are the choice when there is no choice. Although many of us are ready to change on the domestic level the professional transitional will take longer.

So how much do we have to pay for green plastics to cater our professional event?

I love to save money and be green at the same time which can sometimes be a challenge. And it turns out, there are only a few companies stateside really making the move towards only selling green disposables. And a little research shows comparable prices.

Take for instance the classic paper plate. A green version made from sugarcane rather than trees and completely biodegradable without releasing any harmful chemical into the air runs around $50 for 500. A traditional paper plate full of bleach and tree parts with a cute little pattern runs about $140 for 500. hmmm…green always costs more?

Disposable coffee cups. An 8 ounce green cup is about $75 for 1000. Traditional coffee cups? Well you can get a 1000 Styrofoam cups for around $30. It seems some green products are cheaper and some more costly than traditional products. But anyone that would purchase Styrofoam for a corporate event in today’s climate…well.

I guess this entry is aimed at those of us who are struggling with leaving our green homes each day and entering our extremely ungreen corporate lives. Even if you aren’t the person in charge of organizing meetings and get togethers, it doesn’t mean you can’t make suggestions to those in charge of budgets and events to go green.

And in those cases where the green goods may cost a little extra? Well big business can certainly afford and the cost of promoting themselves as a green company (or at least heading in that direction) can’t possible have a price tag.

Persuading corporations and small businesses to invest in carbon credits to offset office waste and emissions doesn’t hurt either. You could even calculate the office carbon and present the info to your boss.

Hey, share the knowledge. Isn’t that what the green evolution is all about?

Don't Tease The Planet

So there’s a bit of a buzz about the web regarding this “No Impact Week.” I feel irresponsible not mentioning it but rather than advertising it, I’d like to discuss how one can actually survive a no impact week. I mean talk about trying to reduce and offset your carbon footprint. A week without a carbon footprint seems nearly impossible but is it?

And if it is possible, is it sustainable?

Well, a little background. The concept of “No Impact Week” is based on the year Colin Beavan and his family went “off the grid” and lived without creating little to no impact on the planet. The week is a personal experiment is trying to live a better life, make permanent behavioral changes and engage (if you haven’t already) the whole idea of reducing your carbon impact.

So what do you do? Well, you register, get the how to be greener manual and try and make it a whole seven days without cracking under the pressure of being a better planetary steward. Its sad that we need to have such a week. And I know a week of less impact will help the planet, but how do you stop everyone from over compensating the week after?

Seems to me that a sustainable sustainability project to reduce your carbon footprint should be about making small changes as often as possible and slowly building up to a permanent lifestyle change. One week of “trying” to save the planet is like one week of trying to go on a diet: you lose a little weight but the donuts you eat the week after will quickly put that water weight right back on.

The idea behind the week is great: getting people involved in the lower carbon lifestyle. Keeping them in it will be the problem. It doesn’t seem long enough for people to really understand the positive benefits of reducing their carbon footprint. Personally, it would be better to buy a week’s worth of carbon credits and make one permanent change. Not for a day or a week so you can write a blog about it but a permanent change that will help you your planet and your pocket book.

If you reduce your car use, walk when possible, recycle or buy sustainable products, reduce your waste, reuse everything in your home and cut down on wasted energy use, you can really have an impact on the planet. But please, don’t just do it for a week.

Reminds me of that commercial about seasonal pets. I guess it would be: a planet’s for life not just for a week in October.

Offset Your Carbon by Winterizing Your Home

Summer has left us and winter is just around the corner. One of the simplest ways to save money and reduce your carbon footprint is by preparing your home for the coming cold weather.

Its one of those things many of us do anyway but will really reduce your energy use and thus your impact on carbon emissions. Remember the less we use traditionally produced electricity the better off the planet.

Sealing doors and windows eliminates drafts which in turn lowers the amount of heat used to keep a room warm. Less heat, less money, lower carbon footprint. Use draft excluder made from used clothes filled with fabric scraps and reuse plastic bags and sheeting by making it into window covering.

Turn down the heat on your hot water tank. 120 degrees is more than adequate. Most tanks are set at 140 or higher which is both dangerous and unnecessary. Lowering the temperature on the heater will make your house safer for small children and make a large dent in your electric bill.

Wear a sweater rather than turning up the thermostat. It can get really cold in winter but make sure not to overcompensate. A well sealed room with adequate insulation is just fine with a thermostat set at 68 degrees. Not only does this save money but it offsets carbon emissions and stuffy rooms. Its winter, you should be wearing layers anyway.

Improve your insulation by adding a layer in the attic. Traditional insulation has quite the carbon footprint. These days there are several green alternatives including fillers made from newspapers and old clothes. Get the best that you can afford as the savings in energy loss and use are well worth it.

Consider alternative fuel sources. A wood burning stove is better than a coal burning electricity plant. You can plant new trees but not new fossil fuels. It’s also a good way to reduce the amount of waste you send to the landfill.

Taking a few minutes to look around your home and think of ways to reduce heat loss and energy use is smart, practical and green. The planet will thank you for it even if the electric company won’t.

Over Processed Vanity: Makeup's Impact on the Planet

In my humble opinion, makeup is one of the manufactured items that we can certainly live without. It’s not sustainable, contains numerous unnatural components and in some terrible cases, is tested on the furry folk we are trying to save by reducing and offsetting out carbon footprints. When you take a minute to delve into the ingredients in cosmetics, it doesn’t take long before you realize the true cost of vanity.

Lipsticks, tubes of mascaras, nail polish, foundation creams, eye shadows and all their accompanying holders, containers, applicators and sponges are a big waste of money and a resource drain on the planet. Not to mention the fact that some brands may actually cause you physical harm.

To begin with, the manufacture of cosmetics uses massive amounts of water, electricity and industrial waste create a huge carbon footprint. Some companies such as L’Oreal who own over 40 factories worldwide, have promised to work on their emissions but the only sure way to decrease that footprint is consumer choice.

Then there’s the whole cancer causing chemicals that are created to enhance color and preserve components of makeup. Recent studies found that some red lipsticks actually contain trace amounts of led. Not good for the skin or the fish who deal with the manufacturing waste water. Other chemicals in cosmetics include Propylene / Butylene Glycol (PG), mineral oil, coal tar and Phthalates all thought to cause serious health issues.

Few if any cosmetics come in recycled packaging and to be honest I have never come across anyone who has tried to put their empty plastic compact in the recycling bin. The whole cosmetic industry is pretty much self regulated meaning they can cut as many corners as they want and don’t have to worry about their effect on the planet.

Don’t get me wrong some companies are looking for sustainable alternatives, clean energy resources and making a sincere effort to find sources of post consumer packaging materials. The best we as consumers can do is purchase only organically based products in recycled or sustainable packaging. When the demand for footprint dense products is reduced, manufacturers won’t produce them.

And think of all the money you’ll save. Oh and if you just can’t give up that shiny red lip liner? Buy some carbon credits to make up for it.

It’s Not Cheap, It’s Planet Savvy

My husband would be the first to tell you I am cheap. I love a bargain, love thrift stores and love to save money. But with the green evolution upon us and the desperate need to reduce and offset our carbon footprints, I’m not cheap anymore, I’m planet savvy.

I’ve said before about shopping at thrift stores and buying Energy Star appliances. But we can reduce our carbon impact even more by putting the two together. Buying second hand appliances is no longer taboo, its smart. It saves money and reduces the needs for additional manufacturing and so slows the rate of carbon emissions from the manufacturing process.

Plus it saves money. Money that can be used to buy carbon credits, solar panels, rain barrels and clothes lines; whatever tickles your green fancy.

Another idea that still shocks many in our consumer culture: keep it till you break it. Before the economy went to pot, we all just bought bought bought not if we needed something but mostly if we wanted something. It didn’t matter if the television set was perfectly adequate, it didn’t hang on the wall. So we were out with the old and in with the new increasing household waste, clogging landfills and aiding in the creation of greenhouse gases.

And some people still live this way. You can’t save them all as they say. But you can certainly save your money and your planet by making smart green decisions.

My microwave lasted for 13 years. My coffee pot was with me for 12 years. My first toaster was inherited (I know crazy right?) and lasted for a total of 25 years. Yes my friends used to laugh at the age of my appliances and joked I should just get new. But why? These ones work just fine. They may not have been the latest model in the most fashionable colors but they did the job they were intended to do.

And now when I walk into a home and see a pristine kitchen full of the latest shiny objects from the appliances catalogs and websites, I frown at the homeowner and wonder at their choices. Because finally, used appliances, stretching every dollar and reducing carbon impact is more important that buying what the television tell you to buy.

A round of applause for the second hand buyer, the bargain seeker, the dollar stretcher the “it still works what’s the problem?” individual out there. These are green choices and a chance to lead by example. So when the coffee pot brews its last or the toaster just won’t toast, consider replacing it with a second hand (or previously loved) appliances and do yourself and the planet a favor.

Ride Share for Planet Care

We all know that transportation is one of the major contributors to carbon emissions and global warming. Thing is, this country is kinda big and public transportation still isn’t ubiquitous. Sometimes it’s too far too walk or cycle and there is no other option but the car. Ride sharing or car pooling remains the best way to get on with your life while reducing your carbon footprint.

Car pooling usually takes places between co workers who take turns driving to work or paying for gas. A car pool is two or more people choosing to travel in one car instead of traveling separately using double or triple the amount of gas and emitting double or triple the amount of emissions. Car pooling has been around for a while and in major cities, car poolers have their own special driving lane on the highway to reward them for this fuel conserving behavior.

All hail the car poolers.

Ride sharing is a more recent concept in the world of eco travel. Ride sharers do not necessarily work together or even known each other and may only ride together one time. Large urban areas offer ride sharing services which mainly consists of websites where you can post a destination request and see if anyone is heading your way. The cost of the journey is usually split between the travelers. This too reduces fuel and may prevent those who travel long distances infrequently from purchasing a car in the first place.

Let’s stand up for the ride share.

Things is, ride sharing makes me nervous. And that may be an uncool anti green thing to say but I’m trying to be honest here. Just because someone cares about the planet and is heading in your direction is that enough to trusts them? Have we gotten o a point where the label eco-warrior is enough to ensure safety and security no matter what the situation?

Hmmm….

I’m all for saving money and saving the planet but I think sensible shouldn’t be thrown out of the window in the process. The state of Michigan offers some great advice on ride sharing on their website. Take the time to follow up on contact information and given phone numbers to make sure they are real. Swap emergency contact info and make a copy of the driver’s license before departure. And always, always follow your instincts: if a situation doesn’t feel safe it probably isn’t.

A full tank of gas can release up to 350 pounds of carbon into the atmosphere. Carbon emissions contribute to the rate of global warming. So every time a tank of gas can be saved, the better for the planet as well as the wallet. It pays to be careful though and sensible greenies are healthy greenies.

Greening Up Those Final Wishes: Eco Burials

None of us want to think about it but death is a constant companion to us all. One minute everything is fine and the next…well the next moment never comes. But all is not lost. In fact our final preparations are also a final opportunity to reduce and offset our carbon footprints.

And the green funeral concept is gaining wider acceptance.

So what is a green funeral? The environmentally aware funeral focuses on a natural display that utilizes sustainable materials and eliminates carbon producing choices.

To begin with, embalming is out. As we have already learned we are half embalmed by the time we die anyway from the amount of formaldehyde in many everyday beauty and cleaning products. It’s a choice to reserve a body chemically. Some places may insist that a law exists about such matters but it’s more a funeral home policy than an actual federal regulation. Check with a funeral home in advance to ensure embalming is not an issue.

Grave markers are greened by using only natural sustainable materials. A rock or tree make a perfect replacement for bronze plaques and hard to replace marble. The less processing and manufacturing the lower the footprint. Planting a tree instead of killing one is much better for the planet.

In the green burial, you can even forego the coffin if you want to. Concrete tombs and steel coffins are a no no. A funeral shroud or biodegradable coffin is the preferred choices costing less money and reducing the amount of precious materials that get buried in the ground.

Traditional cemeteries aren’t recommended for the green burial. The preservation of the natural landscape is preferred with private forests and meadows a better option that cemeteries carved out of hillsides and filled with turf grass and concrete.

For those who want to avoid the burial thing altogether and really reduce their carbon impact, cremation is the way to go. Cremations have increased in popularity over the last few years. Not just because of the whole green evolution thing but because they are drastically cheaper than traditional burials. Cremations save space, save trees and fertilize the earth. It’s a win win really.

So when thinking of additional ways to save money and help the planet, think about a green burial. But please plan ahead and always check your insurance covers your wishes.

That way you can definitely rest in peace.

Food Footprints

You learn something everyday so the saying goes. And in my journey to discover the many ways to reduce and offset my carbon footprint while not spending very much money has led to a new insight. That is, the carbon footprint of foods. Turns out, eating a hamburger a couple of times a week is reason enough to buy carbon credits. Whether locally made or not, food manufacturing has a major impact on the planet.

According to treehugger.com, food is the cause of almost one third of the greenhouse gases we have all grown so concerned about. As the atmosphere heats up, the planet undergoes detrimental change. We must stop or reverse this process to avoid the onset of catastrophic environmental change. Yes, hamburgers can kill polar bears.

See? You learn something new everyday.

It seems cheap fatty heart attack inducing yummy foods have high carbon footprints. If you think about it, fast food is definitely a planet killer. From the excess methane gas released into the atmosphere from the millions of cows needed to produce the burgers to the forests of trees destroyed to make the millions of wrappers and the gallons upon gallons of petrochemicals utilized to drive to the drive thru…well, talk about increasing your carbon footprint on a budget.

It seems the thing to do is buy locally, buy seasonally and avoid red meat as often as possible. Whether we like to admit it or not, we are not naturally meat eaters and a vegetarian diet is better for the planet, our carbon footprint and believe it or not, our physical health.

Treehugger.com suggests eating seasonal fruits, dry beans and potatoes rather than fast food lowers both your food bill and your cholesterol. Baking your own bread, making your own healthy cookies and choosing soy and tofu over cow and pig is an economical step in the right direction.

I can vouch for the yumminess and low emission factor of lentil cookies. And don’t get me started on the obvious delights of bread fresh from the oven. Being green isn’t always the sacrifice some would make it out to be.

Once you realize that everything has a carbon footprint, smarter choices start happening naturally. And food really is an easy one. Stick to natural local foods and avoid over packaged items from far away. Buy in bulk to save on gas and get creative with the contents of the pantry.

Reducing your carbon footprint is a learning process. Take small steps in the right direction and veer past the drive thru and into your own garage. Home made has always been better. Now its environmentally and economically smart.

The Whole Bamboo Thing

My friend is getting married in the spring and since the engagement all we have done is discuss the minute details of the wedding ceremony and reception. And of course, I had to ask how my friend planned on reducing the carbon footprint of the joyous occasion. Her reply? “Bamboo, of course.”

Of course. All we hear lately is bamboo flooring is the best way to finish a green home, bamboo is a sustainable green product, bamboo can reduce your carbon impact and bamboo is prefect for the plates and cups at an outdoor spring wedding. So here’s the skinny on the whole bamboo thing.

According to bamboo advocates, planting and utilizing bamboo is the best and easiest way to help our planet recover. Bamboo grows really, really fast with new shoots every year and takes in a lot of carbon dioxide. In just two months, bamboo shoots can reach over 100 feet in height making them a great replacement for the trees in traditional western forests that take decades, even centuries to grow.

Just growing in a bamboo grove, this versatile tree is a natural sound barrier and can assist in soil erosion caused by wind or the death of other organic matter. Using bamboo for an assortment of practical uses is only new in the west. In Asia, bamboo has been a staple crop for centuries.

You can eat bamboo, make clothes out of it, use it to build the walls of your house, line your floors with it, feed it to your animals, make bags, boxes, paper, plates and cups out of its fibers. Bamboo is the new soy: a versatile natural product that helps the planet heal itself.

There are over 1,400 different species of bamboo in the world meaning that sustainable products can be grown to suit. And every site I look on, I find even more uses for this panda bear supplement. Fishing rods, bird cages, book cases, lampshades, tables, fuel, toothpicks, chopsticks, window shades, boats, fences and my current favorite: bamboo wedding invitations. It seems if you can make, eat it or wear it, it can contain bamboo.

This planet needs a little help to breathe and if buying bamboo at a reasonable price will do it, well, pass the shoot fiber plate please.

Carbon Footprints in the Air

One of the major contributors to the planet’s carbon footprint is pollution caused by transportation. Airplanes due to their size, distance traveled and fuel expenditures are some of the worst offenders. But sometimes, despite the threat of global warming, we have to get on a plane.

You can’t really have a cheap flight in my experience unless of course you consider the equivalent of a month’s rent cheap, but you can reduce the environmental cost of your trip. In this case, it’s about saving the airlines money but at the same time lowering your carbon impact on the flight.

The first thing I found out is that you should avoid flushing the toilet while in the air. It takes a liter or just over a third of a gallon of fuel to flush the toilet. Think about how many people are on a plane. And what about those international flights? Go if you have to go of course, but if you can go before getting on board or wait until you get off the plane, you’ll be helping the planet.

Another thing is book a day flight whenever you can. It’s better for the planet because the impact of the condensation trails the plane produces (a major player in the greenhouse gas team) are vastly reduced during the warmer air of the day.

Avoid choosing plastic containers in flight and pre flight whenever possible. Airport regulations make this difficult but if there is a glass bottle option, take it. And when you are in the airport terminal after your flight has been delayed for third time that day, don’t make stupid carbon filled purchases (Styrofoam containers, plastic bottles, plastic carrier bags etc.) just because you are bored and trying to kill time. Sit down and read a book.

According to Planet Green, a single plane flight saves the equivalent amount of carbon of choosing not to eat meat for an entire year (the whole cow methane gas thing).So miss a flight and save a year’s worth of carbon dioxide.

And if you do skip the flight and decide to drive instead, consider mass transportation first (train or coach) and if you have to go by car? What about making that switch to bio fuel?

But you know, for every flight you do take, you really should offset your carbon footprint with some carbon credit.

The Rain in Spain Falls Mainly…into Barrels?

As I start thinking of ways to offset my carbon footprint, I have to keep in mind that economics always comes into it. Bamboo flooring and solar panels are great but we’re not all in a place to make such changes. Small changes go a long way to lowering emissions, decreases the effects of global warming and helping the planet heal itself.

So that’s why I want to talk about rain barrels.

I’m not trying to advocate people drinking rain water to save money. Because we all know that in this day and age rainwater may not be the best way to quench your thirst. Who knows what it could contain. But it does seem a terrible waste not to use free resources to complete lots of household tasks.

The fancy name is “rainwater recovery” which basically means catching the drops as they fall. All you need is a sizeable container to catch the rain. There are commercial and pricey rain barrels out there but if you can find a 55 gallon drum made from plastic or metal you can save a lot of money. Old wooden wine casks are another idea for a rain barrel.

After making sure the barrel is clean, you might want to think about adding a spigot and a mesh screen. The spigot is for all those who would rather turn on the tap than dip a cup into the cold barrel water. The mesh screen helps keep out large debris, bugs and leaves out of the water. The finer the mesh, the better the chance that mosquitoes won’t be tempted.

Then it just a matter of placing the barrel in the best position outside to catch the drops. This is usually beneath the down spout. Rain barrels are not a great idea for arid hot climates. Because the small amount of water you may catch will quickly evaporate in the heat.

Once the rainwater has been collected, there are a range of uses for the water. Watering the garden and the lawn is the obvious use. Washing the car, small garden irrigation system, rinsing off shoes before going in the house, laundry and flushing the toilet are just a few of the uses for rain water.

One article I read stated that using rainwater for a few household tasks such as toilet flushing and laundry can decrease reliance on the municipal water system by 70 percent. That’s a lot. That’s a big thumbs up for the planet.

So go salvage a rain barrel and give it a try. What a great green way to save cash.

Dripping Away the Pennies: Water Conservation on a Budget

I’ve managed to avoid a summer hike on my electric bill by fighting off the vampires so now its time to figure out how to reduce my water bill. Oh and of course, offset my carbon footprint.

Sometimes we think using water is okay. I mean the world is 70 percent water, it rains a lot, water gets reused…it’s okay. Aaaah the blissful naivety of ignorance.

Think about it: cleaning water takes machines, chemicals, transportation and electricity. The process involves synthetic chemicals and petrochemicals and of course, emissions. Emissions contribute to global warming.

Besides measuring our individual carbon footprint, you can also measure a countries water footprint, that is, how much water a single country consumes. America is well into the red zone, far above the global average.

We may be okay for water here but other places aren’t so lucky. Water conservation is a key element in helping the planet get through this bad patch. So we have to reduce our water usage, especially our hot water usage which is a double carbon calamity.

So first off, turn off the tap and make sure it’s actually off. A dripping tap amounts to hundreds of dollars down the drain every year. And all those gallons could have gone to much better use like growing crops for food in Africa (yeah there’s a tap turning off guilt trip for you!).

Turn down the hot water heater. The recommended low temp is 120 degrees. Most tanks are set at 140 so go and check where you stand. This will make a nice savings in the electric bill too.

Reuse water. I know that sounds gross but there are plenty of opportunities to do so, especially when cooking. If you boil eggs in a pan of water and don’t break any eggs in the process what do you have? A pan of hot water. Great for washing dishes. If you boil vegetables in water, what’s wrong with taking a cup of that water to make your mash potatoes with? Nothing.

Get out of the shower when you are clean not when you are wrinkly. Taking a hot shower is great after a run but its not really necessary everyday. It’s a complete waste of water and electricity. Think crops in Africa, greenhouse gases and carbon footprints if you need a motivation to grab for that towel a few minutes earlier.

If you can’t resist a long hot shower or boiling your clothes to death, then at least offset your consumption by buying carbon credits. Water is a precious commodity, just like the money in our wallets. Saving both is a step in the right direction.

Plant Power

Air pollution damages the health of not only the planet but people too. It can’t be good to inhale those toxic emissions every time you go outside. But as we all know, the air inside can damage our lungs, incite allergic reactions and well, smell kinda funky.

But have you seen how much an air purifier costs?

I did a little research online to get an idea of the amount of money I would have to put out to clean my living space air and the range was between $300 and $800. These expensive air cleaners claim to remove impurities from the air utilizing a carbon filter but one issue for me is the fact that they need electric to work.

That immediately puts them on my list of appliances I can live without.

My two favorite methods for purifying my air used to be opening a window or lighting a scented candle. But not everyone lives in the county and state that claims to have the clearest air in the nation.

What to do… what to do…

I had to figure out a way to offset my carbon footprint, spend little or no money and of course improve the quality of the air in my home.

Of course, plants! Plants do the same things as trees by taking in carbon dioxide and emitting fresh clean oxygen in its place. Plant ownership could offset my carbon footprint and keep my happy home free of funky odors.

Apparently ivy, palms, ferns and lilies are the best plants for growing indoors and improving the air. You could grow from seed or pick a few starter plants up at the local greenhouse. After a season, new shoots should grow that can be clipped and used to start new plants.

Natural fertilizers like coffee grounds and eggshells will feed the plant and you could use salvaged rain water to give them a drink. If you pick up their replacement plant pots at yard sales and thrift stores, you can keep the carbon impact minimal.

So until the plants start growing, offset your carbon footprint with a few carbon credits. But be sure not to waste hundreds of dollars on items that could actually put you out of balance once again.

Choose the carbon neutral alternative. Choose plants.

Walking For The Planet

I came across an article today that talked about the walkability of my geographical location and the need for people to live in places where they are in walking distance of all of life’s necessities. Walking is a must when it comes to offsetting your carbon footprint.

Walking seems a sort of obvious way to save money and get a little fresh air, but sometimes we need reminders regarding what is good for us and for the planet. Every time we aren’t walking or cycling, we are taking transportation that relies on fossil fuels and emits toxins into the air, causing pollution and contributing to global warming. We have to think about the good that walking does.

Walking reduces carbon emissions.

Walking promotes human interaction and communication.

Walking helps support downtown businesses.

Walking is good for the heart and health.

Walking is one of the lowest impact forms of exercise.

Walking promotes community involvement.

Walking lowers your carbon footprint.

Walking saves money.

Walking allows you to breathe in fresh air, enjoy your neighborhood and interact with nature.

Walking is good. Hurray for walking.

The same walking article suggested that for every ten minutes you spend sitting alone inside your car, your likelihood of being involved in community activities, decreases by ten percent.

If we aren’t trying to fix the planet to promote a healthier world and tighter community, then where is the point? Going green is about getting along with each other and our natural environment better. Community is key.

So get out of the car, buy a pedometer and a pair of good shoes and get to stepping.

Cleaning Green

I’m starting to learn that every time I bring chemicals into my home, I’m increasing the size of my carbon footprint. Chemicals release emissions during their manufacturing process, bring toxins into the home and can contaminate ground water after disposal.

If it can burn the rust stains off the sink, what on earth is it doing to the pipes?

The chemicals have to go. It isn’t really up for debate in my mind. Is it just me who feels stupid for not ever reading the ingredients on the back of a bottle of floor cleaner? They are expensive bottles of poison and there are children in the house. I need to find a natural cheaper alternative.

Care2.com provides a basic list of natural alternative to harsh chemical cleaners. Baking soda and vinegar head the list with a little lemon juice and tea tree oil thrown in for good measure. The basic rule of thumb seems to be looking for non toxic plant based cleaners in the grocery store aisle or creating your own cleaners at home using traditional basics.

I always opt for the cheapest method which is this case is a bottle of white vinegar and a box of baking soda. Both are natural products that cost very little and actually do a good job.

Because that’s always the worry with non toxic products: will they burn the rust stains off the sink?

From my own experience, I would say some are wonderful and better than commercial products (cold tea in a spray bottle will clean a mirror with a streak free gleam). Others seem to require a lot more elbow grease and experimentation with effective amounts and mixes (the whole vinegar, salt and soda thing).

It comes down to the fact that sink burning cleaners may be effective in the short term but their long term effects on the planet could be devastating.

Manufacturing releases emission, emission increase the amount of gas in the atmosphere, global warming occurs, polar bears pack their suitcases. Vinegar won’t melt the ice caps unless of course you pour it on top of them.

So for every chemical compound you don’t feel able to live without, buy some carbon credits. For the rest of the household cleaning, its time to get creative, save money and maybe burn a few calories. Another reason for going greener.

Hedge Apples: A Natural Alternative to Pesticides

I was at the grocery store the other day on the hunt for some fresh mushrooms when I passed a box of odd looking fruit. The sign said “Hedge fruit: 2 for $1.00 not edible.” Huh? What on earth was it and what was it for? I picked up a piece of the strange bumpy looking fruit and as I was inspecting its strange surface, an old lady walked passed me and said “they are just great for keeping out the spiders.”

So of course, I had to do some research and discovered yet another to reduce carbon emissions and avoid the use of harsh chemical pesticides. And all I wanted was a few mushrooms.

Osage Orange, hedge apple, horse apple, bodark or more correctly Maclura pomifera is a small tree that was once used to indicate property boundaries in the days before barbed wire. They are a favorite of squirrels but not a good eating choice for humans.

Depending on who you to talk to, hedge apples deter spiders, crickets, bugs and cockroaches. It seems one university study showed that a natural chemical with the hedge apple to deter cock roaches. People put the hedge apples in dark corners, by doorways and porch steps to prevent insects entering the house. Everyone that uses them swears that they work.

Perhaps they are not the best natural insecticide out there (and I will continue to look for others) but they are a step in the right direction. And the cool thing is they aren’t anything new. People have utilized hedge apples for over a century in this capacity.

Sometimes being green isn’t a matter of coming up with new ways to do things, its about remembering how we used to do them.

Pesticides carry dangerous and deadly chemicals that give off carbon emissions during the manufacturing process. They can destroy farm side ecosystems and add unnecessary toxins to our food supply. So if an crinkly green apple thing in the corner of the room will reduce my dependence on such things? Well? I’m all for it.

Refresher Course

Being green on a budget is always my focus; how to make changes in your lifestyle that help reduce or offset your carbon footprint. We can’t all afford solar panels on the roof or have the space for a windmill in the backyard but we can make smart choices that help the planet as well as helping the wallet. There are few simple things that greenies talk about all the time that some of us layman may not be a reminder. Consider this blog a refresher of the basics.

Turning down the air conditioner and turning down the heat just a few degrees can help offset your carbon emissions and save up to three percent on your bill for every degree above 72. Lowering the temp on the water heater to 120 degrees will help also. I mean do you really need to heat your water to 140 degrees?

Buy wisely and buy local. Always read the labels on packaging and understand what you are buying, what it contains, where it comes from and whether or not it is worth the price tag.

Turn off lights when you leave a room. It’s an easy habit to start that can greatly reduce your energy bill. We worked really hard on switching off lights and unplugging appliances this summer and were lucky enough to notice absolutely no hike in our summer electric bill. It works.

Reduce, reuse and recycle whenever possible. Avoid plastic grocery bags, buy food in reusable containers (I recommended the lunch meats that come in reusable tubs), find two or three uses for every item you bring into your home and separate trash for recycling. These actions can save money and after a few weeks or months can become lifelong habits that you can teach to your children.

Car pool, ride a bike or walk to work. This not only reduces your personal reliance on fossil fuels, it saves money and promotes a healthier lifestyle.

Call the telemarketers, the vendors and the mailing lists and get off the selling grid. This saves energy, time, paper and headaches.

Basically what it comes down to is thinking things through, planning ahead and making smart choices. Simple really, but worth the reminder.

Air Conditioning With Roots

They trap heat, cool the air, block the sun, eat carbon and well, they are just so beautiful.

Here I am again harping on about trees. But the thing is, they are one of the best ways to offset your carbon footprint as well as help the planet heal itself.

Trees store carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They take in the bad air and release good air. The amount of carbon a tree can store over a lifetime depends on the size and type of tree. So the more new trees that are planted the greater their collective healing power. Trees can help cool the earth down a bit, especially when planted in the right places. They are a natural defense against the harmful effects of global warming and a counterbalance to the cityscape of factories, power plants and traffic jams.

And the fact that planting trees doesn’t cost a lot of money, puts them on the top of my green bargains list. A couple of bucks will plant a tree. And these days, you don’t even have to plant them yourself. Offsetcarbonfootprint.org will plant them for you. At this website, $25.00 will plant 25 trees! I have a Christmas gift idea stirring in my brain.

After figuring out the actual amount of carbon you as an individual put into the atmosphere, the urge to do something about it can be overwhelming. Often we don’t know where to start and think anything we do now will take years, decades to have any effect. But with trees, the minute their leaves show up, they will help the planet.

Trees aren’t a hard sell, they are a wise investment. Simply put without the trees, we die. The planet dies, everything goes to pot. With the trees, there is a chance for cleaner air, less soil erosion, richer soil and more aesthetic beauty in the world.

Shooting for the Stars

I keep hearing about energy efficient home appliances that can help offset your carbon footprint. Dishwashers, dryers and refrigerators that actually help the planet? Seemed too good to be true. So I did a little online research and here’s what I found out.

So it seems the creation of the Energy Star certification system is the brain child of the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. The appliances and products reduce a household’s energy use (for that particular product) by about a third.

Efficiency is the name of the game with this range of washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens, light bulbs and battery chargers. The energy efficiency also extends to heating and cooling, water storage, home construction and electronics like computers and cell phones.

The actual efficiency specifications differs between products but from what I have read, none of them actually eliminate energy consumption, stop carbon emissions or cost less than traditional appliances. I see nothing in the literature that states that the products are made locally or even in the country. Does the amount of transportation offset the energy savings? I wonder. Am I being too picky when at least there is a federal recognition of the climate crisis and an attempt to correct it? Probably. I have a tendency to criticize.

Okay. So these Energy Star products are better for the planet than traditional appliances but is that enough? Aren’t there a number of these products we could do without? Or what about using some of these items on a communal basis? It’s not like most of us are washing and drying clothes all the time. Wouldn’t it cost less energy to keep one washing machine plugged in and used rather than two?

I get that some things we can’t share but I know there are things that are not as necessary as we’d like to think. Doing more with less is my understanding of the green movement. Conservation and regaining control over the way we live. Right? I guess when we have solar powered communal washing machines, I’ll stop complaining.


Maybe.

The Bees Knees

So I overheard the other day that without bees, the planet would be a very different place. In fact, we would all probably be dead. Part of helping the environment, reducing carbon footprints and lowering the rate of climate change is paying attention to our animal and inset friends. Anyone into organic farming, buying local, fresh food, raw foods and natural ingredients has to know a little about bees.

So here are my green facts about bees.

They provide us with food. Every season, honey bees go out looking for their favorite thing: pollen. In the process they pollinate plants and flowers, providing us with crops to eat, pretty flowers to look at and more green things to eat up the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Bees can be used to grow organic honey and aid developing countries in lowering their carbon emissions and provide jobs for the unfortunate.

Bees are essential for the production of useful organic things like honey, beeswax, candles, soap, floor polish, creams and lotions and the vitamin supplement royal jelly.

Bees can increase domestic sustainability. By having a beehive in your backyard, you can reduce your consumer carbon footprint and make your own honey and candles. Homemade honey is much better for the bees and the environment.

So bees are cool and they only really sting when threatened or fighting for their life. Bees are our friends, our buddies, our planetary companions.

But we are killing them with global warming, pesticides, over development of land and the destruction of their natural habitat. Farming is great but organic, pesticide free farming that leaves land for the insects to live in is the only kind of farming that can reduce carbon emissions.

So there you have it. Bees are an integral part of our world but we are destroying them with carbon emissions and pollution. It’s just one more reason to buy carbon credits and offset your carbon footprint. And purchasing a jar or two of organic honey wouldn’t do any harm either.

Embalmed Alive

I’ve got to stop watching the television. Bill Nye the Science Guy told me today that I’m being embalmed alive. Yes ladies and gentleman, turns out that morticians use half the amount of embalming fluid to preserve corpses than they used 20 years ago.

It’s time to add “stop using formaldehyde” to our list of ways to reduce and offset our carbon footprint.

Because this toxic embalming fluid is everywhere.

It’s in the fiberglass home insulation, the press board used to construct the walls of trailers, campers and mobile homes. It is in paper, wood and fertilizers. It is used to preserve food. It is in makeup and beauty products. It is some vaccines and medicines. When formaldehyde breaks down it becomes two different chemicals: formic acid and carbon monoxide.

Formaldehyde is bad for your health, can irritate and damage the lungs, affect the nervous system and in large quantities kill you. Some studies show a connection between formaldehyde exposure and cancer. Others say it “just” irritates the eyes and can cause asthma. Its bad for our health, our homes and the environment.

Formaldehyde is just one more chemical that is synthetically produced in factories that wastes energy and release carbon. If we stop supporting the manufacturer of such products by not buying them, it will eventually stop. It is a VOC (volatile organic compound) and if it was in your house paint, you wouldn’t buy it. But because it’s openly “hidden” (if you know what I mean) in everyday items, we bring it home without realizing.

How to avoid the formaldehyde? Shop organically, read labels and if you can’t give up that favorite cosmetic just yet? Buy some carbon credits to offset your use of poisons and help plant a tree or two.

We’ll need the extra wood for the coffins.

But at least we can save 50 percent on the price of embalming.

(shudder)

Common Cents

You always hear that a dollar doesn’t go very far anymore. I have to disagree. I think part of offsetting my carbon footprint is living more responsibly by making green choices and paying close attention to where my money goes and I can make it go quite far.

I’ve learned the value of a dollar as I have learned how I affect the environment.

Wasteful consumerism is a major contributing factor to the rate of global warming. Things have gotten so cheap, especially foreign made goods, that it is easy to overbuy and over consume. The “made anywhere but here” stores make it easy to purchase a lot of things very quickly. The hidden costs (including high carbon footprints, unnecessary manufacturing, unsustainable goods, sweat shop labor, unsafe factories) hardly register when we have the opportunity to get a “bargain.”

But the short term impulse of the present has a long term impact on the future.

It doesn’t have to be like that. You can make your money go further by making economical choices that also turn out to be good for the planet.

For instance, take eating locally. In some cases, it can cost more. Some people produce local goods, but they cash in on the idea that organic and local means you can charge more. In fact, organically grown local produce should cost less. Look out for those manufacturers and farmers that don’t try abuse your good deeds. You can buy locally cheap. It’s a matter of taking the time to read labels and compare prices. Knowing a local producer or two doesn’t do any harm either. I buy local and still save money because I buy wisely and I buy from the same producers time and again building those consumer based relationships of the past.

Buying organically can save money too as long as you don’t opt for fine dining or quick fixes. If you cut out fad veggies you’ve never heard of and exclude overly manufactured products, it can be a real bargain. I opt for dry garbanzo beans rather than canned as it works out to be about two bucks cheaper. It’s a little more work, but the beans can be prepped the day before. If you save a couple of dollars on every product, that adds up quickly. Buy dry in bulk and watch the savings grow.

Another thing. Get over the designer labels. Usually they are produced in places where the workers are inadequately compensated and then the company owner charges you an exorbitant amount to be their advertising billboard. Get wise. I can buy a bag of clothes, designer label or otherwise at the local thrift store for a dollar, working out to about ten cents an item. No-one knows I didn’t spend 40 bucks on that shirt and it looks exactly the same as the shirt on the poor schmuck that did.

That’s just a few examples to be getting along with. Once you change your mindset you can start making economical changes everywhere. And for all those you can’t get to this year? Well buy a little carbon credit to help things along.