News Article

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News Article

Had Al Gore won the presidency in 2000, he would likely not have made 'An Inconvenient Truth,' and the birth of the modern global environmental movement would probably not have happened, at least for many years to come. You see, the Universe does have a plan; we just need to be open to it.

The awakening to what we are doing to our planet took its time to blossom, and it may already be too late to fully turn the tide, but at least there has been a shift in awareness, and more and more we are seeing a 'greening' of the everyday things in our lives; from food (as in the organic movement), to the rush to find alternative and sustainable power sources. Suddenly, the photovoltaic cell (solar panels) has become part of our lexicon.

Still those hybrid cars remain out of reach for most of us, but eventually the prices will moderate...if we create the demand, they will come. Already, auto makers are falling over themselves in their efforts to provide vehicles with better mileage. None of the bigger companies have come close to making acceptable mpg, especially with gas heading up to $3 a gallon.

There are many small changes that you can make that will help you do your part for the environment, and we will touch upon a few of them this month. It is better to do something than nothing at all, and if we all hold that thought in mind we CAN make a difference. From A to Z:

A is for Automobiles:

If you can't afford a hybrid, check out the ways to save in the links below. You should keep your tires properly inflated to save on the mpg. And, fill up your car either early in the morning, or early evening, during warmer weather, to save at the pump too - you get more gas and fewer fumes. Keep the trunk of your car free of heavy items as the extra weight will cost you more to haul around.

B is for Balls, Blue Ones:

If you can stand the noise as they tumble around, those spikey blue dryer balls, "As seen on TV" at most drug stores, really can save you in both fuel costs as well as dryer sheets. Hot air is more evenly distributed and clothes dry faster. What's not to like?

C is for Composting:

According to the EPA, in the US, we produce an average of 4.6lbs of garbage per person, per day. Next to recycling, one of the simplest ways to reduce that amount is to create a compost heap. When I was growing up all it entailed was throwing all our table scraps (except meat and fish, which went to the animals), vegetable peelings, tea leaves, grass clippings, etc., into an enclosure made of corrugated iron, with a lid, and over time it provided our garden with wonderful nutrients, which translated into better vegetables, greener grass, and more plentiful blooms. See the link below for tips on how to go about composting today.

D is for Drinking Water:

Bottled water has become an expensive, environmentally unfriendly, and wasteful commodity. No one should be drinking tap water, for sure, unless it comes from your own pristine spring, so what to do? Refillable bottles are one way to go; you can save on the millions of tons of plastic that are wasted every year, but you need to be careful about which bottles to use (see the link below on Bottled Water). Another method of saving is to use a water filter; the jug type, in-fridge, faucet-mounted (I have one of those), sink-side, under the sink, or whole house. Whichever one you choose, you know that you will be saving yourself money, helping the environment, and doing something to help your family's health. With such an array of filters to choose from, you can spend as little or as much as you can afford.

E is for Energy Star Appliances:

Since the program was introduced in 1992, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Energy Star appliances and other home-related products have become more popular, and certification now extends to whole houses that are built to strict, energy-saving criteria. If you are in the market for a new appliance, windows, or other items for your home, check out the Energy Star website for ideas. There are tax advantages to using the program, not to mention annual energy savings of approximately 30% on all Energy Star-rated products.

F is for Food:

I have consistently reinforced the value of eating organic foods, and to astutely avoiding the processed, hydrogenated, bromated, artificially colored and preserved do-do that passes for comestibles, at all costs! There are environmental reasons for eating healthily too: soil that has been saturated with chemicals loses its nutrients, and that includes areas that are not planted, but are affected through inadvertent spraying: They become unable to sustain life and thus we lose trees, plants, natural grasses, and thus more oxygen-producers, not to mention the impact of soil erosion when vegetation has been lost. Think flooding! Artificial colors are mostly made from petroleum sludge derivatives. Oil again. Talking of which, always remember when possible to think Global, buy (act) local. Through purchasing the bulk of your food from local sources you will be saving on transportation costs and pollution, and chances are that your food will be more nutritious from not being picked green/made days ago, stored, and shipped.

G is for Glassware:

Apart from the fact that glass bake ware cooks more evenly, retains heat better (and longer), thus saving energy, it is also 100% recyclicable, making it a wonderful alternative to the chemical non-sticks. Ceramic is also preferable to the latter, but is not as readily broken down and recycled. Drinking out of glasses, not plastic cups, and storing foods in glass containers are both much better for your health and environment too.

H is for H.E.P.A. Filters:

Believe it or not, indoor air can often be more polluted than outdoor air, and it is thus important to ensure that you clean your environment. One of the best ways of doing this is to use a HEPA filter in your home (see the link below for more info). Many vacuum cleaners now have then too, which is another line of defense against allergens and pollutants. HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Air and the filters can remove up to 99.97% of the bad airborne stuff. H is also for Hybrid, but purchasing them can be hazardous to your wallets at this time!

I is for "(An) Inconvenient Truth":

The film that started the conversation on the environment for millions, and provided the impetus for the sea-change in thinking that is overtaking our world. Yea!

J is for Juicing:

You may not have thought about this much, but juicing is actually beneficial for both humans and the environment. It is not necessary to buy fancy top-of-the-line juicers; for less than $50 you can get one that will produce healthy drinks for all the family. The benefits of eating raw foods (organic, of course), have long been known, but now there are plenty of data support them. Combining the buying of local seasonal fruits and vegetables with eating raw food, you help the environment, twice! No cooking, no trucking.

K is for Kicking the Bad Energy Habit:

We take so much around us for granted. When we walk in the house on a cold winter's evening, we know that the heat will be on to greet us, and we switch on all the lights because doing so makes us feel good. We are so warm and cozy that we can relax in just a t-shirt, and lighting a wood fire would be just perfect. The crock-pot has been on all day, making a stew ready for our return, and we decide to bake some biscuits to go along with it, so put on the oven and get out the mixer. Can you see how this scenario could play out differently if we stopped to think about the environment for just a moment? Let's see where some savings could occur:

a) Instead of keeping the heating on all day at the same warm temperature of perhaps 78F, it would behoove us to get a thermostat on a timer. This way, we could program it to turn the heat down to say 68F, even lower if we don't have animals, when we leave the house, and switch it back up to a sensible 72F just prior to our usual return. It can work with air-conditioning too, and setting it to 80-82F when we are away from the house, and 78F when we are home, will also save both money and energy.

b) Only switch on lights in the room we are in at the time, and use the new fluorescent, energy-saving bulbs (see L), which will save us and the environment a bundle!

c) Instead of stripping off all our heavier clothes (or putting on a jacket in the summer because the a/c has put a chill in the air), because the house is so toasty, we could keep on a sweater, or warm sweatshirt, and be just as comfortable. A pair of warm, natural fiber socks always feels good too!

d) Most firewood does not come from sustainable (renewable) sources, and cutting down trees just to heat our homes is not something that is necessary (it just looks and feels good) for most of us these days. Smoke is also polluting. If we want a fire, we should purchase the eco-friendly, slow-burning, smokeless, fire logs made of recycled materials.

e) How about cooking such dishes as stews, biscuits and other dinner dishes on the weekend, and putting them into the freezer until needed, thus keeping cooking times to a minimum the rest of the week, when we can put a dish to thaw out in the fridge and reheat using a microwave or toaster oven upon our return? This saves considerable energy in the long term. Simple, really. Another tip: keep your fridges and freezers well stocked (not jam packed) - they use less energy that way.

L is for Light bulbs:

Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) are everywhere now, and the prices are coming down as a result. By replacing each regular incandescent bulb in your home with a CFL, you will be saving a whopping 75% in energy, not to mention that the life of CFLs is approximately 10 years, so savings translate accordingly.

N.B. These new bulbs contain mercury, so if you break one you need to call your local Poison Control Center to ask about clean up. Also, because mercury is toxic, you will need to ask Poison Control where to dispose of them when they eventually burn out!

M is for Man-made:

Man-made generally means that there is some chemistry involved. It indicates that something is artificial, not natural. It is thus something that we should think twice about purchasing or using if we are going to live greener. Man-made fibers, such as nylon and polyester are two that come to mind. The fact is that they are derived from natural sources (oil and coal), but to actually make the fibers is a mind-boggling chemistry lesson. (Check out Polyester on Wikipedia, if you dare). Would you not feel much better knowing that what you put on your skin is made from natural fibers that have been sustainably grown and processed; meaning that the materials have been harvested from plants that are easy to produce and reproduce (cotton, hemp, silk), or animals that are well looked after (I'm thinking wool here) and the fibers energy efficient to make into clothing? One caveat is that unless the clothes that you buy are certified organic, chances are that even being made with natural materials does not guarantee that they will not have been 'dressed' with the chemical formaldehyde (a known carcinogen), to preserve them whilst in the stores. Thus, you need to always wash new clothing, bedding, etc., before wearing or using. Man-made can also refer to such things as sweeteners, but you don't want to be using those either.

N is for Natural Cleaning Products:

Even the Clorox people have come out with their own, toxic chemical-free, range of cleaning products (called Green Works), and regular supermarkets and mega stores carry them, and other Earth-friendly cleaners, like Ecover. Other, natural, alternatives are such wonders as baking soda and hydrogen peroxide; both cheap, both found everywhere. Check out the links below for suggestions. Using natural cleaning products, you are helping the environment and your health. Many people are sensitive to the toxic chemicals used in most cleansers, but don't realize it. We still don't know all the facts as to the harmful effects that long-term exposure to these chemicals can bring, so isn't it better to take the risk out of your home?

O is for Organic:

Organic doesn't just mean something that has been grown in soil that has not been subjected to artificial enhancement (e.g. fertilizers, pesticides) for at least three years; it is a way of life. If you really want the best for you and your family, you should begin to think about ways that you can eliminate toxins from your food and your home. It is just a question of reading the labels and educating yourself about healthy living. Living organically also has the added benefits of improving your health, and the environment in which we all live.

P is for Plastic Bags:

The Wild Oats and Whole Foods Market stores were the first to lead the push back from using plastic bags, here on the East Coast, several years ago when they offered a small rebate for every bag that was brought (i.e. re-used) when you shopped. Today, the rebates are up to 20 cents per bag, Whole Foods Markets will no longer even provide plastic bags at check out. What they now offer are inexpensive re-usable bags, made from recycled materials, available for purchase and we are encouraged to use them every time we shop. I carry several of these recycled bags in my car and use them constantly. There is, apparently, a sea of plastic bottles and bags floating out in the Pacific, carried out to sea on the tides, which is supposedly twice the size of the continental US. I find this a little hard to believe, but if it is true there is no wonder that we have enormous 'dead zones' around the globe, where marine life has ceased to exist. It is one of the greatest environmental disasters in our life times, so please, start to reuse your remaining plastic bags, and recycle the bottles, invest in recycled, re-usable bags, and USE THEM every time you shop. Thank you.

Q is for Question:

Our elected officials are in office at our behest. We voted them in; we can also vote them out. It is our duty as responsible citizens to QUESTION their policies on the environment. If they do not have a pro-environment platform, inform them that they need to change their thinking; not just for you and your family's sake, but the rest of the planet's sake too. We have so little time to turn this around, and to stop the terrible impact that we have had until now. If our politicians don't care, what does it say about they way they truly feel about us, their constituents?

R is for Recycling:

This is probably THE most effective, and one of the cheapest and easiest ways to help protect our environment. I already touched on composting, which is another way of recycling, but there are many other ways you can do it too! Buying toilet (loo!), and kitchen paper, as well as paper napkins, all made from recycled materials is a great place to start. There is a wonderful group, which has online communities nationwide, called Freecycle (check out Freecycle.com for more info). I encourage everyone to join and participate. The object of the exercise is to offer your unwanted clothing, appliances, electronics, furniture, knick-knacks, music, toys, electronics, gardening items, etc., for FREE. In turn, if there is something that you need, you can post a 'wanted' ad to the group - chances are you will get what you are looking for. No money changes hands, unwanted things get a new lease on life and don't fetch up in the landfill, and there is no need to swap or barter. And, talking of swapping - how about holding a clothes swap? We have them where I live; a bunch of us get together, bring along a dish to share and some bring a bottle of wine, and we throw all our unwanted clothes into a big pile in the middle of the floor and dive in. Again, it's free; clothes go to homes where they are wanted, and what is left over gets donated to Goodwill or the Salvation Army, or whatever charitable group would most benefit, and the best part is that we all have a great time as well as get something new to wear. Be creative. There are many ways that you can recycle. A cousin of mine makes her own greetings cards using recycled cards from previous festive occasions. And lastly, don't forget to recycle all the glass, plastic, paper and aluminum that your household gets through each week. Most communities have a recycling program, and if your town doesn't, start one! The EPA has information on how.

S is for Shower Heads:

Did you know that there are low-flow shower heads that can save you up to 3,000 gallons of water per person per year? You will also save money (approx. $50 per annum), not to mention prevent thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. There are also shower heads that filter out the harsh chemicals, such as chlorine, that dry our skin and hair (here are some examples:). Attaching an aerator to each faucet will also provide savings to both you and the environment, and they are easy to install.

T is for Toxins:

Several years ago, I wrote an article about the impact that our total disregard for the environment has had on us and our planet since the Industrial Age. In it, I reminded us that we are playing biological catch-up, and that is why we are seeing so many genetically-linked diseases, caused by pollutants affecting us and our biosphere at the cellular level. Back in the early days of industrialization, we had no idea what all that pollution was doing to us, and our eco-systems, but today we have no excuses. We know that driving a gas-guzzling mega-SUV is harmful to the environment. We know that throwing away tons of trash each year, instead of shopping more astutely and recycling, is negligent. We know that using lots of harmful chemicals on and in our food, homes, furniture, environment and clothes is stupid, and dangerous to our health and that of our planet, so WHY do we still do these things? Only you can answer these questions, but I hope that you will look around you; in your closets, garages, greenhouses and pantries, and begin to take note of what exactly is in, on or produced by, the things that you have taken so much for granted over a lifetime. Being AWARE of the dangerous number of toxic chemicals that we breathe, ingest, and absorb is a very important first step. The next one is to do something about it!

U is for UV Rays:

You know about the ozone layer, right? You also know that it is shrinking the more we pollute our planet. Correct? Did you also know that the depletion of the ozone layer is allowing more harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays to reach our planet - the same rays that are responsible for an increase in skin cancers worldwide? If you didn't know these things, then you need to start learning about their importance, especially every time you get into your car. Check out this website for a user-friendly explanation of what it all means:

W is for Washing:

Next time you go to do a load of laundry, please make sure that you are doing a FULL load, and not just a couple of things. The same goes for the dishwasher. Not only do you save water, you also save energy. Another idea is to use environmentally-friendly washing detergents; ones that do not contain lots of phosphates. And, when you are doing lawn and garden care and watering plants, please avoid nitrates too...their run offs are contributing to Red Tide, and it's killing fish and marine mammals at alarming rates, is harmful to human health, and makes life misery for the millions of people who live on the coastlines.

X is for Xeriscaping:

It is a method of landscaping with plants that do not require extensive and expensive watering. Florida Gardens are one such example, and can be highly cost effective too. They help protect our environment, but are also beautiful to behold!

Y is for YOU!

It is up to YOU to make a difference in the way you live, so that you will be in harmony with your environment. It just takes following some of the suggestions laid out here for your actions to have a positive impact. Mother Earth will love you:-)

Z is for "Zeitgeist":

Although the term is used to indicate what is current in popular culture, or the 'spirit of an age' or era, it is also the name of a stunning documentary, which I recommend everyone see. It pulls no punches, so if you are easily offended, then perhaps you need to give it a miss. If, however, you have had some nagging doubts about, for example, why we wage wars, who turns the world economy, or fundamentalism, then you should see it. While it might be sensationalistic, and some of the ideas far-fetched, it speaks volumes as to what we have done to our climate, and our poor, and offers reasons why. It is a very profound and disturbing indictment, not only on our leaders, but also on our apathy for letting such horrors happen right before our eyes. It's free and it's online here.

And on that note, I would like to wish you and yours a splendid summer. Until next time................Go Green!

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Lots of links for you this time:

Garbage facts from the EPA:

How to save money on gas:

Composting:

Wikipedia's Info on Solar Cells (Photovoltaic cells):

Facts on bottled water:

The Energy Star Program:

Wikipedia on HEPA Filters:

HGTV has some great ideas on green living:

Good info on juicing and eating raw foods: