Posted March 15th, 2012 by admin
Beach Plastic Litter
A Swedish engineer invented plastic bags in the 1960s, but they didn’t make their way into American grocery stores until the 1980s when supermarket giants such as Kroger and Safeway began to offer plastic alongside paper. Plastic bags went unnoticed on the social and environmental spectrums until the turn of the century, when environmental researchers began to highlight the incredibly slow decomposition rates of plastic and its adverse effect on the planet.
In the handful of years since, a few of the more progressive cities in the United States and a host of other countries around the globe have either banned the use of plastic bags in certain situations altogether or imposed fees that essentially discourage their use. A constant proponent of the push to ban plastic is the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch”, which is a huge glob of plastic refuse of many shapes, sizes, colors and origins in the north of the Pacific Ocean that has been growing in size and density since its inception.
According to an article published on Guampdn.com in January of 2012, the island nation of Guam is seriously considering banning plastic bags after studies showed that their discarded plastic was making a beeline for the GPGP, which is located about 2,000 miles east of their shores. Such a move would likely force other Pacific Rim nations to consider doing the same, possibly setting off a domino effect that could travel throughout the Far East.
As for the Unites States, the only major cities to make the move to ban plastic bags in grocery stores as of the beginning of 2012 have been San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. Interestingly, both cities are located much closer to the GPGP than 90% of the vast nation. Perhaps an “out of sight, out of mind” approach is still being employed in the Midwest, South and along the Eastern Seaboard.
It is clear to see why plastic bags are popular, as they provide flexibility and strength for the consumer carrying goods from the store to their home while presenting a low cost to the business owner that purchases them. While opponents of plastic bags are quick to point out that the cost is essentially passed on to the planet, the plain truth is that we live in a world fueled by technology and convenience, and plastic bags represent a convergence of the two.
By using reusable shopping bags we save money and become part of the solution in saving the environment.
Tags: Bagging Plastic, banning plastic bags, environmental researchers, environmental spectrums, Great Pacific Garbage Patch, slow decomposition rates
Posted March 10th, 2012 by admin
energy saving home
This unusually mild winter is a welcomed break for homeowners, especially during these difficult economic times. The fair weather has led The Energy Information Administration to scale down its annual home heating cost estimate for much of the nation. Never the less, the average home heated with oil is expected to see a four percent increase during this heating season compared to the same period last winter.
Larger heating bills are causing consumers to see red. Yet, a sluggish economy and stagnate income growth is prodding many Americans to start thinking green. Bent on saving money, homeowners are considering energy efficient improvements. People are turning to their local utility companies and asking their neighborhood service providers for products offering rebates, for advice on saving energy, and for assistance with income tax credits. They are discovering that there are many eco-friendly techniques for saving money and the environment too.
ENERGY STAR PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTATS
Programmable thermostats are the easiest way to control comfort while reducing energy costs. Simple to install, they manage temperature adjustments while unattended. They can automatically modify the temperature when the house is empty or when residents are asleep. They adapt various settings to different periods of the day. This one simple device can easily result in an annual saving of up to $250.
ENERGY STAR WINDOWS
Replacing old windows with new Energy Star models will yield both immediate and long-range benefits. Typically, they produce an annual saving up to $84 per window and they add significantly to the resale value of the home.
HIGH EFFICIENTCY FURNACE OR BOILER
This simple installation will return big savings for homeowners heating with gas. A new, high efficiency furnace or boiler is a major step toward a greener, more cost effective heating system and it easily pays for itself in just a few years. The increased heating efficiency will result in savings up to $456 annually.
WEATHERIZATION
Adding and/or replacing sealing and insulation can cut heating and cooling costs by 25%. Effective weatherproofing has a major impact on both heating bills and the cost of summer cooling. Paying extra attention to crawl spaces and filtration systems reaps even greater savings. Well-applied weatherproofing techniques can accumulate savings as high $336 a year.
Today, eco-conscious Americans are finding modern, efficient ways to save energy and to improve the state of our environment while increasing the resale value of their homes.
Keep in mind that you can also save money and do your part in saving the envirionment by using reusable shopping bags.
Tags: eco-friendly techniques, energy efficient, Energy Information Administration, Energy Star, heating bills, heating season, high efficiency, income tax credits, programmable thermostat, saving energy, start thinking green
Posted March 5th, 2012 by admin
bulk grocery purchase
Whether you have a large family with four children or you’re a single person on your own, you can still be saving money every month by buying food in bulk. Grocery stores often mark meat down by as much as 15% when they package it in large quantities. You can save even more on produce when you shop at the peak of the season at a farmer’s market or fruit stand. Spend a little extra time and energy on preparing these foods for storage and you’ll save a significant amount of money each month while filling your kitchen with healthier foods to eat.
Meat
Look for meats, fish, seafood and poultry when it’s on sale, especially during certain holidays. Ground meat is often cheaper around barbecue holidays such as Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, as are ribs. Look for turkey and turkey breast near Thanksgiving and Christmas, while hams are often much cheaper near Easter. You’ll be buying food to last a few months, so purchase as much as you can afford at the lower price.
Break the meat up into servings and store them in square plastic freezer containers. Instead of dividing the food into equal portions, package them according to the meals they will make. You may only need 6 oz of ground meat for pasta sauce or lasagna while a meat loaf might call for an entire pound of ground round. Pack each box according to your menu item and label the boxes accordingly.
Vegetables
Spend summer and autumn afternoons visiting farmer’s markets for incredible savings on fruits and vegetables. You can often find bushel baskets of peppers, beans and tomatoes for the cost of a small bag of them in the grocery store. If there is a fruit or vegetable your family likes, then buy it in bulk. Saving money on produce is almost guaranteed as long as you store the food properly.
Slice vegetables, blanch them, and store them in reusable freezer boxes. Place enough food in each box for one meal for your family. Invest in canning supplies and turn your fruits and vegetables into pickles, canned food, jams and jellies.
Properly frozen food will last about six months, while canned foods can last a year or more in your pantry. Purchase one food in bulk each month and at the end of the year you’ll have an entire kitchen full of food and savings in the bank.
When you purchase in bulk, use reusable grocery bags instead of plastic. This will not only save you money, but help to save the environment.
Tags: bushel baskets, buying food, Buying in Bulk, canned food, canning supplies, farmer's market, food in bulk, foods for storage, frozen food, fruit stand, reusable freezer boxes, Reusable Grocery Bags
Posted February 22nd, 2012 by admin
energy saving light bulbs
Most people recognize the necessity of thinking green. They understand that a more eco-friendly approach to how they live, shop, and feed their families are the way to go, but they do not know where to start. The problem is they are thinking too big. You do not have to convert your house to solar in order to make an impact. Even a change as small as swapping out a few light bulbs can make a huge difference! The key to making a lasting change in your lifestyle is to make several small, relatively painless, changes that have a large cumulative effect.
Here are a few small changes you can make that will have a significant cumulative effect on the environment and possibly save you money in the process.
Another way to save and go green is to use reusable grocery bags instead of plastic.
Switch Incandescent Light Bulbs with LED Light Bulbs
Incandescent light bulbs and their toxic components inevitably end up in landfills. Not only do they harm the environment, they are inefficient. By switching out incandescent light bulbs with LED light bulbs, you help both the environment and reduce your overall energy consumption. Lower energy consumption means a lower power bill at the end of the month. LED light bulbs last ten times longer than incandescent bulbs, and it is projected that those who install LED light bulbs will save over $50 per bulb over the lifetime of the bulb.
Replace Old Appliances with Energy Star Rated Appliances
Two appliances account for over 33 percent of a household’s monthly energy consumption. Both the refrigerator and the hot water heater are asked to do a lot. They are never turned off. Food must be cooled, and water must be heated. By changing out just these two appliances with more efficient Energy Star replacements, you can reduce your overall carbon footprint and monthly power bill my a significant amount.
Grown Your Own Fruits and Vegetables and Save
Have you ever considered the amount of fuel that is consumed to grow and transport your produce? Produce is travels a long distance before it reaches your grocery store and ultimately your table. This means that you pay a premium for your produce when you buy it at the grocery store. You can reduce this expense and do your part to help the environment by growing your own produce. Just a small kitchen garden filled with your favorite vegetables can drastically reduce both your carbon footprint and your monthly grocery bill. As a side benefit, you know exactly what goes into growing your vegetables. You know that the vegetables that make up your family’s meals are grown in an environmentally friendly, chemical free manner.
These three ways to both save and protect the environment are just the beginning. There are many more ways out there to live an environmentally friendly and frugal lifestyle.
Tags: carbon footprint, eco-friendly approach, energy consumption, Energy Star Rated, hot water heater, Incandescent Light Bulbs, LED Light Bulbs, Lower energy consumption, protect the environment, Thinking Green
Posted February 15th, 2012 by admin
Environmentalists repeatedly plead with the public to “reduce, reuse, and recycle,” and many Americans make a concerted effort to recycle. The truth is recycling is not particularly effective. It is much easier to reduce consumption and repurpose old items than expend the energy to break down an item and transform it into something else. One area where it is remarkably easy to reduce and reuse rather than recycle is at the grocery store. Rather than reaching for the plastic or paper bag at the checkout counter, you should bring your own reusable bags on your next shopping trip.
Beach Plastic Litter
According to World Watch Institute, Americans use over 100 billion plastic bags per year. Of these 100 billion bags, only five to 12 percent of plastic bags are recycled. The rest end up on the beaches, on the side of the road, or in landfills. These discarded plastic bags take over a thousand years to break down in nature, and while they are breaking down, they are releasing toxins into the environment.
Reusable plastic bags are an excellent way to reduce your dependency on plastic or even paper grocery bags. These environmentally friendly alternatives are commonly made from recycled materials using processes that have minimal impact on the environment. They come in a variety of colors, styles, and capacities and can be purchased right at the checkout counter. In fact, many stores are beginning to offer incentives to customers who carry reusable bags, but this is not out of the kindness of their hearts.
Retailers spend over 4 billion dollars a year on plastic bags. They have a stake in encouraging their customers to bring their own bags. These same retailers are also facing the possibility of a paying a tax for every plastic bag they distribute. In 2002, the government of Ireland imposed a $.15 per bag tax on plastic bags. Rather than pay the tax themselves, retailers passed it along to their customers. Miraculously, plastic bag consumption dropped by 90 percent in one year. Whether American retailers will pass the tax along to their customers or bear the cost themselves is debatable, but it is better to be ahead of the curve than behind.
Economic concerns aside, reusable bags are a great way to do your part to preserve the environment. You might save money on your grocery bill, but you will undoubtedly be doing your part to keep discarded plastic bags off the beaches, out of the forest, and out of the landfills.
Tags: discarded plastic bags, Environmentally Friendly, Plastic Bags, reduce and reuse, Reusable Bags, Reusable plastic bags, World Watch Institute
Posted February 8th, 2012 by admin
Want to provide the best environmentally friendly option for your baby? Green-conscious parents are making the switch to cloth diapers for their economic and environmental benefits. What a great way to reduce your carbon footprint; provide what’s best for your baby, and save money at the same time.
While disposables are commonly viewed as a convenient diapering option by many parents, consider these facts.
According to the Real Diaper Association,
- Disposable diapers make up the third largest consumer item in U.S. landfills.
- It takes about 500 years for a disposable diaper to decompose!
- One diapered child will generate approximately 1 ton of landfill waste by 24 months.
All of that… just for the sake of convenience? Disposables are also full of harsh chemicals and chlorine, which can lead to rashes for some babies. Would you really want these substances against your baby’s sensitive skin?
One child alone can go through about 6,000 diaper changes before being fully potty trained. By age 2, that can total to about $1,600 to $2,000 in disposable diapers – quite a substantial amount of cash to spend on something that goes straight to the landfill! Making the switch to cloth makes sense financially, as cloth diapering for 2 years costs around $300 and can be used for multiple children, making it a sensible option worth exploring.
colorful diapers
The convenience and peace of mind gained from cloth diapering is priceless. Emergency trips to the grocery store are eliminated. Always have diapers on hand since all it takes is running a simple laundry load. No more stinky diapers sitting in the trash for days before finally getting thrown out. For newborn babies, soiled diapers go directly into the wash, as their bowel movements are completely water-soluble. For toddlers/older babies, solid waste is simply dumped into the toilet and flushed away! A diaper sprayer is useful to ensure most solids are rinsed off before being placed into a diaper pail or wet bag. To get your diapers clean, choose from a variety of environmentally friendly cloth diaper detergents. Simply wash and reuse!
No longer old-fashioned pins and uncomfortable plastic covers, modern cloth diapers have come a long way in style and comfort, with prices to fit any budget! Put your money towards a greener, more economical solution, and reduce the environmental impact disposables pose on the planet by choosing cloth! Don’t forget to use reusable bags to purchase all your baby supplies.
Tags: carbon footprint, cloth diapers, diaper sprayer, disposable diaper, environmental impact, Environmentally Friendly, Green-conscious parents
Posted February 1st, 2012 by admin
Reusable tote bags are all the rage – besides specialty grocers and farmers’ markets offering them, mainstream grocery stores sell them, too. Whenever a new item increases in popularity, you are likely to hear negativity from the folks who aren’t cashing in, and reusable tote bags are no exception.
Reusable Shopping Bag
Before reusable tote bags became a viable alternative, all you heard at the checkout was “paper or plastic?” Plastic usually won. Once people started choosing reusable tote bags instead, plastic bag manufacturers took a hit, but they didn’t take it sitting down. The American Chemistry Council, tied with plastic bag makers, according to NPR, funded a study that concluded that reusable tote bags are full of bacteria. Researchers tested reusable tote bags in Arizona and California and determined that more that half carried E. coli bacteria. It was probably not by coincidence that the study came out around the same time that California was considering a ban on plastic bags.
E. coli is a scary word, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “most strains of E. coli are harmless.” The American Chemistry Council study did not identify which strains of E. coli were found in the bags, so the report might be misleading. Even if the study identified the E. coli as the kind that makes you sick, washing your reusable tote bag eliminates almost all harmful bacteria.
There is no doubt that reusable tote bags are better for the environment than plastic bags. Plastic bags, according to National Geographic News, “clutter landfills, clog roadside drains and fill sea turtle bellies.” Once these plastic bags are discarded in the environment, they remain for hundreds of years before they even begin to break down. When they do decompose, toxic chemicals seep into the ground and into oceans, rivers and lakes.
The best solution is to use reusable tote bags, but to do so properly. The bags in the study that tested positively for E. coli had never been washed. If you regularly wash your tote bag with your laundry and never put unwrapped meat in the bag, especially when fruits and vegetables are in there as well, you should not have any problems.
Reusable tote bags, besides being “green,” can be stylish. Many are made with good, durable material and look attractive. They can also double as an overnight bag for a weekend getaway.
Tags: American Chemistry Council, Disease Control and Prevention, E. coli bacteria, paper or plastic, plastic bag manufacturers, reusable tote bags, strains of E. coli
Posted January 21st, 2012 by admin
Green Globe
By now, you have probably realized that “going green” is a hot topic. Countries, governments, businesses and individuals are rapidly adopting newer, more earth conscious habits and regulations. You may think that one green individual will never possibly make a difference in the grand scheme of things. Well, the more and more people who start going green, the better for the planet. Every little bit helps. So where do you start? Are there any ways of going green that are easier or more attainable than others? Of course! The following list describes some of the “low-hanging fruit” everyone can pick.
1) Save on energy costs and wasted energy. Keep your thermostat at 72 degrees F or higher in the summer, and at 68 degrees F or lower in the winter. If you get cold, simply put on more clothing. Turn your water heater to 120 degrees F. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. According to Energy Star, a compact fluorescent bulb uses about 75% less energy and lasts at least 6 times as long as regular incandescent bulbs. Finally, feel around drafty doors and windows for cold air coming into the house. Purchase some inexpensive caulk and seal the leaks.
2) Reduce, reuse, and recycle–in that order. It is always better to reduce your consumption of resources. Only purchase what you really need, buy in bulk, and avoid heavily packaged items. A great going green strategy is to only use reusable tote bags on your shopping trips. The EPA estimates about 380 billion plastic bags are consumed each year. Help decrease that alarming statistic by bringing reusable shopping bags with you, such as a Planet Earth Bag. Reuse as many things as you can. Re-purpose food cans as flowerpots or for your child’s art project. Use old clothing as cleaning rags. Use steel water bottles instead of plastic disposable bottles. Recycling is the last resort for an item. Find out what the recycling rules are in your town or city and abide by them. Also make sure any electronics are disposed of properly, as these items are usually not taken by local city recycling programs.
3) Walk, bicycle, or take public transportation as often as possible. Automobiles contribute massive quantities of pollutants into the air. Save money on gas and improve your health by using your body as a means of transportation. Public transit is often less expensive than gas, and is easier on the planet than everyone driving their own cars alone.
There are many different ways of going green. Some take more time and investment to adopt completely. Hopefully these few ideas will help you go green without much effort or cost.
Tags: disposable bottles, energy costs, Energy Star, Going green, Planet Earth Bag, Plastic Bags, recycling rules, Reusable Shopping Bags, reusable tote bags, steel water bottles, wasted energy
Posted January 15th, 2012 by admin
solar panel installation
Green living. It’s the new thing for Americans as more people become environmentally conscious. Some people have taken the whole green living thing a step further by transforming their home into an environmentally friendly house. Others have started anew and built houses that were environmentally friendly by using recycled objects. Every great thing starts with a single step. People can start out towards a green life by starting to compost, recycle, and reduce waste.
But first, the basics are: What makes a home “green”? The California Association of Realtors, http://green.car.org/homeowners/whatisgreenhome/, came up with a list for this. A home should be able to conserve natural resources, of course. This means using energy efficiently through the use of alternative energy and/or using energy saver appliances and light bulbs. Small wind turbines and solar panels can harness the energy of the wind and sun without using energy fueled by fossil fuels.
Another important principle of green home living is to create less waste. That means use all natural cleaning supplies and be sure to recycle your paper based things, aluminum, and glass objects. Last but not least of all, have a compost pile for food waste. The regular household trash can be reduced dramatically if more people composted their goods, which in turn provides excellent fertilizer for gardens.
Some homes are more environmentally friendly and “green” than others. These homes are made out of recycled objects such as tires and sometimes, aluminum cans and glass bottles. These homes are called Earthship houses and they keep tires out of the landfill. The tires make up the walls and they create excellent insulation. The goal with a true Earthship house is to be as off the grid as possible. A true Earthship house has a water recycling system where gray water is recycled but black water gets sent out to the sewer.
These homes are truly environmentally friendly but not everyone has the means to go off and build a new house. So in order to have a green home, people need to conserve natural resources and use energy efficiently. If a house is poorly insulated, insulation needs to be added because otherwise energy will be wasted trying to heat up or cool down the house.
Solar panels, wind turbines, extra insulation, energy efficient appliances, among other things can help a house transform into a green home, along with the right mindset of the people living in the home. After all, there are benefits of having a green home, as the California Association of Realtors points out: http://green.car.org/homeowners/whatisgreenhome/benefitsofagreenhome/.
One practical way you can go green is by switching from plastic bags to reusable bags. I encourage you to do an inventory of things you use inside and outside of your home. Discover how you can both protect your environment and save money.
Tags: alternative energy, energy saver appliances, Environmentally Friendly, environmentally friendly house, green home living, green living, recycled objects, reduce waste, water recycling system
Posted January 9th, 2012 by admin
green carbon foot print
Going green most often requires a change in how you think about, purchase, and use products sold today. These changes can be as simple as switching to reusable bags and recycling, or an investment in something significant such as a zero-emission car. Small changes that impact the amount of waste and pollution that you produce can make a big impact on the environment. These ideas can help you get started on a lifestyle that benefits everyone on the planet.
Reduce Waste
While living a zero-waste lifestyle can be a little too challenging for most families, there are a lot of simple solutions to reducing the amount of waste that you produce. For example, switching to cloth diapers can save about fifty percent of the garbage that you throw away annually. For families without children, other changes can reduce waste. Switching to reusable shopping bags, looking for items with less packaging, and opting for items that can be reused or recycled are the simplest ways to reduce the amount of waste produced by your home.
Get Creative
When deciding on what that you can do to begin going green, you will want to look for creative alternatives to traditional products. An eco-friendly lifestyle often requires that you reconsider the products that you are currently using to determine whether or not there are other, more Earth conscious, materials available that will serve the same purpose. For instance, switching to reusable sandwich bags or purchasing organic clothing made from sustainable sources are both green alternatives to traditional options.
Local Sources
Much of the pollution associated with buying commercial products comes from the shipping of these products over long distances. For example, if you are buying products made in China and live in the United States, you are contributing to the shipping pollution produced by these products. According to experts at World Watch, found online at http://www.worldwatch.org, buying local products can also boost the local economy. Farm raised foods can also ensure you are getting the freshest and most sustainably grown foods possible.
Buy Used
Secondhand games, toys, clothing, and household products are more eco-friendly than new products, and can also be purchased for much less than new. You can shop online for gently used clothing and children’s toys, or you can find local thrift shops that offer products for your family. While you may want to opt for some items new, such as shoes, any change in your buying habits to secondhand will impact your overall carbon footprint and help you make the change to green.
Go Electronic
E-communications, including emails and paperless billing, are a simple way to make the transition into going green. Some companies provide you with the option for paperless billing, even though you may need to ask for the service specifically before you are signed up.
Tags: carbon footprint, eco-friendly lifestyle, Going green, green alternatives, organic clothing, paperless billing, reduce waste, Reusable Bags, reusable sandwich bags, Reusable Shopping Bags, zero emission car, zero-waste lifestyle
