"The Hippies Were Right" Well maybe not about everything… but certainly peace, love, and caring for the earth’s environment are high on the list of items they got right.  Peace adopt rainwater harvesting at home Rainwater Harvesting is the gathering, or accumulating and storing, of rainwater. Rainwater harvesting has been used to provide drinking water, water for livestock, water for irrigation or to refill aquifers in a process called groundwater recharge. Rainwater collected from the roofs of houses, tents and local institutions, or from specially prepared areas of ground, can make an important contribution to drinking water. In some cases, rainwater may be the only available, or economical, water source. Rainwater systems are simple to construct from inexpensive local materials, and are potentially successful in most habitable locations. Roof rainwater is usually of good quality and does not require treatment before consumption. Household rainfall catchment systems are appropriate in areas with an average rainfall greater than 200mm per year, and no other accessible water sources (Skinner and Cotton, 1992).   Also see this site adopt sustainable design and building practices A sustainable building, or “green” building is an outcome of a design which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource use while reducing building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle.  All accomplished through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal. (source: Wikipedia)   The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction.  LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system  providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.  Simply put, LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. In addition, LEED is flexible enough to apply to all building types – commercial as well as residential.  LEED for Neighborhood Development extends the its benefits beyond the building footprint into the neighborhood it serves.  greenbuildingcouncil   Please consider adopting building practices the meet, or exceed, LEED’s standards in priciple and practice.  You’ll be saving money for yourself and contributing to a more sustainable environment as well. advocate world peace If you are fortunate enough to live in a peaceful land, count yourself blessed.  There are many places on the planet that struggle with peace.  Wars are declared by men in suits and fought by good men and women in uniform who are wounded and/or killed performing duty to their country or world-view belief system.  An honorable commitment to be sure. Wars and conflicts do not promote mankind’s sustainable future.  Wars and conflict leave invisible scars on veterans and their families.  Wars and conflicts are terrible environmental polluters and consumers of valuable resources.  Case in point made from a 2006 report on the War in Iraq: 1) Projected total US spending on the Iraq war could cover all of the  global investments in renewable power generation that are needed between now and 2030 in order to halt current warming trends. 2) The war is responsible for at least 141 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) since March 2003. To put this in perspective: • CO2 released by the war to date equals the emissions from putting 25 million more cars on the road in the US this year. • If the war was ranked as a country in terms of emissions, it would emit more CO2 each year than 139 of the world’s nations do annually. Falling between New Zealand and Cuba, the war each year emits more than 60% of all countries. ADVANCE EDITION – March 2008 • Emissions from the Iraq War to date are nearly two and a half times greater than what would be avoided between 2009 and 2016 were California to implement the auto emission regulations it has proposed, but that the Bush Administration has struck down. More Here’s a disturbing site that may give you an interesting perspective on current conflicts. Site Let us be a voice for, and an advocate of world peace among all men. If you are a free man or woman, thank a veteran;  and please don't forget our POWs and our MIAs attend a green thinking university Colleges and universities around the world have long been reducing their environmental footprints, engaging in the same long list of efficiency, recycling, and source-reduction activities taking place among some of their corporate counterparts. But the greening of the curriculum has lagged.  Thankfully that's starting to change, as a number of universities launch sustainability programs.   This isn't merely academic. As programs proliferate, so too does competition, along with guides and rating systems that help prospective students figure out which schools move to the head of the class. The venerable Princeton Review debuted green ratings for 600 colleges after it found that 63 percent of college applicants surveyed said they would value having information about a college's commitment to the environment and that such data could affect their choice to apply or attend a school. The Aspen Institute offered a Guide to Socially Responsible MBA Programs, which evaluates and ranks 130 MBA programs based on their business teachings, among other factors. GreenReportCard.org published detailed information on the green and not-so-green aspects of 300+ colleges and universities - the findings are very interesting.   Meanwhile, the greening of campuses themselves continued to receive high marks. The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education launched a rating system, called Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS), on more than 90 college and university campuses, bringing attention to the environmental impacts of everything from buildings to food programs to education, and to developing ways to make campus life more sustainable. At last, the green learning on campus is beginning to take place among maintenance workers, cafeteria staff, facility managers, and landscaping crews -- not just students.  be fruitful and multiply responsibly “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28).  Our intent is not a theological debate, but simply that God stated this in The Bible.  Whether you may be a conservative Christian, liberal Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, or religious skeptic...our point is simply this:  The earth is facing population issues that threaten our sustainable community.  Even with genetically engineered (GE) seed, animal growth hormones, etc (note this is not an endorsement of those practices) that may allow us to feed a projected 9 billion people by 2050 - the problems of access to this food, waste disposal, adequate and safe water, housing, and health care still persist as major concerns.   We are not advocating forced population planning or control.  We are absolutely not advocating abortion as a means of birth control.  Rather, our suggestion is simply one of responsibility when considering family planning and the number of children a man and woman might produce.  More population requires greater resources on every level creating ever-increasing pressure on our fragile environment.  Please plan accordingly and responsibly. build a rain barrel Many people make rain barrels out of used and  inexpensive 50-gallon food-grade drums.   You can typically find barrels for around $10 from drum and barrel suppliers.  You might also check at your local Habitat Restore.   Be sure to get a heavy-grade plastic container that won't let in light — clear or translucent barrels can speed the growth of algae which can clog pipes.   A typical 1/2-inch rainfall will fill a 50- to 55- gallon barrel. Figure about a half gallon of water per square foot of roof area during a 1-inch rainfall. A 2,000-square-foot roof can collect about 1,000 gallons of water (accounting for about 20% loss from evaporation, runoff and splash).   That’s free water for irrigation around the house.  That’s water that doesn’t runoff into municipal storm drains.  That’s water that doesn’t run on hard surfaces (driveways, etc) washing away contaminates into rivers, streams, and ponds. buy carbon offsets A carbon offset is a financial instrument aimed at a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon offsets are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) and may represent six primary categories of greenhouse gases.   One carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases.   There are two markets for carbon offsets. In the larger compliance market, companies, governments, or other entities buy carbon offsets in order to comply with caps on the total amount of carbon dioxide they are allowed to emit. In 2006, about $5.5 billion of carbon offsets were purchased in the compliance market, representing about 1.6 billion metric tons of CO2e reductions.   In the much smaller voluntary market, individuals, companies, or governments purchase carbon offsets to mitigate their own greenhouse gas emissions from transportation, electricity use, and Offsets are typically achieved through financial support of projects that reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in the short- or long-term other sources. (source: wikipedia)   What we’re referencing here is, of course, the smaller and individual markets.  An internet search will easily find several good sources for purchasing your own carbon offset.  buy conflict-free diamonds only   Diamond mining, especially if done outside of fair-trade mines, is one of the world’s leading human atrocities.  Conflict diamonds have funded devastating civil wars in Africa, ending millions of lives.  Also known as “blood diamonds” - conflict diamonds originate from areas controlled by forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments, and are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments, or in contravention of the decisions of the Security Council. (source: http://www.un.org/peace/africa/Diamond.html)   If you must - please make sure you purchase only conflict-free diamonds.   buy only fair trade coffee and teas Coffee is the world’s most commonly traded commodity after crude oil, and tea is the world’s most consumed beverage after water. Not only does certified fair trade coffee and tea help ensure living wages and safe working conditions for farmers, but TransFair and Rainforest Alliance both include rigorous environmental standards in their certification criteria. What is Fair Trade certification? Fair trade certification works to ensure that farmers get a fair price for their crops and good conditions under which to work. In the US, TransFair conducts certification and labeling based on standards established by Fairtrade Labeling Organization International (FLO), based in Bonn, Germany. These standards serve to protect farming traditions, make farming profitable for small and family-owned farms, prevent exploitation and forced child labor, guarantee freedom of association, and protect worker health and natural ecosystems. Farmers earn a premium for growing Fair Trade Certified coffee and tea, and get an additional premium for growing organic. More specifics are available here. buy sustainable / biodegradable products Here's a handy list of questions that give general clues as to the environmental sustainability of a product. While a scientific product lifecycle analysis is much more complex than this, reading labels with these questions in mind will be helpful when choosing products.   Do I really want and need the product? Is this product made from renewable or recycled resources, and taken in a sustainable way? Is this product safe for me and the environment? Is this product practical and durable, well made, of good quality, with a timeless design? Is there any information about the manufacturing practices that tells of environmental or humane improvements? How will the product be disposed of and what will be the environmental impact? What kind of packaging does the product have? Bottom line: is it durable? (will it last over time without needing replaced); is the product environmentally safe?; will disposal have a negative impact on the environment?; was it produced by workers earning a livable wage? check your tires Properly inflated and maintained tires on your vehicle can equate to a number of positive environmental results.Consider the few minutes per month you’ll spend performing this simple task against:  1. Increasing vehicle safety performance – properly inflated tires wear more evenly, and are less likely to fail at highway speeds 2. Increasing vehicle fuel mileage and reducing total emissions 3. Increased tire life mileage leading to a reduction in discarded tires needing recycled or filling up landfills 4. Less energy used manufacturing new tires to meet a lower demand This simple and cost-effective habit is one that has potential for an enormous positive cumulative impact.Please adopt a new habit…maintain your vehicle tires. choose alternative containers, not bottled water Why is bottled water so bad? 1.  Producing and transporting the bottled water sucks up natural resources. 2.  Manufacturing & transporting plastic bottles emits mass carbon emissions.  This process can use up to 47 million gallons of oil per year (Imagine how much of that oil could be used to lower the gas prices.) 3. Importing that bottle from Fiji or France?  That bottle of water is traveling halfway across the world. 4. Most water bottles aren’t recycled.  Bottled water alone adds up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year.  According to the Container Recycling Institute, 9 of 10 water bottles end up as litter or garbage – that’s 30 million bottles per day! Consider other alternatives to bottled water.  Choose a safer, more eco-friendly container – either a disposable/recyclable cup, or your own cup or container.  Encourage your employer to avoid buying bottled water and/or styrofoam cups. At home, install a water filter and use your own cup - home water purification is by far the most economical, most convenient and most effective way of producing high quality, healthy water...and it's the Green Solution! compost Compost is organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow plants. Did You Know That Compost Can... Suppress plant diseases and pests. Reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers. Promote higher yields of agricultural crops. Facilitate reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization efforts by amending contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils. Cost-effectively remediate soils contaminated by hazardous waste. Remove solids, oil, grease, and heavy metals from stormwater runoff. Capture and destroy 99.6 percent of industrial volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in contaminated air. Provide cost savings of at least 50 percent over conventional soil, water, and air pollution remediation technologies, where applicable. In 2007, 245.1 million tons of municipal solid waste or MSW (more commonly known as trash or garbage) were generated in the United States. Organic materials—comprised of yard trimmings, food scraps, wood waste, and paper and paperboard products—are the largest component of our trash and make up more than two-thirds of the solid waste stream. According to a Wall Street Journal article “A Guide to Going Green”…”The EPA says solid waste, per person has nearly doubled to 4.4 pounds a day from 2.7 pounds in the past 35 years—filling up landfill sites and wasting materials that could be reused to save natural resources and energy.” Reducing, reusing, recycling, and rebuying—the four "Rs"—is key to diverting organic materials from landfills or incinerators and protecting human health and our land, air, and water. Waste reduction and recycling prevents greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, reduces pollutants, saves energy, conserves resources, and reduces the need for new disposal facilities. (Source: US EPA) Sounds like a good argument for composting…wouldn’t you agree? consider buying plug-in hybrid vehicles Imagine a hybrid car that achieves more than 100 mpg. Well, you don't have to, it already exists. Sometimes called grid-connected hybrids, gas-optional hybrids, or GO-HEVs , a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid vehicle with batteries that can be recharged by connecting a plug to an electric power source. It shares the characteristics of both traditional hybrid electric vehicles, having an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, and of battery electric vehicles, also having a plug to connect to the electric grid. The cost (for electricity) to power plug-in hybrids for all-electric operation has been estimated at less than one quarter of the cost of gasoline. Compared to conventional vehicles, PHEVs can reduce air pollution, dependence on petroleum, and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. Plug-in hybrids use no fossil fuel during their all-electric range if their batteries are charged from nuclear or renewable energy sources. Other benefits include improved national energy security, fewer fill-ups, convenience of home recharging, opportunities to provide emergency backup power in the home, and vehicle-to-grid applications. (Source: Wikipedia) consider car sharing Letting someone else deal with the day to day expenses of maintaining an automobile (and just paying for what you use) is gaining in popularity as consumers look to other ways to save money.   By using a car share, you're not only shedding monthly car payments, taxes, insurance and upkeep, but you can let someone else worry about whether the old rattle trap will make it another year. You simply pay a fee and drive the car when you need it.   By maximizing the utilization of a single automobile among many users, car sharing services claim they are helping to reduce pollution, too.   One car sharing entity claims each (shared) vehicle  removes about 15 personal cars from the road.   Additionally, unclogging traffic and dialing back the amount of single-occupant vehicles burning fuel has a greening effect. Reducing expenses and saving the polar ice caps aren't the only reasons; there's as much justification for joining a car share as you can dream up, from impressing the client at a business meeting with a fancy car to going over the river and through the woods for family gatherings, all without actually owning a car (or paying for its gas or insurance).   The ideal candidates for car sharing are consumers and businesses in cities where owning a car is costly, where there is good public transit, and where most amenities are within walking distance," Zipcar President and COO Mark Norman said….   "In other words, where you don't really need to own a car….  ” In addition, students are ideal car sharing members, given the high cost of ownership as well as the increasing limits on parking on campus."  (source: AOL Autos) consume less “The single most important contribution any of us can make to the planet is a return to frugality.” -- Robert Muller, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations   Unlimited consumption, once the hallmark of the American Dream, is becoming a nightmare for us, for others and for the earth. It is eroding our environmental, social and personal well-being. We are rich in things, but poor in happiness.   Our overconsumption has also weakened our economy. Leading economic observers like Peter Thurow of M.I.T., Charles Schultze of the Brookings Institute and Alfred E. Kahn of Cornell University all assert that our economic health depends on consuming less and saving more.   Every time we spend money we consume resources, so saving money links directly to saving forests, other species, mineral resources, water and ultimately the earth. For ourselves, and for all life, we must return to financial sanity. (source: All-Consuming Passion: Waking up from the American Dream Created by the New Road Map Foundation, and ecofuture) develop a rain garden A rain garden is a planted depression that allows rainwater runoff the opportunity to be absorbed from otherwise impervious urban areas like roofs, driveways, walkways, and compacted lawn areas. This reduces (unabsorbed) rain runoff by allowing stormwater to soak into the ground (as opposed to flowing into storm drains and surface waters which causes erosion, water pollution, flooding, and diminished groundwater). Rain gardens can cut down on the amount of pollution reaching creeks and streams by up to 30%. ditch the mansion This is gonna be a tuffy for lots of people reaching for the proverbial “brass ring”…especially in America.  We suggest you utilize one of the many “carbon footprint” calculators available online as an indicator of how you and your family have “right-sized” your home. One factor in the nation’s soaring demand for energy is a steady increase in the average size of the homes we live in. According to the National Association of Homebuilders, in 1950 the average American family consisted of 3.6 people sharing a 1,000-square-foot house. By 1970 the average family had gotten smaller (3.1 people) and their home larger (1,500 square feet).  By 2004, the trend had become even more dramatic, with a family averaging 2.7 people living in an average home size of 2,400 square feet. That’s an increase of 240% in house size in just over half a century, while family size shrank by about 30%. In addition, besides the obvious energy consumption the “mansion mentality” costs, there is also a negative social impact that living large has on the family unit.  Family members now tend to retreat to their separate spaces of isolation rather than bonding the family unit.  Less may truly be more in the case of “ditching the mansion” do you really need the SUV? Do you really need that 3-4 ton gas guzzling, diesel belching, road-hogging vehicle to run the kids back and forth to school?; or commute to work?  We apologize.  We ask ourselves the same question.   At first, this appears to be an American phenomenon, but the U.S. is not the only lover of big vehicles.  China, with its new-found economic development and its 1.3+ billion population is apparently following suit in its affection for gas-guzzlers.  As sport utility vehicles (SUVs) become increasingly unpopular in Europe and the United States, the gas-guzzling wagons are capturing the attention of an expanding class of Chinese consumers: the new rich. The rapid increase in SUV sales in China is the result of a strong push by international automakers to capitalize on the huge Chinese market, using captivating ads to stimulate an individualistic SUV culture.   Of course, we know there are genuine reasons for owning a large vehicle – towing, hauling, farming, large families, and safety (although traffic accident data makes this debatable).  No one can argue those legitimate needs.   However, we would like to challenge both ourselves and the driving public to consider the negative costs of owning more vehicle than is needed, as well as the benefits of owning a right-sized car, truck, or SUV.   Here are a few points to consider when choosing a right-sized vehicle:   First, you could save as much as $200-$1,500 in fuel costs each year by choosing the most efficient vehicle that meets your needs.  Second, our dependence on oil makes us vulnerable to oil market manipulation and price shocks.  Reduction in demand changes the supply/demand curve and pricing.  Third, carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning gasoline and diesel contributes to global climate change. You can do your part to reduce climate change by reducing your vehicular carbon footprint.  Finally, oil is a non-renewable resource, and we cannot sustain our current rate of use indefinitely. Using it wisely now allows us time to find alternative technologies and fuels that will be more sustainable. (source: here) don't charge your cell phone overnight It's a great thing that cell phones are rechargeable.  It seems that eveywhere you look in today’s modern society people have a phone connected to their ear.  Even as efficient as they are, that energy usage still requires a replenishment.  Therein lies the problem.  We, the user, typically do not take advantage of optimizing the recharging sequence. The result makes the process less green than it could otherwise be.     Your cell phone doesn’t know when to stop its consumption of electricity from the wall.  The phone’s battery can only hold so much, but the “normal” charger keeps pulling power as long as it's plugged in.  A typical phone could fully charge in two hours, but if you leave it plugged in for four hours, you've used twice the amount of electricity needed to complete the recharge.  Leaving it plugged in overnight has an even greater multipier effect.   Consider adopting a better solution as a habit.  Try making it a practice to leave your phone out in the open and keep an eye out for that "charge complete" notice to appear on the screen.  Then unplug it.  With a little planning and a new habit, the cumulative effect in reduced energy consumption will certainly diminish, even in a small way, all of our carbon footprints on the earth.  don't litter Consider the impacts of cigarette butts, discarded furniture along streams and roadways, plastic bags, gum wrappers, styrofoam peanuts, cans, bottles, and boxes.  All of these items (most of which are not biodegradable and contain toxins from their manufacturing processes) contaminate our soil, water table, and clog storm systems.  Litter detracts from our parks and recreational areas, and costs local governments millions each year because of this terrible and thoughtless act.  All litter has:   a costly economic impact on society a negative environmental effect on the earth a detracting impression on how we visualize our surroundings a harmful result on aquatic life a serious health and safety threat for humans   Beyond that, littering is illegal in most modern societies. Aquatic habitat destruction or harm is caused when submerged debris (for example, a piece of plastic sheeting) covers seagrass beds, or smothers bottom-dwelling species. Some debris can also cause physical damage.  Debris can also affect the water quality by adding chemicals to the water. Construction waste illegally dumped in a stream can include buckets that once held paints, solvents, and other chemicals that can enter the water. Cigarette butts and some other littered items contain toxic chemicals that leach into the water.  Aquatic debris can be particularly dangerous and often lethal to wildlife. Each year, more than 100,000 marine mammals die when they ingest debris or become entangled in ropes, fishing line, fishing nets, and other debris dumped into the ocean. As many as 2 million seabirds also die every year due to debris ingestion and entanglement. Fishing line, fishing nets, strapping bands, and six-pack rings can hamper the mobility of aquatic animals. Once entangled, animals have trouble eating, breathing, or swimming, all of which can have fatal results. According the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), marine debris threatens over 265 different species of marine and coastal wildlife through entanglement, smothering, and interference with digestive systems.  (source: here) So let’s not litter – find a proper place to dispose of all trash. drink filtered water, not bottled Switching from bottled water to home water filtration is one of the fastest, easiest and most impactful steps we can take to save money and help the planet! Other than the direct impact of the approximate 30 billion plastic bottles a year being disposed of in U.S. landfills alone, bottled water negatively impacts our environment in many other ways. 17 billion barrels of oil are used each year to produce the 30 billion plastic bottles, producing some 2.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide pollution. It takes three times the amount of water to produce the bottle as it does to fill it.  Adding in transportation, the annual energy resources used on bottled water production and distribution comes to over 50 million barrels of oil, the equivalent to run 3 million cars for a year. The plain truth is that most bottled water is little more than tap water in a bottle. The Federal regulations (FDA) that govern the quality of bottled water only apply if it is transported across state lines, and only require it to be "as good as" tap water, not better. 60-70% of bottled water companies bottle and sell the water in the same state to avoid Federal purity standards, thus avoiding complying with basic health standards, such as those that apply to municipally treated tap water! There are no assurances or requirements that bottled water be any safer or better than tap water.  The U.S. FDA says: "Companies that promote bottled water as being safer than tap water are defrauding the American public."   Home water purification is by far the most economical, most convenient and most effective way of producing high quality, healthy water...and it's the Green Solution! (source: waterfiltercomparisons) drive a hybrid vehicle Not a new concept, the hybrid vehicle is just that – a hybrid of two or more sources of power.  Hybrids are obviously not for everyone in every application.  But they do make great sense in many cases.  And they are certainly greener than conventional gasoline powered vehicles.  Let’s take a quick look and what they are and how you might find yourself driving a hybrid. The reason for two power sources is in the strengths and weaknesses of both types. Specifically, electric motors use no energy during idle - they turn off - and use less energy than gasoline engines at low speeds. Gasoline engines do better at high speeds and can deliver more power for a given vehicle weight. That means during rush hour stop and go driving, the electric motor works great and does not produce any emissions. At higher speeds – say above 40 mph - the gasoline engine engages and provides the torque and acceleration needed for highway driving. Two power sources mean two systems to maintain and repair.  Hybrids are expensive on initial cost but save fuel and reduce the owner’s carbon footprint – two important factors any purchaser of a hybrid value and appreciate.  Typically, a hybrid vehicle will see a lower cost-per-mile gasoline expense curve.   And even a small increase in fuel economy can translate into a large reduction in emissions over the car’s life. Tax advantages (depending on which Government and which way political forces are blowing them) can come into play in making this decision as well.  As with any consumer choice, your financial and environmental position will most likely influence this decision.  Hybrid vehicles are likely to evolve and be around for the foreseeable future.  We believe it’s a viable choice to consider in meeting at least some of the world’s transportation needs. drive less Seems pretty simple and self-explanatory. However, a little foresight and planning of short trips and errands may reduce our total cumulative mileage dramatically – the result is less emissions out the tailpipe, less oil required to produce all the parts and pieces that go into automobile production, less coal burned for steel production, etc. Given the world’s love of the automobile, the total effect of this one behavioral change may be bigger that at first glance. drive slower Lots of studies have been conducted on this with varying results. Undisputed bottom line – less fuel consumed. The environmental and personal economic benefits are obvious. The less obvious results point to less stress behind the wheel as well as lives and injuries saved in accidents. educate our youth about the earth adult and parental responsibilities encompass educating our youth about the earth, human rights, sustainability, and its fragile environment. “A lot of attention is being focused on the environment, but in our view the problems go beyond ecology. It’s about sustainable development and the need to embrace north-south imbalances, poverty issues, and equity.” — Kurt Peleman, Program Manager,Future Smile, Belgium Many countries now have government sponsored programs which address these educational needs. Interestingly, and sadly, the youth sometimes are ahead of the adult curve in some of these areas. In any case, it is imperative that future generations are made keenly aware of these issues. Make it a priority to educate yourself, as well as, our youth. As adults and parents, please lead by example. encourage community sustainability The widely-used and adopted definition of sustainability exhorts society, or communities, to act in ways that generally meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations to meet their own needs.   It appears to be ever more clear that globally, and particularly in the “developed world”, that we are not meeting the needs of the present let alone considering the needs of future generations. The first step in any resolution is to recognize the problem.  Our ever increasing global economy, capitalistic society, and “me” generation are hedging on (if not evidently) forgetting that we all must live, function, and survive together.  This is where those who have been made aware of the problem must grasp the responsibility to encourage the community sustainability solution – that is where it must begin – recognition and resolution from the bottom up – one person and one locale at a time. Find others in your community who are like-minded regarding community sustainability.  Search out workshops, sustainability fairs and events – and participate however and whenever you can. Educate yourself - and by doing so you might educate others.  Support companies that support the community.  Do business with local merchants.  Avoid spending your money with firms that negatively impact the principle of community sustainability.  Lead by example.  We believe that a little awareness might just catch on and actually make a difference. find out about your food Have you ever heard it said “you are what you eat”?  While it may not be entirely true, the food we consume certainly has a direct effect on our bodies, minds, emotions, and attitudes.  More and more scientific research and data confirms it.  And, as our global population increases placing greater pressure on our food and water supplies, the industries that support those supplies must find methods to keep up.  This ever-changing demand/supply curve has created some interesting, and sometimes threatening, links from “cradle to grave” so to speak.  The food we consume contains the nutrition our bodies need – but it also contains everything the source ate and was exposed to as well…   Hormones – our bodies are full of hormones.  Did you know insulin is a hormone?  Have you considered the sources of our food supply also contain hormones?  Have you considered the implications of the hormones they have may influence how our bodies and minds may operate?    Have you considered why diabetes and obesity are increasing at a record pace?  Did you know that hair follicle samples for most of us would reveal the presence of corn?  Have you thought about how beef, chicken, fish, pork, fruits and vegetables can be produced in such enormous quantities?  And have you noticed that one of  the most rapidly growing fields in athletics and athlete’s performance is in nutrition?    "Food is chemistry… For most people, food is food.  It's enjoyment, it's pleasure, it's all those things, but for an elite athlete and a competitive athlete, it can also be performance-enhancing because you can manipulate it that way." (Jennifer Ketterly, MS, RD. Director of Sports Nutrition. University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill)   Do a little research.  You may be surprised what how the world’s food supply is produced and how it may be altering the way your body performs - how your emotions and attitudes function. freecycle The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,726 groups with 6,626,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills.  See the site freecycle get involved in how your town can help There’s a good chance you’ve landed on the Earthawear site because of your awareness regarding the need to protect and preserve our planet’s sustainable environment.  Congratulations!  Together, we believe a little awareness can actually make a difference.   Many forward-thinking community leaders are already adapting and adopting eco-friendly policies and practices.  We applaud them.  But…unfortunately, many civic leaders have not bought into either the long-term or even the short-term needs and advantages managing community assets with a sustainable, eco-friendly orientation can bring to their citizens.  Here is how you can get involved and help steer your community, county, state, nation, and eventually our planet towards a better place for future generations to come.  Education is a real key.  Here are a few good links to give some direction and example: sustainablecities.org iclei.org edf citiesalliance.org greensburgks give green gifts The idea of giving coupled with items and products (gifts) that support sustainability and preservation of our delicate environment.  First order of business is considering something the recipient will actually need and use to avoid wasteful spending and an item that may simply end up in a landfill.  Secondly, consider the packaging and the product itself – is it a quality product that will last and produced of sustainable or eco-friendly materials?  Third, will its disposal have a negative or neutral impact on the environment?  Finally, was it made in a sweatshop or produced by a person making a living wage?   So how about some ideas?...   Something edible;  Something from a local farmer, farmers market or co-op;  A year’s pass to our U.S. National Parks;  Shop locally and support your local merchants – avoiding the big chain stores;  Fair trade coffee, teas, or chocolate;  Make a donation in someone’s name;  Buy them some carbon offsets;  Organic clothing;  A rain barrel;  A case of CFL bulbs. help your employer adopt a greener philosophy Firms, companies, corporations all have a civic responsibility to the communities, states, and nations that grant them a “license to operate.”  In the United States, certain standards require Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) responsibilities be legally adhered to.  Sadly, many areas of our planet are subject to negligent behavior and outright human rights and environmental abuses.  Those areas require an entire shift in governmental regulation and corporate responsibility.   For this tip, our focus is about helping your employer be more aware of how “greener” day-to-day activities can increase profitability, increase employee health, decrease waste, and leave a lighter footprint on the earth.  Here’s a few ideas to get you started:   Recycle, downcycle, freecycle, upcycle, and recycle some more Use both sides of every piece of paper Minimize paper communications and maximize electronic forms Telecommute and teleconference instead of traveling Make sure all electronics are not vampires Buy furniture made without VOC and that are made only from sustainably harvested forests Remove/abate asbestos and other dangerous airborn particles Use CFL lighting, recycled paper, disposable biodegradable cups – SAY NO TO STYROFOAM Build and/or remodel using LEED standards Install passive and/or active solar and low-e glass Landscape with drought-resistant plants, disiguous & evergreens trees, and rain harvesting Schedule work with flex-time, 4 ea 10 hour days, flex hours to minimize electric usage, etc Allow workers to work from home when and where possible to minimize vehicle travel install a tankless water heater As in many major purchases, “tankless”, or “demand” water heaters need to be researched to find a break point in which the payback offsets the initial cost.    Demand (tankless or instantaneous) water heaters provide hot water only as it is needed. They don't produce the standby energy losses associated with storage water heaters, which can save you money.  For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, demand water heaters can be 24%–34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. They can be 8%–14% more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water—around 86 gallons per day. You can achieve even greater energy savings of 27%–50% if you install a demand water heater at each hot water outlet.  (source: energysavers.gov)   They do have their limitations and take a little getting used to.  Shop wisely to see if and how installing a tankless water heater might fit into your household’s needs. install passive-solar power Passive-solar technologies are means of using sunlight for useful energy without use of active mechanical systems (as contrasted to active solar). Such technologies convert sunlight into usable heat (water, air, thermal mass), cause air-movement for ventilating, or future use with little use of other energy sources. A common example is a solarium and the equator-side of a building. Passive-cooling is the use of the same design principles to reduce summer cooling requirements. (source: Wikipedia) install water saver shower heads Older shower heads will typically flow 5-10 gallons per minute (GPM).Newer, low-flow shower heads will, on average, flow 2-2.5 gpm. For a (eco-friendly reduced time shower) 5 minute shower, that adds up to about a minimum 15 gallons of water conservation.Given the world’s pressing water conservation needs, this is a great way to help the sustainability of our environment while saving money yourself. install water saver toilets Older toilets use about 5 gallons (20 liters) per flush. When you consider that a normal person flushes a toilet seven or so times a day, you can see that a family of four consumes more than 140 gallons per day by flushing alone. Depending on the article you are reading, the water consumption of toilets represents between 30 percent to 50 percent of the water consumed by a household each day. The new toilets installed in your house or apartment use 1.6 gallons (6 liters) per flush (gpf). If you replace those 5-gallon-per-flush toilets with 1.6-gallon-per-flush toilets, you save a huge amount of water - something like 100 gallons per day per household. For a city, a big reduction like that means that you can delay the construction of new reservoirs and new sewage treatment plants. (source: howstuffworks) There is the argument that the newer 1.6 gpf toilets don’t evacuate waste as well as the older 5 gpf units.  In many cases, inadequate and/or incorrectly installed plumbing will reveal itself more readily with the new toilets.  Proper venting, sizing, and slopping will typically allow the 1.6 units to perform without any trouble. insulate Most folks automatically focus on walls, ceilings, and floors when discussing insulation.  However, there are several additional opportunities for energy conservation elsewhere in buildings.  Consider other mechanicals such as pipes, window & doors, water heaters, foundation walls, electric outlets, etc.  Look at places to utilize weatherstripping, caulk, and other sealants.  Think of any and every place heat energy can escape.  A 2003 16-page study from Harvard University's School of Public Health shows that if the 46 million Existing single-family homes in the United States that have inadequate insulation were retrofitted with additional insulation to meet the 2000 IECC, the benefits would include 240 fewer premature deaths, 6,500 fewer asthma attacks and 110,000 fewer restricted activity days per year. This translates into a potential savings of $1.3 billion per year in averted costs such as health care, and $5.9 billion per year in additional savings associated with reduced energy consumption, paying back the initial cost of the insulation in about six years. (Source: N. American Insulation Manufacturers Assn.  NAIMA)  join a co-op Most formally, a co-op is a business that operates for the mutual benefit of all members. Examples include your local food co-op, a local housing or child care co-op, Group Health Cooperative, and any credit union. The cooperative form of business is one that brings the owners, controllers, and users of a business together into one group. How does this help sustainability? Greater numbers reduce cost per item, reduce transportation needs (and thus less pollutants), stimulate the economy, can provide for increased quality because of demand. Food co-ops have been innovators in the areas of unit pricing, consumer protection, organic and bulk foods, and nutritional labeling. In total, 47,000 co-ops in the United States serve 130 million people — 43 percent of the U.S. population. (source: www.go.coop) learn about the world water crisis There is a global water crisis. What can you do about it? The first step is to learn about the crisis, then you can spread the word, or make a difference by giving the gift of water. These are the hard facts about the global water crisis:  (source: water partners international) · 884 million people, lack access to safe water supplies, approximately one in eight people. · Each year, 3.575 million people die from water-related disease. · 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation, including 1.2 billion people who have no facilities at all. · Every 15 seconds, a child dies from a water-related disease. · Millions of women and children spend several hours a day collecting water from distant, often polluted sources. · At any given time, half of the world's hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease. There are many avenues by which you can educate yourself.  The world water crisis is not isolated to poor and under/undeveloped lands – water supplies in the U.S. are also being threatened by overpopulation, urban sprawl, climate change, and multi-national companies harvesting water to sell in bottle form.  Get the facts…get educated…it’s impossible to maintain life without water. live simpler What has happened to a great number of people?  For many (Americans), we have been caught up on the continuum of work-spend-consume-repeat treadmill.  That frantic and stressed lifestyle of materialism also has its downsides, not only on our physical health, but on the health of our sustainable environment.  For many of us, the idea of simpler living is gaining a lot of appeal. Here’s a few tips that may pay win-win dividends: 1. watch less television – requires less energy consumption and frees up time for more productive activities.  Do we really need to fill our minds with all that “junk”?  Remember - GIGO 2. downsize your living space – do you really need that big house?  Consider right-sizing your home 3. downsize your vehicle fleet – how many vehicles do you really need?  And do you really need that SUV? 4. live within or below your means – avoid the credit crunch and the stress that comes with it.  Get out of debt. 5. plant a garden – fresh homegrown veggies planted and harvest by your own hands…hard to beat 6. shop locally owned stores – maintains and develops a sustainable community while establishing relationships the mega-stores can’t offer. 7. connect with nature – the beauty and grandeur of the outdoors promotes physical and emotional well-being.  Take time to “smell the roses” and appreciate the simpler, natural wonders around us.  Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, makes the case that not just children need an active connection to nature, a sense of play and physicality in the outdoors, in order to be attuned to their humanity. “Even as we grow more separate from nature,” Louv writes, “we continue to separate from one another physically.” 8. adopt a pet and spend valuable time with it - Pets can decrease your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, feelings of loneliness.  Pets can increase your opportunities for exercise, outdoor activities, and socialization.    Remember, the more you have, the more you have to take care of.  Do you really want, or need to be subject to the harsh taskmaster of “stuff”? paint with low or no VOC paints Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors.  VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions.  (source: U.S. EPA) Paints and finishes typically release low level toxic emissions into the air (potentially) for years after their initial application. The source of these toxins is a variety of VOCs which, until recently, were essential to the performance of the paint.  New environmental regulations, and consumer demand, have led to the development of low-VOC and zero-VOC paints and finishes. Most paint manufacturers now produce one or more non-VOC variety of paint. These new paints are durable, cost-effective and less harmful to human and environmental health.  However, not all low/no VOC paint and finishes are created equal – do your homework and be sure what you’re buying is what you’re paying for.  Here’s a great source of information on nontoxicpaints pay your bills online “With more than 63 billion checks written annually where 80 percent is some sort of bill payment… opportunities exist for those who use interactive billing and payment,” according to Nick Rini, a columnist for Telephony. Fortunately for the world’s dwindling forests, a growing number of financial institutions, utilities and universities are implementing paperless billing options that not only save paper, but time and money too. Online business transactions save forests, reduce chemical usage, energy, pollution and expense for both business and consumer.  Translation: positive benefits for everyone’s “bottom line” and the planet’s sustainablility. pedal power Ride a bicycle, unicycle, tricycle, etc. when feasible and safe. It’s a win/win because you’ll get the exercise while saving money for fuel and pollutants to the atmosphere…how good is that!? petition to adopt article 31 The idea of clean, safe water as a right, rather than as a privilege, has inspired the movement behind Article 31, a proposed addition of “Right to Water” to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Declaration).   The full text of the Article reads: “Everyone has the right to clean and accessible water, adequate for the health and well-being of the individual and family, and no one shall be deprived of such access or quality of water due to individual economic circumstance.” If you too believe that governments around the world need to protect your basic right to water, then please take a moment to read and sign the petition to adopt article 31.   article31.org   plant a garden Besides having fresh picked produce close at hand, planting a garden provides an environment for bonding with those who work it with you, allows for a sense of accomplishment, and helps us get in touch with nature. On a larger scale, as we all corporately plant gardens, this reduces the huge negative impact commercial farms have on the land. Although we need them to help feed the world’s population, commercial farms overwork the soil and contaminate our environment with enormous volumes of chemicals. In addition, genetically modified (GM) seeds/foods are adversely impacting the world’s bee population – key to growing almost any kind of fruits and vegetables. Moreover, consider the transportation impact. Our little bits added together can make a large change in the end. plant a tree per year Trees help to reduce global warming by 'cleaning the air'. Here's how: A gas that helps to cause global warming is carbon dioxide. Trees 'breathe' just like we do except when they breathe they take in carbon dioxide not oxygen. When a tree breathes out it breathes out oxygen. This is then breathed in by a human. Carbon dioxide is breathed out the the human... ...and breathed in by the tree... This carries on continuously. So, be very selective about cutting healthy trees, plant them instead! (source: Wiki answers) recycle Probably the most recognizable contribution most people make. Many, many items can be recycled. Wood, paper, glass, plastics, printer cartridges, computers, (rechargeable) batteries, steel, aluminum, etc. Most cities, towns, metro areas have their own programs and curb-side pickup service. Of course, individuals may also want to turn their own piles of recyclables into cash at a local recycle center. recycle yourself Simply put…be an organ donor.  We understand some (religious) cultures might frown on this practice.  But consider what a great way to share love with others.  Thousand await valuable organs that could have their quality of life greatly enhanced from your selfless donation.  It’s a great way to contribute to a sustainable community.  Look here for more information and how to get started.  http://organdonor.gov/ reduce "vampire" energy usage You may have never heard of it or considered what it is.  Think about all of the electronic devices in your home that sit idle but are still powered up – TV, DVR/DVD/VHS, computer/monitor/printer/speakers, microwave, coffee pot, (clock) radio, cordless phone, game console, rechargeable toothbrush, stereo, etc.  Now consider that package as a whole and the electricity required to simply be on “standby” or “sleep mode”…that’s vampire energy usage constantly sucking power. This "vampire energy loss" represents between 5 and 8 percent of a single family home's total electricity use per year, according to the Department of Energy. On average, that's the equivalent of one month's electricity bill. Taken across the United States, this adds up to at least 68 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually; that's the equivalent output of 37 typical electricity-generating power plants, costing consumers more than $7 billion. This wasted energy sends more than 97 billion pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere; on a global scale, standby energy accounts for 1 percent of the world's carbon emissions, according to Alan Meier of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, based in California. Fortunately, there are several new consumer items to assist with reducing vampire energy usage.  Look into things like “smart switches” “smart strips” and monitors to help you locate the greatest offenders in your home.  It’s worth investigating… reduce aerosol usage Though greenhouse gases are invariably at the center of discussions about global climate change, new NASA research suggests that much of the atmospheric warming observed in the Arctic since 1976 may be due to changes in tiny airborne particles called aerosols.  Emitted by natural and human sources, aerosols can directly influence climate by reflecting or absorbing the sun's radiation. The small particles also affect climate indirectly by seeding clouds and changing cloud properties, such as reflectivity.  Though there are several varieties of aerosols, previous research has shown that two types -- sulfates and black carbon -- play an especially critical role in regulating climate change. Both are products of human activity.   Aerosols can influence climate directly by either reflecting or absorbing the sun's radiation as it moves through the atmosphere. The tiny airborne particles enter the atmosphere from sources such as industrial pollution, volcanoes and residential cooking stoves.   In the modeling experiment, (Shindell) and colleagues compiled detailed, quantitative information…The regions of Earth that showed the strongest responses to aerosols in the model are the same regions that have witnessed the greatest real-world temperature increases since 1976. The Arctic region has seen its surface air temperatures increase by 1.5 C (2.7 F) since the mid-1970s. In the Antarctic, where aerosols play less of a role, the surface air temperature has increased about 0.35 C (0.6 F).   "There's a tendency to think of aerosols as small players, but they're not," said Shindell. "Right now, in the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere and in the Arctic, the impact of aerosols is just as strong as that of the greenhouse gases." …”We will have very little leverage over climate in the next couple of decades if we're just looking at carbon dioxide," Shindell said. "If we want to try to stop the Arctic summer sea ice from melting completely over the next few decades, we're much better off looking at aerosols and ozone." (source: nasa.gov) renewal, not merely reduced consumption As a global population, we certainly need to be cognizant of our need for reducing our consumption of goods and materials. Think about what items might be renewable rather than simply a use-it-once and throw it away. A natural resource qualifies as a renewable resource if it is replenished by natural processes at a rate comparable or faster than its rate of consumption by humans. Renewable resources may also mean commodities such as wood, paper, and leather, if harvesting is performed in a sustainable manner. renovate rather than new There continues to exist lots of quality structures and materials simply waiting for renovation projects. Consider an old schoolhouse, post office, cigar factory, warehouse, or house [or similar idea] that could be converted into reconfigured space. And don’t overlook quality, older, period materials to be utilized in any renovation project – as people become more aware, these items are being salvaged and stockpiled for resale. restore the bees "If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left."  - Albert Einstein A very bold statement by a very intelligent guy! The fact of the matter is that bees play a major role in pollinating plant life and the sustainability of the human food production chain. Another fact: bees are disappearing at an alarming rate. Causes are not entirely conclusive, however, several issues being researched are global warming, “electrosmog”, pesticides, and numerous pathogens including viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. Whatever the cause(s), please consider your interest in bee colonies and help restore the bees in any way you can. ride a motorcycle Motorcycles use less of everything – typically less money to purchase than a car – less money to insure - less resources are used to manufacture them and maintain them - less fuel is used to operate them - they have less wear and tear on the transportation infrastructure and they take up less space in traffic or when parked – modern technological motorcycle fuel systems make them minimalist tail pipe emitters - overall, motorcycles contribute less to the environmental challenges facing the transportation sector.   Of course, they are not for everyone.  There is a certain inherent level of danger.  Not everyone possesses the mental and physical skills to operate a motorcycle safely.  And, a motorcycle is not a car – weather conditions can present a challenge – dress and business clothing are not always suitable attire.  And the “helmet hair” sometimes poses certain limitations on when and where one can use a motorcycle as daily transportation.    However, when it all comes together as a principle or secondary form of transportation… Motorcycling means more:  More convenience - More skills – More mental awareness - More contacts – More fun - More freedom.    http://www.ama-cycle.com/ http://www.msf-usa.org/ http://www.longwaydown.com/ ride the bus Public transportation is a viable responsible environmental choice.  Where it’s safe and available, consider the following facts to influence your choice: • U.S. greenhouse gases from transportation represent 33 percent of total U.S. emissions. • Public transportation saves 37 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually – equivalent to the emissions resulting from the electricity generated for the use of 4.9 million households or every household in Washington, DC; New York City; Atlanta; Denver; and Los Angeles combined. • If an individual switches a 20-mile roundtrip commute to public transportation, his or her annual CO2 emissions will fall by 4,800 pounds per year, equal to a 10 percent reduction in a two-car household’s carbon footprint.  (Source:  publictransportation.org) say no to ATM receipts If we all pressed "no" when the ATM asked whether we wanted a receipt, "we'd save enough paper to circle the equator 15 times," says Thomas Kostigen, co-author of The Green Book. That’s a savings of over two billion feet worth of paper.  In addition, thrown on the ground almost as much as gum wrappers, ATM receipts are one of the biggest sources of litter on the planet. Proof of your ATM transaction can be seen in your online bank statement instead. Same holds true when you pay at the pump with a credit card: Just say no to the receipt. say no to styrofoam a.k.a. “white pollution,” Dow Chemical Co.’s foamed polystyrene is commonly known as Styrofoam, is actually a form of plastic.  Popular and widely used because of its excellent insulating properties, the downsides raise serious questions about its safety regarding both humans and the environment. The chemical makeup of polystyrene is a long chain hydrocarbon with every other carbon connected to a phenyl group (the name given to the aromatic ring benzene, when bonded to complex carbon substituents).   There is concern about the trace presence of polystyrene's production chemicals in the final plastic product, most of which are toxic if not removed. For instance benzene, which is used to produce ethylbenzene for styrene, is a known carcinogen. As well, unpolymerized styrene may pose health risks.   Discarded polystyrene does not biodegrade and is resistant to photolysis. Since the foamed kinds not only float on water, but also blow in the wind, it is often abundant in the outdoor environment, particularly along shores and waterways. According to the California Coastal Commission, it is now a principal component of marine debris.  Polystyrene is not easily recycled because of its light weight (especially if foamed) and its low scrap value. It is generally not accepted in curbside collection recycling programs. In Germany, however, polystyrene is collected, as a consequence of the packaging law (Verpackungsverordnung) that requires manufacturers to take responsibility for recycling or disposing of any packaging material they sell.  (Source: wikipedia) shop for energy-efficient appliances Did you know that the average home spends about $2,200 on energy bills every year? Change to appliances that have earned the ENERGY STAR, and you can save $75 a year in energy costs, while saving the environment. When buying an appliance, remember that it has two price tags: what you pay to take it home and what you pay for the energy and water it uses. ENERGY STAR qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10–50% less energy and water than standard models. The money you save on your utility bills can more than make up for the cost of a more expensive but more efficient ENERGY STAR model. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy estimates that if each of us increases the energy-efficiency in our major appliances by 10 - 30%, we'll release the demand for electricity by the equivalent of 25 large power plants! Energy Star is the symbol for energy efficiency. It's a label created by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to help consumers save money and minimize air pollution. (sources: http://www.energystar.gov/  and  here) shop with your own reusable bag/tote Plastic bags are made from oil, using fossil fuels in their production. Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. The average person’s plastic bag legacy will be 4.175 million years! Plastic bags don't biodegrade, they photodegrade - breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways and entering the food web when animals accidentally ingest them. Plastic bags are among the 12 items of debris most often found in coastal cleanups, according to the nonprofit Center for Marine Conservation. Do you really need them? Please consider reusable totes as an alternative shopping habit to develop. shut off electronics when not in use Known as “vampire energy,”  you may have never heard of it or considered what it is.  Think about all of the electronic devices in your home that sit idle but are still powered up – TV, DVR/DVD/VHS, computer/monitor/printer/speakers, microwave, coffee pot, (clock) radio, cordless phone, game console, rechargeable toothbrush, stereo, etc.  Now consider that package as a whole and the electricity required to simply be on “standby” or “sleep mode”…that’s vampire energy usage constantly sucking power. This "vampire energy loss" represents between 5 and 8 percent of a single family home's total electricity use per year, according to the Department of Energy. On average, that's the equivalent of one month's electricity bill. Taken across the United States, this adds up to at least 68 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually; that's the equivalent output of 37 typical electricity-generating power plants, costing consumers more than $7 billion. This wasted energy sends more than 97 billion pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere; on a global scale, standby energy accounts for 1 percent of the world's carbon emissions, according to Alan Meier of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, based in California. Fortunately, there are several new consumer items to assist with reducing vampire energy usage.  Look into things like “smart switches” “smart strips” and monitors to help you locate the greatest offenders in your home.  It’s worth investigating… shut off that diesel engine at stops Contrary to many beliefs, especially by light-duty diesel pickup truck owners, idling your diesel is not the optimum habit to adopt.  In fact, several well-documented studies support NOT idling.  And it's not just about fuel efficiency either.   Consider these facts:   Idling emissions affect our respiratory health: While modern light-duty gasoline vehicles are designed with advanced emission control technologies that have reduced harmful exhaust emission chemicals such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and benzene, real life factors can inevitably cause increased emissions at idle: vehicle age, how the vehicle is maintained, wear of emission control components and their resulting diminished function, the warmed up state of a vehicle, and how cold the weather. Medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, many equipped with diesel engines and less restrictive emissions controls, cause significantly higher levels of harmful emissions when idling.   Idling contributes to climate change: Greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, including carbon dioxide (CO2), cause climate change. Overwhelming scientific evidence links climate change to the earth's highest ever average annual temperatures, melting polar ice caps, rising sea levels, increasingly severe weather events, and to the threat of many plant and animal species   Waste and depletion of finite fossil fuel resources: Whether a light-duty car, SUV or pickup, or commercial truck, needless idling burns our hard earned dollars through the exhaust pipe. An idling vehicle gets 0 miles to the gallon. And remember that fossil fuels are being depleted in the face of ever increasing world demand. Extended idling by commercial trucks represents a significant use of our petroleum resources, and much of this oil use could be avoided by installing idle-reduction technologies, by adopting vehicle scheduling policies, or simply by turning the trucks off.  The sum of overnight and workday idling of trucks may consume well over 2 billion gallons of oil (mostly diesel) annually in the United States.   Idling recommendations: LIGHT-DUTY GASOLINE OR DIESEL (car, SUV, pickup): The overall recommendation is 30 seconds[4]. Actually, any more than 10 seconds of idling uses more fuel than is required to restart the engine. However, the break-even time to offset any potential incremental maintenance costs to the starter or battery is 30 seconds. So, as a guideline, if you're stopped out of traffic for more than 30 seconds turn off the engine. HEAVY-DUTY DIESEL (commercial trucks and buses; school buses): The EPA, American Trucking Association, and several diesel engine manufacturers[5][6] recommend 3 to 5 minutes to allow for turbo cool-down after full load operation. Engine manufacturers also recommend to shut down and restart up to several times a day rather than continuous idling to save fuel and engine wear.   REFERENCES American Lung Association Translated from Natural Resources Canada CO2 emissions calculation on idling. Governor's Commission on Climate Change. U.S. EPA SmartWay Vehicles: "When you aren't in traffic, turn off the engine rather than idle for more than 30 seconds." U.S. EPA Clean School Bus USA National Idle-Reduction Campaign: Engine Wear-and-Tear EPA New England: "What You Should Know About Truck Engine Idling" "Running an engine at low speed (idling) causes twice the wear on internal parts compared to driving at regular speeds. According to the American Trucking Association, such wear can increase maintenance costs by almost $2,000 per year and shorten the life of the engine." Stodolsky, F., L. Gaines, and A. Vyas, Analysis of Technology Options to Reduce Fuel Consumption of Idling Trucks, Argonne National Laboratory      Report ANL/ESD-43, Argonne, IL (June 2000). National Energy Policy, Report of the National Energy Policy Development Group (May   2001). VIUS97, Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey: 1997 — Microdata file, U.S. Department of  Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Washington, D.C. (1999). VIUS02, Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey: 2002 — Microdata file, U.S. Department of  Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Washington, D.C. (2004) Commercial Carrier Journal, Industry Trends and Statistics (July 1984) (modified).   solar power By far the Earth's most available energy source, easily capable of providing many times the total current energy demand. Historically, solar has been cost-prohibitive for most folks. However, this quickly evolving technological field is seeing reductions in cost. New and exciting materials of construction and increased mass production is reducing the pay-back time horizon. If you haven’t looked at it lately, please do so. spay or neuter your pets Every year, between six and eight million dogs and cats enter U.S. shelters; some three to four million of these animals are euthanized because there are not enough homes for them. Abandoned and stray companion animals who survive in the streets and alleys of cities and suburbs pose a health threat to humans and other animals. Homeless companion animals get into trash containers, defecate in public areas or on private lawns, and anger citizens who have no understanding of their misery or their needs. Some of these animals scare away or prey upon wildlife, or frighten small children. The public health epidemic of dog bites—which number more than 4.5 million each year—is due in part to uncontrolled breeding of pets. (source: Humane Society of the US) start or join a carpool piggybacks nicely on the “drive less” idea. Take the lead by starting a carpool. Take the initiative to seek out existing carpools. You’ll do something good for the environment and may even make some new friends! stop habitual use of tobacco It must be a terribly addictive habit.  We've all lost someone we care about and love to health-related illness as a direct use of tobacco.  The statistical data is stagaring.  Yet, for many, habitual use of tobacco products continues to be a most difficult habit to break.  And not only are the health problems a growing burden on societies, the negative effects from the production plants on our environment add another dimension worth considering as a reason to stop habitual use of tobacco.   You can read about tobacco use and how it affects (our health) here     And here’s some shocking information about the production of tobacco products, the impact of cigarette butts, additives, and a thought on preventing forest fires.   Nearly 600 million trees of forest are destroyed each year to provide wood to dry tobacco. in Tanzania, an estimated 65 pounds of wood is needed to dry a pound of tobacco In countries where wood isn't used, LPG, coal or oil is used for drying By 2010, 87 percent of the world’s tobacco will be grown in the developing world. A modern cigarette manufacturing machine can use up to 3.7 miles of paper an hour Tobacco plants use more nutrients than many other crops, degrading the soil. Vast quantities of pesticides, fertilizer and herbicides are used on tobacco crops. Some crops require over a dozen applications of pesticides during the three-month growing period.   Cigarette butts also do a lot of damage. Most of us probably thought they were made of cotton (not the most environmentally friendly crop), but it seems to be often a form of plastic. The polymer acetate filters are comprised of thousands of fibers that can take up to 15 years to break down. The residue from tobacco in the butts also releases toxins into the environment. trillions of butts are discarded each year.   If all that wasn't enough, there's all sorts of additives dumped into tobacco for flavoring, color and preserving. But don't just take our word for it - check out the tobacco ingredient list from Philip Morris USA, a major cigarette manufacturer. But wait - there's also a list from Philip Morris of all the additional non-tobacco ingredients they use. There's some nasty stuff in those lists - and that's what we're cranking into not only our lungs, but an already pollution ladened atmosphere.   In addition, discarded cigarettes are a major cause of forest fire in the USA, not to mention fatal fires generally. Over 1000 Americans lose their lives a year from tobacco related fires.   Sounds like plenty of motivation to consider kicking the habit…and we haven’t even touched on smokeless products!   (source: http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/190/1/Tobaccos-environmental-impact.html) stop junk mail Do you know the impact of JUNK MAIL? TREES: 65 million trees used annually WATER: 28 billion gallons of water are used annually ENERGY: Equal to 38 trillion BTUs (cost of running over a million households) CARBON EMMISSIONS: 5.2 million tons (equivalent to 1.2 millions cars) The average American receives more than 500 pieces of junk mail each year. That comes out to 30 pounds of mail for every American or one tree per household annually. Much of this mail goes unopened and then to our landfill. Go to newdream.org to generate letters, print them, sign them, and send them off. Total time spent: less than ten minutes. Total trees saved: According to idealbite, if everyone in the US was able to reduce their 10.8 pieces of junk mail received each week, we could save nearly 100 million trees each year! Have less time? Three more links: www.directmail.com (quick, free way to reduce junk mail) www.catalogchoice.org (highly recommended, quick, informative) Don't have time? 41pounds.org promises to completely remove you from up to 95% of the junk mail lists by contacting each organization from which you receive mail and/or catalogs for a one-time fee of $41. They will also be donating approximately 50% of their fee to the New American Dream junk mail campaign! stop the bling thing "bling" - gold, silver, diamonds and other "shiny things" that many wear as jewelry items require enormous amounts of energy to produce.  As such, these non-essentials offer great opportunity for cutting CO2 emissions.  In addition, “conflict” or “blood diamonds” (which are impossible to distinguish once cut and polished) require a human price of mutilations and even death.   The annual global production of 2,500 tons of gold requires the processing of 500 million tons of ore.  That's more than one-third the amount of virgin ore used to produce steel each year.  (source: Lester R. Brown, from Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization)   Gold mining has a long history of destruction on the environment.  In the world now there is more concern for the environment, but there are still mining operations in poor nations where little to no environmental consideration is given to mining operations. Massive holes in the ground are abandoned, and contaminated water seeps into aquifers unchecked. Contemporary mining requires the use of massive amounts of energy in the form of electricity and petrochemical fuels and chemical treatments to mine, extract and process ore to recover the gold.   Diamond mining, especially if done outside of fair-trade mines, is one of the world’s leading human atrocities.  Typically known as “blood diamonds” or “conflict diamonds” - conflict diamonds are diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments, and are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments, or in contravention of the decisions of the Security Council. (source: http://www.un.org/peace/africa/Diamond.html) support your local farmer Most produce in the US is picked 4 to 7 days before being placed on supermarket shelves, and is shipped for an average of 1500 miles before being sold. And this is when taking into account only US grown products! Those distances are substantially longer when we take into consideration produce imported from Mexico, Asia, Canada, South America, and other places. We can only afford to do this now because of the artificially low energy prices that we currently enjoy, and by externalizing the environmental costs of such a wasteful food system. We do this also to the detriment of small farmers by subsidizing large scale, agribusiness-oriented agriculture with government handouts and artificially cheap energy. Cheap energy and agricultural subsidies facilitate a type of agriculture that is destroying and polluting our soils and water, weakening our communities, and concentrating wealth and power into a few hands. It is also threatening the security of our food systems, as demonstrated by the continued e-Coli, GMO-contamination, and other health scares that are often seen nowadays on the news.  (Source: localharvest.org) By supporting your local farmer, you’ll keep dollars in your community, enjoy safer and healthier fruits and vegetables, and reduce petroleum transportation miles…win/win/win for sustainability. switch to cloth diapers We’ve heard some spirited responses to this tip! – One in particular stands out: “I don’t care if every landfill in the world fills up with Pampers, I’m not washing cloth diapers!”  But before you discount it, consider how switching to cloth diapers may actually have a number of advantages over disposables. Although the initial cost of using cloth diapers can be higher than disposables, cloth diapers typically are cheaper in the long run. When averaged out, many times, the per-unit cost easily favors cloth over disposables.  Utilizing a diaper service can also cut costs as diapers are delivered in small batches as needed rather than being purchased as a lot.  Busy parents won't be spending valuable time, energy, and money washing. Cloth diapers are also generally better for the environment (with a few caveats). The disadvantage to disposable diapers is that they take up large amounts of landfill space and they release raw fecal material into landfills.  With that comes the great potential of contaminating surrounding soil and the groundwater supply. Cloth diapers don't take up landfill space.  However, they do use a great deal of water in laundering.  But in laundering, they don't tend to equal the negative impact on the environment because wash water is typically processed through sewage treatment systems.  When a diaper service is used, diapers are washed in large, energy-efficient batches that also help in reducing their environmental impact. In addition to being generally better for the environment, cloth diapers are generally better for babies. They don't contain the chemicals found in disposable diapers, and because they naturally breathe, they can reduce the risk of “diaper rash.”  According to parents who use them, cloth diapers can also help with potty training because children are more aware they are wet when wearing cloth diapers.  This can aid in encouraging toddlers to be more eager about learning to use the toilet which can accelerate the pace of potty training.  In the end (no pun intended), this is a personal choice that individual parents need to make.  Please do your own research and choose the method and product that works best for your particular situation and child. take and eco-friendly vacation Great article with lots of tips here take only what you need Sounds simple…and an obvious choice most of us intelligent and thoughtful humans make…or do we?  A challenge - Look around for one week and notice yourself and others’ habits:   How much food is left on the table after a salad bar or all-you-can-eat visit? How many napkins do we take/use/leave/toss unused?  How many excessive paper towels do we use? How many sheets of toilet paper do we actually need? How many ketchup packages go unused?  How much is left on the plate? How many glasses of water remain on a restaurant table ½ full or left untouched?  How many wasted gallons of water go down the sink while brushing our teeth?  How much “stuff” do we purchase that has no practical use but we buy just to have? How much impulse buying do we find ourselves doing? How much do we indulge our children at birthdays or holidays? How much TV do we need to mindlessly watch? How much do we need to “gather unto ourselves” rather than sharing or giving? How big is that belly going to get because of overindulging?  OUCH!!   Well, you get the picture.  Now, imagine converting all of that waste into the energy it takes to harvest it, process it, dispose of it, treat it, supply power to it, and exercise to reduce it.    Together, taking only what we need can have a huge impact on our sustainable community and environment – wouldn’t you agree? take shorter showers Climate change experts led by Tim Barnett at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla (San Diego County) found that at least one-sixth of the world's population, including much of the industrial world and a quarter of global economic output, appeared vulnerable to water shortages brought about by climate change. Across the United States, growing population is putting stress on available water supplies. Between 1950 and 2000, the U.S. population nearly doubled. However, in that same period, public demand for water more than tripled! Americans now use an average of 100 gallons of water each day—enough to fill 1,600 drinking glasses! This increased demand has put additional stress on water supplies and distribution systems, threatening both human health and the environment. Some studies estimate that cutting shower times by just 2 minutes per day can save as much as 700 gallons of water usage per month.  Multiply that by the number of people showering across the U.S. and the number gets very large.  Now translate that into energy needed to heat the supply and treat the sewered waste stream – this has a cumulative potential for an enormous environmental impact. try watching less TV Mindless staring at “the idiot box.”  Hours upon hours of “talking heads” filling our minds with their bias and influences to sell us something.  There are many good, educational, informative, and entertaining television broadcasts available.  However, in our opinion, most of what is beamed into our homes and heads is of no real benefit to our personal edification, the enhancement of the family unit, or the greater good of humanity.   But for our discussion, we’ll focus more on the environmental impacts of a television unit – the hardware.  Several scientific studies follow “cradle to grave” impacts.  Known as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA),  LCA methodology provides a quantitative basis for assessing potential improvements in the environmental performance of a system throughout its life cycle. Television system investigations include the production of manufacturing materials,use of hazardous substances to include flame retardants, electromagnetic emissions,  transport of manufacturing materials, TV set manufacturing, transport of TV sets, use of TV sets, discarding TV sets and partial plastic waste energy utilization.   The bottom line: The environmental burdens that arise from TV sets are mainly due to air emissions derived from fossil fuel utilization.   The bottom bottom line:  Watch less TV, spend more quality time with your family and/or friends, read a good book, go for a walk, help someone less fortunate than yourself, visit a shutin, live a quieter and simpler life. upcycle Upcycling is a component of sustainability in which waste materials are used to provide new products. It is generally a reinvestment in the environment. "Upcycling is the practice of taking something that is disposable and transforming it into something of greater use and value."  This process allows for the reduction of waste and virgin material use.  (source: wikipedia) The term was first used by William McDonough and Michael Braungart in their book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things.  The idea is to take something that has ended its useful lifecycle and is ready for disposal or recycling and finding a creative path for using it in a new and beneficial manner – sort of like a rebirth or second lifecycle.  How about some examples: Turning a tire into a tire swing Using a 55 gallon industrial drum for a rain barrel Damaged or “junk” CDs for coasters Utilizing old bicycle inner tubes for garage door bottom weatherstripping Building a compost bin out of discarded wooden pallets Make a custom knife blade out of discarded metal bed rail Bury an old refrigerator (door off and refrigerant properly evacuated) for a good worm bed   You get the idea… as in considering items to recycle, look at items with an eye for upcycling as well. use (low-mercury or mercury-free) energy efficient CFL bulbs If every household in the U.S. replaced just ONE incandescent light bulb with an energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL), it would eliminate the equivalent of the emissions created by one million cars. And that's only one bulb per household! Most homes have 15-30 bulbs. Compact Fluorescents (CFL's) provide more light with less power. They typically require less than one-third the energy to produce the same amount of light as common incandescent bulbs. However, most bulbs contain very small amounts of mercury, a neurotoxin. The manufacturers and federal government haven't yet come up with effective ways to get Americans to recycle them. The problem is they sometimes break before getting to the landfill exposing homeowners and waste handlers to the mercury. All fluorescent lamps do not contain the same amount of mercury, and new technology is making mercury-free CFL’s more readily available. With anything, education and awareness makes a difference. Read the labels and be sure to dispose of all CFL’s properly. use a clothes line A clothes line is an inexpensive and easy way to dry clothing in a way that does not in any way harm the environment. In addition it is the overall most effective way to dry clothing if maintaining the quality of your clothing. Every time a conventional dryer is used your clothes are stretched, ground and heated. This gradually destroys the fabric of your clothing and makes them wear out much faster.  Using a clothes line instead of an electric or gas drier will also help preserve your finances because dryers require huge amounts of energy…and that energy usage directly translates into less disposable income. use fewer chemicals Many household products contain chemicals that are hazardous to humans, animals and the environment.  These products include cleaners, polishes, pesticides, paints, paint thinners and some personal grooming products. When these products are poured or rinsed down the drain in your home or garage, they travel through the sewer all the way to your municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant, which eventually and typically discharges into a surface water supply.  Worse are those that are discharged directly into rivers or steams or poured on the ground contaminating soils and groundwater supplies.  Although sewage treatment cleans the wastewater, it cannot remove certain substances like heavy metals (copper, lead, zinc, etc.).  In addition, many chemicals are considered hazardous. Products are considered hazardous if they are labeled: CORROSIVE   (causes skin burns: oven cleaner, bleach, battery acid, etc.) REACTIVE   (give off toxic gases or explode: chlorine, lye, lab chemicals, etc.) TOXIC   (harmful or fatal if ingested or absorbed: pesticides, herbicides, antifreeze, etc.) IGNITABLE   (flammable: gasoline, turpentine, etc.) Look for signal words to show how toxic or hazardous a product can be. They are (in order from least to most toxic): CAUTION - found on products that could bother your skin, make you sick if you breathed the fumes, or really hurt if the product gets in your eyes. This product could hurt you, but it is less harmful than products with a WARNING or DANGER. WARNING - more toxic; you could get really sick or become seriously hurt. WARNING is also used to identify products that can easily catch on fire. DANGER - the strongest signal word. Use extreme caution with this product. If it is used the wrong way, you could get very sick, be hurt for a long time, go blind or even die. Danger is also used on products that could explode with heat. Bottom line is awareness and education.  Please observe what you use and dispose of.  Perhaps more importantly, look for alternative products that are more eco-friendly while being safer for human exposure. use push mowers and hand clippers Leaf blowers, (many) lawn mowers, and weed-whackers use inefficient, two-stroke engines, which exhaust as much as 30 percent of their fuel mixture unburned. Instead, use people-powered devices such as rakes, brooms, push mowers, hand clippers and saws, and skip the gym on lawn-care day. If this seems daunting, you might consider replacing some of your lawn with low maintenance shrubs, bushes or a native wildflower patch. vacation closer to home Most States, Provinces, small Countries have lots to see and do without having to travel great distances. Be creative. Explore the culture and natural beauty available close to home. You’ll save gas and energy while contributing to the local economy – a win/win. VOTE If you are fortunate enough to live in a country where you have a voice and a vote, we encourage you to take full advantage of this privilege.  Vote your conscience, regardless of your political stance or world view.  Change will not come if your voice is not spoken.  Simply – VOTE. walk when you can Another win/win when feasible and safe. Walkers enjoy time in the outdoors communing with nature, meet and greet people face-to-face, enhance their physical well-being, and have an opportunity for personal reflection. Riding in a car just can’t compare to walking and it requires no outside energy. The only footprint you leave on the earth when walking is just your footprint. wind power The conversion of wind energy into useful electricity. A power source favored by many environmentalists as an alternative to purchasing electricity from traditional fossil fueled power plants. It is plentiful, renewable, widely distributed, clean, and produces no greenhouse gases in its final state. As with solar, wind is a rapidly developing alternative source of power for individuals to cut costs and be more eco-friendly. Working on developing a few more for you!! know how you fit into the bigger picture avoid waste aspire not to have more, but to be more recycle your printer cartridges use both sides of every piece of paper turn off the tap while you brush turn your thermostat +/- 2 degrees close the fireplace damper repair automobile fluid leaks video conference meetings rather than travel use your cruise control on interstates use less lawn chemicals prevent forest fires visit an environmental learning center build an irrigation pond water less close the fireplace damper reduce your household environmental acreage install “smart” switches in your home properly recycle motor oil use synthetic oils have yourself cremated turn down your hot water heater help reduce nurdle soup adopt a highway join a stream cleanup group install foot pedals on your sink consider product packaging close curtains to preserve conditioned space develop heat exchangers at home only wash full loads educate yourself donate to “ReStores” reduce your contribution to “electrosmog” avoid the drive-thru go meatless go vegetarian once per week plant drought-tolerant plants wash cars rarely develop a rain garden sustainable urban development only recycle your computer and cell phone landscape smart stay at green hotels and motels patronize businesses that promote sustainability hold on to balloons clean the air with indoor plants don’t rinse before the dishwasher