Archive for the ‘Green Living’ Category

25
Sep
2007

14 Ways to Create Less Trash

September 25th, 2007 at 08:32 pm by bibi in Green Action, Green Living, Recycle

Have you ever noticed how much trash is created by all the packaging that comes with every new item we buy. Have you noticed how many things we throw away that could be otherwise used.

Buy items in bulk from loose bins when possible to reduce the packaging wasted.
Maintain and repair durable products instead of buying new ones.
Buy products that you can reuse.
Avoid products with several layers of packaging when only one is sufficient. About 33 of what we throw away is packaging.
Check reports for products that are easily repaired and have low breakdown rates.
Reuse items like bags and containers when possible.
Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.
Use reusable plates and utensils instead of disposable ones.
Use reusable containers to store food instead of aluminum foil and cling wrap.
Shop with a canvas bag instead of using paper and plastic bags.
Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently.
Reuse packaging cartons and shipping materials. Old newspapers make great packaging material.
Compost your vegetable scraps.
Buy used furniture (sometimes called Antiques)- there is a surplus of it, and it is much cheaper than new furniture.

Use the 3rs of the Environment: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

conservation recycle reuse/reduce/Recycle

bibi

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21
Sep
2007

Pulling the Plug on Spring-Cleaning E-Waste

September 21st, 2007 at 11:20 pm by bibi in Green Action, Green Knowledge, Green Living, Green News

Earth Saving Tips from

PULLING THE PLUG ON SPRING-CLEANING “E-WASTE”

If your spring cleaning turns up unwanted computers, TVs, or other electronic equipment, you’re not alone. Consumer electronics are a fast-growing portion of America’s trash. More than 3.2 million tons of electronic waste is laid to rest in landfills each year. And 250 million more computers will become obsolete between now and 2005 — not to mention countless other electronic goods.

When thrown into a landfill, computers, printers, cell phones, fax machines— even portable CD players and electric toothbrushes — can leak lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, selenium, chromium, and many other toxic materials into drinking water, where it can threaten our families’ health.

There are many resources to help you keep “e-waste” from harming ourselves and the environment:

Reusing electronic equipment is the best use. If you can’t reuse the equipment yourself

— for example, turning an old personal computer into a server for a household network — try donating it to a school, social service organization, or other nonprofit organization in your community. (Be aware that many groups don’t accept older or nonworking equipment.)

Recycling keeps e-waste from landfills. Most communities have recycling services available, including both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Seek a recycler carefully. The best ones dismantle equipment, saving reusable parts before turning the remainder of the equipment into recyclable scrap. Avoid “recyclers” that ship e-waste overseas (usually to Asian countries) where it often is burned, polluting poor communities with toxic smoke.

Here are some things you can do to help reduce e-waste:

Stop thinking of used electronics as “junk.” Just because you have outgrown something, it isn’t worthless. Even if it is no longer satisfactory for you, your computer may be of use to others.

Keep e-waste out of landfills. If you cannot find ways to donate equipment, locate recycling resources in your community. Check the phone book, the Internet, and local government agencies.

Don’t do it yourself. Don’t crack open electronic equipment on your own. In addition to the hazardous materials they contain, some equipment carries an electrical charge long after being unplugged. You could get a dangerous or deadly shock!

Encourage electronics manufacturers to adopt take-back programs.

The best way to minimize e-waste is to make it easy for consumers to send equipment back to the factory for recycling. Call or write manufacturers asking them to do this.

RESOURCES ON THE WEB

Here are Web-based resources that can help:

Nonprofit donations:

• www.usedcomputer.com/nonprof.html

• www.sharetechnology.org

Recycling Directories:

• microweb.com/pepsite/Recycle/recycle_index.html

• www.earth911.org

More Tips:

http://g2bgreen.com/green-to-do-list

“Earth Share, a federation of America’s leading non-profit environmental and conservation charities, promotes environmental education and charitable giving in workplace employee campaigns. For more tips or to find out how your workplace can help the earth, visit www.earthshare.org or call 1.800.875.3863″

e waste recycling electronics reuse electronics

bibi

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17
Sep
2007

An Extreme Locavore Experiment: Gone Awry

September 17th, 2007 at 02:51 pm by bibi in General, Green Action, Green Knowledge, Green Living, Green News, New Green Ideas

The Locavore movement originated in San Francisco and has spread coast to coast as more and more people look for ways to cut down on the resources used to grow and transport the food we eat. Instead they choose to buy locally grown foods that also support Local Farmers. This is a great idea and if it really catches on across the country it would really cut down on the resources used by the trucks and trains to transport all the foods that we find in our supermarkets. Of course it would also limit the variety of foods available in each region of the country. Everything can not be grown everywhere. Every region has its own weather, and can only sustain certain types of fruits and vegetables. But it helps to use what Local Farmers have to offer.

Some folks, “Extreme Locavores “, go even as far as growing everything themeselves, including the animals they eat. One man in Brooklyn, New York decided that he would try being one of these people and set out to create his farm in his 800 sq ft. back yard in Brooklyn. But his attempt to eat only what he grows, turned out to be harder and more expensive that originally thought.

eco friendly green movement local farmers locavore locavore movement

bibi

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21
Aug
2007

Interactive Environmental Site for Kids

August 21st, 2007 at 10:35 pm by bibi in General, Green Action, Green Kids, Green Living

John Muir left as his legacy an enduring spirit of respect for the environment.

It should be our goal to leave the same Legacy for our kids. How do we teach our kids about the environment, and how to take care of it. Obviously, first and foremost by example. But there is a site that can help explain about the environment and how we impact it in a fun way for kids. The EPA has a site for kids, that teaches them all about climate and weather, Greenhouse Effects, Global Warming, the History of Climate on Earth, our impact on the environment, and what we can do to make a difference. It’s an interactive site full of Fun Facts and Games and Quiz’s and Animations, Interactive Storybooks you can download, they even have an area for Teachers Tools.

All this and more can be found at the EPA’S Environmental Kids Club

The EPA Climate Change Kids Site

Happy Earth Day Coloring and Activities Book

On the Trail of the Missing Ozone

Recycle City

EcoKids Online

eco environment epa kids club kids site teaching tools

bibi

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9
Aug
2007

Making a Green Living

August 9th, 2007 at 04:20 am by bibi in General, Green Living, Green News

If you’re interested in making our Planet healthy, than making a living at it might not be such a bad idea. 2007 Graduates are discovering that jobs for those wanting to make a difference are plentiful. The Green Job Market is stronger than it’s been for years, “The fastest-growing professions, according to Doyle’s analysis of recent U.S. Department of Labor figures, include environmental engineers, hydrologists, environmental-health scientists and urban and regional planners.” But don’t despair you don’t have to have a degree in Environmental Studies to enter the Green Field, employers are looking for people who are committed to environment, and that can use their expertise in other fields to make things better.

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2
Aug
2007

Tips to Cleaner Air at the Office

August 2nd, 2007 at 03:51 am by bibi in General, Green Living

Earth Saving Tips from Earth Share Fresh Air

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air. Research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. It’s also true that, unlike so many other forms of pollution, indoor air pollution is relatively easy to correct.Some common sources of indoor air pollution include new carpet; paint; mold and mildew build up, particularly in ventilation systems; tobacco smoke; restroom air fresheners; chemicals emitted by copying machines; and formaldehyde and other chemicals that can seep out of pressed-wood products like particleboard, plywood paneling, and fiber-board.To keep your air as fresh as possible, consider these tips:

Circulate the air.
Wherever possible, select offices whose windows open _ and crack them open every now and then. If you install new carpeting or cabinets at home or in the office, open windows and turn on fans until the new smells dissipate. Make sure that copying machines and other equipment are located in rooms that are properly ventilated.
Consider the alternatives.
Many chemically-sensitive consumers opt for carpet made from wool or cotton rather than synthetic fibers; others choose cabinets made from solid wood and finished with water-based varnishes rather than those constructed from particleboard or fiberboard.
Keep it clean.
Rather than use synthetic air fresheners to mask an unpleasant odor, find the source of the odor, and clean it up. Then open the windows for fresh air, or use flowers or potpourri to add a more natural scent to your room. If necessary, install air filters and purifiers and other air cleaning devices.
Ask smokers to smoke outside.
It is not unreasonable to ask visitors to your home to take a smoking break out of doors. Many offices have already instituted a smoking policy that minimizes nonsmoker exposure to environmental tobacco smoke; if yours hasn’t, broach the topic with your office manager.
Speak up.
If you or others at your office are experiencing health or comfort problems that you suspect may be caused by indoor air pollution, discuss the issue with your supervisor. Talk with your own physician and report your problems to the company physician, nurse, or health officer so that they can make appropriate recommendations.

Believe it or not!

According to a two-year study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), many indoor plants absorb air pollutants through their leaves and roots and convert them into breathable air.

Within 24 hours, some plants can remove up to 87 percent of toxic indoor air.

Depending on the species, one plant can provide effective cleaning for every 100 square feet of space. For example, between 15 and 20 golden pothos and spider plants can refresh the air in an average 1,800 square-foot home.

Plants work equally well in homes, offices, and factories, as long as their requirements for sunlight, water, and soil are met.

[Back to Tips Index] Earth Share, a federation of America’s leading non-profit environmental and conservation charities, promotes environmental education and charitable giving in employee workplace campaigns. For more tips or to find out how your workplace can help the earth, visit the “Get Involved” section of our website, or call (800) 875-3863.

computers and excess static electricity electrical fields fresh air in the workplace health risk of respiratory diseases and infection tips to clean up the air

bibi

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26
Jul
2007

Recycling your Cell Phone

July 26th, 2007 at 07:04 pm by bibi in General, Green Action, Green Living

Did you know that you can recycle your Cell Phone?

Most of us upgrade our Cell Phones every couple of years. What happens to those phones?
Most end up tucked away somewhere for months until we decide to clear up the clutter in our homes, and then we end up taking the chip out of the phone and throwing it in the garbage.

Did you know?… “These devices can leak Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Arsenic and other toxic substances into the water supply. Municipalities often incinerate their waste, instantly putting these toxic elements into the air, and they return to earth in rain water. Since life on Earth depends on water, the threat is clear.” CollectiveGood

Now you can recycle your mobile phones, pagers or PDAs through Earth Share’s partnership with the CollectiveGood Mobile Phone Recycling Program! It’s free, easy to use, and you will be helping to support a healthier environment. Depending upon the phone model, a fixed amount per phone will be donated to Earth Share. ** PLUS, free shipping is continued - for a limited time only!

DONATE YOUR CELL PHONE THRU EARTH SHARE

bibi

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8
Jul
2007