Green-up for Earth Day

Channels:

Bookmark

Green-up for Earth Day

by Maryruth Belsey Priebe

Do you think caring for the environment is important? Check out our latest Street Level video and let us know what you think.

Environmentally-friendly tips for everyday living

Want to go green but not sure where to start? Afraid that leading an eco-friendly life will cost too much time and money?

Going green shouldn’t add to life’s burdens. In fact, living the green life may help simplify your world, save you money, and get you leading a healthier, more balanced life.

Here are 10 quick ideas to get you started.

I brought my own, thanks. It is estimated that every minute 1 to 2 million plastic bags are consumed worldwide! Plastic bags are choking hazards for wildlife and up to 700 years to biodegrade in landfills; paper options use huge numbers of trees and require more energy than plastic to create. So the next time you’re out, stop the “paper or plastic” questions by taking your own reusable bags to the grocery store or the mall. Stow them in your handbag or your car’s truck for easy access.

Go local or organic. On average, produce travels 1,500 miles from the farm to your table, racking up food miles and producing greenhouse gas emissions along the way. It’s also likely to be laden with chemical pesticides and fertilizers that could not only harm your family, but also the earth. So shop at your local farmer’s market, seek out organic options whenever possible, or grow your own!
Wish upon an ENERGY STAR. In 2006, Americans avoided 25 million cars-worth of greenhouse gas emissions and $14 billion in utility costs by opting for ENERGY STAR products. These energy- and water-saving, cost-effective devices include things like washers, refrigerators, dishwashers, air conditioners, battery chargers, furnaces, ceiling fans, windows, and more.
Catch some green rays. Get your home off dirty, non-renewable energy by putting it on a green energy diet. Most major North American cities now have green power options. You can either purchase electricity from your regular power company for a small premium (this is called the “green marketing” option) or buy direct from green energy generating companies (the green pricing option).
Light your way to green. Wanna cut your power footprint even more? For every member of your household, replace one incandescent lightbulb with a compact fluorescent (CFL). These illuminators can be a bit more expensive, but since they last 10 times longer and use 65 to 80 percent less energy than regular options, you’ll easily pay for the difference over the lifetime of the bulb.
The greener cleaner. This spring, green-up your clean-up. Employ reusable cloths and mops rather than disposables. Round up the most toxic cleaners - conventional oven and drain cleaners being the top two - and take them to your local hazardous waste disposal facility. Then choose plant-based, petroleum-free cleaners and look for specific claims of eco-friendliness, like “biodegrades 99% in 30 days” or “ingredients tested to readily break down.”
Stop the drip, drip. Save up to 8,000 gallons of water annually by installing low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, low-flow, dual-flush toilets, and fixing leaky pipes and fixtures. While you’re at it, switch to post-consumer recycled-content for facial tissue, toilet paper, and paper towel.
First pre-cycle. Reduce your waste at the source by choosing products with less packaging. In other words, avoid individual portions and over-packaged options, opt out of styrofoam, look for plastics with recycling codes that are accepted by your local recycler, and choose cardboard that has some recycled content.
Then recycle. Americans produce an average of 4.5 pounds of garbage every day followed closely by Canadians who produce 3.75 pounds. To reduce your trash-load, start by finding out how and where your community recycles. Then ask yourself “what CAN’T I recycle” rather than “what CAN I recycle.” Finally, get yourself some sturdy bins, put them in convenient locations around your house, and encourage your family members to get involved.
Walk more, drive less. You could be spending 18% of your income on vehicle fuel, so give it a rest a couple of times each month by choosing to walk, ride your bike, or take public transit. You’ll help cut ground level ozone, decrease your greenhouse gas emissions, and may even get a little healthier in the walking!
Eat less meat. Even more potent than the carbon dioxide emitted by your car, livestock digestion-related gas emissions result in tons of methane gas emissions, a substance that’s 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in its ability to trap heat. Raising animals for meat can be very inhumane, and on average requires nearly 15 times more water and 20 times more land than plant-based protein. You don’t have to become a vegetarian to make a difference. Swap out meat for at least one veggie-meal every week and become part of the green food revolution.

~Maryruth Belsey Priebe, founder of Jade Creative, is a green writer specializing in helping consumers make eco-friendly choices. Her current projects include Tint of Green, a website helping Canadians green their homes, and GreenYour, a new online resource that’s your personal guide to a greener everything.

Newsletter
Enter your email here to subscribe:

Need Prayer?