Really, Really Green (June 2008)

Reprinted from the June 2008 issue of Neighbors Newspaper.

Green is the new black. Or is it the new blue? It seems like green is everywhere these days. Sustainable. Natural. Environmental. Eco-chic. Whew, it can be exhausting just keeping up with it all. Fear not, this eco-series will help guide you through the ins and outs of how to go green. Each week we’ll tackle a different topic, and as the series progresses we’ll tackle the bigger things you can do to save the planet.

Let’s be honest, its great if you change a few compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs), but it will take more than that to really help the planet. Here’s where I come in; changing your lifestyle does not mean going back to the dark ages. So let’s get started:

Week I. Baby Steps

Ditch the Plastic Bottles. Most bottled water does not go through the same stringent tests as tap water, due to FDA exemptions. Eight out of ten water bottles end up in landfills and are never recycled. Use a Nalgene, a Klean Kanteen, a Sigg or other portable water container instead and fill it with your favorite beverage.

Use Canvas Bags. Plastic takes 1,000 years to photodegrade – that means every piece of plastic ever made is still in the environment. Think about that for a second. Why are we producing more plastic, just to throw it away? Instead, choose a canvas bag that can be used over and over and over. Most grocery stores carry them today for cheap and many come in stylish designs.

Unplug Appliances. You may have heard of the term “phantom power,” where appliances still use electricity even though the appliance might be off. This means you are paying for electricity that you are not even using. Who can afford to do that? Instead, put all of your appliances on power strips or unplug them when not in use so you know you get what you pay for.

Take shorter showers. Most Americans use more than 1,000 gallons of water a day. Living in southern California, it’s an understatement to say that water is scarce, so in this case, every little bit counts. Try turning off the water when you’re sudsing up and make sure you keep your showers to 10 minutes or less. Try switching to low-flow showerheads; This will not only save water and money.

Support Local Farmer Markets. Local food is fresher and healthier as produce from the farmers markets is often organic. You also keep money in the local community. Farmers markets also have a smaller carbon footprint as food isn’t shipped from around the world before it ends up on your dinner table.

Recycle your toxic chemicals. Many of the cleaning products today have not been thoroughly tested to determine the long-term health effects on humans. Who wants to eat food off of a counter covered in poly-highly-toxic chemicals? No thank you. Instead, switch over to less toxic and biodegradable cleaning products. Many natural materials, such as vinegar and lemon juice, can be used to do the same job. Look for waste-recycling days where municipalities collect and recycle any toxic chemicals, paints and electronics that you have around your house.

Choose Drought-Tolerant Landscaping. Not to beat a dead horse, but clearly water is valuable in southern California. This is a pretty easy one as you can slowly change plants out over time and there is no shortage of hearty plants to choose from. Make sure that your sprinklers run at night when you will lose less water due to evaporation.

Resources:
Treehugger.com - particularly the How To Go Green series
Grist
Earth911.org - an extensive resource on recycling.