April 22, 2008

arth Day is today. What are you going to do for it? Learn something? Do something? Educate someone else? Attend an event? Earth Day should be more like the day you educate yourself more for what you can do the other 364 days of the year for our environment. I am going to try to do all of the above today.

Knowledge is power when learning to save the earth, so here are some of the things all of us can do...

A Dim Bulb - Your local hardware store probably sells a regular incandescent bulb for $2 or $3. Compare that to a compact flourescent bulb that sells for about $15.00. No contest you say? Think again. Experts say you may buy 10 or more of the cheaper bulbs over ten years, compared to only one of the more expensive type. Now which looks better? Compact flourescent bulbs with solid state ballasts that fit into a regular light bulb socket, using 1/4 of the energy of an incandescent bulb while generating the same amount of light. I know there is debate about the CF lights right now

The Running Faucet - Do you leave the water running while you brush your teeth for 2 minutes? Then nearly ten gallons of water just slid down the drain. Remember, you PAY for that! Now, think about saving water when you shave, wash dishes, do laundry, water the lawn, wash the car, hose off the sidewalks.... avoid sending water and $$$ down the drain.

Idle Time - Ever wonder if you should leave the car running while you wait for the kids to be dismissed from school? Leave it on if you'll be there less than a minute, otherwise it's more efficient to turn it off and restart it when you're ready to go.

Turn Down the Heat - Not just the furnace, but the water heater too -- set it at 130 to 140 degrees. Turn the setting to low or off when you leave for the weekend or for a long vacation, then put a note on your bathroom mirror so you'll remember to turn it up when you return.

Keeping It Clean - Washers can use more than 50 gallons of water per load, so avoid washing a lot of small loads whenever possible. Also, be sure to choose the lowest level of water needed for each load, use warm water instead of hot, and set the rinse cycle to use cold water. I always use cold as most detergents will work just as well these days on the cold setting.

Cold Food - Refrigerator temperatures should be set at about 40 degrees, give or take a degree or two. Freezer temps between 0 and 5 degrees are just right. Colder settings waste energy and won't help food.

Snip Six-Pack Rings - Those innocent looking soft plasting holders for soft drink cans and other products can entangle birds, fish, and small animals. Snip apart each ring before throwing it in the trash, or inquire whether they can be recycled locally. On the Oregon coast, i saw horrific things with the wildlife with 6-pack rings. I always snip mine IF I ever had any. I rarely drink anything which uses them, so it is not as often as it once was.

Get a Charge out of It - Never throw spent batteries in the trash. They contain mercury, a hazardous substance that will leak into groundwater or be burned and released into the air. Don't go there. Either switch to rechargeable batteries or collect used batteries in a shoebox out in the garage, clearly marked. Then take them to a recycling facility once or twice a year. Ask your local landfill personele.

Styrofoam Lasts a Really, Really, REALLY long time - Try 500 years. Or more. Think about millions of burger boxes, packing peanuts, and take-out containers, sitting in landfills, not biodegrading. Then buy eggs in cardboard, rather than styrofoam, containers. I send all my eggs out in cardboard containers and the people who buy them bring them back. Most of my egg cartons have been used over 50 times. One egg carton is a novelty as it came from a local egg man who retired from the egg gig about 30 years ago? I send it often to his grandson, who sends it back to me and then back to him.

Office Paper - Does your office recycle? Chances are it generates a vast amount of clean paper waste. Ask your building management about recycling programs. If none are in place, then put boxes (marked "Recycled Paper Only") under every desk and next to copiers. Arrange to have a recycler pick them up or take them to a recycling facility periodically.

Sticker Shock - As fuel prices increase it will be even smarter to own fuel-efficient vehicles. Check the mileage ratings when you buy a car and compare the efficiency of your favorite models before you purchase. If gas goes up to $6.00 a gallon, which one will you want to have in your garage? It is currently $1.27 a liter here which = $4.82 an imperial gallon and it is said to go to $1.50 liter/$5.70 gallon by summer. When I bought my little truck it cost $22 to fill it, it now costs me $52 to fill it.

Use Cloth Instead - Carry cloth shopping bags. Use rags or towels instead of paper towels for cleaning. And yes -- consider using cloth diapers for your baby at least some of the time. Not convinced? Read this diaper essay from About's Environmental Guide. I am noticing alot of cloth shopping bags at the stores now. I used to be the oddity, now 3 of every 5 people are using them in the checkout line.

Reuseable and Unbleached - Store food in bowls or Tupperware that can be reused endlessly. Use unbleached coffee filters (not bleached or even the permanent solid filters). Use more waxed paper that is biodegradable (instead of foil and plastic wrap). I actually pre-cycle and use glass jars.

Recycle Paper - Newspapers, junk mail, office papers, corrugated boxes, and paper bags are just a few of the items that can be recycled. Use local recycling facilities or call local authorities to learn about recycling options.

Recycle Glass, Plastic, and Cans - Get your local recycling requirements for these items and recycle every them every day. Collect cans and bottles when you travel, when you picnic, or eat at drive-ins. Recycle what you can. I found out that one of my quick "juice to go" stores will allow me to take in my own mug for them to fill, instead of using styrofoam. I had boycotted them for a long time due to the styrofoam thing.

Paint Tips - Oil based paints are toxic. They cannot be thrown out in the trash, but require special "hazardous waste" handling available at most recycling facilities. Call for instructions and collection dates. Use latex paint instead. To dispose of excess latex paint, leave the can uncovered to allow evaporation, then pull out the hardened paint and recycle the can. Never pour paint on the ground or wash brushes outside, as the runoff can contaminate groundwater. One of my favorite paints is Miller brand. They make a very eco-friendly paint line.

Bag Lady - Recycle both paper and plastic shopping bags. Decline bags for smaller purchases such as stamps, greeting cards, etc. Or, better still, carry a lightweight cloth or string bag. I usually have 4-5 of the green shopping bags in my truck all the time and what I even deliver my eggs in,

Arbor Day - Here's the best idea of all: Plant a tree, or two, or even three. They're beautiful, they provide shade, consume CO2 (that's good), and they produce oxygen. Breathe it in. Then go plant a tree. It would be difficult to plant a tree in my area right now since I have icicles hanging off my vehicle and home the last 2 days, but maybe get a gift certificate for one for a later date.