Eco Hints

May '10 Full Moon EcoHint

2010-05-25T21:37:00.000-07:00

What on Earth is a Locavore?

Distressed about that oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico? Who isn't? And it's easy to put the blame on Bad, Bad BP. The idea of boycotting them is interesting but what are you gonna do? Buy your oil from someone else? I'm not sure that's going to help anything. What we really need to do is consider our own contribution to the problem by examining our individual dependence on oil.

We all know about curbing our driving habit - running out to the grocery store for one item, driving to work instead of riding the bus, etc. But what about the oil spent to bring stuff to us?

What I want to suggest for this month's EcoHint is the idea of eating locally. Most of us never think about where our food comes from. I know I didn't up until a few years ago. But the truth is, most produce grown in the United States travels an average of 1,500 miles before it gets to your table. And then there's all that food we buy out of season from even farther away: grapes from Chile, tomatoes from Holland, garlic from China, apples from New Zealand, oranges from Australia… the list just goes on and on. In most places in America the summer food growing season is just getting started so it's a good (and easy) time to begin thinking about eating locally.

So think about all the oil required to move that food half way around the world. According data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and “The Oil We Eat,” by Richard Manning in Harper’s Magazine, Feb. 2004, if every US citizen ate just one meal a week composed of locally grown and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country's oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week! With that kind of savings we wouldn't need that 25,000 barrels that's gushing into the Gulf of Mexico every day!

Here are some ideas about how to get started.

1 Shop weekly at your local farmers market or farm stand

2 Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and get weekly deliveries of the season's harvest

3 Buy from local grocers and co-ops committed to stocking local food

4 Support restaurants and food vendors that buy locally produced food

5 Preserve food from the season — freeze, can, dry — to eat later in the year

6 Grow your own food in your yard or community garden plot

7 Visit local farmers and "u-picks"

9 Ask your grocer or favorite restaurant what local foods they carry

To find out what's local when in your neck of the woods, check this site: NRDC Food Miles

For more good reasons to eat locally check here.

Take the challenge: Eat Local

Other info: Sustainable Grub

And for an inspiring and entertaining read on the subject, check out "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver.

Bon Appetit!

March '10 Full Moon

2010-03-29T21:45:00.000-07:00

SPRING CLEAN GREEN!

Happy Spring to one and all. It is that time of year again, isn't it?

But before you get started, let's talk about cleaning products.

I know we all want a home that clean, fresh, and healthy. The problem is, many of those products you purchase to accomplish those ends really do the opposite! Consider these facts:

Cleaning products were responsible for nearly 10 percent of all toxic exposures reported to U.S. Poison Control Centers in 2000, accounting for 206,636 calls. Of these, nearly two-thirds involved children under six, who can swallow or spill cleaners stored or left open inside the home.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside the typical home is on average 2-5 times more polluted than the air just outside—and in extreme cases 100 times more contaminated—largely because of household cleaners and pesticides.
During World War I chlorine gas was used as a weapon because it destroyed soldiers' lungs.
Children exposed to non-ecological cleaning products have a 400% higher risk for asthma.

Does that sound clean, fresh and healthy? I don't think so.

And what about the impact on our environment?

In a 2002 U.S. Geological Survey study of contaminants in U.S. stream water, 69 percent of streams sampled contained persistent detergent metabolites, and 66 percent contained disinfectants.
Dishwashing detergents often contain phosphates that pollute the groundwater and threaten water quality, fish, and other wildlife.
And of course, there's the matter of packaging. All those single use plastic bottles of window cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, floor cleaner, bathroom cleaner, furniture polish, bleach, and amonia are made from petroleum (a non-renewable resource) and then end up in our land fills, creating toxic waste if they are not disposed of properly.

You can find more specifics at the links below, but you get the idea. So, what can you do instead without sacrificing that goal of a clean, fresh and healthy home? For starters, you can put together a Green Clean kit. All it takes is a few simple items, some of which can even be purchased in bulk at your local co-op or health food store.

Green Clean Kit

Plain liquid soap
Baking soda
Vinegar
Lemon juice
Borax
Some rags and a good scrubbing sponge

Try these simple, non-toxic methods

Instead of using a standard drain cleaner, which likely contains lye, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid, try pouring a quarter cup of baking soda down the clogged drain, followed by a half cup of vinegar. Close the drain tightly until fizzing stops, then flush with boiling water.
For an effective glass cleaner, use a mixture of half white vinegar and half water.
Baking soda and cornstarch are both good carpet deodorizers.
To clean up mildew and mold, use a mixture of lemon juice or white vinegar and salt.
A paste of baking soda, salt, and hot water makes a great oven cleaner.
Or for scrubbing the sink or tub simply pour about 1/2 cup of baking soda into a bowl, and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and wash the surface. It rinses easily and doesn’t leave grit.
And some alternatives to bleaching those white shirts - soaking in lemon juice or adding lemon juice, white vinegar, or baking soda to the wash. Vinegar even softens your clothes and lemon juice and baking soda help remove odors.

Check out the sites below for lots more information.

Healthy Cleaning
Mama's Health
Non-Toxic Solutions

And have a sparkling, pure, healthy Spring!!

February '10 Full Moon

2010-02-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

Rags to Riches

Let's talk paper towels. You know, that ubiquitous roll of TREE fiber hanging in nearly every kitchen in America? If you use Bounty, Viva, Scott, or some other mainstream brand, chances are you're using paper towels made of "virgin fiber". That's pretty much what it sounds like. The paper towels are made using tree pulp that has never been used for anything else. And we use more paper towels and other tissue products than any other country in the world. As a matter of fact, within the forest products industry, paper towels are a major part of the "tissue market", second only to toilet paper.

If every household in the US replaced just one roll of virgin fiber paper towels (70 sheets) with 100% recycled ones (or reusable cloth rags) we could save 544,000 trees!

Paper "tissue" products with recycled content are now available in most grocery stores. Look for the products that have the most "post-consumer" content. What is that you ask? That is content that has worked its way down the stream to be used in the manufacture of a product. (For instance, recycled cardboard boxes may be turned back into pulp and used to make newspaper, toilet paper, or paper towels.) Many products contain 100% "recycled" content but that may simply mean they have used the trimmings or rejects from some manufacturing process. The content, in this case, has never really been used so it's not really recycled.

Some of the best choices are: 365 (Whole Foods), Earth Friendly, Fiesta, Green Forest, Natural Value, Seventh Generation, and Trader Joe's. Check out the NRDC site for more information.

Once you start looking for these paper towels you may notice that some of them are brown, or at least not as bright white as your old brand. That's also a good thing since it means they haven't used chlorine to bleach the paper, which is also bad for the environment.

And when you're finished with those paper towels, don't throw them into the trash! They don't need to go into the land fill. Paper towels are easily composted. If you have your own compost pile or worm bin, just toss them in with your food scraps. And for those of you who live in a place that now allows food waste in the yard waste bin you can put the used paper towels in there too.

Finally, the best thing you can do is stop using paper towels altogether. Every roll you buy contributes to the demand, even if they're recycled. How about trying to go paperless in your kitchen? Here's a great blog posting with suggestions on how to make it work for you and your family. And think of the money you'll save!

Remember... 544,000 trees!

January '10 Full Moon

2010-01-29T17:29:00.001-08:00

The Devil's work?

An idling engine may not be the work of the Devil but it is certainly bad for the environment.

Have you ever thought about how often you let your car sit and idle? Waiting while someone runs in to the video store or library, waiting for a passing train, picking up the kids at school or the movies, sitting in that drive-through line at the bank or the fast food joint, waiting for draw bridges (especially in Seattle), or just getting going in the morning.

Well, it turns out that even idling for a few seconds wastes fuel and pollutes the environment. And it may even be more harmful to your car!

Vehicle exhaust is the leading source of toxic air pollution here in Washington and I'm sure it's just as bad, or worse, in many other parts of the country. Exposure to vehicle exhaust increases the risk of death from heart and lung disease and lung cancer.

Idling consumes from 1/2 to 1 gallon of fuel per hour and wastes more fuel than turning your engine off and on. And idling produces twice as much pollution as stopping and starting your warmed up engine. The EPA estimates that for every minute a typical car engine idles it emits 6.6 grams of pollutants. Multiply that by the 62 million registered vehicles in this country and if every driver stopped idling for just two minutes a week, in a year's time we could save over 45,000 TONS of pollutants from being released into the air we breathe.

It is more efficient to turn off most warmed up cars than to idle for more than 30 seconds.
Excessive idling can be hard on your engine. Modern engines need no more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days before starting to drive. Most engines even warm up faster by gentle driving as you get started.

And global warming???? Don't even get me started.

Visit Puget Sound Clean Air for details and more links.
And while this site is geared toward school busses, there's lots of good information about idling engines. CleanSchoolBus

So, turn off that car while you wait.

Or better yet, get out of the car! Park and walk into the bank or fast food joint.

And when you're getting ready to head out in the morning, put on your seat belt, adjust the mirrors, find your radio station, and THEN start your car.

Remember my original pledge to give you information about simple, easy things you can do that will make a difference? This is about as easy as it gets!

Don't sit idle. Turn it off.

Blue Moon 2009

2009-12-31T20:39:00.000-08:00

RESOLUTIONS!

Well, we've come to the end of another calendar year. This night is also considered by many to be a Blue Moon, being the second Full Moon in a calendar month. Blue Moons only happen once every two or three years so perhaps that auspicious timing may give extra energy to those resolutions humans are wont to make when looking forward to the new year.
I would like to suggest that among your resolutions to exercise more, eat healthier, quit smoking, or learn to speak French you include at least one resolution dedicated to reducing your impact on our environment. I've provided you with several possibilities this past year.

• Have you changed out all of those incandescent bulbs for CFCs?
• Have you started using your own bags whenever you go shopping?
• Have you stopped buying water in plastic bottles?
• Have you stopped all those catalogs from coming to your home?
• Have you turned down your thermostat this winter?
• Have made your refrigerator/freezer more efficient?
• Have you cut down on your meat consumption?

If you've followed through with any one of these I commend you!
If you haven't managed to take them all on yet, I encourage you to add at least one to your list of resolutions for 2010.
So, to that end, let me just provide you with some thoughts to encourage you. You might also want to check out some of the videos or other sites I've linked to over there on the right>>>>>>>>

I hope that in the coming year you will try to be mindful of how each of your actions impact the environment. That's my goal!

Wishing you all a healthy, wholesome, and happy new year!

To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them. ~Theodore Roosevelt

The change of mind I am talking about involves not just a change of knowledge, but also a change of attitude toward our essential ignorance, a change in our bearing in the face of mystery. The principle of ecology, if we will take it to heart, should keep us aware that our lives depend on other lives and upon processes and energies in an interlocking system that, though we can destroy it, we can neither fully understand nor fully control. And our great dangerousness is that, locked in our selfish and myopic economies, we have been willing to change or destroy far beyond our power to understand. ~Wendell Berry

It wasn't the Exxon Valdez captain's driving that caused the Alaskan oil spill. It was yours. ~Greenpeace advertisement, New York Times, 25 February 1990

I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend? ~Robert Redford, Yosemite National Park dedication, 1985

Will urban sprawl spread so far that most people lose all touch with nature? Will the day come when the only bird a typical American child ever sees is a canary in a pet shop window? When the only wild animal he knows is a rat - glimpsed on a night drive through some city slum? When the only tree he touches is the cleverly fabricated plastic evergreen that shades his gifts on Christmas morning? ~Frank N. Ikard, North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, Houston, March 1968

Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed; if we permit the last virgin forests to be turned into comic books and plastic cigarette cases; if we drive the few remaining members of the wild species into zoos or to extinction; if we pollute the last clear air and dirty the last clean streams and push our paved roads through the last of the silence, so that never again will Americans be free in their own country from the noise, the exhausts, the stinks of human and automotive waste. ~Wallace Stegner, letter to David E. Pesonen of the Wildland Research Center, 3 December 1960

Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. ~Chief Seattle, 1855

December '09 Full Moon (late posting)

2009-12-31T16:21:00.000-08:00

THE HEAT IS ON!

I don't know about you folks living down south but here in the PNW, it's starting to get chilly outside. That means you've probably started using the heat at home and looking forward to those increased winter fuel bills. Conserving heating energy in your home can not only reduce your heat bill, it's good for the environment! Heating constitutes one of the greatest uses of energy in your home - about 40% for the average home.

According to WorldWatch, home heating is responsible for spewing 350 million tons of carbon into the atmosphere every year, which means more than a billion tons of the most prevalent greenhouse gas, C02. If each U.S. household lowered its average heating temperature by 6^o over a 24-hour period, we'd save the energy equivalent of 500,000 barrels of oil every day. Heck, maybe we could even end the wars in the Middle East with that!

So, consider dialing down your thermostat. Lowering the setting only one degree can result in a 1-3 percent savings. And you probably won't even notice the difference! One more degree and a sweatshirt, and you'll save yourself a few bucks and the environment, too!

For more ideas on how to conserve energy while heating your home, check this site: Greener Choices

November '09 Full Moon

2009-11-03T05:13:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season!

Well, it's that time again. Halloween is barely over and you're probably seeing all that Winter Holiday stuff in the stores already. It's practically shouting at you, "Buy me, buy me, buy me!" Many of us can't resist, so my first little hint to help limit your environmental impact during the season of giving is DON'T GO SHOPPING!

Do you know that Americans throw away 25 percent more trash or about 1 million extra tons each week during the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday period? In fact, 38,000 miles of ribbon alone are thrown out each year--enough to tie a bow around the Earth we're trying to save!

I don't mean to be a Bah Humbug type but let's be more thoughtful about our holiday giving. Here are some simple, fun, and environmentally friendly alternatives.

Give the gift of experience. How about a membership to the local zoo, movie passes, or sports tickets for the family? Or is there a nice day spa in your area that your sister, mother, girlfriend, wife, or daughter would love? I'm sure they have gift certificates. Or take those adventurous friends bungie jumping, sky diving, or on a hot air balloon ride. And for the more high-cultured among your friends and family members there are theater tickets, symphony tickets, art museum memberships… You get the idea, here. Many of us just don't need any more STUFF, but great experiences are always a hit!

Buy online - you can find lots of online stores that specialize in eco-friendly items like:

Uncommon Goods - for gifts made from recycled stuff

And what about gifts from the kitchen like a jar of fresh fruit jam or a yummy box of fudge? I don't know about you, but I love tasty little treats that are made with love. Find lots of ideas here.

And don't forget the wrapping! I mean, I love a beautifully wrapped package as much as the next person but let's be creative! Much of today's wrapping paper contains toxic chemicals or heavy metals, which are especially dangerous when you burn them in the fireplace. How about using plain newsprint and decorating it yourself? You can make fun stamps from potatoes or just dip cookie cutters in paint and stamp away! Or use pretty fabric and cloth ribbon or yarn that can be reused over and over again!

Here's a great one-page list of suggestions to make your holidays green.

52 shopping days left 'til Christmas!

October '09 Full Moon

2009-10-02T23:57:00.000-07:00

See the light!

We've passed the autumnal equinox, the point in the year where the nights grow longer than the days. The days are getting noticeably shorter and here in the Pacific Northwest, even the days are darker! That means our lights are on more, so what better time to think about how much energy you use for that light.

An average household dedicates 11 percent of its energy budget to lighting, and it’s one of the easiest places to start saving energy. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) use around 75 percent less energy and some claim to last up to 10 times longer than their incandescent cousins. If every U.S. household replaced just one regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb, it would prevent 90 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, the equivalent of taking 7.5 million cars off the road. Wow! That's so easy! Tell your friends!!!

Look for Energy Star-qualified CFLs because they have to meet tough standards for energy-use, brightness, color, and bulb life. While pricier at the store, tests confirm that each CFL will save you about $5 a year in electricity costs over a regular bulb. This site will help you figure out the right bulb to buy for your needs.

And if you're a PSE customer, you can even get free bulbs! Check Rock The Bulb.

So, even if you don't want to replace all your bulbs right now, get yourself a few CFLs and be ready next time one of those old incandescents burns out!

Beware that CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, and should be recycled at the end of their life. As of this date, Home Depot says you can recycle them in any of their stores for free!

Wanna know more? Check here.

September '09 Full Moon

2009-09-03T20:01:00.000-07:00

Where's the beef?????

Hopefully not on your plate!

Greenhouse gas emission

The production of 1 pound of meat emits the same amount of greenhouse gasses as driving an SUV 40 miles!

Fossil fuel consumption

More than 1/3 of all fossil fuels produced in the United States go towards animal agriculture. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the production of one calorie of animal protein requires more than ten times the fossil fuel input as a calorie of plant protein.

Rainforest destruction

The United States imports roughly 200 million pounds of beef from Central America every year. A Smithsonian study estimates that the necessity for more grazing land means that every minute of every day, a land area equivalent to seven football fields is destroyed in the Amazon basin. For each hamburger that originated from animals raised on rainforest land, approximately 55 square feet of forest have been destroyed.

Water consumption

One pound of beef requires an input of approximately 2500 gallons of water, whereas a pound of soy requires 250 gallons of water and a pound of wheat only 25 gallons. Meat production is inefficient as it requires the consumption of an extensive amount of resources over many months and years before becoming a usable food product. With the water used to produce a single hamburger, you could take a luxurious shower every day for two and a half weeks.

Now, I think most of you know that I am a vegetarian, but I'm not suggesting you change your whole life right here and now. But based on the info cited above, just think what a help it would be to the environment if every American gave up just one meat-based meal a week! Hey, check out the recipes here: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/

Maybe you'll LIKE it!!!

With the energy needed to produce a single hamburger, you could drive a small car twenty miles. Next time you’re craving a burger, think about the fabulous road trip you could take!

August '09 Full Moon

2009-08-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

Keeping Cool?

For those of you experiencing the recent heat wave in the Pacific Northwest, I bet you've been hitting the freezer for ice cream, popsicles, and ice cubes for the drinks, and the fridge for cooling that luscious summer fruit!

So, what better time to think about the efficiency of that ubiquitous appliance.

Did you know that refrigerators use more energy than any other kitchen appliance? An unsurprising fact, really, considering that refrigerators operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to keep food at a safe temperature. So of course, we should all be interested in the carbon footprint of our fridge. As a matter of fact, the typical refrigerator results in the emission of about 3.6 pounds of carbon dioxide per day, while the average per person emission from driving is only about 2.2 pounds! Time to figure out how to make that modern appliance more efficient.

Here are two simple things you can do:

Fill up your freezer! Each time you open your freezer, cold air escapes and warm air flows in. The majority of the energy your freezer uses goes towards cooling down the air that comes in when you open the freezer door. When your freezer is full, there is less room for warmer air to take up, and the items that are in there help to cool down any air that does sneak in. So keeping it full means less energy used.

That doesn't mean you need to run out and stock up on frozen peas! Remember all those plastic water bottles you used to buy? I'm sure you have plenty laying around that haven't made it into the recycle bin. (Or for those of you with families, try using plastic milk jugs.) Fill them up with water and stick them in your freezer. Then, you can pop them into your lunch bag or cooler instead of ice. Once they melt, you've got nice cool drinking water - or you can just throw them back into the freezer when you get home. This is also a good practice for those of you in parts of the country prone to power loss from hurricanes, snow storms, or brown outs, etc. The frozen water in your freezer helps keep the food in it cold longer and doubles as your emergency water supply! (Worried about those rumors about freezing plastic bottles? Check this link: Myths)

Now, for your fridge, it's quite simple. Cover your food. Your refrigerator's compressor has to work extra hard if there is moisture inside of it. By covering your food with lids, you can reduce your refrigerator's energy consumption.

July '09 Full Moon

2009-07-06T19:56:00.000-07:00

Do you have a drinking problem?

Do you buy water in plastic bottles? Between 2002 and 2005 Americans increased their use of personal sized bottled water from 13 billion bottles to nearly 28 billion bottles. That's 17% of the the total world consumption! And there is nothing wrong with the water that comes right out of the tap. As a matter of fact, the two fastest growing individual "liquid refreshment" brands in the US are Aquafina and Dasani - both are bottled municipal tap water!

So, what's wrong with buying bottled water?

>the bottles are made from petroleum
>only 14.5% of the bottles for non-carbonated drinks are recycled
>that adds 2 million tons of plastic to our landfills
>the bottles do not degrade for hundreds of years

Check here for more info: http://lighterfootstep.com/2008/05/five-reasons-not-to-drink-bottled-water/

What can you do? The obvious answer: don't buy bottled water.

If you want to carry water with you, get a reusable stainless steel bottle and fill it at home.
Don't like the taste of chlorinated water? Filter your own and fill your reusable bottle.
(And when you've used up your Brita filter, send it back to them!)

Take the challenge: Take Back the Tap

And for you FaceBook fans: Vessel-Drinkware

May '09

2009-07-06T19:52:00.000-07:00

An added feature of these monthly EcoHints - look for links to interesting and important information throughout the body of the message!

Canada's boreal forest is a stretch of woodlands, wetlands, and rivers that mantles North America. It holds a quarter of the world's forests, most of it's unfrozen fresh water, and sequesters 1.3 trillion metric tons of carbon. And we are logging it - mostly for catalogs, reading materials, and disposable paper products. Sears, along with its subsidiary Land's End, produces 425 million catalogs a year with almost no post-consumer recycled content. One third to one half of the paper comes from the boreal forests, enough to wrap the Sears Tower six times a day, seven days a week!

Now, I like shopping with Land's End as much as the next Washatonian, however, I do not need the STACKS of catalogs I got from them every season, especially during the winter holidays. So I put a stop to it - and you can too!! You can continue shopping online, they have a great, easy to maneuver site, but ditch the catalogs!!

Many mail order companies will honor your wishes to stop sending catalogs if you just ask them, which you can do on one simple site:

Catalog Choice http://www.catalogchoice.org/

Happy Spring!!

April '09

2009-07-06T19:49:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends and Family,

Earlier this year I made a number of commitments to myself about ways I can help protect our environment. Sometimes I think it's easy to be overwhelmed by the threats to our environment and that can make us feel paralyzed. So, one of the commitments I made was to send out a monthly email message with one simple, straightforward bit of information and one simple thing we each can do to have a positive impact. This is my first installment. And this blog is where I'll keep a record of the hints I've sent out.

Data: Although plastic requires less energy to produce than paper, plastic is derived purely from petroleum and is unable to biodegrade. Plastic consumption increases our dependency on oil. Just 14 plastic shopping bags contain enough embodied petroleum energy to drive a car 1 mile.

What to do: I'm sure most of you already take your own bags when you go grocery shopping. (If you don't, start now!) But don't stop with grocery shopping. Take your own bags when you go to the drug store, Target, Home Depot, anywhere you shop. If you're an IKEA shopper, they sell those big blue shopping bags of theirs for only 50 cents. They're great for using at places where you might buy larger items like Home Depot or Target.