|
Date |
Green Tip |
| 3/9/09 |
A writer for National Geographic challenged his family to reduce its monthly carbon emissions by 80 percent. Family members made lifestyle changes such as using a fan instead of an air conditioner, walked or used a bike for errands, and dialed down the water heater. Find out if they succeeded by accessing the March 2009 article and interesting photos at: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/03/table-of-contents |
| 1/19/09 |
Want to learn more about environmentally friendly products and services that you can use in your everyday life to reduce your carbon footprint? Try out the Go Green Expo on Saturday Jan. 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or Sunday Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Los Angeles Convention Center. There will speakers, films and over 200 booths and exhibits on the topics of home supplies, food, health and beauty, energy as well as eco-travel. Tickets are $10 for adults. Reduce paper use and register online at www.GoGreenExpo.com. |
| 1/12/09 |
Recycle your holiday cards. It only takes a few minutes and it helps a great cause. You can send them to St. Jude’s Children Hospital at 100 St. Jude Street. Boulder City, NV 89005. The children will use them to make new holiday cards, and all the proceeds go to the hospital to help cover medical expenses. |
| 12/18/09 |
Christmas LED Lights save energy and reduce Christmas lighting expenses. LED Christmas Lights offer up to 90% energy savings, reducing power bills and lasting longer than traditional Christmas lights - many rated for over 200,000 hours of use. LED lights are available in all shapes and sizes. More info:
http://christmasled.com |
| 12/22/08 |
Looking for something for the person who has everything? Try purchasing a fair-trade, artisancrafted piece. Web sites such as www.worldofgood.com offer fair-trade products from marginalized producer communities all over the world to the mainstream consumer market. Fair-trade advocates the payment of a fair price as well as social and environmental standards in areas related to the production of a wide variety of goods. You can find rare and unique gifts such as a handwoven arrow cane fiber bracelet made from vegetable dyes, using methods that pre-date the arrival of Columbus. Supporting fair trade helps artisans preserve ancient traditions while providing loved ones with one-of-a-kind gifts. |
| 12/15/08 |
Try something new this year and make your own eco-friendly gift wrapping using things you already have around the house. It will save money and a lot of trees! Old posters, comic books, maps, children’s artwork and even fabric scraps can make a lively presentation. You can also use newspaper, shopping bags (which you or your kids can decorate), and wicker or rattan baskets for a unique and appealing wrapping. For your shipping needs: www.UsedCardboardBoxes.com |
| 12/8/08 |
Reduce holiday consumption this year and buy someone a tree (www.treegivers.com) to help support reforestation around the nation. You can also give the gift of livestock (www.Heifer.org), which can help communities around the world achieve self-reliance. Look for other eco-friendly gifts at http://green.yahoo.com/gift-guide/. |
| 12/1/08 |
It’s time to put up the holiday lights, so turn in your old incandescent lights and invest in some LEDs. They use up to 90 percent less energy and will last thousands of hours longer than incandescent lights. They don’t spark or emit heat, so any fire risk is reduced as well. They can be purchased online (www.HolidayLeds.com) and are also available at Target and Home Depot. |
| 11/24/08 |
If a new HDTV is on your shopping list, consider buying one with the most efficient technology. Plasma TVs are the least efficient, LCDs are slightly better, and DLPs (rear projection microdisplay) are more than twice as energy-efficient as the others. More info: www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips. |
| 11/17/08 |
As the weather begins to get cooler, it’s a good time to do a Home Energy audit. Learn how to check air leaks, insulation, heating/cooling equipment and lighting, and become more energy efficient while you save money. The Department of Energy Web site will tell you how to do it yourself, or have a professional energy auditor to do it for you. |
| 11/10/08 |
About 90 percent of the energy consumed for washing clothes is due to heating the water. Unless you’re dealing with oily stains, the warm- or cold-water setting will usually be effective for cleaning clothes. You can use half the energy by switching the temperature setting from hot to warm, and the cold cycle saves even more energy. |
| 11/4/08 |
An Energy Star qualified programmable thermostat can automatically turn down the heat when you’re asleep or not home. For more information, visit www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=thermostats.pr_thermostats |
| 10/27/08 |
Consider using compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) rather than incandescent. They use 75 percent less electricity and last eight to 15 times longer. If every American household replaced one incandescent bulb with a CFL for one year, it would save enough energy to light 3 million homes and reduce greenhouse gases equivalent to emissions produced by 800,000 cars. To maximize energy savings, CFL’s should only be used in lamps that are on for a minimum of 15 minutes, and preferably several hours. More info: http://www.energystar.gov/. |
| 10/20/08 |
Most disposable plastic water bottles are made with polycarbonate plastic, which is derived from BPA (bisphenol-a), a substance which can cause toxic effects with prolonged exposure. Several companies now manufacture reusable bottles that contain no BPA and are available for $9-16. Klean Kanteen makes stainless steel bottles, www.kleankanteen.com, and Nalgene’s new “Everyday” line contains no BPA, www.nalgenechoice.com. |
| 10/6/08 |
Did you know the bathroom is where you use most of the water in your house? Baths use up 20 to 40 gallons of water. Showers use up to three to seven gallons per minute. If you reduce your shower time by one minute it can save 1,000 gallons of water per year. |
| 9/29/08 |
In this age of soaring gas prices and the looming threat of climate change, you can be kind to the environment by doing more of your shopping online. You'll save on fuel, emissions and probably score a bargain on the way. Not a bad idea! |
| 9/22/08 |
Fall is here and daylight savings is ending soon. It’s time to take advantage of the remaining weeks of sunshine days. Why not give our laundry the same opportunity? Sunlight is a natural bleaching agent and disinfectant, and line drying just one load of laundry keeps 3.35 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Plus, keeping clothes out of dryers keeps them looking newer. |
|
9/8/08 |
Consider recycling the parts of old unwanted CDs or DVDs. CDs and DVDs are made from various lacquers and aluminium and sometimes gold; but by far most of their weight is the polycarbonate plastic—yet another plastic made from crude oil. Landfill isn’t a good option as these things will be around for hundreds of years and over time can release Bisphenol A, which has been in the news a lot of recent times due to health implications. Burning CD and DVD media releases toxic fumes. Contact www.cdrecyclingcenter.com. It doesn’t matter what condition the CD or DVDis in; even broken ones will be accepted. |
|
9/2/08 |
Wondering what to plant over by that fence? Bamboo makes a beautiful fence, and because it grows so fast it absorbs more CO2 than, say, a rose bush. Large-scale plantings, which absorb CO2 faster than they release it, can favorably tip the scales. |
|
8/25/08 |
Give your car a tune-up! Regular vehicle maintenance means a cleaner-running engine. By keeping up on oil changes and tune-ups, your car will run better, and you’ll reduce tailpipe emissions. For a great place for your maintenance needs, check out Chapman Car Care. Many of our Chapman community members have had success with this local repair service. Call 714-633-1800. |
|
8/18/08 |
If you live in an apartment, condominium or home, paint will definitely be on your home improvement shopping list. How do you turn this potentially toxic problem into a win-win for you and the environment? You can buy low-VOC paint and only what you need for a job (your home improvement shop can help on this), apply extra coats to use up your surplus, or use the paint as an undercoat for other paint jobs. If you still have excess paint, you can find a place to donate leftover paint for reuse, such as a school, your community center or the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. Contact www.earth911.org for more information. |
|
8/11/08 |
Consider recycling the parts of old unwanted CDs or DVDs. They are made from various lacquers and aluminium and sometimes gold; but by far most of their weight is the polycarbonate plastic - yet another plastic made from crude oil. Landfill isn’t a good option as these things will be around for hundreds of years to come and over time can release Bisphenol A, which has been in the news a lot of recent times due to health implications. Burning CD and DVD media releases toxic fumes. Contact www.cdrecyclingcenter.com. It doesn’t matter what condition the CD or DVD is in; even broken ones will be accepted. (If you wish to get rid of old CDs with sensitive information on them, just cut them up with a pair of sturdy scissors first.) |
| 8/4/08 |
In terms of surface area, lawns are the single largest irrigated crop in America, covering 128,000 square kilometers—three times the surface area the U.S. corn crop covers. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize water waste. Set the sprinkler at the setting that gives off large drops of water, low and close to the ground. Take care to position the sprinkler so that all water falls on the lawn (not on the sidewalk or the driveway). Water early in the morning, which will ensure that the water soaks into the soil instead of evaporating. Pick up a Noodlehead Sprinkler, which features flexible nozzles (www.noodleheadsprinkler.com). |
| 7/28/08 |
Where do your old fleece jackets go to die? In some cases the answer is: back to the mountain. The clothing company Patagonia has been collecting used clothing (regardless of label) made from polartec and capilene to melt and make into new fabric and clothes. The company estimates a 76% energy savings and reduced greenhouse gases of 71%. To find out more about shearing your own fleece and other environmental ideas, visit www.patagonia.com/recycle. |
| 7/21/08 |
Wondering what to plant over by that fence? Bamboo makes a beautiful fence and because it grows so fast it absorbs more CO2 than, say, a rosebush. Large-scale plantings, which absorb CO2 faster than they release it, can favorably tip the scales. |
| 7/14/08 |
E-cycling (recycling of electrical components like computers) needs to be monitored more closely. Sometimes items from your computer could be shipped to China (more emissions in transportation), where poorly equipped and impoverished people set to the grueling task of stripping the systems and reclaiming some of the precious metals. It’s highly toxic work and just another instance of outsourcing our pollution. Before you recycle your machine, check the recycler out. Ask about practices; for example, if the system will be stripped down locally and in safe/environmentally responsible conditions. For more info: www.eiae.org |
| 6/30/08 |
Composting isn’t as daunting as it seems. You can sprinkle coffee grounds on your garden or buy countertop composting jars or outside bins. I once used my kids’ sandbox (after they grew out of it, of course.) When organic materials disposed of in the general trash are deprived of the oxygen to assist in their natural decomposition, the organic matter ferments and gives off methane, which is the most potent of the greenhouse gases, twenty-three times more potent than CO2 in global warming terms. By contrast, organic waste properly composted in gardens, produces rich nutrients that adds energy and food to the soil. |
| 6/23/08 |
Coffee—in this heat—are you crazy? Still, most of us don't kick the coffee habit for the summer holidays. We may add ice, but the caffeine we still adore. One way to be more environmentally friendly, while keeping some greenies in your jeanies, is to bring your own cup into your favorite coffee shop. At Starbucks, where a regular venti coffee could cost you upwards of two bucks, you'll only pay 50 cents with your favorite mug—say, one with a Chapman University logo on it, available in the bookstore! |
| 6/2/08 |
Do something easy to help the environment and try reusable bags wherever you go. The average family of four uses 1,000 plastic bags each year. The 100 million plastic bags a week that go to landfills do not biodegrade. They photodegrade—breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways polluting our soil, rivers, lakes and oceans. Yet this takes several years, and in the meantime, hundreds of thousands of marine mammals die every year eating discarded plastic bags mistaken for food. Make a difference and follow the lead of those in Ireland, Australia, South Africa and Austria who have nearly eliminated plastic bag use. |
| 5/12/08 |
Did you know that most idle small appliances and equipment, if plugged in, continue to use energy even when switched off? This phenomenon is referred to as “standby power,” “leaking electricity,” or “phantom loads” and equates to about 5 percent of the average total electric bill. The total phantom load of the United States could power the countries of Greece, Peru, and Vietnam combined. Unplug electronics when you’re not using them! For more information, visit www.des.state.nh.us/gw/gw0906.htm |
| 5/5/08 |
Recent supermarket price hikes might lead some shoppers to opt for conventional products, but consider the long term benefits of purchasing organic products. Organic farming not only consumes 37 percent less energy than conventional farming, in one year, the carbon in one acre of organic crop soil will pull up to 7,000 pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere. Organic makes sense! |
| 4/28/08 |
Thinking of changing your cell-phone provider anytime soon? The cell phone industry exposes us all to hazardous chemicals and the earth to mounds of e-waste. Consider a switch to an ecofriendly provider: Credo Mobile, a division of the socially conscious telecommunications company Working Assets, allows cell phone customers to donate one percent of any bill to the environmental (or social or civil-rights) nonprofit of their choosing. www.credomobile.com.
|
| 4/21/08 |
If your IRS refund has you feeling flush, set it to work for you and for the environment. Try tucking away your return in a greener mutual fund, keeping a cushion for the future and supporting socially and environmentally responsible businesses. More options: www.thegreenguide.com/doc/ask/invest. |
| 3/31/08 |
Unsure about what to do with all those half-read newspapers piling up at home and in your office? Try using shredded or balled up paper to create stuffing material, extra padding or as a fire starter. And don’t ask why, but crumpled newspaper just makes glass shine. Now that Spring is here, spray the glass surface with your favorite glass cleaner and use newspaper as you would regular paper towels. |
| 3/24/08 |
We know that Dasani is just filtered Philadelphia tap water and that Aquafina comes from Queens, but, boy, do we love the stuff! It’s three times more expensive than gas, it’s consistently indistinguishable from tap water in blind taste tests and a third of it was found polluted by the National Resources Defense Council (www.oaklandmagazine.com). Americans each drank nearly 30 gallons of the life-giving elixir last year, contributing 179 bottles to the waste stream. Break the cycle. Buy a Brita filter and a nalgene bottle from the Chapman Giftstore in Argyros Forum. |
| 3/3/08 |
Americans recycled 42 million tons of paper last year—50 percent of what they used, Time magazine reports. Paper does grow on trees: 900 million of them every year become pulp and paper. We can reduce that number by buying more recycled paper. Each ton purchased saves 4,000 kilowatts per hour of energy, 7,000 gallons of water and 17 trees. |
| 2/18/08 |
The average U.S. adult may receive a whopping 41 pounds of junk mail each year, with about 44 percent winding up in a landfill without having been opened (www.greenlivingtips.com). Try contacting a free service called Catalog Choice (www.catalogchoice.org). Register online, then use the search function to locate and decline specific catalogs. You can also check out www.41pounds.org |
| 12/17/07 |
If you purchase a real Christmas tree this year, recycle it. Better yet, get a live one and plant it after the holidays (www.ciwmb.ca.gov/). For sustainable holiday ornaments, check out www.taraluna.com/home_SH/holiday.htm. Happy Holidays to all! Here’s to a more energy-conscious and energy-efficient 2008! |
| 12/10/07 |
This holiday season, consider cutting down on excessive consumption by opting for innovative green gift ideas. These could include donations to charities or support for environmental agencies. Check out http://support.nature.org/ for inspiration, or http://green.yahoo.com/holiday2007/. Of course, no holiday is complete without a chocolate Santa or dreidel! Try buying organic chocolate. Organic cacao beans are cultivated without use of chemicals, and shade-grown beans help to preserve the forest canopy. |
| 12/3/07 |
For the average college or university in the U.S., electricity consumption represents approximately 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the environmental news network (www.enn.com). Let's all remember to turn off unnecessary lights and electric appliances, especially when leaving classrooms. |
| 11/26/07 |
Ninety percent of all U.S. wines are made here in California. Fortunately, there are groups like the Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance that educates and supports winegrowers who want to be more environmental, economic and socially sustainable. Consumers can browse the list of more than 1,100 California vineyards and wineries participating in the group’s Sustainable Wine Growing program at www.sustainablewinegrowing.org/swpwinecommunity.php. And remember to recycle your wine bottles! |
| 11/19/07 |
This Thanksgiving, consider buying more locally grown produce in preparation for your festive dinner. Locally grown produce reduces pollution and transport costs, is more likely to have come from a farm using sustainable practices, and just tastes better! For a list of farmers markets in Orange County, visit www.laokay.com/FarmersMarkets_oc.htm.
|
