ABC's of Going Green

As Tanner and I age, we find ourselves thinking more about our real future. I say real future because 5 years ago Tanner's future consisted of living on a mountain in a cabin with lots of woods for hunting and a running stream or my dream of a beachhouse with my billionairre spouse and rolling in our bags of money at the end of the day. A future that involved no children, $50,000 vehicles, and six pack abs.
Man, were we waaay off! We met, we fell in love, we married, and before we knew it we have become middle-class parents with goals of staying on budget and staying on schedule. It isn't glamorous, but marriage and parenthood is so much more fulfilling than what we could have imagined. It feels good to bring home a paycheck as one of my contributions to our family and to know that we can be happy in our home by living a simple life. Sometimes it can be easy to get caught up in "things" and easy to compare yourself to other couples your age and what they are doing, buying, etc. Especially, if you have competitive personalities like Tanner and myself! Anywho . . .where was I going with this? Oh yes, thinking about our future. When I say "our" I mean us, you, our families, our neighbors, etc. Parenthood turned me into a big softy and it must have worked Tanner over also. That, or my pregancy broke him down so much that he's now a shadow of a man living my dreams instead of his own.
Back to the purpose of this blog . . . man, I get sidetracked! We decided last year to try to not be so wasteful and be more "green." We started recycling, we unplug our appliances when they aren't in use, Tanner carpools to work on some days, and we only shower on Thursday's to save water. Just kidding about the last one, that's just gross.
This year we want to take it to another level and I found more tips on how to help our environment. If some of you adapt just one of these things, it will help save our planet!

ABC's of Going Green

A: Avoid Fast Food.
Most fast food is overpackaged and most fast-food companies are responsible for producing mountains of trash. By avoiding fast food whenever possible, you'll help reduce this needless waste.

B:Buy Products Made Of Recycled Paper.
How can you tell if a package is recycled? Look right on the package. Many have specific claims, such as "made of 100 percent recycled material." However, some recycled packages don't advertise this fact, although there are ways you can find out for yourself. For example, when shopping for cereal, cookies, crackers, and other groceries packaged in cardboard boxes, make sure boxes are made from recycled paper. If the underside is gray or dark brown, the cardboard is made of recycled material. If it's white, it is made of unrecycled material.

C:Change A Light Bulb.
By replacing a standard bulb with a compact fluorescent one you will get more light for less money and save a lot of energy.

D: Donate Your Toys To A Worthy Cause.
When you get tired of or grow out of your games and toys and other things, don't throw them away. Even if they are broken, they may be fixed and used by other kids less fortunate than you. You'll also be keeping these things out of the trash.

E: Eat Organic Produce.
Organic produce contains far fewer chemicals than other produce. That's probably better for your health, and it is definitely better for the environment. All those chemicals get washed off of farmers' fields into rivers and streams, where they pollute our water. In addition, many of the chemicals are made from petroleum and other nonrenewable resources. So, don't eat chemicals--eat real food!

F: Find Out How To Dispose of Hazardous Waste. Nearly every household has some kind of hazardous waste: old paint cans, used motor oil, unused pesticides and weed killers. If you dump these things down the drain, you'll end up polluting the water supply. THey should be disposed of in a site specially designed for hazardous or toxic wastes. Some cities and counties have monthly or annual pickups. Other areas have special drop-off sites. Call your city or county government to find out the proper way to dispose of such trash in your area.

G: Grow A Garden.
A garden provides flowers, vegetables, and environmental benefits. It can help to reduce soil erosion and may help to reduce some kinds of air pollution. Try to grow your garden using as few pesticides and chemical fertilizers as possible.

H: Have A "Green" Cookout.
Plan an outing that doesn't create a lot of waste or pollution. For example, if you're having a barbecue, avoid using lighter fluid--it contains naphthalene, an air pollutant which is suspected of causing cancer. Instead, use an electric starter or, better yet, a device that lets you start coals using newspapers instead of fluid. Use real plates and utensils instead of paper or plastic, and reusable tin or heavy plastic cups instead of disposable paper or plastic ones. And set out separate trash bags for paper, glass, and aluminum. Just because you're outdoors doesn't mean you can't recycle.

I: Insulate Your Home.
You may find a lot of energy being wasted right in your own home. After you've finished your energy audit, make a list of the things you believe should be done. Your local hardware-store sales person can help you determine how much the improvements will cost, how much energy they will save, and how much money your family will save in reduced energy bills.

J: Join An Environmental Group.
Ther are hundreds of good organizations around the country. Most of them have annual membership fees of $25 or less, and some have special rates for kids or students. Try to find one that focuses on something your are particularly interested in. Go to a meeting, event, or other activity.

K: Keep The Car At Home. You've learned by now that automobiles are one of the single biggest sources of pollution. Most driving trips are under five miles, and you'd be surprised how many are under one mile. Try walking, biking, skateboarding, roller-skating, or taking the bus.

L: Look At Labels. Reading labels can tell you a lot of things. First, you can find out about a product's ingredients--whether it contains anything that might be hazardous to your health or the the environment.

M: Make Scratch Pads.
Here's a good way to recycle paper. When you use a piece of paper on only one side, don't throw it away when you are done with it. Instead, put it in a pile with all of the blank sides surfacing up. When you get a big pile, you can turn the paper into scratch pads.

N: Notify Your Friends and Family.By passing on green tips to friends and family, you are helping contribute to the improvement of the planet and helping them live in a healthier environment.

O: Observe The Three Rs. Refuse, Reuse, and Recycle. Whatever you buy, wherever you live, the Three Rs are the most important rules to live by, at least as far as the environment is concerned. The next time you go shopping--whether by yourself or with your parents or friends--think about the Three Rs every time you pull a potential purchase off the shelf. Is it something that is overpackaged or wasteful? If so, Refuse it. Is it something that is made of or packaged in recycled material, or which you can reuse in some way? If so, Reuse it. Is it something that can be recycled easily? If so, Recycle it.

P: Plant A Tree.
Visit a local nursery to find out what kinds of trees will grow best in your area. You can watch the tree's progress every year, and have the pleasure of know that you put it there for everyone to enjoy!

Q: Quit Throwing Away Batteries. Americans go through more than two billion batteries a year to power such things as radios, calculators, watches, flashlights, and computers. Unfortunately, batteries contain many hazardous materials, which leak into landfills when batteries are thrown away. Many of these dangerous chemicals get into our water supply. There are two ways you can avoid throwing away batteries. One is by using batteries that can be recharged over and over. You should also find out if there are companies in your area that recycle batteries. If you must throw batteries away, do so at a hazardous-waste collection site, if there is one in your area.

R: Reuse A Bag.
Some people believe that bags made of trees--paper bags--are less harmful to the earth than bags made of chemicals--plastic bags. The fact is, making both types of bags creates a lot of pollution, and both paper and plastic bags use a lot of resources. So neither is much better than the other. The best solution is not to use any bag at all, or to bring your own bag. Some people carry a canvas or mesh bag they can use over and over. If you must use a paper or plastic bag, don't throw it away. Try to use the bag over and over--as many times as you can.

S: Support Green Companies.
In the past, most companies haven't paid much attention to the environment. But now, a growing number are changing the way they do business. Some are changing their products so that they are less wasteful or polluting. Others are encouraging their employees to carpool or to recycle. Still others are helping their local communities improve their environments. These companies deserve all of our support! Whenever you have a choice between supporting one of these green companies or a company that is less green, you should definitely support the greener one.

T: Turn Off The Lights.
This is such a simple thing to do, but sometimes it's so hard to remember!

U: Use Recycled Paper.
There's just no reason why you shouldn't buy recycled paper whenever it is available. In most cases, it is just as good as "virgin" paper--even better, in fact, because it helps save trees! You can buy toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, writing paper, books, newspapers, and many other things made of recycled paper.

V: Visit A Recycling Center.
If there's a center nearby, stop and take a look around. Look at all the different things being recycled--lots of different colors of glass, paper, cardboard, cans, maybe even tires and household appliances. There may be some things there that you didn't realize you've been leaving out of your recycleables.

W: Work For The Environment.
Simple. If you see trash lying around, pick it up and dispose of it properly.

X: eXercise Your Rights.
As a human being living on planet Earth, you have the right to clean air and water, a safe environment, and the unspoiled beauties this world has to offer. If you don't dream of a better world--and do something about it--no one will do it for you.

Y: Yell At A Litterer.
Well, maybe you don't have to yell, but if you do see someone littering, you definitely should say something.

Z: Zero In On Specifics.
While we've covered a wide range of environmental problems and solutions, you can be most effective by choosing one or two specific problems to focus on. Find the individuals and organizations in your area working on the problem and see how you can get involved. That will make you a powerful Green Consumer!


That's all I've got for today and I'd better get going, I've got some trees to hug.