Sigrid One of the things I find frustrating about advice to be greener is that so often it's a grab bag of good ideas with no attention given to the magnitude of the effect.

For example, some studies have said that because transportation costs are very low and commercial grocery trucks are packed very efficiently, as opposed to your car, that many people driving past the closest grocery store to a city center farmers' market might actually produce more transport miles per pound of produce.

Clothes dryers are a very significant source of energy use (4% of residential energy use), but this article didn't mention them.

Although not mentioned in this article, some stalwarts of green advice are to not idle your car and to not keep your phone charger plugged in. Both sound good, but idling your car for a few extra minutes produces more carbon than keeping your phone charger plugged in 24/7 for a year.

I'm not saying that any of these suggestions are bad, but they're offered without any calculation of the impact they make. Without it, most people will chose a few to implement, feel good about themselves and never really think about or know if they are making a significant or an insignificant difference. We need science and numbers, not feel-good ideas devoid of metrics.

vicky feldman These are great tips! We do some of this. We live in an apartment that doesn't have recycling pickup. Still I take it over to the center every other week. We also have a worm bin for compost and we get some of our food from the bulk bins and farmers market

Laura Gaskill Hi Sigrid! Thanks for chiming in - I agree with the points you mention. I just want to clarify that this ideabook was focused on ways to reduce waste at home - saving energy is another worthy goal, to be sure, it just wasn't the main focus here. I feel it's all too easy to get paralyzed from making any green changes if you don't simply begin by jumping in there and making a few easy changes right off the bat, so I tried to provide a number of easy options to choose from!

Michelle W Hi, I always take my own bags to the supermarket, and they don't tear like the plastic bags they now ask you to pay for. And the library is great, easy to put a "hold" on a book and if it is something you really want, then you can buy it - try before you buy !

Sierra Jones Great ideas for waste saving!
This is a very hot topic always popping up in my house. My husband and I try our best to educate our kids about the small things they can do to make a difference in THEIR future.

One of the biggest things we enjoy is a home garden. We just planted the seeds to start inside until spring when we will move them to our new vegetable garden. The kids enjoy watering, and weeding, and get so excited when the buds finally start to poke through. And there is nothing better than the natural taste of freshly grown veggies. A great way to save money, gas and help the environment. Then whatever I don't grow, we purchase from farmer's markets. Sometimes it might be a couple km/m 's from the big name grocery store, but you have to weight out the pros and cons. Supporting local farmers and produce is a huge pro for our family. Especially with the rising cost of food prices...!

Another great tip is, if you have kids....meet LOTS of other moms! Knowing lots of women with kids is more than just advice and support....it means sharing. And although some thrift and second hand stores are clean, getting hand me downs from your next door neighbour who you know very well how she keeps her house and looks after things, is lot more comforting. With my mom friends, we trade everything from sports equipment, clothes, books, dvds, you name it.

karenhak Where your clothes more often before you clean them. Hang them up and air them out instead of throwing them into the wash. Save water, energy and detergent.

Pamela Bateman Garden Design I make pull toys for my dog from old jeans or shirts. I just tear them apart and tie a couple of knots in them then toss them to the dog.
Thanks for the great article. There is more than the ' science and numbers ' of how green it is when shopping at your local farmers market. There are intangibles to buying local food such as supporting small farmers, eating produce picked within a few hours, keeping in touch with the seasons, and knowing where and how your food is grown. And of course in my opinion organic produce tastes better !

Patricia W. Consider dressing your baby, toddler in second hand clothes rather than new. The same goes for toys and we use cloth diapers and cloth wipes (unbleached cotton rags from home depot).

Sigrid I like farmers' markets. I like the better produce and I like supporting my local economy. I encourage other people to do so, too. But too often, these worthy goals are confused with being better for the planet, which is not necessarily true.

With neither science nor numbers, it's easy to do something we want to do, like buy heirloom tomatoes at the farmers' market and feel good about doing something for the planet without having any clue about whether your tasty tomato is actually any better for the planet than the alternative.

Sierra Jones We know that buying local produce means less travel time to get it to the consumer. It doesn't have to go through as many hands, and save on fuel as well. Fewer chemicals because they do not have to be preserved to last the trip to store. Farmer's markets are outside, they don't require energy to run like a grocery store. There are no plastic bags. The list goes on....

There are ways to help the environment, and they can start this simple. If everyone, even those not fully aware of the reasoning, contributed even a little bit, what an impact it would make, for the future generations.

The problem lies more in the way society thinks, never satisfied, wanting more, seeing others and wanting what they have, never being happy, wishing, wanting, needing.....we don't even know why sometimes. These thoughts are brainwashed into our heads, and they make us the way we are. Some of the happiest societies in the world are the most under-privileged. They don't have even close to what we have, but they are happy because, they have inner peace and satisfaction. Nothing to do with material possessions, or money.

Pamela Bateman Garden Design We can all be less wasteful and this article is a good reminder to examine our everyday consumer habits. It is also true that we should remain humble. We are not saving the world when we buy a tomato at a farmer's market. In fact, Houzz may be a monument to our excessive consumer habits. None the less, this article encourages thrift and is a nice contrast to some of the other articles.

Sigrid You say "if everyone contributed a little bit, what an impact it would make." But if we don't know what is a little bit and what is a lot more, than people might be choosing to contribute very little, not because aren't willing to do more, but because they have absolutely no clue as to the impact of their efforts.

I read lists of way to save energy and picked a few things that I could do better. One was to not keep my phone charger plugged in when not charging my phone. Later, I learned that a plugged-in, but not charging phone charger uses about as much energy in a year as idling a car for 6 minutes. I changed my focus to reduce unnecessary idling. Now when I pick up the kids, I park immediately, rather than hoping they'll be prompt out of the door. In a few months probably did more for the planet than I could do in a lifetime of unplugging phone chargers.

What made the difference? Numbers! Numbers which told me where my efforts had the most impact.

FWIW, because commercial trucks are packed very efficiently and groceries in a car are not. When many people drive past their local grocery store to a city center farmers' market, the energy used to transport each tomato from farm to kitchen may be greater. This is particularly likely to be true if the local tomato is grown in the north in a greenhouse that is heated when there is the threat of a unseasonable frost.

A study in England concluded that lamb imported from Australia and eaten in England used less energy than lamb produced in England because the English put the lambs in heated barns when it got too cold to leave the lambs outdoors. Production differences trumped the difference of transporting the lamb halfway across the world or not.

However, without data, we can't say what is true in any given situation. Without data, we can think the farmers' market is greener, but we don't really know.

This is my beef. When I do my bit, I want that bit to be as effective as possible, something that might be pretty insignificant compared to something else that I might have done instead.

End of rant.

Sierra Jones Well, @Sigrid, A lot of people helping a bit is always better than some helping a lot. You said yourself the truth is in the numbers. Well...the more people doing a little, the better the chances are that these same people will not just do one thing, but continue to work at improving their lifestyles to reflect greener living. The more people showing an effort and caring to even attempt to change make a huge difference. The problem is not how effective people are, the problem is that not enough people even care at all.

The average person thinks it requires a lot of work, time or money to live greener and more energy efficient. It's convincing these people that there are small things to do, that don't require a huge effort, and DO make a difference. This is not insignificant, it is absolutely essential in changing people's attitudes and opinions about greener lifestyles. The more people get involved in their communities, the better.

And regarding your comments about grocery stores, besides all the other benefits I already mentioned....I would rather feel better about helping local farmers, and putting chemical free fruits & veggies in my kids mouths, anyday. And if you are that concernced about your idling car, and gas, make the most EFFECTIVE decision, buy a hybrid. That is the most effective solution compared to anything else you may have done.

levity Because this is a home decorating site primarily, this might be the perfect place to share my biggest gripe about remodelilng: It seems every project has to begin with a sledge hammer taken to the existing cabinets, walls etc. How very not-green!

I have found that whatever you are done with someone else could possibly use, maybe even pay you for it.. Instead of using a slege hammer, please carefully dismantle your room, advertise it online and recycle it. Even if no one else wants it, can't you re-assemble it for storage in your garage or basement?

suemum @Sigrid, I couldn't agree more. While 'Helping a bit' deserves a compliment in terms of attitude, for me any waste or energy saving advice becomes more relevant with information regarding the actual impact. That helps create a parallel between intention and impact. I tried hard to use cloth diapers with my first child but the amount of washing it generated really got me thinking besides how much work it added to an already stressed first time mum. It was quite easy to tell myself that The water and energy used in the washing/drying and detergents did offset the disposable diaper impact to a great extent but again I have no idea how much.

annoulaxeni Very good article by the way -- a number of truly helpful hints.

Regarding washer/dryer use specifically, I've tried to become greener in several ways. First, I wash most things in colder water than I might have done previously -- 30 for most, 40 for whites (rather than 40 for most, 60 for whites). No difference in outcome that I can see . . .

As for the dryer, much of the year I hang clothes outside to dry -- a load dries in about an hour at the height of summer. I use a folding rack which holds a couple of loads and then tucks away out of sight. In the winter I use my dryer more, however, I usually just partially dry the clothes in the dryer (10 minutes) to get rid of the wrinkles, and then I hang them to finish. I do this with bath towels all year long to restore their fluffiness (hate the board-like nature of towels completely line dried!). As long as you're not trying to do all the washing for a family of six in a single day, it's a completely workable system.

Clothes handled this way smell wonderful and don't have the same color/size loss that they'd have if they were always finished to bone-dry in the dryer.

cvsharkey Two words: Salvation Army...give to them, buy from them

jeffw4 Compost! Start with coffee grounds and vegetable leftovers. Or find a gardener close who is composting. Start a community garden.

charubhanti My kids bring tons of paper home from school. I save all the paper and use the unwritten side of the paper as scrap paper. I even use it in my printer for printing things that don't need to be handed to anyone else. Also, this paper comes in handy when the kids have friends over and they want to draw or write or make lists.

navybluemom I like the idea of repurposing kitchen cabinets into storage cabinets in the garage. You can paint them or leave them as they are already.

embracegrace Going green is an ongoing process for our family. If we would have tried to do everything at once, it would have been too overwhelming for us. When we became parents, we finally had the incentive we needed to make changes. Over the past four years, we've nearly completely cut out paper products in our house (our current roll of paper towels has lasted more than 2 years! You can see a photo of the unpaper towels I made below), started taking advantage of our city's combined recycling program (and usually hit our goal of one kitchen size bag of trash a week), and started buying most of our non-produce food in bulk, including meat from a local farmer. In addition, we buy almost all of our son's clothes (and a lot of mine) at local secondhand stores. We've found that meal planning has drastically reduced our food waste. We put away leftovers in lunch size portions for my husband to take to work, and when I need, say, 1/2 an onion for a recipe, I chop up the whole onion and freeze the rest for later use. You can read more about our process here: http://www.dejongdreamhouse.com/2012/04/how-i-turned-green.html

edgedale what is good about articles like this is they are like the bell ringing in meditation session- focuses your mind. We all need reminders to examine our lives and habits since it's so easy to become mindless of the costs & consequences of our actions. We need reminders to treat our water, air & material things with care. We need reminders that what we do affects people and other animals. It also supports our efforts knowing others are doing the same. Thank you for the article and all the passionate & informative comments.
actions not previously mentioned:
remember water is a precious resource we need to conserve, try living using least possible.
plant berry bushes in landscaping, half my yard is for us & half for wildlife
reuse everything possible, buy products with less packaging, wait to buy...i forget I "needed" it.
try to be a compassionate example, especially in the work place.

Pegasus Lighting As a lighting expert, you know I'm going to have to weigh in on ways to reduce waste with your home lighting :) When you use old incandescent light bulbs to illuminate your home, they burn out at least 10x quicker than newer, energy-efficient CFLs and LEDs, which means 10x more light bulbs in the landfills.

narihaig I agree with the comment about sledgehammers for demo. It kills me that home improvement shows do this for effect. I want your 100 year old door knobs and hinges for my house! Send your cabinets and sinks to a Habitat Restore. Shop there when you have a minute. I found a giant Kohler stainless undermount double sink for $25. Scrap the metal from old pipes.Think up front about energy usage for remodeling projects. If I put in ceramic tile for my Wisconsin bathroom/mud room floors, then the radiant heat will be turned on quicker because the floors are cold to start with. I'm considering other viable flooring options so I won't want to flip a switch so readily.

Trefler & Sons To speak to the point that @Levity made- there are many ways to use and re-use building materials so they don't end up in landfills...for instance, in Boston there is Boston Building Resources- http://www.bostonbuildingresources.com/ and hopefully there are other similar organizations around the country...

Laurie at Bird in Hand VTG Fantastic list that's well supported with the photos you've chosen! I especially like #5 - Shop Vintage!

Design Alternatives, Inc. These must be some really boring people. There is more to life then worrying about how green you can be.

embracegrace Design Alternatives,
It's disappointing that a design company would be so indifferent to preserving this beautiful world for future generations. Building new homes and renovating or updates our living spaces is a privilege not a need, why wouldn't one at least consider doing so in earth-friendly ways, and why wouldn't a designer be willing to lead the way?

Design Alternatives, Inc. I am very interested in preserving the world for future generations but I do not let it consume my life. It should come naturally. You should not need a fake checklist of things to follow. I designed an built my house with recycled materials in 1983 before before anyone was doing that. It was also sited to take advantage of the site with minimal loss of trees and passive solar energy.

embracegrace Design Alternatives,

Thank you for responding to my comment, although I respectfully disagree with the idea that going green comes naturally when we are surrounded by so many "convenience" foods and items that are (wastefully) packaged in individual servings and home renovations, as many people above noted, are done without a thought of how to best dispose of the old items.

For those who are not professionals, it's easy to obsess about whatever home project one might be working on or dreaming about, as it might be a once in a lifetime opportunity. For this reason, I think we all look to leaders in the field to guide us, so I do put some responsibility on designers like you to at least bring up the greener options, whether or not your clients chose to incorporate them and despite whether or not you think such considerations are boring or obsessive. The fact that you did take green considerations into your own build shows that you do see the value, but your earlier comment seems to infer that you're rather not use your experience and expertise to provide a greener alternative to your client's designs.

Even from a strictly business prospective, there are enough potential clients out there with at least a guilt-induced curiosity about being green that I would be careful not to appear dismissive of the idea on public forums such as this, where homeowners in Maryland and surround areas are actively seeking designers who fit their needs. I, for one, would be have been very put off by your comment, and I'm certain there are others who would not take the time to say anything and would rather just move on to the next designer. Your work is stunning (readers should check out his gorgeous homes here (http://www.houzz.com/photos/users/mikebowers), and I'd hate for you to lose work over a poorly considered response.

At any rate, the author of this ideabook's intent was to list easy ideas for everyone to incorporate, not obsess over.

jcraighil I'm all for metrics and accounting when it comes to sustainability but I think developing an attitude of common send and conservation is much more important. After all. numbers change constantly and are often skewed based on methodology. In the case of lamb from New Zealand, I would say those numbers are questionable at best (who developed them?) And even if the accounting method is impeccable, as the lamb farmers change to more efficient methods of heating, the numbers will change.

bzybbon So many things in the article are good. And I understand that not everyone can put everything in place immediately (I'm no die-hard environmentalist, but I am a steward of what God has given to me - He's first, earth is not, yet I will care for my small space in it as best I am capable). I'm in line with what I believe Sigrid was trying to get across, as I've seen in so many ways how 'going green' is actually, at least in the immediate framework, causing more issues than it may be curing.

Some of my issues: in our city, we are very good about recycling - we have 3 separate bins: trash, recyclables, green waste (yard/plant stuff). And we use them, although our plant waste goes to a compost bin most of the time. With each statement we get from our trash vendor, the list of recyclables changes so it becomes very confusing as to what goes where - consistency would be grand! And with that, all of the cans and bottles, pans & trays have to be rinsed/washed thereby using more water rather than saving water.

The current rage is to change out ALL of your incandescent lighting to greener alternative lighting, however, rather than do this incrementally as the bulbs burn out, whole households are changed out, requiring the use of that much more natural resources to create the new product and sending the old but still working ones to the landfill. One of the new products also contains mercury, which has been an environmental issue for years - one of the reasons for getting rid of mercury thermometers. Along with mercury in these new green bulbs, should be the realization that not everyone in every area of the world/country will do anything more than throw them into the trash (because here, they can only be recycled at specific locations and not put in with 'recyclables' at curbside. So they WILL end up in the landfill and eventually the complaints and lawsuits will begin over mercury contamination in the groundwater.

To be green also considers water usage, see above about washing recyclables. Additionally, in our area, requirements are for low-flow toilets. The problem with those (unless you can afford high-priced replacements) is you end up needing to flush 2 or 3 times to get solid waste down which results in more water usage. This low-flow cause-effect also trickles (no pun intended) down to showers and washing machines - showers become longer to get that shampoo & conditioner out of your hair, and you have to use a second rinse, or more, to get your clothes clean and soap rinsed out even when cutting down on the amount of soap.

In our city, the requirement is now, with a bathroom remodel, to install occupancy sensors. They turn the lights off if there's been no movement in a set time. The problem: it doesn't have to be attached to the bathroom fan or the light over the shower itself, so it saves only the power going to the vanity light if all are accidentally left on.

I could go on with some of the cause and effect issues of going green that I don't see as being very effective, and I think that was the same point Sigrid was trying to make. Every thing we do has an effect, and sometimes those affects are actually counter to what the goal originally was. With implementation of something new, also comes the process to get it to market, and we have been 'marketed' to death with great sounding ideas that just don't prove, in the long run, to really be that beneficial. I may not have 'facts & figures", but I do have common sense and the ability think beyond the moment.

Design Alternatives, Inc. I said in my comment that it "should " come naturally not that it does.

Design Alternatives, Inc. I agree with your 6 paragraphs completely

Sierra Jones I was carefully trying to descide how to respond to a comment like Design Alternatives'....it had me outraged and disgusted. I'm glad I held off....VERY well put embracegrace! I need not say anymore!

Adding to the comments about kitchen renos....I work for a large kitchen company/manufacturer. Recently we got together with Habitat for Humanity. Now when you purchase a kitchen from us, Habitat for Humanity will come in remove old kitchen (for donation in one of their houses) , everything including plumbing and light fixtures. I think this is an amazing way to give back to the community, and save a lot of material from hitting the landfill. Also, the clients love it because they don't have to hire a contractor to reno their old kitchen. Then we just come in and install the new one.

These are the steps professionals who really CARE are taking to further positve changes in their business. I would recommend doing adequate research in the professionals you hire to do work for you, there are many who are trying to make a difference, and some who make comments saying you are boring or find it time consuming to care. The choice is yours.

embracegrace Sierra Jones,
Wow! That is a fantastic incentive for your customers! With the popularity of Pinterest, there's such a demand for items to be repurposed and upcycled. I'm seen so many projects with old cabinets and drawers I'd like to do. Kudos!

sugarbeet for gifts: give services. For instance: pay an electrician to place new outlets into giftee's home, offer to paint a room. That way things get done and no stuff gets added to the clutter.

halleycomet @PEGASUS LIGHTING--or anyone else!!!

I have a problem trying to SEE while using the newer "green" bulbs. I have them in several places and HATE them. I can hardly go into my kitchen after dark--and living way up North in the East this means after about 3 PM a lot of winter days--and find it difficult to get any work done as I CAN'T see with the overhead compact twisty lights.

I also hate the thought that there IS mercury in them and NO adequate system is in place to RECYCLE or even DISPOSE of them properly.

Sooo--What IS the answer? I am not sure if the regular old incandescent lights won't be available at ALL after a certain date--THEN what will people like me who can't SEE in low light DO???? Will I need an Rx for LIGHT BULBS????

I must say that we also have three fixtures with the small base "halogen" lights and altho plenty bright they burn out so fast and are so expensive that I am considering REPLACING the fixtures--kitchen overhead main light; ceiling fan and over the range hood--with NEW fixtures that use REGULAR base bulbs! This is surely NOT cutting DOWN on my consumption!

I hate to think that the Govt's and light makers just dreamed this whole light bulb "crisis" up for profit and short term thinking but---I am not seeing a REAL solution here. Thoughts????

victoran It is hard to believe that in less than 100 years our society has gone from reusing, recycling, growing our own food in gardens, having outhouses (compost) and pumping our own water.

I grew up totally "green"....no papertowels, old newspapers for toilet paper, everything we ate we grew including our own animals. We baked our own bread, milked our own cows and bought fabric to sew our own clothes. Made quilts for our beds, and made our own down comforters from the goose feathers.

Amazing how far we have come. Now it is almost impossible to live like I lived as a child.
It was hard work before, but boy did the food taste good! Simple life, enjoyable life!
Furniture was REAL WOOD hand made by my dad.
Cellars kept the food cold. We ate what was in season and shared surplus with neighbors.
Canned fruits and vegetables for the winter.

j0dy Love it! I wish stores would just get rid of paper towels. They are so wastful when cloth towels do just as well. All you have to do is wash them. I hate throwing anything away. I re-use re-purpose recycle everything I possible can. It's just me so it doesn't seem like a lot but at the end of the week I have more recycling than actual garbage.

Skip the paper towels, re use the bag in cereal boxes for whatever; left overs, garbage etc, at least once. Buy the washable covers for left overs instead of using plastic. Don't buy water bottles. Share magazines when you're done with them. Take your own bags to the store. Turn off the water when brushing your teeth. Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Unplug appliances when not in use, Charge your phone only until it's fully charged then take the charger out of the wall. Those are just some of the simple things I do to live a 'greener' life. It makes me feel good to know I'm doing what I can.

It's not a hard thing to do, it's just being more aware.

halleycomet Blaming the entire worlds sad state of affairs on PAPER TOWELS seems to be the latest craze. A lot of paper towels are made of recycled paper; always have been. Certainly the less you can use them the better but sometimes even our Colonial forbears' used some form of "disposable" item like--paper---to get at mess'es that nothing else will take care of. Who really wants to put thru their washer clothes after they were used to clean up dog mess? Kid sick or poo? I am positive that I do NOT want this in my washer dryer and that using a bleach load after washing something like this is just as wasteful in a different way AND adds to the load on my septic.

That is me tho. A lot of people don't ness have the room to store the endless recycling and or re-purposed rags etc that some advise are the "answer". If you use paper towels when NEEDED and not just to mop up those few drops of water from your sink after you have just washed the now CLEAN dishes in said sink--the planet will thank you and you will be being responsible.

Trying to "guilt" people rarely works. Getting people to see HOW this sort of stuff works to make their life better--that does work. Save them time; save them money--this is motivation. Calling them out on paper towels like a religious crusade? Not so much.

Design Alternatives, Inc. Amen! halleycomet.

Sierra Jones I have lived for over 12 years in a household with a hubby, and 5 very active and evergetic boys. I have never purchased paper towels....ever.
IF there is an ' untouchable ' mess such as pet waste or child throw up, a bit of toilet paper is used for pick-up, and then yes, a rag or mop for the rest. But really- how much often does something like this occur? I would wonder what you do with, let's say, a blanet or sheets when they get soiled? Throw it away? It goes in the same hot water cycle, and everything comes out clean. Rags get throughly rinsed out before hitting the washer, so nothing to worry about there.
Sometimes this way of living might require a bit more work, and time, and I understand some people feel their time is more precious than others, so a lot of people will opt for the easiest route, because it doesn't require the same effort.
Guilt is a personal feeling. It usually comes from feeling somewhat responsible for something, and knowing your contribution was not adequate enough. I didn't read one comment that induced guilt on another. I think the fact that so many agree with the author and are proud of THEIR contributions daily, that some might be FEELING guilty, but if you are satisfied with your choices...the quesion is WHO is making you feel guilty?

Fine Art & Portraits by Laurel These are great tips!
I have a lot of microfiber cloths and use each for one day only for cleaning the sink counters, before I let it dry out, then store until wash day. Once every two weeks I soak them in vinegar water, then laundry. and line dry.

Sierra Jones @Victoran: I often think about these times. When communities looked after each other, and depended on each other in their daily living. Imagine how our reliance on government, substities, and welfare would drastically reduce if people cared to invest in their own communities, and help their neighbour.

Carolina Girl We grow a small garden two times a year and have found that it always bears enough to share. After sharing fresh kale, collards, cucumbers, tomatos, egg plant etc. we often find shared items are returned in the form of baked goods, home made items and more. This is the kind of recycling I find most precious.

Sierra Jones I have a neighbour that can't return a plate without putting something homemade on it. The funny thing is, now I do the same, and we are forever trading sweets!

In the Spring we come together and I plant what she doesn't and vice-versa. Between both our gardens, we are well fed all summer, and store the rest to last through the winter as well. It's a good feeling to be able to run to your neighbour for an egg, or a cup of icing sugar when needed. It's something that you don't hear of that often anymore.
We also trade dvd's, books, kids clothes, sports gear, equipment, plants, shoes, toys, baby gear...you name it!

embracegrace Sierra, I want to be your neighbor!

victoran In response to the new curley-cue lights (led?) I totally agree and will NEVER put them in my home. I rarely turn a light on as I live in a "glass house" and only need lights on a no starry or no moon night.
Cars with the new lights are painful to the eyes so I don't drive at night anymore.
When i found out you can't just throw the "new" lights in the trash as they are dangerous, I had another good reason never to buy them.
Add more windows! Go to bed at night and wake up in daylight.
Of course, if you live in the far north that means bed at 4 and get up at 10. Sorry.

bryce9 Take your own shopping bags, refuse plastic.

Sierra Jones @embracegrace: Technically we are.......United States.....and ......Canada! LOL

embracegrace sigh, yes. Does that mean you're willing to bring your extra garden goodness to me here in Ohio? I'd love to learn to grow my own veggies!

Carolina Girl embracegrace - If you have a flower bed convert it to a veggie garden. We did and you will be surprized how much you can grow in a small space. Also consider container gardening on your deck it is a great way to grow fresh veggies. Once you get started you will be hooked on the flavors and freshness. There is nothing like making a salad by walking out your door and gathering everything you need except the dressing and if your into herb gardening that can be done also. Always compost any parings you have from your veggies to put back into the soil. It just doesn't get any better than this.

Susan Mills Design Great discussion, love the ideas and love that we are treating this planet like we have nowhere else to go if we ruin it! My son and his significant other just rescued a kitten that had one of those plastic six pack rings embedded into its neck and front leg, it showed up at their home and the thing was so badly embedded they could not cut it away, it took a vet to clean up that mess. If we all could take a second to cut those awful things into pieces before we dispose/recycle we could prevent this from happening. Thanks!

Carolina Girl Susan Mills - Thank you for your six pack suggestion. We live on the lake and the same thing happens to fish. It is a horrible site to see such helpless creatures suffer or worse die from the lazyness of humans who are supposed to be smarter than that.

Sigrid @ Sierra

What is this, but a comment designed to make me feel guilty for not doing enough? "And if you are that concernced about your idling car, and gas, make the most EFFECTIVE decision, buy a hybrid. That is the most effective solution compared to anything else you may have done."

You trumpet the fact that you've never bought paper towels, while admitting you clean up disgusting messes with single-use paper products, going on to express denigrating wonder at people who made other choices.

Nothing will turn people off the green movement faster than splitting hairs over whether it's better to clean up dog-sick with toilet paper or paper towels.

sclawson I don't like green tips that cost me more $$, but these are good, reasonable ideas that also help you conserve your cash. I rediscovered the library years ago as a great place to find not only books, but also DVDs--for free! If your library doesn't have the book you want, don't BUY it. Check their website or ask if they belong to the Inter-Library Loan service. Chances are they can get the book for you for no fee, or a small fee. I've used this service in doing research for work and got on loan out-of-print books selling for hundreds of dollars on internet sites. The only time I ever had to pay a fee was for some old newspaper microfilm files from another state. Cloth napkins are also a great waste-saver and make dinnertime feel more special. But get ones you don't have to iron. I buy mine from wedding supply sites. The napkins are inexpensive, stain resistant, permanent press and durable.

margaret8000 My grandmother had a cupboard in her kitchen just for re-usable materials. She saved rubber bands on an empty toilet paper holder. Plastic Wonder Bread bags. The nice heavy paper that retailers wrap around merchandise (e.g.Pottery Barn). String. Wrapping paper. etc. And it would all get used. It's a mindset. And she would never use disposable product to clean a mess. That's what mops were for. Waste is a recent phenomenon. We can change back easily! P.S: It saves money.

Sierra Jones @embracegrace: I'd say I will ship some down to you....but that defeats the purpose we are so passionately fighting for...LOL.

You would be surprised how easy a garden can be. My best advice (if you can) would be to raise the garden at least 1...even 2 feet off the ground. This really helps with drainage, and pests. Start simple....green onions are easy, carrots...etc...

Good Luck!

Sierra Jones Personally I don't feel that green is a ' movement ' as much as it is a lifestyle choice. And when you make a choice to be conscious and live this way, it is a passion fueled by the ability to take control of ones life to change their way of thinking. This is not jumping on a band wagon, because others are doing the same. I make daily choices that I feel good about, because I know (even if small) I am making a positive impact in my community.
If one can be so easily swayed, or 'turned off', they were obviously not really passionate in the first place.

Patricia W. We made conscious choices when renovating our house. Instead of putting in a new wooden floor we decided to sand and varnish the old floor to not waste the material. We painted our kitchen cabinets and put modern handles on the doors and drawers. We removed the tiles in the kitchen and dining room because we saw that there was a layer of nice clay coloured tiles underneath which also saved us replacing the cracked and unpractical white tiles on top by new ones.
We stripped the staircase and sanded it down. Instead of replacing it. Old doors, windows and heatings, ect we put outside our house for others to grab. They were taken in no time by scrap guys and individuals who wanted to reuse them. Everything that we painted or varnished in our house was done with environmental friendly products.
Of course from a selling our house point of view it could be more profitable to just have new, new, new but I am the type of person with whom it does not sit right to throw out something that still does the job just fine.
Our roof top we will be partially using as a vegetable garden this year and I also want to start a compost without attracting too many rodents as we live in the middle of the city. I will have to be creative to keep off our very persistent city squirrels.

whitewolf54 I shop at Goodwill when I change sizes, and keep special memory items to use in quilts. Any clothes I do not use I pass on to those who can use them. I reuse water bottles and fill with bulk clean water and add flavorings, and refrigerate. I buy food items with minimal packaging and not individual packages. I can or freeze when I can. Lots of little things add up. I only wash in cold unless absolutely necessary and do not use dryer sheets. In my dryer I use dryer balls to fluff and magnets on the sides of the dryer to reduce static. I also hang as much of my clothes as I can as I love the smell of breezes and sun especially in my sheets..

Susan Mills Design I like my kitchen window herb garden, saves me buying herbs in those little hard plastic cases!

halleycomet Wow I guess I have to re-set my alarm clock to get me up at 10 AM because that is apparently the time the sun rises here in the North--and I now have to go to BED at 4 PM in the afternoon. Just HOW I am going to manage to convince others in my world--like oh I dunno--employers etc to accomodate this --maybe the poster of that suggestion can call 'em FOR me and explain. Seriously--get real here! No one is going to start "going to bed when it gets dark" unless they live without ANY contact with the outside world---even the many farmers I know who live right here in the far North don't do this. They have to arrange THEIR sched around the bulk truck and the COWS and the school bus and many other things. And no we can't all home school.

I asked my husband--who worked for more years than he would like to remember in the recycled paper industry for MARCAL and CROWN ZELLERBACH---- if there is a difference in the amount of energy and water and paper pulp needed to make PAPER TOWELS and TOILET PAPER. To which--after he got done laughing--he replied that it takes EXACTLY the SAME amount of all of these things to make a pound of paper towel as it does to make a pound of toilet paper.

Now please---do NOT start to tell me just exactly WHAT you are substituting for TOILET PAPER. I just do NOT want to KNOW.

As far as what I do if a blanket or other household item gets soiled from a pet or child or anyone being sick---well FIRST I get off as MUCH as I can of the evidence. And yes sometimes that DOES involve paper towels. Depending on the size and density of the item I use a bucket or large plastic or metal container and soak or agitate the item and rinse...now since I do live in the country I already use "friendly" laundry products as we have a septic. So this can go down a slop sink or or toilet or for that matter it could go out in the yard just not on the veggies. Just exactly as if it were a cloth diaper. Then the item gets rinsed until I AM comfortable with it going into the washer. If this is a large item then after being "treated" it goes to the commercial washer at the laundry mat. The night that all THREE kids came in and puked one after the other on my freshly changed bed--just as soon as I changed it!!!---that was the "True Test" of Mom's system. And a reminder that not owning more than 3 sheet sets might be a problem sometimes.

I am still pretty sure that the judicious use of a few paper towels is not going to send us to hell in a handbasket faster than say not finding a place to store our nuclear waste. And a way to dispose of all of these "energy saving" lightbulbs that you CAN'T reuse recycle or regift.

I am as concerned as anyone and perhaps more concerned than some about our planets fate. I have spent a fair amount of time energy and money fighting to NOT have several ash landfills (toxic ash from garbage burning plants) built here on our farmland. I fought and won a fight to NOT have a radioactive waste dump built here on our farmland. Ditto "deep well injection" of chemicals disposal--all of which have been proposed for some of the best farmland on the planet. I have also fought a battle to NOT dredge PCB's from the bottom of the Hudson until we have a viable PLAN to take CARE of them--not dry 'em out and ship them as POWDER to some friend of George Bush's ranch in TEXAS.

Next time you drink a glass of milk--and if you can get it where you live BATTENKILL FARMS MILK AND ICE CREAM is the BEST---organic or not---or have some of our wonderful FLYING PIGS pork=-=-or THREE CORNER FIELDS FARM LAMB----well---then please say a small thank you to the people who live here and who work so hard to KEEP these places clean and uncontaminated. Oh and lets not leave out the Maple Syrup producers who are working around the clock to being you bottled sunshine.

Google up WASHINGTON COUNTY NY and see where chances are some of YOUR food might just come from.









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orangecamera Serious question: If we stop using/getting plastic grocery bags, what is a more "green" solution when cleaning/scooping out the cat box?

And....anyone know how much less electricity is used if you lower the brightness level of a computer monitor?

Sigrid Ah! But Halley, if you're still using toilet paper, you just can't possibly be passionate about saving the planet! Come on, put the earthy back into earthy-crunchy!

halleycomet @SIGRID--Pretty sure corn cobs and the Sears Catalog hung on a nail in the outhouse--attractive as they might appear--are a bit outdated. Corn cobs are now recycled as either cow food or stove fuel and the Sears Catalog shows up on my Laptop===something ELSE I am pretty sure is not septic tank compatible.

Seriously there ARE threads out there--one is TAWRA KELLEMS blog--that advocate for "other" substances other than TOILET PAPER. Some of the discussion is--pretty gross. But--these women are sincere. Smelly--but sincere.

I DO find it--interesting--that almost no one--these few women aside---is advocating NOT USING TOILET PAPER. Now I am not stupid and I do realize that there is a huge difference between personal hygiene needs and the wiping up of Kool Ade spills by small fry or draining your chicken parm grease. But---very little is heard about us raping the planet to supply the world with toilet paper. And very little is heard about--alternatives to this. The bidet---if one could get acceptance of this in the US and other parts of the world--never really caught on. And in some parts of the planet there is simply no water resources for this--and I am pretty sure you still need to "dry off" and that "drip dry" just won't DO.

And as I mentioned--it takes exactly the SAME amount of "resources" to make a pound of paper towels as toilet paper!

So---lets find some OTHER substance to demonize. I will give you a few "For starters"--Nuclear waste. Actually--properly designed and built nuclear COULD solve a LOT of our problems. But---another demonized substance. Toxic waste. Mercury. PCB's. Using trucks instead of trains to ship goods long distances. Failure to support the canal systems for transport in this (and other) countries--we HAVE them; why are we not USING them? Fracking--now THERE is something to get riled up about. IF you have traveled in the American South or South East--or even here in NY!--recently you would be astonished at the number of fracking operations either on-line or going forwards towards production. And--this "natural gas" will be coming soon to a pipe line near YOU! It might NOT be YOUR water that is contaminated--but by buying that natural gas or other fracking products YOU will be contributing to the problem and the demand. How about COAL? Where DO you think that power comes from when you flip that light switch? Oh wait---I forgot--we are no longer ALLOWED to have any electric lights on between--what was it---4 PM and 10 AM?

Should I go on?

Susan Mills Design Well here we go, a way to cut down to one sheet per visit...http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/apr/28/satino-black-toilet-paper

Must watch video to be able to master this tequnique!

halleycomet Seriously @SUSAN MILLS? We now need to--watch a VIDEO to learn how to use--TOILET PAPER? I am pretty sure you could call anyones mother for an update on toilet training. I . have to say--the very thought is--bizarre in the extreme.

But hey what do I know....maybe what the world is waiting for IS a video on how adults (and kiddies) can learn how to use toilet paper. Bath Room Porn is what comes to my mind! And not in a good porn sorta way neither!

Sigrid Halley--
Which just brings me back to my original point that without any data or metrics telling us where our environmental efforts will be most effective, you end up with sincere, TP-eschewing, enviro-fundamentalists discussing what to use when their supply of corn cobs run out while fracking runs rampant.

Did you know Dick Cheney got a piece of legislation passed that exempts fracking from a lot of environmental regulations? I think it was part of the Republican plan for energy independence. I guess they didn't have much faith in their own efforts to reshape the Middle East, despite "Mission Accomplished" in the war was supposed to take 2 weeks to topple Saddam Hussein and turn Iraq into a stable, peaceful, pro-American democracy.

Susan Mills Design Here you go, this website makes it pretty clear how we can make more informed decisions regarding our paper consumption. http://www.nrdc.org/land/forests/gtissue.asp

trail6 I just had to comment on this subject. There are so many different opinions going on at one place. Just like starting off with a few ways to improve and sustain our environment and to it becoming "its just the way I live my life", is the same as paying it forward. Just one act of kindness starts a ripple effect that changes the vibration of the planet. I have a huge issue with some of the "factual science" found in western society. To be fully informed you have to go further to see who promotes the research. I used to be a food safety and security inspector for a gourmet food company. If you only knew what food turns into after its code expires it wouldn't be a pretty sight. When you support local, fair trade, and organic, the differences you make and jobs you sustain helps the economy. You should be eating by the seasonal cycles anyway and not, "because I can". Then there are GMO's. By making the efforts and changes to improve your quality of your life causes the ripple effects. Why is the word organic and environmental such a bad taste in some peoples vocabulary. If some of you are so fixated on science and numbers and facts, why don't you start off with global warming, the depletion of our oceans, clear cutting our forest, forcing indiginous people out of their habitats, "clean coal", toxic dumping. Plenty of science and numbers and factual imformation there to start off with.

halleycomet @TRAIL6--

If we tried eating "locally" along with the seasons up here near Canada on the NY border---we would pretty much starve for most of the year. In fact right about now---we would be limited to--maple syrup. Now--much as I LOVE maple syrup I am pretty sure it cannot sustain life by itself for very long and as a diabetic I am pretty sure I wouldn't last long on only---maple syrup.

For the rest of the year---well we think of SPRING as the time to PLANT gardens--around here during the spring it USED to be called the STARVING or DYING TIME as there WERE no crops to be planted in mud season--the seeds or slips would just rot--and the grain and other produce stored thru the winter would be at their very end and way past what possibly we would call today their "Sell by date". Salted meats would be available if not used up but by this time---esp in a warm winter like we have had the past couple of years--they would be rancid. The livestock would be pretty thin and you would have butchered out your overage in the fall. Potatoes and apples and cabbage all would be at their very last edible stage even as preserved in kraut etc. Now I am not saying that there would be no food but it would be sparse and grain etc would be getting to the end of the "fresh" stage as wheat and corn etc will go rancid if ground too early and stored and if stored as whole grains it can also go bad or become infested. Cows would probably not be in milk as they need to calf before they have an adequate milk supply. Chickens etc would be saved to lay the eggs they would hatch for the renewal of the flock. Eggs would have been laid by in "Water Glass"--a sort of gelatine concoction --in crocks but even those by now would be suspect if there were any left.

The FIRST actual crops would not be available to harvest til about JUNE. Meanwhile yes the people would be gathering local herbs and roots and hunting--but in this day and age this lifestyle is a bit hard to maintain. Not impossible--just takes ALL of your time to collect enough food--calories--to survive. Your ancestors and mine had to spend MOST of their time gathering and preparing and storing their calories to just SURVIVE. Which--up until the past few hundred years--consumed every waking moment --what "spare" time they had went into making weapons and shelter and covering their bodies and their beds. Probably the beginnings of "society" as we know it began when one person traded their haunch of buffalo for a stone tool knapped out by firelight--oh and someone had to go gather that fire wood too! Try keeping a modern wood stove burning thru all temps and weathers for a season or two to appreciate the merest moment of our ancestors lives. And dodging the wildlife too!

Every age has its challenges--we have just made ours that much more diverse and deadly.

Sigrid @Trail
My pitch was for well researched numbers, not fluff designed to get you to buy whatever the "researcher" is selling.

I feel like a lot of the ideas here are like a bunch of dieting tips without any calorie count. Advice like, Don't eat big hunks of cheesecake every day and avoid snacks, like air-popped popcorn or train for a marathon on the same list of exercise ideas as do a downward facing dog for one minute every day. When they're all on the same list and you don't know the difference, it's easy to eat the cheesecake, while telling yourself that your few minutes of yoga have an impact. With the planet, no tight waistbands will tell you you're not doing enough.

I second Halley on the seasonal thing. Here, there's a syndrome called "Spring avitaminsis" it's vitamin deficiencies found in spring when stored food is aging. Given that it's -10C out, it's going to be some time before local fresh food arrives in the farmers' markets.

I have no problems with supporting local farmers for the economy or other reasons. I certainly shop at my town's farmstand and the local farmers' markets. What I'm objecting to is thinking, with no evidence, that this is local means fewer food miles. If your farmers' market is further than your grocery store, the total farm-to-door food miles traveled per item of produce may be higher. (Note I said "may" this depends on the what distance people travel to their grocery stores or farmers' markets and the distance the produce travels to the store/market).

If the farmers' market farmers don't use chemicals, fine. But I think a lot of people assume farmers for the farmers market have better practices that commercial farmers without ever finding out if that is true. No farmer is going to announce, "we're no better than anyone else," when their customers think they are.

All I want is for people to have good information to make their choices.

And while I support efforts to preserve the Brazilian or Indonesian rainforests and fairness for the indigenous peoples there, I do have a bit of a problem with the concept of focusing my environmental efforts on getting some people on another continent to do what I think is best, instead of changing what I can change in my own life.

halleycomet AM I correct in remembering the odd comments made by certain "Green" parties--not the political ones--when WALMART said that they were going to introduce more local and organic foods? And some people actually got UPSET at this as it might mean that THEY would be "Shut out" of getting all that exclusive and extremely expensive "organic" food and grains etc? Talk about egocentric!!!!!! I forget all the "arguments" over this but I DO remember laughing til my sides hurt.

I kinda had to wonder if these were in reality "plants" from the chemical companies writing in faked protest to object to the poor shoppers of Walmart being favored with organic splotchy produce while they--what--starved?

Don't get me wrong I am ALL in favor of organic or very low chem harvests. I just wonder if we can support this with the size of agriculture as it is today without breaking the 'lock" Big Agro Chems have on things both at the seed end and the fertilizer and weed end of things. When I drive by field after field of corn--grown here as cow feed mostly--and see the little signs the seed co's place to tell everyone which seed was used and I see the SAME numbers mile after mile for many DIFFERENT farmers fields--is it because that particular seed grows the BEST here? Or it was the "Special" at the Coop that spring? OR the seed co decided to "push" it that season? Hard to tell. But kinda scary.

Just recently there was an article about how the "Ur Plant" for maize (corn) was finally located in South America and how DIFFERENT that plant is from the "modern" corn plant of oh the past million years! And as far as science can tell ALL of these changes were brought about by SELECTIVE GROWING by humans. Kinda makes you think about this in a whole different light. The plant bears virtually NO relationship to any corn as we think of it. Spooky.

trail6 Wow!!! halleycommet, It appears that you took what I said and the points I was making, out of context. It seems to me you couldn't see past anything I said, except for your reply. Of course common sense would come into play and dictate that you wouldn't go to your extremes and do what you're suggesting. Did you happen to see where I suggested in making an effort and changes for yourself as part of my thread. If you're in an area that might not support one environment over another due to logistics, that's when your food source, in this case, as your option, be as healthy and organic as you can find. I understand about living where you are. For several years I lived in the upper North Western corner of the Olympics in WA State. Google La Push, WA and see for yourself. They are the same trees as BC, just the San Juans seperate them. Because I had to adjust for that enviro, I did my best to keep my body as pure and organic as possible. That's where your effort comes in.

halleycomet @TRAIL6---Please don't think I mean to slam you. I do find it hard when others preach to me or anyone ELSE on how we ought to live in any certain way. And I merely meant to point out that here--near the CANADIAN BORDER---in the EXTREME NORTH EAST of the US--it is very hard to find and procure "local and organic" produce for oh about 9 MONTHS out of the year. I might have made a more pointed case of this than needed at this moment but the realities are: without "imported" food from somewhere people here would starve. And many DID just that over the course of time.

In fact: IN my town we don't HAVE a grocery store. Haven't had one since the last one fell down about 10 years ago now. So we have to DRIVE--the horror!!!--at least 20 MILES one way to get more than a quart of milk. So of course we "bundle" our shopping. But we still have to use a car to GET THERE. Now---could I MOVE? Well yes I could--but that would just leave the problem for whoever bought my house. And anyone ELSE who lives in this lovely but rural area. AS for jobs: unless you are a farmer--and most are sadly VERY poorly paid--you have to commute to your job at least an hour ONE WAY drive from here to one of the three bigger towns.

Oh--and those local potatoes that the Washington/Oregon area is so famous for??

MY county grows the "seed potatoes" for ya. Whereupon they are trucked across the ENTIRE country to be planted and harvested. This is called TRADE by the way and is pretty much the basis of civilization.

Where MY effort comes in is: Keeping my family fed clothed and warm. However that is accomplished is my choice. If that means "Local and organic" and keeping our bodies "Pure"---well that's all fine n good but seriously not very likely.

I am not here to tell ANYONE what to do or not to do. I am explaining some of the realities of living in certain places that might not have easy access to the food that might be the purest and "best". If we lived in NYC we would be said to live in a "Food desert"! However--our area puts out a tremendous volume of dairy products; apples; wine; potatoes; maple syrup and various meats, cheeses and breads. Most of which the LOCAL people cannot AFFORD to purchase. When a lamb chop-ONE lamb chop!!!!--costs upwards of $10 EACH---no one I know can afford to eat that. Pork at something like $19 a POUND? Really? And up. Can YOU afford this? So the local food leaves and goes to---Boston . And NYC. And further. Not all of it but--there are MORE WASHINGTON COUNTY NY farmers at the NYC green markets than there are represented at the LOCAL Farmers Markets. And the people who BUY at those green markets THINK they are eating the Locavore Lifestyle!!!!

Pretty sad isn't it.

Susan Mills Design @halley, it was very to tongue in cheek, we are allowed to have a bit of fun with our greenselves.

orangecamera On vacation in Hawaii, I was saddened that most of the fruits grown there are exported. The pineapples, mangoes, papaya and bananas at most of the markets are from places far from Hawaii (well...everywhere is far from Hawaii). I've only found locally grown produce at roadside stands and farmers markets. From what I understand, farmers markets are a somewhat recent phenomenon. I hope visitors to Hawaii, as well as residents, make a real effort to eat locally grown produce - for environmental reasons, but (IMO more importantly) to help support the local farmers.

trail6 sigrid, with getting research for facts, all I meant was that by knowing who is really behind the fundung and who and what is behind the motivation for the study. Its like someone saying I watch Fox News for my news and I believe everything they say is true. Actually, by doing a few minutes of yoga asanas does have an impact on you. The release of endorphins is very benefical to your immune system, it elevates your mood, and settles and calms your mind. If more people practiced yoga, their bodies would be much healthier. What I was trying to allude to was a very simple thing...by eating for the seasons and not from another country "because I can". That's why its important for food to be labeled for country of origin. Where I live now is very rural and this means that I really have to search out to find the things I want for myself. That means I have to use Wal Mart for the bulk of my food shopping which is unfortunate. Given that I support local. It takes me awhile, but I'm able to suprisingly find products like no GMO's, gluten free, no partially hydrogenated products, organic products,almond milk, organic juices and teas, vegan, organic grains. The more its requested, the more it will be made accessible and the price will go down. What I don't get is people that "wear" organic as fashion or someone that wears yoga clothes and thinks that plank is a wooden board. I know, because I lived in OC, next to Laguna Beach, CA for many years. Its all about the ego. Some people think that when things like organics are offered to everyone, then their status and entitlement is diminished. I've read the studies and stats about the impacts on transportation, farm to market, etc... vs the alternatives so I understand where you are coming from and agree with you. I didn't mean to come across being difficult. As for Fair Trade, any time I can support something that hasn't been mass produced, non toxic, a product that's made by hand, I'm all for it. As far as seeds and growing goes, some people are so conditioned to the notion that what they buuy has to look perfect, or its not eatable. So many of our different varieties have been lost because of "corporate farming". That's why the heriloom seed gathering is so important to keep alive. How many varities of just apples are gone. As far as corn goes, so much of the food we eat and our animals eat is really harmful. By taking your position of focusing on only your environment locally and not globally is going down the wrong road and shows a lack of understanding and compassion for those people directly impacted on a local, environmental, and sustainable level. Most of the time you're dealing with third world countries. Because of our needs for more and more consumption of "things" we prey on people that can't defend their areas. By cutting down the South American Rain Forest so we can grow beef for fast food - food, it causes once dormant virus spores to become active again, soil errosion, indeginous tribes pushed out of their habitats, animal species decimated, soil, air, and water pollution. By supporting Fair Trade each time it does make a difference. If the incentive for the farmers that grow the drugs the US and other countries consume was seriously replaced with more global demand for other options that would help. By supporting globally in places where wars have left women with few options and the only way they can sustain themselves and their families are with micro loans for a basic life it helps on a global level within the international community. Starting at a grassroots level starts to dimminish their need for foreign aid. When you start changing your dynamics of thinking of only what you can see in front of you and extend the thinking further, you can begin to understand the importence for it. When you're mindset starts combining global and local together, you start understanding the benefits of doing both.

trail6 halleycomet, I didn't think you were slamming me. I totally hear you. I'm in Southern Louisiana. Acadian's. From your gene pool. I'm in an area very similar to yours. 10 miles to the nearest town. Farm land all around. The cost of food being out of reach along with everything else is relateable. As far as all of the "Green" talk which is now everywhere you look takes away from its organic roots. Too much confusing, conflicting information pulling at you from all sides. My main pet peeve with the whole thing, are what seems like a scripted sets of rules. Don't color outside the box. That's why I previously said that by paying it forward and doing one act of selfless kindness towards someone else starts a vibrational ripple effect. Going that route instead of trying to save the world has a greater impact. Being green or organic comes in many forms. Living in a rural area is organic in itself. Different air, different noise pollution levels, attitudes of country vs city people, natural settings, levels of light pollution in your sky. By virture, when you green your life, its not about the this or that. Most of what presents itself is usually media and marketing driven. To promote an illusion of "do this". That's why you do your best with what's in front of you and that's it. Then there is the "Trade" issue that really is such a bad thing altogether. What that caused was an upside shift within itself. Which, in turn, has hurt the environment and contributed to global warming.

tricreek Thanks for sharing all this great information. We do most of these in our household already. I wish more people would too. Hopefully, the more people are educated, the more they will make a change in their habits. We CAN make a difference!

kathyjjudd if you insist on purified water, boil some tap water in the am, and drink that through out the day. Keep a pitcher on the counter or in the fridge. That's what my Grandpa did! :0)

In & Out Design We keep a separate garbage can in the bathroom for plastic cups, empty shampoo and body wash bottle, etc. Then we put them in the recycling bin. I know it's not as good as not using plastic cups but we need them to prevent spreading germs.

frenchdecor Great tips. I am environmentalist and do all mentioned in the article things and more. I got rid of my driver license, as it was too tempting to use it (we have one car in household) and don't have even a cell phone. We drink tap water (fill glass jar before going to bed, chlorine will dissipate over night), I very rarely buy beverages, make lemonade with tap water, sugar, lemon or make syrup from boiled fruits and berries with sugar. Planted fruit and berries and grow veggies, herbs in my backyard. Never! buy garbage bags, have a small bin and use store bags.
I am sure people don't really need statistics or scientific researches, proofs...to reduce waste, we are not dummier than our ancestors who were not highly educated yet were not so wasteful. Just a bit analyze life before high tech age, some 50 years ago, and use common sense, don't be mentally and physically lazy and you do favor to yourself and environment.

xlei I need to stop reading all your comments because I'm reading and liking all when I know I have other things to do! lol. I think this article was a very good idea and I think you all made great points! Here in Barbados there isn't a recycling pick up, there is one recycling plants but it only takes certain things, we don't have a plant for paper, aluminum, stuff like that and I think we here in the Caribbean need to be more green, unfortunately not many people think about that when they throw stuff out their windows because they don't think it affects them! I think we all need to be more conscious of this stuff since we live on this lil' rock(my island/country), these little pile of rocks(collection of the C'bean islands) and this great big mountain(the Earth) together!

quantumnerd I have a few tips and I really enjoyed reading the tips in the article. First I use shredded paper from the paper shredder to make Easter baskets, I take the shredded paper and used flour and water to make a glue (although if you want it for long term reasons I would use white glue and water) but I didn't have glue, and I was just experimenting. I dipped the shreds into the paste and then flipped a good size bowl over and laid plastic wrap on it and tucked it under the bowl to secure it, then put the shreds onto the bowl, till there were no holes showing. Although you can use bigger strips of paper (and also I used brownish and white junk mail) and leave some gaps, the overall effect is that of a bird nest. (which is really cute when you put the eggs in it) Turned out really nice after it dried (24 hours or so, sometimes sooner depending on the weather) If little peices of red paper or blue are in it also it makes it look like a real bird nest. :)