I'm dreaming of a "Green" Christmas!

Following last weekends "Black Friday" sales I am compelled to discuss the most wasteful holiday of the year... Christmas!!! Christmas's message of love and kindness has been overshadowed by overindulgence and greed. Individuals nation wide rise at ungodly hours to stand in line and buy cartloads of items that they most likely do not need. And all because prices are drastically slashed.  Can someone say MATERIALISTIC!

Take some time and think of all the waste that is produced during the holiday season... it's frightening really.  Besides the fact that most of the presents we give and receive are unneeded.  We place each present in a box that we then wrap in pretty papers or shove into gift bags.  In a matter of seconds these presents are ripped open and the festive papers are instantly discarded.  In the height of all this Christmas excitement, wrapping paper finds it's way to the trash can, not the recycling bin.

This year my family and I will be incorporating as many ecological practices as we can into the Christmas season. The idea began when I vowed to buy only green gifts. We have also decided collectively to bypass holiday wrapping paper.  Instead we will be wrapping all of our presents with outdated newspapers and recycled material.

Plastic Bottles

This past week as I walked through Eau Claire's campus mall I came across a group of three shivering girls. This trio withstood the cold Wisconsin temperatures to take a stand against the use of plastic water bottles. With clip boards in hand they asked for student and faculty signatures, to petition a ban on the distribution of plastic water bottles on campus..... I readily signed.

I commend these three girls and whomever else was behind this call for change.  I find the use of plastic water bottles to be uncomprehending.  I cannot fathom why any individual would waste their time and money, buying disposable water bottles when they could spend a mere10 dollars on a reusable, environmentally friendly, water bottle.

Plastic Statistics

• Nearly 8 out of every 10 water bottles will end up in a landfill

• The production of plastics is estimated to account for 4 percent of the energy consumption in the US

• Less than 1 percent of plastics are recycled

Read more plastic facts at Earth911

Organic

HallowGREEN

Halloween is right around the corner and I can't wait.  It is, hands down, my favorite holiday. From transforming my house into a creepy lair to dressing up in odd costumes I love every part of this spooktactular holiday.... well almost every part.  Halloween, although amazing, is not very economical. However it is possible for you to green your Halloween by making a few simple alterations to your holiday traditions.  Consider how you could incorporate the three R's (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) this October 31 and enjoy the new and improved eco-friendly, earth-friendly celebration....

Just a few SCARY statistics

• According to recycleworks.org we produce 25% more household waste during the period from Halloween to New Years than any other time of the year. This turns about to be about 1 million additional tons of garbage to our landfills each week during the holidays. -YIKES!
• Over 6,000 synthetic chemicals are used in the processed-food industry.- Eat up kids
• In the United States, during the halloween season we use, on average, 998 million pounds of pumpkins 

Check out these green websites for some great Halloween ideas
Green Your Halloween
Eco Halloween Etiquette
Green Costume Ideas
Eeeeek-o-friendly

Use your brain... and your legs

Why drive when you can bike... Biking is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and your waistline.  It's almost too easy to jump in your car and drive to work or to run and errands. But riding your bike has tons of benefits. I ride my bike as often as possible and I do this for many reasons.  Riding bike is more efficient than driving because the time you lose in mph you gain in finding parking.  Also, you get to experience the outdoors!  I love the feel of the wind against my face. atching the scenery fly by me gives me an immense sense of freedom. 

Check it out!!
*60 Benefits of Bike Commuting

Compost!

Compost is organic material that is created by combining organic wastes such as grass clippings, food scraps and manure.  It is a safe and easy practice and is beneficial to the environment.  So... compost away!

Compost Leads to Nutrient-Rich Soils

Compost can lead to the regeneration of poor soils.  The process of composting produces beneficial micro-organisms that break down organic matter.  The end result of the composting process is humus, a nutrient-rich material.  Humus is proven to raise the nutrient content and aid in the retention of moisture in soils. As found on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website, "Compost has also been shown to suppress plant diseases and pests, reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers, and promote higher yields of agricultural crops."  

Compost Cleans Contaminated Soil

The process of composting has been proven to absorb certain odors and treat volatile organic compounds (VOC's). It prevents heavy metals from one contaminating water source and two, being absorbed by foliage.  Also, according to the EPA, "The compost process degrades and, in some cases, completely eliminates wood preservatives, pesticides and both chlorinated and non chlorinated hydrocarbons in contaminated soils."

Compost Prevent Pollution

Taking part in the composting process will decrease the amount of garbage you attain.  It is amazing how much organic material we dispose of on a regular basis. Besides decreasing your at home waste, keeping organic material out of landfills aids in the avoidance of producing methane and leachate.  As far as pollutants go, compost is able to prevent storm water runoff from reaching water sources and works to prevent erosion.

  

*I found this list on the EPA website. It consists of some of the great things that can be credited to the composting process.


Did You Know That Compost Can...

• Suppress plant diseases and pests.
• Reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers.
• Promote higher yields of agricultural crops.
• Facilitate reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization efforts by amending contaminated, compacted, and marginal soils.
• Cost-effectively cleans soils contaminated by hazardous waste.
• Remove solids, oil, grease, and heavy metals from storm water runoff.
• Capture and destroy 99.6 percent of industrial volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in contaminated air.
• Provide cost savings of at least 50 percent over conventional soil, water, and air pollution remediation technologies, where applicable.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has tons of great information about composting, including what materials are safe to use and what to steer clear of.
*Click here to check out this awesome website :)

Trash Trash Trash

The population of the United States is made up at large by consumers.  We buy buy buy, but give no thought as to where it will end up when the newest item becomes outdated.  We toss items without even bothering to consider if they could be recycled, reused or donated.  America needs to open their eyes to the damage that is already occurring and the repercussions of our carelessness that will continue to effect us in the coming times.  I recently read an article on the Natural News website discussing the lack of room in landfills.  The article provides a disturbing account of the state our environment  is currently in.  The article states:

"A lump of trash is floating in the water near the North Pole twice the size of France; it's about 33 feet deep.  Landfills around the world are overloaded.  "First world" trash is shipped to "third world" countries and people living near the dump sites are getting sick.  Even our healthy foods have become nutrient depleted because of improperly cared for soils, and all while literally millions of pounds of pesticides are dumped onto the land daily."                                                 

To read more of this article, click here!

There is not much we can do now other than begin changing our ways.  A few (of the many) things  that we can do to decrease the amount of garbage we create are:

• Compost
• Buy used, NOT new
• Garden
• Donate used goods
• Repair and refinish furniture
• RECYCLE!
• Print on both sides of paper
• Use reusable coffee mugs and water bottles

*Check out more ways to reduce by clicking here

Disappearing Ground Water

The Environmental News Network (ENN) recently issued an article discussing the disappearance of ground water. Unfortunately, due to the careless use of water, the world's aquifers are being used faster than they can be replenished. In fact, the current rate of depletion has more than doubled since the 1960's. So what is causing this growing problem? A majority of the blame can be traced to agricultural irrigation which, accounts for 70 to 80 percent of groundwater usage.  However, the rest of the blame can be linked to professional and recreational water usages.

Even though agriculture is responsible for this disappearance of water, there seems to be little movement to change irrigation practices.  Until the day comes that these farming corporations begin to change their ways, we, as individuals can do our part to practice water saving techniques.  In the United States, we take well water for granted.  It is always on hand and always has been.  However few of us realize how much water we waste during an average day. There are a number of quick changes and alterations that we can administer to do our part in saving the world's water sources.  

Do Your Part! Conserve Water Usage.

• Check your faucets and pipes of leaks.  Depending on the size, a leak can waste from 20 to 200+ of gallons of water per day.
• Install water-saving shower heads and toilets, as well as low-flow faucet aerators. Water-saving appliances are inexpensive, easy to install and save you money in the long run :)
• Place plastic bottles or float booster in the tank of your toilet. This simple practice lowers the amount of water used per flush and can save 10+ gallons of water per day.
• Insulate your water pipes
• Take shorter showers (a four-minute shower uses approximately 20 -40 gallons of water)
• Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush
• Rinse your razor in the sink instead of under a running faucet
• Load your dishwasher and washing machine to full capacity
• Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the fridge then it will be nice and cold when you need it and you won't have to waste tap water while waiting for it to get cold.

Click here to view this ENN article.

Support Local Farmers

Every Saturday a large crowd gathers at the local farmers market and while each individual holds their own reasons for perusing the isles, I attend the farmers market for the following reasons.  The sense of community as well as the vibrant colors of various produce radiates natural beauty, the market celebrates and influences support for local growers and buying locally grown food is good for the environment.  

I find myself to be a very observant person and the differentiation among those who attend the farmers market never ceases to amaze me.  This Saturday morning crowd, made up of people from all walks of life, radiates the feeling of a close-knit community. Walking among this seemingly ginormous family, the customers take-in a truly picturesque scenery. Vendors use their products to capture the true beauty of what nature has to offer.  Products are arranged in heaping piles that cause me to become instantly captivated.

Besides the scenery, shopping at the farmers market is a great and easy way to support local farmers.  The country is seeing a steady decrease in the amount of family owned farms.  Large corporations are taking away business and causing smaller operations to go under.  Attending the farmers market is no more difficult than going to a grocery store but the affecting outcome is much greater.

When I go to the farmers market I never leave empty handed.  Each week as I make the short three block trek back to my home I notice that my canvas bag is a little heavier than the time before and my conscious is a much lighter.   

Paper or Plastic? How about Neither?

Paper or Plastic?  This seemingly, simple inquiry is intended to provide grocers with their preference of bag, used to transport their merchandise.  The decision is usually easy as retailers and customers alike find the strong, lightweight design of a plastic bag to be ideal for carrying a variety of different products.  However, asking for the customer’s bagging preference turns out to be more of a loaded question than one might expect.  Plastic bags are harmful to the environment.  They are accountable for a great deal of litter, are responsible for the injury and death of wildlife, are non-biodegradable and continue to be a health hazard.  Fortunately this issue is receiving heightened publicity as a growing number of cities and stores are banning the use of plastic bags.    

Earlier this month ABC News ran an article, highlighting California’s failed attempt to pass a statewide ban of plastic bags. It is in my own opinion that this fight, though lost, continues to be a step in the right direction.  History has made evident that when politics are involved, nothing happens overnight.  The sole fact that this ban was even considered foreshadows upcoming change.  Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, who authored the bill, also rejects the lawmaker’s decision as being a failure.  In an interview conducted by ABC she states, “It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when consumers bring their own bags and become good stewards of the environment.”  The fact of the matter is that eventually something will need to be done.  According to the article, California alone uses 19 billion plastic bags per year.  It takes 1,000 years to break down these bags that the average person uses for an average of 10 minutes per possession.

What will be next, banning water bottles?
One can only hope!  

Click here to check out this ABC News article.

Rethinking Going Green

It is safe to assume that almost everyone has become familiarized with “Going Green” within the past decade.  Over the past ten years the topic of going green has attracted growing publicity, and rightfully so I may add.  The world we inhabit has a fixed amount of natural resources.  That means that they will eventually become exhausted. Our population as a whole relies heavily on the many assets that our planet has to offer. Over-usage of natural materials has lead to the depletion of many resources.  Furthermore, nature’s infinite beauty has been overshadowed by our obsession with wealth and materialism.  It is time we reevaluate the situation that has been created.  We need to alter our habits and mindsets so that we can embrace a truly earth friendly lifestyle. After all, the survival of our planet rests on our shoulders.

There is only one planet earth...

There is only one you...

YOU have the authority to formulate your own

choices and thus control the type of impact you make.