EcoTalk's Daily Greens

#34 Eco-Friendly Decks

Are you considering building a deck onto your house? There are lots of ways to go green as you build.  One way to green your deck is to use recycled plastic lumber. It’s low-maintenance, requires no sealing, staining, water- or insect-proofing, and it’s totally rot-resistant. Plastic lumber is usually made from post-consumer recycled plastics, so buying it can help keep plastic grocery bags and beverage containers out of the landfills. When shopping make sure the product has high recycled content of high-density and low-density polyethylene. These plastics are easy to recycle and have fewer chemical hazards than other plastics. LISTEN

SOURCE: Co-op American’s RealMoney Journal, Mar/Apr 06

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#33 Windowsill Gardening

Want a garden, but all you have is a windowsill? Never fear, just start your own windowsill gardening cooperative!  Two neighbors in New York City’s East Village wanted to garden on their windowsills, but one had shade, and one had sun. So they decided to start a coop. On the sunny side, they grow rosemary and tarragon. On the shady side they grow tomatoes, oregano, thyme, spearmint, basil and sage. They also save their compostable table scraps and take them to the community garden compost bin nearby, where they can trade it in for cured compost for their windowsill pots. LISTEN

SOURCE: The Green Guide, Mar/Apr 06 (www.thegreenguide.com)

Picture from this nice picture book

#32: Dangerous Dryer Balls

You know those colorful nubby dryer balls that claim to be earth-friendly because they soften fabrics without chemicals? Well, I’ve got news for you.   Many of those dryer balls are made of polyvinyl chloride, a hard-to-recycle plastic whose manufacture and incineration releases carcinogenic dioxins. So consumers beware and be sure to check what the balls are made of before buying. Truly nontoxic fabric softeners are available from companies like Seventh Generation and Ecover. Or simply add ¼ cup of baking soda to the wash cycle. To avoid static, dry cotton and synthetics separately, or hang them outside to dry. LISTEN

SOURCE: The Green Guide, Mar/Apr 06 (www.thegreenguide.com)

#31: Spring is in the Air

Now that spring is here and warm breezes are beginning to blow, consider using Mother Nature to dry your clothes, save money, and reduce our fossil-fuel dependence!  Every year in the U.S. it takes the equivalent of 34 million tons of coal to dry our clothes. That’s 66 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. Solar drying is gentler on your clothes, eliminates static cling, reduces wrinkles, and the UV rays are a natural disinfectant. It is also an excellent excuse to get outside, and the clothes smell great. During bad weather clothes will air-dry easily indoors as well. LISTEN

SOURCE: The Green Guide, Mar/Apr 06 (www.thegreenguide.com  and www.laundrylist.org ) 

#30 Can Coal be Green?

There is a lot of buzz about coal as the new source of cheap, clean energy for the U.S., but will coal every be truly green?   Mining of coal often causes devastating environmental damage, and coal gets low marks on the green report card when compared to solar and wind energy. The list of pollutants released by even the cleanest coal is dominated by dangerous heavy metals, including lead and mercury. Investing in a solar and wind energy infrastructure would begin to tackle our global warming problem and protect us from toxins in a way that coal cannot.

SOURCE: Co-Op America (www.coopamerica.org/go/climateaction )

DG#29: Not (really) tested on animals

Did you know that some products labeled as “not tested on animals” aren’t telling the whole truth?  Many companies do not test their final products on animals, but DO test each individual ingredient. Beware of personal care, cosmetic, and household products that claim no animal testing. There is one way to find out if your favorite products are telling the whole truth. Visit the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics, or the CCIC, found at leapingbunny.org. The CCIC is the only group that verifies that all ingredients as well as the final product are not tested on animals. LISTEN

SOURCE: The GreenGuide (www.thegreenguide.com) Nov/Dec 2005

This post was written by Shana Weber  

DG#28: Top Designers Dig Hemp

Stylish hemp is not just for Woody Harrelson. Hemp and hemp-blend suits have hit the corporate world with flair. I’m Betsy Rosenberg with EcoTalk’s Daily Greens – Good For You, Good For Our Planet, brought to you by Organic Valley Family of Farms. Designers like Georgio Armani and Todd Oldham have discovered that hemp is hip, functional, and great for suits. Hemp is stronger, more absorbent, and uses less water to grow than cotton. And it requires no toxic pesticides. That means it’s less expensive to produce and better for the environment than cotton. And now that high-end designers have caught on, classic business-wear can be ecofriendly with style. Check with your favorite designer brand to see if they’ve caught the hemp wave. LISTEN

SOURCE: Co-op America, RealMoney Journal, Sept/Oct 2003 

This post was written by Shana Weber  

DG#27 Make Your Flying Carbon-Neutral

Did you know that the average domestic flight releases more than 1,700 pounds of greenhouse gases per passenger? If you have guilt pangs about this, there is a solution.  Consider getting inexpensive energy offset credits. For a reasonable fee, you can support activities that will effectively absorb the greenhouses gases that you are responsible for releasing. You can do this for flying, driving, or any unsustainable aspect of your lifestyle! You can find these services by using search terms like Carbon Credits, or Carbon Offsets. Carbon credits also make great gifts, especially for the big consumer in the family!  LISTEN

SOURCE: New American Dream, Issue no. 34, Winter 05/06

#26 No-Waste Partying

Next time you host a party at your house, consider intriguing your guests with the goal of a no-waste celebration.   Think of all those disposable plates, napkins, cups, and containers associated with most of the parties you’ve ever been to. Now imagine everyone having fun doing their part to reduce that waste and the associated environmental impact. Simply asking guests to bring their own washable cups, plates, and utensils will have a huge impact on the number of garbage bags you put on the curb. Also, encourage guests to carpool, or ride their bikes if they live close-by.

 

#25 Big Veggies, Small Nutrition

According to the USDA standard non-organic vegetables have fewer vitamins and minerals than they did 50 years ago.  Homegrown and organic veggies are far more nutritious than their corporate farm counterparts. Not surprising since factory farm products are bred for high growth and production, not nutrition. Over the last 50 years, protein has declined six percent, iron 15 percent, vitamin C has dropped 20 percent, and riboflavin has fallen by 38 percent. These are excellent reasons to invest in organic produce for your family, or better yet, grow them yourself. They’ll taste better and be better for you and the planet.

SOURCE: Organic Consumers Association, Organic Bytes #80