GREEN TIP OF THE WEEK
GREEN TIP (11-10-11)
Our tip of the week is a simple and green one: unplug your charger from the wall outlet when your device is fully charged! It seems that when leaving the charger plugged in (not connected to the phone), it will still consume some energy, consequently energy is being wasted. As we all know, when it comes to the environment every bit helps!
GREEN TIP (11-03-11)
You can save TONS of energy focusing your attentions and habits on just your kitchen habits! Here are a few friendly tips to help you go green:
Use the right size pan for the job, and the right sized burner. It may sound silly but you can waste a lot of time and energy trying to boil a giant-size pot of potatoes on a tiny burner. And you can waste a tremendous amount of energy warming up a small pan of sauce on a giant burner. If you can see more than a half inch of overlap, either the pan overlapping the burner or the burner overlapping the pan, see if there’s a better fit.
Don’t preheat oven. Have you ever been pressed for time and just shoved that tray of chocolate chip cookies in an oven that hasn’t been preheated? What happened? Presumably you may have had to add one or two minutes to the cook time but it certainly didn’t add ten minutes or more to the cook time. With many ovens it takes 10-15 minutes to warm up to 350 degrees, and that’s wasted energy.
Use smaller appliances for smaller jobs. If you’re making an open-faced sandwich, warming up leftovers or eating those frozen and ready-to-cook cookies, then skip the oven and use your toaster oven instead. It uses less energy to heat up. Additionally, your microwave can be used to steam, reheat and even to make eggs, melt chocolate and warm up canned foods in much less time and with much less energy.
Use a Slow Cooker. When you are making soups, stews and even roasts, consider using a slow cooker instead of cooking them for hours on top of the stove. Slow Cookers use less energy and you can cook your meals during low energy times in your home.
GREEN TIP FOR COFFEE AND TEA DRINKERS (10-27-11)
Travel with a coffee mug or tea mug or reusable cup/glass for water wherever you go. Think of all the paper or plastic cups you’ll keep out of the landfill! Most coffee shops will allow you to use your own container too (and some give you a discount)!
GREEN TIP OF THE WEEK (10-20-11)
Do not flush your leftover/expired medications down the sink or toilet.
The old recommendation that leftover and expired medications be flushed down the toilet is one of the worst things we could be doing. Researchers have found traces of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in our rivers and streams around the country. Not good for our wildlife. Also, our wastewater treatment plants were not designed to remove medicines from the wastewater so it’s important not to let them go into the sewer systems.
Four of every five patients leave the doctor’s office with a prescription according to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS 2002), so the disposal of pharmaceuticals is an important issue.
The US Geological Survey studied water from 139 streams in 30 states and found that 80% contained traces of pharmaceuticals. The affect that those traces may have on the environment, plants, marine life and human health is unknown.
GREEN TIP (8-4-11)
Before drawing up your school supply list, sit down with your kids and gauge their "green" levels. Talk to them about the impact of various items. For example, some designer gear is made by people working in awful conditions and in ways that are very unfriendly to the environment. Talk with them about need vs. want; about reuse and repurposing "old" equipment they may have. It's important to make it a fun and engaging time rather than a "green" punishment - that they will achieve something very positive through the exercise.
Where you do need to buy new items, here are some examples of some minor back-to- school supplies that shouldn't cost much more, or may even cost less than their "normal" counterparts.
- Mouse mats made from reclaimed materials
- Note pads and exercise books made from recycled paper
- Rulers made from recycled plastic
- Pencils made with wood from plantation forests or FSC certified
- PVC free backpacks and lunch boxes
- More environmentally friendly water bottles
... and the list goes on.
GREEN TIP OF THE WEEK (7-28-11)
When getting new carpet, instead of letting the installer take the old one to the landfill, check with local animal shelters to see if they can use it to make their furry residents more comfortable. The animals don't care if the color clashes with your new paint! Some carpet companies will do this automatically but be sure to ask them about it.
Other rugs, old towels, blankets and sheets that have some life left as rags may also be appreciated. But don't just drop them off, call first to make they are welcome. Recycling these items saves the landfill space; helps out the animal shelters and their residents; and prevents fresh resources from being tapped unnecessarily. This is a great way to recycle & reuse.
GREEN TIP (5-19-11)
Open the blinds more. If we would all limit the amount of electricity we use to keep our homes lit, we would make a huge impact on energy resources. Avoid using your lamps and lights as much as possible during the day. Instead, open blinds and doors and let the light shine in.
In the evenings, opt for a more romantic feel and use candles. Sure, you do need to turn on the lights. However, try being creative and limiting the amount of electricity you consume just to have light. Candles are a great option. Especially the ones that smell good and are natural based.
Another positive with going green in the light department is the money you will save consuming less energy! Make a simple change…go natural light!
GREEN TIP "GREEN EASTER" (4-15-11)
When choosing to share chocolates this Easter season, try to choose brands that have the least amount of packaging, are organic, or those that are made locally. Better yet, make your own treats like egg-shaped cookies and suckers. If you're using plastic eggs, again, consider checking out the thrift store's toy section. It may take some sifting, but there are lots of these at the stores all year long. Consider packing the eggs with little coupons redeemable for special time with you, a special dessert, or movie tickets.
GREEN TIP
An environmental reminder:
· Americans use more than 80,000,000,000 aluminum soda cans every year (and soda, even diet, is bad for your bones and teeth!)
· Americans use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour, and more than half of them are thrown away!
· Americans throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam coffee cups every year.
· Americans throw away more than 138,000,000,000 straws and stirrers each year.
Think of the garbage mountain! Remember to recycle aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles. Skip the wooden or plastic stirrer - use a reusable spoon. And use reusable coffee mugs and water bottles whenever possible.
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