Think Globally; Act Locally

Here's a high-tech way to clean up your neighboorhood. Next weekend (Oct 13th-14th), Google is hosting an International Cleanup Weekend in an effort to spread the word about taking care of the planet. They are hoping to inspire folks to make an impact by thinking globally and acting locally.

Log on to Google's clean-up site and join up with a clean-up event in your area. Or, if you're feeling ambitious, organize your co-workers, friends, family, or neighboors to clean up your local area. Using their step-by-step tutorial, you can learn how to organize your own local clean-up event and "map" your event to make it part of the international effort. If you don't have time for a big event, keep it simple and grab your kids, a few bags, and a picnic lunch to spruce up your favorite local spot. After your clean-up, you can post photos and videos of your event for the whole world to see.

Dive Into A Carpool

How much does your car weigh? Personally, I can't answer this question except to say that my car is pretty darned heavy. That's why I find it so disturbing with the findings from FuelEconomy.gov that "most vehicles produce several times their weight in greenhouse gases each year." The amount of time we spend behind the wheel has a significant impact on the planet. So if you are ready to make a change that will really make a difference, consider organizing an office carpool. Carpooling is a fantastic way to save money, reduce congestion and save the planet.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, each person that carpools saves 77 lbs of hydrocarbons (the nasty stuff that makes smog); 550 carbon monoxide; 33 lbs of nitrogen oxides; 9,900 lbs of carbon dioxide; as well as 500 gallons of gasoline every year.

Here's how to get your carpool up and running:

• Find out what kinds of transportation benefits are offered by your employer. If they don't have a policy established, talk to them about the government sponsored Commuter Choice program that works with employers to design commuting choices. Commuter Choice can work out a custom plan that takes into account tax incentives for any commuting benefits offered to employees as well as solutions involving flex-time, route planning, and van-pools.

• Seek out co-workers and friends who might be interested in sharing a ride. Don't know anyone interested in carpooling? Find fellow commuters in your area at eRideShare or Carpool Connect.

• Once you've established your carpool, go over some Carpool Etiquette to make sure that everyone stays happy.

• Kick back, relax, and enjoy the guilt-free ride!

Toting Canvas

As a Green Parent, I try to minimize my impact on the environment each day, especially at the store. I take the time to buy organic and locally grown foods as well as all-natural personal care products whenever possible. I check ingredient labels and “vote with my wallet” to support companies with an environmental backbone. But all of this effort used to go out the window when I got to the checkout line and was forced to answer the inevitable question…Paper or Plastic?

According to the Environmental News Network, 90 percent of all grocery bags are plastic with Americans alone going through about 100 billion plastic bags each year. Yet only 1 to 3 percent of these bags are ever recycled. The rest line our waterways, sewers, street corners, and occasionally landfills where they take hundreds of years to break down into toxic particles that leach into the water and soil. And paper is no better, the 10 billion or so paper bags that Americans use each year consume 14 million trees and cause pollution and recycling problems of their own.

In the past, I tried to reuse plastic bags whenever possible around my house. But the time has come to for a more eco-friendly option...reusable totes. If it sounds too dauting, just start slowly. Toss 1 or 2 reusable tote bags in your diaper bag or in your car so that you will have at least a few on hand the next time you’re at the store. Once you get the hang of it, try adding a few more totes to your collection until you no longer need to use plastic. Here's a few more tips:

• Look around your favorite store to see if they offer a reusable alternative. Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Publix, Giant, and Albertsons all offer reusable cloth bags for sale in their stores (some for as little as $1 each).

• DIY: I’m not that handle with a needle, but even I can whip up a homemade tote bag. Here’s a few instructional sites you can try:

Make-It-Easy
And Sew It Is
DLTK Kids

• Buy "Preloved": Tote bags multiply faster than rabbits so you are sure to find a good deal at your local thrift store or area garage sales.

• Win: If you have scoured your house and local thrift stores and you still can't find a decent tote, register to win one through The Green Parent. Just enter your info in the column on the right. I'll give away one free bag each week for the next year!

Oh...and if you still have a bunch of plastic bags laying around your house, check out these sites for some creative ways to reuse them:

Reader's Digest Living
The Frugal Life

Green Parent Tip: If you have a problem remembering to put your totes back in the car after you've used them; try hanging them on the doorknob or in the same place you put your car keys!

Energy Report Cards

I spend a lot of time "eco-nagging" my daughters. Whether it's "please turn off the light," or "DO NOT stand there with the refrigerator door open," I am constantly pestering them use less energy...a concept that I'll admit can be somewhat abstract to children. A great way to teach kids about energy consumption is to turn the tables and let them teach you. Help your child give your house an "Energy Report Card". Here's how...

Energy Report Cards

For Toddlers and Preschoolers: At this age, the idea is to keep it simple. Download the free Home Energy Audit Kit from EarthCare and help your child identify the items in the pictures (of common household scenes) that use energy. Color the pictures and introduce the basic concepts. "When we turn the light on, we use energy." Show your child how you turn off the light whenever you leave a room so that you don't waste energy.

For Elementary School-Aged Kids: Using the same kit mentioned above, take the concepts one step further. Look through the house together to identify the items that use energy (lights, TV, computer, cell phone charger, etc.) Now, see if you can find ways together to use a little less energy. Adjust the thermostat by a few degrees, unplug appliances that you don't use regularly, replace burned out light bulbs with compact fluorescents. Check out HogBusters an online game where kids can learn more about the energy savers and wasters throughout the house.

Next, make sure your kids know just where all of that energy is coming from. The diagram posted below gives a good general overview of how this energy gets to your house. You can explore this site further to learn about the different kinds of energy and how they are produced.


For Tweens and Teens: Teenagers should already know what items use energy, but they may not be aware of how much that energy costs in resources and dollars. Surf with your teen over to Saving Electricity 101and scroll down the page to the Electricity Calculator. There you can look up the energy cost in dollars of most common household items (everything from coffee machines to X-boxes.) The idea is not to make kids feel guilty about using energy, just aware that the energy they use does cost money. Talk about the resources (fossil fuels or renewables) that are needed to create energy. You can also check out Home Energy Savers for a web-based home energy auditing tool that calculates your homes energy costs based on the averages in your local area.

Now that your kids know all about saving energy, turn them loose on their schools. A school "Energy Report Card" makes a great science project and can help schools save a bundle of money on energy costs. Oh, and don't be surprised to hear a little "eco-nagging" as well. "Don't put so much hot water in that bath, Mom!"

Recycling 101

Recycling is a great way to keep stuff out of the landfill and reduce the need for new materials. And if you are lucky enough to live in a community that heavily supports (or even mandates) recycling, the task may be as simple as remembering which stuff to put in the recycle bin. But for most folks (like me) recycling is more of a DIY adventure involving washing, sorting, and transporting recyclables to the nearest recycling center. Click here to read all about the benefits of recycling. Once you're convinced, check out these tips on what, how, and where to recycle:

What Should You Recycle?

The Top 10 Items To Recycle

1. Aluminum
2. PET Plastic (#1)
3. Newspaper
4. Corrugated Cardboard
5. Steel Cans
6. HDPE Plastics (#2)
7. Glass
8. Magazines
9. Mixed Paper
10. Computers

Source: National Recycling Coalition

How To Recycle

• Look Locally: Find out what items your local recycling center will take by plugging your zip code into the Earth 911 website.
  
• Play By The Rules: Take a minute to learn the recycling rules at your local center. They may require you to take a few extra steps like removing the caps from plastic bottles or excluding medicine bottles from your recycling. Play by the rules to make recycling work for everyone.
  
• Get Sorted: Set aside a spot in your kitchen or laundry room for recyclables. If you really want to get organized, try using stacked bins that keep everything sorted and tidy. The Recycling Center's 3-tiered stacked recycle bin is available here. No space? Place a small trash can under the sink to hold it all. Personally, I like the Apartment Recycling Bag. It's sturdy, lightweight and easy to schlep with children.
  

Where To Recycle

Whether it's paint, plastic, or used motor oil, if it's recyclable, the Earth 911 website will tell you the closest place to drop it off.

Ban The Junk!

I find it incredible that in this day and age when we are battling with issues like childhood obesity, ADHD, and environmental degradation, the majority of schools across the nation still support the use of vending machines loaded with sugary-sweet and nutrionally-voided foods. Sodas and vending machine fare are not only terrible for our children’s health; they also create waste and use ingredients that can be harmful to the environment. What good does it do to pack your child a healthy "no-waste" lunch everyday when she will toss it aside in favor of Twinkies® and Pepsi®?

Of course, as parents we need to talk to our children about good nutrtion. But we also need the schools to be on our side. So talk to your school officials and other parents about banning soda, candy, junk food, and fast food from school grounds. I know that these machines benefit our schools financially, but are you really willing to pay that price?

LEED Your Way To A Green Home

There are tons of exciting new green options for folks interested in building or remodeling their home. Even if you aren't going to DIY your project, take a look at the U.S. Green Building Council’s website. The USGBC has develed an eco-savvy rating system called LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) that serves as the national standard for certifying green buildings. Homes that are LEED certified utilize eco-friendly products and building methods in their design and construction, to reduce their overall impact on the planet. Of course, it costs a bit more to go the LEED route, but the end product is an energy effiecient home that will save you a fortune in future energy, water, and sewer bills while boosting the home's resale value. Even if you aren't after LEED certification, you can use many of the same ideas to get the most green from your building project. And in some areas, environmentally friendly homes may qualify for special "green" financing, called Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs). Check with your lender to see if you’re eligible.