Tips for Reducing Waste this Holiday Season

While the holidays are only days away, many of us are still last minute shopping, putting the finishing touches on decorations, and organizing parties and gatherings. According to the EPA, during the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, 25% more household waste is generated.  This amounts to nearly 1 million tons of garbage per week that ends up in landfills. Between holiday greeting cards, gift wrap and bows, to packages and containers, there are many easy ways that you can cut back on waste and green your holiday season.

BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag)

One of the easiest ways to reduce waste is to use your own reusable shopping bags instead of paper or plastic. Many grocery stores and convenient stores sell reusable shopping bags for around $1. Buy a few and keep them in the back of your car for all of your shopping trips.

Get Creative

Wrapping gift in traditional wrapping paper can be costly and time-consuming, not to mention it ends up in a landfill almost immediately after the present is unwrapped. Why not green your gift giving this season, all while making it a little more personal and unique. Here are a few creative wrapping ideas to consider:

-          Make the gift wrap part of the gift.  Use a scarf, handkerchief, or other item to “wrap” the gift.

-          Reuse items around your house.

• Sunday comics, perfect for kids
• Old maps
• Old newspape or magazines
• Blue prints
• Music sheets
• Jars and tins
• Old fabric
• Outdated calendars

-          Reuse bows, ribbons, and gift bags that you receive.  Crinkled tissue paper makes great bows! According to Use-Less-Stuff.com, if every family reused just two feet of ribbon this holiday season, the 38,000 miles of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet.

With a little thought and creativity, you can have beautifully wrapped gifts that are eco-friendly too!

One Country’s Trash is Another Country’s…Energy?

How Sweden’s Highly Successful Recycling Program Has Left the Country with a Waste Shortage

While most countries are trying to curb waste production and overflowing landfills, Sweden is looking for a way to obtain more garbage. According to Swedish Waste Management, only 4 percent of all of the country’s waste

Recycle Electronics for Cash Photo Credit kennymatic via Flickr

ends up in landfills. This is largely due to Sweden’s highly successful recycling and waste-to-energy programs. The recycling efforts are so successful, in fact, that Sweden is facing a trash shortage that could leave the country without sufficient power because a large portion of the country’s energy is generated from burning garbage, and the country simply doesn’t have enough trash to fill the waste incineration capacity.

Leading the way in waste management, Sweden converts garbage into renewable energy, providing power to 250,000 homes and 20 percent of the district heating system. In order to fulfill the country’s energy needs, Sweden is now importing 800,000 tons of garbage annually from surrounding countries. In addition to getting heat and energy out of the waste, Sweden is also receiving compensation from Norway for collecting their garbage. Sweden hopes to soon import trash from Bulgaria, Romania, and Italy, countries which lack effective recycling programs and rely heavily on landfills.

Sweden’s waste-to-energy program is an excellent example of alternatives to dumping trash in the ocean or in landfills. Waste becomes a valuable commodity capable of providing electricity to a quarter million homes. While Sweden recycles 96 percent of its waste, U.S. residents only recycle a mere 34 percent of all garbage produced. According to the EPA, the U.S. generated 250 million tons of trash in 2010 alone. While we may have a long way to go in our sustainability efforts, Sweden’s waste-to-energy program shows us that keeping waste out of landfills is possible.

Back to the Earth: Building Homes with Mud

Mud is an eco-friendly building material that until recently has been largely overlooked by builders and architects. Mud, also referred to as rammed earth, is used to build some of the most advanced and eco-friendly homes

Rammed Earth Home Photo Credit Jesse Wagstaff via Flickr

and commercial buildings around the world.

Why build with mud? According to an article in the Financial Times:

• It is affordable, renewable, and widely available.
• It is non-flammable.
• Construction is generally local so emissions associated with producing and transporting materials are greatly reduced.
• There is no need for air conditioning and central heating as the building material regulates temperature and humidity. Excellent thermal mass keeps the space cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
• Rammed earth has exceptional strength (two-thirds that of concrete at an equivalent thickness).
• It is accessible to everyone, even communities that might not have access to other eco-friendly materials and high-tech solutions.
• Building with rammed earth is labor-intensive, which creates job opportunities for local community members.

Rammed earth construction has been around for thousands of years. Parts of the Great Wall of China that are still standing today were constructed using this technique. This ancient building material is becoming more popular as the demand for more sustainable building materials grows.

For more information on rammed earth buildings and the unique construction process please read the full article in the Financial Times here: http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/791620e6-13c2-11e2-9ac6-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2A2UFpLZZ

Recycle Your Used Electronics for Cash

While many consumers are heading to the Apple store to purchase the newly released iPhone 5, the unfortunate truth is that the vast majority of older models end up in landfills around the country. Electronic devices are

Recycle Electronics for Cash Photo Credit kennymatic via Flickr

being updated and becoming obsolete at such a fast rate that nearly 20-to-50 million tons of electronic waste is thrown away every year, with only 10-to-18 percent of the e-waste being properly recycled. When e-waste ends up in our landfills, it not only has negative consequences on the environment but is hazardous to our health and safety, as well. Electronics are full of toxins that eventually end up in our air, soil, and water supplies causing serious health concerns.

What can you do?

Always recycle electronic devices to keep them out of landfills. Additionally, there are some programs that offer cash back for unwanted electronic devices! To make it even easier to recycle used electronics, the United States Post Office now allows customers to mail in their electronics for cash, completely free of shipping charges. USPS has partnered with MaxBack to recycle gently used cell phones, iPods, and tablets.

How does it work?

To get started, visit the Recycle through USPS website. After selecting the cell phone or electronic device that you are recycling from the MaxBack database, you will receive an instant quote. Once you accept the quoted offer, mail your item using USPS Priority Mail at no cost to you. USPS will inspect your electronics and mail you cash. (Remember, not all electronic devices will be eligible for cash.)

If the device is in good condition it will be given a second life. For items that are beyond repair, MaxBack ensures that all electronics are recycled properly according to Green Policy so no e-waste ends up in landfills.

Find out if your used electronics are eligible for cash here: https://www.usps.com/ship/recycle-through-usps.htm

 

Seven Easy (and Eco-Friendly) Tips to Winterize your Home

Winter is coming, and soon it will be time to bundle up and crank up the heater in your home. Before the temperature begins to drop, follow these easy ways to “winterize” your home this fall and you could save money on your energy bill.

1. Clean out the rain gutters. Make sure your home’s gutters are free from leaves and other debris. Clogged gutters can freeze and form ice dams which often result in leaks and water damage.
2. Reverse your ceiling fans. A very simple yet lesser known way to cut down on energy costs is by reversing the direction of ceiling fans. When switched to a clockwise rotation, warm air that tends to rise to the ceiling will be pushed downward and recirculated throughout the house.
3. Add insulation to your attic. Make sure you have an adequate amount of insulation in your attic to prevent energy from escaping.
4. Remember to change your furnace filters regularly. Dirty filters restrict airflow and, in turn, use more energy. To save on waste, consider installing a permanent filter furnace. Furnaces should be serviced annually to ensure they are working safely and efficiently.
5. Stop the draft. By placing a draft stopper under drafty doors, you can keep warm air inside. Find out how to make a DIY draft snake here.
6. Check windows and doors for leaks. Use caulking and weatherstripping to seal up gaps.
7. Remember to check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors before the colder months arrive.

These easy DIY home projects will make a significant difference on your energy use this winter.

 

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?

Emergency Kit Photo Credit Highways Agency via Flickr

With the recent effects of Hurricane Sandy, the power and capacity ofMother Nature to cause immense damage is more evident than ever, and we are reminded just how critical it is to be prepared. No matter what part of the country you are in, it is a good idea to have an emergency preparedness kit and an emergency evacuation plan in the event a situation should arise.

Every family should formulate a plan for what to do in different emergency situations. Educate your family on the natural disasters that could affect your area and the appropriate responses for each. It is highly recommended that every household put together a basic emergency kit with all of the supplies your family may need. In the event of an emergency, it is possible that you will need to survive on your own for a few days. It is important to have an adequate food and water supply that will last for at least 72 hours or longer. Remember, during a disaster there may be power outages for a few days so stock up on canned and dried foods that do not require refrigeration or cooking.

According to FEMA, here are the basic provisions that every survival kit should contain:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
• Local maps
• Matches in a waterproof container

Other important considerations:

• Prescription medications
• Eyeglasses
• Warm clothes and sleeping bags
• Pet food and water for pets
• Fire extinguisher

*It is smart to have an emergency kit at the ready in your home, workplace, and vehicle as there is no telling where you will be when a disaster strikes.

For more information on preparing for an emergency please visit http://www.ready.gov/.

 

Bike Sharing: An Urban Solution to Rising Gas Prices

Fleets of bikes are taking big cities by storm. As the price of gasoline

Bike Sharing Photo Credit Slettvet via Flickr

continues to soar, more and more urban dwellers are turning to cycling as their primary source of transportation. As a low-cost, eco-friendly way to get around, municipal bike sharing programs are widely used in European and Asian countries and have begun to pop-up around U.S. cities, including New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Bike sharing programs, such as Bike Nation and Zagster, allow users to check out a bike, use it for their desired amount of time, and return the bike to any designated kiosk located around the city.

Bike Nation equips all of their bikes with GPS systems that inform the rider of their distance traveled, calories burned, and how they have reduced their carbon footprint. Bike Nation users can choose to purchase a day, month, or year-long membership.

Zagster’s “bike fleet in a box” turnkey approach to bike sharing offers a municipal bike sharing program to businesses, universities, hotels, apartment complexes, and more. For a monthly fee, Zagster supplies and maintains the bike fleet and provides the software needed to manage the service. Property managers choose whether to charge users for bike rentals or offer the service free of charge. After signing up for the program, users will receive via text message the code needed to unlock the bike’s lockbox.

For more information or to request a bike sharing program in your community please visit Bike Nation or Zagster.

Greengrade Helps Canadian Projects Get the Green Grade

During the LEED® certification process, there are numerous guidelines, regulations and requirements that need to be addressed before the final LEED® stamp of approval is achieved.  LEED® stands for Leadership in Energy and Design, and is an internationally recognized environmental program that verifies projects were built in such a way to promote energy savings, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality and CO2 emissions reductions to the fullest extent.

With the help of Textura Corporation’s Greengrade-LEED® Management Software, this process has been made easier. Project teams in Canada can now achieve LEED® certification via the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) in a much more efficient and streamlined process by using Greengrade LEED® Management Software designed for the Canadian market.

In the United States, the US Green Building Council (USGBC) is the certification entity that issues all LEED® certifications, but many design firms have projects in both the U.S. and in Canada.  That being the case, it was important to have a certification system in place that kept the same basic guidelines and requirements as those of the USGBC, but adapted them for the Canadian market.  Differences in Canadian construction practices, climates and regulations use to mean that U.S. firms working on projects in the Canadian sustainable design market had to have two separate systems in place to get LEED® certification.  Now, by adding CaGBC Rating Systems to their Greengrade-LEED® Management software, Textura has helped those firms cut the cost involved in the certification process and achieve new levels of profitability while saving time and resources.  For builders and designers who are feeling the hit from the downturn in the global economy, this will go along was to relieve their stress and encourage environmentally-friendly building practices.

The Green Teen Movement

Many studies show that by teaching kids about conservationism and sustainability at an early age we create much more environmentally aware and responsible adults.  When Judy Shils included her young daughter, Erin Schrode, in her environmental protection efforts as part of their daily lives living in Northern California, she proved these studies correct.  Erin grew up with positive environmental stewardship as a well-worked family value, so it is no wonder that she grew up to develop the organization called “Teens Turning Green:  A Way of Life,” a collaborative youth-led movement to change the world.

Originally called Teens for Safe Cosmetics, Erin launched the campaign in 2005 in an effort to ban toxic substances such as lead, mercury and other harmful chemicals from cosmetics.  Erin and her mom, soon to be joined by other teens from local middle and high schools, identified common cosmetics used by teens, and then went to work with scientists and chemists to develop safe, green alternatives to the toxic make-up currently on the market.  It wasn’t long before Erin and her team travelled to Sacramento to testify before the legislature and ban poisonous ingredients in cosmetics.  Their mission was successful and with a desire to widen their sphere of influence into other areas of environmentalism, sustainability, and protection of the earth and its resources, Teens Turning Green was born.

They soon moved into the educational field, launching a school awareness program called Project Green Dorm on such things as food service, janitorial supplies, landscaping and classroom products.  They held a public rally in San Francisco during prom season to highlight the ease, functionality, and availability of eco beauty, fashion, décor and transportation options, and named their efforts Project Green Prom.   They also launched Project Lunch, a movement to make quality food affordable and available to everyone.

Today, Teens Turning Green makes and distributes their own line of skin and body care products through trusted companies, and founded the first Project Green Challenge in October 2011, that challenged students and schools across the world to participate in eco-awareness and conservation efforts across the board.

Teens Turning Green started from one small spark that became a catalyst for positive change in the world, and Erin and her group promise to keep forging ahead, inspiring young people to know, care, act, dream and do.

For more information on Teens Turning Green, click here.

DIY – Make your own cleaning products

While traditional cleaners may get the job done, such chemicals can be detrimental to the environment and your health. Instead, try making your own green cleaning products with these basic household items:

Baking Soda and Water:
Uses: porcelain tiles, kitchen counters, oven tops, stainless steel sinks, refrigerators, cutting boards and plastic storage containers.

Simply sprinkle the dirty surface with baking soda and scrub with a sponge.  For particularly tough stains, create a paste and let sit for a while before scrubbing.  Need a little more abrasion? Add a little kosher salt to the mixture to really cut the grime.

Lemon Juice or Vinegar:
Uses: stain removal, grease streaks or mold/fungus.

The acidic qualities in both products make them natural degreasers.  Lemon juice is a natural bleach when used in the sun, so be careful! Vinegar is also a great fabric softener when a little is added during the rinse cycle. When combined with baking soda, it makes an excellent toilet cleanser.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Uses: disinfectant and stain remover.

In addition to cleaning scrapes and wounds, hydrogen peroxide has a long standing reputation for being able to remove tough stains (such as grass or blood).

Tea Tree Oil
Uses: disinfectant.
Combine two cups or liquid soap and 20-30 drops or tea tree oil to make an excellent disinfectant that is non-harmful to the environment.  It smells great too!