...People seem to care a lot about saving the environment, more lately than ever. I happen to be one of them who care but I'm also very lazy. BUT...in my Real Simple this month, it gave 26 easy ways to help save the planet. They are small things so it won't change your life. I'm passing some on to you:
1. Use a water-filter pitcher (or filtered water from fridge). Bottled water is expensive to transport and although it is easy just to buy and transport (that is my reason) I could always put water in my own reusable water bottle.. Plus the fact that Americans use 3.3 million plastic water bottles every hour but only on in 5 are recycled.
2. Switch to a dishwashing powder that's biodegradable and plant-based. Use one that has no bleach and phospates that threaten river and marine life and also doesn't leave chemical residue on your dishes.
3. Go to www.ftc.govto remove yourself from junk mail lists. (Click on "For Consumers," then "Telemarketing," then "Unsolicited Mail, Telemarketing and E-mail: Where to Go to 'Just Say No.'") If everyone in the USA reduced the junk mail received every week, 100 million trees would be spared each year. Wow.
4. Don't idle. It used less gas to restart your car than it does to idle for any length of time. I am guilty of this in the pick-up lane at school, but I am going to start turning off the car.
5. Buy recycled paper products. (Napkins, paper towels, and tissues.) If every household purchased one package of recycled napkins, we would save 1 million trees!
(All this info comes from Real Simple magazine: April 2007 issue)
Now I know that doing just a little bit will help better our environment and save trees. And that will help me sleep a little bit better at night because I won't be thinking what kind of world I am leaving my kids and grandkids.
Do you have any suggestions?
2 comments:
Rinse and reuse ziploc bags. It is a HUGE pain but it's also very wasteful to throw them out. In fact, I'm using less of them lately just so I won't HAVE to rinse them out!
PS I've tried "natural" dishwashing detergent (the Method brand from Target) and it did a horrible job on my dishes, so I went back to Cascade. If anyone knows of a better brand let me know! I do use Method brand cleansers for the rest of the house (that is, when I actually clean the rest of the house!).
Here, in Allen, TX, recycling is certainly encouraged. We have 2 "trash" receptacles. One is designated for waste and the other being for recyclable items. It definitely encourages a family of 5 to recycle, as you run out of space in your trash can. It has made me more aware of all the items there are to recycle. No more tossing plastic bottles, newspapers, add circulars, boxes, etc. Off to the blue, recycling bin they go. It's a good habit for the kids to fall into and a good educational lesson. So, here's to you and Real Simple!!
~Ginger
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