Make Green Come True

Many of us drink filtered, purified, or bottled water on a daily basis.  We do this for a variety of reasons from health concerns to taste preference.  Here are a few practical ideas on how to green your water use.

1.  Choose Filtered Over Bottled – Not only will you not be throwing away or recycling plastic bottles (even recycled bottles require a lot more energy than reusable containers), but you will also be reducing the energy costs of manufacturing, delivering the bottles to your grocer, and driving the bottles back to you home.

2.  Choose the Right Filter -  Check that your water filtration system meets NSF/ANSI Standard 53 to ensure a higher quality water filtration.

3.  Change Filters Regularly – When you install your filter, take the time to read the instructions on how often to change the filter.  If you do not follow this advice, you may actually make your water more harmful by filtering.

The Ontario Ministry of Environment has developed a very useful site to illustrate how you can make an environmental impact throughout your home.  They depict three home – an apartment, townhouse, and house – and highlight room by room strategies to reduce electric cost and consumption, save water, and help save our planet.  While some of the tax rewards vary widely based on your particular country, state, and local government, most of the ideas and green living tips found on Add It Up are action items we can all take to become more eco-friendly.

Each time we leave the house, cook, or drive somewhere there is a simple tip to follow to save electric and fuel costs, while reducing your carbon footprint.  The 10 minute rule:

If you’re going to turn it off in 10 minutes, turn it off now.

This rule applies to several sitations.  First, consider the air conditioning in your home on a hot summer day.  If you are going to be leaving in ten minutes, you’ll probably never notice the difference if you turn the air off now.   The same applies when you are getting close to your destination.  You can switch off the heat or air in your car a few minutes early and most likely you won’t notice a significant change in your comfort level before you turn off the car.   When cooking, if you know that a dish needs only a few more minutes in the oven, switch off the power a bit before you take it out of the oven.  As long as the door is shut, most of the heat will be retained (Be careful to never undercook food though!).  By applying the ten minute rule, your savings will add up.  Over the course of the year, ten minutes a day is over sixty hours of energy and cash savings.

Australian scientists have discovered that trees in the Australian wilderness are responsible for storing nearly three times the amount of carbon dioxide previously thought.  This carbon dioxide storage is crucial to maintaining clean air and offsetting the emission of greenhouse gases.  Help save our forests by planting trees of your own, protecting those that already exist, and taking a global perspective.  You can help save the rain forest with this site or learn more about the Australian study here.

Before you let books collect dust on the shelf, consider some of these great green options for recycling your old books.

1.  Donate your books to a local library – Share knowledge, foster a lifelong sense of learning, and help others in your community learn by donating to your library.

2.  Post books on Amazon or Ebay – Help your used books find a new home and make some extra money at the same time.

3.  Contact hospitals or shelters to donate books - anywhere that people wait will be glad to have a change of reading material for patrons.

4.  Trade with Friends – Ask around and trade books to learn about new areas of interest and authors.

5.  Buy new books – Look around in your area for a secondhand book store that buys and sells books.  You can bring in your old books in exchange for new reading material.

When shopping for toys for your kids or as gifts, here are a few great recycle, all natural, and/or green alternatives.  These great toys and games have received great customer reviews and are rated as eco-friendly.

Plan Toy Oval Xylophone	Kaloo Naturel Small Rabbit Organic
Idbid Waverly Eco-Friendly Starter Kit in Blue	PLAN CITY Parking Garage
Eco Dome Kit	KAPLA 280 Piece Block Set With Green Simple Architecture Book

Many of us love to cook, but did you know that going green in the kitchen involves much more than just incorporating organic vegetables into our meals?   It is very easy to overlook a few baking and cooking tips that can save you time, money, and energy.  Next time you bake, boil, or sear, consider these ways to make your food preparation green:

1.  Use the smallest appliance available - Before you pre-heat the oven, consider using a toaster oven or microwave.  Before you use the stand mixer, mix by hand or use a hand held version if possible.

2.  Seal it up – If you are baking, turn on the light instead of opening the door to check on food.   If you are using your stovetop, use lids on pots and your food will heat faster.

3.  Don’t let your food swim – Heat only as much water as you need to cook with.  Extra water will cause your food to cook more slowly.   If you are boiling water, you might try the microwave next time.  It will boil water faster and be more energy-efficient.

4.  Don’t be afraid of the off button – If you know your food will be done soon, switch off the stovetop or oven.  The remaining heat will finish cooking your food (Be sure that the food is throughly cooked before consuming though!).

It is often easy to reach for the standard deodorizers and air fresheners while picking up the groceries.  Did you know that there are eco-friendly alternatives that you probably already have in your pantry?  Here a few green options to leave your home smelling fresh and clean.

Before you consider purchasing a chemical-based air freshener, try this great eco-friendly alternative:

Mix 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 cup of hot water. Pour into a spray bottle and use as a fresh alternative to air freshener.

For a bad-smelling garbage disposal try this natural deoderizer:

Run a few lemon, lime or orange peels through the disposal to get rid of odors.

If deodorizing won’t cut the odor, help remove food residue with this trick for cleaning your garbage disposal naturally.

Next time you are packing lunch or having a quick snack, perhaps would be a good time to consider the health and environmental aspects of one of the most popular lunchtime treats – the peanut butter sandwich.   From a health perspective, when you choose your peanut butter, look for one that has only peanuts and salt listed as ingredients to avoid unnecessary fat.  Other nut butters may also have a better mix of unsaturated vs. saturated fats such as almond butter.  The green part of the decision comes when opting whether to choose organic or regular peanut butter.   While the de facto standard is normally to choose the organic variety, there are a few facts that are necessary to consider in this case.

Organic peanut butters are, on the surface, better for the environment because they do not require pesticides that can seep into groundwater and otherwise pollute the environment.  Peanuts however, are particularly susceptible to a form of mold that can create aflatoxins.  Alfatoxins are a carcinogen that can lead to liver cancer.  Studies have shown that organic brands have significantly higher rates of alfatoxins than non-organic brands.  This may be one case in which it is best to look for brands that are ethically produced, and have low levels of fertilizer, but that allow fungicides in production.  Do consider, though, going organic or natural with the jelly.

Now that you’ve reviewed your supply list, you will want to find the best green supplies.  Save the Earth, while going back to school in style.  Below are a few ideas to get you started:

Earthwrite Recycled Pencils, #2HB Soft Lead, with Green Eraser, Yellow PAP12242

Mead(R) Grad(R) Recycled Wirebound Notebook, 3 Subjects, 138 Pages, 6in. x 9 1/2in.

3M 660-RP-A 3M Recycled Post-it Notes, 4 x 6, Four Pastel Colors, Five 100-Sheet Pads/Pack

New Leaf Think Recycled – 1/2 Inch Binder

Plastic Clipboard, Antimicrobial & Recycled, Letter/A4, Opague Purple, EA SAU21606

Mudlark Memento Boxed Notes – Tiberonne, 25-Count Box

ACCO 72525 ACCO Recycled Paper Clips, Jumbo, 100 per Box, 1000 per Pack