How to Green

 

Concepts

Connections

We are all interconnected to the web of life, everything we do affects the web.  Everything we do matters.


Conserve Protect Restore

Conserve - Repurpose

Everything we have comes from Earth. We are using up so many resources that we are not leaving enough for Earth to replenish herself. See Growth .

Use what you have, or reuse what you have for another purpose. Repair items rather than buying new.

For instance: reuse plastic food containers to start seeds in, or for storage.

Reuse magazines to make bead jewelry with your kids.

  1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJKU0L2CKgM

• A blog on zero waste: http://zerowastehome.blogspot.com/p/tips.html


  1. Reuse

  2. Find another home for items you don’t need. Sell or give away  used clothing, household goods and more. Put them up on a website such as Craigslist or Freecycle . If you need something, get previously used items, tag sales,  Freecycle, Good Will etc.

  3. ReUse Centers and Material Exchanges


Recycle

If you must throw it away, recycle it.

• Compost for food and garden.

http://www.ctrecyclingguide.com/

In CT recycling is mandatory.

Stamford Recycling        http://www.cityofstamford.org/content/25/52/138/164/188/112409/112413/default.aspx


Live Clean Don’t Pollute

We have so polluted Earth that all Earth life is in danger.  We can learn clean natural alternatives for everything from energy, gardening, cleaning, personal care, transportation, clothing, furniture, food etc. Watch what you buy, see buying guides above.


Buying Guides

Very good guide, several categories, Organic Consumers Association.   

http://www.organicconsumers.org/btc/BuyingGuide.cfm

  1. Good Stuff, many categories.    http://www.worldwatch.org/taxonomy/term/44

  2. The Green Guide . www.thegreenguide.com

With everything even these buying guides, buyer beware. Read labels of individual product, not every store, website or brand that appears to be green really is.


Plastic replacements

Absolutely must see video http://plasticparadisemovie.com

Plastic does not biodegrade, continues to outgass toxins, wildlife eat it and die, it is terrible for the environment.  Don’t buy or accept plastic. We can learn to live without it.

A few alternatives: Aluminum, Ceramic, Enamel, Glass, Lacquerware, Stainless Steel, Wood, coconut shell, palm, bamboo.

Some natural fibers. Organic cotton, hemp, linen, bamboo, soy, wool, ramie, jute.

Info. on how to live without plastic:

   http://www.culturechange.org/cms/content/blogcategory/18/62//

http://lifewithoutplastic.com/

http://lifewithoutplastic.com/boutique/child-and-baby-products-c-65.html

http://lifewithoutplastic.com/en/home/plastic-alternatives.html

  1. Reusable containers for bar soaps, bar shampoos:  http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/gifts/bags-accessories

  2. Great shampoo bar, I use it, no plastic container    http://compostablegoods.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_43&products_id=42

• Reusable makeup holder, buy refills of your favorite makeup:

http://uniicosmetics.com/index.html


Totes

Please don’t leave the house without a reusable totes for all your shopping. Please don’t accept plastic bags.

• Hemp and organic cotton $6. each if you buy 4

http://www.reuseit.com/store/reuseit-workhorse-hemp-bstock-p-2806.html?show_quickcart=2814#

• More organic cotton totes:

http://www.jiffyshirts.com/bags/tote/anvil/431/

http://www.jiffyshirts.com/bags/tote/anvil/505/


Steel bottles for  water and other liquids

Replace disposable plastic bottles with reusable glass or steel.

http://kleankanteen.com/products/klean-kanteens.php


Steel food containers

Replace plastic food containers with reusable steel containers to carry or store food.

http://sanctusmundo.com/

https://www.lifewithoutplastic.com/store/stainless-steel-airtight-watertight-food-storage-container-12-cm-4-75.html

http://www.reuseit.com/store/lunchbots-stainless-steel-food-container-large-p-1843.html


Fridge

Replace plastic with glass or  steel containers.

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/features/ft_eco_living/658


Other Storage:

Woven baskets / dressers / shelves.


Family

Clothing

Problem: A lot of our clothing is synthetic (petroleum based plastic) or industrial grown cotton. Industrial cotton is the worlds direst crop. It uses 2.5% of the worlds cultivated land and 16% of the worlds insecticides, 3 of the most hazardous insecticides. It also uses GMOs.

Solution:

Buy used clothing or if buying new,  buy organic cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo, soy, jute, maybe wool.

http://www.worldwatch.org/node/1485

• jiffy shirts.com      http://www.jiffyshirts.com/search/?form-process=1&query=organic

organic cotton socks http://www.eco-footprints.net/

• other: http://www.fairindigo.com/index.php/fair_trade/Women

http://organic.lovetoknow.com/Category:Organic_Clothing


Babies & Children

To raise healthy children take them out in nature, encourage their natural empathy, give older children pets, garden with them, develop a love for nature. Have them grow a wildlife garden, even if only in flowerpots. Allow them to develop their natural love of nature. Learn with them. Teach them from the beginning of their lives how to be a joyous and responsible part of this precious web of life. That is the most important thing you can do.

• Things to do outside with kids. http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Be-Out-There.aspx

Great magazines for kids http://www.nwf.org/ChildrensMagazineCenter/KidsPubs_Offer.aspx?campaignid=NC10HN9XBETSXX

• Linens, Clothing, Toys, Diapering, care products

shirts / Baby & kids http://compostablegoods.com/index.php?cPath=16

• Organic clothing, toys http://www.jiffyshirts.com/rabbitskins-RS2000.html

• also: http://www.miniappletree.com/?gclid=CMWk19GSv6YCFQ915Qod43m3Jw

Diapers: Traditional disposable diapers contain dioxin, which can be toxic for the baby and environmentally hazardous, they also contain petroleum, polypropylene, polyethylene, processed wood pulp, absorbent gelling material and perfume.

Solution: Organic cotton diaper, both disposable or washable, and natural rubber diaper pants .

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5732257_rubber-vs_-plastic-diaper-pants.html

Disposable Diapers Vs. Non-Disposable | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6614435_disposable-diapers-vs_-non_disposable.html#ixzz1BU1tb6jW

Disposable Diapers Vs. Non-Disposable | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6614435_disposable-diapers-vs_-non_disposable.html#ixzz1BU1MybOn

http://compostablegoods.com/index.php?cPath=16_46


Pets

Make sure their food is organic, and their toys and bedding free of chemicals. Make sure your house and yard is not sprayed with chemicals.

Bowls can be stainless steel or glazed unleaded ceramic, not plastic.

Organic wet food, there are many. I use Petguard organic for cats. Please read labels .

• Safe toys:

http://www.ewg.org/files/petsfortheenvironment/greencattoys.pdf

http://www.ewg.org/PetsfortheEnvironment


FOOD

GMO

Why is it bad? See GMO the problem

http://www.NaturalNews.com/029325_Monsanto_deception.html

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/5-of-the-newest-and-craziest-genetically-modified-foods-3-are-animals.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/beverly-bell/haitian-farmers-commit-to_b_578807.html

How to avoid GMO

http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/

Organic

Organic (food, animals and cloth) is the only defense against the onslaught of GMO contamination. Certified organic means very specific practices of growing plants and animals. In the USA, the USDA Organic Seal is a trusted seal that genuinely indicates organic quality. Claims such as grown local , natural, sustainable do not mean organic.

Less meat

Problem: Meat especially beef and pork are terribly damaging to the environment. Meat causes erosion, pollution, Global climate change, water shortages, oxygen loss. Amazon rainforests are being destroyed for cattle grazing, 20% of the worlds oxygen comes from the rainforest, it’s home to a large part of the world’s species. One pound of wheat can be grown with 60 pounds of water, whereas one pound of meat requires 2,500 to 6,000 pounds. There are 20 billion head of livestock on Earth. Factory farms generated 1.4 billion tons of animal waste in 1996, which pollutes waterways and causes massive fish die offs. Meat contributes to global climate change, vegetation grown on land for cattle would mop up carbon dioxide. Cutting back on beefburgers and bacon could wipe $20 trillion off the cost of fighting climate change.

Green entertaining

One use

When entertaining we tend to use a lot of plastic or paper one use disposables, this adds to the plastic problem and the cutting down of trees.   There are alternatives.    http://compostablegoods.com/index.php?cPath=36


Candles

Most candles are made of petroleum and have lead in their wicks. You can buy soy or beeswax candles with non leaded wicks and non synthetic scents.


Household

Cleaning non toxic

  1. Clothes: don’t wash clothes in toxic brand-name laundry detergents, stop using brand-name fabric softeners or dryer sheets, no dry cleaning.

You could use: soap nuts laundry liquid Soap Nuts Laundry Liquid, a biodegradable concentrated "tea" made from the fruit of the soapberry tree.

• Disinfectant organic vinegar and peroxide: http://www.michaelandjudystouffer.com/judy/articles/vinegar.htm

  1. Healthy cleaning: clean with a few natural ingredients

  2. Steam cleaner uses only water and electricity. Really does a good job.

  3. 10 non toxic cleaning recipes

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/18/10-nontoxic-deep-cleaning_n_810047.html#s225352&title=NoFume_Bleach

  1. Seventh Generation  www.seventhgeneration.com

• Dishes: Use woven cloth dish cloths instead of sponges that are plastic or animal.

• Clean vegetables fruits:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4497214_clean-chemicals-off-fruits-vegetables.html

  1. Floors  http://www.care2.com/greenliving/natural-floor-cleaning-easy-greening.html#

  2. Other: http://housekeeping.about.com/cs/environment/a/alternateclean.htm

http://www.worldwatch.org/node/1484

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/ShoppersSafetyGuide.pdf

Toilet paper

Buy100% recycled. Buy it by the case. Recycled Paper Printing, Inc. 617-737-9911 Renature 100% recycled toilet tissue.

Water

We have polluted our water with everything from the aluminum toxic byproduct fluoride, to pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals. So we need to filter our water. We need to save water. According to the Global Risks Report, everything from growing populations and bad infrastructure to water pollution from fertilizer, sewage and oil spills threatens global water supplies.

How to conserve water:     http://eartheasy.com/live_water_saving.htm

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/09/conserve_water.php

Filter water: There are many types of filtering. Avoid plastic parts in filtering equipment. I use stainless steel charcoal filter and then a stainless steel distiller. Store in glass jugs. Use stainless containers for travel.

I use Multi Pure for charcoal filtering and Klean Kanteen for steel containers.


Refrig. storage

Use glass or steel instead of plastic.

Renovation

Use environmentally friendly products.

  1. Non toxic paints  http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_paints.htm

Furniture

Recycled paper furniture  http://www.waybasics.com/shop.html

General

Buy in bulk, it reduces packaging and saves money.  Please don't fill your home or apartment with products that off-gas toxic chemicals: Bad Air fresheners, perfumed candles, particle board furniture, carpets, glues, etc.

  1. Don't cook on non-stick cookware it’s toxic.   Use copper-clad stainless steel pans, or iron cookware.

Stop junk mail

http://www.obviously.com/junkmail/

Electronics

Use energy saving electronics, keep electronics out of trash. There will be appropriate recycling options in your area.


LANDSCAPING

Renew Landscape

http://www.roots-to-shoots.com/5373.html

Organic landscaping

Organic is crucial for any plantings or landscaping.

  1. Organic gardening   http://www.organicgardeningguru.com/

  2. http://www.organicgardeninfo.com/

Trees

Trees are wonderful. Don’t cut them down unless they are invasive species. Plant as many as you can, enjoy their incredible beauty, hug them! Here are a few of their many gifts: shade, they cool temperature in summer, provide nesting, shelter and food for wildlife, they give oxygen, help with carbon, prevent soil erosion, give leaves to use as mulch or compost, moderate the climate, improve air quality, conserve water, act as windbreak (the winds go to the forest to rest), give fruits, nuts, berries, and healing parts for us and wildlife, and they make us feel better.

http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/tree_benefits.aspx

Compost

Kitchen and yard waste. Make great soil and compost “tea”. You will never need other fertilizer.

• How to compost:  http://www.compostinstructions.com/

• The composter we use: Envirocycle Composter Black

http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2718&q=325370&depNav_GID=1645

Permaculture

http://www.permaculture.org/nm/index.php/site/index/

Water

How to conserve water: collecting rainwater in a rain barrel and reusing it (depending on roof type), redirecting water from your downspouts to where it is needed, using native plants that need less watering, and building a rain garden.

Rain barrel materials, durable stainless steel, fiberglass, recycled plastic, old whiskey or wine barrels. Avoid new fiberglass, or plastic. A more sustainable choice, is wood or steel, saving materials from ending up in a landfill.

Veg garden

  1. A gardening Blog  http://www.myearthgarden.com/

  2. What to plant when  New England  http://www.motherearthnews.com/What-To-Plant-Now-March-Maritime-Canada-And-New-England-Gardening-Region.aspx

  3. Other places http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening.aspx

Wildlife gardens

National wildlife Federation, certify your wildlife garden. http://www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife/certify.cfm?campaignid=WH10A150

Turn your yard into a general wildlife garden. Create a bird, or butterfly garden. Butterfly bush is not good for butterflies because it kills their caterpillars. Use butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) instead. Don't confuse butterfly bush plants (Buddleia davidii) with butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). Butterfly weed is a type of milkweed and serves as a host for the caterpillars of monarch butterflies. Adult tiger swallowtails and black swallowtails enjoy its nectar. Both perennials are sometimes referred to simply as "the butterfly plant." They are, however, unrelated.

Creating wildlife gardens:  http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/Garden-for-Wildlife.aspx

http://www.nwf.org/In-Your-Backyard.aspx

Wildflower meadow

Instead of a work and water intensive lawn, why not plant a native wildflower meadow? It’s healthy for you, your children and pets, good for wildlife and the environment. Less work, more beauty. No GMOs.

Seeds

How to choose seeds

No pesticides

Please don’t use pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers or other chemicals, use organic methods instead.

Flower pots

Eliminate plastic. Use ceramic or wood.

For planting seeds, check out CowPotsTM  Visit www.cowpots.com


Personal care

Safe cosmetics, soaps

What is safe?

Don't put anything on your skin you wouldn't eat! All mainstream consumer skin care, cosmetics and personal care products may be toxic. Luckily there are alternatives .

  1. Dr Bronner's are Really good products all organic and fair trade. The downside is they use plastic bottles.     http://www.drbronner.com/

  2. Organic handmade, soaps, cosmetics, solid shampoos etc. many with non plastic packaging. Compostable goods (great shampoo): http://compostablegoods.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_43&products_id=42     Lush: http://www.lushusa.com/shop

Or Make your own!

http://www.reuseit.com/take-action/diy-resources/health-and-beauty

http://www.safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=233

Is your cosmetic safe? Skin Deep http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/index.php?nothanks=1

• Guides http://www.ewg.org/files/EWG_cosmeticsguide.pdf

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/ShoppersSafetyGuide.pdf

  1. Reusable cosmetic cases

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pandora-young/keep-your-cosmetics-out-o_b_815248.html

Reusable toothbrushes, just replace the head.

Feminine care

Organic cotton tampons and pads both disposable and washable are available instead of toxic plastic

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/Organic-Cotton-Tampons

http://www.greenshoppingstore.com/organic-cotton-feminine-hygiene


Energy

Our energy use contributes heavily to climate change as well as pollution of air, water, land and animals, and destruction of ecosystems, like mountaintop removal, flammable water and oil spills, like in the Gulf. It’s important to use less energy and to use clean energy. Clean energy is, solar, wind, geothermal, tidal, small hydraulic. Dirty energy is: nuclear, oil, coal, biomass, gas. Dirty energy is coal, oil, nuclear, gas, biofuels.

Conserve

Plant native shade trees. Wash cloths in cold or warm setting, don’t use dishwasher or clothes dryer, turn down your thermostat and water heater temperature, use low flow shower heads, weatherize your home.

http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/20things.htmhttp://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/tree_benefits.aspx

Even when appliances are turned off there is a phantom load, electricity is still running through. Unplug appliances when not in use, especially instant-on, remote control, channel memory and LED clock displays. TVs, for example, are still consuming about 75 % of their wattage when turned “off.” http://www.ct.gov/dep/lib/dep/p2/newsletter/p2viewsummer07.pdf


No dryer use close-line or wooden close racks

http://www.realgoods.com/product/home-outdoor/green+living/laundry/new+england+clothes+dryer.do


Electricity clean

Viridian only one in CT certified

http://www.green-e.org/base/re_products

http://www.worldwatch.org/node/1488

Solar, wind or geothermal are great if appropriate to your location.

off grid

If you can, solar power, wind, and or geothermal would be the clean way to be energy independent.

Save gas

Walk, bike, car pool, combine trips, don’t go over 60mph, check tire pressure, buy an electric car if you can.

Issues

Climate change

• Learn how to talk to a climate change denier

http://www.grist.org/article/series/skeptics/

Bio diversity

We are causing mass extinctions, the largest mass extinctions since the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

By the year 2100 human activities such as pollution, land clearing, over hunting, overfishing may have driven more than half of the worlds marine and land species into extinction.

• National Wildlife Federation http://www.nwf.org/Wildlife.aspx

• A short video I made. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG2PFek1PDc

Polluting the planet

From GMOs, nanotechnology, synthetic biology, oil, coal, nuclear, chemical and pharmaceutical pollution, we are poisoning every corner, every being on the planet.


Get informed get active

Orgs. for information and to take action.

It’s easy. Most of these orgs. send out emails to notify you of actions if you ask them to, or just go to their website. Then all it takes to take action is just clicking to sign a petition or letter. Of course you can do more if you want.

Organic consumers Association

http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagid=60634&redirect=cleartheair

  1. Center for Biological Diversity   http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/

  2. Defenders of Wildlife: http://www.defenders.org/index_v2.html

  3. Friends of the Earth  http://www.foe.org/

  4. Greenpeace   http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/

World Watch institute   

http://www.worldwatch.org/resources/go_green_save_green


Caveat

There is a lot of greenwashing going on, whether company, organization, product or person, many will claim to be green or organic and are not. A group may have a good record then suddenly sell out. Each thing needs to be looked at individually.


Thank You

Thank you for caring. We are learning together how to live harmoniously with all of earthlife, on this beautiful blue planet. We are all connected, every action affects the web of life.

If you have any comments or suggestions please contact me.