Live Well, Live Green · 2013-08-18 · These drops may indeed make your eyes temporarily whiter...

Live Well, Live Green

© Copyright. All rights reserved. Clare Delaney

NOTICE: You Do NOT Have the Right

to Reprint or Resell this Report!

You Also MAY NOT Give Away,

Sell or Share the Content Herein



Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 6

The Purpose of This Book ........................................................................................................................ 7

Chapter 1: Banish the Toxins! ................................................................................................................. 8

7 Home Health Products You Don’t Need ....................................................................................... 8

Household Products to Avoid........................................................................................................ 10

Heavenly Aromas! ......................................................................................................................... 13

Mosquitoes ................................................................................................................................... 14

Eco-friendly Eye Care .................................................................................................................... 18

Allergies ......................................................................................................................................... 20

Wonderful Lemons! ...................................................................................................................... 22

What to Avoid in Personal Care Products ..................................................................................... 23

Chapter 2: Cool Your Home in Summer ............................................................................................... 26

It’s Easy – Shade Your House! ....................................................................................................... 26

The FREE way to cool your home! ................................................................................................ 28

More Tips to Stay Cool .............................................................................................................. 29

Get the Most From Your Air Conditioning! ................................................................................... 30

Almost Free Easy Alternatives ....................................................................................................... 32

Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 32

Chapter 3: Heat Your Home in Winter ................................................................................................. 34

Central or Not? .............................................................................................................................. 34

Dress Right! ................................................................................................................................... 34

Insulate .......................................................................................................................................... 35

The Passive House ......................................................................................................................... 35

Space ............................................................................................................................................. 35

Chapter 4: Appliances – Buying & Using .............................................................................................. 36

Buying a New Appliance ................................................................................................................ 36

Buying a Green Television ............................................................................................................. 37

Buying a Green Dishwasher .......................................................................................................... 39

Buying a Green Fridge ................................................................................................................... 40

Using Appliances ........................................................................................................................... 40

Save Electricity With Off-Peak....................................................................................................... 41

Chapter 5: Lighting ............................................................................................................................... 42

Incandescent (“normal”) light bulbs ............................................................................................. 43



Fluorescent Tubes ......................................................................................................................... 43

Fluorescent Bulbs – CFLs ............................................................................................................... 44

LEDs ............................................................................................................................................... 45

Chapter 6: Green-washing .................................................................................................................... 46

Have they been Green-washed? ................................................................................................... 46

How To Spot Green-washing ......................................................................................................... 47

Chapter 7: Organising Storage in your home ........................................................................................ 48

Start to Get Organised .................................................................................................................. 49

Re-use a Kitchen! .......................................................................................................................... 50

Eco-Friendly Food Storage ............................................................................................................ 52

Chapter 8: Green Your Pet................................................................................................................... 55

Do You Truly Know What You Feed Your Pet? .............................................................................. 57

Recycle Your Pet!!! ........................................................................................................................ 60

Chapter 9: Green Jobs .......................................................................................................................... 64

Chapter 10: Paper .................................................................................................................................. 67

What is FSC-Certified? ................................................................................................................... 67

Is it Worth Recycling Paper? ......................................................................................................... 68

Five easy tips to improve your paper use: .................................................................................... 69

Bonus Tip: Re-using / Recycling Old Books ................................................................................... 69

Reduce paper in your home office ................................................................................................ 70

Is working from home really eco-friendly? ................................................................................... 72

Chapter 11: Water ................................................................................................................................. 73

Why Save Water? .......................................................................................................................... 73

Are There Easy Ways to Save Water? ........................................................................................... 74

Rainwater Harvesting .................................................................................................................... 77

Water Quiz .................................................................................................................................... 81

Bottled Water ................................................................................................................................ 83

A Little-known Secret! ................................................................................................................... 83

Interesting Water Facts ................................................................................................................. 84

Can I Re-use Plastic Bottles? ......................................................................................................... 85

Water Wars? ................................................................................................................................. 86

Chapter 12: Death by Plastic ................................................................................................................ 87

Where does all this waste come from? ........................................................................................ 88

Plastic is Everywhere – and Eternal! ............................................................................................. 89



Chapter 13: Plastic Recycling ................................................................................................................. 94

What’s a Plastic #5? What’s PET? ................................................................................................ 94

Are the plastic numbers important for my health? ...................................................................... 96

My curbside collection won’t take all my plastic! ......................................................................... 98

Do most plastics get recycled? ...................................................................................................... 98

What can I do to help? .................................................................................................................. 99

Plastic Waste ............................................................................................................................... 100

Chapter 13 Driving ............................................................................................................................... 101

Four Easy Ways To Improve your Fuel Consumption ................................................................. 102

Alternatives ................................................................................................................................. 104

Slash Your Commuting Costs! ..................................................................................................... 106

Top Tip: Reduce Your Commute ................................................................................................ 108

Should I Switch Off or Idle my Car? ............................................................................................. 110

Warming Up a Car ....................................................................................................................... 111

Chapter 14: Eco-Friendly Fun! ............................................................................................................ 113

Eco-Friendly Camping.................................................................................................................. 113

Top 3 Suggestions for an Enjoyable Eco-Friendly Weekend ....................................................... 114

Volunteer, Have Fun, and Save The Planet ................................................................................. 116

Do You Hate Litter? ..................................................................................................................... 117

Why should I give up my own personal time? ............................................................................ 118

Start a Green Movement ............................................................................................................ 120

Resources - How To Find Ways You Can Help ............................................................................. 120

Answers to the Water Quiz: ................................................................................................................ 123



Introduction

Unless you’ve been living under a rock somewhere, you’ll

have heard a lot of talk about The Environment and how

we’ve been ruining it with our lifestyles.

The thing is, how do we go about making it better?

Very few people are bad people. Most of us want to do The

Right Thing.

But how can you know what to do when it comes to Green Living? There’s such a lot

of conflicting advice out there.

Yet living sustainably, in a way that helps protect the environment, is not an

unobtainable dream. You can make small changes that will reduce your impact on

the environment and improve your own wellbeing as well as that of the planet.

And it doesn’t mean you have to give up life’s modern conveniences!

Here are the benefits of green living:

You Improve Your Health. We are surrounded by toxic chemicals, but green

living will greatly reduce them. Reducing air pollution (a goal of green living)

can help with allergies and general well-being.

You Save Money – many aspects of green living actually save you money.

You Increase Your Happiness – today’s society causes us a great deal of

stress. Green living allows you step back from all the frenetic activity and

hype, and work out what’s really important.

You Help to Save the Planet! It’s a fact that we can’t carry on the way we’re

living. The resources we’re using don’t renew themselves. We need to make

changes - some changes need to be made by governments, institutions and

businesses, and some changes need to be made by us. You and me. And

the good news is that not only can we make a difference with our own

changes, but we can also influence businesses to change too!



The Purpose of This Book

The purpose of this book is to take you through, step-by-step, how to live a more

sustainable, greener lifestyle.

You certainly don’t have to do everything mentioned here (although it would be great

if you did!). But every little bit helps.

And if you’ve ever thought that just you making some changes is not going to make a

difference in the overall scheme of things, just remember:

“If you think your actions are too small to make a difference, you’ve never been in bed with a mosquito”.

In this book and on my websites, I won’t talk about things I have not

thoroughly investigated and cross-referenced. If I recommend a ‘green’ product, it’s

because I’ve thoroughly researched its credentials.

Because I care. I know you do too.

And so in this book you’ll find a wealth of information and tips that will help you live a

greener lifestyle.

In my own quiet way, I make choices which help to reduce my impact on this

crowded planet of ours.

And I hope you and your family will too.



Chapter 1: Banish the Toxins!

As we become more aware of just how many toxic chemicals are in the products we use every day, it’s time to look at some

alternatives.

In this chapter you’ll find my Top Tips for pure, chemical-free alternatives to things you use every day – air fresheners, eye

care, insect spray….

And they’re all quick and easy!

There’s the pollution you can see – belching factory chimneys and smokestacks,

aged trucks spouting grey, smelly clouds.

And then there are the pollutants and toxins inside our homes.

They come from seemingly innocent sources – cleaning materials, candles, furniture,

cookware, clothes and sometimes, even inside the foods we eat!

But by being aware, you can reduce and even eliminate many of these toxins.

Let’s start by identifying 7 home products that you probably don’t need at all.

7 Home Health Products You Don’t Need

These are products which are anything but healthy – don’t use them!

1. Anti-bacterial Soap

You want to get rid of the bad bacteria in your home and protect your family, so you

buy anti-bacterial soap as the best home health product. However, this ‘war against

germs’ could do more harm than good. The good bacteria that live on your skin

protect your immune system and help fight off infections.



When you strip yourself of bacteria with anti-bacterial soap, you may be killing the

good germs that actually serve to keep you healthy.

Now of course, in certain places anti-bacterial soap may be necessary –hospitals

and shelters for example. People with compromised immune systems will also

benefit from anti-bacterial soap.

But the average healthy person can simply use any mild soap with water to safely

wash their hands.

2. Breath-Freshening Mouthwash

Of course, fresh, minty breath is nice!

But if you’re healthy and brush and floss your teeth every day, then you probably

don’t need mouthwash. Products may advertise plaque protection and other

benefits, but studies show that they mainly freshen breath only.

If you have persistent bad breath, it may be linked to another issue (e.g. gum

disease, tooth decay, diabetes) which mouthwash won’t solve.

Most people can get by very well without this home health product.

3. Redness-Reducing Eye Drops

These drops may indeed make your eyes temporarily whiter and brighter, but they

can cause unwanted side effects.

They can become addictive

Overuse can lead to dryness and irritation (the very problem you’re trying to

avoid!)

They can mask a bigger problem such as an infection, allergy or severe dryness

problems.

This is a home health product which can cause more problems than benefits, and we

can do without them. ”Normal” eye drops can help to reduce dryness, especially for

contact lens wearers, but the redness-reducing eye drops are another matter.

4. Toothbrush Sanitizers

Do toothbrushes contain bacteria? Absolutely! But, according

to the American Dental Association, there is absolutely no

clinical evidence showing that using a toothbrush sanitizer

provides health benefits over letting your brush air dry after use.

In fact, they recommend simply that you rinse your brush well

after use and store upright to air dry.



5. Facial Toner

I grew up with the mantra “cleanse, tone and moisturize”. Certainly, toners can

restore the pH of the skin and help products to be absorbed easier.

But they may be too harsh, as well as a waste of money.

If you wash your face with a gentle cleanser, it probably won’t alter the pH of your

skin, and so you don’t need a toner. Cleansing and moisturizing are much more

important!

6. Scented Feminine Products

These products feed off womens’ insecurities about their vaginal hygiene. If you like

to use perfumed tampons, sprays, powders and wipes, consider this.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists strongly warns against

these scented products, because the vagina’s naturally acidic environment is

generally enough to clean itself.

To stay fresh and healthy, wash with mild soap and water, or water alone.

Using scented products can actually increase your chances of infection and irritation.

Only buy un-scented.

7. Cold Prevention Remedies

There are loads of cold-prevention remedies on the market today, but

do they work? Nasal sprays, vitamin C powders….. buying them

regularly costs more than you think, and in fact there’s very little

clinical evidence to show that these home health products work at all.

Instead, the best suggestion from the experts is to wash your hands,

sanitize your belongings, and don’t share things with someone who is

sick.

Household Products to Avoid

There’s a surprising amount of toxic chemicals used in household items. Here are

the main offenders – and their better, healthier alternatives.

BPA

BPA (Bisphenol A) is so widespread that many researchers aren’t even sure what

causes our biggest exposure. BPA is a hormone-disrupting chemical which is also

linked to diabetes, heart disease, and aggressive behaviour in children. It’s found in



some plastic bottles, in food storage containers, receipts and the linings of most

tinned / canned foods.

How can you avoid BPA?

Don’t rely on tinned / canned goods, buy fresh or frozen instead.

Use glass or ceramic containers for storing food instead of plastic.

And say “no thanks” to printed receipts wherever possible.

There are several companies who offer “BPA Free” canned goods. However, there

is concern that the chemicals they use to replace BPA have not yet been thoroughly

tested for long-term effects.

Flame Retardants

These can be found in furniture, carpets and electronics, to mention but a few. They

are linked to infertility, learning problems, hormone disruption and thyroid issues.

How can you avoid flame retardants?

If you’re buying new furniture, avoid pieces which have

been treated.

For existing furniture, try to reduce the flame

retardants and other toxins which form into household

dust over time. Using a good vacuum cleaner will help

– you need one with good suction and, even more importantly, one which prevents

the dust from spewing out of the vacuum and back into your home’s air. The good

news is that many well-known brands do this just as effectively as the high-end

machines, so you don’t need to spend a fortune.

Non-Stick Pans

Non-stick pots and pans and bakeware are wonderfully convenient. But many items

still use polyfluoroalkyl which is linked to

high cholesterol, ADHD and other

nasties including sperm reduction.

How can you avoid non-stick? Buy

stainless steel or cast iron pots and

pans, and consider silicon bakeware (just

be aware that there’s not a lot of

research on silicon’s safety as it’s

relatively new). If you’re using non-stick

now, wait until the surface starts to chip

or scratch, then replace with the non-chemical alternatives.



Pesticides & Fertilizers

The quantity of pesticides and fertilizers used on our food crops and in our gardens is

astonishing. There are residues of these chemicals on the food we eat, even if we

wash them. In our gardens, many garden services prefer to use chemicals rather

than pulling out weeds for example. And we want lovely green lawns and beautiful

flowers so we fertilize with more chemicals…..

How can you avoid pesticides and fertilizers?

For food, buy organic where possible, because organic food crops have fewer

chemicals used on them. Also check EWG’s guide to food which gives you

up-to-date information on which fresh foods have the highest levels of

chemicals.

For your garden, ask your garden service (if you have one) to stop using

chemicals and instead use traditional methods such as manual weed-pulling

and using natural, organic fertilizer instead.

Vinyl

Vinyl is a plastic which is found in cars, shower curtains, flooring, fake leather

furniture, clothing and accessories, and even personal

care products.

Vinyl contains phthalates which are linked to hormone

disruption, stunted growth and obesity.

If you’re looking for flooring choose genuine

linoleum instead of vinyl.

Avoid products with fragrance

Look on product labels for phthalate-free offerings.

Dry Cleaning

Are you sure that certain clothes really need

to be dry cleaned? Perhaps you use dry

cleaners for a convenient way of having

freshly laundered shirts each day?

Many dry cleaners use a chemical called

perchloroethylene, also known as PCE or

perc. It’s a probable carcinogen and is linked

to kidney, liver, and central nervous system

damage.

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/



Are you sure you want those residues on your clothes and perhaps in your closed

wardrobe or closet?

A less toxic way is to wash the clothes yourself – yes, even those ones which say

“dry clean only”.

For example to clean silk,

1. Add castile soap or other gentle pH-neutral soap to 100 F or 38 C water

2. Whirl the garment in the water with your hands.

3. Don’t dry it outside (UV rays can damage silk), so hang it indoors to dry.

4. Iron on very low or even better, hang it in a steamy bathroom to remove the

wrinkles.

For other materials, just google and you’ll find lots of advice.

Heavenly Aromas!

Make your home or office smell fresh and inviting!

Use some of these simple, eco-friendly ways to make your

space smell great, rather than spraying commercial, often

toxic-chemical-laden air fresheners.

Save your citrus fruit skins. Save the peels of oranges,

lemons, limes and other citrus fruits. Place them in boiling

water to leave a fresh scent in the kitchen.

If you have a garbage disposal unit, run the skins into it with

boiling water.

If you have a vacuum cleaner with a bag, place citrus skins in the bag the next time

you hoover your carpet.

Grow plants indoors. Your favourite plants and herbs growing in small pots in your

kitchen, living room and bathroom will look really great. As a bonus, they will help to

reduce indoor air pollution and keep clean air circulating in your space.

Make gorgeous Room Sprays. Dilute essential oil with water in a spray

bottle. Spray your furniture and carpets to make the room smell of a specific

scent. For variety, you can have different scents for different areas of your home –

different aromas for your kitchen, bedroom and bathroom if you wish, or your

favourite throughout your whole home.



Eliminate strong odours: Place bowls of white vinegar in corners of the room. The

vinegar may smell strongly initially (depending upon the size of the room and its

ventilation), but it will neutralize and absorb offending odours.

Give your clothes a whiff of heaven: Use cedar blocks in your closets /

wardrobes. They’re expensive to buy initially, but you can use them year after year.

Simply rub them with sandpaper for a new layer!

Light soy candles instead of regular candles. Soy candles are

longer-lasting,

better for the environment (“normal” candles are made

from petroleum converted into paraffin wax),

better for human health (studies have shown that “normal”

candles emit pollutants – some of which may be

carcinogenic if frequently used),

and have a more robust smell.

: BioCare Naturals Soy Candle Green Product Recommendation

(Long life, in recyclable glass jar, also repels mosquitoes).

Bake bread or cook your own meals. Few things are as welcoming as the smell of

freshly baked bread or the aroma of a home-cooked dinner.

Open the windows in your home if the climate permits, and let the fresh air in! It’s

the best and most natural freshener there is!

Mosquitoes

If you live in a part of the world where mosquitoes are a problem, you’ll know that

they are an irritant, and some varieties carry disease. But most anti-mosquito

products contain DEET (diethyl-meta-toluamide) and that’s not good for the

environment, nor, apparently for us if we use it repeatedly – children especially are at

risk.

So here you’ll find some toxin-free, homemade anti-mosquito sprays, and my top 10

tips on how to avoid the problem altogether.

Why Me?

One thing I always get asked about is why some people seem to be endlessly

attractive to mosquitoes, and others not at all?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004D39XKS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B004D39XKS&linkCode=as2&tag=ecofrielink-20




Researchers aren’t totally sure, but the main suggestions are:

1. Your rate of carbon dioxide – Larger people and pregnant women often

exhale more CO2 than others.

2. Heat - the warmer you are, the more you’ll attract mosquitoes.

3. Colour - mosquitoes are attracted to dark things, so wear light colours for a

better chance.

However, apparently it’s an old wives’ tale that eating bananas will attract them and

taking vitamin B will repel them (I can vouch for the latter being an old wives’ tale – I

take Vitamin B and they still love me. It must be my winning personality).

So, what can I do?

Here are some natural mixtures you can make yourself. Below, you’ll find further

suggestions on how to avoid getting bitten.

Anti-Mosquito Oil:

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 10 drops of essential oil from this list (use

one or a mixture of a couple): basil, eucalyptus, cloves, geranium,

peppermint, rosemary, lavender, pennyroyal, lemon balm

(citronella). Essential oils are normally available at health food stores.

2. Combine in a glass jar and stir.

3. Dab a few drops on your clothing or skin.

(Caution: pregnant women should consult with their doctor before using).

You might want to experiment a little – different oils work best for different people,

depending upon your individual body chemistry.

Tip: If you find a combination that works for you, but you don’t like the smell of

it, add some peppermint oil.

Test a small area of skin first to check for any adverse

reaction.

Anti-Mosquito Spray

If you would prefer to be able to spray on a repellent, try

this:



1. Combine half a cup of chopped fresh rosemary with a cup of boiling water.

2. Let it steep for about an hour.

3. Once it is cool, put it into a spritz bottle and keep it in the fridge.

4. Spray it on yourself as needed.

Tip: Remember that plant / herb-based solutions last for a short time only – re-

apply about every hour.

Anti-Mosquito Dab

Parsley is useful in the fight against mosquitoes.

1. Place half a cup of crushed parsley into a small jar of apple cider vinegar.

2. Refrigerate.

3. Dab the mixture on your skin, or dip a handkerchief in it then wear it as a

hatband or around your neck.

Buy Repellent

If you buy mosquito repellent, you want to make sure it’s non-

toxic. I recommend BioCare Naturals Mosquito Soy Candle,

made from soybeans with natural essential oils. It comes in a

re-usable, recyclable glass jar and smells great!

Or look for incense sticks made from bamboo with essential oils.

Other Suggestions:

These are my Top Ten Tips for avoiding mosquitoes.

1. Avoid wearing strong perfume.

2. If you’re having a BBQ, try placing some sprigs of rosemary or sage on the

coals.

3. Grow rose-scented geraniums or Citrosa geranium on your patio or porch and

swish your hands through the leaves as you go outside. Or grow lemon balm

- crush a leaf or two in your hand and then rub it over exposed skin. Catnip

can also work.

4. Mosquitoes breed in still / stagnant water, so remove things like pet dishes,

bird bowls, old tyres, small shallow pools, and flower pots. Be aware

however, that your surroundings (outside your property) may have water

traps.





5. If you have a pond, stock it with goldfish,

mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) or some native

fish which eat mosquitoes. Then your pond will

act as a natural mosquito trap.

6. A product called “Mosquito Dunks” is apparently

non-toxic and can be placed in stagnant water;

however, you should avoid inhaling the dust, and

wear gloves to handle it. I haven’t seen the

product, but my gut feel tells me those handling

suggestions don’t make it sound non-toxic, so

personally I probably wouldn’t use it. But it’s

widely recommended by others.

7. Citronella candles and little machines which

release citronella can help reduce the quantity of mosquitoes.

8. Bats eat mosquitoes. If you like them, encourage them to your home by

building or buying a bat house. However, although they do eat mosquitoes,

they prefer larger insects. So bats will help, but won’t eliminate them.

9. While indoors or on a patio, use a fan – mosquitoes don’t like being blown

around (that’s why you get bitten less on a windy day – that’s my personal,

non-scientific observation).

10. Wear long-sleeved shirts, trousers instead of shorts and shoes instead of

sandals. In hot summer weather these may not seem attractive; however, thin

and loose-fitting clothes may be just as comfortable and also help to protect

you from sunburn and UV damage. A broad-brimmed hat can help keep bugs

away from your head.

Things to avoid:

X Don’t use garden pesticides, which kill all insects including the beneficial ones

and disrupt the natural balance;

X Avoid electric bug zappers which kill lots of things but very few mosquitoes.

Tip: Remember to apply repellent BEFORE you actually need it! (In other

words, before you are likely to get bitten).

Unfortunately, DEET works very effectively, and for a longer period of time than

herbal remedies – perhaps keep some for emergencies only. Or consider applying it

to your clothes instead of to your skin in the hope that it will still repel them.

What if I get bitten?



If you do get a mosquito bite, you’ll want to stay away from the

chemical remedies. Simply apply a drop of osha root (a native

American herb) tincture. If you can’t find it, make a paste of water

and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and dab that onto the bite

instead.

Eco-friendly Eye Care

Use eco-friendly routines for great skin!

If you are interested in purer solutions and making green choices for your skin, you

can buy eco-friendly products, or you can make your own.

It is safe, cheap, and easy to make your own natural recipes at home, using pure

skincare ingredients from your pantry or refrigerator.

These recipes are all for the eyes – the window to the soul. Here are suggestions

for eco-friendly eye moisturising creams, puffy eye aids, dark circle reducers, eye

soothers, and eye make-up removers.

Eye Moisturisers

Both papaya and pineapple can be used separately as an eye cream, but together

they are even more powerful. Both fruits have effective exfoliating properties similar

to alpha-hydroxy acids, which help reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Take 1 tsp. very ripe papaya and 1 tsp. pineapple, mash very well and

combine. Using your fingers, gently dab around the eyes where you are most

prone to get wrinkles. Leave on for 5-10 minutes and gently remove with warm

water.

Natural pure honey is a favourite for many beauty recipes – its usage goes as far

back as the ancient Greeks. It keeps skin hydrated and retains moisture, and it also

helps to absorb impurities from skin. Honey’s natural antioxidant

benefits help with aging, and its anti-microbial properties help

with protection from sun damage.

Another popular all-natural skin care recipe ingredient is olive

oil. The benefits of olive oil have been enjoyed by Italian woman

for hundreds of years. It made their complexions soft and was a

wonderful luxury to add to the bath.



Eye Saviours – Reduce puffiness, lighten dark circles

Cucumbers contain a highly beneficial ingredient. They have a mild astringent that is

wonderful when it comes to swollen eyelids, puffy eyes and eye bags. Simply cut thin

slices and place them on your eye skin area. Sit back and relax for a few minutes.

What could be easier!

To lighten dark under-eye circles, wrap a grated raw potato in cheesecloth and apply

to the eyes and their dark circles for 15-20 minutes.

Tired Eyes

Getting enough sleep will go a long way to reduce redness and dark circles under

the eyes. If you haven’t been getting enough sleep, use one of the following and

close your eyes and rest for 15 minutes. Both you and

your eyes will feel refreshed afterwards!

Chamomile Tea Bags are very soothing. Boil 1 cup

of water and add 2 chamomile tea bags. Allow the

water to cool to lukewarm with the tea bags in it.

Remove the tea bags and squeeze the excess fluid

from them. Place the tea bags on your closed eyes,

and leave them in place for 15 minutes. Remove them

from your eyes and discard.

Tip: The chamomile infusion can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three

days and used as a hair rinse or facial rinse.

Fennel is another great eye soothing ingredient. Take 3 tbsp crushed fennel seeds

and add to 1/3 cup water, boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 15

minutes. Remove from heat and immediately strain the seeds from the infusion. Let

the infusion cool to room temperature. Soak cotton pads in the infusion, squeeze out

the excess fluid, and place on closed eyes for 15 minutes. Remove and discard. The

leftover infusion can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days and used as a

skin rinse.

Eye Make-up Removers

Most commercial removers use petroleum in one form or another. Here’s a

wonderfully easy remover instead.



Dab just a small amount of coconut oil onto an organic cotton swab to quickly

and gently remove all traces of eye make-up.

Tip: This recipe can be used as a light moisturising oil as well as an eye

make-up remover.

Just because……. of course you need a treat!

Treat your eyes with this lovely, rich mixture!

1/8 tsp rosehip seed oil

10 drops evening primrose oil

10 drops vitamin E (use 400 IU per gel cap or concentrated liquid vitamin E

32,000 IU per fluid ounce)

10 drops jojoba oil

Mix all of the ingredients together. Gently and carefully massage just a drop or

two of the mixture into the skin around your eyes. Store any remaining oil in a

small glass bottle.

Useful tips for eye care:

The skin around the eyes requires extra care because it’s more fragile than

the skin on the rest of your face. It should not be rubbed or scrubbed hard, as

this can stretch the skin too much and help to cause the formation of wrinkles

and lines.

Avoid putting concentrated substances such as essential oils around your

eyes. These can cause burning, stinging, redness and watering.

Make eye care products in small quantities. It’s much better to make small

quantities often, than to make large quantities that will sit around for a while.

Allergies

Allergies can make life miserable for sufferers – and allergies

are increasingly common as a result of air pollution.

What relieves your symptoms depends upon your own body

chemistry, and the environment you live in.

From a health point of view, as well as to be green, you want

to avoid toxic chemical treatments.



Here are my suggestions – try all or some of them. Some people have found great

success with one method, while others have said that didn’t work, but another one

did. Hopefully, you’ll find one in this list which will work for you!

Eco-Friendly Allergy Solutions – Top 10 Tips

1. Food or supplements containing probiotics have been shown to be effective

in relieving allergy symptoms. Yoghurt is a common source of probiotics,

however, remember that dairy products can make symptoms worse for some

allergy sufferers – test for a dairy allergy

2. A vegan diet has eliminated allergies in some people.

3. Eyebright can be an effective herb to relieve eye irritation caused by

allergies. Studies have shown it to be remarkably effective with no serious

adverse reaction. Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne has been used for

centuries. Today it is available in drops (Euphrasia and Oculoheel ® and also

as capsules).

4. Drink more water. This will support the natural cleansing systems in your

body.

5. Drink green tea – drink two to three cups daily for best results. Green tea

contains powerful antioxidants (it’s good for you generally as well as for

allergies). If you don’t like the taste of green tea, many manufacturers add

other ingredients to make it more palatable – for instance I love Twinings

Green Tea with Lemon. Green tea is also available in powered form (Matcha)

which you can add to food.

6. Apples and onions contain quercetin which is an anti-histamine phyto-

nutrient. There is also some quercetin in berries, cabbage, cauliflower, nuts

and tea.

7. Native Americans used stinging nettles to relieve allergy symptoms and they

have been proven to work today. You can buy them in dried form to make tea

or buy them in capsule form.

8. Shower or bathe before bedtime to remove pollen from your hair and skin.

9. Avoid carpets. Polished floors are best.

10. Children with pets statistically suffer fewer allergies. So, if you have the

space and the time to care for an animal, as well as the money to feed him or

her, a pet could be a good investment (added bonus – pets may teach your

child responsibility and compassion).



Wonderful Lemons!

OK, I admit, this topic is close to my heart. I tend to

have rather a lot of lemons lurking around in my

home. Why? Well, I have a soft spot for a margarita

cocktail…….

As a child I remember having lemons at home, a small

quantity but constant – in fact running out of lemons

was a bit of a domestic disaster. My mother liked a slice of fresh lemon in her gin

and tonic, and it Was Just Not Done to be out of stock. But that was all they were

used for, which seems rather a shame now that I know about all these other

uses…….

Pest Control

Many pests dislike the acid in lemons. Place lemon peel at thresholds, windows or

anywhere pests enter your home or office. (Where I live we are plagued by ants in

winter, so this is really useful) (and a good excuse for a margarita).

Greasy Messes

Lemon cuts through grease (do I sound like an

advert for a chemical cleaning product?). Simply

add some salt (for abrasion) onto half a lemon left

after juicing, rub over the greasy areas, and then

wipe the surface clean.

Refresh a Chopping Board

Rub half a lemon over the board surface, leave for

5 minutes then rinse. (I find this is really good for

getting rid of the onion smell which sometimes

lingers). (Oh, and it’s another excuse for a

margarita).

Treat Your Face

Rub lemon peels very lightly on your face (not close to your eyes) for a nice skin

tonic, then rinse off.



Lemony Dishwasher

Add lemon peel to your dishwasher cycle to remove any

smells.

And of course, as the saying goes: when life hands you

lemons, make lemonade!

Try to buy local, organic lemons (or grow your own if you live

in a suitable climate). Using lemons will help to save money

as well as reduce your demand for chemical cleaning products

and pest sprays, and they smell great – what’s not to love!

What to Avoid in Personal Care Products

The skin is our largest organ. Every day, we slather all sorts of products onto it:

deodorant / anti-perspirant, soap, moisturiser, make up, after-shave, perfume, and

more. As well as scrubs, shampoo and hair care, sunscreen, anti-insect protection,

and even certain clothes too.

Unfortunately many products contain harmful substances that we’d be better off

without.

Here are some useful tips on what to look for:

The word “Natural” on a product is not regulated. It does NOT necessarily mean

good. (Arsenic is natural). “Natural” can be anything. Adding some aloe vera into a

product which also contains chemicals does not make it safe overall.

“Eco” and “Eco Friendly” are not regulated. Adding a plant ingredient or two does not

necessarily make a product eco friendly.

“Paraben Free”, “SLS Free” and “Grey Water Safe” are good labels to look for.

”Certified Organic” can also be useful –

with the emphasis on the Certified.

Even if those labels are present, you still

need to check the Ingredients because

there could still be other nasties.

Or you can rely on a trusted web site to

recommend products they’ve

researched for you (make sure they tell

you WHY a product is good – I’ve seen

some supposedly-eco product



recommendations and wondered what planet the reviewers live on).

If you have sensitive skin, avoid products with fragrance (easier said than done!).

Key things to remember about ingredients lists (assuming they’re large enough to be

read by anything other than an ant with a magnifying glass)

The items listed first are the largest ingredients; those listed last have the smallest

amounts. So if the “baddies” are at the beginning of the list, beware!

The term “fragrance” or “parfum” is not regulated, and so all sorts of nasties can be

hidden in there. If this item is high / early in the list of ingredients, I avoid the

product.

If I can’t pronounce the majority of the ingredients, or if I think a 12-year-old would

find them difficult to read, I don’t buy the product.

Deodorants and Anti-Perspirants

Propylene glycol is a penetration enhancer commonly used in deodorants.

(Personally, I’d prefer to keep the deodorant outside, not absorbed through the

skin).

It’s pretty hard to find anti-perspirant without aluminium in it, not to mention an

ingredients list that’s quite impossible to pronounce.

Many deodorants contain phthalates to help the fragrance stay on the skin.

Phthalates are plastics, made from petroleum. (Yes, plastics are everywhere!).

Most deodorants and anti perspirants contain parabens as preservatives.

Many deodorants which use crystal say they’re “natural” but you need to check

what else is included together with the crystal.

When buying deodorant, I personally prefer a stick or roll-on rather than a spray. I

can control how much I put on, whereas a spray wastes product

into the air and I might inhale the product. And I think there’s

normally quite a bit of product that gets left in the can, while a stick

is pretty much all used at the end. Being smaller, they tend to use

less resources to make too.

I like Herbal Choice Mari Deodorant Unscented because it’s

aluminium free, has no phthalates or parabens, no petroleum

products and is not tested on animals nor does it use any animal

products. It is organic and made from crystal and plant products.

It’s a spray rather than a stick unfortunately, but it is presented in a

glass bottle which I like and is recyclable.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008J2DX2S/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B008J2DX2S&linkCode=as2&tag=ecofrielink-20

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008J2DX2S/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B008J2DX2S&linkCode=as2&tag=ecofrielink-20



Avoid the Skin Toxins in Hand Soap

To avoid skin toxins, use the gentlest you can find.

The main offender in soap is Sodium Laurel Sulphate (SLS) or derivatives

thereof – it’s used to make the lather we’ve been conditioned to believe

we need. Be aware – some manufacturers call products “eco” if they add

a drop of essential oil.

“Ylang ylang and papaya soap” for example sounds gorgeous and eco

friendly – but it could easily still contain toxins. So don’t be fooled by all-

too-clever manufacturers / marketers.

Again, try to avoid phthalates and parabens in soap products.

I like EuroSpa Hand Soap-Unscented-12 oz. It’s Green Product Recommendation:

unscented, SLS-free, phthalate-free and paraben-free, and although it’s sold in a

plastic bottle, it’s made according to a new EPA standard.

More Skin Care

What about sunscreen – is it healthy? Are some types better

than others? Can you make your own? What’s the difference

between sunblock and sunscreen? All of these question and

more are answered on my website – click here to read all

about sunscreen.

Do you want healthy, glossy hair? Of course! Here’s how to get great hair – the

natural way.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002OD6KM8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002OD6KM8&linkCode=as2&tag=ecofrielink-20

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/sunscreen-safety

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/sunscreen-safety

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/ecoshampoo/

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/ecoshampoo/



Chapter 2: Cool Your Home in Summer

Heating and cooling your home takes up to HALF of the energy you use. Imagine being able to save money on bills, but still be

comfortable! This chapter will help you do just that!

There are tips on keeping your house cool without air conditioning, wonderfully easy ways to stay cool, and advice on getting the most out of an air conditioner if you have one.

The ability to heat and cool is a very important accomplishment of modern

technology. Our homes, ovens and freezers can be kept at any temperature we

choose – a luxury that simply wasn’t possible 100 years ago. But keeping our homes

comfortable uses a lot of energy.

With HALF of your energy costs going towards heating and cooling your home, it

makes sense to look at (easy) ways of avoiding the heat. Reducing your demand for

energy is great for the environment too, because in most countries including the

USA, the majority of electricity is generated from fossil fuels, a non-renewable

resource.

It’s Easy – Shade Your House!

One of the best things you can do to keep cool in summer is to stop the heat getting

to or touching your home. Here are some great ways to

do that:

In the days before air conditioning, many houses in

warmer climates were built with lovely deep verandas or

porches. There was a very good reason for that –

keeping the heat out of the house in the first place, saved



you trying to cool it down later.

If you live in the northern hemisphere, the important areas to shade are the southern

and western sides of your home. In the southern hemisphere, you want to shade

your home from the north and west.

If your house wasn’t designed to keep out the heat, then you won’t have verandas or

overhangs or bris soleil which keep out the sun in summer but are designed to let it

in during winter.

No problem – here are 5 more ways to add sun protection to your home.

1. Add an exterior blind or awning. These are common throughout Europe and Australia. You can have them up or down depending on whether you want to allow the sun in or not.

2. Install shutters. Shutters are a massively overlooked technology. They provide ventilation, security, shade and storm protection in one simple device. They add character to a home’s appearance too.

3. Plant a tree. This is not an instant solution (although you can buy ‘adult’ trees to speed things up). Trees are great, and deciduous trees are even better because they create shade during the summer, but let the sun in during winter when they lose their leaves – they’re as sophisticated as any electronic device!

Tip: Be careful not to plant a tree with invasive root systems too close to your house.

4. Plant vines or creepers. American architect Frank Lloyd Wright once said "a doctor can bury his mistakes, but an architect can only advise his clients to plant vines". Vines are surprisingly effective at keeping a house cool. They grow far more quickly than trees, too. Ivy, russian-vine and virginia creeper grow quickly and have an immediate effect by shading walls from the sun. Also consider dual-purpose vines - morning glories also provide beautiful flowers, or grape vines which also provide grapes. The daily temperature fluctuation can be reduced by up to 50%!

5. Put film on sunny windows. Film will keep your home cooler, and reduce glare as well as UV rays which damage floors and furniture. Film may also reduce the amount of light coming in. In general, you would not want to apply film to south-facing windows if you want to get warmth from the sun during winter.



Tip: Get advice on the different types of film available, and have it professionally installed.

All of these methods involve some up-front cost, but will save you money on running costs – because less hot air going into your house saves you money trying to cool it down again.

The FREE way to cool your home!

The greenest (and cheapest) way to keep your house cool in summer is to simply close up your home during the heat of the day, and open it at night.

This works best if you have shade outside your home too, but it will still help even if you don’t.

It’s almost too easy!

1. As soon as it starts to get hot outside, close your windows. If you don’t have shade outside sunny windows, close thick curtains or drapes inside the windows. If you are going to be out of the house all day, close up before you leave.

2. As soon as the sun passes, open the curtains and the windows and doors to allow cool air to come in and ventilate your home. Open certain windows to create breezes (more on breezes below), and if necessary use a fan to increase air movement.

Tip: You may need screens on your windows and doors to prevent an influx of bugs.

Use the breeze!

Once it is time to open your windows again, try to open windows and doors on both sides of your home (e.g. end-to-end or side-to-side) – this will allow the air to move through your house, creating a breeze.

Tip: It helps if you know what direction the wind near your home usually blows.

Arrange furniture and drapes so they don’t restrict airflow. If you have operable skylights or transom windows high on walls, open them to let out the hot air and create convection currents.

What if there isn’t a breeze?

Sometimes there will only be a weak breeze or none at all. In these circumstances, use an electric fan instead.

Even small, inexpensive table-top fans can really whip the air around.



Placing one facing in by the window where air is coming in, and one at an opposite window positioned to blow warm air out, can create a nice “wind tunnel” effect in pulling air through the house.

For an extra-cool breeze, place a frozen water bottle in front of the fan.

Tip: Turn fans off when you are finished so they don’t waste electricity and extract cool air from the house!

More Tips to Stay Cool

Reduce indoor humidity. Humidity makes the air feel warmer. Try to avoid doing things during the heat of the day which increase the humidity in your home, especially clothes washing and drying, and showering.

Dry your clothes outside instead of using a dryer. Take cool or lukewarm showers instead of hot, steamy ones. If you use a dishwasher, don’t use the heat dry at the end of the cycle.

Switch off the lights. Regular light bulbs give off a lot of heat (if you don’t believe me, try touching one after it has been on for a while). Keeping lights off during the day will reduce your electricity usage and also help to keep your house cool by eliminating the extra heat that these bulbs emanate. Switching to CFL (Compact Fluorescent) or LED bulbs will also help - they generate minimal heat and will save on your utility bill.

Don't Cook Hot Food Inside. Stoves generate a lot of heat, so cooking indoors raises the temperature inside your home, costing you more money to cool it down again. Outside summer kitchens are practical – and fun – and they are also all the rage in luxury homes too. So get a gas barbecue and grill your vegetables, take advantage of farmers markets to get fresh stuff, and eat lots of salads and sandwiches.

Your rice cooker, slow cooker, and pressure cooker are other useful alternatives. When you cook outside and see the large clouds of smoke and steam rising, be reminded about how much heat and humidity cooking contributes to indoor atmospheres..

Check your electronic equipment. If devices are switched on, they’re adding to the indoor heat (and your power bill). Even if they’re switched off, many still draw power. To stop them contributing to indoor heat, put them on a power strip so they’re easy to switch off fully, or get a ‘smart’ power strip which will do the work for you.

Spray concrete walls. Concrete traps heat throughout the day and releases it as the evening progresses. Just before the sun sets, take your hose and spray off the concrete around your house and the exterior walls to eliminate the stored heat and keep your house cooler. This won’t work in all climates, so test it where you live – don’t waste a very precious resource unless it really makes a difference.



Minimize indoor fabrics. Fabric increases interior humidity. Seats covered in natural materials will be cooler. (Add throws / blankets in winter). Consider natural floors rather than carpets; they will be cooler (add rugs in winter).

Dress appropriately. Loose-fitting, light clothing goes a long way toward keeping

you cool. Dress for the season when inside your house. Loose fitting clothes are

cooler and more comfortable than tight fitting garments. And go barefoot or wear

sandals.

Natural fabrics are cooler than synthetics. At night, use light organic bamboo or

cotton sheets on your bed, and try a buckwheat pillow which doesn't hold on to your

body heat like conventional pillows do.

Stop cooled air escaping. A couple of hours with a caulking gun to stop air leaks costs much less than insulation, and is effective. You spend money and effort cooling the inside of your home - don’t let it escape.

Get the Most From Your Air Conditioning!

If you live in an area where the temperatures are extreme, you’ll probably have air-conditioning.

Because it’s expensive to run, you’ll want to make sure you use it efficiently and get the most benefit from it.

Also, running an air conditioning system is not very eco-friendly. But if you follow these useful tips below, you’ll minimize your carbon footprint.

1. Remove obstructions. Make certain the air conditioning unit is unobstructed on every side with at least 18 inches (500cm) clearance. Avoid leaning anything on the air conditioner, and make certain there is nothing above it. (It rejects heat through the top so an awning or tree would seriously prohibit this).

2. Turn your air conditioner off or up

when you leave your home. Many people

don’t want to come home from a long day

at work to an uncomfortable home.

Consider how much energy is being used

by the air conditioner while no one is

benefitting from the usage. (If you have

pets inside the house then of course they

should be considered - but remember they do sleep on the floor and it’s much

cooler down there. Plus, they are expert at finding all the cool spots in the

house!).

3. Maintain your air conditioner. Often people neglect to maintain the air

conditioner. It does need to be cleaned every so often. This can be done

yourself by purchasing the cleaner at a hardware store or of course by a



The simple, low-

tech, tried-and-

true methods cost

less, use less

energy, and work

forever!

professional air conditioning company. Your air conditioner should be cleaned

at least once a year - or twice a year if you live in a place that has a lot of dust

(like Las Vegas). In addition to lessening the likelihood of a breakdown, your

electricity usage will decline as well.

4. Change your filter. The air conditioner has a filter that was first designed to

keep the inside coil clean and later became more advanced for health purposes.

When this filter gets dirty it restricts the air flow as well as the efficiency of the

system. You don’t need to check this every day, but set yourself a schedule

such as once per month to check / clean / change it. If the filter isn’t dirty you

may be able to get a little more use out of it.

5. Don’t buy a cheap filter. When you see a sign that proclaims 10 for $1 don’t

expect to get top of the line! The eco-friendly way is to buy a filter that is

washable. These filters stop more of the dust as a general rule, and you won’t be

creating trash every month.

6. Be a little tougher. It’s nice to be ultra-comfortable but it comes at a cost. Set the thermostat to 78 F degrees (25 C). For every degree below this you are adding 3% to your power bill (6% in Celsius). It may be too warm for you at first but you will get used to it, and you will save money.

7. Use a fan as well. Because we feel cooler if there is a breeze, fans (which

help to move the air) make us feel cooler. Because we feel cooler, we can then

change the air-con a couple of degrees – a change of about 4oF or 2oC should be

fine. Those extra few degrees make a big difference to

your bill!

Tip: if you use the fan but don’t change your air

conditioning temperature, you’ll be increasing

your cooling costs!

Bonus Tips:

Remember that your body copes better when you

don’t have temperature extremes. So if you keep

your home really chilled, and then walk out into a

boiling day, it will be harder to adjust. Your body will

adapt, but the transition will be easier if you keep air

conditioning to a more natural temperature.

Switch the fan off if you’re not in the room – they make you feel

cooler but fans don’t actually lower the temperature.

If your ceiling fan gives you the option, you will find greater comfort in the summer by

setting the fan so that the air moves faster, and in a downward direction. (You may

need to adjust the speed so you are comfortable with the noise and so that it doesn’t

blow papers around).



Almost Free Easy Alternatives

Save money - and be kind to the environment - with these easy alternatives:

Put an ice cube on your pulse points.

Yes, it’s quick, easy and cheap! Put an ice cube in a

handkerchief or wash cloth and place it on your wrists

and/or neck. It will cool you down quickly.

Wear a wet bandana

Put cold water on a bandana then tie it around your head.

It won’t do much for your hairstyle, but it will keep you cool! Wet the bandana again

as needed.

Soak your feet in cold water

Fill a small tub or container with cold water and soak your feet for a while - it is very

refreshing. If you are lucky enough to have a swimming pool but don’t have time for a

swim, sit on the edge and dangle your feet in the water for a quick

cooling off.

Keep a spray bottle in the fridge

Keep a small spray bottle full of water in the refrigerator. Mist your face

and neck with the cold water.

Summary

Phew, we’ve covered a lot in this chapter!

To summarize then:

Shade your house with a veranda or porch, trees, creepers or awnings.

If you’re lucky enough to have shutters in your home, use them – they’re a

multi-purpose wonder!

Close your home up during the day, don’t let the heat in. Then at night, open

everything up and let the breeze cool it down, or use fans to create through-

draughts.



Don’t do things which will increase the temperature of your home. For

example, cook outside, dry clothes outside, have a luke-warm instead of a hot

shower, switch off the lights inside (they generate heat), and switch off

electrical appliances.

Dress appropriately for the climate, and minimise fabrics especially on floors.

Avoid synthetic bedding.

If you use air conditioning, follow the tips to ensure you get the most out of it,

reduce your costs and reduce your demand for electricity.

Finally, use the almost-free ideas such as ice cubes, a wet bandana, wet feet

and a spray mist of cold water to keep you cool even on the hottest day!

The simple, low-tech, tried and true methods cost less, save more energy

and work forever.



Chapter 3: Heat Your Home in Winter

Many houses and offices have a central furnace or boiler which burns fossil fuels such as oil (petroleum), coal or gas. Even if

your heating is provided by electricity, most electricity is generated from fossil fuels.

So, the more we can do to reduce our usage (and wastage) of heat, the better for our pockets and for the planet!

Of course you need to keep warm in winter. But you can reduce your bills and be eco-friendly by following these tips.

Central or Not?

Look carefully at your heating requirements. If only one or two rooms need to be heated, then it will be better to use individual room heaters or fireplaces. If the entire house needs to be heated, however, then a central system is more efficient. According to the EERE Consumer’s Guide, typical efficiencies for central heating are:

85-97% for gas fired heating; 80-89% for oil-fired heating 45-60% for coal-fired heating

Dress Right!

Again, dress appropriately for the season in your home. When it’s cold outside, dress warmly inside too – a nice cheery woollen sweater, woolly or furry socks all engender feelings of comfort. When you’re sitting down, wrap a cosy blanket around you instead of turning up the heat. If you’re at home in winter and wearing shorts and a t-shirt, you might just as well take your hard-earned money and hand it over as a gift to the energy companies!



Insulate

Good insulation is important in making sure that the heat you pay for, stays in your home and doesn’t slip outside. There are many different types of insulation, ranging from fibreglass (which isn’t very eco-friendly) through to recycled denim jeans and newspapers to nano technology. Much depends upon how your house is built – click here for more in-depth information on insulation types .

The Passive House

Passive Solar techniques can save massive amounts of money by requiring less energy for heating and cooling. In addition to excellent insulation, passive techniques involve

Orienting the main windows of the house towards the equator, in order to maximise solar gain.

The height and placement of the windows is carefully calculated so that in

summer, when the sun is high in the sky, there is little sun penetration, while in winter when the sun is lower, the sun can stream in the windows helping to heat the home.

Triple glazing is also often used to improve the solar efficiency of the home

Cross-ventilation is planned into the design. If you are buying a new home, or building your own, consider these options – they can save you a great deal of money in energy costs, as well as significantly reduce your carbon emissions.

Space

Remember too that a small, cosy home is much easier to heat than a large one; while if you live in a hot, tropical climate, then space is wonderful for keeping a home cooler. “What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” Henry David Thoreau

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/savemoneyreduceenergyusewithinsulation

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/savemoneyreduceenergyusewithinsulation

http://www.passivehouse.us/passiveHouse/PassiveHouseInfo.html



Chapter 4: Appliances – Buying & Using

It’s a fact that if you buy a new appliance now, it is automatically more efficient than any model (no matter how

cheap or expensive it was originally) bought more than 10 years ago – in some cases, just 5 years ago. This is because

manufacturers have bowed to consumer and legislative pressure to make appliances more energy efficient.

That’s good news!

But to live a green lifestyle, you’ll still want to conserve energy with these appliances. Here’s how.

Buying a New Appliance

Over the last 100 years, appliances have changed the way we spend our time at

home. Chores that used to take hours can now be done in minutes by using

electricity instead of human

energy. In recent years, home

appliances have become more

energy efficient – due in part to

consumer pressure. According

to Energy Star ® a refrigerator

made before 1980 used an

average of 2,200 kWh per year;

in 2008, refrigerators which were

Energy Star rated used only 537

kWh.

When you buy an appliance, look

at the yellow EnergyGuide label. It tells you the Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) of

the appliance - how much it costs you to operate it. The more energy-efficient an



appliance is, the less it costs to run, and the lower your utility bills and the better for

the environment.

Buying a Green Television

If you watch TV, you’ll want to have an energy-efficient machine. Here’s what to look

for.

Size: Bigger TVs use more power. In fact, many of the new large TVs use more

energy than the old-fashioned tube TVs simply because of their size, even though

the old ones weren’t energy efficient!



Very large TVs are easily available and sold as

glamorous, but they can end up dominating a

room, as well as using a lot of energy – to

manufacture, to ship and to operate.

So, buy a TV no larger than you need and which

fits comfortably in the room where you will use it.

Type: Plasma TVs use up to three times the

amount of energy of an LCD TV.

Settings: The brighter the TV, the more energy it uses. You can cut your power

requirements by up to half without affecting picture quality.

When you first switch your TV on, choose the "home" mode rather than the retail

mode. Then use your remote control or menu options to select standard, movie, or

cinema mode rather than dynamic, sports, or vivid mode. These two simple changes

can often cut power consumption by 20 to 50%! The best options are often standard,

movie or cinema mode - choose the one which best suits you.

Have your television professionally calibrated or use a test disc

to calibrate the brightness and colour yourself. This step can

help ensure your television looks best in a fairly dark room,

saving energy and helping to replicate the experience of going

to the movies. For more information, see Tom's Guide.

If you want to do other things while watching TV, use a lamp next to where you sit.

(And of course, if you're involved in the other things you're doing, then consider

switching the TV off altogether!).

Turn down the lights in your TV room. By minimizing the amount of light that lands on

the TV itself or the wall behind it, you will not only save lighting energy, but also help

ensure that your TV looks good at a lower brightness setting of its own.

If your TV has an Automatic Brightness Setting, use it. It recognizes the room light

and adjusts accordingly to ensure your TV is never consuming more power than

needed.

Other features for saving power might not affect the picture quality at all. For

example, many TVs provide a “picture off” setting that just plays the audio, thus

greatly reducing power consumption if you would rather listen than watch.

Many TVs can be programmed to turn off automatically after a set period of time, via

a sleep timer or after a set period of inactivity.

http://www.avclubhouse.com/2009/09/03/thx-study-shows-tv-calibration-saves-energy-by-50



Some models have a “presence sensor” that automatically turns off the picture, and

eventually the TV itself, when you leave the room. (Although there is an argument

for actually taking responsibility yourself rather than leaving everything to machines).

TVs consume power when switched off, but Energy Star compliant TVs consume

less than 1 watt of power while off (i.e. if you left it switched off for a year it would

probably cost you less than $2).

There's more to your TV than you thought!

Buying a Green Dishwasher

If you need to buy a new dishwasher, look out for

these eco friendly features:

Option for NO pre-rinse (most dishes don’t

need to be pre-rinsed, so no need to waste

water)

Can run on cooler wash, around 85F (30C)

or less , you’ll want to use that nearly all the

time (sometimes called eco-cycle)

Option to tell it NOT to dry. So you can

open the door and let your dishes air dry

instead of using power to heat or fan dry

them. (It takes longer – just plan it so they dry overnight).

It should have a stainless steel interior to retain heat, not plastic.

I read that European models use 4 gallons of water per wash while American ones

use 14. I don’t know how accurate that is now. Check the models available to you,

use the yellow energy label if it’s available.

Other things to consider

Consider the decibel rating (noise level) if you have an open-plan kitchen, you’ll want

a quieter machine if you’ll be sharing space with it while it’s washing.

And, before you set foot in the store (or the Net), work out what size you need for you

and your family. Compacts are more efficient (use less water, less power) than

larger machines (unless of course you have to run it twice a day!)



Buying a Green Fridge

Today’s models are more than 30% more energy efficient than those made before

2000. New fridges use less energy than a 60-watt light bulb running 24 hours a day.

Things to look for in a new fridge:

an automatic ice maker can use up to 20% more electricity than the same

model without the ice maker. Use the good old fashioned ice cube trays and

save some money while saving the environment

It is extremely important to pick the right size refrigerator. An extra-large

refrigerator, even if it is an eco friendly model, will

still use more energy than a small to medium size

standard model

Top-freezer refrigerator models are the most energy

efficient type of refrigerator; bottom-freezer models

are next best; side-by-side refrigerators are the

least energy efficient

Through-the-door water and ice dispensers are very

convenient. But you need to get plumbing to them

(restricting their placement in your kitchen), and

they are the items most likely to break down.

Fridges are extremely reliable – manufacturers say

the only parts which break down are the dispensers.

Work out just how often you will really use these features (rather than opening

the door) and decide if you truly need to pay extra for them

LED lighting inside the fridge is eco-friendly and the bulbs will last for a very

long time.

Using Appliances

There are lots of things you can do to make sure you’re being energy-efficient when

you use your appliances. And one of the most important is to switch them off!

1. Always make sure you switch off all appliances when you’re not using them.

That means when you leave a room. Or when you go out. Be aware of what

you leave on, when you leave a room. You might be surprised!

2. If you pass a room where a TV is switched on or music is playing, but there is

no one there, switch them off.

3. For the many electronic appliances and gadgets around your home, invest in

a power strip. Plugging electronics into a “smart” plug strip will help ensure

that once you turn the main device off, most of the other devices will turn off

automatically as well.

http://www.efficientproducts.org/product.php?productID=24



4. Recycle or at least unplug old electronics that you rarely use. Older models

can use significant amounts of standby power, so it makes no sense to leave

them plugged in if they will only be used sporadically.

Save Electricity With Off-Peak

Talking about using appliances, another great way to save energy – and money – is

to run your appliances at off-peak times.

Peak hours are those during which the most electricity is consumed - in many

countries this is during the afternoons in summer.

Why avoid peak hour electricity use?

Electricity provided during peak hours is often more

expensive than off-peak electricity.

Avoid adding to peak electricity demand by shifting

your energy-intensive tasks, such as doing the

laundry and using the dishwasher, to off-peak hours

– mornings, nights and weekends. Simply remember

the clock whenever you decide it’s time to put those

big appliances to work – after 7pm is generally good.

A useful website is Flex Your Power

http://www.fypower.org/

Tip: Remember to check with your local electricity provider. You may need to

sign up first, before you will see savings. Also, in Australia there was a

problem with some providers not reducing their off-peak costs unless some

small-print conditions were met. Finding out the details can definitely help to

save you money!

http://www.fypower.org/



Chapter 5: Lighting

After heating and cooling your home, the next largest energy users are lighting and appliances.

“Normal” light bulbs convert most of their energy into heat!

So here’s how to be green with lighting.

Lighting is essential in today’s society. In poverty-stricken parts of the world, one of the projects that consistently makes the most difference to a community is the provision of reliable lighting. Why? Without electricity, the day effectively ends at sunset. Imagine a child trying to study their homework by candlelight or kerosene lamp. The light simply isn’t bright enough, plus all the fumes coming from candles and a fire for cooking and warmth, are not conducive to concentration. Not to mention the fire hazard.

With good light, children tend to be better educated – and statistically those with some education are more likely to escape or minimise the effects of poverty.

(I’ve chosen to spend most of my adult life in various parts of Africa, and I have seen

what a difference proper light can make. I have also researched projects in rural

India, and the effects are similar).

1 Homework by kerosene lamp in Ghana



Incandescent light bulb

Incandescent (“normal”) light bulbs

Many homes and businesses still use the traditional incandescent bulbs. These bulbs

convert only about 10% of the electricity they use into light; the other 90%

is converted into heat.

This makes them hugely inefficient – although the heat they generate is useful in

winter, in summer you have to pay more to cool your house from your lighting!

Many countries have banned incandescent light bulbs, other countries still sell them.

But be aware – even if the label says incandescent bulbs are more energy efficient,

they’re still not efficient.

So, if ‘normal’ or incandescent light bulbs are inefficient, what should we use

instead?

Fluorescent Tubes

A fluorescent bulb produces less heat, so it is more efficient – in fact it is four to six

times more efficient than an incandescent bulb. But we don’t necessarily want to use

them all over our homes, because they can be a little ‘cold’.



Fluorescent Bulbs – CFLs

Compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFLs, last much longer

and use much less energy than incandescent

bulbs. They cost more to buy, but they will last

longer. The US Department of Energy shows savings (in

terms of energy costs and purchase costs) over the

lifetime of a CFL bulb to be $105!

Here are some tips for using CFLs

Switching your whole house and business over to CFLs at one time can be a

heavy capital cost. Try gradually switching over – as bulbs fail, replace them

with CFLs so the financial impact isn’t so overwhelming.

Some CFLs don’t last as long as they say they will. Like most products, there

are reputable brands, and others. Use your judgement, like you would with

any other purchase. Reputable brands have a guarantee (although I admit I

don’t always keep my receipts).

CFLs can’t be simply put in the bin when they’re used,

because they contain a tiny amount of mercury, which

could be dangerous. You should place them in

special recycling containers (without breaking them) –

most hardware stores, supermarkets and municipal

recycling centres have them.

The light from CFLs is different from

incandescents. Some people don’t’ like it. This is

being overcome – CFLs now come in different whites, e.g. warm white,

daylight, etc.

The light from CFLs doesn’t travel as far as incandescent. This has

implications for high-level lighting – however, if it’s hard-to-reach, you’ll benefit

from not having to change the bulbs as often.

Some CFLs take a while to light up to full strength in cold weather. Newer

designs are overcoming this.

CFLs are not necessarily dimmable, and don’t always come in different

shapes (for chandeliers, etc). Again, CFLs that can work in dimmers are more

readily available now, and some new shapes are coming in, although not yet

with the huge range we are used to with incandescents.

CFL (photo by Armin Kübelbeck)

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Bulb-CFL-Curly.jpg



LEDs

Another route to consider is that of LED (light-emitting

diode) lights. LED lighting for homes and buildings (also

called SSL or Solid State Lighting) is evolving rapidly. The

better brands of LED give over 50,000 hours of light – that’s

equivalent to 50 incandescent or 5 CFLs. Although the

purchase costs are high, the running costs are low and the

long life of LEDs mean cost savings over its life. LEDs are

smaller and don’t break easily. On the down side, LEDs are

sensitive to variations in electrical current, and heat management needs to be

considered. Nonetheless, LEDs are eco-friendly because they don’t contain

mercury, their long life means less material for landfills, and of course they use much

less energy to run, thus saving on energy generation and carbon emissions.

Joseph Swan, a British physicist and chemist, demonstrated a working light bulb in

1879 – eight months ahead of Thomas Edison. Swan’s home was the first house in

the world to be lit by a lightbulb. Edison then went on to commercial success with his

incandecent light bulbs.

We’ve come a long way since then!

I haven’t verified this (yet), but I read a

fascinating statistic – see the grey box

Just think about that!!!!!

LED Lighting from Toshiba

LEDs

If everyone in the U.S. used

energy-efficient lighting, we

could retire 90 average size

power plants.



Chapter 6: Green-washing

You want to live an eco-friendly life. You want to “do no harm”. You want to protect the environment for your children.

You want to make the right choices. You want to use our resources wisely.

You want to buy products that are green and eco-friendly and don’t harm the environment.

So you buy products which are labelled ‘green’ or ‘eco-friendly’.

But are they REALLY green?

Have they been Green-washed?

Green-washing is a term used when products and services are identified as being

‘green’ when in fact they may not be. It comes from the term ‘white-washing’, to try

to cover something up. It is also known as ‘spin’.

Why would people use green-washing on their products? Because it’s a good

marketing ploy. Most people want to do the right thing, and believe if they are buying

something eco-friendly rather than something that isn’t, they’re doing their bit for the

environment.

Eco-friendly sells.

(Although perhaps not as well as sex sells!).

The term was coined by an American environmentalist in 1986 about the practice

adopted by many hotels of promoting the re-use of towels to ‘protect the

environment’. He found that there was little or no effort by the hotels to reduce

energy waste.



Thus, if the marketer uses “the environment” to simply increase profits, he or she is

green-washing.

How To Spot Green-washing

So, you might wish to know how you can spot green-washing, so that you can be

assured of buying genuinely eco-friendly goods and services – or at the very least,

so that you won’t be fooled.

Can they prove their product is green and eco friendly? Is there reliable

certification for example, or can they prove their percentage of recycled

content?

Is it vague? For example, “all-natural” means

absolutely nothing – mercury comes from the

Earth but it’s poisonous.

Is it distracting you? For example, “organic”

cigarettes distract you from the health and

environmental impacts of cigarettes.

Are they false labels? Some products use a label

similar to real certification (e.g. organic) to fool

us. Know your labels!



Chapter 7: Organising Storage in your home

Organising your home, office, garage – your life, really – is important from many aspects, not least environmentally.

Are you surprised?

Read on!

Is clutter in your home / garage / office driving you crazy? Staying organized saves

time and frustration, but believe it or not, it can also help the environment!

Here’s how:

By knowing what you have and where you have it, you won’t buy the same

stuff twice, thus conserving natural resources.

By tidying your belongings into storage containers, you’ll save space and be

less inclined to move to a larger home.

By keeping your home tidy, you won’t need to use as many chemical cleaners,

which are an environmental burden. (and the chores will be less of a pain!).

By keeping your things in good condition, you need to replace them less often,

which is a win for your wallet as well as the environment.

By organizing your perishables, you’re more likely to consume them before

they go to waste.

By wasting less, you’ll send less to landfills.



Start to Get Organised

Re-use or buy storage units

Organising essentially means keeping like things

together in an easy-to-find place. In most cases,

this will require storage units of some sort – ideally

something with shelves, drawers, or bins that make

your belongings easily accessible for daily use.

To be eco-friendly, you want to consider your

choices. You could go out and buy new storage

accessories, but it’s better for your wallet as well as

for the environment if you don’t.

Instead, consider these alternatives:

Re-use: are there items already in your home that you could use differently? Look

around your home with open eyes – what is taking up space that you could re-

purpose? Perhaps you have something which, with a fresh coat of paint or just a

clean-up, could work as new storage?

If there’s nothing suitable in your home, then visit a thrift

store, or try the ‘free’ section in Craigslist, or Freegle in

the UK.

If you’re a DIY-er, build your own storage unit, which you

can customise to your needs. Because you make it

yourself, you can control what materials you use. If

possible, use materials that you (or your neighbour or

local junk yard) already own, such as wood scraps. Also

consider recycled or reclaimed wood, FSC-certified

wood, bamboo and organic cotton.

If you want to paint your storage unit, use Low-VOC or

VOC-free paints – they are more expensive but you’ll be

using a small quantity. (Normal paint contains Volatile

Organic Compounds which are not good for you or the

environment).

You can even fashion durable storage units out of layers

of surplus cardboard. Not every storage unit has to be

eye-catching. (However, if you do want the most

amazing cardboard furniture which looks fabulous, check out Leo Kempf’s

incredible designs).



Just please don’t buy those big plastic bins – they’re made from petroleum, and they

don’t bio-degrade.

Re-use a Kitchen!

You can successfully use old kitchen cabinets and worktops to better organise your

home. If someone you know is remodelling their kitchen and is going to toss the old

cupboards and countertops / worktops – rescue them! They probably have a lot of

life left in them. Or scour the ‘free’ listings in local media and Craigslist.

You’ll be eco-friendly because you’ll stop stuff going to landfills, and you’ll reduce

your own demand for new stuff. And you’ll save money – the countertop provides a

finished-looking work space, especially when coupled with the salvaged cabinets, at

a fraction of the cost of new countertops.

Here are some ideas for using the cupboards and worktops:

If you are lucky the previous owner just got tired of the colour or wanted a new look

for their home and the counter top and cabinets are in good shape. But even if

they’re looking a little tired, they can be re-juvenated.

If the cabinets are scratched and bashed, simply slap on a coat of white paint and

sponge them with a darker colour. This will hide the deepest of scratches. Use eco-

friendly VOC-free paint (better for your health and the environment) – it’s more

expensive than ordinary paint but less toxic.

Idea: Do you need a new TV stand in the bedroom? A short piece of cabinet with the

top attached will be perfect. Paint the cabinet to match your décor, and there’ll be

space to store your DVDs underneath.

Idea: If you want a place for your sewing machine, take the counter top and drill a

hole large enough for the plug and foot pedal cords. Place the counter across a

couple of 4-drawer cabinets. This way your sewing supplies are all at hand. Hang a

larger section of upper cabinets and you have a great place to store fabrics, craft

books yarn and other craft supplies. You can even tack a small piece of peg board

inside the door to hang your embroidery floss.

Idea: What about a college student without a desk? A 4-foot piece of countertop laid

across a couple of inexpensive file cabinets will do the job in a pinch. Or if you are

the handy type, build a wooden frame to hold the counter and add shelving above for

books.



Idea: A two-door bottom cabinet with a counter top will be perfect for a folding area

in the laundry room.

Idea: A double-door bottom cupboard could be used as a great cat box. Cut a cat-

size hole in one of the doors – the cat can get in, the dog can’t (hopefully!), and you

can open the doors for easy cleaning.

Idea: Even if the cabinets are really battered, you can still

use them. Line them along one side of your garage or

workshop, and use them for a work table/storage unit. All

those shelves and drawers will tidy up the messiest garage

– and just think of all the projects you could complete if you

had all that clear work space! There’s no need to paint them

(unless you want to) - and you might even have room for

your car!

Idea: If the counter top has a sink opening, then use it for

another sink, or set a waste basket or garbage can under

the opening for a waste receptacle where you can sweep items from the bench.

Idea: Use the upper cabinets in a different way. For example, if you don’t have

room to hang them above your work bench then stack them and screw them securely

to the wall.

Idea: Or get the kids to help paint a couple of the upper cabinets in bright colours,

and attach them to the wall in their room to help with storage. You could even

remove the shelves, add a spring-loaded clothing rod and your kids can hang up

their own clothes.

So start watching for those cabinets being thrown out – or better yet, make friends

with someone who remodels for a living!



Eco-Friendly Food Storage

Organization is crucial in the kitchen. Unlike clothes or books, food that isn’t stored

properly can go to waste in a matter of hours.

By storing food properly, we can:

avoid waste which is not eco-friendly (food sent to landfills rots and releases

methane, one of the greenhouse gases), and

be even more eco-friendly by using green storage products

According to Wikipedia, the US food supply is the most diverse and abundant of any

country in the world. Yet some recent studies show that more than a quarter of the

food that Americans prepare is never eaten! Isn’t that incredible? This includes

restaurants, not just households. It’s a pretty horrifying statistic.

In the UK in 2007 according to The Guardian newspaper, 6.7 million tonnes per year

of wasted food (purchased and edible food which is discarded) amounts to a cost of

£10.2 billion each year. This translates a cost of £250 to £400 a year for every British

household.

At home, the average American family

throws away 14 percent of their food. In

terms of money, that’s almost $600 every

year in groceries.

Apparently, our food wastage habits come

from our parents. If we are shown not to

waste as a child, we will continue that

behaviour as adults. But as adults, if we are used to wasting food, it is difficult to

change.

The best ways to cut the losses is to honestly examine what you actually eat, draw

up menus for the week ahead, and freeze or refrigerate leftovers so they do not spoil

before you can eat them.

Spontaneous purchases are shown as the most wasteful – that’s why menu planning

is so effective. Menus also save you time, especially on busy weekdays.

But do not consume products beyond their sell-by dates.

With leftovers, allow them to cool, then store them within two hours in small

containers in the refrigerator or freezer.



Food Storage Choices

Your main choices are plastic containers, plastic bags, plastic wrap / cling-film, and

glass or steel containers. Let’s look at those from an eco-friendly perspective.

Plastic in general is not eco-friendly (see Chapter 13). Apart from the

environmental issues, chemicals from plastic can leech into food when hot or

cold. However, some plastic containers are made from recycled plastic, and re-

usable plastic containers are better than disposable items, such as Styrofoam trays

or single-use plastics, for example. And plastic is lighter than glass and does not

break. So I am not saying avoid plastic at all costs; it does have its place, but if you

are going to use plastic, please make it recycled and sturdy. And don’t use it in the

microwave.

Glass containers are eco-friendly as they are completely

recyclable, reusable and non-toxic. They do not stain, and do

not trap smells. They can safely be used in the oven,

microwave and dishwasher. They are transparent so you can

easily see what you have stored inside them. But they can

break or chip, and are heavier than plastic. Glass containers

with glass lids can be quite expensive, so you could

compromise by glass jars with plastic lids which are cheaper

and readily available (heat them without the plastic

lid). Another fun bargain alternative is to look for vintage Pyrex storage – look on

eBay (tip – search for “refrigerator dishes”) or at your local thrift store / flea

market. (Check for cracks and chips).

Another type of glass container is the canning or mason jar, widely available in

stores. You can find them at garage sales, thrift shops, and flea markets. Again, you

will need to watch for cracks and chips.

Ceramic containers have similar pros and cons to glass. When buying new or

vintage, make sure they are lead-free.

Stainless steel food storage containers have many of the attributes of glass. They

are available at restaurant supply stores – they are used in professional kitchens

because they are durable and long lasting. You can also find them on eBay – this

will save money because stainless steel is a bit more expensive than plastic. They

are not transparent, and you will need to transfer to another dish for the microwave

or stove.



Some more ideas:

Instead of plastic sandwich bags, use organic cotton or hemp bags. Or reuse

unbleached wax bags, which are biodegradable and compostable – they are

normally available in whole foods stores. You can even plant plants in them!

Instead of covering a bowl with plastic wrap / cling-film, buy reusable bowl covers

instead, or simply cover a bowl by placing a plate on top.

If you want to use aluminium foil, remember that you can use it more than

once. Also, foil made from 100 percent recycled aluminium is now available.

With these tips, you can save money by wasting less, and be kind to the environment

by sending less food to the landfill and by using eco-friendly food storage products!



Chapter 8: Green Your Pet

You can use eco-friendly initiatives to go green in nearly every aspect of your life, including the house you live in, the cars you drive, the products you use and the food you eat — but what

about the pets you love?

Have you considered whether your pet is eco-friendly or not?

All pets require food and water, and many also need other accessories such as

bedding, collars, leashes and toys — but how much attention do you give to the

items you’re purchasing and what they’re made from? The choices you make before

you buy can all affect the size of your pet’s carbon paw print.

Here are 10 easy ways to green your

pet:

1. Eco-friendly collars and leashes /

leads made from bamboo or hemp

are now more readily available.

2. Your cat will love you forever if you

grow your own organic catnip or

cat grass.

3. Do you have pet accessories or

pet supplies you’re no longer

using? Donate gently used dog or

cat toys, collars, leashes, beds,

bowls and the like to an animal

shelter or rescue organization near

you at Petfinder or the SPCA in

your country – recycle and help a

great cause.

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/Petfinder_/1879/2



4. So perhaps it’s not eco-friendly to insert an electronic ID chip into your furry

friend. But losing your pet causes extreme emotional distress. Then there’s

the paper waste from printing out Missing posters, the fuel cost of driving

around your neighbourhood trying to find them, the phone bill as you bawl

your eyes out to everyone you know … well, you get the idea. Ask your vet

for more information. For hanging tags, consider recyclable (and

recycled) aluminum ID tags or WaggTaggs made from recycled silver.

5. Always pick up after your pet. Faeces left lying around

may not only transmit disease to other animals that

come into contact with it, it can also get washed away

into nearby water sources and lead to further pollution.

6. Don’t use plastic bags to collect your pets’ poop – it will

be embalmed practically forever on a landfill site. Use

bio-degradable materials. Alternatively, you can

compost it. However, do not use the resulting compost

on your vegetables, only on ornamental plants. If you

have room in your backyard, you can bury an old

garbage bin (far away from your vegetable garden) to use as a pet-waste

composter. Or check out the Doggie Dooley.

7. For your cat, clay-based litters take up more space when discarded and are

often dusted with silica, which can trigger respiratory issues. Plus, clay is

often strip-mined (cheap, but bad for the environment). Using litter made from

recycled materials such as sawmill scrap or newspaper clippings is much

easier on the environment.

8. Look for toys made from re-cycled materials, rather than plastic. Animal toys

are not regulated and so may contain harmful substances. Also, they may

have travelled a long way from their point of manufacture. Alternatively, you

could make your own eco-friendly pet toys – old

socks, wool covering old plastic bottles and so on.

9. For bedding, again consider the materials it is

made from, and the transport involved in getting it

to you. Either make your own bedding for your

pets – from old materials in your home – or buy

recycled.

10. Choose eco-friendly, organic shampoo for bathing

your pets. In between baths, you can give them a

‘dry’ wash with baking soda if necessary.

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/aluminum_ID_tags/1879/3

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/WaggTaggs/1879/4



11. It is important to protect your pets from fleas and ticks. Instead of using

chemicals, try natural products such as pennyroyal. I’m told adding garlic and

brewer’s yeast to your pet’s food helps

too. (Personally, I tried the garlic and

no longer wanted to get up-close-and-

personal with my pets – but that’s just

me, I’m super-sensitive to

garlic). Citrus peel extract is great for

fleas – but don’t use it around cats.

OK. I lied. It wasn’t 10 tips, it was 11.

Nonetheless, these tips should help you to keep aware of the environmental paw-

print of your favourite furry friend.

Do You Truly Know What You Feed Your Pet?

When it comes to pet food, most commercial brands contain “reconstituted animal

by-products”. What does that mean? Well, it is the polite version of “4-D,” namely

“Dead, Dying, Diseased, or Down” when they line up at the slaughterhouse (down =

disabled).

Complete with the chemicals used to treat / euthanize those animals.

No, this is not a tirade against pet food manufacturers. No, I am not saying you need

to feed best quality beef fillet to your pets every day! Just be aware of what goes into

commercial pet food.

The animal by-products have to be used

somewhere, or else thrown away and

wasted, so it is good to have a market for

these products.

Most of the large dog food manufacturers

are corporations which produce human food

(Nestle bought Purina, Del Monte bought Heinz (who make lots of pet food), and

MasterFoods bought Mars which owns Royal Canin). And Proctor & Gamble bought

Iams and Eukanuba, and Colgate Palmolive bought Hill’s Science Diet – these

companies make household products which use ingredients derived from animal by-

products. So these corporations have bulk purchasing power and a captive market

for the by-products of the animal food – it makes business sense. And without these

tie-ups, dog and cat food would probably be more expensive to buy.



How is Commercial Pet Food Made?

Dry pet food is made by boiling up a whole pile of

animal by-products, mixed with (often artificial) protein

sources and small quantities of vitamins, then pushed

through an extruder machine into the shapes you

recognise. At this stage, it is pretty tasteless, so

(again, mostly artificial) additives and fats are sprayed

on, to give it flavours that dogs like.

Wet food has (obviously) a lot more water, together

with animal by-products and mostly artificial additives,

but many people believe it is in general healthier for

pets than dry food. However, it is more expensive

especially for larger pets.

Naturally, people want pet food to have a long shelf life, so most food contains

chemical preservatives – yes, it is what the customers requested!

Are There Standards?

In theory, pet food is regulated. In practice, it is not, and it is not properly enforced in

many countries. In the US it varies greatly between states, and many feel it is not

properly enforced and that the standards

are too vague. The labels on many brands

of pet food are highly misleading. And

even the premium brands have similar

contents to the cheaper foods.

And we won’t talk about animal food testing

in laboratories, or the several pet food

recalls over the years.

The pet food industry does not have a good

reputation, yet it is worth several Billion dollars a year in the USA alone! But if you

thought that you were lovingly providing your pet with top quality, wholesome

nutrition – well, perhaps not.



What are the Alternatives?

Consider supplementing your pets’ diet with food you cook yourself. Yes,

(unfortunately) this means time. But you could

cook pet food while you are cooking for the

family.

Cook in bulk – enough either for several days, or

even more if you freeze it. If the idea of

becoming a fulltime pet chef is just crazy for your

lifestyle, making the occasional meal or treat

could be do-able.

Here is a mix-and-match list of healthy pet

food you can cook at home for your pets.

Cooking pet meals yourself is almost certainly

healthier for your furry friends, and more eco-

friendly – reduced manufacturing,

transportation and packaging at the very

least.

No, you do not have to make your pets

vegetarians in order to reduce their impact on

the environment! Their digestive systems are designed for carnivorous intake

– although I have read of dogs who seem perfectly happy and nourished on a

vegetarian diet.

Try making your pet a localvore. That means finding food that is local so it

doesn’t have to travel thousands of miles to your pet’s dinner bowl. This cuts

down on pollution, and your pet might enjoy a fresher meal too!

Some people believe you should feed your pets raw meat, while others say

this risks bacteria and disease.

Never feed your dogs the following: grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, chocolate,

artificial sweeteners.

Beef has a much greater impact on the environment than chicken. So try to

avoid beef dog food products and opt for chicken instead.

If you do buy commercial pet food, look for brands with recycled and

recyclable packaging .

There are loads of videos on the internet showing people being horrified about the

meat ingredients in pet food. Personally I am less horrified by that – after all, dogs

and cats, for example, would have eaten all parts of an animal they caught in the

wild. What worries me is the artificial additives and the chemicals.

Yes, it is more work than giving them ready-made processed food out of a bag or tin,

but you know exactly what your pet is getting!

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Recycle Your Pet!!!

If you are thinking of buying a pet, these 6 tips will show you how to make the most

eco-friendly choice.

Re-Use / Recycle

Aha, you hadn’t thought of re-using a pet, had you? But that is what you do if you

adopt an animal from a shelter. There is always a big variety of ages and breeds –

including many

purebreds. Unfortunately, many people

buy their pets from pet stores or directly

from breeders. This adds to the

problem of pet over-population by

creating a demand for additional pets

that need homes.

Worse, up to 8 million animals enter

animal shelters each year, in the US

alone. For half of them, it is a one-way

journey – up to 4 million animals are

euthanized in US shelters each year. Yes, up to 4 million a year, according to the

Humane Society (HSUS). That is a horrific number.

Pet over-population can create serious issues for the environment:

increased waste production

the need for additional farming space to provide enough food to feed those extra

mouths

overcrowding at animal shelters, and

increased resources required

Adopting a shelter pet and having it spayed or

neutered will help to combat this problem. It is

generally cheaper too, than buying from a

breeder.

But are you worried you won’t find a particular

breed you want? You pet will love you, no

matter what breed they are. But if you do want to be specific, check

out Petfinder.com where you can find a particular breed in shelters around the

US. SPCAs around the world will also try to help match your requirements.

Did you know? 70,000

puppies and kittens are

born EVERY DAY in the

US!

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Truly, we don’t need any more homeless animals than we already have.

As a bonus, spaying and neutering helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by

greatly reducing the chances of many diseases.

Of course, remember that a pet is a long-term commitment that involves demands on

both time and money. If you are considering a pet for your child, you may be better

off giving him a stuffed animal instead.

Impulse buying (say, rushing out and grabbing the next available Dalmatian puppy

after watching 101 Dalmatians) isn’t a good idea either, as the large numbers of fad

dogs that pass through shelters (often to their death) can attest.

Cats Indoors!

If you’re a proud cat owner, making the decision to keep your kitty indoors can do a

lot to help keep the environment in balance. Outdoor cats love to hunt, not out of a

necessity for food but because they’re instinctively compelled to do so. Their annual

kill counts are in the hundreds of millions — one recent study estimates that

domestic rural cats kill 39 million birds – in

Wisconsin alone! This can cause profound

damage to the ecosystem, including the

extinction of certain bird species.

Cat faeces are also an environmental foe,

because they contain parasites that can wreak

havoc on local water sources and the health of

other outdoor creatures.

Still not convinced? Try this: Due to the

dangers of cars, predators, disease, and other

hazards, the estimated average life span of a

free-roaming cat is less than three years, while

an indoors-only cat gets to live an average of 15 to 18 years.

Multi-Purpose

Getting a pet that provides an additional benefit beyond companionship and love can

also be an eco-friendly choice.



For example, keeping and raising chickens, which lay eggs that owners can keep for

personal use. Yes, even in urban areas (but check first if you are legally allowed to

keep them).

You may feel these birds are less cuddly and pet-like than cats or dogs, but many

who’ve raised them say that chickens can be trained to come when called and

sometimes enjoy petting and lap-holding.

You need to be sure you can provide proper living

conditions – including the ability to move around and

spread their wings, along with adequate food, water

and shelter.

If chicks are out of the question, you still have multi-

purpose pet options. Rabbits for example, in

addition to being cute and cuddly, are useful

because their droppings can be used in compost

piles

Small is Beautiful!

For dog lovers — especially those who live in tight quarters — opting for a smaller

breed will not only help your personal space feel more spacious, it will keep things in

check from an environmental perspective as well.

In general, smaller dogs, such as Yorkshire terriers or Chihuahuas, eat less than,

say, Labrador retrievers, St. Bernards or German shepherds. This means less food

that needs to be produced, packaged and transported, and less waste that’s created

as a result.

Of course, this is not to say you should totally rule out medium or large breeds, but if

your living space is already small, sticking with a small pet is the greenest way to go

Easier Pets

When people consider getting a pet, dogs and cats are often the first types of

animals that come to mind. But there are other, more eco-friendly choices. For

example, hamsters, birds, snakes and fish typically require minimal food and produce

less waste. They also generally need only a minimal number of toys and very little

bedding or other accessories. Many toys for cats and dogs, for example, are made

from plastic – their production can take its toll on the environment, so getting a pet

that needs less will help you start out on a greener foot.



Beware Exotics

If you do decide to get a low-maintenance pet, however, proceed with caution. You

may accidentally stray into exotic pet territory, for example certain types of frogs and

lizards. These exotic pets often need very specialized (and costly) habitats to mimic

their natural environments as closely as possible. Not only could you end up

spending more time and money than you initially bargained for, you may find that

you’re actually hurting the environment by using special filters and chemicals needed

to maintain your pet’s tank.

Ultimately, though, being eco-conscious while choosing a pet can be a rewarding

process. You’ll take strides — big or small — toward improving the planet’s overall

well-being while finding a pet you can love for years to come

I have two dogs who have travelled with us in our various moves. Over the years,

we have always chosen dogs from shelters – often adult dogs as they generally have

a lesser chance of being adopted than puppies. They have all proven to be

wonderful companions and an integral part of our family life.



Chapter 9: Green Jobs

Do you – or does someone you know – want to work in a green job?

Want to add ”helped to save the world” to your CV or resume?

In many countries, growth in “green-collar” jobs is expected – despite (or perhaps

because of) the recession. Governments worldwide are making efforts to promote

the environmental industry. In many developing countries there is a massive skills

shortage which, when coupled with their exponential rise in the demand for energy,

results in an urgency to establish sustainable energy suppliers. First-world countries

are already investing huge amounts into alternative energy – both in research and in

implementation.

If you have a passion for the environment and want to work for a green company (or

if you know someone who wants to), here are some possible areas to look at. At the

end of this chapter I list some general hints and tips.

The following are possible job functions / descriptions:

Project Developers: If you are an entrepreneur with a bit of vision, and have

experience in corporate finance and large-scale, capital-intensive projects then this

could be for you. Put plans together for sustainable energy projects by looking at

potential sites for wind or solar plants, negotiate with the landowners (often farmers)

and address legal aspects. A large part of the job is securing finance.

A number of development start-ups have been established, particularly in the wind

sector which may see the biggest growth in the next few years. New entrants may

also find opportunities in a new growth industry: concentrating solar power (CSP),

which uses mirrors to focus sunlight onto receivers to generate steam that turns

turbines and generators. It works best in cloud-free environments, so is restricted



geographically. (The photo shows the world’s first

tower, which is in Spain; there is another tower in

California)

Project Planners will direct the entire process of

constructing a wind turbine, solar power or water

desalination plant. A background in engineering will be a prerequisite in many

instances.

Wind energy technicians: Many wind turbines are going into operation, and there is

demand for tradespeople who can service these plants. At present, maintenance

training courses for technicians are available in Germany, the UK, USA, Denmark or

Australia. Millwrights as well as electricians, fitters and turners may well consider

this a viable option for a career change.

Solar water heater installers / manufacturers: Plumbers can acquire the skills to

install the heaters, and there may also be opportunities in the manufacturing sector –

some heaters are being imported from China, but many countries will want local

producers.

Engineers: Arguably, those with an engineering background will gain the most in the

green revolution. Electrical, mechanical, civil and chemical engineers will be

involved in the construction and maintenance of sustainable energy ventures. In

general, engineers with a postgraduate qualification and a good understanding of the

electricity grid will be best placed.

Environmental impact specialists: This is an

increasingly important field, with a number of

consultancies already active in the area. You will

need at least a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree,

specialising in the Earth and natural sciences.

Scientists: There is an explosion of potential

green focus areas for scientists, including the development of clean energy,

nanotechnology and the science of desalination.

Agriculturalists: Food security is an issue and new natural farming methods as well

as biotechnology will become more important.

Construction/architecture: Making buildings energy-efficient will offer a number of

new job opportunities, These include energy rating auditors, who perform a

comprehensive analysis of a building’s energy efficiency; permaculture

specialists who analyse land use and community buildings to create a harmonious

blend of buildings, microclimate, plants, animals, soils, and water; as well as urban



arborists, landscapers with an understanding of conservation and renewable

resources.

Auditing – There is now greater emphasis on reporting environmental sustainability.

Auditors can provide a service to companies wishing to calculate, monitor and

reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Other job titles for the future may be green product designers – who develop

products which use less energy and raw materials to produce, consume less to use,

and end their lives in a sustainable manner – and environmental managers, who

coordinate management of an organisation’s environmental performance.

In addition, many current professions will have “green” added to their existing job

description. For example, it may become a requirement for accountants to manage

corporate carbon emission offsets, and for IT technicians to manage data centres in

the most efficient way possible.

And of course, if you have an existing job, but feel

you would prefer to work for a green company, they

also have ‘normal’ jobs e.g. admin assistant,

marketing and sales, HR and so on.

Tips – here are some quick hints for finding

your first job in a green industry:

Get a rated qualification from a reputable

university.

Do an internship. Offer your services to a big sustainable energy project

developer, consulting engineers or a utility to get some experience. Consider

working for six months to a year on a big international project.

Get a job with your country’s main electricity supplier. Understanding “old” energy

and how the power grid works will be of great help.

Volunteer – get involved and work with charity organizations which run

sustainable projects. The experience you gain can be invaluable.

Recruitment agencies – some recruitment agencies specialise in sustainable

energy. Find out from recruiters which skills and qualifications will give you the

edge.

Network – join professional organisations who represent sustainable energy, read

their newsletters, go to conferences and get to know industry insiders.



Chapter 10: Paper

“Save paper, save a tree!”

There are lots of ways to reduce your demand for paper, but this chapter looks first at the FSC and what it means to you. I

then answer a common question: “Is it worth recycling paper?”, followed by some hints and tips.

What is FSC-Certified?

The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) promotes responsible forest management

world-wide. That means

environmentally appropriate forests (not just mono-

cropping with loads of pesticides)

socially beneficial to the people who live in or near

the forests,

economically viable wood production.

If you buy FSC-Certified wood or paper, you know it comes from a sustainably-managed forest. It’s not easy to get FSC Certification! Is an FSC-Certified forest different to a “normal” commercial forest? Absolutely! “Normal” commercial forests consist of trees of one species, of the same age, treated with chemicals for pest control and tree growth. Here’s an example of an FSC-Certified, family-owned forest in California: The trees range in age from seeds all the way up to about 350 years, and there are old-growth



trees on almost every acre. The trees that they don’t harvest, provide the seed base, so they don’t have the expense of planting. Since 1941, the family has harvested 2 billion board feet of timber from its California lands, yet the forest still contains as much wood as it ever did. Snags are left standing and woody debris is scattered on the ground to provide habitat for birds and animals.

Is it Worth Recycling Paper?

I get asked this question a lot.

“I have heard that it is more expensive to recycle paper than it is to make new

paper. What do you think?”

It’s a great question!

Here’s my response – and as always, I like to look at both sides of the story.

Overall, I would say it’s better to recycle paper, but I have a suggestion too.

Recycling paper saves more trees being cut down for new paper manufacturing.

The general rule is that one ton of paper saves about 2 tons of wood being cut (it

varies a bit).

Recycling newspaper saves about its own weight (it needs more de-inking).

Earthworks Group said in 1990 that if we recycled half the world’s paper, it would

save 20 million acres of forest.

Energy consumption is reduced by anywhere between 40 – 80% by recycling

paper rather than making new.

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in the US says that recycling paper

causes less water pollution and up to 74% less air pollution.

And recycling paper reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills.

Recycling paper however is not perfect.

The process produces sludge as a

waste product, and recycling often

uses more fossil fuel-derived energy

(because energy for making new

paper is often powered by burning

waste wood, unlike recycling plants

which purchase power from the grid, which is often produced from fossil fuels).



As for the cost issue, it costs to make new paper as well as to re-cycle, and the

costs vary hugely depending upon methodology, transport costs, type of paper,

etc. so the cost issue is not clear-cut

Overall, I believe the benefits of recycling paper outweigh the issues.

But, in my opinion, the absolutely best thing to do is to make a conscious effort

to use less paper in the first place. Then, recycle what you do use.

(If you would like to see exactly how paper is recycled, watch this short video on

Youtube).

Five easy tips to improve your paper use:

Use the right paper – FSC-certified or recycled paper.

Think before you print. Do you REALLY need a paper copy?

Use both sides of the paper – if your printer or copier can’t do this, try to find one

which does.

Go digital – read, send and store digital documents.

Recycle the paper you do use – and don’t scrunch it up!

Bonus Tip: Re-using / Recycling Old Books

Most of us have a collection of books. Many of them, you’ll want to keep – books with sentimental value, and books for investment purposes. But there are the gift books, the how-to books, the trashy holiday novels…… You read them, you learned from them, you don’t really want to keep them, but you don’t want them to end up in landfills either. So what do you do?

1. Swap your books with family and friends who have similar reading tastes. You get double the reading for the same amount of money

2. This year, be different and don’t buy new Christmas gifts. Give your loved

ones a book which you loved that you think the other person would like,

http://youtu.be/u8-CEJLpTh0

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together with a letter about why you thought they would like it. The books come from your shelves, the letters from your heart.

3. Homeless shelters, Good Will stores and other non-profits are often glad to get your used books.

4. Or if you want to make some money, sell your books on Half.com or Bookjingle.com

Reduce paper in your home office

Reduce your paperwork Save a tree!

The New York Times reports that families are

going paperless far faster than businesses;

families have to pay the price of ink jet

cartridges.

Minimizing the volume of paper you use makes

you more efficient at work and helps the environment by reducing demand. Plus, with

less paper to manage you will have less filing – and you won’t need to rummage

through your desk drawers looking for that piece of paper!

Printing Tips:

1. Shrink your page margins to 0.75 inches (1.8cm) or less – you will fit more words

per page so you will use fewer pages.

2. Print on both the fronts and backs of sheets whenever you can.

3. For word processing, choose a font designated as narrow or condensed, so you

will fit more words on one page. Alternatively, a font called EverGreen has been

designed to fit more words on your pages, however, I’ve only found a paid

download for that (it’s similar to Arial font).

4. Keep your headers and footers as small as possible, since extra white space

tends to crop up there.

5. If you’re printing a spreadsheet, select only the cells you need on the page, then

choose Print Selection instead of printing your whole document.

Reduce Paper

Instead of jotting down random notes during phone calls on a pad or on post-

its, try a re-usable solution such as a chalkboard or whiteboard. Alternately,

just type your notes during calls into a word processing document. Not only

will you save paper, you’ll find it easier to search for the info you need later on.

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When you’re going to meetings and conferences, avoid having to print out

directions by sending them straight to your mobile device if you’ve got one.

In general, try to send emails instead of physical letters, memos, or faxes.

When you’ve got to get a fax out, or someone wants to send you one, try

an online fax solution instead of a fax machine.

Use online billing for your professional accounts with electronically-submitted

invoices and direct deposit payments.

If you work with a project team, don’t print memo after memo after memo and

draft after draft – keep your shared documents online. Post what you’re all

working on through a collaboration site like Zoho or Google Docs, then log on

and see the latest version on the internet.

Investing in a scanner and shredder lets you shred documents (reuse them as

packaging materials) and navigate them as searchable PDFs.

If you regularly need to print from the web, these downloadable

software programs let you print just what you need from websites (without all

the extra formatting, advertisements and images).

Lexmark Toolbar 3 (free)

This free toolbar add-on from Lexmark simplifies the printing process. With a click,

you can select a “print text only” option, which removes all images. Or if you want to

keep the images, you can edit and resize them directly from the website using Picnik.

You can then preview your printout before sending it to the printer to make sure that

it’s as minimized as you’d like.

GreenPrint (free and paid)

This handy software digitally reads and omits wasted pages that have useless text

and images like URLs, banner ads, disclaimers, and extra signature lines on emails.

On top of saving trees, GreenPrint says the program can save as much as $90 and

1,400 wasted pages per year for the average user. The home edition of GreenPrint is

available for free to users and nonprofits, but has the catch of printing a banner on

your pages. The premium edition is $29, and is faster and ad-free.

HP Smart Web Printing (free)

This software is a free add-on for Internet Explorer. It allows a user to grab content

from the web and put it on a clipboard for organization and well-formatted printing.

The process is a bit more involved, but is great for gathering content from multiple

web pages and condensing it into a single document. The content can then be

formatted to look exactly how you want it for concise printing, and can even be

turned into a PDF.

Nuke Anything (free)

Nuke Anything is a FireFox add-on that allows users to simply highlight a section of a

webpage, right click, and select “Remove this object.” Voila! The objects are gone

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and you’re ready to print. This software add-on is handy for text or images. But, of

course, you’ll want to be using Firefox to access it.

Is working from home really eco-friendly?

While we’re talking about a home office, what about working full or part time from

home – is it green?

In 2008, 56 percent of Sun Microsystems’ global employees worked half their week

at home. Sun asked if working from home really saved energy, or just transferred

the energy cost and load to employees. They found that:

Employees saved more than $1,700 per year in gasoline and wear and tear on

their vehicles by working at home an average of 2.5 days a week.

Commuting was more than 98 percent of each employee’s carbon footprint for

work, so cutting the commute in half, made significant savings.

A home office is a really great place to work! (I love it!).

Save a book. Save money. Save a tree. Did you know you could do so much good by avoiding the trash can?



Chapter 11: Water

If you live in an area where water is plentiful, then, quite frankly, why should you bother to save water?

In this chapter I look at why it’s so important, give hints and tips for saving water, look at easy ways of harvesting rainwater, and test your water knowledge in a quiz!

I also look at bottled water, and let you in on a little-known secret!

Why Save Water?

Water is one of the most precious resources on our planet. Saving water is of the

utmost importance to

preserve our natural landscapes and help wildlife survive.

improve the health of aquatic systems in your local community

reduce the strain placed on local sewer systems which helps to prevent sewage

spills in the event of flooding waters

protect natural ecosystems

conserve our environment for future generations.

which means you’ll have water when you turn on the tap!

Providing water for households is expensive (even if you don’t pay a lot for your

water). It is also environmentally damaging – for example, we change natural water

systems (by creating dams and reservoirs), we deplete groundwater reserves, we

use resources to create pipelines, and we consume energy by purifying and then



pumping water. In today’s harsh

economic conditions, those resources

could be better used elsewhere.

The key here is that potable water is piped

to households. Potable water is water is

water which is fit for humans to drink. And

we need that.

But we don’t need potable water in our

bathrooms, to flush down the toilet, or

shower or bathe in.

We don’t need potable water for our

dishwashers or washing machines, nor to

water our gardens or wash our cars.

And not in many factory processes, to

water crops or golf courses or sports

fields.

But we do need potable water to drink.

And we want it to be piped to our homes.

Are There Easy Ways to Save Water?

Of course!

To use water more efficiently, we can look

at ways of using other water sources for

requirements other than drinking.

And we can reduce the amount of water

we waste.

Here are some easy suggestions:

Water

conservation does

NOT mean doing

without water!



Use a broom instead of a hosepipe to clean driveways or patios.

During summer, water your garden in the early morning or evening when it is

cooler (watering during the heat of the heat of the day causes loss through

evaporation).

And of course, reducing the amount of water you

use, saves you money, because you pay for

piped, potable (drinking-quality) water pumped to

your house.

Here are 5 more easy, quick ways that you can

reduce your water consumption and save money.

1. Keeping yourself clean can require a lot of

water, but it’s easy to reduce the load if you

can remember to turn the tap off while you go about your various cleansing

duties, like brushing your teeth, washing your face, shaving and so on.

Regardless of your chore, just remember that for every second you have got

the tap on, you’re letting valuable water go down the drain. So does waiting

for the water to heat or cool. Instead, simply place a bucket in the

shower and a smaller container in the kitchen sink or washbasin to catch that

water – then use it for other purposes, such as cleaning or watering the plants

or water for your pets or re-filling your toilet

cistern or anything else you would normally

use tap water for.

Using the shower is more efficient than using

the bath (depending on how long you spend in

the shower, of course).

Bathing uses around 30 to 50 gallons (100-200

litres) of water per bath, while a five-minute

shower uses about 13 gallons or 50 litres of

water. If you shower rather than bathe each

day, those water savings really add up!

When you shower, it’s important to reduce the

time you spend, in order to save water (and you’ll have more time for other

things, too). A simple shower timer (you can buy one for less than $10) will

help you and your family stick to a time-budget. Try cutting your showers back

by one minute every week until you’re at 5 minutes or less.

The KEY here is

that it is potable

water that is piped

to households



2. A low-flow showerhead works by limiting the flow of water being released

while you shower. Worried about a lack of water pressure if there’s less water

coming out of your shower? Don’t be. Modern low-flows maintain a good

water pressure but use less water – you save not only on water bills but also

on heating costs because you heat less water!

3. A faucet aerator also maintains the water pressure but reduces the amount of

water coming out of your taps (e.g. washbasin, kitchen sink). Adding one is a

really simple, money-saving, green action – you won’t notice any significant

change, but you will be “doing your bit” for the environment by saving

water. You will also save money on your water bills and you will reduce your

energy costs by heating less water for the Hot tap.

4. A dripping faucet, leaky toilet, or

running showerhead can cost you

significantly throughout the year, and will

have a high cost for the environment as

well. Some estimates say that 14 percent of

the water sent to US homes is wasted due to

leaking faucets, pipes, toilets, and

showerheads!

A drip from your faucet can waste as much

as 80 gallons / 300 litres of water every week! Fixing that leak will obviously

lower your monthly water costs.

5. Twenty-eight percent of your home’s water consumption could be going to

your toilet, depending on how much water it uses per flush.

If your toilet isn’t already lo-flo, you can easily retro-fit a dual-flush system into

your existing cistern.

Or, the really cheap and easy method is to fill a used 1 or 2 litre (2 or 4 pints I

think) soda / soft drink bottle with water and a little sand, then place the bottle

(with the cap on securely) into your cistern. This will reduce the amount of

water used per flush and you won’t notice any difference.

You could also consider flushing less often, especially if you are the only

person using that toilet for a while.

These are all quick and easy things you can do to conserve water in your home –

and if you have children, teach them these methods by example!

The nice thing about these tips is that they don’t cause great inconvenience to you,

they’re simple to do, and they help to make a difference.



Rainwater Harvesting

People have been collecting rainwater for thousands of years, yet today very few of

us do so. It’s easy to do, and it can save you money, so read on for some helpful

hints.

Rainwater harvesting is a way of saving the rainwater which would normally flow off

the roof of buildings and down into the drains. This saved water is then used for

watering pot plants / gardens, washing cars, cleaning patios / driveways / yards. It

can even be connected into your toilet and/or washing machine. This harvested

water reduces your use of piped drinking (potable) water that you pay for.

There are essentially 2 main ways of harvesting rainwater. The first way is simple

and easy, and therefore much cheaper to implement. The second way is far more

efficient, it captures much more water and that water is put to use in many areas,

however, it is more expensive to set up initially.

The simple methods

The simplest way of collecting rainwater is to

place containers (e.g. buckets) outside your

home so that they fill with water when it

rains. The best shape is a wide

container. (Deep containers with a narrow

opening don’t catch as much water, you

want something with a wide opening).

This water won’t keep for long in warmer

climates, but it can be used to water your

garden, top up your pond or pool, or wash

the car, without using potable water that you

pay for.

Another fairly simple option is to buy and

place a water butt or barrel underneath your gutter or drain pipes. These water

barrels are designed to store rainwater – they have covers and overflows so the

water will stay fresh for longer. They have a tap / faucet near the bottom, so you can

fill watering cans and buckets from them.

There are costs up front (e.g. buying the water butt / tank), but you do save on your

potable water costs.



Rainwater Barrels

A common complaint against water tanks is that they’re not always the most

attractive objects to have outside your home. Recently however, there are some

really cool-looking models – see them here

Once you decide you’re going to collect rainwater, you’ll need to know the following:

Does the water go ‘off’ if you store it for a while?

If the water you collect will not be used for drinking, it doesn’t have to be perfect. If

you’re just collecting and storing water in open tanks, you’ll have leaves and other

debris from the roof which is washed down with the rain. It’s not a big

problem. Also, you can treat with an anti-algaecide if you wish.

If you’re willing to spend a little more money, you can buy proper storage systems

which catch debris before it enters the tank. Also, there are systems which overflow

once or twice each year to remove floating matter.

If you want to invest in complete harvesting systems which supply your drinking

water as well (people often do this when they are designing / building a new house

and/or if they live in an area where the potable water supply is unreliable), then you

will have underground storage tanks which are very reliable because they are dark,

cool and well oxygenated.

What happens when it doesn’t rain?

Assuming you have sufficient mains /

potable water, then simply go back to

using that for washing your car,

watering the garden etc. If you have a

genuine storage tank (as opposed to

just buckets left outside), most tanks

and harvesting systems are designed

so that you can top them up with mains

/ potable water if required.

Is harvesting rainwater a new concept?

Not at all! People survived without piped water for a long time (some still do). It

goes back 4,000 years – Israel has ruins of water tanks built in 2000 BC!

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/rainwaterharvestingsuperproducts

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/rainwaterharvestingsuperproducts



Is rainwater harvesting practiced all over the world?

Definitely! China and Brazil have large rooftop rainwater harvesting projects in

place. In some areas of India, the only water supply is via rooftop rainwater

harvesting. Bermuda and the Virgin Islands have laws which require that all new

buildings provide sufficient rainwater harvesting for the residents. The UK has a

long-standing tradition of using water butts to collect rainwater for garden

use. Nowadays, rainwater harvesting is becoming increasingly popular in North

America, although it is illegal in some states unless the resident also owns water

rights on the ground. It was also illegal in Colorado until 2009, when this ruling was

changed.

OK, I can do this at home, what about my work?

Rainwater harvesting can be used in homes as well as commercially in office

buildings, hospitals, schools, factories, farms, you decide!

Complete rainwater harvesting systems can be quite expensive and have quite a

long pay-back time. But even the most basic systems can reduce your demand for

piped potable water by half if you use rainwater for toilets, washing clothes, watering

the garden and washing cars.

Why do people harvest rainwater?

You wish to have an independent water supply – e.g. for fire / earthquake /

hurricane protection

You want to be independent of government-supplied water

You have unreliable or no piped potable water

You have seasonal variations in potable water supply

Your only water supply is from a well or borehole, which you need to make

potable

You have no other source of potable water

You recognise that in many countries of the world, water (and especially potable

water) is a scarce resource, and you wish to help to conserve it, by creating a

grey-water scenario in your home / workplace i.e. use potable water for drinking,

and grey water for other uses

You are building a new house from scratch / doing major renovations to an

existing building, and wish to incorporate water-saving into the design.

You prefer to use rainwater for healthier plants

You have a commercial green-house

You are responsible for urban public buildings and wish to use rainwater for

toilets and outdoor use



Rain water is valued for its purity and softness. In general it is free of salts and

minerals, and if collected properly, it is virtually free of natural and man-made

contaminants.

Beware!

Rainwater harvesting is illegal in some states of the US. Many states west of the one-hundredth meridian have water laws. It seems that many of these state laws were enacted in the last century and have not been repealed. The concept is that a person does not have the right to keep rainwater; instead it should be allowed to fall to the ground and flow un-impeded into streams and rivers, and thus become the property of farmers, ranchers, developers and water agencies that have bought the rights to those waterways.

In times of shortages, those who were granted water rights in the 1800’s for example, will have water priority over those with more recent rights. People who harvest rainwater are viewed as interfering in the priority status. More recently, in certain areas bills have been enacted which allow rainwater harvesting under certain circumstances. So, always check to see if your state allows rainwater collection.



Water Quiz

See how much you know about water by trying this quiz:

The total volume of water on Earth is about 1.4billion cubic km. What percentage of

this is fresh water?

1. 26 percent

2. 13 percent

3. Less than 3 percent


Of that fresh water, about how much is tied up in ice and permanent snow cover?

1. 98 percent

2. 70 percent

3. 35 percent


Rainwater harvesting

1. Has been practiced for hundreds of years

2. Is a new, modern concept which arose from awareness of climate change



During the last century, water use has grown at ___________the rate of population

growth.

1. Half

2. One third

3. Twice

Place these roof types in order – best to worst – for rainwater harvesting:

1. Thatch

2. Metal

3. Tiles

4. Wooden Shingles

If you harvest rainwater from your roof, is it

1. Safe to drink straight away

2. OK to drink if you add chlorine to it

3. OK to drink if you clean the roof debris out of it, and add chemicals to purify it

4. Perfect for use in non-potable requirements (watering the garden, washing cars,

etc.)

The answers are at the end of the book – but answer the questions yourself first, before you look up the answers!



Bottled Water

Now, let’s look at bottled water.

Experts still agree that drinking tap water is better than buying bottled water.

Bottled water is hugely more expensive,

Bottled water is not as well regulated as tap water (no contents disclosure is

required, for example, nor regular testing)

Bottled water is bad for the environment because of the vast quantities of

plastic involved.

The New York Times calculated the cost of your 8

glasses of water per day, for a year.

If you buy bottled water, it will cost an average of

$1,400 per year. Using tap water

? A mere 49 cents.

$1,400 versus 49 cents?

Tap water would need to be pretty bad to justify

spending that amount of money on bottled!

A Little-known Secret!

So, what can you do, if you’re worried about your tap water?

Most people either:

Go out and buy a water filter (normally one they think looks cool, or the one the

salesman tells them is cool), or

Spend a fortune on bottled water.

The first option sounds more eco-friendly, right?

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/New_York_Times/742/3



Yes, it is.

But it doesn’t necessarily help.

Really? Why?

Because different filters remove different things from your water. And if you don’t

know what you want to remove from your water, then you don’t know which type of

filter to buy!

That’s where most people go wrong.

(But you won’t, now you’ve read this).

And the really good news is that it’s wonderfully easy to get a perfect solution to your

tap water worries!

Two simple steps:

First, find out what’s in your specific tap water. As with most things, knowledge is

important. And it’s easy! If you live in the US simply go to the Environmental

Working Group’s listing of Water Content for all major cities. Outside the US, your

local water company will normally provide you with a detailed water quality and

content report free on request. (If not, either buy a proper test kit, or send a sample

of your water to a laboratory).

Second, once you know what’s in your water and what you want to get rid of, choose

a filter that removes precisely those things – again, it’s easy – just go to this review

site which compares water filters and choose step 4.

With this little-known secret, you can have exactly the water you want, from your tap

with a filter, at a fraction of the cost of bottled water, and without all the

inconvenience of buying, storing etc. And you’ll be so much more green than if you

were to buy bottled water!

Interesting Water Facts

Americans spend $61 million on bottled water every year (!)

40% of all bottled water is taken from tap water

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/Water_Content/742/4

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/compares_water_filters/742/5



22% of tested bottled water brands contained contaminants at levels higher than state limits

It takes 17 million barrels of oil to produce the plastic bottles for the bottled

water

Producing 1 plastic bottle to hold bottled water, takes 4 bottles of water!

Only 1 in 5 bottles is recycled

Four out of 5 bottles become trash

Here is a thought-provoking quote from the New York Times: “The more the wealthy

opt out of drinking tap water, the less political support there will be for investing in

maintaining America’s public water supply. That would be a serious loss. Access to

cheap, clean water is basic to the nation’s health“.

Can I Re-use Plastic Bottles?

So you’ve got plastic bottles around the house (horrors!), and you’re going out for a

while or on a long trip, and you want to bring water with you. Because you read this

blog, you’ll be using tap water (filtered or not as you choose) not bottled water, and

you’ll need something to carry it in.

Do you re-use those plastic bottles? You want to be eco-

friendly after all, and it’s better to re-use them than to

send them to landfill, right?

Yes, it is. However, you need to be very careful about

how you use them. People say “oh, plastic leeches into

the water, it’s dangerous”. Yes, it can do – but funnily

enough that doesn’t seem to stop people buying bottled

water!

Here’s the deal. Plastic bottles, under normal

temperatures, are OK. But, when they get very hot, or

very cold, they can indeed leech chemicals into

whatever’s inside them.

And even a warm-ish day can make a car sitting in the sun very hot indeed. If you

leave a bottle of water in the car, chances are good that it’s going to get hot. That’s

not good. Same with really cold weather. And you don’t want to freeze water in

plastic bottles.



The same applies to plastic in the microwave – you don’t want to cook something in

a plastic container – always use glass or ceramic instead. Some plastics say you

can heat gently though not cook in the microwave – personally, I don’t take that

chance.

So, if you want to carry water with you, re-use a plastic bottle only if you know it won’t

get hot. Buy a re-usable metal water bottle instead. If you want to keep stuff cold,

don’t freeze water in plastic bottles. Instead, use those re-usable ice-block thingies.

Whatever container you re-use, use normal hygiene and common sense. Make sure

to keep the neck and top clean – those are the prime areas for bacteria to

form. Before filling, make sure your bottle is thoroughly cleaned.

Water Wars?

I firmly believe that we will have water wars in the future. Humans fight over anything

that is scarce, and water is becoming increasingly scarce. Along the Nile river,

countries are already fighting over their water ‘allocations’. It happened when

settlers moved further West in the USA. It will happen again.



Chapter 12: Death by Plastic

It’s definitely not eco-friendly.

Plastic is incredibly convenient.

And murderous.

And we can’t get rid of it.

Read more…….

A rare Gervais beaked whale was found on a beach in Puerto Rico with ten pounds

(4.5kg) of twisted plastic in its stomach. The plastic caused the whale to starve to

death.

Another beaked whale died after

ingesting a single plastic bag

because the chemicals reacted

badly with the whale’s internal

organs.

Are these isolated incidents?

No.

In April 2010 Discovery

News reported that a grey

whale near Seattle was washed ashore after it died. The contents of its stomach

included 20 plastic bags, small towels, surgical gloves, sweat pants, plastic pieces,

duct tape, and a golf ball.

Is it only whales we are putting at risk?

No.

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/Discovery_News/631/2

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/Discovery_News/631/2



In 2010, Canadian research

found persistent

contaminants are a health

hazard for polar bears in East

Greenland. This general

effect has actually been

known and studied for nearly

two decades. Danish wildlife

researcher Christian Sonne

(Aarhus University) said

industrial pollutants (e.g.

pesticides and flame

retardants) are causing some

wild polar bears to experience degradation of their bones. Chronic osteoporosis

leads to bone fractures and deformities. This is caused by the polar bears eating

food – seals and seal blubber – containing the industrial contaminants.

It has been theorized that the industrial toxins get to polar bear territory near

Greenland because that is where air and water currents join – the contaminants

arrive there through the air and carried by water currents from North America and

Europe. Tragically, the destination for the toxins is where many wild polar bears

live. Since 1993 there has been concern that pollutants were causing problems for

polar bear birth rates.

You’ve probably read or seen media coverage of the threat to polar bears from the

currently-higher levels of melting sea ice. Polar bears need sea ice to hunt from and

live on. Now we know that habitat destruction isn’t their only threat; they are also

being poisoned by man-made chemicals.

Perhaps you’re not too worried by this?

Whales and polar bears are a long way away, after all. Let’s bring it closer to home.

Very recently, research found that a sample of dogs and cats in the United States

had very high levels of flame retardants.

Flame retardants? In dogs and cats?

The Illinois EPA produced a report in 2008 which advised that “humans are exposed

to [chemicals used in flame retardants] mainly from the diet, workplace, and home”.

Where does all this waste come from?

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/report_/631/4



People littering, especially on beaches because it generally gets washed straight

out to sea.

Commercial fishing – lost or abandoned nets, and also food wrappers and

assorted litter – very few commercial fishing boats bring their detritus home with

them.

Personal / private fishers – tangled fishing line, snagged lures, plastic packaging

from fishing gear, sometimes a pile of garbage from their overnight stay. These

are dumped in lakes and rivers which eventually make their way to the sea.

Passenger cruise ships – a typical 3,000-passenger ship produces over

eight tons of solid waste per week, much of which is dumped into the sea. Some

of it is organic, but there’s plenty of plastic in there too.

The world’s navies make a significant contribution, throwing literally thousands of

plastic containers overboard every day, along with their other litter.

Is it only water-based activities which contribute so massively to this huge amount of

plastic rubbish in our oceans? Definitely not.

There are many scientists and observers who believe that up to 80 percent of

marine plastic was initially discarded on land. And the United Nations

Environmental Programme agrees. There is considerable debate on this figure, and

indeed it is difficult to prove conclusively either way. What does seem certain,

however, is that a large percentage of our ocean’s waste comes from the land.

How?

The wind blows plastic rubbish out of littered streets and landfills, and out of lorries

and trains on their way to landfills. It gets into rivers, streams and storm drains and

then rides the tides and currents out to sea.

So, where do YOU come into all of this?

Are you contributing plastic waste to landfill? I know I am. My plastic waste sits

there – if it hasn’t been blown away by the wind en route – and doesn’t

degrade. Same with yours.

Plastic is Everywhere – and Eternal!

Plastic however is completely ubiquitous in our daily lives. We are scarcely out of

the womb when we meet our first plastic – hospital wristband, aspirator,

thermometer, disposable nappy. We chew on plastic teething rings and play with

plastic toys. School lunches provided by a caring mom may be wrapped in



plastic. Vaccination / inoculation injections are provided via a plastic syringe,

wrapped in plastic to prevent contamination.

Our homes are full of plastic – desktop computers, hair-dryers, coffee makers, even

the smoke detector. Kitchenware, storage,

some chairs and tables, your alarm clock,

mobile phone, DVD player, mats, sofas,

condiment containers, chopping boards,

broom handles, buckets, basins, storage

crates, hair clips – not to mention

toothbrushes, beauty products and

containers for shampoo, conditioner, liquid

soap, washing powder and deodorant.

Think about your car – how much plastic is

inside it? Consider fast food outlets – plastic

cups, cutlery, plastic ‘plates’, What about

the construction of your home? Windows,

doors, floors, gutters, plumbing, insulation……

Businesses use photocopiers and printers made from plastic, plastic files and folders,

plastic staplers, desks and chairs made partly from plastic, filing trays,

whiteboards…….

Look around you. Start counting things made of plastic – don’t forget your buttons,

the stretch in your underwear, the little caps on the end of your shoelaces.

The stuff is absolutely everywhere.

We would be hard-pressed to do without plastic.

And I’m not for a moment suggesting that you do!

Nearly all the plastic items in our lives begin as little manufactured pellets of raw

plastic resin, which are known in the industry as nurdles. More than 100 billion

kilograms of them are shipped around the world every year, delivered to processing

plants and then heated up, treated with other chemicals, stretched and moulded into

our familiar products, containers and packaging.

During their loadings and un-loadings, however, nurdles have a knack for spilling and

escaping. They are light enough to become airborne in wind. They float wonderfully

and can now be found in every ocean in the world, hence their new nickname:

mermaids’ tears. You can find nurdles in abundance on almost any seashore in

Every single

molecule of plastic

that has ever been

manufactured is still

somewhere in the

environment



Britain, where litter has increased by a staggering 90 per cent in the past 10 years

(source:BBC News), or on the remotest uninhabited Pacific islands, along with all

kinds of other plastic confetti.

A dead albatross was found recently with a piece of plastic from the 1940s in its

stomach.

Even if plastic production halted tomorrow, the planet would be dealing with its

environmental consequences for thousands of years. On the bottom of the oceans,

where an estimated 70 per cent of marine plastic debris ends up – water bottles sink

fairly quickly – it will be around for tens of thousands of years.

The benefits of plastic, most of which relate to convenience, consumer choice and

profit, have been phenomenal. But except for the small percentage that has been

incinerated, every single molecule of plastic that has ever been manufactured is

still somewhere in the environment, and some 100 million tons of it are floating in

the oceans.

And our oceans are not like a lake – we can’t just go

in with huge nets and clean them up. The sea is too

big. Plus, most of the plastic is in tiny pieces and

it’s everywhere.

All we can do is stop putting more of it in, and that

means redesigning our relationship with plastic.

Assuming you don’t litter, there are two changes

you can make (if you haven’t already done so):

Replace bottled water with water from your tap or faucet (if your tap water is

potable). Use a water filter if necessary. If you have to drink non-tap water, then

use the large, re-usable bottles.

Don’t buy plastic bags in stores. Bring re-usable bags – keep them in convenient

places so that you always have them handy.

These two steps may not change the world, but they will help to reduce the amount

of plastic you send to landfill sites, to remain in our environment.

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/BBC_News/710/2



Here are some more ideas.

I am told that in the UK, you are legally entitled to leave any unnecessary

packaging at the store checkout – the store is then

obliged to dispose of it properly. Make a statement

and leave the excess packaging of the goods

you’ve bought, at the till.

If you bring sandwiches to work, don’t use plastic

bags to carry them. Reusable containers are good,

and also consider re-using things in your home –

for example, old bread bags, used foil, the wax

linings of cereal packets.

Buying meat from your local butcher or market

means less packaging than the normal plastic tray

and shrink wrap at the supermarket.

Buy loose fruit and vegetables from a local market – there’s normally much

less packaging, and you only buy the amount you want, so you might reduce

food waste too. Or, better still, grow your own .

I haven’t done it myself, but I’m told that making your own bread (with a bread-

making machine) doesn’t take long as you simply put everything in, and the

machine does the rest. So you could load it up at night, and have fresh bread

in the morning.

If you want to carry water, buy a reusable container for it – and the good news

is that it doesn’t have to be expensive. You can buy stainless steel

bottles from as little as $8! (And of course, you’ll be re-filling your new water

bottle from filtered tap water rather than expensive bottled water, won’t you?)

(grin)

Use your bottles when you buy take-away coffee too, instead of plastic cups.

When ordering drinks remember to say “no straw please” if you don’t want

one.

Use reusable cloths instead of paper towels to clean up around the house.

Use matches instead of plastic lighters.



Food leftovers – don’t cover them with plastic cling-film. Use a dish covered

with a plate, or put them in a reusable container with a lid.

Use junk mail and other paper to stuff into boxes to ship, instead of bubble

wrap or plastic peanuts.

Before discarding 6-ring plastic

holders (e.g. on beer cans), cut

them up first. It’s still plastic, but at

least it won’t throttle an

animal. This turtle – rescued and

named Mae West – had a plastic

milk-bottle ring stuck around her as

a baby, and she grew around

it. She’s deformed, but one of the

lucky ones to survive.

Oh, and don’t take your reusable bag into the supermarket, pat yourself on the

back for being eco-friendly, and then proceed to buy half a ton of plastic as

wrapping!

Kids Toys – avoid plastic toys where possible. Look for FSC-certified wooden

toys which can last for generations. If well made, they are safe to chew, and

can be handed down, given away or sold. (Less to the landfill). Keep the box

the toy came in – it can be a toy too! Find non-toxic crayons and let the kids

loose with recycled materials like cardboard. Many toys contain batteries –

you don’t want kids chewing on batteries, so decide if all that battery-powered

noise is worth it. Many children are just as entertained by a simpler toy – and

you get to keep your sanity! If older kids want electronic toys, get

rechargeable batteries. One of the best things you can give your children or

grandkids is your time. Spend time with them outdoors, play hide-and-seek,

show them the world of nature – they’ll remember those occasions long after

their toys are gone.

And, last but not least: Spread The Word! Tell people

about plastic, about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch,

(see the next chapter), about how long plastic lurks,

about what it’s doing to wildlife. And then lead by

example!



Chapter 13: Plastic Recycling

This chapter is full of more useful, practical information, this time on recycling plastic – there’s a useful table which tells you

what all the numbers on plastic mean, and why they’re important to YOU.

There’s also a section on a large and very obvious sign of the damage we’re doing to the environment – but only a few

people know about it. Now you will too!

What’s a Plastic #5? What’s PET?

All plastic should have a number stamped it. This number indicates what type of

plastic it’s made from, and therefore how it can be recycled. It’s a different process

for different types of material, and some are more economical than others – that’s

why recyclers need to know which type.

Here’s what the numbers mean:



Symbol Made From Advantages Used for Recycled used

for

PET or PETE

Polyethelyne

terephthalate

Keeps out

moisture, clear

and tough

Plastic bottles for

soft drinks, water,

beer, salad

dressings; peanut

butter and jam jars

Clothing, carpets,

luggage, some food

and drinks

containers, polar

fleece, tote bags

HDPE High

density

Polyethelyne

Resistant to

moisture and

some chemicals,

shapes easily,

permeable to gas

Containers for milk,

juice, water,

shampoo,

detergent,

margarine, motor oil

Shampoo bottles,

buckets, flower

pots, benches,

fencing, picnic

tables

PVC

Polyvinyl chloride

Versatile, strong,

easy to blend

Blood bags, medical

tubing, window

frames, carpet

backing, non-food

blister packaging,

vinyl records, pipes

Garden hoses,

traffic cones, floor

mats and tiles,

mudflaps, decks,

cables, speed-

bumps

LDPE Low density

polyethylene

Transparent,

tough, flexible,

good sealant,

barrier to moisture

Squeezable bottles,

dry-cleaning bags,

frozen food bags,

flexible container

lids, cling film,

carpets, clothing

Furniture, floor tiles,

rubbish bins,

compost bins,

shipping envelopes,

panelling

PP Polypropylene Strong, tough,

barrier to

moisture, resistant

to heat,

chemicals, grease

and oil

Reusable

microwaveable

ware, kitchenware,

yogurt containers,

margarine tubs,

microwaveable

disposable take-

away containers,

disposable cups

and plates, bottle

caps, straws

Bike racks, cases

for car batteries

and battery cables,

brooms, ice

scrapers, pallets,

signal lights

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Plastic-1.png







PS Polystyrene Excellent insulator Aspirin bottles, hot

drinks cups, egg

cartons, packing

peanuts; disposable

cups, plates, trays

and cutlery;

disposable take-

away containers;

Desk trays,

thermometers,

rulers, insulation,

light switch plates,

foam packing, take-

away containers

O Other (often

polycarbonate)

Combination of

polymers

Beverage bottles,

baby milk bottles,

CDs, “unbreakable”

glazing, music

player and

computer housings,

lenses for

sunglasses and

prescription

glasses, car

headlamps, riot

shields, instrument

panels, large water

bottles, bullet-proof

materials, nylon

Certain bottles and

plastic items

Are the plastic numbers important for my health?

If you’ve looked at those little numbers on the bottoms of plastic bottles and

containers, and thought they were only there to help the guys who recycle, you’ve

been missing out! Because they can be a great help to you.

The plastic numbers are useful to you in two main areas:

1. Health

2. Recycling (of course you recycle, don’t you?).

The different types of plastics have different health implications for you and your

family.

Plastics #1 and #2 are generally regarded as being safe to use, but at very high

temperatures (for example, being left in a car on a sunny day) or at very low

temperatures (for example, freezing water to keep things cool), there is a risk of





leaching, so personally I avoid those scenarios, but for everyday use – stacked in a

store, in the fridge or cupboard at home – they’re fine.

Plastic #3 PVC is not so good. PVC is dangerous and classified as a known human

carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). The pro-vinyl lobby say everything’s safe since

new regulations were imposed. It is believed that PVC gives off other gasses and

carcinogens while it’s being used, and if a building containing PVC catches fire, the

off-gasses are extremely dangerous. Pro-vinyl lobbyists say it’s only a problem

when burnt at the wrong temperatures. For me personally, as there is no denying

that harmful toxins are involved, I’m keen to avoid PVC where possible – but if for

example there is already PVC in your home or office, it may cost too much to

replace. PVC is a wonderful material: strong, flexible and reasonably priced, it’s a

pity it’s not so safe.

Plastic #4 LDPE is regarded as safe. I’m a little wary of heating

LDPE (LDPE is used in Tupperware ® type containers, for example)

due to some reports saying it’s not safe when heated, although this is

not conclusive. But at room temperature it’s fine.

Plastic #5 PP is regarded as safe. (That’s lucky, as many baby’s bottles are made

from it!).

Plastic #6 PS has already been banned in San Francisco and in Portland OR.

because it contains styrene, a carcinogen. However, polystyrene is inert at room

temperature. I wouldn’t heat food in it, and it’s used so widely that it’s a real litter

problem, but from a purely health point of view, it’s regarded as safe.

Plastic #7 Other (everything else), includes BPA and known carcinogens. Some

food storage containers and baby bottles which resist staining are made of these

“other” plastics. Some Tupperware ® and other products designed to withstand heat

are made from #7. Manufacturers obviously do tests and say their products are safe

– because #7 is such a mixed bag, it’s really at your own risk.

OK, so what’s the bottom line on plastics?

Most of them are generally regarded as being safe, except for #3 (PVC) and #7

(Other). Long-term studies? Well, most of the studies have been fairly short-term –

and plastics haven’t been around in such quantities for that long. Perhaps “they” will

find out it’s been dangerous all along, perhaps “they” won’t. Plastic is remarkably

convenient, and cheap, but I won’t heat or cook anything in it.




My curbside collection won’t take all my plastic!

This is a common question. The answer lies in the plastic numbers (resin ID). You

need to check those numbers before you send it for recycling.

In fact, you should check those numbers before you buy, so that you don’t buy

plastic items that are going to end up in landfill.

Here’s how the numbers work in the US:

Plastic #1 – easy to recycle. Curbside and recycling stations accept PET.

Plastic #2 – easy to recycle. Most curbside and recycling stations accept HDPE

(although some may only accept containers with necks).

Plastic #3 – difficult. Go to www.Earth911.com type in PVC and your zip code

and you will get a list of places which will take PVC, but be aware, it may only be

certain types of PVC.

Plastic #4 – not easy. An increasing number of curbside and recycling stations

accept LDPE, but it’s not common.

Plastic #5 – getting easier – thanks to the gimme 5 program in Whole Food stores

and others which accept PP.

Plastic #6 – depends on where you live. An increasing number of curbside and

recycling stations accept PS but definitely not all.

Plastic #7 – difficult. Again, it’s becoming a little easier, but you can’t assume #7

Other will be accepted.

What about the rest of the world?

In the UK and most of western Europe as well as most of Australia it is generally

much easier to recycle everything, certainly in the larger cities and suburbs. South

Africa has a number of successful projects which enable those out of work to collect

materials and get paid to bring them to recyclers. (Here on my little tropical island, it

is a little difficult, but that’s a whole other story!).

Do most plastics get recycled?

Not at all. Newspaper recycling rates for example, are often around 80%, while

plastics are only about 20% on average.

Several reasons are suggested for this. In the USA, the economics of plastics

recycling are unfavourable so it is not heavily promoted. Yet Americans use a lot of

plastic – more per person than any other country, although Western Europe isn’t far

behind. In the UK it’s much more feasible financially to recycle, but there aren’t

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enough recycling facilities, and some consumers are confused about which plastics

can be recycled.

Another problem with recycling is the use of biodegradable plastics. If some of these

get mixed in with the other plastics for recycling, the reclaimed plastic is not

recyclable because of the differences between the two types.

Another reason for lack of recycling is the fact that many common but small plastic

items lack the recycling symbol and number. A good example is the billions of plastic

utensils commonly distributed at fast food restaurants or sold for use at picnics. Also

on the smaller items, the symbols are very small and therefore difficult to read.

What can I do to help?

Follow these tips:

1. Don’t slip plastic types that the recyclers don’t want into the recycling bin. Mixed

types don’t recycle well.

2. Practice “Wash & Squash” – rinse the container

and squash it before you send it away. (You

don’t HAVE to rinse them (unless your recycler

states it), but it stops them smelling while they

wait for collection). Squashing them means you

can fit more in.

3. If it’s bottles you’re recycling, don’t include the

caps, as they are normally #5 (PP).

4. Keep the caps separately, and when you have a

number saved up, find a local place that takes

#5, for example the “gimme 5″ boxes at Whole

Food stores.

It’s actually surprising how easy this becomes after a while – I just do it without

thinking (and I have a canary when I see people toss bottles into the garbage –

although at least that’s better than littering!).

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Plastic Waste

Have you heard of “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch”? It is a massive stretch of

rubbish (mainly plastic and sludge) located between North America and Asia. It

covers an area at least the size of the state of Texas!

So where did it come from? Some of the following contribute:

An average 3,000-passenger cruise ship produces over eight tons of waste

weekly. As it’s mostly organic waste, much of it ends up in the sea.

It is estimated that we humans dump 2½ million pieces of plastic into our oceans

every HOUR!

Discarded plastic causes problems with fish and birds – they eat the plastic, and then

get eaten themselves – either by other fish or birds, or by humans.

And before you think you’re not personally responsible for the Patch, consider the

example of just one school in Windsor, Connecticut USA. In just one school year

(180 days) they discard an average of 500,000 non-recyclable Styrofoam lunch

trays. If they were stacked in one pile, that pile would reach higher than the world’s

4 tallest buildings COMBINED!

But most pollution is not intentional. You can Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle – think

about what you buy (do you need it? If not, Reduce what you buy), see if you can

“Repurpose” packaging and other stuff around the house and office, and Recycle

what you have finished using.



Chapter 14 Driving

Cars are generally very energy inefficient.

But many of us drive a car.

Daily.

So this chapter focuses on how to make your trips more efficient.

As well as alternatives to driving for city-dwellers

- Oh, and find out what hypermilers do!

Cars are incredibly inefficient. They’re designed for comfort and convenience, not for

the environment.

Travelling by train, bus or bike – or walking – is much better for the planet (less

pollution) – and it saves you money too.

But if you can’t manage without a car, then changing your driving habits can help

reduce its pollution. Read on to find some great tips on how to use less fuel in your

car, saving you money and helping the planet too.

Just how much money can you save? With the simple green driving tips here, you

could increase your fuel economy (and thus your savings) by up to 47 percent!

And if you want to decrease your fuel consumption even more, you can make some

of the lifestyle changes below!



Four Easy Ways To Improve your Fuel Consumption

One: Get Rid of Excess Weight

Your car burns gas or fuel for energy. It is food for the engine, which is what makes

the car run. The more work the car has to do, the more energy it needs. That is why

large SUVs have worse gas mileage than small cars – the added weight of the SUV

makes the car work harder.

If you have a ski or bike rack or a roof box on your car, take it off (unless you are

actually using it). It adds weight and wind resistance.

Check inside your trunk or boot – you may be able to

clean it out. Sports equipment, strollers, gym bags

and rock salt left over from winter driving are all

hurting your fuel economy.

For every extra 100 pounds your car carries, it loses

2 percent in fuel economy, so just by cleaning up

your act, you can start on the road to saving.

Two: Check Your Tyres

Did you know you can increase your fuel economy by having your tyres properly

inflated? (Imagine trying to roll a bean bag up a hill. It takes a lot of energy because

it droops all over everything. In contrast, it’s easy to roll a well-inflated ball up a hill).

Like a ball, properly inflated tyres have less contact with the road, which means they

encounter less friction, so the engine doesn’t have to work as hard to move the car.

How do you know how much air should be in your tyres? Check your owners’

manual, or the inside of the driver’s door often has a sticker listing the correct

pressure. Properly inflating your tyres can increase fuel efficiency by 3 percent.

If you want to get even more efficient, switch from regular tyres to low rolling

resistance tyres, which are harder than regular tyres, so they encounter even less

friction. Using low rolling resistance tyres can lead to a 6 percent increase in fuel

economy! There is a downside though – they are a lot harder than regular tyres, so

your car’s ride and handling will be quite different. Also, only buy these tyres when

you need to replace your tyres anyway, because the fuel savings won’t offset the



cost of new tyres. Work with your mechanic or tyre shop to find the right low rolling

resistance tyres for your car.

Three: Change How You Drive

One of the best ways to improve your fuel economy is to change the way you

drive. Speeding, accelerating and braking hard can deplete efficiency by a

staggering 33 percent, according to fueleconomy.gov.

Accelerate slowly from stops, allowing the car’s momentum to help it accelerate.

Anticipate road conditions and drive smoothly, avoiding sharp acceleration and

heavy braking. This saves fuel (money) – and as an added bonus, it also reduces

accident rates.

Once the car is in motion, try to preserve that

momentum by avoiding situations where it can

be lost.

Say you’re driving down the road and see a

traffic light up ahead turn from yellow to red.

Rather than keep your foot on the gas and brake

at the last second, take your foot off the

accelerator and slowly approach the light.

Plus, you might not even have to come to a full

stop before the light turns green again, meaning

that your car will have to overcome much less

inertia to get going.

Four: Monitor Your Speed

The speed at which you drive on the highway, where stopping and starting aren’t

likely to be a problem, also impacts your fuel efficiency.

The most efficient speed depends upon the car in question but is typically around 55

– 65mph / 88-105kph. Faster speeds will greatly increase your fuel consumption.

So, on your next road trip, slow down.

You’ll make up the time by not having to stop for fuel as often.

Hypermilers: There’s green

driving, and then there’s

REALLY green driving.

Hypermilers are people who

strive for incredible feats of

fuel economy by changing the

way they drive. By modifying

how they stop, start and

cruise, some are even able to

get 75 miles per gallon!

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Alternatives

Alternative Fuels – Can I use them?

Alternative fuels such as biodiesel can be used to power your diesel car. Biofuels

have to undergo some processing to turn their fat into energy that an engine can use,

but once they do, they can power a regular diesel engine.

Biodiesel has the benefit of being largely free or low-cost (if you have access to large

quantities of grease or cooking oil), but there are downsides.

There isn’t as much energy in these oils as there is in petroleum-based oils like

gasoline or diesel, so mileage is lower. Also, there isn’t a biodiesel infrastructure in

place. If you want this kind of fuel, you’ll often have to make it yourself, and it is quite

a lot of work.

A more practical gas alternative is ethanol which is made from corn or wood

pulp. Not every car engine can run on ethanol (General Motors for example has

models it calls flex fuel capable), but ethanol is available at a number of gas stations

across the country, making it more practical than biodiesel.

Because ethanol is made from plants, it’s a renewable resource, and can be made

wherever corn or wood is grown, including in the U.S. On the downside, it takes a lot

of energy to produce, and to transport (it is not suitable to be piped, so trucks and

barges are used – expensive).

Also, some people are unhappy that so many farmers have sold their crops to

ethanol producers, saying it has contributed to the rise of food prices across the

world as well as agricultural land not being used for food.

Alternative Types of Car

A better alternative is perhaps to get a more fuel-efficient car. As you can see from

the chart below, switching from a large SUV like the Chevrolet Tahoe, to a small car

like the Honda Fit will give you far more miles to the gallon.

Or go much greener and get a gas-electric hybrid car such as the Toyota Prius.

Switching from the Tahoe to the Prius could save you up to six gallons of gas every

week!

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EPA Estimated Combined Gas Mileage

Many vehicles (including the Tahoe) are now offered in a hybrid version. Hybrid cars

offer greater fuel economy, reduced emissions and less noise. Hybrids are of

course not perfect – they use batteries (although of a less toxic type than the

batteries in petrol cars), and hybrids need rare earth elements for their manufacture,

most of which come from China and are in short supply.

Tip: Be aware: The visually impaired have problems with near-silent vehicles

when they wish to cross the road.

Hybrids are normally more expensive but if you live in a country where there are

incentives for hybrid vehicle ownership and/or penalties for combustion engines, the

car may be instantly more competitive.

Is a hybrid right for you?

Yes, if you do a lot of city driving i.e. stop-start, lots of idling. But if you do mostly

high-speed, highway driving, then the savings in emissions and noise will not be so

great.



Slash Your Commuting Costs!

When two or more people ride together, the number of cars on the road drops

and gas is saved.

It’s that simple.

So, let’s look at car pooling and ride sharing, as well as the car sharing business, and

the differences between them.

There are ways you can make them more effective for your specific circumstances –

don’t ignore them completely!

And of course there’s mass transit too.

All of these are ways you make huge dents into the costs of getting you to and from

work each day.

Car Pooling and Ride Sharing

A number of cities and towns have car pooling resources, and you can also benefit

if your area has High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes by saving time. The cities

benefit by having fewer cars on the road and less pollution.

Ride sharing is another car pooling resource – it is a formal program that matches

interested car poolers together. That can be a big help, since you may not live near

anyone you work with. Ride sharing programs also sometimes provide central

locations for picking up and dropping off car poolers, so time isn’t spent driving to all

the participants’ houses. Some programs also provide help if car pooling plans fall

through. For example, if the person you rode into work with gets sick and leaves

early (or if you get sick and have to leave early), a ride sharing program will make

sure you get home.

Car pooling isn’t just a good way to drive green and break up a lonely commute; it’s a

good way to save a lot of money. By alternating driving days with another driver,

you’ll cut your gas costs by half. And by not driving your car as much, you’ll save on

routine maintenance. Driving only half as much will also slow the rate you put miles

on your car, helping its resale value. On the downside, consider insurance, plus

sometimes the maintenance costs of a car which isn’t used frequently can be almost

as high as those on a regularly-used car.



Car sharing is perfect if you do not want to drive every day but still want a car to run

errands or drive on weekends. You have the benefits of a car without the hassle or

maintenance, insurance and running costs.

Members pay a monthly fee and have access to an entire fleet of cars when they

need one. The cars are parked in designated spots around the city, so members

only need to make a reservation, and then go to the designated pickup spot.

Car sharing has major environmental

benefits because it lessens the number

of cars on the road. Members don’t

drive just because they have a car. They

plan trips, and if they don’t need a car,

they don’t use one – but a car is

available if they need to go shopping, go

to the airport or have a day out.

The costs are probably higher per hour

or per day than owning a car, but you

only pay for the time you use the car.

For a list of car sharing companies in North America, and Europe too:

http://www.carsharing.net/where.html

In Canada look up http://www.carsharing.ca/.

In Australiahttp://www.flexicar.com.au/ or http://www.goget.com.au/ and New

Zealand http://www.cityhop.co.nz/.

In London look up http://www.carsharinglondon.com/london-car-sharing-

companies.html, for the UK see www.carpooling.com

or http://www.nationalcarshare.co.uk/ or http://www.streetcar.co.uk/ or http://www.cit

ycarclub.co.uk/

For Europe see www.carpooling.com .

Also see http://green.autoblog.com/2011/07/20/hertz-on-demand-zipcar-without-

membership-fees/ for a new car sharing business model.

Mass Transit

Whether you own a car, use a car sharing service, or don’t drive at all, mass transit is

a great way to get around while staying green. If two people car pooling removes

one car from the road, the benefits are even greater when 30 people ride a bus and

eliminate all their cars from the streets. And think of hundreds of people on one train!

You save money too – take a typical commuter in the Washington

D.C. area. According to howstuffworks, commuting from suburb to suburb costs

roughly $35 a week on gas, plus an additional $12 a week on tolls, not to mention

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http://www.carpooling.com/

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http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/http_www_streetcar_co_uk_/2176/11

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http://www.carpooling.com/

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wear and tear on the car. That works out to about $9.50 a day in commuting

costs. The local Metro Bus costs only $1 a ride, which means a saving of $5.50 a

day, or $27.50 a week. Plus, the metro bus can use HOV lanes, allowing a commuter

to save traffic frustration and glide by, relaxing with a book or getting additional work

done. The benefits are even greater for workers who have to pay for parking.

Look into mass transit options in your area to see how much you could save.

Top Tip: Reduce Your Commute

With a bit of planning, it is possible to reduce the amount of time you spend

commuting. There are two main ways: the 4-day week, and tele-commuting full or

part time.

The 4-day work week

Ease congestion, pollution and the amount of fuel you use by going to work only four

days a week. No, I’m not suggesting you mitch off work! The four-day workweek is a

movement that’s growing – fast.

In a four-day workweek, instead of working eight hours a day, five days a week, you

work ten hours a day, four days a week. The time at work and the amount of work

you get done stays the same, but with one day less at the office, your commuting

costs and pollution go down 20 percent. Companies can save money by having four-

day weeks — their energy bills are lower because their electricity consumption is

less.

Will your Boss Agree? If you want a four day work week, you need a plan that

shows how flexible schedules will benefit the company. Be prepared to have a trial

period. Most importantly, make sure your productivity doesn’t drop off, and be willing

to put in 10-hour days when you’re at work.

The 4 day week is becoming commonplace throughout the world. In the USA,

Marion County, Fl. was one of the first to make it mandatory for all employees. Is it

perfect? No. Customers don’t like having 4-day-a-week service, but they admit the



longer opening hours during those 4 days, helps them a lot. Workers report being

especially tired when driving home after a very long day, thus raising fears of

increased traffic accidents, however, the 3-day weekend should help to offset this.

Tele-commuting

If taking one day off from commuting per week is a good thing, taking five days off is

even better. Telecommuting, or working from home, is growing in popularity. While

not every job advocates telecommuting (you probably wouldn’t want your dentist to

do it), many workers can do their jobs with just a computer and an Internet

connection.

As the saying goes “work is something you do, not something you travel to”.

There are some drawbacks to telecommuting. Many managers fear a loss of control,

while employees may feel disconnected. The security of data held at home is an

issue, and telecommuters are less likely to get promoted – leadership roles are often

given to people who are consistently seen and measured.

The savings of telecommuting are potentially huge. According to the Telework

Research Network (2009 figures), if the 40% of the U.S. population that holds

telework-compatible jobs and wants to work from home did so half of the time,

The nation would save 280,000,000 barrels of oil (37% of Gulf oil imports)

It would be the equivalent of taking 9 million cars permanently off the road.

The potential savings to businesses is great too: they would have lower energy costs

and happier workers and have to supply less office space.

The benefits of telecommuting show that the best green driving tip is not to drive

at all.

Bonus Tips!

Plan your journeys to avoid congestion, road

works and getting lost.

Drive away immediately when starting from

cold – idling to heat the engine wastes fuel

and causes rapid engine wear.

Check your revs – change up before

2,500rpm (petrol) and 2,000rpm (diesel).

If you’re stuck in a jam, switch the engine off if you expect to be there for more

than a few minutes. Cutting the engine will save fuel and reduce emissions.

Use air conditioning sparingly as it significantly increases fuel consumption.



Avoid short journeys – a cold engine uses almost twice as much fuel and catalytic

converters can take five miles to become effective. Cycle or walk instead.

Get your car serviced regularly to keep it running efficiently.

Should I Switch Off or Idle my Car?

When I first learnt to drive, I was told that it used more fuel to stop and re-start a car,

than it did to leave it running, or idling. Plus, it could damage the starter motor and

battery if you switched it off and on too often.

It may have been true in the ‘dim and distant past’ but it certainly isn’t true nowadays

with our modern cars. Starting a car’s engine uses only a negligible amount of fuel

and doesn’t have a massive impact on the wear and tear of the engine.

Idling your car simply uses fuel and costs you money, while also spewing pollutants

into the air.

I decided to find out what the cut-off point is now - in other words, at what point does

it make sense to idle rather than switch off the car.

I was surprised by what I found out.

In a modern car, it’s 10 seconds.

10 seconds?

Is that all?

OK, 10 seconds isn’t always practical - for example in traffic. So the rule of thumb is

that if you’re going to stop somewhere for more than 10 seconds (except in traffic), it

makes sense to switch off the engine. Use common sense to work out if it makes

sense to switch off or to idle at these

common idling spots:

drive-through service lines,

rail crossings,

car wash lines,

carpool lines,

departure from concerts and sporting events,

while talking to friends

while using the cell phone.

An idling car is the most

inefficient car on the road

-- it gets zero miles per

gallon!



By understanding the effects of idling and reducing the practice, you can improve

your car’s performance, save money, and reduce pollution.

Is Idling Bad for Your Car?

Interestingly, excessive idling can actually damage your engine components. An

idling engine is not operating at its peak temperature, which means that fuel does not

undergo complete combustion. This leaves fuel residue that damages engine parts

and can contaminate oil.

Warming Up a Car

What about warming up a car, especially in winter (unless you live in a hot climate)?

Doesn’t the car need time to warm up before you can safely drive it?

Cars should be warmed up – but idling is not the way to do it, not even in cold

weather!

The best way to warm up your car is to drive it. You need no more than 30 seconds

of idling before driving away, even on the coldest days. Just avoid high speeds and

rapid acceleration for the first 3 miles / 5km.

The catalytic converter - the device that cleans pollutants from the vehicle exhaust –

doesn’t function properly when it’s cold, and the best way to warm it is to drive the

car. You emit more pollution if the catalytic converter is cold.

The tyres, transmission, wheel bearings and other moving parts also need to be

warm for the vehicle to perform well. Most of these parts do not warm until the

vehicle is driven.

What about a Diesel Vehicle?

Idling is also bad for diesel-powered vehicles. On start-up, don’t idle for more than

30 seconds, or 1 minute if it’s really cold. (Older diesels needed time to get the oil

around the engine to reduce friction – this is now done automatically and much more

quickly – your manufacturer’s handbook will provide further details).

If you need to stop, and you’re going to be still for more than around 3 minutes,

switch it off instead of leaving it to idle – you’ll save fuel, money and pollution. In cold

weather, actually switching off a diesel engine keeps the engine warm longer. If you

want to keep the air conditioner or heater going inside the vehicle, it won’t maintain

the temperature you want while idling. If you’ve been driving really hard on a long

journey, you may need to let the engine idle for a minute to cool down, but under

normal usage you can just switch off. (If you see truckers idling their vehicles,

they’re probably just wasting fuel, unless they have a VERY old truck!).



And a hybrid car?

If you have a hybrid car, you don’t need to worry about idling at all! Idle-stop, or

stop-start as it's often called, shuts down a car's engine completely when it isn't

needed. The engine restarts when the driver accelerates. The feature can provide

fuel savings of 5-10 percent at an added cost

of as little as $300.

These tips are all designed to help you to save

money – and as an added bonus, help the

planet too. Even if you don’t implement them

all, just putting some of them into practice will

help.

The rule of thumb is

quite simple:

Using energy uses

more energy than

not using energy.



Chapter 15: Eco-Friendly Fun!

Yes, there is beautiful wilderness – just outside your city! Spend a night or two communing with nature – set up camp and roast

marshmallows over an open fire, sing camp songs ……..

This chapter also has ideas for fun weekends, and some great resources for volunteering.

Take time out – enjoy the environment you are helping to maintain.

Eco-Friendly Camping

Camping is one of the most popular weekend activities. It’s

relatively cheap, and it can be great fun! If you have kids,

they love it! Camping is also a great way to spend time

together with friends, as a couple or as a family.

Because wilderness areas are so precious, especially with

our burgeoning society and pressure to develop land, we

need to make sure that our wilderness areas and parks stay

pristine. There are lots of ways we can do that.

To ensure that your camping trip is truly eco-friendly, follow

these simple tips:



Bring all your litter home with you (then recycle it or dispose of it properly). Do

not burn your litter in the fire (it pollutes the air).

Leave the portable electronics at home. (If you’re afraid

you’re going to be bored, perhaps camping is not for

you). The idea is to leave the city behind when you go

away for the weekend!

Make sure you camp only in the designated

areas. Otherwise you could damage a fragile eco-system

that you know nothing about.

Camp fires are fun and they’re also comforting. Burn only

wood that has fallen or use certified firewood, never break

branches or strip bark from living trees.

Many camp sites have designated areas for fires, use those

areas, or look for previously cleared areas and re-use those, instead of clearing

new ground.

Fill reusable water bottles instead of using bottled water.

Wash dishes using biodegradable camp soap and never rinse your dishes out in

streams or rivers.

If you would like a shower and there are no showers at the camp site, a pond or

lake offers a refreshing alternative – but leave the soap at home as it may

damage the eco-system.

Another big problem is vandalism in our parks. Try to stop people if you see

them vandalizing (if they are bigger than you, rather report them instead note

their descriptive details).

Camping is a great way to enjoy the serenity of nature, and with a few simple efforts,

you can keep that nature intact for years to come.

Top 3 Suggestions for an Enjoyable Eco-Friendly Weekend

There are loads of fun activities which don’t cost a lot, are eco-friendly, and really

enjoyable! Here are my favourites:

Enjoy a Rustic Staycation

If you can take a weekend off, stay at home rather than travelling, and organise it to

be really good fun.



Unplug all the modern conveniences and appliances (yes, even the TV!) (and

your computer – gasp!).

Get family and / or friends around.

Plan activities such as

telling stories,

playing cards or board games,

taking walks,

group aerobics,

ball games,

swimming,

reading a book,

having conversations,

bonding with family and friends,

cooking,

experimenting with new recipes,

designing a new BBQ,

playing with the dogs and children,

building a campfire.

Watch the sunset – or sunrise.

Work in the garden – or relax in it.

Smell the flowers.

The options are endless, limited only by your imagination. Get back to basics and

enjoy quality time with the special people in your life.

Learn Something New

There are loads of weekend courses and workshops available for adults, children

and families. A course is a fun way to meet new people, perhaps even a soul-mate

while you are gaining new skills and knowledge. Consider courses in ecology,

nature, conservation, wilderness safety

and survival, animal tracking, organic

cooking, wildlife photography, sustainable

living, and more.

Do a Google search for your local area,

or check with your local library or town

hall or social centre.



Give the Motorized Vehicle a Holiday

Use manual transportation only – hiking,

cycling, canoeing, kayaking.

Or backpack through a forest, or hike from

inn to inn (this is a well-tested Eco-Expert

favourite. Admittedly with a bit more “inn”

and slightly less “hike”).

Go on a bike, kayak or canoe tour.

You will save money on petrol, emit less pollution and do your bit for the

environment. In addition, you will experience scenery which you would otherwise

miss while driving.

You will feel relaxed and invigorated after a weekend like this.

You can have a lot of fun on an eco-friendly weekend – start to plan one now!

Volunteer, Have Fun, and Save The Planet

Volunteering is a great way of having fun and being eco-friendly. Now don’t panic –

I’m not suggesting taking off for six months to the Amazon jungle (although you could

do that too!). There are many different ways of volunteering, and they can be great

fun – find a type of volunteering that appeals to you.

Volunteer a Weekend or a Vacation

Spend a weekend volunteering. Many organizations

provide volunteer weekends cleaning and building

trails, working on an organic farm or conserving

wildlife. There are opportunities available for every

age and any experience. A volunteer weekend can

help you see a new place and feel fulfilled.

Many of the sites listed under “Resources” below give not only local volunteering

choices, but also opportunities for longer trips abroad while volunteering.

So, combine a vacation with volunteering!



Do You Hate Litter?

Yes, me too!

It really gets me angry.

I bet you get angry too.

OK.

So DO something about the litter, instead of just

complaining!

Here are some suggestions.

Get a group of concerned citizens together and spend a Saturday afternoon

cleaning up the streets of your city, or your nearest beach or forest.

Perhaps you don’t want to get dirty? You don’t have to actually touch the litter

that you pick up – there is a big choice of easy picker-uppers – and you don’t

even have to bend down! Combine these with 100 percent disposable bags

and you are good to go!

Put on your leader hat and recruit some of your most fun friends to find a spot

in your community that could use less litter and more love. Turn it into a

monthly (or even weekly) event and watch new volunteers join in.

If you don’t want to lead, then join an existing litter pick-up campaign – a great

resource is Keep America Beautiful – you can click on your State and easily

see what’s happening in your area. In the UK find volunteer opportunities for

litter, and for the rest of the world there are lots of volunteering options

I love the story of the Trash Whisperer in Los Angeles!

If you collect litter not only will you live in a cleaner, more pleasant environment, you

will also feel good, get some exercise and be outside in the fresh air, help to save the

planet, and you might even find something interesting while collecting litter – see

what this person found while volunteering to pick up litter – she was delighted!

You could argue that picking up a small amount of litter in one area will not help the

whole litter problem world-wide. But that’s the same argument as “my little piece of

wrapper won’t make a difference if I drop it” used by millions of people worldwide –

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/Keep_America_Beautiful/1452/8

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/volunteer_opportunities_for_litter_/1452/9

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/volunteer_opportunities_for_litter_/1452/9

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/volunteering_options/1452/10

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-olmsted/birth-of-a-trash-whispere_b_294852.html

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/found_while_volunteering/1452/11



and together, all those “little pieces” make a huge difference. By collecting litter in a

small area, you are stopping that litter from blowing away, ending up in our oceans,

being eaten by animals and generally causing problems.

Some people do a litter pick-up while they are on vacation. I really admire them for

that – I haven’t done that (yet).

You don’t even have to do a pick-up in a group. Or over a large area. For example,

keep a supply of bio-degradable bags in your bag or car (along with re-usable

shopping bags of course). Then, anywhere you stop briefly, pick up a few pieces of

litter close to you and then dispose of them properly.

Yes, on occasion I’ve had a few strange looks. That’s OK.

I read that one woman, who regularly goes to a particular spot and picks up the litter

there, was told by a bored onlooker “you won’t be able to collect all the litter in the

world, you know”.

“No”, she replied. “But at least I am doing something

about the problem, and this small area is now clean”.

Why should I give up my own personal time?

When you volunteer you are giving something back to your

community by lending a helping hand to people and

organizations.

We all know that. But did you know that volunteering is also good for YOU?

Volunteering benefits you as an individual. A UK study from the University of Wales

in 2008 showed conclusively that volunteering can

1. increase your longevity,

2. improve your mental health,

3. keep you fitter,

4. and enable you to cope better with illness when it occurs.

Volunteering also has a positive impact on self-esteem, disease management and

adoption of healthy behaviours.

What’s not to love?



Apart from those benefits, volunteering also helps your career and your social life.

From a career point of view, you could:

Explore career and personal interests

Earn great recommendations for future employment or college applications

Develop marketable job skills, thus improving employment prospects

Build or enhance your resume / CV

Enrich your education

Uncover hidden skills and talents

Gain an accreditation

Gain new skills, knowledge and experience

Develop existing skills and knowledge

Use your professional skills and knowledge to benefit others (usually described

as pro bono)

For others, volunteering appeals because of its social benefits. These include:

Meeting new people

Making new friends

A chance to socialise

Getting to know the local community

Increasing your self-confidence

On top of this, many people volunteer for a variety

of other reasons, such as:

Giving something back to an organisation that has impacted on a person’s life,

either directly or indirectly

A desire to make a difference to the lives of others

Good karma

Helping the environment

Helping others less fortunate or without a voice

Feeling part of a team

Feeling valued

Having quality time away from work or a busy lifestyle

Building up trust

Gaining confidence and self-esteem

Finding a volunteering role that suits your own needs and lifestyle

Best of all, volunteering can be fun!

And of course, volunteering is open to all.



Start a Green Movement

Here are some suggestions:

If your building or home doesn’t recycle, organize a recycling program.

If there are no recycling bins on the streets of your city, call elected officials, start a

petition, and demand them.

Think of unconventional steps you can take that will encourage a green movement in

your community.

(Then submit your green idea to The Green Awards where you can share your

brilliant ideas and have a chance to win $25,000!).

Spread the word.

Sometimes all a cause needs is some awareness. If you see an environmental threat

looming, or if you are working with an inspiring organization, tell your friends – both in

real life and on Facebook and Twitter. If people know more about issues, they’ll be

more motivated to get involved. Sometimes the best way to volunteer is to just be an

advocate for a cause you believe in.

Resources - How To Find Ways You Can Help

Check into volunteer organizations in your community to see who needs help and

how – there are always loads of ways you can help.

Also check with churches, schools and food banks in your area. They often have

information on volunteer opportunities.

Try the Parks service in your area or your local recycling centre. Also check with Cub

Scouts as they are often involved with eco-friendly projects for families.

Check out the following websites for more suggestions:

The US Federal government offers info at their Volunteer website,

www.volunteer.gov. Here, you can choose by State or by volunteer interest or

type. Also try Volunteer Match and Idealist

In the UK check out these sites: http://www.volunteering.org.uk/ and this site with a

nicely positive title http://www.do-it.org.uk/.

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/start_a_petition/1481/1

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/start_a_petition/1481/1

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/The_Green_Awards/1481/2

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/Volunteer_Match/1481/3

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/Idealist/1481/4

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/http_www_volunteering_org_uk_/1481/5

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/http_www_do_it_org_uk_/1481/6



For Europe check

out http://www.universalgiving.org/volunteer/europe/opportunities.do?submit=true&re

set=true&params.browseLocationStr=24 (and Sonya of www.oldbooksmarket.com,

there is an opportunity to work with precious sea turtles in Costa Rica!).

“Down Under”

see http://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/html/s01_home/home.asp andhttp://www.go

volunteer.com.au/.

In South Africa check out http://www.capeintern.com/organise-your/volunteer-

work/ and in Mauritius seehttp://www.mauritian-wildlife.org/volunteer.php

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/http_www_universalgiving_org_volunteer_europe_opportunities_do_submit_true_amp_reset_true_amp_params_browseLocationStr_24/1481/7

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/http_www_universalgiving_org_volunteer_europe_opportunities_do_submit_true_amp_reset_true_amp_params_browseLocationStr_24/1481/7

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/www_oldbooksmarket_com/1481/8

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/http_www_volunteeringaustralia_org_html_s01_home_home_asp/1481/9

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/http_www_govolunteer_com_au_/1481/10

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/http_www_govolunteer_com_au_/1481/10

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/http_www_capeintern_com_organise_your_volunteer_work_/1481/11

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/http_www_capeintern_com_organise_your_volunteer_work_/1481/11

http://www.ecofriendlylink.com/blog/resources/http_www_mauritian_wildlife_org_volunteer_php/1481/12



Consume

consciously – and

have fun doing it!

As with any movement towards

sustainability, do what you can, with

what you have, where you are.



Answers to the Water Quiz:

Less than 3 percent of the earth’s water is fresh water.

About 70% of that 3% fresh water is locked up in ice and permanent snow.

Rainwater harvesting has been practiced all over the world for hundreds of years.

Water use has grown at twice the rate of population growth.

As a general rule, the best type of roof for rainwater harvesting is a metal roof. Tiles

are next best, (some water is lost to evaporation before it is harvested, and there is

some absorption into the tiles). Wooden shingles absorb a lot of the water which

falls on them, and finally, a thatched roof is one of the least efficient types for

rainwater harvesting as so much is retained in the material.

Water you have harvested is safe to drink only after you have cleaned and treated it,

and it is perfect for non-potable use, so the last two answers are both correct.

Live Well, Live Green · 2013-08-18 · These drops may indeed make your eyes temporarily whiter...

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Transcript of Live Well, Live Green · 2013-08-18 · These drops may indeed make your eyes temporarily whiter...