Going Green - Earth-Friendly Way of Life for Ordinary People
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Easy steps to start your new, earth-friendly way of life
Some of us may be intimidated by the "going-green" buzz-words you hear the environmentalists and politicians talk about, and shut our minds to the rhetoric.
Let's open our minds. Here's why: In this new world of 'everything disposable,' we have congested our landfills and wreaked havoc on our environment. In addition, all of the chemicals and pollutants we have released into our atmosphere have contributed to environmental as well as an abundance of health issues.
You don't have to be an extremist to institute some earth-friendly changes in your life. There are many changes we can make in our lives, as ordinary people. Don't just rely or wait on the government to put 'green' laws in place - take responsibility into your own hands - individuals CAN make a difference.
Find out what going green will mean in your life.
Also find out how to reduce our "carbon imprint" on earth and why that's important.
Read on to find some easy, painless ways we, as ordinary people, can reduce some of the damage to earth and our environment - ways that can even save us money.
We can start a little at a time and if all of us participate in some small way, we will save some of earth's natural resources and energy. It's in our individual hands to take responsibility to make earth-friendly changes to save our planet!
Your Impact on the Environment
What is "going green"?
"Going green" seems to be the buzz-word of the day. Why is it such a buzz-word - what is all the hubbub about?
Well, we're not only using up earth's resources at an unprecedented rate, we are damaging earth by releasing carbon emissions into the atmosphere, creating mass deforestation of large areas of our planet, and filling our landfills with materials that are non- biodegradable. Without getting too technical, changing the ecology of our land, upsets the diversity of our wildlife. Putting such a strain on earth by using up it's natural resources also upsets the diversity of our wildlife and, in turn, changes and upsets our way of living.
A simple explanation of "Going Green" means we take responsibility to save our resources, stop damaging our atmosphere, and find ways to use disposable materials that can break down in our landfills.
Why Should I Go Green?
The most important reason to start going green now is to preserve the natural resources for our children and grandchildren.
Implementing just the small changes outlined in this article will not only help the earth, they will help your pocket! If you make little changes a step at a time, you will (dare I say!) find yourself leading an earth-friendly way of life!
Global Warming
How do we contribute to global warming?
We contribute to global warming by emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere by driving cars, using electricity from coal-fired power plants, or heating our homes with oil or natural gas. 
These actions cause carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases to be released into the atmosphere (carbon imprint).
The reason global warming results is because this over-abundance of greenhouse gases are trapped in the atmosphere and less escapes into space. The increase in heat causes climate changes and fluctuations, changes the length of our seasons and leads to more frequent and severe storms, and therefore more flooding.
Public Awareness
As global warming continues to be a major concern for the future of our planet, the public is beginning to turn to earth-friendly living practices to help save it and reduce the carbon imprint for future generations. Some don't believe in global warming - (really!?) - and some don't think that each and every one of us can make a difference in changing the direction earth is headed. Some are leaving it to the government to institute changes.
Earth-friendly living involves every aspect of OUR daily lives - everything we do from driving to work to mowing our lawns; we all had a part in creating the problem and we can all participate in doing something to change it.
Making the Switch
The thought of making the switch to earth-friendly living all at once might be daunting to some people; this may discourage you from even thinking about implementing earth-friendly changes. Easing your way into this lifestyle is not as bad as you think and even your small changes can still help save the earth's environment.
Employ These 3 R'S in Your Earth Friendly Way of Life
REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE!!
Reduce
Air Pollution
We all know about air pollution. If you live in a large city, you are very aware that it is a major problem. Factories are the culprit for much of the air pollution, but automobiles are giving off a fair amount of pollutants into the air.
Air pollution destroys our ozone. Many of us are members of multiple car families now. While it is a sign of our prosperity, it is also a sign that we are probably involved in a lot more activities that involve driving to the location of that activity. We're, therefore, multiplying the amounts of pollutants being emitted by each car.
If you want to save the environment, you can start by either car pooling or walking more. More people are opting to purchase hybrid cars that don't give off as much pollution. There are many attractive styles of hybrid models out now, so looks are no excuse. Taking public transportation is also an option for some and could even reduce anxiety and stress often caused by driving. Walking and bike-riding is excellent exercise and can get those feel-good endorphins working, so it's great to walk or bike when we can.
Making a small adjustment can impact environmental changes to improve earth for future generations.
Reduce
Energy
There are many ways to adapt earth-friendly living into your life by examining your own home.
Did you know the type of bulbs you are using makes a difference in your energy expenditure? The standard bulbs waste energy, are less efficient because they give off more heat than light, and contribute more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. By just switching some of your standard bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, you will see a difference in your utility bill while saving the environment.
Seal gaps around windows and doors to keep out cold drafts. Escaping heat raises your utility bill. You can also keep costs down by making sure to have a well insulated house, which helps in the wintertime as well as the summertime. Decreasing the time the furnace or air conditioner has to run lowers your bill and decreases the amount of damage to the atmosphere.
Appliances can consume an excessive amount of energy, especially if they're older models. Try to replace old appliances if you can. New appliances are made more energy-efficient and will provide a savings in your utility bill as well.
Your habits can affect the efficiency of your appliances as well. Opening the oven or refrigerator doors repeatedly causes them to work harder to return to the original temperature. The harder an appliance has to work, the harder it is on the environment. Remember your mother telling you to stop opening that refrigerator door?
Unplug chargers when you're not using them. Cell phone and other chargers use power when plugged in, even if there's nothing attached to them.
Put devices with remotes, like T.V.s, VCRs, and stereos, on a power strip and turn it off when you're not using them. These devices use a lot of power to run the remote receiver even when the device is off.
Energy Calculator
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Reduce
Water
Use less water. These may seem like little things to you. These little things collectively will save you big:
- Shut off the faucet while you brush your teeth 
- Shorten your showers by a minute or two
- Flush the toilet only when you need to
- Wash laundry and dishes only when you have full loads
- Buy food from sustainable producers. Techniques that pollute less and use less water are used by sustainable producers such as, farmers and ranchers. Talk your local organic market or farmers market to find these products or do some research online.
Reuse and Recycle
Purchase Reusable Materials and Recycle
Use reusable grocery bags as often as possible. Make sure you wash the bags often if there are any type of spills. Insulated bags are good for toting meats because the bags can be wiped clean. Keep your meats separate from your fruits and vegetables.
For daily living, use your dinnerware, silverware and reusable cups and glasses. You deserve it. Cook at home and wash your dishes!
Sometimes we just cannot avoid using disposable materials, but we should try to purchase as many reusable products as we can. If you have to purchase disposable, make sure they can be recycled. The products may cost a little more up front, but what is the cost of the future of our children?
There are many products that you can find multiple uses for. Vinegar is a great way to clean and disinfect glass and other surfaces. You can also use it to remove stubborn stains. Just add some baking soda to your vinegar cleaner. Vinegar and baking soda can also be used to keep drains clear and fresh-smelling. These are also natural products that are effective and do not damage our environment.
Recycling is a big step to help us save our environment.
Styrofoam and traditional plastic are bad for the environment. Styrofoam does not break down in our landfills, nor does the traditional plastic (however, there are new plastic bio-degradable products out now). More and more trash has to be burned or buried into our soil and will soon overtake our land if we don't slow down.
Recycling may seem like a pain to you; if you take the first step, it just takes an adjustment to keep separate containers for the recycling collectors. Some schools have recycle bins where you can dump your recycled materials and they have an opportunity to earn some revenue to help with school supplies.
Will Taking Small Steps Toward Earth-Friendly Living Really Make a Difference?
It may seem like such small changes couldn't help much for the environment, but they will help tremendously. Think about how each of us had a hand in depleting our natural resources and in the increase of global warming we're faced with today.
Every little bit we do is a much-needed step toward preserving natural resources for our future generations.
Let's get concerned for the environment and show our children, by setting an example, how we have adopted an earth-friendly way of living.
Change Your Household Products
Find Out What the Chemicals Are Doing to Your Health
Visit Ecofriendly1.FourPointWellness.com to find out how to make your home a safe-haven for you and your children while doing your part to go green. You can also impact the lives of others. Request more information to find out what you can do to get the chemicals and pollutants out of your home.
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EATING GREEN - Seafood
The Monterey Bay Aquarium has identified seafood that is good for human health and does not harm the oceans, "Super Green." The Seafood Watch "Best Choices" list, are low in environmental contaminants and are good sources of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. Scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) contribute to the Seafood watch and the Monterey Bay Aquarium works closely with them.
From MontereyBayAquarium.org:
* The Best of the Best: January 2010
Albacore Tuna (troll- or pole-caught, from the U.S. or British Columbia)
Freshwater Coho Salmon (farmed in tank systems, from the U.S.)
Mussels (farmed)
Oysters (farmed)
Pacific Sardines (wild-caught)
Pink Shrimp (wild-caught, from Oregon)
Rainbow Trout (farmed)
Salmon (wild-caught, from Alaska)
Spot Prawns (wild-caught, from British Columbia)
** Other Healthy "Best Choices"
Arctic Char (farmed)
Bay Scallops (farmed)
Crayfish (farmed, from the U.S.)
Dungeness Crab (wild-caught, from California, Oregon or Washington)
Longfin Squid (wild-caught, from the U.S. Atlantic)
Pacific Cod (longline-caught, from Alaska)
*The "Super Green" list is based on dietary requirements for an average woman of childbearing age (18- 45, 154 pounds) eating 8 ounces of fish per week. The list also applies to men and children; children should eat age-appropriate portions to maximize their health benefits while minimizing risk. The recommendation of 250 mg of omega-3s refers to the combined level of two omega-3s of primary importance to human health: eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA).
**Other Healthy "Best Choices" are low in contaminants and provide a smaller amount of omega-3s (between 100 and 250 mg/d, assuming 8 ounces of fish per week)
Contaminant data are from EDF, drawn from more than 250 government databases and peer-reviewed scientific studies on seafood contaminants.
Omega-3 data are primarily from the USDA Nutrient Database.
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Original Articles. Constant-Content.Current News - BP Oil Spill
- BP oil spill: Billions of dollars at stake when court trial begins this month
- CHICAGO: Tens of billions of dollars will be at stake when BP heads to a US court this month to determine how much it owes for the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill and how much it can shift to subcontractors. Several government probes have castigated ...
- US House will consider a trust fund for coastal restoration post-BP oil spill
- The US House of Representatives is expected to vote Thursday on an amendment pushed by Gulf State lawmakers to dedicate 80 percent of the fines collected from the 2010 BP oil spill to a trust fund for coastal restoration of Florida, Mississippi, ...
- Appeals court sides with judge in oil spill case
- (AP) NEW ORLEANS ? A federal appeals court has refused to overrule a judge who ordered BP PLC and other companies involved in the nation's worst offshore oil spill to set aside up to 6 percent of any settlement or claims payments for the benefit of a ...
- NV oil skimmers on standby in Italy
- In 2010, the company supplied more than 100 smaller systems to the oil-spill response in the Gulf of Mexico after oil gushed into the gulf following an explosion at BP's Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig. Teams from the North Vancouver company ...
News Posts from Google on Earth-Friendly Living
- New arena at Drury University recognized for earth-friendly technologies
- by Mike Landis, KY3 News mlandis@ky3.com The school has obtained a 'Gold' LEED Certification for the O'Reilly Family Event Center, an honor recognizing the facility's environmentally-friendly features. The 3100 seat arena opened in 2010, replacing the ...
- Earth Friendly: Air quality, oil and gas industry
- By Marie Lester Everybody is talking about the oil and gas boom in the Eagle Ford Shale area. A lot of big trucks are on the road, an abundance of jobs are available and drilling sites are popping up all over the landscape. Some associate this boom ...
- 'Greenspace' offers earth-friendly gift and date ideas
- There are few greater turn-offs than gazing into the eyes of your beloved knowing they just overlooked a recycling bin and tossed an empty soda bottle into the trash. Yes, perhaps had they seen the recycling bin they would have used it, but this overt ...
- Good Time Beverages High-Quality Line of Ready to Drink COCKTAILS TO GO™ in ...
- Good Time Beverages (http://www.goodtimebeverages.com), the sector leader for single-serve, ready-to-drink, premium cocktails in portable, earth-friendly, re-sealable pouches, is pleased to announce that it has expanded its Texas presence with the ...
BP Oil Spill Poll
BP Oil Spill and the Use of Dispersants
Not only is the oil spill contamination incomparable to anything that has happened in history, we're adding toxicity caused by the product used for the clean-up at a rate that is incomprehensible at this point in time. Approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the dispersant, although toxic, is claimed to be far less harmful to the environment than the oil and biodegrades at a much faster rate. Dispersants break up the oil into large globules and fall into the water column before hitting the coastal areas.
Some scientists believe this is just a public relations ploy to make it appear that the oil slick is disappearing on the surface, although the oil is still doing it's damage to sea-life. Others believe employing the use of dispersants is necessary to contain the damage to the sea and prevents it from hitting the shores.
According to Wired Science, there are two dispersants that have been tested by the EPA, Corexit and Dispersit. The results of the testing found Corexit to be 54.7 percent effective at breaking down crude oil from the Gulf, and Dispersit was 100 percent effective.
"Not only did Corexit do a worse job of dispersing oil, but it was three times as lethal to silverfish - used as a benchmark organism in toxicity testing - and more than twice as lethal to shrimp, another benchmark organism and an important part of Gulf fisheries."
In short, for reasons not explained by the EPA, the use of Corexit has been approved for BP's use instead of the more "effective" Dispersit.
Propublica.org discusses the probable issues that will be caused by the dispersants, which work to break up and disperse the oil, which will still be present in the water to kill off fish for a great distance, as it will continue to migrate.
"There is a chemical toxicity to the dispersant compound that in many ways is worse than oil," said Richard Charter, a foremost expert on marine biology and oil spills who is a senior policy advisor for Marine Programs for Defenders of Wildlife and is chairman of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council. "It's a trade-off - you're damned if you do, damned if you don't -- of trying to minimize the damage coming to shore, but in so doing you may be more seriously damaging the ecosystem offshore."
Says, Protecttheocean.com "Corexit 9500 is a harsh petroleum-based solvent which is dangerous to people and sea life. Dispersit's human health effect is "slight to none." Whether or not a dispersal agent is a wise move, the question remaining unanswered is: Why is Corexit 9500 being used at all, when the water-based Dispersit is available, markedly more effective and less toxic? Follow the money."
It is believed by some experts that it is better to allow the oil to make it to shore where more effective clean-up measures can be taken. It can never be cleaned up if it is "dispersed" in the water. The globules can disperse much further than the oil slick, therefore having the potential to do additional damage into the migrated areas, not to mention continued damage for years and years to come.
Earth Friendly Watches
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Earth Day is Friday, April 22, 2011
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