All for a Green Earth

Green Purchasing

2009-08-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

Did you know that your shopping choices affect the environment? Everything you buy affects the Earth, but some choices have a lesser impact. Educating yourself about the products you buy can empower you to make a difference in protecting the planet.

It's called green purchasing, and it's easy to do.

Buy recycled. Items made from paper and plastic are often made from recycled materials. Buy recycled toner cartridges that are compatible to your printer brand. Also look out for household furnishings and gardening tools made from recycled materials.

Buy in bulk or multi-packs. Buying more items at once reduces packaging waste. You can also buy items with packaging that can be reused or recycled. This also reduces going frequently to the store that may entail additional fuel consumption. Take advantage of free shipping on bulk orders.

Buy used. You can find authentic retro clothes, accessories, and other items at your local thrift store.

Trade with friends. Instead of buying brand new products, swap with friends or family. Someone's trash is another one's treasure. Oftentimes, there are many things and belongings that are just left unused.

Combine bags. When you're at the mall, don't get a new shopping bag for every item—combine bags or put them in your backpack. (And be sure to hold onto the receipt!)

Buy energy-efficient items. Look for the ENERGY STAR® logo when buying electronics such as TVs, CD players, DVD players, and computers. ENERGY STAR® is a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also, don't forget to check for gas-efficiency when purchasing a new vehicle.

Taken from here.

Mother Earth News: Benchmark Glaciers Shrinking Faster

2009-08-07T10:03:00.001-07:00

Here's more bad news for our Mother Earth.

I've read in this report that three major glaciers from the northwest are shrinking more rapidly. This does not augur well for mother earth and all of us as sea levels will continue to rise and threaten more the availability of fresh drinking water.

Image taken from here.

The three rapidly shrinking benchmark glaciers cited in the report are South Cascade Glacier in Washington state , the Wolverine Glacier on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula and the Gulkana Glacier in interior Alaska.

Scientist have long acknowledge that global warming has made glaciers all over the world to shrink. These recent findings shows that the rate of shrinking has gone faster in the last 15 years. Some glaciers have even already disappeared.

This news is more evidence of the sad predicament of our mother Earth. Soon, we would have no fresh water to enjoy

Today is Green Britain Day

2009-07-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

I wish Great Britain good luck in their campaign to be greener by the 2012 Summer Games in London.

I hope all developed countries will also campaign for a better environment and a better planet.

Recycled Toner Cartridge

2009-06-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

Why do we need recycled toner cartridges?

After so many fine-looking and presentable office documents and almost real looking photos, your laser printer suddenly ran out of toner. Then, what? Of course you would want a replacement.

What about the used one? Toner cartridges are being used in homes, schools, businesses and governments worldwide. Do the math and its clear as day that used toner cartridges make up tons of non-biodegradable stuff that threatens to fill our landfills and pollute the earth.

Here is where recycled toner cartridges comes in.

Recycled toner cartridges significantly reduce pollution, contribute to the conservation of natural resources and create eco-friendly jobs.

A toner cartridge can actually be used several times. If you have one that just ran out, you can either refill it with ink yourself, get a few bucks if you give it to printer ink refilling companies or just donate it to recycling groups. That would mean one used up cartridges that would end up being a pollutant.

Buying recycled toner cartridges from refutable companies also help in the same respect. You would even get it way cheaper than original brands. More so, because of the consequences it would cause economically. Buying it regularly would mean the economic survival of companies that contribute to earth's protection and preservation.

Need I say more about recycled toner cartridges?

8 Tiny Ways to Go Green

2009-06-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

by Marie Look

This story is part of Earth911’s “Green Eight” series, in which we showcase eight ways to green your life in various areas.

If you aren’t quite ready to make any drastic changes but still want to lower your impact on the environment, there are several steps that, once taken, you’ll hardly have to think about twice. Here are eight tiny changes you can make to tip toe your way into a greener lifestyle.

1. Park It

When running errands, opt to park your car and go inside instead of using the drive-thru. The EPA estimates that for every minute the average car engine idles, it emits 6 to 7 grams of pollutants into the atmosphere.

That means that if one million drivers turned off their cars, rather than idled unnecessarily, for just two minutes per week for an entire year, these harmful emissions would be reduced by more than 750 tons. And don’t forget that for every two minutes your car idles, it uses roughly the same amount of fuel you’d use to travel one mile. What a waste of gas!

2. Eat Your Veggies

If you’re part of the meat-eating percentage of the population, consider going meatless for just one meal a week. It’s been estimated that 18 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with meat consumption, including raising the livestock and processing, packaging and shipping the products.

The Environmental Defense Fund estimates that if every American substituted a vegetarian dish for a meat dish for just one meal per week, the carbon dioxide reduction would be roughly equivalent to taking more than one-half million cars off the roads.

3. Go Electronic

One of the easiest ways to reduce your household’s paper consumption is by paying your bills online and receiving statements via e-mail. Taking advantage of paperless programs at your bank or utility company means you’ll save money on stamps, eliminate paper waste and always have easy access to your account information and payment history.

4. Power Down

The fossil fuels burned to provide a single home with electricity put more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars. Use less energy by turning off lights and unplugging appliances when you don’t need them.

Even a cell phone charger continues to use energy when plugged in, whether your cell phone is charging or not. If you use a power strip, you can turn off several appliances with the flip of just one switch. Bonus points: Each time you wear out an appliance, replace it with a more energy-efficient model.

5. Check Your Temperature

Sometimes a small change in temperature can have big results. Try keeping your thermostat one to two degrees warmer in the summer and one to two degrees cooler in the winter. This will lower your electricity bill and save a wealth of energy over the course of the year.

Also, adjust your refrigerator thermostat to save additional energy. Storing food at the recommended temperatures – 37 to 40 degrees F for the fresh food compartment and 5 degrees F for the frozen food compartment – will guarantee your refrigerator doesn’t work harder than it has to and make it last even longer.

6. See the Light

In good weather, you can use natural light to your advantage by opening windows and drawing back curtains, rather than lighting your house 24/7 with lamps and ceiling lights. In hot weather, use heavy curtains or shades to block out the heat and prevent your AC from working overtime.

For those times you do need artificial light, consider using compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. CFLs use 50 to 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and can last up to 10 times longer. Just as with rechargeable batteries, CFLs cost more upfront, but a single bulb could save you $40 to $50 in its lifetime.

7. Clean Conservatively

By taking shorter and fewer showers you can save thousands of gallons of water each year. An ordinary shower head flows 5 gallons of water per minute, so if you take a five-minute shower instead of a 10-minute one you’ll save 25 gallons of water. Other ways to save water include running full loads through your dishwasher and laundry washing machine. Bonus points: Use cold water and cold-water detergents to save energy, and use a dryer rack instead of the mechanical dryer once a week.

8. Get Charged

Another simple way to eliminate waste and save money is to make the switch to rechargeable batteries. Even though their initial cost is higher, rechargeable batteries can be recharged hundred of times before they go bad, meaning they could last for years longer than the disposable kind and save you significant cash in the long run. Remember to responsibly recycle dead batteries, both rechargeable and disposable.

Source: Recycled Toner Cartridges

For a Green Earth

2009-06-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

Image Source: Here

I now join the on-going crusade for protecting the environment and total green living through this blog.

I join millions of blogger who contribute to the awareness of every human being of each and everyone's responsibility in protecting the earth from pollution and deterioration and ultimately to initiate the cause for immediate action.

Let us all go green for mother Earth!