Mom Goes Green

Mom Goes Green is now also “Upcycle Mom” to 400 kids… the kids at our daughter’s elementary school, that is!

We’ve finally joined TerraCycle in their “Drink Pouch Brigade”.  If you know TerraCycle you probably know all about their products, but if you don’t know about their brigades, let me give you the rundown…

First of all, keep in mind that each year literally BILLIONS of non-recyclable drink pouches get tossed in the trash and wind up in landfills… fortunately, along came TerraCycle.  They upcycle this otherwise worthless trash and convert the used drink pouches into fashion bags, tote bags, pencil cases, and a whole slew of other items for kids and adults.  All you have to do is save the drink pouches, send them to TerraCycle and earn a little cash for your school, organization or charity of your choice.

Sure the financial part is a little incentive, but more than that (to me!) is the idea of all the trash that is being salvaged, upcycled and put to use.  Anytime something DOESN’T go in the trash can (thus the landfill), I’m one happy green momma!

These programs are perfect for schools, community groups, Boy Scout or Girl Scout troops, youth groups, churches… you name it… any group can do it and make quite a contribution to the planet.  

And it’s not just drink pouches… they also collect yogurt cups, candy and cookie wrappers, chip bags, glue sticks and glue bottles… there is a list of 25 brigades, so something is sure to fit.

I’m ready to go and lead my little troops in the Drink Pouch Brigade.   Now, if I suddenly stop blogging, could someone please come over and rescue me from under the mountain of drink pouches where I’m likely to be buried?!?

Having been extremely exhausted, overwhelmed, overcommitted (and at times, stressed out!) I felt like I should simply start the week with some inspiration… maybe even more for myself than anyone else.

Life, in general, can be overwhelming without “adding to our already overloaded plates”,  but we all sometimes need reminders about the importance of decisions we make and the difference we can make, even if we sometimes feel like an “army of one”.

I have felt this way lately for so many reasons.  Sure, there is strength in numbers but there is also strength in one committed effort that creates a trickledown effect that can sometimes, unknowingly, make an even bigger difference… even if we don’t often see the result.

I ran across two quotes this weekend that really spoke to me and I wanted to share…

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” – Anthropologist Margaret Mead

“How wonderful is it that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

These quotes speak volumes… and I, myself, think I needed to be reminded.  When I have questioned continuing this blog (and readers have been so kind as to say “No! You have to keep writing!”) or when my efforts with my one, little, individual family seem a bit in vain, I need to look back at this post… and remind myself:  Yes.  There IS strength in numbers but every huge success begins with only one.

Every day, we need to, AND CAN, continue to improve and change the world.  If you haven’t already started, make today the day!

The other day I wrote a post about pesticides and using sea salt and water to wash fruits and vegetables before we consume them to remove those dangerous pesticides.

Well, a close, personal friend, Will, was bold enough to call a foul.  He is very passionate about the topic and went so far as to call the post “lame”… (ouch!).

I’ll first say that the post was written in response to a few readers’ prior comments that they didn’t feel the added expense of organics was in their budget and had limited access to affordable and available organics because of where they lived geographically.  While I wasn’t attempting to mislead anyone or act irresponsibly, and this sea salt and water wash can remove the pesticides from the surface of produce, this is (admittedly) only part of the story.

The reality is that you absolutely cannot prevent consuming pesticides unless you are willing to invest in organics… period.

The fact of the matter is also that pesticides aren’t sprayed on the produce just prior to harvesting; they are applied constantly, being spraying and absorbed all throughout the growing process.  No amount of soaking and scrubbing can eliminate that.  This “solution” isn’t the solution!

And while we continue to buy conventionally-grown produce, we are actually (financially) supporting this farming practice, therefore lessening the demand for organics, slowing widespread distribution AND keeping their cost high.  All the while these pesticides are harmful to us as consumers, extremely dangerous to farm workers and contaminate our ground and surface water, as well as wildlife and the environment… a cycle that goes on and on unless practices change… dramatically. Pesticides (and herbicides) are simply bad news all around.

So, I’ve said all along that this “greening my life” would be a journey, mistakes included.  But now you know the FULL story… supporting organic farming is the only true option for an abundance of reasons.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program… hopefully with any further lame posts excluded!

I’ve always been, and will always be, an advocate of drinking tap water over bottled water.

Some readers agree, others have said “never without a filter first”, but one of the most common comments is the concern over the chlorination of tap water.   A good filter can remove the chlorine but did you know you can remove the chlorine in one simple step, even without a filter?

This is all it takes…

Fill a pitcher with water, leave it (uncovered) overnight on your countertop and by morning, your water will be chlorine-free… the chlorine will actually evaporate out of the water overnight!

Drink it throughout the day, store it in your refrigerator, cook with it….what you do with it after that is all up to you.

That’s it for today… short, sweet and (chlorine-)free!

This IS the most fundamental of questions.  We each have our own idea of what “going green” means, and perhaps, a variety of reasons for doing so.  But it’s a question worth answering.

If you ever asked yourself this question, or if someone ever asks you “why”, think about the big picture and the reasons we “do what we do”.  I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a cause worth fighting for.

1. In a nutshell, I believe the “go green” movement is all about the concerns for the depletion and contamination of the earth’s greatest, and most important, natural resources… think about clean water, clean air, clean soil… (not to mention a clean and healthy body).  They are directly linked to our well-being and they are in jeopardy.
2. When we choose not to recycle, our trash (that reaches landfills) contains harmful chemicals and ingredients that affect the soil, leach into the ground and surface water, and contaminate everything… from the soil that grows our food to the water we drink.  This contamination also creates harmful conditions for wildlife and eco-systems.
3. When we DO recycle, we save the resources needed to create new products and the energy needed for their production, which prevents excessive CO2 emissions caused by the production process.
4. Reducing energy consumption reduces your demand on polluting power plants that create excessive emissions and seriously contribute to global warming.
5. Water is essential to our survival and it is NOT renewable.  Being conscious of our use (and preventing overuse) of water and seeing that we do all we can to prevent contamination of our fresh water supply simply protects this invaluable resource.
6. Buying organic locally-grown foods means avoiding harsh chemicals, supporting agriculture that does not contaminate the soil and food (with pesticides/herbicides and harmful chemicals), and avoiding the emissions created by shipping produce from somewhere across the country or (potentially) another hemisphere entirely.  This, in turn, slows deforestation by reducing the demand for producing news crops… therefore saving delicate eco-systems, valuable trees (that hold CO2) and precious wildlife.
7. Choosing products that are biodegradable and contain natural ingredients prevents absorption of chemicals into our own bodies and the contamination of resources when they reach landfills and water sources. This includes everything from body products and cosmetics to household cleaners and lawn care chemicals.
8. Choosing products made from recycled or sustainable resources does everything from protecting resources, habitats and forests, to preventing more landfill waste, to the reduction of production energy.
9. When we choose NOT to use resources, it SAVES resources. Is there really any reason NOT to want to do that?
10. People, plants, animals and the environment/eco-systems are all interconnected. We cannot change one without affecting the other and, the way I see it, we are the only “element” in that equation that has the true ability to make a positive change.

Why go green?  For me, it’s to do my part in preserving this planet and its resources through each and every choice I make.  And to see that I make the healthiest choices possible.  I have young children… they’re counting on me.

Why do YOU go green?

Well, last month my laptop died.  (RIP dear XPS, my beloved refurbished computer!) Not a pleasant experience if I want to keep this blog going, so I’ve resorted to borrowing my husband’s laptop in the meanwhile (and it’s not easy when he needs to keep borrowing it back!).

So he has finally said it’s time for Mom Goes Green to get a new computer of my very own.  Enter dilemma:  laptop vs. desktop.

I did my research, because I also want to make the greenest choice, and here is what I found:

• Laptops use considerably less energy than desktop computers.  In some cases, the savings are somewhere between 50-80% less, depending on the model.  Energy savings = environmental choice. (winner: laptop)
• Laptops have batteries, so they can actually utilize their own stored energy for use. (winner:  laptop)
• Laptops are considerable smaller than desktops therefore, when it comes time for disposal, there is less electronic “waste” and fewer parts to be recycled. (winner:  laptop)
• The parts contained within laptops are harder to recycle and refurbish than desktop computer parts.  (winner: desktop)
• Desktops typically last longer than laptops since laptops are more fragile and the mobility-factor often means a greater likelihood of damage and a shorter life.  Laptops are also more expensive to repair (e.g. $500 bucks to fix mine… augh!) and are therefore more likely to get discarded more frequently. (winner: desktop)
• The toxic materials in desktops are much less than those in laptops (due to the batteries and other materials contained within the computer) so laptop disposal means more polluting toxins. (winner: desktop)

So there you have it.  As I see it, it’s a wash.  Choose what suits your needs.  There is no real environmental choice (unless you “go computer-less!”… something that’s unlikely for any of us!).

I just returned from some grown-up fun in NYC… the Big Apple!  This time it was me and my husband only!  Amazing how simple life can be without kids in tow. While neither of us like to leave our kids behind, it’s great to reconnect with your beloved!

We had a fantastic time and were conscious to keep the towels hung in the hotel (so they didn’t get a daily laundering), turn off lights and all that other good stuff, but it’s hard to feel like trekking around the city isn’t making a huge environmental impact.

We walked A LOT but I’m sure we took far too many cabs because (despite our many, many trips) we have never mastered their subway system.  So this led me to wonder, just how green in NYC?

I was surprised to learn that some recent research actually lists the Big Apple as #2 for the least wasteful cities in the US.  Problem is, this research was based on residents which total about 8.5 million.  But how many tourists visit the city each year?… 47 million.  Mind boggling!  That’s a lot of extra people creating trash.

While I did see some recycling receptacles around the city (one for cans & bottles and one for newspapers & magazines), they were still somewhat few and far between.  Even staying at the Hilton in Midtown didn’t provide much help (but I give them credit for all the CFLs!).  This time I didn’t cart a million things home because we ate in restaurants and didn’t make our own food, nor did we buy from street vendors and have a lot of disposable items, so aside from our addiction to cabs, we kept it fairly green.

Where did the other big cities rank?  As usual San Francisco stands proudly at #1.  But I still feel like most tourist cities aren’t doing all they can to see that their visitors have the proper resources to continue their green ways while contributing to local economies.

Aside from using public transportation or walking, keeping it green in your hotel room, and foregoing lots of disposables, what’s a traveler to do? Don’t get me wrong… I (still) love NY, but unless I get elected Mayor in each of these cities, I have absolutely no idea!

Sometimes it’s easy to get so consumed with planning and preparing for a vacation that we forget about the home we’re leaving behind.

Before you leave, your house needs some special attention so it doesn’t continue to over-consume in your absence.  When you think about everything that’s drawing energy on a daily basis (and the things that an empty house doesn’t need), it’s time for a checklist.

Here are a few simple (and possibly overlooked) ideas to keep your home green while you vacation:

• Turn off your air conditioning or, in the winter months, turn the heat to 55 degrees.
• Make sure ceiling fans are turned off.
• Unplug nearly everything… computers, TVs, appliances, microwaves, lamps, coffee makers, all of it!  Look at every outlet in your house and most things can be unplugged in your absence.
• Install timers on a few lights so your home still appears lived-in but they won’t glow 24 hours a day.
• Dial down the temperature or switch off the breaker on your water heater.
• Clear out as much food as possible in your refrigerator and freezer.  Less content means less to cool.

That’s all it takes.  A checklist and a little extra time and you can keep it green while you play away!

When we were planning for our recent vacation I knew there was a lot more to consider than just being green once we arrived at our destination.  Obviously we had to get “from here to there” first.

Our greenest travel options would have been to travel by train or rent a hybrid, but definitely not by plane, since the emissions from airplanes are astronomical and have a tremendous effect on global warming!  In fact, a one-way flight from New York to Denver produces as much carbon dioxide per passenger as an SUV produces in a month!  But since we were driving our own car, we had it maintenanced before our trip (including proper inflation of the tires) and used the cruise to assure maximum fuel efficiency.

While we planned our driving route, we not only considered the trip that was the shortest, but also with the least likelihood of “stop and go” traffic because this only burns huge amounts of fuel (much more than steady driving for a longer distance) and again creates more emissions.  (We mistakenly challenged this thinking on our way home and paid the price in both time and fuel consumption!)

On our way to vacation, we also needed to spend one overnight in a hotel during our travels.  It’s not always easy to locate and select a green hotel when you’re in a remote area of the country, but there are ways to make your stay a little greener.

• Although it was only an overnighter, had we stayed longer we would have chosen to keep and reuse our towels and sheets more than once.  More and more hotels are offering this option and it certainly saves the energy required to do the washing.
• Also, use your same “at home” rules about turning off lights and TVs, reasonable AC temperatures and the length of your showers.  Being away from home shouldn’t be a license to overuse.
• And if you find yourself with recyclables but the hotel doesn’t recycle, take them with you and be sure to find a place where they can be recycled instead of having them become trash.

No matter where you go, how you go or where you stay along the way, choose to “follow the greener brick road” to your destination!

Being “green”, “environmental”, “eco-friendly” (call it what you will) does not happen overnight.  Despite this blog, I know I still have a long way to go and plenty to learn.

One resource that I’ve found to help me along the way is too great to keep a secret:  Together Green.  This site has thought of everything, condensed into one great resource.  Whether you want to green your home, work, travel or your community, they’ve covered it.

And if you have one area that you feel most passionate about (whether it’s land, water, air, energy or wildlife), again… covered!

I’ve never felt it was about installing solar panels on your roof top – and not to say that isn’t an amazing way to green your home – but it’s about little daily actions that all add up to a great big difference.  Check them out for some great ideas.

And while I’m at it, I want to share a great resource for my fellow Ohioans! (O-H!  I-O!… you may only get that if you’re an Ohioan!) A reader asked me about an eco-friendly boutique for body products that she had heard about on the news.  While I had no idea what particular store it may have been, I was able to send her to Ec-Ohio.  This state based directory lists everything from food to pet supplies to building materials to funerals (maybe you don’t want to think about THAT just yet), but they’re a great resource as well.

If you know of a great state directory to share with readers, please comment and help spread the green!

While I do think that I’m a great blog (to visit frequently, by the way!) I know that I don’t have all the answers.  These sites are great resources… just remember who sent you!