Enviro Watchers

Kid-Safe Chemicals Act

2009-03-23T16:26:00.003-04:00

Today I got an email from Ken Cook about the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act, which will be a badly needed updated version of the Toxic Substance Control Act from 1976. TSCA declared that some 62,000 chemicals already on the market are safe. Since then another 20,000 chemicals have accepted in the United States with little to no data to support their safety.

When TSCA was first implemented they grandfathered most of the known chemicals into the act without having them tested for their harmfulness. Because babies are being born pre-polluted with nearly 300 industrial chemicals, many associated with a range of serious diseases and conditions from childhood cancer to autism, ADHD, learning deficits, infertility, and birth defects. And the government has almost no authority to protect people from even the most hazardous chemicals on the market.

This is why we need to change this old law with a new and improved one to protect us and our children. Because of all the chemical pollutants out there, we are allowing our government to poison each one of us and our children, who aren't even born yet. All of the conditions and diseases mentioned above are a result of these harmful toxins. We need to let our government know that we are done with all the secrets on the labels of products. The companies making these products, whether cleaning, clothing, or toys need to be held accountable for what they are putting in them. If it can't be made safely, then we really don't need it! Let's work together to protect our children and our future...

Sami
http://envirowatchers.com/
Cover your little one with the best, Organic Diapers and Organic Clothes to keep them healthy and safe!

What is Dioxane and where can it be found?

2009-03-13T13:52:00.003-04:00

I found this article about some of the contaminants that are found in children's bath products. Chemicals aren't listed on the labels, making it unknown how many contaminants and how much is actually in the bubble baths, shampoos, and other common products. The natural products industries have found other ways to make the products without including formaldehyde as a preservative by reformulating the product. A contaminant isn't actually intentionally put into the product, it's a byproduct of the processing.

Therefore the byproduct of formaldehyde is dioxane. Dioxane is a colorless, flammable, potentially explosive liquid having a faint pleasant odor and used as a solvent for fats, greases, and resins. It's also used in various products including paints, lacquers, glues, cosmetics, and fumigants. Dioxane is a known eye and respiratory tract irritant. It is also classified as a possible carcinogenic to humans because it is a known carcinogen in animals.

Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetic Use and her co-authors tested 48 bubble baths, shampoos and other baby and children's products for dioxane and 28 of those products for formaldehyde.

Among their findings:

Almost two-thirds of the 28 products contained both chemicals, including Johnson's Baby Shampoo and Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea Baby Wash.
Eighty-two percent of products tested contained formaldehyde; the highest levels were found in Baby Magic Baby Lotion.
American Girl shower products had the highest levels of dioxane among products tested.

Harmful chemicals and contaminants in children's products is a subject of continuing controversy. Earlier this week, it was announced that baby bottles made with the controversial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) will no longer be sold in the United States by the six largest manufacturers of the products.

BPA, which is found in a wide range of products, mimics the hormone estrogen and may disrupt the body's endocrine system. The chemical poses a particular threat to fetuses, infants and children because it can interfere with cell function when their bodies are still developing, public health experts say. The chemical has been linked with diabetes, heart disease, cancer and developmental delays in children.

I don't know about you, but I'm glad to see that these chemicals aren't in any organic products, the "organic seal" indicates this. Also, it's good to know that the government is finally cracking down on what is put into products to make them last longer, where actually it's just making us ill in the future.

Sami
http://envirowatchers.com/
Cover your little one with the best, Organic Diapers, Organic Clothes, and a Completely Build Your Own Organic Crib!

Phthalates and your crib mattresses

2009-03-11T13:13:00.003-04:00

Over the last 30+ years, crib mattress materials have been replaced with cheap petroleum-based synthetics. Nearly all crib mattresses today contain polyurethane foam, vinyl (PVC), phthalates, chemical fire retardants, and an extensive list of added industrial chemicals. Recent studies have questioned the use of these materials. Some of these chemicals have even been shown to leach out into the surrounding air.

Babies and toddlers spend 10-14 hours a day sleeping and playing on a crib mattress. Furthermore, a child’s every breath inhales air no more than six inches away from these chemicals. As such, for the first few years of a child’s life, the mattress is the single most prominent object in the child’s environment. Phthalates are typically added to the vinyl surface of a crib mattress to make it soft and flexible. This provides an inexpensive and flexible crib mattress cover material.

“Phthalates are animal carcinogens and can cause fetal death, malformations, and reproductive toxicity in laboratory animals… children may be at higher risk of adverse effects of phthalates because of anticipated higher exposures during a time of developmental and physiologic immaturity… Phthalates are not covalently bound to the plastic matrix and leach out of PVC…”
(Shea, Katherine M. MD MPH and the Committee on Environmental Health. “Pediatric Exposure and Potential Toxicity
of Phthalate Plasticizers.” American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrics Volume 111 No. 6. June 2003. Pg. 1467.

I don't know about you, but I think this chemical and any child should not be in the same room at the same time. Due to the ability that this chemical has to even leech out into the air, let alone with you absorbing it while you are laying down sleeping. Organic mattresses promote baby health and safety by eliminating potentially harmful chemicals and featuring certified organic cotton and environmentally friendly materials. These mattresses provide non-toxic fire protection and waterproofing, and are loved by parents, physicians, and independent evaluators. So if everyone likes these mattresses and believes that they are better for your child, then why don't you come and check them out for yourself!

Sami
http://envirowatchers.com/
Cover your little one with the best, Organic Diapers, Organic Clothes, and a Completely Build Your Own Organic Crib!

Landfills Methane Gas

2009-03-07T14:57:00.003-05:00

Methane, a primary component of landfill gas, is a greenhouse gas more than 20 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. Nationwide in 2007 about 435 projects provided more than 10.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and delivered 79 billion cubic feet per year of landfill gas to corporate and government users, and produced energy equivalent to powering roughly 810,000 homes and heating nearly 547,000 homes each year.

Landfill gas is the natural by-product of the decomposition of solid waste in landfills and is comprised primarily of carbon dioxide and methane. By preventing emissions of methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) through the development of landfill gas energy projects, landfill facilities can now produce electricity naturally from decomposing waste and turn it into money-saving electricity to offset the costs associated with operating the landfills. . Until now, the landfill gas, which is about 50 percent methane, was extracted through wells and pipes buried in the landfill and combusted in a flare. Now the gas is now diverted from the flare to the landfill gas plant, which is equipped with two specialized engines designed to burn landfill gas. The landfill gas is processed to natural gas quality and used in clean-burning power generation equipment to generate renewable power. The project of transforming the waste into usable electricity includes installation of a gas collection system in the landfill, a generator that runs on landfill gas, a power line connection to the grid, and an electronic monitoring system.

Here is a nice layout of "How Landfills Work".

Sami
http://envirowatchers.com/
Cover your little one with the best, Organic Diapers, Organic Clothes, and a Completely Build Your Own Organic Crib!

Don't Throw your Trash in my Backyard!!

2009-03-02T14:10:00.002-05:00

It's started up again...New York City is dumping it's trash into Pennsylvania. Now don't get me wrong, they do have an agreement of dumping their trash into Pennsylvanians landfills, but they are getting full. Pa has a good system of utilizing the methane gas to run the landfills systems, but only certain trash is usable. Therefore New York City needs to start enforcing people to recycle, by offering jobs and uses for the recycled material, and by creating less packaging for their products, which would result in less trash. Right now Pa is having to either create more landfills or expand the existing ones already. That means it'll take away from the beauty the farm lands and the forests of Pa.

Pennsylvania isn't the only state feeling the impact of the trash, there are others such as Virginia and Michigan. I think the governors need to keep the trash in their own states and utilize the methane gas like Pa is doing. Maybe if the methane gas has more of a purpose, then more states would consider creating it for themselves.

And who really wants to live next to a landfill?

Sami

Diapers which are better cloth or disposable?

2009-02-25T13:10:00.004-05:00

I have taken an interest in diapers...which are better cloth or disposable? There are many types of disposable diapers available in today’s market for our convenience-conscious society; while concern over landfill space has pushed for “greener” alternatives, disposable diapers are still disposable. A disposable diaper with a plastic exterior lining is no different than a 100% plastic-free disposable diaper once it has been tossed into a plastic household trash bag and dumped into a landfill. There's the super absorbent name brand ones, or the not-so famous cloth diapers.

Now these aren't the same cloth ones your mom or grandma used on you, these are much more sophisticated. They have flushable liners, snaps or velcro, and less fill for the landfills. Yes, this requires more laundry, about 2 more loads per week. But the way I look at it, is that it may be more work for you, but I'd rather do the extra work, then let the poop fill up the landfills. And from the research I've gathered, it appears that disposable diapers cost about $2200 over the course of the diapering stage, whereas cloth will cost you about $600, with the extra washing costs.

So my personal opinion is: cloth worked for my bottom just fine; I think I'll stick with it for my children too! What are your opinions, suggestions, and/or tips on cloth or disposable?

Laundry Detergent Causes Asthma? NY Lawsuit seeks disclosure

2009-02-18T23:57:00.001-05:00

Sierra Club, the American Lung Association & 4 other groups are suing Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, and 2 other chemical cleaner manufacturers to demand that they release the ingredients to their products. The groups requested ingredient disclosure from all 4 companies & many others last September, citing the New York law, but were refused.

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What's the Difference between Traditional Cotton and Organic Cotton?

2009-02-18T14:11:00.003-05:00

Well, first let’s look at plain old cotton. It’s the most universally comfortable, breathable and softest of all the fibers, natural or man-made. Cotton only uses about 3% of the farmland, but the farmers use more then 25% pesticides on it then any other crop, except for coffee. (Doesn’t say much about our coffee…) With this excessive use of fertilizers, cotton production has led to environmental pollution. Many of these chemicals that are sprayed on cotton are known to cause cancer in humans. The average cotton T-shirt is only 73% cotton fiber; the rest is chemicals and resins.

So far from my understanding, traditional cotton has a heavy dose of pesticides, insecticides, and chemical fertilizers which have been known to cause allergies, respiratory problems, and even cancer.

On the other hand, organic cotton does not involve the use of harsh chemicals and pesticides, therefore causing fewer allergies, respiratory problems, and a healthier life for farmers. All the chemicals in the soil have poisoned the farmers before, but with the organic certified fields, the farmers have not been experiencing as many issues.

Organic clothing is popular among infants and children due to their developing skin being more sensitive to the health risks posed from chemicals and pesticides. But why stop there? Yes, our children need to be well taken care of, but what about us. We need to continue treating ourselves to these healthy choices and teach our children this is the healthier way to live.

Well the NFL took a step in the right direction this year. The championship t-shirts worn by the Pittsburgh Steelers this year right after the super bowl were made of 100% organic cotton. These t-shirts are then sold to the fans and are one of the highest-selling NFL products of the year. Reebok made the t-shirts using organic yarn and the tags were made from recycled material and green stitching inside the neck seam identified the shirts as official.

Organic cotton increased 33% last year and is expected to increase 24% this year. This is good news for the certified organic cotton farmers. Hopefully, this will persuade the rest of the farmers to get their farms certified. Certification requires the land to be chemically free for at least 3 years. USDA regulates organic cotton as a food product, and they say less than one tenth of an ounce of pesticides are used per 100 lbs. of cotton.

When buying organic clothing, one need to make sure the finished product is also organically made. This includes the dying, finishing and sewing process. Dyes can be made from plants and natural vegetables and do not need harsh chemicals like previously.

We need to realign our buying habits to seek quality and longevity, not just the latest trends. We need to focus on the importance of our planet rather then how we look.

Leave a Mark, Not a Stain

2009-02-15T09:18:00.003-05:00

Today's generation needs to leave a mark in history as the generation that saved the planet. Not be known to the future generations as the one's who killed the planet and made it a waste dump. We need to think more environmentally safe in our daily lives, whether it be as simple as using safer cleaning products or to using less waste. I know a lot of people are doing what ever they can at home, but what about big companies, the one's that can make a big impact. They should start thinking about making changes. There is a lot of simple things they can do as well. For example start using Eco-friendly tissue paper and cleaning products. They could even goes as far as giving some kind of incentive to employees who drive hybrid cars to work. Because if we don't start making the changes now there will be no future for our children. So I say to you, leave a mark in history not a stain. Fight for the future in the present.

If anyone knows of any companies who are making a difference please comment here and let me know about them and what they have done. I would like a list of Eco-friendly companies to share with the people.

Organic Clothing

2009-02-12T18:59:00.002-05:00

I'm noticing more and more people looking for organic clothing, especially for their wee-ones. Everyone starts off with organic clothing for their babies, whether diapers or baby blankets, but then it usually stops there. Sometimes people still buy the organic clothing for themselves, but because it was costly, they opted for the cheaper clothing. But now we need to start looking more closely at the organic clothing, due to how much healthier for the earth it is.

To be a certified organic farmer, they can not use any chemicals fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides on their land for 3 years. If they do use any chemicals, it would be organic versions of these chemicals. Once the soil is free of contaminates, they can grow the cotton, hemp, bamboo, or soy products used in making the respective fabrics. But along the way, they also need to make sure that the dying, finishing, sewing process, and tags are also Eco-friendly too! When dealing with organic, it usually means higher quality and more attention to details, as to why it was more expensive early on. Now the best thing to do is just look for good deals and make sure the tags say that they were made with organic products versus the polyester and rayon materials, or just the plain old cotton.

I'm starting to find this topic more interesting, so expect to see more blogs about this topic!

Sami

The Dangers of Bleach

2009-02-05T15:47:00.002-05:00

We've all used bleach for making our whites whiter and for sterilizing and disinfecting our homes. But have you ever taken a look at the chemical behind it all. This is a huge eye-opening to actually realize how toxic and dangerous this chemical really is. Even the label on the bleach bottle says "DANGER: Corrosive. May cause severe irritation or damage to eyes and skin...Avoid breathing vapors and use only in a well-ventilated area."

The most common time and/or area that these chemicals will come into contact with each other is when your are cleaning your bathroom. Since you usually have something for the toilet, something else for the sinks/counter tops, and of course the shower and that dreadful soap scum. The bathroom is one of the few places in your home that has a vent in it.

The main active ingredient in bleach is sodium hypochlorite which reacts with ammonia, drain cleaners and other acids. The combination of these two common household chemicals can release chlorine gas, a cousin to the chemical warfare used during World War I. When bleach and ammonia are mixed together, toxic gases called chloramines are produced, which can cause: coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, wheezing, nausea, watery eyes, irritation to the throat, nose and eyes and pneumonia and fluid in the lungs. There also have been reports that some people are so allergic to chlorine, that they need an epiPen when they are exposed to a concentrated does of vapors. When bleach and acid combine, chlorine gas is given off. At low levels this exposure almost always irritates the mucus membranes (eyes, throat and nose), and causes coughing and breathing problems, burning and watery eyes, and a running nose. Higher levels of exposure can cause chest pain, more severe breathing difficulties, vomiting, pneumonia, and fluid in the lungs. Very high levels can cause death.

So if you still want to use bleach, then you may want to switch out your other chemicals to natural products. Ones that do not use toxic chemicals which can harm you, your children, and your pets. There are quite a few choices out there, I'm still working on what I think is the best. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Sami

What’s Really in Those Cleaning Products?

2009-02-02T17:32:00.000-05:00

Now, when it comes to our children, we take every precaution necessary. But do we really take those strict precautions when it comes to our cleaning products, especially the ones that we use around our children? It’s amazing how many harmful and toxic chemicals are in regular cleaning supplies. There have been recent studies stating that there is a link between some cleaning products and asthma and reproductive harm. It’s just not each individual cleaner that is the problem, it when you combine them.

Let’s say the bathroom; you need something for the toilet, the floor and counters, and for the shower. Now each of them separately is fine, but when you mix them this is where the concern is. You end up in a small space with many toxins exposed to each other. These solutions are highly concentrated mixtures of chlorine, formaldehyde, and sodium hypochlorite, which irritate your eyes, lungs, and skin. Even when these chemicals go down the drain, they can mix with others chemicals and create dangerous compounds like chlorine gas that can work its way back into your house.

There are safe solutions out there. But you do need to watch what is in each bottle. Yes, there are many kinds of “green” cleaners now, but not all of them are truly “green”. Some are still made with toxins; therefore they are still causing harm to people and the environment. There are others that still have toxins in them, and are either not labeled properly, or they are using different names to hide what they truly are. This is where we need to take some action; we need to tell our representatives for Congress that they need to create a bill that requires that all companies to disclose all ingredients in household cleaners on product labels and to replace toxic chemicals with safer alternatives.

We need to step up and help each other in creating a healthier and non-toxic planet, before there isn’t anything left to save!

Sami

Super Bowl

2009-01-28T14:25:00.001-05:00

Well it's that time of the year again...all football fans are getting ready for the big game; the Super Bowl 43 is upon us once again. Kick-off time is approximately 6:20pm on the East Coast; 5:20pm Central; 4:20 pm Mountain; and 3:20 pm Pacific. Bruce Springsteen will do the halftime show with "Born to Run", and keep a lookout for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds to be zooming in.

When you head out to the store to grab the snacks, keep in mind these different ways of being "Green". Does anyone else have any suggestions, recipes, or something that they have tried in the past that works well?

8 Ways to Green Your Super Bowl

2009-01-28T13:48:00.003-05:00

by Trey Granger

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

Are you ready for some football? Well to be fair, the Super Bowl is much more than just a football game. It’s a media spectacle, a party gatherer and, for one U.S. city each year, a tourism gold mine.

But it also has an environmental footprint the size of a 350-pound defensive lineman. No matter how you’re celebrating this year, here are eight ways to see green on more than just the football field:

1. Play Like the Pros

The National Football League (NFL) sets a good eco-example in game preparation, whether it be producing a carbon neutral game or collecting gear for organizations in the host city. But these measures don’t account for the fans, so what are you doing this year to offset your impact?

If you’re heading to Tampa to watch this year’s Super Bowl live, think about green travel options, and keep in mind that many airlines and car rental agencies provide carbon offset plans to let you balance out your travel with an investment in renewable energy. If watching at home, your impact could probably be balanced by something as minor as planting a tree in the backyard.

2. Rethink Your Snacks

Domino’s Pizza sales jump 30 percent on Super Bowl Sunday, and other pizza retailers see similar sales increases. But those oil-stained pizza boxes are not recyclable despite the fact that cardboard usually has tremendous recycling value. Instead, how about making your own pizza without the box? Other eco-friendly snacks include compostable veggies with homemade dip and organic beer, and don’t forget to set up recycling bins for aluminum cans and glass/plastic bottles.

3. Bet Online

The Super Bowl is one of the biggest betting days of the year, and you’re likely to escape breaking state laws by placing bets over the Internet. You’ll also save the paper used to print odds sheets and betting slips. You can even host a Super Bowl pool online to keep printing low - plus, it’s tougher to cheat in a computer pool.

4. Recycle Your “Small-Screen” TV

You may be inclined to spruce up this year’s Super Bowl party with a new big-screen TV, and you’re not alone. Retailers in the U.S. see increased sales of televisions by 60 percent during Super Bowl week, and this year, expect even more sales with the digital switch just weeks after the game.

Keep in mind you can also rent big-screens for the Big Game, which don’t come with all that plastic packaging (and at a lower price than a new set). If you do make the long-term purchase, donate your old TV for reuse or recycle it (use Earth911 to find a location near you). You’ll keep lead, mercury and other e-waste byproducts out of landfills.

5. Get the Word Out but Keep the Trees Standing

Having a gang over for the Big To-Do? As far as shindigs go, a good ol’ Super Bowl party ain’t no Inauguration Ball, so skip the fancy trimmings and get on the phone or email. Formal invitations aren’t needed to invite your friends over for some snacks, brewskis and quarterback sacks. Some of our favorite online invitation sites include:

Don’t just stop at the invites. Make sure to keep the three R’s (reduce, reuse and recycle) in all your party plans!

6. Don’t Flush Money Down the Drain

Super Bowl time is a great time to think about the toilet. Why, you ask? Well, whether or not you believe in the “Halftime Flush” theory (that 90 million people flush toilets during halftime of the Super Bowl), it definitely spotlights an area of the house that can get a lot of use when a major event is going on.

If you haven’t already, investing in a water-efficient toilet can help increase money flow over time. In fact, you can recoup your initial investment in as little as two years, since low-flow toilets have a 50 percent ROI, and save $25 annually. Add to that a low-flow faucet with a payback time of 3 years and an annual savings of $100 per year, and you’ve got a pretty efficient restroom on your hands. Though useful on more then just Superbowl Sunday, the money you could save from water saved during the “big flush” may take the edge off if your team loses!

7. Celebrate Moderately

No matter the sport, there is a consistent relationship between championships and alcohol consumption. Whether you’re into a great mug of beer or a classy glass (or box) of wine, you’re bound to create a heap of trash while enjoying Super Bowl spirits. Glass, aluminum cans and paperboard are all recyclable materials, so make sure you remember to put them in the right bin - even if you’re “trashed.”

8. Shop Light for Souvenirs

One thing the NFL hasn’t mastered yet is eco-friendly apparel, as it’s near impossible to find NFL-licensed gear that’s organically-grown or made of recycled content. So although it may be tempting to buy everything in sight when your team wins the Big Game, limit your shopping to one or two items. If you enjoy crafts, create your own memorabilia by sewing some licensed NFL logos on a recycled polyester jersey, which is likely made of recycled water bottles.

Making Good Use of Garbage!

2009-01-26T13:13:00.003-05:00

Composting is collecting kitchen scraps and leaves and putting them into a bin or a pile. If you don't have a yard or want to do this is the winter, then you can use red worms, and even make a little profit from it. Composting is easy and saves landfill space and tax dollars. It is a hands-on way to eliminate needless waste, beautify your landscape, and enjoy a more productive garden with compost - nature's own slow-release fertilizer.

Composting Benefits:

Reduces the cost of getting rid or your garbage
Reduces the stink in your garbage cans
Reduce global warming; food decomposing in the landfills produces methane gas
Saves space for longer-lived landfills
Produces great soil amendment for your garden
Returns nutrients to the soil such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, manganese, iron and boron
When added to soil compost helps promote root development, enhances retention or water and nutrients, and makes the soil easier to cultivate
When used on the surface of the soil as mulch, compost reduces rainfall run-off, decreases water evaporation from the soil, and helps to control weeds
Composting with worms is great for science projects and a great classroom activities for the whole year

Unfortunately sometimes you can run into problems with composting, but here are some cures:

Pile smells rotten and/or attracts files

Too wet and/or non-composting items are present. Turn, add dry-woody materials, cover pile from heavy rains and/or remove grease, etc and turn

Compost is damp and warm only in the middle

Pile is too small. Get more material, mix old ingredients into a new pile

Pile is not composting

Too dry and/or too much dry woody material. Moisten till slightly damp and/or turn, add fresh green materials or organic nitrogen fertilizer

Pile is damp and sweet smelling but won't heat up

Lack of nitrogen. Mix in nitrogen source such as fresh grass clipping, fresh manure, bloodmeal or ammonium sulfate

Rodents in pile

Food watses in open bin, hole larger than 1/4 inch or non-composting items present. Turn compost and rodent-proof yourbin and remove meat, grease, etc. and turn

Here are 2 different ways to make your own compost with your kids help.

One way is to use red worms. These worms can eventually be sold to make a little extra cash during fishing season as live bait, since they will be nice and plump, but you will need to replace them to continue with your composting. Just a side note, worms can be rather noisey, so you may want to put them some place that won't disturb you.

Another method for composting is using carbon and nitrogen mixture outside. This method is fueled by millions of microscopic organisms (bacteria, fungi) that take up residence inside you compost pile. They continuously devour and recycle it to produce a rich organic fertilizer and valuable soil amendment.

This is a good way to eliminate more of your actual trash when you are recycling other items. Right now, yard and kitchen waste make up about 30% of the waste stream in the USA. Many states in the USA have already stated goals and/or legislative mandates to drastically reduce the volume of waste being sent to the landfills. In about 10 years, composting will most likely become as common as recycling aluminum cans.

Tips on Reducing Electricity

2009-01-23T13:52:00.006-05:00

Here are some green electricity tips that I have compiled from various sources:

First you may want to check out your Carbon Footprint. There are some easy and cheap things you can do right away to save money and even see a difference. Once you get your carbon footprint, then start on this list and the list that it provides for you. Once you accomplish some items, check them off and you will see the improvement right away on your saved profile of your carbon footprint.

Replace all your light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) or with the newest ones light emitting diodes (LEDs).
Turn off your appliances and lights when you are not going to be utilizing them within the next 10 minutes.
Eliminate any electronics that are in "sleep mode". They are still pulling a current even when they are plugged in and in standby mode. You may even pull the cord on appliances that do not need to be plugged when not in use. If it's plugged and turned off, there is still electricity running through it.
Utilizing a flat screen monitor with your computer will use 1/3 the energy of the old CRT monitor.
Clothes driers eat up a lot of electricity, so hanging your clothes outside is a good way to energy saver.
In the winter months, try grabbing another layer of clothing before turning up the heater.
Seal your home in the winter months, by covering windows with plastic, sealing doors with door snakes, and by insulating your hot water tank.
The more people you have over in the winter, the warmer your place gets and you can turn down the heater by a notch or two, and let the body heat do the trick.
Make sure there is a little room around your refrigerator so that it's heat can escape, and not make it work so hard. Also make sure light fixtures are not near anything that needs to be cooler, like the refrigerator, freezer, fans, or air conditioners. They produce heat, and can these items to work overtime.
Contact your local electric company to see what alternative power supplies they offer.

Plastic Bags

2009-01-20T13:04:00.002-05:00

I think this is a good idea that Delhi has come up with , and knowing that other countries have already banned the plastic bags is interesting to know. Our western style in shopping isn't very environmentally good, and for other countries to realize this is awesome and the action they are taking to remedy the situation.

100,00 Rupees (2,047.53 US Dollar as of 1-20-08) is a rather large fine, but at least they are taking the situation seriously. I think that our government should do something along these lines, but then I'm sure that many Americans would not be able to afford that fine. If they would impose such a ban here in the United States, then they would have to make the cost of the biodegradable bags responsibly priced so that everyone will be able to afford them.

At least the Environmentalists were able to convince the government that even though the plastic bags are cheaper and can be conveniently disposed of, it's healthier for their country to stop utilizing them. To know that Malaria and the dengue fever are breeding among these bags and spreading to their people, is a huge health risk for everyone.

Wonder if our landfills are being polluted with these diseases or other ones due to everything that we throw away instead of recycling. It would be interesting to know what diseases are breeding in our landfills. Maybe this will help our government to take a more active role in the recycling issues and help clean out our landfills.

Coke opens world's largest bottle recycling plant

2009-01-19T13:54:00.001-05:00

Coke stages a grand opening for the world's largest bottle-to-bottle recycling plant in South Carolina this week. The plant will have the capacity, when fully operational, to produce 100 million pounds of recycled PET plastic chips—enough to produce 2 billion 20-ounce bottles of Coke or Dasani or whatever.

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