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Tox on November 21st, 2009 | Posted in
Green Holidays |
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This weekend’s going to be a busy one for those who are getting ready for Turkey Day. Yeah, I am sure that you are very much aware that Thanksgiving is less than a week away and that you are up to your neck in preparation tasks. Let me ask you though, is the environment part of your Thanksgiving plans?
Perhaps you may be too caught up in all the other “regular” aspects of this holiday: making sure there is (more than) enough food for everyone, buying presents (if you do this), buying drinks, decorating the house, planning entertainment, and so on. Why don’t you take a look at a few simple reminders that can help you with your planning? At the same time, these tips will go a long way towards helping the environment.
Let’s start with portion control. I have a feeling that some may have problems with this suggestion, but hear me out. Year in and year out, TONS of food go to waste after Thanksgiving. That’s because no one wants to get caught with “not enough” food. If you think about it, though, you don’t have to go overboard. Why not estimate how much each person eats and prepare just enough? Call it portion control if you wish.
Now on to setting the table…what decorations and utensils do you use? Instead of using paper napkins, consider cloth napkins. If you have a huge crowd coming over, why not consider going potluck where the guests have to bring their own utensils and napkins – just so you can avoid using plastic, Styrofoam, and similar products? On the other hand, you can opt for disposable plates and utensils – this will help reduce water and detergent use for cleaning up. However, make sure that you buy earth-friendly products.
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Tox on November 5th, 2009 | Posted in
Recycle Reuse |
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The obligation of doing our part for the environment lies on the shoulders of each and every person, never mind the age or the background. In this particular post, I would like to focus on college and university students. These years could be some of the best years of one’s life, but that doesn’t mean forgetting to do one’s part in saving the earth. Here are some simple ways by which students can contribute through recycling and reusing.
Newspapers and other periodicals. Most, if not all, colleges have their own newspaper. Students normally get these papers on top of regular newspapers and magazines. In many cases, students tend to immediately throw away or recycle these materials. My suggestion? Reuse them instead! Put them in the dormitory reading room. Donate them. Before you recycle, try getting more use out of them.
Plastic bags. Many grocery stores and shops do not use plastic bags anymore. If you do go to a store which makes use of plastic bags, don’t throw them away. Instead, find good use for them. I like using used plastic bags as trash bags. It saves me on money – I don’t have to buy garbage bags as often. You can also use these plastic bags to carry around wet things.
Readings and other papers. Again, instead of immediately bringing your stacks of used paper to the recycling center, why not make the most of them? Cut them up and use the unprinted side for notepads. Use whole sheets of paper as scratch. If you’re printing drafts for yourself, then print on the other side.
Remember, try to get as much use as you can from your things. You’ll not only save money, but help the earth as well.
The year is almost over, and it is time to make your travel plans for the holidays yet again. At this time of the year, a lot of people pack their bags and hit the road (or the skies) to visit friends and family or to simply discover new places. If you are traveling in the next month or so, why not take the time to re-think your plans and see if you are contributing towards the welfare of the environment? Here are some things that you can consider.
Fly economy instead of first class. The latter may be more comfortable but since there are fewer people in first class (more space is given per person), it technically uses up more fuel. More than this, however, you should also consider taking the most direct route. It is common sense, as it will get you to your destination faster, but flying directly also lessens your carbon emissions contribution.
Better yet, take the bus. Yeah I know, the bus is not your first choice. If you have time to spare, however, and you do not have that much luggage on you, why not take the bus instead of driving or flying? You will save a LOT on fares and your carbon footprint will benefit from it as well.
Avoid holiday traffic jams. We all want this, but probably for a different reason – who likes getting stuck in traffic anyway? Another reason for avoiding traffic jams, however, is the fact that your car uses up much more fuel when sitting idly. This means higher emissions. As such, plan your trip so that you won’t have to battle it out on the roads with other travelers.
Any tips of your own?
Photo courtesy of Boeing
We see and hear about all sorts of green tips that can help us save the environment in our own little ways, but we don’t really pay attention to some of the little things that we take for granted. Take for example shaving. Have you ever thought that in doing this mundane task, you can also help the environment? Here are some tips to prod you on your way to becoming what I want to call a “green shaver.”
Use an electric razor. There are a lot of electric razors in the market today, and while they cost considerably more than the disposable ones, they do last much longer and save you money in the long run. More importantly, you do not have to throw away electric razors as often as you do disposable ones. Can you just imagine how many disposable razors are thrown away each year?
If you just have to use a disposable razor, then you might as well look for the ones which impact the earth in the least harmful way. There are disposable razors made of recycled plastic – go for them. Also, instead of merely throwing away those disposables with the rest of the trash, gather them and bring them to a recycling center.
Don’t you just love the sound, feel, and convenience that running water brings? Well it is a waste, and you know it. Instead of leaving the faucet running the whole time you shave, get a small basin and dip your razor. It may not be as fun, but it does the job and saves water as well.
Photo courtesy of Nivea For Men
Just a couple more nights and Halloween is here! I just posted some ideas on “greenifying” your Halloween celebrations, but I realized I there’s more, courtesy of the Treehugger. This time, let’s focus a little bit more on creating your own costumes. I hope they’re not too lame for you – I thought they were pretty cool!
Go as a skunk! What is better than going around on Halloween dressed as something that repulses everyone? You can be a skunk without having to buy a costume. Just go find a black turtleneck and black pants or tights. You can then create the white stripe using a piece of cloth or even tissue paper.
How about a spider? Here is another creature that creeps out a lot of people. You can also use black clothing – tight articles are the best. For the legs, you can use black stockings that are stuffed to the max.
The same article suggests going as a rag doll or a jack in the box – you will not need much to come up with these costumes, both in terms of money and other resources. The bottom line is letting your creativity flow and use materials that will not add to the strain that the earth is already experiencing.
A few more tips – when your kids go around trick or treating, make sure you bring an extra bag with you, for the trash. This way, you will not be guilty of leaving around trash. Also, instead of using plastic bags, why not use recycle bags? This will also help impart the value of recycling to the kids. For more tips, visit the whole article.
Orange and black are the traditional Halloween colors but who says you can’t go green this year? With less than a month till this big holiday, people all over the country are gearing up for their own celebrations. You’re probably one of them, but have you given some thought to the ecological impact of the festivities? Perhaps it’s about time that you did! Let’s take a look at some ways that you can have green Halloween!
Lighten up on the wrapping. Individually wrapped candy can create so much waste, even if you don’t immediately realize it. This Halloween, why not try to lessen this waste? Instead of giving individually wrapped candy, buy candy in bulk. Not only will that help you save on the waste but you’ll probably get discounts too. Another option is to find treats that are wrapped in biodegradable material, or not wrapped at all. Fruits are a good idea.
Make your own costumes. I know it is so much easier to go to the store and buy ready made costumes, but more often than not, these costumes are made of non-biodegradable material OR the process by which they are made is not good for the environment. A good alternative would be to get creative and make your own costumes! Of course, it goes without saying that you have to choose earth-friendly materials as much as you can.
Swap costumes. If you are not so good with crafts, another way you can have a green Halloween is to re-use costumes. Naturally, kids would not want to wear what they wore last year, so what you can do is get together some friends and see what you all have. You can then swap so that the kids can have something “new” to wear this year without having to buy a new set.
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Halloween is around the corner! Have you taken steps to make sure that this holiday is an eco-friendly one? If you didn’t know this already, fun holidays like Halloween are some of the most wasteful times of the year – think of the amount of new costumes, decorations, candy, and pumpkins consumed…..then the waste that comes afterwards? Fear not, your family can still have a terrific Halloween while still caring for Mother Earth. Plus, you can save money too. That’s another great reason to go green- it’s definitely good for the budget!
Read on for my very easy, tried-and-tested tips:
1. Decorations
First off, the most obvious and easiest thing you can do is RECYCLE!! Your old decorations, I mean (this goes for costumes too, but more on that below). Last year, I had this in mind, so I made that extra effort to carefully store all my decorations to minimize breakages and maximize use for years to come in spite of 3 children under 9 and their rowdy Halloween parties. I purchased a few of those large plastic, airtight boxes, which may not seem so green an idea at first, but when you think of the durability and protection against the elements, it made sense. In the past I used old cartons, and lost a lot of things because of bugs, damp and rain.
Read the rest of this entry »
You’ve heard these people – they say that global warming is NOT real. That it’s all a myth created by alarmists, by people with vested interest. Even when Al Gore came out with his popular documentary, many people remained unconvinced that global warming is a real issue.
Those people should sit up and pay attention now. Have you heard about what happened in the Philippines? They received immense amounts of rain, thanks to tropical typhoon Ondoy (International name Ketsana). Overnight, the city roads became rivers. Their actual rivers overflowed, dumping water into the communities. Even today, countless people are struggling to regain a semblance of the life that they once had. Just take a look at the major news web sites and you will see with your own eyes the havoc that this typhoon brought upon the country.
Some say it’s because of the dams that were opened. Others say that it was simply the rain. I think that it can be a combination of both, that global warming is starting to make its effects felt in a more radical way. Oh, we’ve felt the effects of the degradation of the environment for many years now. The climate change all over the world can hardly be ignored. But when lives start being messed around with, I think more people are going to notice.
What do you think? Is global warming a myth or has it cost you anything yet?
If you’re looking to help the victims of typhoon Ondoy in the Philippines, here is a link to the PayPal account of the Philippine National Red Cross. They would surely appreciate your help.
By
Tox on September 29th, 2009 | Posted in
Eco Home,
Eco Tips |
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Winter is coming, and I am sure that many of you are thinking about heating costs. There is no doubt that there is a need for heating, especially in certain places. But there is also no doubt that there are things that we can do in order to lessen the need for heating. By following these tips, you can save on heating costs AND contribute in your own way to the environment’s cause.
Check your windows.
I have heard so many stories about people closing their windows but not really checking to make sure they are sealed tight. This is an often overlooked fact, but an important one. If your windows are merely shut, but not sealed, hot air can still leak out. You can imagine just how much energy you can waste by not sealing your windows shut!
Use that oven!
Well, not as a heater per se, but the idea is to spend more time in the kitchen cooking – using the oven – and enjoy the by product of a warmer environment. Anyone who has stayed in the kitchen preparing a meal for hours will know how hot it can get in there. Instead of going out for meals this winter, why not spend more time in the kitchen? You’ll not only save on heating but on dining expenses as well!
Engage in more physical activities.
Stay put in front of the TV and you’ll notice just how cold it is in a few minutes. Why not keep moving by playing games on the Wii or tidying up the house? The idea is to not stay still for extended periods of time – you’ll be warmer for it.
