Going Green at Home

In the last few years, you can't avoid the topic "Going Green". It is everywhere now, from cars to beauty products, hospitals, and our local stores. All the major corportations are now picking up their share to help the environment. But how can we, as individuals, save our ever changing planet? This blog will give you simple tips on how to be GREEN in our home (not to mention money you will save!).

In the Bathroom:
1.) Turn off the water when brushing your teeth: If you shower after brushing your teeth, you may want to brush your teeth in the shower (save time and water).
2.) Cut showers down to 5 minutes: After flushing toilets, showering is the 2nd most used water activity.
3.) Turn off while shaving: Shave in the shower to save water.
4.) Fix any leaks immediately: This helps to conserve water, and more problems in the end.
5.) Don't use your toilet as a trash can: Our toilet takes up 27 percent of our household's water supply.

If you are concerned with the amount of water you are using, you may want to change showerheads, faucets, and toilets that release less water per minute. National geographics website has an article that can help you choose the best toilet, faucet and showerheads for your bathroom. They may be pricey, but you will save alot more in your water bill.

In the Bedroom:
1.) Turn off all electronics in the room: This will also help you sleep better.
2.) Natural materialed area rugs or carpet: Installed carpets pick up and keep toxins from outside when you walk in.
3.) Change your A/C filters as often as the package says: Helps the A/C to work properly.
4.) Change to organic comforters and pillows: "Conventional cotton accounts for up to 25 percent of the insecticides used worldwide, and the runoff from nitrogen- spiked synthetic fertilizers, as well as heavy metal dyes, kills aquatic life."
5.) Keep blinds/shades closed/down: The sunlight will make the room hot, thus making the A/C work even harder.

There are other options to make your bedroom an "ECO-nomical Bedroom". Instead of buying brand new furnitures, consider purchasing second hand antiques. Instead of the petroleum-based polyester mattresses, invest in a natural-fill, untreated mattress.

In the Kitchen:
1.) Reuse water bottles: If you have a water filter, refill the empty water bottles.
2.) Stop using disposables: Lots of our waste come from disposable products such as plates and cups. Use dishes and hand wash them (using the dishwater for few items is a waste).
3.) Use your own bag: Plastic bags are a waste! Resuse them when shopping, or use tote bags for grocery shopping.
4.) Use Energy Star appliances: Only buy appliances that you NEED. Energy Star is an energy efficient consumer product company. Unplug appliances when not in use.
5.) Change cleaning products: Products such as Johnson & Johnson have created goals to reduce waste and water usage.

Our food choice helps impact the amount of waste that goes on in our kitchen. Click here to read Easy Tips for Going Green in the Kitchen.

For All Around the House:
1.) Change your light bulbs: Replace 70 watt bulbs with 9 watt LEDs.
2.) Unplug all electronics/appliances: Unplugging will help conserve energy (at least 20 lbs/month of CO2 - Carbon Dioxide - will be saved).
3.)Wash clothes in cold water, not hot: 70 lbs/mo. of CO2 will be saved.
4.)Dry clothes in a clothes line/rack: 60 lbs/mo of CO2 will be saved.
5.)Turn down thermostat by 2 degrees: 53 lbs/mo of CO2 will be saved.

Here is the list of CO2 savings.

In the Dorms:
1.) Bedding: Change to organic (Bed, Bath and Beyond)
2.) Bath: Change to PEVA shower curtains (you can find this in Ikea)
3.) Towels: Change to organic (PotteryBarn)
4.) Shower Shoes: Splaff Flops are made from recycled car tires and bike inner tubes (www.veganessentials.com)
5.)Decorations: Create your own decorations from old products (repaint an old vase to make a pen holder, or make a a poster from old magazines).

Read "Green Living 101: Dorm Room Decorating"

The smallest tip can make a difference not only in your wallet, but in the environment as well. Please try to add these simple tips to your everyday life, it doesn't take much time or effort to do the little things that can eventually help us all out in the end.

-Stephany Lopez

Medicine Going Green by Angelica Acosta

How is the medical industry going green and how can we get involved with it.

Forget about the toxic lead-lined MRI suites, and do not throw to the wind the outdated CT systems. Squash the frustration for those MRI bulbs that burn out and take far too long to replace. Medical imaging is going “green,” and several new technologies are poised to enhance the medical imaging and healthcare industry.

Hospitals for Healthy Environment:

Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) is an independent and not surprisingly non-for-profit organization that promotes environmental sustainability in the health care industry. H2E was founded in 1998 with agreements among four organizations (EPA, American Nurses Association, American Hospital Association, and Health Care Without Harm) with the goal of eliminating mercury, reducing chemical waste, and reducing the health care industries overall waste volume. The organization helps hospitals reduce their environmental footprint, from reducing the use of toxic chemicals like carpet glues and PVC to increasing recycling efficiency and disposal of unwanted electronic equipment.

H2E has 1600 hospital partners and it has also teamed up with the “Green Guide to Healthcare,” a sustainable design toolkit for integrating environmental principles and practices into health care. practicegreenhealth.org


Green Shielding Solutions, a maker of radiology shielding products, is a leading example of a manufacturer operating green. They have partnered with imaging machine component makers Thogus Products and Vulcan Global Manufacturing Solutions to develop tungsten-filled polymer shielding products and parts for medical imaging machines. Tungsten is a brittle metal with a very high melting point and equivalent specific gravity and thickness as lead WITHOUT the toxicity.




Green Practices Thogus:

Lead is ranked number two on the U.S. government’s Top 20 Hazardous Substances List. It is toxic to humans and wildlife. At Thogus, we’re doing our part to support the environment by replacing toxic lead components in machinery and other uses with more environmentally friendly plastics.




Green Guide for Health Care:

The Green Guide for Health Care is a superb resource. It helps the leaders and managers of health care institutions "walk the talk," promoting the health of patients, visitors, employees, community members, and the global community, while operating economically and efficiently. I hope that every medical center, hospital, and clinic in the nation gets a copy of the Green Guide, takes its lessons to heart, and joins the growing movement toward healthier, more environmentally friendly environments in the health care sector.

How to Support the Green Guide

The Green Guide for Health Care welcomes support of its continued efforts through several options: Supporters, Partners, and Endorsers. Supporters, Partners and Endorsers affirm the intent and principles of the document (see the ASHE Green Healthcare Construction Guidance Statement - Statement of Principles) while not expressly endorsing every strategy or credit.
Contact info@gghc.org for further information about opportunities to support the GGHC.


Howard Frumkin, M.D., Dr.P.H., FACP, FACOEM
Director
National Center for Environmental Health/
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
United States Department of Health and
Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention



Sources you can find this information at:

http://www.practicegreenhealth.org/

http://www.gghc.org/

Walmart Going Green By Melissa Walkin

Walmart Going Green


Summer is the time for travel. Learn how to cut waste and make green choices while on your summer trips.

Tips for Reducing Waste on Your Summer Vacation
Planning and Packing
Before you leave home, adjust the air conditioning and water heater thermostats to conserve energy.
Rather than buying small, travel-sized toiletries, fill reusable containers with shampoo, soap and other necessities.

On the Road
When you leave your hotel room, switch off the air conditioning, lights and TV to reduce energy use.
While on your trip, remember to take only the amount of products that you need from restaurants or lodgings. Take only napkins, condiment packets, free brochures, maps or coupons that you will actually use.

Fun for Kids
To pass the time on long drives or rainy vacation days, bring scrap paper for drawing and games.
Start an art project with "found" objects — collages and sculptures made from discarded items are a growing trend!
Shop at stores that specialize in used sports equipment — you'll save money and promote reuse.

Enjoying the Outdoors

For picnics, set the table with reusable dinnerware or ask people to bring their own reusable plates and containers. And remember to recycle all bottles and cans after the party!
Hot summer days require gallons of thirst quenchers. Be sure to recycle the used beverage containers. Consider putting a filter on your water tap and refilling bottles with the filtered water. Instead of buying many small drink bottles, buy drinks or drink mixes in bulk and fill reusable bottles.

Buy in Bulk and Reuse

With a few easy choices, your family can gain big savings on items you buy every day while also reducing waste.
Buy cereal in a large box instead of in individual serving sizes.
Buy juice in concentrates and drink out of reusable containers instead of single serving packages.
Save money by buying bottled water in a large plastic jug instead of six packs of 16 ounce bottles.

Buy Products in Containers That You Know You Will Be Able to Recycle

It is important to familiarize yourself with what types of containers and items can be recycled in your local recycling program. Once you know what containers you can recycle look for products that come in those containers so you can recycle them when the products are all used up. Many products are commonly sold in recycled containers made from aluminum, steel, #1 and #2 plastic and glass.

Use rechargeable batteries in toys, flashlights and radios. You can save $200 a year by using rechargeable batteries instead of disposables in one CD player used two hours a day.

Use cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers. You’ll save $600 per child by using a laundry diaper service instead of disposable diapers.

Use a real camera instead of disposable ones. If you take 24 pictures each month you will save $144 each year.
Use an electric razor or hand razor with replaceable blades instead of disposable razors.
Technology is a huge part of our daily lives. We carry around cell phones and media players, work all day on a computer and come home to watch television. But electronic devices also make up 70 percent of the toxic waste in our landfills.

Keep your electronics out of landfills at all cost. If they still work, donate them to a second-hand store for reuse. If not, find a place to recycle them. It could be a community event, a retail store or even a manufacturer take back program. All of these are better than your trash can.
Recycling electronics is important, but only if they no longer work. Consider options that will reuse this technology again and keep it out of the waste stream.
Trade in video games and movies for credit at stores that sell these items
Donate your televisions and computer monitors to Goodwill or other second-hand stores
Offer your old cell phone to a service provider so it can be refurbished


5 Everyday Pollution Solutions
Your Guide to Going Green

1
Use cast iron pans instead of nonstick. Read about Teflon health concerns.
2
To avoid chemicals leaching into food, go easy on processed, canned or fast foods and never microwave plastic. Read about Bisphenol A, a toxic food-can lining ingredient associated with birth defects.
3
Buy organic, or eat vegetables and fruit from the "Cleanest 12" list. Find out more about the "Dirty Dozen."
4
Pregnant women should use iodized salt to combat chemical interference from the thyroid. Read about rocket fuel's effect on the thyroid.
5
Seal outdoor wooden structures.

Cars Going Green????

Going Green?

Going green reflects a general environmental philosophy and social consciousness around saving and advancing earth's natural resources, preserving them overall, but also protecting them for the sake of civilization. This commitment to conservation, frequently used in connection with cars, bears the secondary advantage of bettering life for mankind, fueled by today's newer technologies. Perks to going green include saving power and reducing the spread of noxious tailpipe emissions and carbon dioxide, the latter a greenhouse gas. Saving money is another advantage, too.

Cars Going Green too?

Hybrid cars offer better mileage, fewer emissions, and savings on gas, but they can also sacrifice some power. In all types of cars, there are some things you can do to help aid performance and decrease cost such as carrying less unneeded weight in the trunk, aiming for smooth starts when you accelerate, and striving to avoid speeding. Ensuring your car is properly tuned up, checking and replacing air and gas filters and belts, and keeping tires inflated to recommended pressures also help keep a car running in the most efficient, environmentally friendly way. Evaporative emissions may be saved when avoiding pumping gas on very hot days, while fuel efficiency may get a slight improvement by going without air conditioning whenever possible. The need for air conditioning to vacate really hot air from a parked car's interior can be reduced by parking in the shade or using a windshield cover to help deflect heat, thus lessening heat build-up. Carpooling, combining multiple errands into single trips, using a navigation system to avoid driving unnecessary miles, and taking public transportation can also help the environment.

Car Choices

Carbon dioxide (CO2) gases are felt to be a primary source of climate change, with cars and trucks being responsible for 30 percent of these emissions. There are many driver options for easing into a green lifestyle, and as many states adopt stricter emissions laws, people are looking at their vehicle choices. Zero-emission cars (ZEVs) include those powered by electric motors, which today are battery electric cars. In the future electric drive motors may be powered by fuel cells using pure hydrogen mixed with oxygen. PZEVs, or partial zero-emission vehicles, include over 30 super-clean gasoline internal combustion models available today, along with most hybrids that use a combination of electric drive and conventional engines. PZEVs look like traditional cars, but offer capabilities that pare 90 percent of tailpipe emissions and cut down evaporative fuel-system emissions to almost nothing.
More Alternatives
Using an alternative fuel offers additional ways to eliminate CO2 emissions. Other fuel options include biodiesel (made mostly from soybeans in this country), which can be used in diesel engines, along with natural gas, ethanol, and LPG (liquid propane gas). Some vehicles already offer alternative fuel options; for those that don't, various conversion kits can be employed to allow operation on alternative fuels.


Car Companies Who Are Going Green

Honda – Civic
Toyota – Camry, Prius, Highlander
Lexus – LS Hybrid, GS Hybrid, RX Hybrid
Ford – Escape
Chevrolet – Malibu

How Hybrids Work:

Hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) combine the benefits of gasoline engines and electric motors and can be configured to obtain different objectives, such as improved fuel economy, increased power, or additional auxiliary power for electronic devices and power tools.

Some of the advanced technologies typically used by hybrids include:

Regenerative Braking:

The electric motor applies resistance to the drivetrain causing the wheels to slow down. In return, the energy from the wheels turns the motor, which functions as a generator, converting energy normally wasted during coasting and braking into electricity, which is stored in a battery until needed by the electric motor.

Electric Motor Drive/Assist:

The electric motor provides additional power to assist the engine in accelerating, passing, or hill climbing. This allows a smaller, more efficient engine to be used. In some vehicles, the motor alone provides power for low-speed driving conditions where internal combustion engines are least efficient.

Automatic Start/Shutoff:

Automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop and restarts it when the accelerator is pressed. This prevents wasted energy from idling.

Reference: http://www.fueleconomy.gov

going green--make up and beauty products! by Mona Hakansson

Here at Yes To, brand values are very important to us. We are committed to producing high-quality and affordable products that truly make a difference not only to how you look, but also to how you feel about yourself and the world around you.
We are dedicated to providing you with the highest quality, natural ingredients. All fruits and vegetables used in the Yes To ranges are sourced from certified organic farmers to ensure we extract pure and pesticide-free goodness for you. And we never ever test for animals!!

In case you’re wondering- we use proprietary technology to extract the beneficial molecules from this delicious produce so the right ingredients penetrate the skin and do their job in making you look and feel fabulous, and continue to help the environment and all the wonderful things in it.

Key Ingredients:
Beta Carotene is a natural form of Vitamin A found in orange and yellow fruits and vegetables. Its anti-oxidant and anti-aging properties assist the bodies natural process in enhancing your glow.
-Diminishes/improves the signs of aging (wrinkles, dark-spots, tone)
-Protects hair and skin from damage caused by the sun and pollution
-Improves the appearance of problem-prone skin
-Softens skin texture and hydrates from head to toe
-Leaves hair silky, shiny and nourished


Dead Sea Minerals-
Ok, so let’s flash back a few thousand years to the most beautiful woman in the world (you weren't born yet!).... Cleopatra. Historians say that Cleopatra was described as being a "fully formed woman with the skin of a young girl”. Well, it is believed that Cleopatra discovered the divine properties of Dead Sea Salts and Mud and built the world's first spa upon its banks to take full advantage of its skin rejuvenation powers. It's now been scientifically proven that Dead Sea Mud and Minerals actually do have a profound beautifying influence due to natural exfoliating agents and detoxifying properties.
-Improve skin metabolism and encourage skin cell growth
-Easily penetrate the skin to naturally mineralize and rejuvenate
-Bolster the skin’s ability to retain moisture
-Unclog pores, exfoliate dead skin cells
-Soften and revitalize the skin tone and texture
-Help remove product build-up on your hair and enhance its shine


reference: http://www.yes-to-carrots.com/


Available at all Walgreens.

Cargo

Plantlove


Cargo is changing the face of beauty by planting new seeds (literally) for eco-friendly beauty. Plantlove is a collection of 20 lipsticks, each cased in a tube made entirely by corn. What's more the flower paper boxes the lipsticks come in sprout wildflowers when planted. It's an amazing innovation: a compostable lipstick case made from corn. (Yes, corn.) This revolutionary bio-plastic is not only made from a renewable resource, it's also greenhouse-gas-neutral, which helps us fight global warming. Even the box the lipstick comes in is eco-friendly. Just moisten and plant it to grow your own wildflowers.


reference: http://www.cargocosmetics.com/


Available at Sephora



Burt's Bees

"Earth friendly natural personal care for the greater good"

Your well-being is affected every single day by the personal care products you use. Our goal is to create and educate people on truly natural products that have a positive effect on both you and the world you live in for the good of your well-being, for the good of the environment and for The Greater Good. Simply put, we strive to make people's lives better every day — naturally. We're proud that over half of our 150+ products are 100% natural!

Additionally, we use only natural colors in our products. Some of these include beta-carotene, chlorophyll, titanium dioxide and mica. These natural colors have been proven safe, unlike many artificial colors that have been banned by the FDA over the years. As far as fragrance components go, we use them only when absolutely necessary, and all of our fragrances are phthalate-free.We never use nasty artificial preservatives like methyl paraben or diazolidinyl urea, which are potential toxins and endocrine disruptors, meaning they can adversely affect your hormone balance. In our opinion, no product, let alone one labeled "natural" should ever use these ingredients.
Our products contain only gentle, natural preservatives, like those made from sugar enzymes, that both inhibit the growth of microorganisms and enhance product stability. We are proud to have developed a natural preservative for some of our water-based products (such as lotion) that mimics the defense systems found in the human body. What could be more natural than that?

Since our products are made from as many natural ingredients as possible, we think it makes sense that most of our packaging is created from recycled materials, or is developed with recyclability and re-use in mind, like our easy-to-recycle aluminum containers.
We don't want to create any additional garbage on the planet, and work hard to reduce, reuse and recycle. For example, before we would launch our world famous lip balm in a plastic tube, it took us years to convince a plastic company to make recycled plastic for us. Now, that very same company is one of the leading manufacturers of recycled plastic.
And by the way, our packages are designed to hold just enough product for you to use up before it expires, so you don't end up throwing out half used tubes and jars. We're full of good ideas, naturally.

Reference: http://www.burtsbees.com/

Available at most drug stores nationwide.

Agencies Involved in Being Green by Tracy Tsang

Household EcoTeams help individuals or families have a positive impact on the environment by teaching participants to reduce garbage and consumption of energy, water, and toxic products. Teams of 5 to 8 meet seven times, about every three weeks, and are guided by a Global Action Plan workbook and a coach. You can join an international network of neighborhood and workplace teams working to adopt earth-friendly and money-saving lifestyle practices.

If you are interested in joining an EcoTeam, contact the Green Decade's Eco-Team organizer, Jen Kaplan, at 617-795-2822 or at info@greendecade.org

REFERENCED WEBSITE:
http://www.greendecade.org/ecoteams.html#5




FRITO LAY:
As taken from their website, it states, "To grow the best snacks on earth, we have to strive to help protect the earth. That's why, since 1999, we have reduced our use of water by 39%, natural gas by 30%, and electricity by 22% for each bag of snacks we make. We also have dedicated Green Teams at all of our manufacturing facilities who are focused on finding ways to optimize our operations and reduce our consumption of resources. And by making change to our overall facilities and fleet, we were able to prevent over 96 million pounds of CO2 emissions from reaching the atmosphere last year. Since implementing water recycling and conservation efforts in 1999, we’ve reduced the amount of water we need to make our product by more than 1 billion gallons of water per year. Efforts like recycling the water used in making our potato and corn snacks have reduced the amount of fresh water used in these processes by 35% to 50%.
Our Commitment to Waste Reduction Frito-Lay also has a variety of programs in place to reduce solid waste. For example, we reuse the cartons that transport bags of chips an average of five times before they are recycled, reducing the demand for paperboard by nearly 120,000 tons a year. This recycling effort saves 5 million trees from being harvested for our needs alone and diverts about 56 million pounds of cardboard away from landfills each year.
In addition, each year, we recycle close to 20 million pounds of potato and corn solids, such as potato peelings and cracked corn, to America's livestock and dairy farms. This program greatly reduces the waste load to local wastewater treatment plants."

REFERENCED WEBSITE:
http://www.fritolay.com/fl/flstore/cgi-bin/ProdSubEV_Cat_572359_NavRoot_633003.htm


TOYOTA:
As stated on their website, "When people think of Toyota being a "green" company, very often they think of Prius and our other hybrid vehicles. But we do a lot more than build and sell great hybrids.
For instance, our new 350,000 sq-ft Toyota Technical Center in Michigan is being built to minimize our environmental footprint in construction of this facility, to the point of sourcing building materials locally, using recycled materials, achieving a 40% reduction in water use, and, in the facility’s interior, employing low-emitting paints and adhesives. The facility’s design limits runoff of silt and storm water, and its roads are paved with crushed materials sourced from buildings that previously occupied the site.
We’re taking other steps, as well. For example, we’ve recently achieved a breakthrough in painting our vehicles that basically eliminates one of several oven-drying steps, thereby reducing the energy used in the paint process by 15%.
Meanwhile, the solar panels at our plant in Tsutsumi, Japan produce enough electricity to power 500 homes and reduce the plant’s carbon dioxide emissions by about 740 tons per year – that’s the equivalent of saving about 1,500 barrels of oil. Our new warehouse facility here in Southern California also is getting a rooftop filled with solar panels that will supply much of its electrical power, and a number of our plants, including our new Tundra plant in San Antonio, are so-called "zero landfill" facilities – that means those plants recycle almost all their waste.
Additionally, we’ve recently entered into an agreement with The Pew Center on Global Climate Change to launch a project to document and communicate best practices in corporate energy efficiency strategies. The project's goal is to educate corporations on the most effective methods to reduce energy use and related greenhouse gas emissions. The three-year project will be financed by a $1.4 million grant."

REFERENCED WEBSITE:
http://blog.toyota.com/2008/07/on-being-green.html#more

HP:
In 2007, Hewlett-Packard (HP) became the world’s largest technology company, with $91.7 billion in revenue. But the Palo Alto, Calif.-based giant seems just as determined to gain recognition as one of the greenest companies around. The company set a bold goal to cut its energy consumption by 20 percent in the next few years, and plans to expand its extensive equipment recycling and reuse programs. No wonder Fortune magazine named it one of “10 green giants.” Recycling is a huge part of HP’s green story. In 2007, the company reached an important milestone in the U.S., processing its one-billionth pound of recycled materials. It took roughly a decade to get there, but HP expects to process another billion by 2010.

REFERENCED WEBSITE:
http://www.mbtmag.com/article/CA6480625.html

REFERENCED PICTURES WEBSITE:
http://www.bserecycling.com/images/recycle.jpg
http://www.goodtech.biz/images/earth-big-green-on-white.jpg

Green Volunteering by Tracy Tsang

There are many oppportunities in which you can take in trying to help environmental issues around your area.

Types of ‘green’ volunteering include:

1. Community work
2. Wildlife conservation
3. Environmental education projects
4. Recycling
5. Taking part in your nearest community group which works on environmental or global issues