Tips to Simplify Your Home, Your Life

Living green also means living simply. Do we really need all this stuff?? Americans (like me), love their stuff. But more stuff leads to more consumption, which leads to… well, I don’t have to tell you. If we all just started pairing down just a little bit. Getting back to the essentials of what we need to keep happy and healthy on a daily basis, and resist the urge to consume, we could end up with lower credit card bills and reduce our cumulative impact on the environment through reduced demand for consumer goods. Of course, the Bush Administration would like us to spend that tax relief check when we get it. That’s you’re call.

Where to begin? We can start by going through what we already have. Make sure to maximize your recycling and reuse opportunities, and minimize the amount of trash. There are many, many resources out there that will take your donations, accept your electronic goods, and safely dispose of any hazardous waste. Habitat for Humanity will even take paint! With a few tips, you can ensure a successful transition to simpler living.

1. Spread Out the Work. Sorting through the contents of an entire home can prove overwhelming for even the most energetic person. It took you many years to gather all of your belongings, so you can’t expect to get through everything in one session. Plan for several 2-5 hour sessions over the course of days or weeks to sort through one room at a time.
2. Be Prepared. Downsizing is hard work. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty. And have the tools you’ll need on-hand, including: leaf bags (for donations), boxes, trash bags, permanent markers, labels for sorting, scissors, tape, post its, Ziploc bags, archival quality storage containers for photos and other sensitive keepsakes, and rubber bands.
3. Go Room-by-Room. Work in one room at a time. Resist the urge to move things from one to another and then starting work in the second room. Finish one room, move on to the next. You can create piles of items that need to be moved to their “homes” and take them with you when you leave that room. If two or more people are working together, you can each work in separate rooms.
4. Divide and Conquer. If any single room is too overwhelming, such as the basement or attic, break it into smaller tasks. Do one section of the room one day and move to the next section the next day. If you allow yourself to become overwhelmed, you may not be able to keep going.
5. Stay Organized. Designate one relatively open room to serve as the staging area for those items that you are not keeping. Label and create piles of items that you plan to give to family, donate to charity, or sell at consignment, yard sales, or auction (for more valuable items).
6. Identify Your Resources. If you’ve done your job right, you’ll likely have a lot of items that need a new home – one that is not yours! So in advance of starting work, identify charities that you like that also provide pick-up service. You’ll also need haulers that will take away trash, and outlets for recycling or safe disposal of electronic and other hazardous household waste. Local consignments shops and auction houses may also be interested in some of your more valuable items.
7. Get Help. If it’s all too much for you to handle on your own, ask for help. You can reach out to family, friends, or neighbors. If they can’t help you, they may be able to recommend professionals who specialize in helping people downsize and organize their homes.

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…

 

100 Tips to Go Green at Home and at Work

I’m doing my year-end blog early. Not that I won’t be writing again. Just that I wanted to get a head start on the new year. Now, don’t be put off by this rather long list — it’s all about doing what you can. Even if everyone made a few small changes, it all adds up. I’ve included both the small and big projects that you can do to go green. They are in no particular order but I did try to group them by category. And most apply both at home or at work. Here goes:

1. Seal leaky heating and cooling ductwork. Use mastic rather that duct tape, which doesn’t offer enough sealing.
2. Install a programmable thermostat to save up to $100 in energy costs per year.
3. Heat your home to 68 degrees F, cool to 72 degrees F. Reduce both at night. For each two degrees, save 6%.
4. Upgrade appliances and electronics with EnergyStar certified equipment. Both at home and at work, including copiers, printers, computers and accessories.
5. Use smart plugs to shut off power to appliances and unplug chargers and other stand-alone appliances. The U.S. spends about $4 billion annually on stand-by energy alone.
6. Use timers for indoor and outdoor lights.
7. Use power-saving settings on your computer. Set them to power down after 2-3 minutes of inactivity.
8. Flat-screen monitors or laptops are far more energy-efficient than CRTs.
9. Seal cracks using expanding foam and caulk. Look anywhere that pipes or wires come into the house, doors, windows. Experts estimate that if you added up all the cracks in the average home, you would have a 2-foot square hole.
10. Weatherstrip doors and windows.
11. Wrap your water heater with an insulation blanket. About $20 at Lowe’s.
12. Upgrade your water heater. A solar system can meet 2/3 of a household needs. Or go with a tankless model. If neither works for you, go for an EnergyStar version.
13. Wrap your hot water pipes with pre-formed, pre-fit insulating tubes.
14. Vacuum your refrigerator coils, which helps it operate more efficiently.
15. Keep your freezer full for optimal power use.
16. Use the microwave whenever practical. It is far more efficient than the stove or oven.
17. Take 5-minutes showers and skip the bath. Any longer than 5-minutes and you’re wasting water.
18. Turn off the tap. While brushing, while shaving, while washing dishes.
19. Run a full dishwasher rather than cleaning dishes by hand. Yes, it actually uses less water.
20. And set your dishwasher to the energy saving mode and no dry heat modes to save even more.
21. Install aerators on your faucets to use less water.
22. Fix leaky faucets and toilets.
23. Replace older toilets with newer, low-flow models.
24. In public bathrooms, install motion sensor faucets and hand towel dispensers.
25. Filter your shower water. You can purchase a filter that attaches to the head for about $50.
26. Use cold water for your laundry. Today’s soaps are designed for cold water washing.
27. Use front-loading washers and dryers. Look to replace your old set with these newer models when it’s time.
28. Insulate your attic and basement to save as much as 20% on your heating and cooling costs.
29. Install a solar-powered attic fan to draw out hot air in the winter.
30. Use ceiling fans to cool down rooms in summer and push down hot air in winter.
31. Plant trees to buffer homes from wind and to help shade air conditioning units and windows that get a lot of sun.
32. Keep insulating shades and curtains on southern facing windows drawn in summer and open in winter.
33. Upgrade your heating and cooling equipment. This along with hot water, accounts for 30% of homeowner energy use.
34. Change the air filters on your heating and cooling system regularly.
35. In the office and at home, regularly maintain HVAC systems.
36. Replace at least 5 of your most-used bulbs with compact florescent.
37. Shut all lights when leaving a room, saving about 5% on energy bills annually.
38. Shut down your computers and monitors every night.
39. Use motion sensor lights in offices and other areas if infrequent occupancy, like office restrooms.
40. Offices are often over-lit. Reduce overhead lighting by removing overhead bulbs. Replace with task lighting.
41. Replace traditional exit signs with LED signs.
42. Check with your local electric utility about purchasing green power. Many consumers have this option now.
43. If green power is not available in your area, purchase green tags or RECs to offset.
44. Check with your utility about any energy saving incentives it may offer.
45. Your state may subsidize energy savings and alternative power.
46. Get an energy audit for your home or a green office audit for your work.
47. Use an environmentally responsible bank. Many banks are working to address global warming.
48. Invest in green. There are many good mutual funds and stocks available.
49. Don’t choose between paper and plastic — shop with reusable bags. Costco sells a sturdy set for $3.
50. Recycle your electronics and computer equipment.
51. Safely dispose of hazardous materials, like batteries, CFLs, and chemicals. Check locally or online for resources.
52. Opt-out of junk mail.
53. Pick a green dry cleaner that doesn’t use perchloroethylene, a known carcinogen. Or better yet, don’t buy clothes that need to be dry cleaned.
54. Recycle everything possible. Glass, metal, plastic, paper, cardboard (don’t forget junk mail!) and more. And participate in special item recycling days, such as for paints or electronics.
55. Donate used items rather than trashing them. Most places will even take worn clothes for rags. Or Freecycle them.
56. When on the go, use a reusable water bottle. Metal, #2HDPE, #4LDPE, or #5PP are safest. Avoid those with phthalates or BPA.
57. Don’t use anti-bacterial soaps or other cleaners. They work no better than regular soap and water and may cause health problems.
58. Green your cosmetics.
59. Use green cleaning methods. Vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda, Borax, and regular dish soap are all you really need for the majority of your household cleaning. Don’t want to mix it yourself? There are plenty of green alternatives.
60. Use Integrated Pest Management for bugs or vermin. There are companies that specialize in this.
61. Reduce your grass exposure. Plant shrubberies and other groundcover to replace this high-demand monoculture.
62. Use natural lawn care. And when using any chemicals or fertilizers, carefully follow recommended application rates.
63. Plant native plant species, which are better suited to your climate and will require fewer chemicals and water.
64. Create a compost heap and enrich your garden. You can compost most food waste and yard waste.
65. Water your lawn less frequently and more deeply and at night in most areas, to avoid evaporation.
66. Filter your water rather than using bottled. Not only is it cheaper, but you reduce the bottles in circulation.
67. Eat less meat, which causes the most environmental harm than any other type of food production.
68. Choose your fish carefully.
69. Eat lower on the food chain. The higher up you go, the greater the environmental impact. That means more grains and produce. Besides, it’s better for you anyway.
70. Buy certified organic food or locally grown. Less chemicals, less impact from transportation and delivery, respectively.
71. Whenever practical, walk or ride your bike. For trips less than 2 miles, it actually takes less time to bike it.
72. Combine car trips. Instead of several smaller trips, make one larger trips and run all your errands at once. Or join forces with a neighbor or two!
73. Use public transportation whenever possible. Or just try to commit to one day per week in your commute.
74. Work from home! See if your employer might be willing to allow work at home days for employees.
75. Or try car-pooling to work one day a week. If it works for you, add more.
76. Never let your car idle. If you’re not driving or stopped at a light, shut the engine.
77. For business travel, try to combine trips and take direct flights to reduce your impact.
78. Try using a web conference to replace in-person meetings that require air travel whenever possible.
79. Use post-consumer, recycled content products, such as paper, napkins, toilet paper, tissues, and more.
80. Use reusable plates, cups and utensils. And no styrofoam. Encourage others to do the same.
81. Get your coffee cup refilled rather than getting a disposable cup each time.
82. Print double-sided both at home and at work.
83. Making smart paper choices has become easier. Use certified or unbleached paper, or both.
84. Recycle those printer cartridges.
85. Use rechargeable and reusable office products, like batteries, pens, storage devices.
86. Don’t flush your medications down the drain. Follow safe disposal practices.
87. Same goes for other personal care products. Safe use and disposal will help keep them out of our water.
88. Use safer alternatives whenever possible. Read labels and learn more about what your using. Just because they’re selling it doesn’t guarantee that it’s safe.
89. Don’t use artificial air cleaners or plug-ins. They’ve recently been found to emit harmful chemicals.
90. House plants can help clear the air. Peace plants and philodendron are particularly well suited to eliminating many common air pollutants.
91. When available purchase organic cotton products. Cotton is one of the most pollution-producing crops in the U.S.
92. Buy certified carpeting, furniture, and other household goods. FSC, SFI, GreenGuard, GreenSeal and more, all certify products produced with less harmful chemicals and sustainable manufacturing processes.
93. When purchasing a new car, look for the most energy efficient model you can. Hybrids are great, but may not work for everyone.
94. Regular maintenance on your current vehicle can save on gas. Replacing filters and keeping tires properly inflated are particularly important.
95. Select low VOC paint for your next remodeling job. And look for low-emissions products for any sealing work.
96. Use doormats at all doors to keep particulates, dirt, and pollutants out of your home.
97. Reduce consumption. Do you really need that new shirt? Clothing is the top contributor to environmental impacts of consumer product purchases.
98. Patronize companies that are making efforts to become more environmentally sustainable. From consumer products to services, your dollar can make a difference.
99. Buy consumer goods that are produced in a more environmentally sustainable manner and with less packaging.
100. Don’t forget to pass it on. Share these tips and your own tips with others. That’s part of the responsibility that comes with going green. And remember, a little bit can make a big difference.

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…

Interview with Andrew Winston

Here is a link to listen to my interview with Andrew Winston, author of Green to Gold. It is also available on GreenBiz:

Download mp3

Go Green By Getting Married

Just a short note: Did anyone see the article in the Washington Post about the link between divorce and the environment? The research on which the article was based was apparently legit; the National Academy of Sciences published it. According to the authors, “researchers calculated that in 2005, divorced American households used between 42 and 61 percent more resources per person than before they separated, spending 46 percent more per person on electricity and 56 percent more on water.”

I suppose that now, those of us who are trying to live a more sustainable existence might want to add “get married” to our green to-do lists. Of course, reviewers warn that “the findings serve as an argument for marriage and cohabitation, rather than as reason not to divorce.”

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…

Green Living for Seniors

For seniors, going green is about more than just the environment, it can also be about ensuring a safe and healthy life for people who may have physical or financial limitations. We’ve compiled some tips specifically for seniors, to help them keep their homes healthy, while saving money and doing good for the environment.

1. Green your household cleaners.
Many common cleaners are loaded with chemicals that can affect health and reduce air quality. Fortunately many products are now available that are “green” and safer for health and the environment. Or use home-mixed cleaners; vinegar and baking soda can be used to clean almost anything when mixed with a little warm water. Finally, skip antibacterial cleaners, which often contain tricolsan, a potentially toxic compound. Scientists suspect these products may breed antibiotic-resistant super bugs. Need more motivation? FDA has found that antibacterial soaps and hand cleansers are no better at cleaning than regular soap and water.

2. Improve air quality.
Indoor air quality has declined as manufacturers use more chemicals in producing our household goods and our homes are more air tight. Two of the biggest culprits are new carpeting and paint. So if you’re upgrading, be sure to select a low-emitting products that will not release harmful chemicals into the air. For all consumers goods, like textiles, furniture, and carpets, look for “green” alternatives that have third-party certification, like the Greenguard or GreenSeal logo, which ensures low toxicity. Also, be sure to occasionally air out your home on nice days, which brings fresh air in and takes toxins out. This is especially important when cleaning, painting, or having new carpet installed.

3. Go fresh, naturally.
Skip the store-bought air fresheners and plug-ins, which can compromise air quality and health. Use natural air freshening methods like boiling favorite herbs or spices. Also, plants may not make your house smell better but they are good for filtering interior air; Peace Lilies are a favorite choice. And don’t forget, baking soda is a great odor-eliminator for your carpet or fridge.

4. Wipe those feet!
Help keep dirt, waste, and pollutants out of your home by putting a good doormat at the door. Or make yours a shoeless house. Less dirt and pollutants tracked in from the outside also means less sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming, which means less work, water, energy, and fewer chemicals.

5. Turn it off.
Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers; and activate “sleep” features on computers and office equipment that power down when not in use for a while. Turn off equipment during longer periods of non-use to cut energy costs and improve longevity. And unplug anything with an indicator light – like chargers and toasters – even if turned off, because that light means it’s still using electricity. In addition, install an ENERGY STAR programmable thermostat that turns down the heat at night and when you’re not at home and save about $100 each year.

6. Seal it up!
During hot months, keep heavy drapes or blinds closed on windows facing the south, east, and west windows. In winter, let the sun in those windows. Sealing and weatherstripping your windows and doors will ensure that you’re not wasting energy on heat or air conditioning that escapes through leaks to the outdoors. A combination of air sealing and adding insulation to attics, basements, and crawlspaces can save up to 20% of your home heating and cooling costs.

7. Perform regular maintenance.
Check the furnace or air conditioner (AC) filter each month, and clean or replace it as needed. Dirty filters block air flow through your heating and cooling systems, increasing your energy bill and shortening the equipment’s life. Annual or bi-annual maintenance by a contractor will also help keep your system running efficiently.

8. Conserve water.
About 15 percent of an average home energy bill goes to heating water. To save hot water, take five-minute showers instead of baths and lower the temperature on your water heater to no more than 120 degrees F. For $20 you can purchase a water heater blanket that will pay for itself in less than a year and put pre-cut, pipe-fitting insulators on those hot water pipes. Do only full loads when using the clothes washer or dishwasher and switch to cold-water washing—detergents formulated for cold water get clothes just as clean.

9. Swap out your bulbs.
About 95 percent of the energy used by incandescent bulbs goes to heating the bulb, adding unwanted heat to your home in the summer and wasting energy. By replacing your five most used light bulbs with ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent bulbs, you can save $60 each year in energy costs. These light bulbs use two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer. For additional savings, use dimmers, timers, and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting.

10. Reduce your mileage.
Improve your health, save gas, and reduce CO2 by walking or biking whenever it’s possible (and safe for you to do so!) or by using public transportation. Or try combining your trips — either by sharing rides with someone else or by running most of your errands in fewer trips rather and several shorter ones.

P.S.
I wrote this one for my husband, Jarad, and all the wonderful people he works with at Greenspring Retirement Community in Springfield, VA, which is part of Erickson Retirement Communities, a green company that is very modest about their impressive, ongoing sustainability efforts — both social and environmental. Or visit my other website for Better Senior Living LLC.

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…

Not a White Christmas, but a Green One

We were all just waiting for it to happen, the ubiquitous articles on greening your Christmas. Well the Washington Post was right out there in front of the pack with a full spread on how to have a green Christmas. From presents, to trees, to wrapping paper, to lights. The Post article goes on to discuss which is greener, a fake tree, a real tree that is recycled into mulch, or a burlap-root tree. In the end, they couldn’t decide. I do, however, have an alternate suggestion. It’s environmental because no trees were cut down, and apparently 100% recyclable: a Festivus Pole! And, as a bonus, if you want to leave it up all year long, it converts into a basketball net. What could be better?

Perhaps this post is a bit less serious than my usual, but I simply could not resist.

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…

Green Your Mail: Part II

I just received an excellent tip from Vinay Kumar, co-owner of printers GRCDirect, on how to reduce your junk mail by 90% by signing up for a junk mail removal service for $19.95 per year — still a bargain when you think about it. And they’ll plant a tree in your name. The nice thing about this service, is that it works for small businesses as well.

Most of the free resources that I wrote about previously, are for residents only, not small businesses. By following my own advice there, I’ve reduced my junk mail substantially — but admittedly not as much as I would have liked. The problem is all of those anonymous mailings that go to all residents. I’m not quite sure how these items would be handled, but I think it’s worth a try.

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…

Desperate Housewives and Pharmaceuticals

The other night I was watching Desperate Housewives. (I know, I know. But I read that it had gotten much better this season.) And I absolutely cringed when I saw one of the characters dump his medication down the kitchen sink (the plumber, who really should know better). Right there on national television — a character caught polluting our water.

According to White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, most pharmaceuticals should not be flushed down the drain. There are some exceptions (maybe Mike the plumber was aware of these, or maybe he just knew he’d be taking them out of the drain later after Susan went to bed anyway), for those medications deemed controlled substances.

But why, you ask, should I not flush my medicine down the drain? The simple answer is that these chemicals can and do end up in our waterways and in our drinking water. While many of these chemicals are removed during treatment at the plant, trace amounts do remain. These chemicals can accumulate in the environment since they do not all break down.

The EPA recommends mixing pharmaceuticals with coffee grinds, cat litter, or some equally unpleasant matter (I’ll let you fill in the blank), to discourage anyone from using them once disposed of in your trash. Although realistically, if anyone is fishing through your garbage, how discouraged will they be by a little wet coffee? Bottom line: Put your unused medications in the trash, not down the drain. In fact, U.S. EPA offers lots of helpful advice on proper disposal of all sorts of items that we use every day.

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…

Triclosan In the News

I must have good timing. Today’s top story in the Health section of the Washington Post was all about anti-bacterial handwashes and other products containing triclosan. This article provides a more detailed look at triclosan and how using these products could be contributing to the growth of super bugs, those antibiotic resistant microbes.

I did want to also point out that in my blog, I made no distinction between hand-sanitizers with and without triclosan. Many of those hand gel cleaners are alcohol-based and do not contain triclosan, and are, relatively speaking, safer. The products that we need to be concerned about are all of those soaps, hand-washes, cleaning, and other products that say “anti-bacterial” on them. They’re usually the culprits. But I was particularly surprised to find it in toothpaste — be careful of those toothpastes that claim “anti-gingivitis,” as those are usually the ones with triclosan.

I was interested to note the statistics they site in the article that “71 percent of adults who do some or all of the household cleaning ‘prefer [to use] antibacterial and germ-killing cleaning products.’” Do they really prefer to use them or: 1) do they find it nearly impossible to find gel soap these days that is not anti-bacterial and 2) are they aware of the potential dangers of triclosan.

I bet if they had prefaced that question with a bit of background on this chemical the results would have been significantly different. Consumers simply are not aware of the dangers of many of the products they use very day. It’s a perfectly natural assumption, that, as my neighbor told me: “Why would they be selling it if it’s not safe?” Good question.

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…

Hand-Washing 101: Use Soap and Water

Each September we get a supply list from my children’s school. Inevitably to be found on the list is hand-sanitizer. Now I understand the teacher’s intentions are good — everyone knows schools are germ breeding grounds — but with all of the research showing that the active ingredients in many of the hand-sanitizers are potentially cancer-causing, I can’t understand why we are still being asked to bring them in each year. Perhaps I am just too close to the issues, or know too much for my own good, but I still wonder why these products are still being used in our homes, our offices, and our schools.

Probably my biggest mistake is to assume everyone knows about the research on these chemicals. And there is plenty.

And probably the biggest question I have is why manufacturers are still using triclosan when there are doubts about its safety. Not to mention that there is a very simple, elegant, safe solution: hand-washing. An FDA panel (PDF of report) of experts conducted a multi-year study, which found that hand-sanitizers are no more effective than hand-washing at reducing the spread of bacteria. They also found the ingredients in these products were potential health hazards and that they were persistent and bioaccumulative in the environment. So the downsides are great: potential cancer-causing agent; possible endocrine disrupting; and suspected breeder of super bugs — you know, those bacteria that can resist all antibiotics.

In the EU, they have a the REACH directive, which ultimately will require manufacturers to prove that the chemicals they are using are safe. Now the directive is not without it’s detractors who argue that it doesn’t have enough teeth or is too Big Brother. But it certainly makes sense: A product is not used by consumers until the safety of all its ingredients is assured. Right now the system is working in reverse: new chemicals are produced and used to manufacture products every day that are not proven safe.

And where do these chemicals end up? In our environment and in our water. Here’s an example. Triclosan is in your toothpaste (not all of them, but many). You brush your teeth. Spit out the excess toothpaste with triclosan. The water goes to your local treatment plant. Most chemicals are removed during treatment. Most, but not all. You do that day after day. So do millions of other people. These trace amounts add up. They enter the environment and don’t break down. Those chemicals end up in our lakes, rivers, streams, and then back into our drinking water. It all comes full circle.

Sorry to be so radical, but the ubiquity of the anti-bacterial personal care products are going to be our next water bottle debacle. Both of these issues are sure to remain hot topics on the environmental sustainability agenda. Two unnecessary products that only 10 years ago were virtually unheard of and are now having a huge impact on the natural world.

OK, enough of my diatribe for today. Bottom line: We as consumers need to stop buying this stuff for our homes and offices and schools.

Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com

Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…