You Have to Start Somewhere

Photo By Nattu

Some sobering statistics came out of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently:

• Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are increasing. Between 1990 and 2008, there has been about a 14 percent increase in emissions in the United States.
• Average temperatures are rising. Seven of the top 10 warmest years on record for the continental United States have occurred since 1990.
• Sea levels are rising. From 1993 to 2008, sea level rose twice as fast as the long-term trend.
• Tropical cyclone intensity has increased in recent decades. Six of the 10 most active hurricane seasons have occurred since the mid-1990s.
• Glaciers are melting. Loss of glacier volume appears to have accelerated over the last decade.
• The frequency of heat waves has risen steadily since the 1960s. The percentage of the U.S. population impacted by heat waves has also increased.

If you’d like to know more, you can download the full Climate Change Indicators Report (PDF).

Not very heartwarming or inspirational.  It’s a constant reminder that everyone should do their part to reduce the impact of climate change.  Whether that means consuming less energy, driving less /car pooling, or composting to reduce waste…each action taken helps.  How does one start?  Take a look at how we’ve begun our journey helping to reduce, reuse and recycle.  It’s a small set of things that are easy to implement that can set your feet on the right path.  Do you have tips or tricks of your own?  Drop us a comment after this post and thanks for reading!

Posted by If It's Green 27 July 1 Permalink

Need a Green Toothbrush?

The problem with going green is actually starting the process…you have to start somewhere.  Just like any mountain of a task, you can start small and grow.  One of the best ways to immediately make a change is to begin reducing what you use, recycling what you do use, and reuse things.  Here are a few of the things we did to immediately to get us started on our quest to go green.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Perhaps the most obvious would be the mantra “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”.   We hear it all the time, so much that we often dismiss it without even considering what it means.  But it’s the simplest place to start.  Here’s a few of the ways we’re reducing, reusing, and recycling in our home:

1. We have reduced our waste by not buying bottled water.  We’ve purchased a filtering device and we each have our own BPA free water bottle.  This alone saves on having all of those plastic bottles as waste!
2. Reusable shopping bags are a great way to reduce waste.  This makes a difference that I notice every week when I don’t have a pile of plastic bags sitting in a corner after my weekly shopping trip.  Of course you will at some point forget your bags, so “reduce” your guilt by saving plastic bags and using them for an array of imaginative purposes they can serve.  Various stores have a facility for recycling plastic bags too.
3. We take part in our city’s recycling program which picks up plastic, aluminum, and glass bottles, etc.  If your city doesn’t have a pick-up program, there may be a recycling depot near enough where you can drop off  your recyclables.  A good way to find out where these facilities are is to contact your city Bureau of Sanitation and inquire about recycling resources  for area citizens.  Earth911.com is a great resource for recycling information.
4. We use gas for cooking and hot water heating in our house.  This allows us to have clean burning fuel used instead of relying on standard power which normally comes from coal plants.  If your city has central gas, this may be a better option for you.

COMPOSTING

The EPA’s website says that  yard trimmings and food residuals make up about 26 percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream.  We are doing our part in reducing that waste by composting everything we possibly can.  We simply save all qualifying waste in a container in our kitchen and toss it on the compost pile in our backyard.  We regularly turn that compost pile with soil, leaves, and other yard trimmings.  This gives us nutrient rich soil for future use in gardens and flowerbeds.   This has greatly improved the quality of our otherwise poor soil and we are very happy with the results of this small effort.  For a list of things you should and should not compost, look here.

DON’T THROW THAT AWAY!!

Saving food containers is a great way to reduce waste.  Before I throw anything away I always ask myself if it can be used for another purpose.  Of course this requires control, we don’t want to encourage compulsive hoarding or anything!  Generally I have a specific area for containers that I hope to re-purpose and I won’t let that area get any bigger.  Beyond that, it gets recycled.

While we thankfully live in an area that has a pick-up recycling service, they do not take paper or cardboard.  This is something we do ourselves.  We save our cardboard until we have a full load and then haul it all off to the nearest facility.  The only inconvenience is the space it takes up while you save up enough for a load.   We break down boxes and use one box for the paper.  It’s really not too bad or time consuming.  It requires a little organizing but is worth the effort.  Recycling gives us peace of mind that maybe our children won’t be sitting atop mounds of trash in a Wall-E type future.

CONSUMERISM IS THE DEVIL … KINDA

We recently bought our first home, it’s over one hundred years old.  It needs a lot of work and we need a lot of stuff.  So we find ourselves in the position of having to weigh the pros and cons of old vs new.  Large appliances are a big thing, both literally and figuratively.  Will the energy you save through upgrading your appliances outweigh the benefits of keeping your old clunkers?  This is something we hope to cover in more detail in future articles.

But what about other stuff?  Clothes, furniture, decor?  You don’t need to be strapped for cash to appreciate gently used goods.  Heck, I even like some of the heavily used stuff, you can get really good deals on them!  The point is that you don’t have to be out there maxing out your credit cards to have the things you need.  Antique stores, Goodwill, consignment shops and my favorite, JUNK SHOPS —they all have treasures just waiting to be dug up.  You can save your credit rating and help the environment all at the same time!

Along those same lines we try to stay up on the news, learning about chemicals in our everyday foods and personal care products and how they affect us.  We have begun to eliminate from our diet and everything else we buy, products that contain harmful chemicals and artificial ingredients.   This is going to be one of our major future subjects for discussion.  We plan on reviewing and researching all types of products for the benefit of ourselves and our readers.  Making our own household cleaners and personal care products are something we’ve been dabbling in and is yet another subject we plan to cover in great detail.   We look forward to sharing our healthy green food recipes and our experiences with you.  It would be our pleasure for you to keep coming back to journey with us to the next level.

Do you have any tips or tricks for us?  Is there something we’re missing or other ways in which we can improve?  Please let us know and we’ll update the article with your tips and tricks, proper credit will be given.  Thanks for reading and we look forward to going green together!

Posted by If It's Green 26 July Permalink

Just saying no . . to plastic straws - Green Tips 101

We started a diet awhile back that included a lot of liquid meals. Of course, this meant our straw usage was increasing, along with my guilt. I had been seeing more and more news articles about plastic garbage with nowhere to go. Most of us have heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. —That’s serious stuff. Anyway, a few days into the diet I started cleaning straws and reusing them throughout the day. The guilt didn’t go away, I just kept thinking about the waste.

You can’t recycle straws in our area. Some recycling programs only accept certain types of plastics, the rest gets disposed of how they see fit. One city in the UK, sends anything deemed un-recyclable to get buried in a landfill. It’s worth it to find out what your area recycling program will accept.

the last straw … literally

With my guilt increasing, I started trying to make the straws last a few days. It didn’t work out so hot. Everyone would inevitably lose track of their straws. (My cat has a thing for straws, I’m sure it was him making them disappear most of the time!) Fortunately, I happened upon the twitter account of one Glass Dharma. He makes glass straws, yes, GLASS STRAWS! My first thought’s on glass straws were that the idea seemed very novel but surely it was not a realistic choice for my accident-prone family. But as I explored the Glass Dharma website, I found that he uses “borosilicate tubing” for his straws which is just about the strongest glass out there. His straws are guaranteed to be durable and of top quality and to really drive home that this guy believes in his product, he offers a lifetime guarantee. By the time I was done reading through his site I was thoroughly impressed and I found myself entertaining a glass straw as a truly viable option.

Being the frugal shopper that I am, I had to do my homework. If there were glass straws there had to other options too. Well, not all that surprisingly the there wasn’t much to find. Of course reusable plastic straws have been around for a while, but to me if I want to get away from plastic I just want to go all the way. I found a few places that sell stainless steel straws. While they are quite a bit more economical and probably a more durable choice but I was not thrilled about the lack of opacity. Let me explain … It took a lot for me to reuse my plastic straws in the first place. You see, I am a bit of what they call a germaphobe. Straws are tiny things, and while they do make special little brushes for cleaning out reusable straws, well, I would just be more comfortable if I could SEE that it’s clean. This is my personal preference, and for me it was worth the extra cost for a glass (CLEAR) option.

So in the end, my choice was a glass straw by Glass Dharma. I was not disappointed and neither was my family. With glass, we are not in danger of toxins leaching into our drinks and we use one straw over and over again without generating any plastic waste. Personally, I have always felt that drinks taste better in glass and I know many people who feel the same. This is a win for all, we love drinking from our glass straws and for some silly reason it really does make you feel special (they are very attractive). Not only that but my guilt has vanished since we’re producing no more plastic straw waste! Viva green sipping!

Posted by If It's Green 25 July Permalink

What Holds People Back From Going Green?

Photo by ingridtaylar

As of this moment, there is a mass of plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean that stretches from California to China.  This mass is larger than the continental United States.  There has never been a time in human history as dire as right now.  So what holds people back from changing how they live and making a difference?

Our Attitudes Get in the Way

Many people think that with the advances in technology and strides the human race has been making with renewable energy that a solution will just pop up someday and we’ll all be saved.  Is that really the best way to approach things?  Or is it just a convenient way to think to remove the guilt or blame we could place on ourselves?  These questions are something each person should ask themselves when they consider doing more for their planet with greener life choices.

The longer we wait for technology to solve our problems, the more damaged our world will become.  Taking action while we still can to reduce, reuse and recycle can and will slow down the damage wrought on our planet.  Make the personal choice today to start small and to start somewhere.  Revolutions for change start with a few individuals.  Become a part of the green revolution!

Business and Bureaucracy Get in the Way

When you buy something from the store do you think about the path that product took to get to the store shelves?  Most people don’t.  This process is very well thought out and executed by the business that produces it.  These business processes are sometimes almost impossible to change.  For example…say that you are a young inventor who comes up with a water filtration system the size of a window air conditioning unit that could revolutionize water filtration for the world.  

When you introduce this life changing invention it’s what is called ‘disruptive technology’.  The main problem you’d face as that inventor isn’t people wanting to use your invention…it’s businesses lobbying to have your invention shelved.

Bottled water businesses, water filtration businesses, and the Oil companies would all try to go against your invention.

Oil companies?  Yes, oil companies.  They make the plastic that houses each bottle of water.

All of these businesses would not want to lose money if your invention caught on.  They wouldn’t want to lose money in emerging markets such as third world countries.  They would want to continue to make money and they’d do everything in their power to make that possible.  They’d lobby congress, spend money on marketing, and even increase humanitarian endeavors to keep ‘business as usual’.

So how do you fight this business model?  Use the power of your money.  Start spending your money on things that are more environmentally friendly.  By having many people divert their money away from companies, products, and businesses that aren’t doing enough to protect the environment you have your say louder than any one voice could shout.  The business will notice when their ‘bottom line’ isn’t as large as it was previously…they’ll start to ask questions and wonder why they aren’t making profit as much as they used to.  Buying things that are more environmentally friendly will tell each business what you want.  From there, bureaucracy will have to change.

Attitudes of Others Get in the Way

Being “labeled” as something because of what you believe in or even use as a consumer…is what matters most to some people.  If you start to live green, you’re labeled as a treehugger.  If you start to support the environment some will label you a conservative.  Along with all these labels comes a huge amount of stereotypical ideas that people judge you by.

At this point in time though, labels shouldn’t matter.  What’s more important?  The future of your children or how you appear to others?

Taking a stand for what you believe in is something that can’t be taught…it can only be experienced.  If you start that experience now you’ll rise above the labels people put on you.  You’ll rise above stereotypes.  You’ll rise above these things because you’ll be doing them for yourself and not for other people.  Who cares what others think if you’re doing your part to help the environment?

Live YOUR Life for Yourself

We absolutely need to change the way we live to help the environment.  If there is something holding you back from going green and it fits any of the ideas discussed above…you’re letting others live your life for you.  Take a stand today.  Start small…reduce your waste output, reuse containers and other things before buying new, and recycle as much as you possibly can.

Posted by If It's Green 24 July 1 Permalink

Green Beginnings

This is our first “official” post and we’re so excited about the future of “If it’s Green”.

Who are we?  Glad you asked.  We’re a husband and wife who have decided to chronicle as much helpful information about changing your life for the greener.  You can read more about us here.  The bottom line is, we’re changing and sharing how we do it.

Starting this blog is something we have wanted to do for a long time   We hope to make this a great online green source.  We feel that caring for the world and our future shouldn’t be done alone.  Everyone can use a shoulder to lean on when it comes to making changes and trying something new.

There are so many ways to simplify your life and be more environmentally aware.   From installing alternative energy sources to re-purposing items to cut down waste…to cutting out harmful chemicals to choosing safe and natural products. Of course there are some pricey green options out there, but there are also some pretty easy ones that don’t cost a penny.  We’ve got it covered!

Coming in the near future …

• Reviews of various green products for the home and personal health/beauty aids.
• The never-ending debate over GMO’s and chemicals in our food sources.
• Our personal experiences with going green.
• Green Appliances:  Are there any?
• Do you want a Green PC?  Let us help you find one.

There are thousands of fantastic green websites out there already that to some of you it may be overwhelming.  Let’s sort through them together!  In our opinion, when it comes to positive change there cannot be too much of a good thing.

This is meant to be a place where anyone is comfortable . . so come on in, leave your shoes at the door (unless you’d rather not) and make yourselves at home.  After all this is your place too.  Though we know negativity on some level is inevitable, sometimes you have to acknowledge the bad to get to the good, but the goal is to keep that negativity to a minimum.

Do you have ideas or something you would like to talk about?  Is there something green related you would like to see discussed?  Please post your idea by leaving us a comment, we want to hear from you!  Thanks for reading!

Posted by If It's Green 24 July Permalink

Corky, a Battery Free Wireless Mouse

Green computing covers a large area of devices. Desktops, laptops, keyboards, and monitors are increasing being manufactured to consume less energy and operate more efficiently. At the center of all devices is power. The electricity that powers a majority of homes in the United States is generated by burning Coal. Of course, coal burning adds Carbon Dioxide and other bad gases to our atmosphere. As solar, wind, and clean burning fuels become more popular more and more people are beginning to use these technologies in their everyday lives. But how what about computers? How is this technology being leveraged to make a greener computing experience?

Where there is Power, there are…Batteries!

Batteries are useful but have a couple of downsides.  They explode.  They corrode.  They require you to purchase more batteries.  Even if you have rechargeable batteries, they require you to swap them out every so often.  Wouldn’t it be great if there were a way to NOT worry about batteries for your small peripherals like a mouse? Would it be better if it wasn’t made of plastic?  Meet Corky:

Yes, you’re reading that correctly. Corky charges itself through the mechanical motion of your hand and the clicks of your fingers. When you move the mouse or click any buttons, the mechanical motion is converted to electricity using a piezoelectric element that stores it. Therefore the mouse uses no batteries!  Add that face to it being made out of cork and recycled plastic and you have a great green alternative to standard mice.  No more alkaline batteries; sustainable powered peripheral at your fingertips!

Corky is not for sale yet but is part of the Greener Gadget Design Competition.  Hopefully, it will be available soon!

Posted by If It's Green 24 July Permalink

We’ve Moved, Welcome to Tumblr!

We’ve moved the blog over to tumblr for better management and increased ability to blog on the go for us.

You should see the old posts from our previous website slowly publish in the next week or so and we’ll also be publishing some of our new stuff in between.  We will lose our forum that we had at our old site but it’s OK because, for the most part, no one used it :)

Hopefully, this move will help us to keep blogging about everything green!

Posted by If It's Green 18 July Permalink

Welcome!

Welcome to If It’s Green!  We’re glad you stopped in.  At this moment, we’re preparing fantastic reviews and blog posts on green products of all shapes and sizes.  If you’d like to be notified when we post new content, please subscribe to our updates mailing list or RSS Feed and you’ll receive an email when we post a new entry.  Thanks for your interest in If It’s Green!

Posted by If It's Green 18 July Permalink