Every Day Is Earth Day: Week 11

"We all moan and groan about the loss of the quality of life through the destruction of our ecology,
and yet every one of us, in our own little comfortable ways, contributes daily to that destruction.
It's time now to awaken in each one of us the respect and attention our beloved Mother deserves."

- Ed Asner, Actor

3/14/11:
Twelve products you should never buy again:
*  Paper towels
*  Styrofoam cups
*  Bleached coffee filteres
*  Plastic forks, spoons, knives
*  Paper plates
*  Teak and Mahogany
*  Herbicides and Pesticides
*  Conventional Household Cleaners
*  Toys made with PVC plastic
*  Rayon
*  Farm-Raised Salmon

3/15/11:
Turn off your computer at night.
In one year, you'll save $90 worth of electricity, plus wear and tear, according to The Daily Green.
Better yet, plug your computer into a Smart Strip (a power strip that turns off electricity at the wall, thereby eliminating phantom electricity)
And don't forget to turn off the strip at night.

3/16/11:
Pay bills online.
Check the websites of companies you do business with for details.
Paperless billing not only saves trees, it eliminates the fossil fuel necessary to get those dozens and dozens of billing envelopes to you and back again.

3/17/11:
Store winter gear
-mittens, scarves, coats- in zippered plastic bags your new duvet came in.
Add a piece of chalk to absorb moisture.

3/18/11:
Purchase products packaged in aseptic paperboard.
Think tomatoes, chicken broth, juice, milk, wine.
These containers are recyclable and use less energy to manufacture, ship, and store than comparable packaging materials.
The lightweight compact brick design takes up less space, and the materials preserve foods without refrigeration or preservatives.

3/19-20/11
Don't pre-rinse your dishes.
Dishwashers made in the last ten years are designed to handle food residue.
Simply scrape leftover food into the compost bin or trash, then put dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
Let  your dishwasher do the dirty work.

*~ Have a Beautiful Day! ~*