“You must be the change you want to see in the world.” -- Mahatma Gandhi
“Take care of the earth and she will take care of you.”
Choosing to live a “GREENER” lifestyle is not just a fashionable trend, rather it’s an imperative effort if you truly care about your health and the environment. When you choose to share positive options that make our world safer, cleaner and more naturally enjoyable, you promote a better life for everyone. Living a green lifestyle will improve your health as well as the environment, and can also save you money!
Here are some QUICK GREEN TIPS to consider...
REDUCE THE USE OF PLASTIC AND ONE-USE ITEMS! The widespread use of plastic is also causing unprecedented environmental problems, and harbours serious health risks – especially for children. Plastic should be used wisely, with caution and only when suitable alternatives do not exist or are not available.
Use Reusable Shopping Bags - stash in your purse, jacket, backpack, car, etc. so one is always handy. Many stores are now offering credits if you bring your own bags.
Drink from Glass or Stainless Steel - Do NOT drink out of plastic -- see why below in "Facts About Plastic".
Just SAY NO to straws, plastic cups, lids, take-home containers, etc. Bring your own "doggie bag" to restaraunts.
Reduce the Use of Paper: The average worker uses 1,000 sheets of paper each month, and the vast majority of those pages end up in the trash (or the recycle bin) within a few days of being printed. Think before you print, and be sure that when you do print a document that you make it double-sided or use the backside of printed documents for scratch paper.
Bring Your Lunch! Brown bagging it takes a little more time and energy, but the benefits are worth it! You'll be saving gas (no need to drive to grab take-out), reducing your trash (no wasteful packaging for single-serve items), and eating healthier (better organic and locally-grown options). Use reusable lunch bags or a stainless steel container.
Spend Less $$on Gas: With the ridiculously high prices of gas, consider alternate transportation such as carpooling, riding your bike, walking, or public transportation.
Switch to CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs), as they only use 25 percent of the electricity a wasteful standard incandescent light bulb uses. Some even last a minimum of 7 years. Using less wattage they produce the same glow and amount of light normal bulbs do, but will save you tons of money.
Create More Awareness by being a good example, and spreading the GREEN WORD to others.
AND REMEMBER TO REDUCE… REUSE… RECYCLE… (in that order : )
G R E E N R E S O U R C E S :
Get your stainless steel water bottles, grocery totes and tons of other great green stuff and gift ideas at http://www.yourguidetogreen.com/store/ where you can learn more about living green.
ALSO... Grow Your Own Food! Gardening is a terrific way to connect with the earth and reap the benefits of fresh organic produce outside your back-door (even in the desert!). AND/OR Buy Local -- Not only does shopping locally reduce food miles, it also keeps resources circulating in the community. Plus, it’s a great way to get to know your neighbors. When did you last chat with the person who grew your tomatoes?
Reconnect... To help green your community, you first need to be part of it. Start talking to your neighbors, find out what’s going on around you, and get involved. It sounds obvious, but busy days often don’t include time for keeping in touch with the community.
If you’re interested in learning more about sustainable practices in your life, home and property, please visit www.phoenixpermaculture.org and get involved in a wonderfully resourceful local green-minded community.
Christy Grace is also a certified Permaculture Designer and offers consultations to implement sustainable systems for a private residence or commercial property. One-hour consultations are $75 + $1 per mile from Camelback & 7th Street to travel to any location within the Phoenix Metro Valley. Christy is passionate about doing whatever possible to live as eco-friendly as she can and sharing collective resources with others.
”When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ~John Muir
Regarding Your Health… Evidence is growing that chemicals leached from plastics used in cooking and food/drink storage are extremely harmful to human health. The most disturbing of these are hormone (endocrine) disrupters, such as Bisphenol A (BPA), which can stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Exposure to BPA at a young age can cause genetic damage, and BPA has been linked to recurrent miscarriage in women. The health risks of plastic are significantly amplified in children, whose immune and organ systems are developing and are more vulnerable.
· Numerous other chemicals leached from plastic are strongly linked to asthma and allergic symptoms in children; may cause certain types of cancer; linked to negative effects on the liver, kidney, spleen, bone formation, as well as may cause reproductive and developmental problems, adverse effects on red blood cells, liver, kidneys, stomach, brain and nervous system.
Environmentally, plastic is a growing disaster. Most plastics are made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource extracted and processed using energy-intensive techniques that destroy fragile ecosystems. Plastic packaging – especially the ubiquitous plastic bag – is an enormous source of landfill waste and is regularly eaten by numerous marine and land animals, to fatal consequences.
· Manufacturing of plastic, as well as its destruction by incineration, pollutes air, land and water releasing toxic chemicals, including carcinogens.
· Americans will buy an estimated 25 billion single-serving, plastic water bottles this year; 8 out of 10 (22 billion) will end up in a landfill. --Container Recycling Institute
· 2.7 million tons of plastic are used worldwide to bottle water each year. Plastic does not biodegrade; rather it breaks down into smaller toxic bits that contaminate our soil and waterways.
· 1.5 million barrels of oil is used annually to produce plastic water bottles for America alone - enough to fuel some 100,000 U.S. cars for a year. --Earth Policy Institute
“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” ~Chief Seattle, 1855