The Environmental Impact of Livestock Farming

The production of beef and dairy poses a large risk to the environment. Up to 18 percent more gas emissions are emitted from beef production then any vehicle on the road. Gas emissions from a red meat based diet, are greater then the emissions generated from a plant based diet. If you were to change your diet from a red meat diet to a plant based diet, you would be saving the same amount of emission if you were to change your vehicle from a Toyota Camry to a Toyota Prius. What our diet consists of plays a major part in what greenhouse gas emission that we produce, along with how we transport ourselves, if we use reusable grocery bags, the amount of energy we use and if we dispose of products correctly – through recycling or reusing item.

Livestock does not only cause environmental concern through global warming, but also through the amount of land that is required to produce feed for the cattle. Cattle farming requires land for grazing therefore deforestation and erosion occur, which creates habitat loss and again contribute towards global warming. It has been reported by the FAO that overgrazing has occurred, degrading up to 20% of pastures.

During the production of beef and dairy there is a risk to waterways through animal waste along with the items that may appear in their waste such as antibiotics and hormones. If the cattle are fed foods that contain traces of fertilizers and pesticides these chemicals may be transferred into the animal waste then into waterways. Cattle production requires large amounts of water to satisfy the animals, the high need of resources to produce cattle is contributing to a reduced number of habitats lost which results in species loss.

It is not recommended that you change your diet completely to not include any beef or dairy, but change the way your purchase you red meat and dairy, by purchasing organic you are helping the environment as organic meats and dairy avoid the use of chemicals and pesticides therefore not polluting the soil or waterways. By consuming free range products the need for antibiotics is reduced as illnesses are minimal due to healthy consumption of foods.

Sustainable farming is required for all produce from rice, soy and corn, not just cattle farming, to create an impact on the environment, changing to a complete plant based diet will not help the situation. Changes in the ways that our foods are produced, not a diet change will have the most impact on our environment. Food production companies should also look at packaging of their products, through reusable bags or recyclable packaging. Companies need to take on changes to promote food production and distribution in an environmentally safe manner.

How to Make Your Bathroom More Eco-Friendly

Do you have a "green" bathroom? No, I'm not asking if you have green painted walls in your bathroom - I'm asking about how envirnomentally friendly the rest room in your home is.

Every day, more and more products are released that are more eco-friendly than their predecessors. This is certainly good news, and the success and growing popularity of reusable bags shows that people will adopt changes in their habits if they see a benefit. However, there is always more that we can all do. The focus of this post is to talk about some things you can do in your bathroom to make it greener.

First, consider your water use. Low flow toilets and shower heads can help conserve a lot of water on an annual basis. The added benefit to you is that it can help reduce your water bill. Beyond low flow heads, make sure you do what you can to ensure you're not wasting water in the bathroom - such as turning off the water when you wash your face, brush your teeth, shave your legs in the shower, and so on. Also, if you take baths on a regular basis, try not to fill the tub all the way up. In fact, if you take baths on a regular basis, you may want to consider reducing the frequency.

Second, make sure that all of the lights in your bathroom are compact flourescent lights (CFLs). Also, if you have children that require night lights, purchase some that have light sensors on them so that they don't stay on and burn energy during the day.

You should also consider looking in to the growing number of eco-friendly personal care products that are on the market. Everything from lotions to shampoo to cosmetics can now be found with a green twist. The natural ingredients used in these products are also better for your body and skin and are better for our environment in both their production and afterlife (once they go down the drain). However, double check to make sure they aren't tested on animals before making a purchase. Bonus points if you can find containers made from recycled materials.

Finally, the next time you buy new towels for the bathroom, opt for some that are made from organic materials, like organic cotton or hemp. Further, when you get rid of your old towels, don't just throw them away - donate them or give them to a local animal shelter. At home, make sure you hang towels up to dry after their use so that you can use them multiple times before having to wash them. When you do wash your towels, save some energy and cost by washing them all together and having a full load.

These are just a few examples of things you can do in one small room of your house to make it more eco-friendly. Simple steps like this, and doing things like using reusable shopping bags, are the sort of things that add up to make a big difference.

Four Ways that Living Green is Good for Your Health

Most people are concerned, at least to some extent, about their personal health. And, a growing number of people are becoming concerned about the health of our planet. What most people don't realize, however, is that these two topics are not mutually exclusive. By living "green," you do things that are good for your personal health. Here's how:

1. Using reusable shopping bags instead of disposable paper or plastic bags: At least 500 billion plastic bags are produced and used worldwide each year. During their production, tons of environmental toxins are released in to the environment that are absorbed by our bodies as "free radicals." These free radicals have been known to harm our bodies in the form of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and weakened immune systems. By using reusable bags, we can cut down on the production of plastic bags and, consequently, the number of free radicals that enter our environment.

Further, plastic bags negatively impact ecosystems, especially marine ecosystems in their post-useful-life. This impact can diminish our ability to get healthy food. Also, millions of trees are harvested each year to produce paper bags. Those same millions of trees could be spared and used to improve the quality of air that we breathe. Again, using reusable bags can cut down on this.

2. Purchasing organic foods and products: Organic foods are far and away healthier for our bodies. They contain more nutrients and minerals than conventionally farmed foods. Further, organic products are raised without the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides that enter our body when we eat the foods and also deteriorate the quality of our soil - eventually making it useless.

3. Using eco-friendly cleaning products: Traditional household cleaners contain a number of harsh chemicals that contribute to free radical damage in our bodies. They also pollute and harm our environment during their production. Using eco-friendly cleaners reduces the number of free radicals that enter your body and helps reduce the demand for the production of the cleaners that pollute our environment during their production and use.

4. Walking and/or biking instead of driving: The health benefits here are pretty obvious - walking or biking is a form of exercise that will burn calories and help you remain healthy. Walking and biking also eliminates the pollution that you would have caused had you driven a car. Of course, the length of the commute must be considered, but for shorter trips, you can never go wrong on a bike or on your feet.

A big part of the obesity problem in America today comes from the relatively sedentary lifestyle that most Americans live. The simple fact is that most people spend the majority of their day sitting down, either at work, driving, watching TV, and so on. Choosing to walk or bike for short trips will get you the exercise that you need and will help our environment by limiting your pollution.

So, it is relatively easy to see how green living and healthy living can be one and the same things. Even implementing a couple of the above strategies can help make you healthier and benefit our planet.

Eco-Friendliness of Personal Care Products

Many people don't think about the eco-friendliness of everyday products such as lotion, lipstick, deodorant, and other personal care products. We generally assume that if they're safe to put on our bodies, they should be safe for the environment, right? Not necessarily.

Government restrictions on personal care products are not as strict as one might think. The Washington Toxics Coalition reports that the FDA, who is responsible for cosmetic regulations, does not require companies to conduct safety tests and only regulates products AFTER they are on the market. There are only nine chemicals prohibited by the FDA for use in cosmetic products. The European Union prohibits 1,110. These chemicals are obsorbed by our skin and processed through our bodies. Some make it out and end up working their way in to our environment. And, of course, since these chemicals are used during production, the risk exists for them to contaminate our planet during cosmetic manufacture. Still convinced that your skin care products are 100% safe?

You can help protect yourself by avoiding products that contain harmful chemicals that the FDA ignores. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics offers a list of chemicals to avoid and products that they are commonly found in. However, since cosmetic companies are not required to disclose the chemicals in their products, it is hard to know exactly what chemicals are in what products simply by reading the labels on the packages. For more information, you can review the Cosmetics Safety Database, which includes a toxicity rating for ingredients found in products.

Beyond being careful of what products you buy and put on your body, we can address the greater environmental destruction that we continue to perpetuate on multiple fronts. The rise in popularity of the reusable shopping bag is a great example of how quickly eco-friendly movements can catch on. Cities are now considering bans or taxes on plastic bags, encouraging citizens to help our environment by bringing their own reusable bags. Many dry cleaners and individuals are also catching on, beginning to offer reusable dry cleaning bags as well. This shows that when the need to make changes is identified, people are not afraid to make changes. We can hope that this trend carries over in to other areas, such as cosmetics and personal care products.

Eco-Friendly Insect Control

There is a book called "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd that I once read.  In the book is a character named May, who is a human that is more sensitive to the lives of insects than most humans.  May refuses to kill any bugs and instead uses things like graham crackers to lure the bugs out of her house.

I realize that most of us would never go to such great lengths to get an insect out of our house.  Most of us are not alright with the idea of bugs living in our homes with us and go to great lengths to get rid of them.  The problem is that these "great lengths" often involve using harmful chemicals and pesticides that do a great job of killing the bugs, but are also not the most eco-friendly.  In the same way that plastic grocery bags are perfectly capable of bringing our groceries home but are not as environmentally friendly as reusable shopping bags, there are ways that you can control pests in your home and still do it in an eco-conscious manner.

First, keep your house neat, clean, and organized.  What do you think brings all the bugs into your house in the first place?  They're looking for food most of the time.  Keeping your pantry, counter tops, floors, etc. free from food scraps will go a long way in keeping pests out of your house.  Avoid overstocking your pantry as well, as it can create situations where you have a lot of opened packages in your cabinet at once, which can attract insects.

Keeping the house tidy will go a long way, but it won't completely eliminate the issue.  If you have problems with ants, you can use either baby powder (which will be carried back to the colony and kill them) or cinnamon (which will deter them) instead of harsh chemicals.  Simply place a small line of either along the areas that you notice the ants coming in to your house and they will quickly stop coming in.

Outside is a bit of a different issue, but can be equally important.  Obviously, keeping your back yard neat and clean won't go very far in keeping bugs out nor will it be practical to cover your entire yard in cinnamon or baby powder.  However, that does not mean you need to resort to chemicals and pesticides.  One thing you can do is take advantage of natural order and use some predatory creatures in your yard.  If you have water in your yard that breeds a lot of mosquitoes, try putting a few Koi fish in there - they do a good job of keeping mosquito populations down.  Lady bugs and preying mantis both do a good job of keeping bugs off of plants in the yard and can be purchased at garden shops if they don't naturally come to your yard.  Another great predator to keep in your yard is a lizard or Gecko.  They'll naturally be attracted to yards with a lot of plants and do an excellent job of eating a lot of the pests that you're trying to keep out.  Since we're talking about green living, it's worth adding that you should remember to bring your reusable bags with you for any trip to the garden store.

Having a bird feeder or bird bath in your yard will also help keep enough birds around your house to catch some bugs.  One final alternative is to put a bat house in your yard up in a tree.  Yes, a bat house.  Bats get a bad reputation due to some folklore that associates them with vampires, but the bottom line is that they're pretty harmless when compared to pests like mosquitoes and mosquitoes happen to be one of their favorite meals.  If you have a lot of mosquitos in your area and want to get rid of them, install a bat house and watch the mosquito population decline steadily.

Reusable Shopping Bags versus Biodegradable Plastic Bags

There is not doubt that the newer biodegradable plastic bags are more environmentally friendly than regular plastic bags.  However, biodegradable plastic bags still present environmental problems and are not as good of a solution to our plastic bag problem as reusable shopping bags.  Biodegradable plastic bags come in any number of materials.  Some are polyester-based while others are made from starches like potato, corn, and wheat.  There are also other materials that biodegradable plastic bags are made from and some bags are a "cocktail" of numerous materials.  While the materials are more environmentally friendly, one problem with using some of these materials is that it can actually require more energy to produce the biodegradable bags than polyethylene (regular) plastic bags.

The American Chemistry Council conducted a study where they analyzed the life cycle of numerous disposable bags.  They discovered that biodegradable bags made from a combination of polylactic acid, polyester, and calcium cabonate required almost three times the energy to produce than regular (polyethylene) plastic bags.  The production of the biodegradable bags also emitted four times the amount of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and required the consumption of eighteen times more fresh water.  The bottom line is that, although these bags are better for our environment after their useful life is over, the additional environmental impact that they have during their production may not actually be any better for us.  Again, the easiest and best solution is for everyone to begin using reusable shopping bags and reusable dry cleaning bags.

Another disadvantage to biodegradable plastic bags is the fact that they cannot be recycled with ordinary plastics.  So, in reality, although they are biodegradable, chances are good that they won't biodegrade in the end as they'll end up in landfills where almost nothing biodegrades.  The only option to make the most of these bags after they are used is to compost them where they can "disappear" within a few months.  However, there are only about 100 facilities in the US that have the capability to compost biodegradable bags, meaning most end up like every other plastic bag we use - as litter or in a landfill.  So what is the point of these bags?  The potential for benefits is there, yet we lack the capabilities to take advantage of them and in turn do as much harm to our planet in an effort to reduce the amount of harm we do.  It simply makes no sense.  Reusable bags are better.  End of story.

Paper or Plastic? It Depends on if You're More Comfortable Killing Animals or Trees

Have you ever tried to conceptualize how many paper and plastic bags we use?  The massive numbers are hard to wrap your head around, as are the negative environmental impact that each one of those disposable bags has.  The most amazing part of it all is that we can easily avoid using disposable bags and the associated environmental troubles by switching to reusable shopping bags.  Think paper and plastic bags aren't so bad?  Think again…

Plastic Bags

Over 500 billion plastic bags are consumed every year.  The majority of these bags end up in the trash and, ultimately, in landfills.  Recycling plastic bags is a futile effort as the cost to recycle them is about 99% higher than the recycled plastic is worth.

Additionally, over 240 species of marine life have been reported to be harmed by man-made plastic bags.  Some bags strangle animals, others kill animals from the inside as the animal mistakes the bag for food.  The problem is so bad that in some areas of the ocean plastic bits outnumber plankton by a ration of 6:1.

Paper Bags

Okay, so plastic bags aren't good - maybe you should switch to paper, right?  Wrong.  Don't forget about the trees!  Over 14 million trees were harvested in 1999 to product 10 billion paper bags, the majority of which were used once and then thrown away.  Yes, trees can grow back, but that's still 14 million fewer trees we had to absorb greenhouse gasses or that could have been used for much more productive and useful things.

Paper bags are also very energy inefficient.  They require 4 times the amount of energy to produce that plastic bags require, which is partly why plastic bags became so popular years ago.  Further, paper bags require 91% more energy to recycle and paper mills are notorious for using toxic chemicals during manufacture that can pollute our air and water.

The Answer:  Reusable Bags

Reusable shopping bags are great because they can be reused over and over again, hence the name.  They aren't expensive and serve purposes other than shopping, such as daily tote bags, beach bags, and so on.  They can carry more groceries than plastic bags, which makes unloading the car much easier.  Yes, they require energy to produce, but when that production impact is spread over the multi-year useful life of a bag, the overall impact is far less than paper or plastic bags.

Reusable bags are also much more durable than paper or plastic, meaning you're less likely to have damage to your groceries.  Ever had a plastic bag break and watched all your groceries spill out in the parking lot?  This won't happen with a quality reusable grocery bag.

Switching to reusable bags is easy.  The overall impact on the environment is more positive, and they're easier to use than disposable bags.  It's a win/win/win situation for everyone, so if you haven't already, make the switch today.

More Eco-Conscious Decisions to Make at the Grocery Store

My most recent trip to the supermarket was refreshing - I noticed more people using reusable grocery bags than ever before.  Granted, there were still far more people walking out with plastic bags, but at least we're moving in the right direction.  Another way to have a positive impact on our planet is by shopping for eco-friendly foods.

I once saw Carlos Mencia, the comedian, make a joke about how he was more environmentally friendly than vegans because he eats beef.  His argument was that cow flatulence contains methane gas, so by eating the beef, he's lessening the amount of methane that could end up in the atmosphere.  Vegans, on the other hand, eat plants that help the environment by transforming carbon dioxide to oxygen.  Funny?  Maybe.  Better for the environment to eat beef?  Not necessarily.

Of course, the problem with is argument was that in order for him to eat beef in the first place, the cow had to exist, and likely added to the amount of methane in the atmosphere.  In fact, our growning consumption of beef in this country is leading to more methane gas in the atmosphere than ever before as well as farm land that is continually stripped of important nutrients, rendering it useless after a period of time.

That is not to say that one has to stop eating meat to eat eco-consciously.  However, avoiding gluttonous consumption of beef can help.  There's no need to eat a 16 ounce steak when you can get the same satisfaction and nutritional benefit from a smaller, organically raised piece of meat.

Eating organically raised food is key.  Organic farming avoids the use of chemicals and pesticides, which pollute our environment as well as the food we eat.  Further, organic farmers rotate their crops to maintain the integrity of the soil, ensuring that overfarming never renders land useless.

So, the next time you're at your local grocer with your reusable bag in tow, stop by the organic section for some foods instead of your usuals.  Also, try to pay attention to the amount of packaging that the foods you purchase use.  The less packaging the better as those packages require less energy to produce.

Finally, the benefits of eating green are not limited to the planet.  Organic foods are healthier for you, plain and simple.

An Introduction to Biodynamic Farming

The green movement keeps getting bigger.  Right when you think you've got things under control with your organic foods and reusable bags something else pops up:  Biodynamic Farming.

Dr. Rudolf Steiner is given credit for being the originator of biodynamic farming principles in the 1920s.  Biodynmaic farming is similar to organic farming in that it uses not harmful chemicals.  What differentiates the two is that biodynamic farmers view the whole farm as a living organism.

To better understand biodynamic farming, consider the natural order that our planet operates under.  Forests can regenerate themselves.  Animals and plants co-exist in a way where they benefit each other - animal waste and decomposing bodies serve as fertilizers to some plants that serve as sources of food for other animals, and so on.  Plants that are native to an area grow there, but not in other places, and adapt to the environment to increase their chances of survival.

Biodynamic farmers attempt to mimic this natural order.  Biodynamic farmers never take more out of a farm than they put in and attempt to maintain a natural level of balance within the farm.  This results in a carbon footprint that is almost non-existant.

The next time you're at the store, see if you can find some biodynamically farmed products, stuff them in your reusable grocery bag, and give them a try.

Go Green at Home With Compost

Our landfills are inefficient. The majority of our waste that gets sent to them, despite it's natural ability to biodegrade, is not biodegrading. There are a number of factors that contribute to this, but the bottom line is that these factors aren't going to change and our landfills are getting more and more full on a daily basis.

Landfills emit methane gas into the atmosphere, which can contribute to global warming. The only solution is to be more aware of what we send (or don't send) to landfills. The EPA estimates that nearly 25% of the waste we send to landfills can be composted at home, creating a great natural fertilizer that can be used to make plants healthier instead of helping to kill them by emitting methane in landfills.

Composting is one of the things that we can all do, such as recycling and using reusable shopping bags, to help improve the health of our planet. Used on a large scale, compost can help to yield more crops, restore contaminated soil, help reforestation, and decrease our need for chemical fertilizers - all steps in the right direction.

If you don't have a yard or don't do any indoor or outdoor gardening, your compost can still be used. Many local governments will collect it through their yard waste programs or you can advertise on local bulletin boards and find a local gardener or club that will happily accept it.

Collecting compost is simple. With the exception of meat, oils, and dairy products, most food scraps can be composted. Hair, clean paper, coffee grounds, wood chips, fireplace ashes, and pine needles are examples of the numerous other items that can also be tossed in your compost. Composting really is as simple as tossing all these materials in either an open outdoor bin or a covered indoor one. Turning the pile over every week will yeild a mature compost pile in a couple of months that can be identified by it's crumbly, dark, earth-smelling properties.

Once mature, it can be used as fertilizer without any modifications. A quick search online will give you plenty of sites with information about getting started on your own. It's simple - probably about as easy as recycling - and much easier than remembering your reusable bags for every shopping trip.

But the benefits are great - less landfill waste, less methane gas in our atmosphere, more natural fertilizer, and an overall healthier planet. The cost? Nothing really. You're going to throw those items away anyway - what's the difference in throwing them in a compost pile versus the garbage can?