Eco-Friendly Products

Let's face it – we're just beginning the work that needs to be done in order to right the wrongs of past generations (including our own).  We've started to gain some momentum.  More people are environmentally conscious today than ever before and you're beginning to see some of the results.  Every time I go shopping I see more people carrying reusable shopping bags than I did the week before.  Today's cars are the most fuel efficient ever and more and more companies are making "Green" the focus of their marketing strategy.  Our children will need to continue the fight and then maybe someday the planet will have a better outlook.

It's imperative that we do what we can to learn about being green and transfer this knowledge to our children not only through words but through actions as well!  They are learning a lot in school about being green, more than we did, but if this is not re-instilled at home, then they may or may not take this way of thinking and acting into their adult lives.

1.  Recycle:  Have your kids help out by rinsing cans, breaking down boxes, bundling newspapers or sorting.  This could be a chore on their chore list, but get them involved in the process.

2.  Give them the job of remembering to bring the reusable grocery bags to the market.  It's easy to forget them and kids tend to have better memories than we do.  Also, let them be part of the shopping experience.  See what choices they make:  do they look for recycled packaging?  Locally grown?  Organic?  Explain the differences to them so that they learn to shop responsibly.

3.  Help them lead less gluttonous lives than we have.  With prosperity comes gluttony.  The people of the Great Depression years would be appalled by all that we waste.  Stop buying everything in bulk (unless it's something you'll actually use and not waste).  Put proper portions of food on the table for everyone.  Try to repair broken things and donate what you can no longer use.  Teach your kids to live more simply.

So, you've committed to using reusable grocery bags rather than paper or plastic.  Bravo!  Really, you are a part of a movement that is saving the marine ecosystem, whales, sea turtles and tons of money spent on waste management and recycling efforts.  You should be proud of your efforts!

Now, let's take that a step further and start buying organic products.  Why?  Check out the list of benefits!

1.  Organic means no chemicals.  Organic farmers use proactive measures to get rid of weeds, pests and to maximize output.  Because of this, they aren't pumping unnecessary chemicals into our water supplies and into our food.  They are preserving the quality of the soil as well, which is important for future generations.

2.  Organic is often locally grown which means you are saving transportation costs and the environmental cost of that transportation!  As well, you are supporting local farmers which will help out your community!

3.  Organic means happier animals.  The slaughter of cattle and other animals in conventional farming can be quite appalling.  The gentler treatment shown to a smaller amount of animals in organic farming reduces diseases that may be passed on to us, as well as offers a more tender meat product.

4.  Organic farming means no antibiotics and growth hormones in the end product.  Antibiotics can diminish the nutritional quality of our foods.  The word is still out on exactly what growth hormones are doing to us, but negative effects cannot be completely ruled out.  Many countries have banned the use of growth hormones, yet the United States has not.  The fact is that if Mother Nature didn't intend it, we might not want to argue with her!

Buying organic foods at the grocery store is not only better for your health and the health of your family; it is also beneficial for the environment.  If you've taken the first step and started using reusable bags for your groceries, why not stop in the organic section next time you're at the supermarket?  You won't be disappointed.

In a town where fashion trends are defined and are as fleeting as the next “Sex in the City” shoe style, it seems that many of the celebrities these days are choosing fashion accessories in “green.” Check out hot young stars like Vanessa Minnillo, Molly Sims, Hilary Swank or Jessica Biel; all of whom have been spotted wearing the latest in “green” bag designs.

It's a sign of the times, or for those of us who were children of the sixties and seventies, it's deja vu all over again. But however you see it, it's become fashionable once again to be environmentally conscious, or in today's terms “thinking green."  And this isn't a bad thing!

“Green” is a new term currently being used to loosely encompass all things having to do with environmental consciousness and sustainability; what we are doing today and tomorrow that impacts our environment. These days, buildings, companies and even cities “go green,” meaning they are being built or are utilizing systems or technologies that embrace environmentally friendly and sustainable practices and principles. Decreasing the emission of greenhouse gases (atmospheric gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect), decreasing the amount of water pollution, decreasing the amount of refuse in landfills, preserving natural areas and forest land, reusing and recycling are all topics and issues now encompassed in the term “green."

As is often the case when people are faced with subjects of such magnitude, it's hard to know what to do, individually, to help and contribute on a personal basis. One way that people have found to do so is by utilizing reusable grocery bags.

Plastic bags became a way of life for shoppers to transport their purchases in the 1970's, and soon replaced the use of paper bags. While completely reliable statics are not easy to obtain, the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) states that 380 billion plastic sacks, wraps, and bags are consumed in the United States alone each year. Figures from the country of China indicate that 3 billion plastic bags are used each day in that country. The problem is that plastic bags are not environmentally friendly, and they have a huge negative impact on our environment. Plastic bags are not biodegradable, (able to be broken down in a process that would turn them back to a natural, environmentally friendly state) but are instead “photodegradable” where they break down and degrade into small, toxic pieces which can then be ingested by animals, clog waterways and contaminate the soil.

Reusable bags are a simple means for individuals to do our part in helping to combat the huge problem of lessening our toxic waste, and the adverse environmental impact of our daily lives. So the next time you decide to go shopping, do what the “fashionistas” do – grab a cloth bag, sling it over you're shoulder, channel Sarah Michelle Gellar and “Go Green!"

Using reusable grocery bags is an extremely simple way that each individual can do their part to help preserve our environment, reduce waste and the consumption of dwindling fossil fuels. The unfortunate fact is that it's a strategy that way too few of us are using. So here we will list 10 top reasons for using reusable bags, and hope that maybe you will rethink your choices the next time you go shopping or to the grocery store.

Although there are no completely reliable numbers, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed each year. 380 billion of those are consumed in the US alone. While some of these bags are reused or recycled, the vast majority are not, and become part of our waste and landfills, or find their way to our streams, rivers and oceans.

Thousands of sea turtles, whales, birds and other wildlife die each year from ingesting plastic bags. They mistake them for food, ingest the bags, the bags become lodged in their intestines, preventing the animals from digesting other food, and causing slow and agonizing death. Plastic bags take years to break down in the environment, and so can go on leaching toxins into the soil and water, potentially killing wildlife many times over.

Reusable bags help to decrease the number of plastic and disposable bags consumed, and so help to decrease the number that are disposed of as waste, or end up as litter or harmful components of our soil, waterways or food chain.

So, here are 10 top reasons for using reusable shopping bags, rather than paper or plastic:

1.    Plastic bags take up to 1000 years to decompose
2.    Plastic bags are not-biodegradable. They photodegrade, releasing toxins into the environment.
3.    While plastic bags are reused, only 1% of plastic bags are recycled worldwide, largely due to the cost involved in the process.
4.    More than 46,000 pieces of plastic are contaminating each square mile of the world's oceans
5.    It takes 12 million barrels of oil to produce the number of plastic bags used in the United States each year.
6.    Each year the United States consumes 10 billion paper grocery bags, requiring the harvest of 14 million trees.
7.    The pulp and paper industry is the 2nd largest industrial user of energy in the U.S.
8.    Plastic bags make up 10% of coastal debris along US shores.
9.    Over 100,000 sea turtles and 1 million birds die each year from ingesting plastic bags.
10.    For the lifetime of each high quality reusable bag you use, 1,000 plastic bags can potentially be eliminated.

(Sources: United States Environmental Protection Agency, Organic Trade Association, Australian Government, Department of the Environment and Heritage)

If you've never considered using reusable bags, it's time to reconsider. If you've never really thought about doing it, there's no time like the present to start. Using reusable bags is not hard, it's not inconvenient, it just takes a little forethought. But the potential benefits of your decision to our environment will be long-lasting and sure.

In a world which seems to become more eco-sensitive by the moment, may people still incorrectly assume that paper bags, because they are biodegradable, are a better choice than plastic. They aren't.

According to a 2006 report from the US Environmental Protection Agency, paper makes up more than 30 percent of our municipal solid waste. In the United States alone, 10 billion paper bags are consumed each year, representing 14 million trees harvested for their production. According to the Film and Bag Federation, paper bags consume 40 percent more energy, generate 80 percent more solid waste, produce 70 percent more atmospheric emissions, and release up to 94 percent more waterborne wastes, compared to plastic grocery bags.

What this tells us is that the energy consumption and pollution generated from the production of paper bags, as well as the waste generated after their consumption, prevent paper bags from being a viable, eco-friendly alternative to plastic grocery bags. So many of you who thought that paper bags were the better choice, now know better. But now, what should you do? What options do you have?

In light of the above information, reusable bags then, especially those made with natural materials, are really the one true alternative for  lessening the negative environmental impact of disposable bags for our world. With a growing number of manufacturers and distributors of these bags, as well as an increasing variety of availability in terms of sizes and styles, reusable bags are a more attractive, as well as socially and environmentally conscious choice for bag use today.

Many of us, especially in the US, are currently aware that we face astronomical oil prices that are rising everyday. The price of gasoline seems higher every time you go to the pump. Food prices are rising, and the cost of travel and transportation are continuing to escalate. The situation has made us much more aware of things like energy consumption and environmental conservation. And, you've probably thought at some point or other about doing something to help, but really don't know what to do or how to make a difference. Here are five simple suggestions of ways to live a “greener” life.

1.    Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs in your home – Using compact florescent lamp bulbs (CFLs) reduces your energy use by 75% compared to using traditional incandescent bulbs.

2.    Buy reusable shopping bags – disposable paper and plastics make up more than 40% of municipal solid waste every year. By purchasing and using reusable shopping bags, you can save nearly 700 bags during the lifetime of each reusable bag.

3.    Use washable cloth rags instead of paper towels – Using cloth towels and washable cloths for spills and cleanups around the house helps to save on the use of disposable paper towels that only add to the volume of paper waste each year.

4.    Repurpose used water – Saving dish water or bath water and reusing it to water plants or complete additional chores is an easy way to conserve water, and make the most out of the water you do use.

5.    Use rechargeable batteries – Using rechargeable batteries extends the use of the batteries you purchase and helps reduce the amount of waste that is toxic to the environment.

These are just a few very quick and easy ways to help conserve and protect our environment. Being “green” doesn't have to be complicated, and small actions can greatly contribute to overall solutions.