Eco-Friendly Products

If your one of the millions of people in the world that still comes home from the store with plastic bags full of groceries, you should reconsider your methods. Have you ever wondered about all of the waste that accumulates when all of us use 10-20 plastic bags every week? If not, here's some food for thought…

The EPA claims that Americans generated over 250 million tons of garbage in 2006. That number is only civilian garbage – the trash you take out every week along with lawn clippings, old furniture, etc. Commercial waste was not considered.

That's a lot of trash destined for landfills each week. The EPA estimates that it's around 3 pounds of waster per person per day. Although recycling efforts have helped to curb our waste production, they have not been the cure-all.

You're probably thinking that, in light of the massive amount of trash we throw out each year, some super-light plastic bags probably don't have much of an impact, right? Wrong. Although plastic bags are lightweight and don't take up as much space as, say, an old couch, they do have their problems. Plastic bags take over 1,000 years to degrade in landfills and their light weight makes them frequent fliers on the winds of America – as evidenced by the fact that you see them all over the place.

For the record, don't think that switching to paper bags instead is much better. Paper compromises a larger part of our waste than plastic, requires more energy to produce, and causes more pollution to the atmosphere than plastic.

However, reusable shopping bags offer a solution to this dilemma. Reusable bags can be found all over the place at decent prices and will last for years. They can carry much more than a plastic bag and serve more purposes than carrying groceries. Most are machine washable as well.

It's estimated that an average person can save thousands of paper and/or plastic bags from entering the waste stream by beginning to use reusable shopping bags in their daily lives. Today, you can find reusable bags in any sort of style and color you want, adding a bit of individuality to your shopping experience.

Mother Earth is struggling and both humans and polar bears are in trouble.  Global warming is real.  The arctic, where the polar bears are struggling to survive, is warming at a rate that is twice the rest of the earth.

The warming and resulting ice melt is leaving a lot of arctic animals in a bad situation.  Polar bears need the ice to hunt – they use it as a platform to stand on while they hunt seal.  If the ice continues to melt, polar bears will be forced to move to land where they will struggle to hunt.

Innocent Polar Bears are Struggling to Survive Because of our Indiscretions

The problem does not end in the Arctic, however.  The rest of the world is warming as well, and many more ecosystems, including ours, will be effected.

What's causing all of this?  Greenhouse gasses that are emitted from power plants and cars are probably the biggest contributors.  The US is the largest producer of greenhouse gasses in the world.

So what is the solution?  There are several things we can do.  Government initiatives aimed at halting Arctic fishing need to be supported.  It is also imperative that we find renewable sources of energy for a couple reasons.  First, renewable energy will allow us to reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses we emit.  Second, renewable energy will reduce our dependence on oil, meaning we can avoid drilling for more oil in the Arctic and further disrupting the fragile ecosystem.

Supporting these measures is one thing, but you can also take steps at home.  Walk, carpool, or use public transportation when you can.  Use CFLs instead of regular light bulbs.  Use reusable grocery bags for your shopping.  Compost your garbage.  And, if you can, start using an push lawn mower instead of a gas-powered one.

If we all take little steps where we can, our combined impact will be much bigger than you can imagine.

Bio-degradation occurs naturally when microorganisms break down organic materials into things like carbon dioxide and water.  Most plastic bags that are commonly used at grocery stores are made from a low-density polyethylene which is a man-made polymer that microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi do not eat.  Plastic bags are unappealing to them because the material has a relatively high molecular weight and is resistant to water.  Therefore, plastic bags take hundreds of years to biodegrade and in landfills take even longer.  The slow biodegrading is one of the main reasons that it is so urgent that we begin using reusable grocery bags in place of plastic bags.

Before polyethylene can biodegreade, it must first break in to smaller pieces via light exposure (photodegradation).  This process is not the same as biodegrading because the small pieces of plastic bag that result are still forms of the man-made polymer.  These microscopic pieces can be ingested by animals, however, which is obviously harmful for them and can result in death, especially for sea animals as they typically resemble plankton and other favorite eats.

Although plastic bags have only been used in supermarkets for about 30 years, they already pose a huge risk for our environment, especially in the ocean and landfills (where garbage and dirt placed on top of them prevents photodegradation).  It's estimated that around 1 trillion plastic bags are produced each year, and over 97% of them enter our waste stream.  We can help decrease this plague by beginning to regularly use reusable bags for our shopping.

Global warming, fluctuating oil costs, alternative energy, air pollution, dwindling fossil fuels and several other hot topics have us all questioning the things we do and the impact they will have on the environment. Thinking "green" is popular these days. Children are being exposed to the top issues, but there are things you can have them do so they can participate in making a difference.

One easy way to get your kids involved is to have them help with the reusable shopping bags. Paper and plastic bags contribute tons of waste each year. Over 14 million trees are harvested every year just to make all the paper bags that US citizens use and plastic bags kill over 1 million animals every year.

Teach your kids about the principles of conservation and protecting the environment. Reusable bags are a great place to start with these lessons. Something as simple as having them help carry the reusable bags while you shop is an easy yet effective way to show them that they can make a difference and help save the world, and it will give you plenty of opportunities to explain other eco-friendly choices that you can make when they ask you "Why are we bringing these bags to the store with us?"

Conventionally farmed produce often relies on unsustainable methods to produce high yields in the short term. Synthetic chemical inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have been linked to cancers, neurological problems and hormonal disturbances, which affect both humans and wildlife. Reliance on monoculture, or planting one crop in a field over successive years, can strip soil of its natural nutrients, requiring farmers to use synthetic fertilizers. A 2001 study of Washington State apple orchards also concluded that conventional farming systems resulted in lower soil quality and energy efficiency than organic farming systems. Conventional farming can threaten wildlife populations with pesticides and herbicides, as well as with the intrusion of croplands into natural habitats.

Organic farming methods attempt to address the environmental and health issues presented by conventional farming. Government, corporate and non-profit institutions worldwide maintain their own standards for food labeled “organic.” In the United States, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees organic certification through its National Organic Program. A product can be certified organic if it has been farmed without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers from wastewater sludge, synthetic additives, or in the case of meat, hormones or antibiotics. Organic produce cannot be treated with these chemicals or be grown in soil containing them. The product also cannot be a genetically modified organism or have been subjected to irradiation.

Organic farming is more healthful for the environment in that does not rely on pesticides and other synthetic chemicals that remain in the environment as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which are toxic to humans and wildlife. Organic farming does not contribute nitrogenous chemicals from fertilizers to waterways, which cause algal blooms, oxygen depletion and the death of aquatic wildlife. Organic agriculture aims to keep a sustainable mineral content in the soil. Smaller organic farms that do not use pesticides are also less intrusive to natural habitats, helping preserve biodiversity.

There is still much controversy over how the healthfulness of organic produce compares to that of conventional produce where mineral content is concerned, though studies have shown organic produce to have a much lower pesticide concentration than conventional produce. A 2003 study of 23 schoolchildren revealed the presence of organophosphate pesticides in urine samples while the children were on a non-organic diet. Organophosphates are commonly used in agricultural production and are know to cause neurological effects in humans and animals. After switching to organic foods for five days, the pesticide levels in the children’s bodies dropped to nearly undetectable levels, spiking again after they resumed eating non-organic foods.

Reducing the release of toxic pesticides into the environment is one of the main advantages of consuming organic produce. Consumers can also reduce their contribution of toxic pollutants to the environment by consuming fewer disposable products in favor of reusable bags and cups, using household cleaners and personal care products without synthetic ingredients known to be toxic, and reducing electricity use.

Many conventional household cleaners contain toxic chemicals that jeopardize human health and the environment. Antibacterial agents such as triclosan, phosphates, petroleum-based surfactants and solvents such as alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), chlorine, ammonia, and sudsing agents are a few common classes of chemicals that harm soil, water and our bodies. Some associated health risks are cancers, hormone disruption, reproductive harm, skin and respiratory damage, neurological damage, asthma attacks, allergic reactions and damage to internal organs. These chemicals also harm aquatic life and can bio-accumulate in the food chain, eventually coming back to us in the food we eat. We can greatly reduce these risks by replacing toxic cleaning supplies with non-toxic alternatives. Reducing packaging waste by using reusable shopping bags and other durable containers can also help cut down on industrial pollution from these chemicals.

Anti-bacterial soaps and cleaners have come under fire from environmental and health organizations such as the US Center for Disease Control (USCDC) and the Environmental Working Group for several reasons. The common anti-bacterial triclosan interacts with chlorine and sunlight to create dioxin, a fat-soluble toxin that accumulates in the food chain. Dioxin can cause cancers and reproductive problems in animals. Tap water sources are often treated with chlorine, so when we wash anti-bacterial cleaners down the drain, dioxin can form. Dioxin contaminates water sources and persists in soil when sludge from wastewater treatment plants is used as fertilizer. It is detrimental to aquatic ecosystems because it is highly toxic to algae, which are indispensable to these ecosystems. According to the USCDC, anti-bacterial detergents protect us no more than those without anti-bacterials. The USCDC and other experts also claim that excessive use allows resistant strains of bacteria to thrive, rendering anti-bacterials ultimately useless when we really need them.

Another group of chemicals present in many household soaps and cleaners is phosphates. Used as a builder in detergents, phosphates harm fresh water sources by allowing excessive amounts of algae to bloom, leading to eutrophication of lakes, rivers and streams. Eutrophication deprives these water sources of oxygen and can threaten the survival of certain aquatic organisms, as well as make the water unfit for swimming, fishing or drinking. Using phosphate-free cleaners and detergents can help reduce human-caused eutrophication.

The best way for consumers to reduce these environmental and health risks is to only use cleaners that are free of certain chemicals, particularly anti-bacterials, phosphates, and petroleum-based surfactants and solvents. Though manufacturers are not required to list all of the ingredients on their labels, some cleaners specify that they are “phosphate free” or “vegetable-based,” which can help consumers make more environmentally sound choices. The US Department of Health and Human Services provides an online household products database listing the ingredients and health effects of a number of cleaners and household products. There are also many recipes for effective homemade cleaners that use gentler ingredients such as castile soap, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and borax.

One of the easiest and best ways to improve energy efficiency in lighting is to use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). According to Energy Star, a joint program of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy that evaluates products for their energy efficiency, a 20-Watt CFL emits the same amount of light as a 75-Watt incandescent, uses about 75% less energy and lasts up to ten times longer than an incandescent bulb. CFLs cost more than incandescent bulbs, but because they use less energy and last longer, they more than pay for themselves in the long run. According to Energy Star, each bulb saves about $30 in electricity costs over the course of its lifetime. Some electric companies also offer discounts and other incentives for using Energy Star qualifies products. Check with your electricity provider to see if discounts are available in your area.

One difficulty with CFLs is that they contain mercury, a dangerous neurotoxin. If CFLs break in the home or are disposed of improperly on a large scale, they could pose a threat to human health and the environment. Mercury is essential to the energy efficient design of CFLs; it is part of the reason CFLs do not produce nearly as much heat as incandescent bulbs. However, according to Energy Star, using CFLs in place of incandescent bulbs actually reduces the amount of mercury entering the environment because coal-generated electricity is a much greater source of human-caused mercury emissions. Since a CFL uses much less electricity than an incandescent bulb, its use results in an average mercury reduction of 4.2 mg, assuming it ends up in a landfill. When CFLs are recycled, each bulb can spare 4.5 mg of mercury from entering the atmosphere. Other sources of mercury include petroleum combustion and manufacturing sources. Using fewer petroleum based products, such as by avoiding plastic bags in favor of reusable bags and driving less, is also an important step toward reducing mercury emissions.

Compared to coal-generated electricity, the mercury in CFLs poses far less of a threat to the environment and human health. However, exposure to the mercury in CFLs and its release into the environment should be carefully avoided. The US EPA provides specific guidelines for clean-up and disposal of broken bulbs and recycling of intact bulbs.