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Are you contributing to Global Awareness or taking away from it?
Doing the environmentally correct thing can be a challenge. After all, there aren't many of us who actually have the time or enterprise to compost or the spare cash to replace the washer, dryer, or other appliances with the latest energy-efficient models.
Skip the screen-saver. Instead, program your computer to "sleep" after five minutes of inactivity.
Skip the screen-saver. Instead, program your computer to "sleep" after five minutes of inactivity.
But here's a convenient truth: Small changes really do make a big difference -- not only for the planet but for your own health -- and may even save you some money. Here, a few to try today.
Take shorter showers
Install a waterproof timer in your shower, and set it to five minutes. Even better: Replace your showerhead with one of the new "low-flow" or "water-saving" models. They're easy to install and available at home-improvement stores. Look for a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) or less; older showerheads have flow rates of around 5.5 gpm. (And, don't worry, you'll still be able to get the suds out of your hair.)
Why it's good for the Earth: Using a low-flow showerhead, a family of four can conserve almost 15,000 gallons of water per year.
Why it's good for you: Hot water strips skin of its natural oils, so spending less time in the shower can result in better-hydrated skin. Health.com: How to detox your body
Bypass the dry cleaner
Buy fewer clothes labeled "dry-clean only." Also, look for a cleaner that wet-cleans, using nonhazardous solutions and special equipment. (Find out where the service is available in your state.) You can hand-wash many dry-clean-only garments in cold water, too.
Why it's good for the Earth: Perc (short for perchloroethylene), the standard solvent used in conventional dry cleaning, eventually breaks down into other chemicals -- some of which are toxic and may deplete the ozone layer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Why it's good for you: In high doses, perc has been linked with dizziness, headaches, fatigue, nausea, and skin irritation
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Go easy on beef
Make it a tuna or salmon burger instead.
Why it's good for the Earth: Red meat production is responsible for about two-and-a-half times more greenhouse-gas emissions than chicken or fish.
Why it's good for you: Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like tuna and salmon, not only are good for your heart (helping lower triglycerides and blood pressure) but can help prevent dry skin, too. Eat fish twice a week. Health.com: 10 easy ways to eat natural
Ditch air fresheners
Indoor air may be up to three times more polluted than the air outdoors, so go fresh the natural way by opening your windows. For a light, citrusy fragrance, place orange peel mixed with sage in small bowls throughout your home.
Why it's good for the Earth: The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) tested 14 air fresheners and found that 12 contained phthalates, chemicals linked to hormone abnormalities, birth defects, and reproductive problems. Even products billed "all-natural" or "unscented" weren't chemical-free. Health.com: DIY air freshener: Spring citrus potpourri
Why it's good for you: In addition to phthalates, the NRDC says, air fresheners may contain allergens, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and cancer-causing chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde.
Buy organic coffee
Besides "Certified Organic," look for "Shade Grown" (a process that preserves more nutrients) and "Fair Trade" (these coffee farmers are paid a fair price, so they don't look for growing shortcuts). Health.com: Organic living with "Bones" star Emily Deschanel
Why it's good for the Earth: Pesticides and fertilizers used in conventional coffee production can harm soil and seep into water supplies.
Why it's good for you: Fewer synthetic agents involved in chemical treatment means a healthier cup of Joe.
Skip the liquid soap
Stick with the bar kind.
Why it's good for the Earth: Many liquid soaps, though convenient, contain triclosan, an antibiotic agent toxic to wildlife.
Why it's good for you: You can easily overdo it with liquid soap, which can dry out your skin and make it susceptible to germs. Plus, antibacterial soaps don't always deliver the germ-killing benefits they promise.
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Toss that flea collar
Baths are a great way to de-flea your pet sans chemicals. Wash your animal friend's bedding in hot water once a week, too.
Why it's good for the Earth: Pesticides used in flea collars may contain toxic chemicals, including possible carcinogens, that can contaminate water.
Why it's good for you: Many pesticides are designed to obstruct the nervous systems of bugs. But they can also interfere with human hormones over time, says Sarah Janssen, M.D., NRDC environmental-health expert.
Nix the screen saver
Set your computer to "sleep" after five minutes of inactivity.
Why it's good for the Earth: Animated screen savers consume electricity unnecessarily, says Taylor Grant, executive environmental advisor of the Environmental Media Association.
Why it's good for you: Eco-psychologists say even a small Earth-friendly gesture can have a positive affect on mental health.
Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles
Fitness & Weight loss Expert, Author, NSA Speaker
P.S. Call for your FREE Nutritional Consultation today 480-212-1947 or visit WWW.MyFitnessElements.com or your FREE Grocery Shopping tips & list Now fax request 623-399-4199
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1 comment:
Save money and the Earth and be clean at the same time! Get serious and add Bathroom Bidet Sprayers to all your bathrooms. I think Dr. Oz on Oprah said it best: "if you had pee or poop on your hand, you wouldn't wipe it off with paper, would you? You'd wash it off” Available at http://www.bathroomsprayers.com with these you won't even need toilet paper any more, just a towel to dry off! Don’t worry, you can still leave some out for guests and can even make it the soft stuff without felling guilty. It's cheap and can be installed without a plumber; and runs off the same water line to your toilet. You'll probably pay for it in a few months of toilet paper savings. And after using one of these you won't know how you lasted all those years with wadded up handfuls of toilet paper. As for water use a drought is always a concern and must be dealt with prudently but please remember that in the big picture the industrial water users always far exceed the water use of household users and in the case of toilet paper manufacture it is huge. The pollution and significant power use from that manufacturing process also contributes to global warming so switching to a hand bidet sprayer and lowering your toilet paper use is very green in multiple ways. Blog; http://jeff9.livejournal.com/932.html
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