- If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week. Meat costs a lot at the store-and it’s even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.
Category: How to be green
Hallo Salon mates!
On Saturday, March 27, 2010, at 8:30 p.m. local time, I am taking part in Earth Hour—an event led by World Wildlife Fund in which millions of people around the world will unite by turning out their lights for one hour to make a bold statement of concern about our planet and climate change.
Earth Hour started three years ago in Sydney, Australia and is now the largest event of its kind in the world. Nearly one billion people from 4,100 cities in 87 countries on seven continents participated last year and, with your help, Earth Hour 2010 can be even bigger.
During Earth Hour, international landmarks including the Golden Gate Bridge, Empire State Building, Eiffel Tower and Great Pyramids have gone dark alongside the city skylines of Las Vegas, Hong Kong, Tel Aviv and more. To see it for yourself, check out this video: www.myearthhour.org/earth-hour-video.
But Earth Hour isn’t just for national landmarks and big cities—anyone can participate, whether it be individuals like you and me or schools, businesses, organizations, and our state and local governments. I hope you will join me for this amazing event and help send a message that the time for action on climate change is now. To sign up and start spreading the word, visit www. EarthHour.org.
Please help me spread the word. Let’s switch off our lights and send a powerful message: by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in the fight against climate change.
Thanks!
Always put a lid on it, and you’ll reach the boiling point faster.
If you’re experiencing an Indian Summer heat wave, you don’t necessarily have to flip on the air conditioning back on. Try open windows and fans, with pans of water in front of them to increase the cooling affect.
Composting: A process whereby organic wastes, including paper, food scraps and yard trimmings, decompose naturally, resulting in a product rich in minerals and ideal for gardening and farming. Try composting at home, or contribute your organic matter to a community garden.
get going: A great introduction to composting: www.compostguide.com
Is the pilot light on your gas stove burning blue? Good. If it’s burning yellow, that means it’s not burning efficiently. So make an appointment to have it serviced by the gas company.
It’s lunchtime: Do you know how much trash your kids are generating? There’s a movement afoot to reduce waste at lunch and snack time, through special containers with reusable compartments.
get going: www.wastefreelunches.org
the WILL and the WORD
If you’re in the habit of grabbing lunch in your company’s cafeteria and taking it back to your desk, bring in your own washable containers rather than using the provided plastic or Styrofoam, and keep cutlery and a cloth napkin at your desk. (Bonus points if you bring a towel for drying instead of using paper towels.) Or come in a bit earlier or leave a bit later so you can sit in the cafeteria and enjoy a meal on real dishes. If your company doesn’t offer real dishes, complain loudly until they do!
Glass food storage containers are healthier than plastic ones, but that doesn’t mean you need to buy something specific for the job. Just reuse jars from peanut butter, mayonnaise, jam and other food items. If you happen to have plastic takeout containers at home, you should try to find a use for those too! (They’re great for sorting and storing hardware or craft supplies.) If you just won’t give up on disposable sandwich or freezer bags, consider extending their life span by washing and drying them out between uses
