Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day everyone! Or as my nephew Kyce likes to say, "Earf Day."

(he has a thing with his "t-h's"....we're working on it) :-)

Last week my sister, her husband and the kiddies planted their garden. Kyce was so excited. He got on the phone and said, "Auntie! I planted food!"

"What kind of food?" I asked.

"Food you eat Auntie!"

...well...duh Auntie...why didn't I think of that? ;-)

Anyway, he's always telling me where to put my plastics and glass, which bin is used for what. He apparently learned about recycling in school. "We have to save the Earf Auntie."



Yes, he's absolutely right.

If you've never seen "The 11th Hour" - a documentary about what will happen to the Earth if we don't do something fast, then you should watch it. VERY daunting...I was so afraid and enlightened that I stopped buying my monthly supply of Poland Springs bottled water and got with the program with my Brita pitcher. PLEASE watch this trailer, the film is brilliant and terrifying all at once:



Little things mean so much, so I decided to list 50 ways we can help to live a GREENER lifestyle so that we can leave our children a much cleaner planet.

50 Green Tips for Earth Day and Beyond
By Kathleen J. King

It doesn't have to be Earth Day for me to think about how I can make an impact (or less of an impact) on our planet. Here are a few of my favorite tips:

1. Lower your thermostat. Buy a programmable thermostat.

2. Reuse your water bottle. Avoid buying bottled water. In fact, reuse everything at least once, especially plastics.

3. Check out your bathroom. Use low-flow faucets, showerheads, and toilets.

4. Start a compost in your back yard or on your rooftop.

5. Buy foods locally. Check out Eat Local Challenge and FoodRoutes to get started. Buy locally made products and locally produced services.

6. Buy in season.

7. Buy compact fluorescent light bulbs. You'll find more on energy-efficient products and practices at Energy Star.

8. Turn off lights and electronics when you leave the room. Unplug your cell phone charger from the wall when not using it. Turn off energy strips and surge protectors when not in use (especially overnight).

9. Recycle your newspapers.

10. Car pool. Connect with other commuters at eRideShare.

11. Consider a car sharing service like Zipcar.

12. Ride a bike.

13. Walk, jog, or run.

14. Go to your local library instead of buying new books.

15. At holidays and birthdays, give your family and friends the gift of saving the earth. Donate to their favorite environmental group, foundation, or organization.

16. Get off junk mail lists. GreenDimes can get you started. They’ll even plant a tree for you!

17. Buy products that use recyclable materials whenever possible.

18. If you use plastic grocery bags, recycle them for doggie poop bags or for small trashcan liners.
19. Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Given a choice between plastic and paper, opt for paper.

20. Buy locally. Find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food near you at LocalHarvest.

21. Consider organic cleaning products like vinegar, borax, and baking soda.

22. If you have a baby, consider using cloth diapers. To sign up for a diaper service to do the dirty work, check out the National Association of Diaper Services.

23. Consider buying a fuel-efficient car or a hybrid.

24. Landscape with native plants. Check out the article on the EPA website.

25. Opt into a clean energy program. Check out the Green Power Network at the US Department of Energy.

26. Go paperless. Consider reading your newspaper and magazine subscriptions online. Switch to electronic banking and credit card payment, too.

27. Teach kids about the environment.

28. Take your batteries to a recycling center. Earth 911 gives you the scoop.

29. Turn your car off if you’re going to be idle for more than one minute.

30. Do full loads of laundry and set the rinse cycle to “cold.”

31. Recycle. If you’re not at home, take the extra steps, (literally), to find that recycling can.

32. Reuse. Plastic food containers make good crayon and marker holders. Use padded envelops more than once. Buy your toddler or preschooler’s clothes from a thrift shop and give away those that don’t fit to friends. Goodwill or the Salvation Army can help.

33. Limit the length of your showers. Even better, take a “navy shower,” shutting off the water while soaping up and shampooing.

34. Don’t run the water when brushing your teeth. Learn about water scarcity.

35. Wash towels after several uses.

36. Purchase one case of water and provide clean water to 24 people (for over twenty years).

37. Give away your goods and find new ones at FreeCycle.

38. Recycle your technology. Dell, Hewlett Packard, Apple, and IBM, among others, offer recycling programs.

39. Go zero! Log on to the Conservation Fund’s Carbon Zero Calculator and in less than five minutes, you can measure and then offset your carbon dioxide emissions by planting trees.

40. Put your money where your mouth is—invest in green investments. Web sites like Co-op America's National Green Pages™ can help.

41. Learn about threats to ocean life and help Greenpeace take action.

42. Whenever you can, try using green cleaning products. Check out Cheap, Clean, and Green.

43. Find your local watershed and learn how to protect it.

44. Build a greener home.

45. Opt for eco-friendly and holistic health products.

46. Good to the last drop. Switch to fair trade coffee.

47. Go paperless at work. Distribute company information and post company material online.

48. Eliminate junk mail at work. For no fee, the EcoLogical Mail Coalition will eliminate the junk
that former employees receive at work.

49. Plant a forest and feed a family while you’re at it.

50. Shop smart. Choose eco-smart products

I hope this helps! Go out and plant a tree! Have a fantastic day!

-b

p.s. I wonder if Craig will contribute by going on one of his "Green Peace Missions" LOL!

21 comments:

Rameer said...

FIRST, BEEYATCHES!!!

Rameer said...

Uh...I don't really have anything else to add. Just wanted to say I'm first - cuz I AM.

Brooke...we can celebrate Earth Day and the naturalness of it all together...

"You and me baby ain't nothin' but mammals
So let's do it like they do on the Discovery Channel..."
- Bloodhound Gang

Annamaria said...

Rameer I'm back now. Don't get tased! lol

Rameer said...

Annamaria! So glad you ARE back! =)

Annamaria said...

LOL I know you guys all missed me!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

Brooke said...

Sorry guys...well, guy and gal! Been in meeting after meeting today. About to sit in on a meeting with Damon Dash...this should be interesting :)

How exactly do they do it on the Discovery Channel? :-) LOL!

Rameer said...

I can show you better than I can tell you...lol!

Tell Dame's arrogant a$$ I said to kick rocks! LMAO!!!

Oh...ixnay on the wife-ay questions...Lol!

Annamaria said...

Dame getting a new series??? He needs the MONEY! LOL

Serena W. said...

Thanks for the top 50 list. It's very helpful. I know when I start running again in a couple of weeks I want to buy one of those metal water bottles. They taught us to keep your bottle and not keep using plastic water bottles over and over again.

I also started recycling in my apartment even though my complex doesn't (ah well).

Thanks Brooke!

Brooke said...

He brought her up, not us...we met with his wife, along with a few others, a few weeks back - "Hip Hop Wives." LOL!!

He definitely has a presence. He won't be getting a series with us any time soon tho, from what I gathered from the meeting.

Brooke said...

You're welcome Serena! I use a metal water bottle too, they have cool ones at Old Navy actually.

They don't recycle in my building, isn't that crazy?

Annamaria said...

OK Brooke I will be unavailable to post to your blog tomorrow cause I will be registering & doing some baby stuff can I send you my random thoughts today????

Brooke said...

You can email them to me if you want and I can post them for you tomorrow...and then that way you'll definitely be FIRST! LOL!!

Annamaria said...

I like it!!! :)

Rameer said...

Can I get a series on A&E??

"For The Love Of Ray-Meer"?

I can think of 20 chicks right NOW I could line up...but I won't give champagne to 'em. I'll give em Riesling Ice Wine...

Brooke...can I have you as my first woman? I can guarantee you a spot to the Final 3...lol!

I'D be better entertainment than Dame's punk a$$...

Brooke said...

Final 3? Hmmmm, I'll have to think on that. You can dis me at the last minute for the wack chick, that way I can get my own show like Danger is gonna get :) LOL!

Rameer said...

How u know the show wouldn't be ruse just for me to spend time with you on A&E's dime? Y'know - use of a mansion, fancy car, trips to Latin America, private yacht (the kid will never fly again), etc...

Why I gotta pick the WACK chick???

I even got music they can play when someone gets booted - "Ex To The Next" by Gangstarr...

Annamaria said...

I got the drama part. I'll go on & then Brooke can rat me out & tell you that I got a man at home & a kid & that I'm trying to just get exposure....

Brooke said...

And don't forget the stripper pole in the shower :) LOL!

Rameer said...

SEE? THAT'S why we missed you, Annamaria!! Lol!

Brooke said...

You just want exposure, you ain't tryna spend no time with me :-)

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