Posted Friday, May 09, 2008 6:19 PM
With gas prices at all-time highs this isn’t just an eco issue—it’s an economic one! Sure, public transport, walking or riding a bike are all great alternatives, but they’re obviously not always possible. And hybrid cars are in most cases still more expensive than regular ones—though I think with tax incentives and all the $ you can save on gas they can work out to be a good deal, right? When it comes time to replace my six-year-old VW Jetta, I’ll definitely go hybrid, but for now I’m looking for simpler ways to save gas. Here are some pretty painless ways to get more mileage out of that tank of gas you just shelled out $50+ for (the Environmental Defense Fund estimates that moves like these can save you between $200-$500 each year):
Slow down. Fuel economy goes down by 5 to 10 % for every 5 mph above 60 you drive.
Don’t idle. It’s a myth that your car needs to “warm up,” and letting it idle wastes gas and causes polluting emissions. If you need to wait more than 10 seconds, turn off the ignition (unless you’re actually in traffic, obviously).
Keep tabs on your tire pressure. Properly inflated tires improve fuel economy by 3% or more a year, because your car has less drag to overcome when its wheels are full of air. (Though I have never actually done this, I remind my husband to. Yes, I need to find a secret passageway out of the 1950’s)
Go easy on the AC. Using your car’s cooling system burns through fuel, so it’s usually a better idea to open up windows to cool down. However, if you’re moving along at 45 mph or faster then open windows will create drag on your car that cuts down on fuel economy even more than the AC would. Another tip: If you are doing the open window thing, crack all four windows so the air will move through the car more easily and create less drag.
Don’t put pedal to the metal. Try to cruise as much as possible—it wastes gas to speed up and then lay on the brake at a red light or when traffic slows.
Avoid left turns. Have you heard this thing about how UPS started designing routes for their drivers that include as many right turns as possible? They found that waiting for left turns was causing their trucks to waste time and gas. So, when you can, try to plot your errands in a clockwise route so you won’t have to linger at lefties.
Are you working on cutting back on gas? Have you tried any of these tips, or any others that allow you to go to the pump less often?
Posted Friday, May 02, 2008 7:36 AM
I just went to a lunch event kicking off the first Pregnancy Awareness Month, founded by Anna Getty (an LA yoga instructor and sort of healthy/holistic living guru, and sister of actor Balthazar) with the goal of getting women to take better care of themselves both when they’re pregnant, trying to conceive, and even just considering becoming mamas. There were a lot of cool eco organizations and experts at the event, and it got me thinking about how important it is to green up your body and your home before you bring a baby into it. Here are two crucial things you should start doing now if you’re thinking of reproducing any time soon—or no matter what, actually, but having a baby is great motivation:
1 Stick to eco beauty products. There’s evidence that chemicals in the regular ones (parabens and phthalates are two common, sinister ingredients) can mess with the hormonal development of a baby in utero, so stick to cosmetics and other beauty loot that swear them off. There are a confusing variety of seals and certifications on natural cosmetics these days, and I still haven’t deciphered them, but the Cosmetics Safety Database is always a good place to find nontoxic products. (And with some cool new eco lines out there, like this gorgeous makeup by Josie Maran and the new organic line from Physician’s Formula, this isn’t even much of a sacrifice).
2 Avoid forbidden fish. Sadly for me, because I used to love it, it sounds like the safest thing to do if you’re TTC, pregnant, or breastfeeding is to go really light on the seafood. The varieties that don’t contain neurotoxic mercury are often packed with PCBs and other dangerous chemicals. These pollutants can stick around in your body for months or even years after you ingest them, and they’re thought to be especially harmful to developing baby brains, so it’s never too soon to start cutting back pre-baby. Check this Environmental Defense Fund guide to how often you can safely eat different types of seafood.
Of course there are lots of other prenatal green living moves you should do for the health of your baby (eating organic, of course, using green cleaning products, etc.) but these two seem especially crucial because the toxins involved—although not great for any of us—are so especially risky for a fetus that’s bombarded with them right as all its sweet little parts are coming together. And as I mentioned before, they can linger in your body for a while, so it’s never to early to start nixing them.
Posted Friday, April 25, 2008 6:46 PM
As you no doubt noticed, Tuesday was Earth Day, and the media gave a ton of attention to it. Although I try to think about my impact on the planet every day, all of the Earth Day coverage got me thinking about ways I can live more eco-consciously. I’m pretty good when it comes to the three R’s (buying minimally packaged goods, toting re-usable water bottle/shopping bags/coffee container, recycling obsessively, etc.) and as you know if you’ve read this blog before I’m pretty obsessive about keeping chemicals out of my home. But when I was examining my eco-conscience on Earth Day I had to admit that my carbon footprint could use a little reduction. The problem of global warming is so overwhelming that it’s hard to imagine that my little life does much to impact it one way or another. But reading this Michael Pollan piece in the New York Times helped remind me that individual actions do matter. He suggests that we all start growing some of our own food, and although I can’t quite imagine fitting that into my work/parenting/trying-to-find-five-minutes-for-myself schedule any time soon, the story got me thinking about other things I can do.
I’m committing to switching even more of my lightbulbs to CFLs and (cross my heart) I’m going to remember to switch off power strips so my home electronics don’t suck up energy when I’m not using them. But something that has more of an impact that those moves, and which doesn’t even require a trip to Target to buy more CFLs and power strips, is to use less hot water. Heating water, along with heating and cooling indoor air, account for way, way more of your home’s energy usage than lamps and household electronics do. So while switching to CFL bulbs is certainly helpful, you’ll do much more to help the global warming problem if you focus on using less hot water. A few simple moves that I’m resolving to make:
Shorter showers. According to the Green Guide, shaving two minutes off of your daily shower will save 342 lbs of carbon dioxide emissions every year. And now that warm weather is here we can try taking less steamy ones too. In honor of Earth Day I started timing my showers. I’m finding it impossible to do all the necessary conditioning, shaving, scrubbing, etc. in five minutes, but am aiming for six.
Washing my clothes in cold water. 90% of the electricity used by your washer goes to heat the water, and cold water is easier on your clothes anyway. So unless you’re battling some serious stains, use the cold cycle.
Setting my water heater to 120 degrees. This saves 550 lbs of carbon dioxide per year.
Washing my hands in cold water. The crucial components of hand washing are the soap and the rubbing, so I’m going to skip waiting for the water to heat (unless I know my mitts are truly polluted for some reason).
Did you make any Earth Day resolutions?
Posted Friday, April 18, 2008 5:53 PM
When interviewing experts on the subject of how to keep toxins out of your home, I?ve heard many times that one of the simplest things to do is to always take your shoes off right after you walk in the door. I?d known people who enforce a no-shoes rule to keep dirt off of the rugs, and honestly I?d always thought that those people were being stupidly uptight. But I realized what a good idea the no-shoes thing is when an environmental scientist for the NRDC pointed out to me that shoes don?t only track in old-fashioned dirt (whatever that means) but also things like lead paint residue, lawn herbicides, diesel exhaust, and anything else that might be lingering on the sidewalk, grass or driveway. So, for at least a year I?ve been planning to institute a no-shoes rule in our house, but only now am I finally getting serious about it. One of my eco-minded friends (who even makes her guests take off their shoes at parties, which is a bit extreme I think?I mean, you?ll have to vacuum and mop post-party anyway, right?) said to me, ?Wearing shoes inside the house is just gross? and I realized how silly it is that I obsessively avoid toxic glass cleaner, hand soap, sunscreen, diaper cream, etc., etc. and then track who-knows-what allover my home when I walk in the door. So, I bought this basket (which is made out of sustainably grown hyacinth and rattan) and placed it next to the door in hopes that we?ll remember to put our footwear there. It?s only been a few days, but so far, so good. I just have to remember to empty the basket every once in a while so my entire shoe wardrobe doesn?t wind up spilling out of it.
Do any of you have no-shoe policies? What are some of the challenges of it? Any tips you?ve found for making it easier? Do you make guests go barefoot too?and if so, how do you politely tell them to de-shoe upon entry?
Posted Friday, April 11, 2008 4:33 PM
Whether to ask for a paper or plastic bag at the grocery store check out is one of the most widely discussed every day green issues. Although when the environmental impact of both types of bags is measured in depth, studies seem to conclude that paper is actually a bigger offender than plastic, some cities are moving to outlaw plastic bags entirely (in large part because of the damage they do when they wind up in the ocean, as tons of them do).
Of course, the eco option is to bring your own bag, but even the most earnest environmentalists among us forget sometimes.
But this blog post from the Terrapass website casts the whole issue in a new light. (Terrapass is one of those companies you can buy carbon offsets from, so if you drive a big old SUV around you can prevent nasty looks from Prius drivers by slapping a Terrapass bumper sticker on the back of it.) The writer points out that the whole paper vs. plastic debate is silly, because the food you put in your shopping bags has way more of an environmental impact than the bag itself. Fresh, locally grown food is gentler on the planet than stuff that?s processed/packaged/shipped from far away, and plant-based foods generally have a smaller carbon footprint than meat and dairy. Yes, you knew that already, but it?s interesting to think about it in light of how much more important your food choices are than the type of bag you bring them home in.
Btw, if you live in New York, Chicago or Seattle you might want to check out one of the green festivals that are coming your way: The Go Green Expo comes to New York City April 26th and 27th, and the Green Festival is happening in Seattle this weekend (April 12th and 13th) and will hit Chicago May 17th and 18th. I haven?t been to one of these events yet, but they sound like great places to find out about eco-friendly products and services in your area, as well as to hear cool speakers. I wish I could go to one of them, but am pretty tied to home right now.
One green-oriented event I will make it to is ?Motherhood Begins Now,? which will bring pregnant women and new moms together with experts on healthy parenting. It?s co-sponsored by some cool brands like Seventh Generation and Plum Organics baby food and takes place in LA on May 1st.
Posted Friday, April 04, 2008 6:31 PM
Suddenly it seems like a new ?organic? or ?natural? line of beauty products is released every day. Even mainstream brands like Physician?s Formula and Origins are putting out a few green products. The problem is, it?s hard to understand what the labels mean, because the term ?natural? isn?t regulated for personal care products, and the term ?organic? is regulated in sort of a weird way. This article give the low-down on what a ?USDA organic? seal means for beauty products. The thing that I find really tricky about it is that a product made with 95% organic ingredients can get the seal, but still be awful for you if the other 5% percent are harsh chemicals. And distressingly, a new study just came out revealing that even some of the most hippie-ish beauty brands contain a contaminant called 1, 4 dioxane!
What?s a trying-to-be green girl or guy to do? Unfortunately, you have to become a bit of a sleuth and read ingredients lists (I know, like you have time for this . . ) before you buy. You could say that as a general rule unfamiliar, hard-to-pronounce ingredients are bad, but that?s not always true. For instance, tocopherol nicotinate sounds totally scary, but is actually just a form of Vitamin E. Meanwhile, the innocent-seeming word ?fragrance? is an alias for all sorts of toxic stuff.
Here are the three ingredients I look for on product labels?and if a lotion or potion contains one I put it back on the shelf and move on:
Fragrance: Product makers aren?t required to list the specific ingredients that go into their fragrances, and most synthetic fragrances contain phthalates, plus a bunch of other possibly dangerous chemicals. To play it safe, only use products that are scented with essential oils. (Confusingly, even products labeled ?unscented? often aren?t safe, because the manufacturer might have used a chemical ?masking? scent to make the product not smell like anything. So look for the word ?fragrance? on the labels of unscented products too.)
Methylparaben, propylparaben, anything that ends in ?paraben?: These chemicals are usually lurking at the bottom of ingredients lists. They?re a type of preservative that nearly every mainstream beauty product contains, and they?ve been linked to reproductive problems.
Triclosan: This antibacterial, which is found in many cleansers, lotions and toothpastes, has been linked to cancer and hormone disruption.
I need to emphasize that this is NOT AT ALL a comprehensive list of all the harmful chemicals to avoid in your beauty/bodycare buying. It?s just that I don?t have time to memorize every possible hazard, and in general if something doesn?t contain any of these it means that the manufacturer is probably pretty sincere with its pure/non-toxic intentions. But you can look up any ingredient, and almost any product, on this Cosmetics Safety Database which explains, much, much better than I can, what to avoid as well as which products are actually safe.
Posted Friday, March 28, 2008 5:24 PM
So I swear I don?t have a strange fixation on shower curtains (even though I just wrote about them a few weeks ago), but I was perusing the Pottery Barn catalog (which frustratingly came in the mail even though I?ve tried to opt out of it using Catalog Choice) when these shower curtains caught my eye. Our guest bathroom could use an update, and the shower curtain we have in there now is getting a little haggard, so I thought that the orange curtain with the Morocco-inspired criss cross print could be the perfect thing. But then I reminded myself that I should buy an organic cotton one instead (since conventional cotton is so horrific for the environment). Even though I expected to be disappointed, I read all the catalog copy on the shower curtain (there are matching towels too) just on the remote chance that it might be made of organic. And to my immense shock, it is! I?m so thrilled about this, not just because I can now allow myself to buy the curtain, but because it?s a real leap forward for the eco-living movement that mainstream brands are making a wide range of really attractive items that are earth-friendly. And in this case the stuff isn?t even being proudly labeled organic as a marketing thing, the organic factor is barely mentioned, meaning that organic cotton is hopefully on its way to being seen as a given.
Do you have any favorite eco-friendly products that you?d never guess are green, or which don?t require any sacrifice at all? I?d love to hear about more.
Posted by
Nest Celeste
Filed under: eco blog
Posted Friday, March 21, 2008 8:42 PM
Even though I?m pretty obsessive (some would probably say crazed) about using only eco-friendly products and materials in my home, I definitely haven?t earned any green credentials with my fashion and clothing choices. I just haven?t found many eco-friendly fashion brands that are both cute and affordable. I?ll pay more for green clothes if they?re stylish, and might buy some not-so-cute ones if they?re at least cheap, but clearly nobody?s going to pay more for unflattering clothes just because they?re better for the planet. And when I see that a place like the Gap has a crop of really nice spring blouses (which they do right now, btw) for under $40 each I just can?t resist scooping up a few, even though they?re made of non-organic cotton and shipped here from the other side of the globe. Until now I?ve mostly found that the only fashion category with great green options is baby stuff?there are heaps of cute onesies and footies and tiny sweaters made of organic cotton and wool.
But I recently made an eco-friendly fashion purchase that I?m thrilled about: One of the bags from Stella McCartney?s new line for LeSportSac. It?s stylish, super-sturdy and made of recycled polyester (although I?m no vegan, it is nice to avoid leather when you can, both for the earth?s and the cows? sakes). I bought the Everyday Tote to use as a diaper bag, and am loving all of its pockets and zippered compartments and bottle holders. (I now have two kids in diapers and not just any diaper bag can handle the four million things I need to bring with me every time I step outside.) But this bag would also be great for a student or a busy working girl or anybody who tends to tote half her life with her everywhere she goes.
I also saw that American Apparel is making organic cotton tee shirts in a variety of colors. They?ve been doing organic cotton for a while now, but it used to only come in that super-blah off-white hue (the style price you pay for an item not processed with a lot of bleach I guess). I plan to buy a few soon since the price is right ($15) and they look like they could score on the style front too.