Making paper is one of the most polluting industries on the planet. It uses huge amounts of water and energy. It may use chlorine to bleach the paper white, and that chlorine may create dioxin, one of the deadliest toxins on earth. Some paper manufacturers discharge dirty water, often laden with dangerous chemicals, back into rivers and lakes. […]
Author Archive | Diane
Does Factory Farming Cause Swine Flu?
What causes swine flu and how can you protect yourself from getting it? The deadly disease has started to emerge in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Hong Kong, worrying public health officials and leading many consumers to wonder how they can stay safe. Here are some suggestions from the Centers for Disease Control to help […]
Ten Low Cost, High Impact Ways to Celebrate Earth Day
Low Cost: 1) Go outside. Take a walk, sit on your porch, have lunch in the park, eat a picnic dinner with family or friends. Looking outside doesn't count. Get out there and just…relax. 2) Plant something. If the idea of relaxing drives you a little bit crazy, do something useful. Plant a tree, sow vegetable […]
This Earth Day, Save the Planet – and Save $4,000/yr, Too
Living a greener life is one of the fastest, easiest ways to save money. In fact, you can save almost $4,000 every year by taking easy steps to use less energy, reduce waste, and simplify your lifestyle. In honor of Earth Day, I’ve compiled this list of cost-cutting strategies that benefit your pocketbook as well as […]
Opera Singer Shifts $1,000 to Save the Planet
Elizabeth de Shong makes her living as a professional opera singer. But she’s made “green living” a priority for herself and her family. To show her commitment, she joined the One in a Million Campaign, and so far has shifted more than $1,000 of her household income to products and services that offer the greatest […]
Don’t Do This on Earth Day!
What should you NOT do on Earth Day? You’ve probably already received hundreds of tips on what you should do – and maybe they’re now a big mish-mash in your brain. Here are ten things you SHOULDN’T do. So don’t. 1) Don’t drive like a teenager, speeding up and slowing down and weaving in and […]
Want to Increase Plastic Bottle Recycling? Put a Deposit on It.
If it’s not easy to recycle something, is it really recyclable? That’s a fair question to ask, since we consumers are constantly being reassured that a product is “green” or “greener” because it is “recyclable” – even when, in reality, the product is barely being recycled at all. Consider single-use plastic water bottles. Companies that manufacture […]
Water. Use it Wisely.
Did you make a cup of tea or throw in a load of laundry before starting to read this post? You probably could have, given the easy acess most of us have to clean water. One person of every three on the planet today isn’t nearly so fortunate, according to the International Water Management Institute, […]