how to
goGREEN & make a
DIFFERENCE a guide for a greener life
01
how to go
&
GREEN
make a difference
katrina kowalski 2008
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05 introduction 06 food choices 10 health care | personal care 12 clothing
contents
14 cleaning 16 income & investments 18 in the home 20 travel 21 consumption & waste 03
something needs to be done Our environment is precious and rapidly deteriorating beneath our feet. As our society continues to expand, so does the threat to our world’s well being. Global warming has become one of the most serious challenges facing our community today. In order to protect the health and economic welfare of current and future generations, we must reduce our negative impact on the planet by using the technology, intelligence, and practical solutions already available. In this area of the country, many people appear to believe they are ‘doing their share’ by simply recycling. While recycling is beneficial gesture, there are numerous additional actions
introduction
individuals can participate in resulting with a lessening of their impact on the environment. One of the most important areas of consideration for individuals is the recognition of the impact of their personal choices on the environment. But, unfortunately, many people are simply unaware or uninformed of how to make intelligent ‘green’ decisions. One way to help individuals form more environmentally friendly lives is to provide them with a guidebook concerning how to actually live greener. By presenting feasible and simple options, perhaps individuals will understand that a green life really is attainable. Areas to be addressed are food choices, health care, personal care, clothing, income and investments, within the home, energy usage, travel, both local and long distance, as well as waste and consumption.
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where to buy
Boulder offers a variety of organic grocery stores throughout the city • Wild Oats 2584 Baseline Road
• Celestial Seasonings 4600 Sleepytime Drive
• Whole Foods 905 Pearl Street
• Lucky’s Market 3960 Broadway Street
• New Hope Natural Media 1401 Pearl Street
• Aspen Grove Market 2885 Wilderness Place
• Boulder Cooperative Market 904 Pearl Street
• Rudi’s Organic Bakery 3330 Walnut Street
• Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers 2355 30th Street
• Farfel’s Farm 906 Pearl Street
• The Organic Dish 2690 28th Street
• Ideal Market 275 Alpine Avenue
• Boulder Natural Soluitions 5610 Pennsylvania Avenue
• Organic Vinters 1628 Walnut Street
• Boulder Creek Market 1900 13th Street
• Long Natural Health 2620 Thornbird Place
• Download a Shopper’s Guide listing non-genetically engineered foods to subsitute for mainstream-produced favorites: www.truefoodnow.org
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• Buy products in recyclable packaging – ie: glass or ceramic packaging
Ancient Greeks called it the agora, or marketplace—a
farmer’s markets
setting that has always been the center of communal activity, providing a way for consumers to connect with the land and community by purchasing local produce directly from farmers.
• Boulder also offers an excellent opportunity to support local farmers at their local farmer market from April to October
Boulder County Farmers Market ( boulderfarmers.org)
• Grown own foods if space permits
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how to cook • Eating raw foods more often
- I am allergic to many raw vegetables, but steaming a large batch could
provide me with nutritious vegetables and use less energy due to the large
amount processed at the same time; the excess food could be stored in a
glass container
• Reduce amount of meat consumed • Using simple spatulas, spoons, whisks, etc instead of electric mixers • Use a smaller oven if cooking smaller amounts – ie: cooking cookies in a toaster oven instead of wasting energy with an oven • Don’t discard remaining water or broth after cooking pasta – reuse if possible, or feed to plants • Compost left over food, particularly plant-based foods • Only run dishwasher with full load and allow to air dry • Unplug unused appliances
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• Down size appliances
eating out • Boulder features multiple restaurants that focus on preparing organic dishes, using local produce and utilizing alternative energy sources
eatures local ingredients, utilizes wind power, considers every
detail from the towels in the bathroom to the biodegradable straws,
recycles 100% of discards, composts remaining scraps
food choices
- The Kitchen:
- Sunflower: organic dining - Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant:
organic and vegetarian dining, features organic,
biodynamic and sustainable wines
- VG Burgers: organic dining, 100% plant based food - Turley’s: local ingredients, organic dining
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prevention Eat healthy foods
– reduce sugar, alcohol and processed food intake
Drink clean water
– Boulder is supplied with water from a local glacier
Exercise
– Boulder offers countless trails and outdoor activities to enjoy
- practice yoga – does not require machines or gear
- walk, bike, run through the city and parks
Get rid of unhealthy chemicals
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– look for products with natural ingredients rather than harsh bleaches
green products • Natural Medicines – Boulder offers a plethora of natual medicine stores • Herbs – can be grown easily and offer a variety of natural health benefits • Deodorants – stay away from antiperspirants; choose deodorants with natural ingredients such as charcoal, vinegar, backing soda, green teas, essential oils, etc. • Shampoos & Conditioners – stay away from chemical rich shampoos and conditioners and instead select green shampoos and conditioners featuring natural hydrators, nutrient-dense oils, and emulsifiers; tea tree oil, coconut oil, orn oil, olive oil, castile, wheat and soya protein are another good alternative cleansers and moisturizers
health care
• Soaps – use bar soaps rather than liquid soaps and body washes which contain additional harmful chemicals in order to obtain their fluid state; I prefer the Dove Beauty Bar • Oral Care – electric tooth brushes are unnecessary; most tooth pastes are low impact on the chemical scale do to their contact with the mouth; could also try using baking soda in place of toothpaste • Skin Care – begins with nutrition and exercise; avoid skin care products featuring dangerous chemicals; Origin’s features products that are plant based and do not contain preservatives; Avedo, Avalon Natural Products; Bare Escentuals, Burt’s Bees, Lily of Colorado, among many also offer green products; there are also options for creating own cosmetics in the kitchen featuring rose water, cocoa butter , lavendar, and other natural ingredients
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what goes on your back • Recycle Clothing – donate unwanted clothes to charity • Invest in good quality clothing that will last • Only buy what you need, not jut what you want • Support locally manufactured clothing
- American Apparel
clothing
not only offers clothing made in the U.S., it also features several
organic options
- Prana
recently opened a store in Boulder and features clothes made utilizing
wind power
- Patagonia
also recently opened a store in Boulder and used organic cotton and recycled
soda bottles in the production of clothing
- Teva shoes
have also joined the eco-style initiative, styling shoes out of post-consumer
recycled materials
• Avoid clothing made in China or other distant locations – hidden costs of transportation and use of sweat shops
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keeping the planet clean too • always use cold water for rinse cycle • monitor water amount and load size • hand wash clothes • if buying new W/D, look for one with low energy use • line dry clothes
cleaning
• rid house of dangerous chemicals – they’re not healthy for you, your home or the environment
- use vinegar instead
- avoid petroleum based soaps
- look for ingredients such as grain alcohol or natural plant oils
- choose fragrance-free soaps and detergents
- use non-chlorine bleaches, washing soda, white vinegar and
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baking soda
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Green banking, socially responsible banking, community investment banking, and eco banking are all terms that mean relatively the same
green banking
thing: banks or financial institutions that incorporate an ecological outlook into their business model Many banks are envisioning a bright future defined by ecological economics. While the staid old mega-banks are only now beginning to test the waters, some young upstart establishments are plunging in full force with a complete focus on social justice and environmental economics. They are insistent upon a green viewpoint, defining community banking in a whole new way that allows even their smallest depositors the opportunity to put their dollars to work for healthier communities and a healthier planet.
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green money • simple steps you can take:
& investments income
- bank online or paperless as much as possible
- utilize direct deposit
- choose bank that supports noble causes such as forest preservation, water
production, responsible farming practices, recycling, community education, loans to
displaced timber workers to help them start environmentally friendly businesses, etc.
• Invest in good causes and donate to charities that support the environment • if banking locally, write a letter or schedule a meeting the the head of the bank to address concerns such as:
- the bank’s policy about recycling and paper use
- energy saving efforts or environmental improvements the bank has made to
its buildings
- investment and loan policies
- what percentage of loans are awarded to environmentally focused companies
or emerging technology - future plans to do more
- encourage your bank with your support and continued patronage
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simple solutions • Living in a small apartment or space requires less energy usage
- less to clean, less to maintain
- more inexpensive to buy
- less room to accumulate unwanted and unnecessary items
- savings in time and money
• Utilize natural light as much as possible; avoiding using electric lights • Benefit from plants – naturally clean the air • Open windows when possible to freshen air and facilitate air flow rather than relying on fans and air conditioning • look for untreated, certified organic cotton mattresses, sheets blankets and comforters
- green cotton contains no formaldehyde or bleach on the end product
- many green cotton products are conventionally grown and pre-treated, while
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organic cotton is entirely free of bleaches, dyes, pesticides, and formaldehyde
save your breath
in the home
• write to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and register with their Mail Preference Service to have name removed from junk mail lists • to stop the onslaught of credit card offers, call 1-888-5-OPTOUT • you can reduce the number of telephone solicitations you receive by registering online at the National DO NOT CALL Registry Web site. • to cut down on the junk email you receive, register at the Consumer Assistance section of the DMA Web site
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point a to point b • Boulder offers an excellent bus system which can be utilized throughout the city and state • bike or walk whenever possible
– most of what you need is within walking distance
- carry work clothes, laptop and groceries in bike messenger bags, and/or install
panniers on your ride
• carpool whenever possible during longer trips
travel
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• limit amount of air travel • invest in fuel efficient vehicle
buy less, waste less • Be aware of how much is consumed and packaging waste • Purchase products packaged in recyclable materials • Buy less, waste less • Recycle and reuse whenever possible • Limit amount of products perchased
consumpton waste
&
• Use reusable bags when grocery shopping • Compost food waste whenever possible • Simplify • Use less energy • Use less water • Donate unwanted clothes and items rather than throwing away
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