Earth Day 2011

Make a dierence this Earth Day | Eco-friendly facts vs. ďŹ ction

Advertising Supplement to the Sun Journal, Friday, April 22, 2011

Make a difference this Earth Day This year, Earth Day will be celebrated on April 22.

By Ralph Lee Feature Writer

Because it’s right in the heart of t he spr ing season, when ma ny people feel rejuvenated after a long winter, Earth Day is the ideal time for men, women and children to take that extra energy they have in the spring and channel it into ecofriendly behaviors that benefit the environment. To do just that this Earth Day, consider these tips.

Recycling isn’t on most people’s m i nds, but it shou ld be. Va st savings of natural resources – not to mention money – could be realized if we all would do just a small bit of recycling in our daily lives. So think about doing your part. If Americans would think about recycling as much as they think about what’s going to happen on their favorite reality show, this reality we call life would be better for everybody. Here are some facts to consider:

Take a walk! Or a jog or a bike ride.

Men and women can help reduce air pollution by walking, jogging or riding a bike to get from place to place. W h i le t h is m ig ht not b e d o a b le a c r o s s t h e b o a r d , particularly for men and women w it h long com mutes, when running errands around town on the weekends dust off your bicycle instead of gassing up the car.

If you’re taking kids to the park on the weekend, walk or bike to the park. It’s a great way to spend t i me outdoors a nd benef it t he environment at the same time. The idea is to have fun, get outdoors and enjoy nature while preserving it at the same time.

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W h a t’s b l a c k a n d w h i t e a n d re a d a l l ov e r b u t , unfortunately, not recycled? If every newspaper was recycled, Americans c o u l d re p o r t e d l y s a ve a b o u t 250,000,000 trees each year. What percent of American newspapers are recycled? 27 percent.

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Using a bicycle instead of an automobile to run errands is one way to be more eco-friendly this Earth Day.

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EARTH DAY

Check it out: The reality is these facts aren’t recycled

P ucker up. More t ha n 20,000,000 Hershey’s Kisses are wrapped each day, using 133 square miles of tinfoil which could a ll be recycled. Question: How much of that tinfoil is recycled?

Better question: How much of that tinfoil have you recycled? If you haven’t done your part, what makes you think anybody else has?

3.

Hit the shower. A five-minute shower uses 10 to 25 gallons of water. A tub of water uses about 70 gallons.

4.

Grab a whatchamacallit or call a plumber. A leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year. A leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day. About 75 percent of the water we use in our homes is used in the bathroom. About 24.999 percent is used in the kitchen. The rest is used in the bedroom for those who take a glass of water to bed ... or soak their dentures.

5.

Want another good reason to lose weight? The average American will throw away 600 times their adult weight in garbage. For a 150-pound person, that’s 45 tons of trash in a lifetime.

6.

We are No. 1. That’s right, but this ranking isn’t worth brag g i ng about. A mer ica ns (comprising about 2.5 percent of the world’s population) produce more trash than any other country i n t he w orld, ac c ou nt i ng for 40 percent of waste.

7.

But we a re gett ing better.

Typical city waste in America

was recycled at a 32-percent clip in 2005, according to the U.S. General Accounting Office. That’s up from 10 percent in 1980.

8.

And we’re beating Greece.

Overa ll, t he United States re c ycle s a bout 30 perc ent of its waste today, double f rom a decade ago. Among nations in the European Union, Greece recycles a lowly 10 percent. We’re far short of Austria’s 60 percent.

9.

The Great Wall of the United States. A merica ns disca rd enough office and writing paper each year to build a wall 12 feet high from Los Angeles to New York.

10.

Heck, no, we won’t foam.

A m e r i c a n s r e p or t e d l y throw away 25 billion Styrofoam cups each year. None is recyclable.

Thin k t w ice about hav ing t hat second beer the next time you’re at the ballpark.

11.

Ya don’t keep your oven on when you’re not using it, do you? Turn off the water while you’re brushing your teeth. That will save you four gallons of water with each brushing and save you money.

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A nd you ca n’t eat t he w rapping. According to reports, about $1 of every $11 U.S. consumers spend for food pays for the packaging.

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Just what we need – another law (but this is a good one).

States with bottle deposit laws have 35 to 40 percent less litter by volume than those without a bottle law.

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Your postal carrier’s back w i l l t ha n k you too. Tr y elect ronic deliver y of mont h ly d o c u m e nt s y ou g e t t h r ou g h t he ma i l. The jun k ma i l a lone A mer ica ns receive da i ly cou ld produce enough energ y to heat 250,000 homes.

15.

That’s eight months of your life you won’t get back.

Another reason to use electronic delivery as much as you can: Americans reportedly spend eight months of their lives opening junk mail (hitting the delete button takes only seven months).

16.

Come on i n ... t here’s plenty of room. Have you thought about car pooling? Most U.S. workers drive solo. We’ve got so much room in the 140 million cars on roadways daily that everyone in Western Europe could hitch a ride.

17.

Take that, sheiks. Recycling one ton of aluminum saves 37 barrels of oil.

Advertising Supplement, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, April 22, 2011

Green giving: Make your donations count The home improvement bug has hit, a nd you’re ready to pa int.

Before you sta r t, you need to clear the room. Rather than toss everything into a box, why not take the time to sort through it and clear away the clutter? The less stuff you have, the easier it will be for you to set up the room later. Since you don’t have time to have a yard sale, you’ll have to donate the items you no longer want or need. While you could just pack up the excess and drop it off at the nearest donation point, t here is a better way to ensure your goods get to the people who need them.

While you could just pack up the excess and drop it off at the nearest donation point, there is a better way to ensure your goods get to the people who need them.

Call around and find out where your goods would be best used. You might discover that a local church is collecting furniture for a family whose house bu r ned dow n, a homeless shelter is collecting coats and an animal shelter is collecting blankets. You never know where your goods are needed.

the business during off-hours. The goods could get stolen or damaged in bad weat her. If you ca nnot a r ra nge to drop of f t he goods during business hours, ask a friend to do it for you or find out if there are drop-off boxes set up around town. Getting rid of the clutter before you tackle painting is a good idea. Donating your goods is even better, as long as you take the time to do it properly.

G et a l i st of g u idel i nes f rom each organization and follow it faithfully. Before boxing up goods, inspect them carefully and make sure they are in good condition.

Dispose of all hazardous items like chemicals and paint. Dispose of all banned or recalled items. Dispose of a ll broken or stained items.

Clean and repair anything that you can. Wipe down that dusty old rocker and sew that loose button back on that shirt. Don’t leave it to the organization to do. They don’t have the money or the time.

Facts about planet Earth Environmentalists and regular people have been making strides to improve the quality of life on this planet. From recycling to reducing carbon emissions, there are several steps individuals have been making to benefit the Earth.

By Tresa Erickson Feature Writer

When donating to larger charitable organizations, look for reputable, est abl i shed ones. Be w a r y of orga n i z at ion s t hat sol ic it for goods by phone, require you to drop off goods at an odd time or place, refuse to give you a receipt, ask for donations in cash or make some other unusual request. They might not be legitimate. Contact all organizations you are interested in donating to beforehand and find out what restrictions are in place.

Some organizations are limited in what they can take, while others are not.

AT A GLANCE:

Although it is both fragile and awe-inspiring, the planet Earth has been around for centuries and is likely to endure centuries more. Here are some facts about this planet that illustrate its mystery and magnitude.

• It is the third planet from the sun.

• T he Earth is 4.6 billion years old.

• 70 percent of the Earth is covered in water.

• T he planet is 197 million square miles.

• Every couple of years Earth, Mars and the sun line up. It is called opposition.

• T he Earth’s atmosphere is mostly oxygen and nitrogen.

• T he temperature at the Earth’s core is estimated to be between 5000 and 7000 degrees Celsius.

• T here are roughly 7 billion people living on the planet.

• T he A ma zon R iver pours out more t ha n 456 million cubic feet of water each minute.

• T he Earth’s axis has a tilt of about 23 ½ degrees.

It is this tilt which causes the seasons.

• I f a l l t he ice covering t he A nta rct ic a nd Greenland suddenly melted, oceans all over the world would rise about 215 feet, enough to cover a 21-story building.

• T he Earth is made mostly of iron, oxygen, silicon, magnesium, nickel and sulfur: 34.6% Iron, 29.5% Oxygen, 15.2% Silicon, 12.7% Magnesium, 2.4% Nickel, 1.9% Sulfur, 0.05% Titanium.

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W hen you are ready to donate goods, call the organization and find out their business hours. Drop off the goods during this time and make sure an attendant is on duty.

Do not drop off the goods outside of

Advertising Supplement, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, April 22, 2011

EARTH DAY

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WATER:

Our seas have become a vast dumping ground

By Ralph Lee Feature Writer On land, it’s easy to see pollution. Look up, look down, look all around (whoa, we might be on to a hit song here). Anyway, pollution is everywhere. You don’t have to look hard or far to find it. But there’s another part of the earth that’s polluted that many don’t see – unless you live on a coast.

It’s our oceans. And make no mistake – our oceans don’t pollute themselves – even with all the fish doing their business in them. Instead, reports suggest more than 80 percent of marine pollution comes from land-based activities. Let’s take a look at some of this disgusting stuff.

What a waste According to experts, toxic waste is the worst type of pollution to life in the sea. Basically, toxic waste is poisonous material dumped in any ocean. It gets in the ocean through landfill leaks, dumps and mines.

When toxic waste gets in the ocean, it gets in the fish in the ocean. And that fish you eat today with toxins in it could be a part of your body tomorrow. Toxins in your body can potentially lead to birth defects and damage to the central nervous system.

Chemicals such as lead are prevalent in the oceans, and lead can cause damage to the brain, kidneys and reproductive systems of humans. Another toxin in the oceans is medical waste.

Exposure to medical waste can potentially resu lt in hepat it is or even A IDS. Vira l and bacterial diseases are also possible.

Industrial production creates toxic waste that contains heav y metals. W hen these metals get into water, they are often fatal to marine life.

Cry over this spill Oil spills are often cited by the general popu lat ion a s a major cause of water pollution and that’s true. What percent of oil in the oceans is caused by spills? Twenty percent? Fifty percent? Eighty percent? Nope, “only” about 12 percent. Three times that amount comes running down our city drains and into our bodies of water.

Cruisin’ for a bruisin’ You’ve seen those pictures of people enjoying an ocean cruise. It looks great from on top of the water. What’s going on in the water is a different story. According to reports, a oneweek adventure on a cruise ship creates more than a million gallons of grey water.

Grey water is wastewater on board the ship that gets dirty from soap, detergent and other “cleaners.” And where does this water go when it’s dirty and grey? Do the companies that own these ocean liners order them to

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wait until they get back to port and dispose of this waste in a sanitary fashion?

No, that would cost money. So the gunk goes right in the oceans they’re traveling on – and that’s all of them. On the same cruise, another 200,000 gallons of, uh, raw sewage ends up in the ocean.

Gentlemen, shut off your engines (you ladies too) ...

By now you’re probably saying, “But I have nothing to do with toxic waste and oil in the ocean and I don’t go on cruises, so I’m not causing these problems.” And you’d be right.

But did you know you can poison bodies of water when you drive your car?

The exhaust from a driven car results in acid rain. Acid rain mixes with regular rain, and when those rain clouds head over a body of water, bad things happen. Many fish pay the ultimate price – and that doesn’t mean they end up as dinner on your plate. So save a trip or two in the car each week and see if you can walk or bike to your destination.

... and put your garbage where it belongs Anything that goes in your garbage at home may – if not properly disposed of – end up in our bodies of water. Plastics in particular – think bags and the rings that go around six-packs of beverages – often look delicious to various forms of marine life (hey, these creatures aren’t Einsteins no matter what shows like Flipper may have suggested).

Once ingested, the bags block breathing passages in the animals trying to eat them and that results in death.

The plastic rings often choke the animals in a slow, agonizing death. According to studies, plastic litter causes the deaths of more than 100,000 marine creatures. And make no mistake. W hat goes around often comes around. Garbage strewn in the ocean often returns to shore to pollute beaches and other various vacation spots.

Water pollution everywhere You may wonder how ca r ex haust a nd improperly disposed of garbage affect water purity in non-coastal regions. Well, besides eating fish contaminated with toxins as mentioned ea rlier, water pollution is a problem everywhere.

Studies have shown more than 50 percent of g rou ndwater across t he world isn’t f it for drink ing due to pollution. W hen groundwater gets polluted, it leads to nasty things like cholera, typhoid and dysentery.

Eight million people worldwide die each year from polluted groundwater.

Before you toss that plastic bag, before you start up that car or boat, before you go on that cruise, think of your fine-finned friends.

They’ll feel better and you’ll feel better, too.

Ocean pollutants do significant damage As much of the world grows increasingly e a r t h- c o n s c i o u s , o c e a n pol lut ion continues to be one of the biggest issues c onc er n i ng t he env i ron ment . W h i le global warming and the ongoing debate surrounding its effects might garner the most headlines, ocean pollution remains a considerable concern for environmentalists and ocean lovers alike.

Part of the problem is the lack of understanding as to just what is contributing to ocean pollution. Simply put, nearly ever y t h i ng we do ha s a n i mpact on t he ocea n, be it posit ive or negat ive.

Of tent imes, we a re even cont ribut ing to ocean pollution without so much as knowing how or why.

Perhaps nothing has done more harm to the ocean over the years than marine garbage disposal. While laws written to safeguard

t he ocea ns have helped reduce ocea n dumping, such laws have not banished the problem entirely. That means garbage is still finding its way into the ocean, threatening wildlife in several ways. Sadly, starvation is a common side effect of marine garbage, a result of plastic bags and even balloons lodging in the digestive systems of whales, making it impossible for the whales to digest their food as they slowly starve to death.

Oxygen starvation is another unfortunate side effect of marine garbage. When marine life gets tangled in discarded fishing nets, marine animals, including dolphins, sharks and whales, become entangled in the nets, slowly and painfully suffocating to death.

To lea r n more about ocea n pol lut ion and what you can do to help, v isit the Environmental Protection Agency website at www.epa.gov.

Advertising Supplement, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, April 22, 2011

What is climate change?

Until a few years ago, the term used to describe t he cha nge in g loba l weat her was often referred to as “global warming.”

However, global warming is a misnomer, seeing that many of the env ironmenta l changes being experienced go beyond just warmer temperatures.

To rectify the situation, modifications in weather patterns and temperature are now classified as “climate change,” a broader term that encompasses many different weatherrelated phenomena.

Climate change is a long-term change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods of time. It may be a change in weather conditions or in the frequency of severe weather events. It also takes into consideration increases or decreases in temperature.

Over the past 100 years, the temperature on the Earth has risen by 1 degree. Climate change specialists aren’t exactly sure why this is occurring, but many feel the changes have to do with people and their habits – in addition to naturally occurring events. The greenhouse effect is a major contributor.

The byproducts of life on Earth, such as burning of fossil fuels, generate greenhouse gases. These gases rise into the atmosphere and get trapped. The trapped gases form an insulation of sorts, keeping Earth’s heat from escaping and generating extra warmth.

Greenhouse gases aren’t the only contributors to climate change. There are many other factors. Variations in solar radiation, deviations in the Earth’s orbit, mountain-building and continental drift are other things that can affect the climate.

Other large contributors are behaviors that produce methane gas. Landfills, cattle, and rice paddies generate a large quantity of methane gas. Methane works like carbon dioxide in that it contributes to greenhouse gases.

Changing climate on a global scale can also be a result of other instances of the planet cloud cover, volcanic eruptions and ocean changes.

Although it can take hundreds of years for individual habits to affect the climate, there are things that individuals can do on a daily basis to reduce their impact on the climate.

Reduce reliance on fossil fuels

Cut down on automobile use

Using alternative power, such as solar or even nuclear power, can reduce emissions that contribute to greenhouse gases.

Walk, ride a bike or take public transportation to reduce the number of cars on the roads.

Insulate the home Prevent heat or cooling loss by ensuring the home is well insulated and windows/doors aren’t drafty. This reduces energy use.

Plastics: The facts, the fiction You know how important it is to protect and preserve Mother Earth, and now that you’ve got the recycling of paper under your belt, you’re turning your attention to the recycling of plastic. You’ve read up on the meaning of the numbers on the bottom of plastic and you know which ones your sanitation department will take.

Now all you need to do is make sure you put the appropriate items in the recycle bin, which in turn, will reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in the landfill, right?

Maybe. Maybe not.

While the majority of the plastic collected curbside will get recycled, that doesn’t mean it won’t end up in the landfill at some point.

It all depends upon the products the plastic is turned into.

Most recycled plastic is downcycled, that is, it is turned into lower and lower quality products until no longer possible. W hile some of these products like plastic lumber might stand the test of time and never end up in the landfill, others like textiles will not.

Just because you put plastic into the recycle bin and the sanitation department collects it does not guarantee it will stay out of the landfill, nor does it guarantee a reduction in the use of plastic. In fact, the ability to recycle plastic often leads to an increase in its

There are many factors that contribute to global climate change.

usage. When given the choice between paper or plastic products, both of which can be recycled, people will often go with the latter simply because of durability.

Some v irgin resin producers capita lize on this notion and promote the recycling of pla st ics i n order to i ncrea se sa les.

Never mind the negatives involved in the production of plastic.

In order to make most plastic products, manufacturers must rely upon the use of nonrenewable materials, in particular fossil fuels. With each plastic product made, the earth’s natural resources dwindle. Even the production of plastic from recycled matter requires the use of nonrenewable materials.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t recycle it, however. Although some nonrenewable resources will be used, recycling will get more out of the plastic and keep it out of the landfill a little longer, if not forever.

W hile recycling is a lways a good idea, reduct ion is key w it h plast ic. Look for products that can be used time and again, such as detergent or shampoo bottles that can be refilled.

Look for products with very little plastic packaging, such as an individual box of tissue rather than three bundled together.

When forced to buy products wrapped in

Advertising Supplement, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, April 22, 2011

Use local goods Purchasing items from a local retailer cuts down on the shipping and importing of foreign items, which contributes to fuel consumption.

plastic, look for ones with packaging made from recycled matter or that can be recycled.

Try to keep your use of plastic minimal, and when possible, support efforts for better legislation regarding the recycling efforts of manufacturers. (Metro)

A few fast facts on plastics in the waste stream •W it hout plast ics, t he tota l volume of packaging waste would increase by around 160 percent.

•B ecause plastics are lightweight, durable and versatile, manufacturers can minimize the material used and the waste generated by using plastic products and packaging.

•W ithout plastics’ resistance to corrosion, the product life of some major appliances would be reduced by nearly 40 percent.

By helping them last longer, plastics keep appliances and other durable goods out of the waste stream.

•Y ou could carry home 1,000 ounces of soda in 2 pounds of plastic packaging, but it would take 27 pounds of glass, 8 pounds of steel and 3 pounds of aluminum to do the same job.

• I t takes 4.3 pounds of glass to package one gallon of milk or juice, but less than onefourth pound of plastic to do the same job.

Some plastics can be recycled. Hundreds of quality products made with or packaged in post-consumer recycled plastic now are commercially available.

Information is available Greater energy efficiency and new technologies hold promise for reducing green-house gases and solving this global challenge. EPA’s website provides information on climate change for communities, individuals, businesses, states, localities and governments. For more ideas and information, visit www.epa.gov.

•T wo soft drink bottles can make a baseball cap, when recycled into polyester fiber.

•A rtificial lumber made of recycled plastic is used in sea walls, fence posts and park benches.

•P lastic bags and stretch wrap are finding their way into decking material that is unsurpassed for its durabilit y. It does not de c ay or c r ack , re si st s da ma ge from termites and ants and requires no protective sealants.

•P lastic packaging, which makes up less than 6 percent (by weight) of discarded products in the municipal waste stream, can be disposed of safely in landfills.

•W hen incinerated, plastics – with their high energy content – help the entire mix to burn more efficiently, enhancing waste-toenergy conversion and leaving less ash.

Operation Clean Sweep, an SPI initiative to ensure that spilled resin pellets do not make their way into local waterways or the ocean, is a priority for the plastics industry.

The campaign’s goal is to help every plastic resin handling operation implement good housekeepi ng a nd pel let conta i n ment practices to work towards achieving zero pellet loss. More than 150 plastics industry companies have taken the OCS pledge and are instituting the program’s guidelines and env ironmenta l management principles.

For more information about SPI, the plastic t rades indust r y associat ion, v isit t heir website at www.plasticsindustry.org.

EARTH DAY

5

Pine cones: From compost to kindling

Environmental overhaul on Earth Day

By Tresa Erickson Feature Writer

You’ve a lways been concerned about the environment and you do your best to protect it.

Y

ou have spent many a day raking up pine needles and pine cones, but you wouldn’t have it any other way. You love your pine trees, despite all of the work they create.

W h i le y ou gener a l l y s e t t he pine cones aside to use for compost ing over t i me, a f r iend ha s suggested you take an alternative route t h is yea r a nd t u r n t hem into kindling for your fireplace.

W hen dr ied out, pine cones ma ke g reat fire starters.

You may treat them w it h va r ious chemicals in order to produce various colored f lames. You may use table sa lt to create yel low f lames, salt substitute to create pu r ple f l a me s, a nd a lu m t o create green f lames. You may use strontium chloride or boric acid to create red flames.

To treat pine cones, soak them in a half gallon of hot water with a cup of the chosen chemical for eight hours. Remove them using tongs

and let them dry on paper towels for three days. Separate the pine cones by chemical treatment and burn them two to three at a time.

Don’t burn any more than that or mix chemical treatments. It could cause a dangerous reaction.

If chemically treating pine cones does not appeal to you, you could create scented pine cone kindling.

To do this, fill a spray bottle with water a nd 20 drops of ci n na mon essent ia l oil. Spray the pine cones a nd store them in a garbage bag for 24 hours.

Remove t hem and use them as kindling, burning two or three pi ne cones at a t ime.

Put your old pi ne cones to good use t h i s ye a r. Tu r n t hem into k ind ling for your fireplace. Fill a few baskets with these treated pine cones and give them to your friends as gifts.

Search online for a dev ice that rolls five sheets of newspaper into a starter log. That is an invest -ment t hat could pay for itself i n sav i ngs on f i resta r ters.

Additional home recipes for fire starter materials can be found on the blog of forestry.com.

By Tresa Erickson Feature Writer

You recycle cans and newspapers, car pool when you can and pick up your trash, but with Earth Day approaching, you’d like to do more, especially at home.

While recycling, carpooling and avoiding littering are good steps to take, there are many more things you can do. Some of these include: • R e d u c e p a p e r w a s t e . B u y e-ed it ion subscr ipt ions of ne w spaper s a nd ma ga z i ne s, ema i l whenever possible a nd pay your bills online. Throw old papers into a box and use the backs for scrap paper.

• C ut down on trash. Donate stuff you don’t use to charity or have a yard sale. Revamp stuff you do use and keep it.

• R ec ycle ever y t h i ng possible, i nclud i ng a lu m i nu m, paper, plastic and newspapers. Contact your local recycling center for further information.

• C onser ve water. Sta r t ta k i ng shorter showers, turning off the water when you’re brushing your teeth and irrigating the lawn only when necessary.

• Make your home energy efficient.

Caulk holes on the exterior and replace weat her st r ipping on

Learn what you can do to protect the environment and encourage your friends and family to do their part, too. doors and windows. Replace old appliances with energy-efficient ones and install a programmable thermostat on your furnace that w i l l cont rol power use whi le you’re away.

• Redesign your landscape to make it more environmentally friendly.

Add borders and groundcover where you can to reduce mowing t ime, use mu lch a nd orga nic fertilizers to eliminate the need for pest icides, a nd insta l l a n efficient irrigation system.

• Use water-based products rather than solvent-based products. Skip the sealer with a solvent base in favor of one with a water base.

• Take all hazardous materials, like paint and motor oil, to special

disposal sites. Contact your local solid waste division for details.

• K e ep you r veh icle ser v ic e d.

Have frequent tune-ups and oil changes and consider purchasing a hybrid for your next vehicle.

• U s e m a n p o w e r w h e n e v e r possible. Pull weeds and rake up leaves the old-fashioned way and leave the weed cutter and the leaf blower in the garage.

These are just 10 of the hundreds of steps you can take to protect the environment. For more ideas, conduct a search online or contact a local environmental agency.

With a little bit of work, you can give the environment a boost and protect it for years to come. Don’t delay it another day.

“

Plant fruit trees right outside your door Tambrands is landfill free.

We are proud to live and work in Maine.

We are working to improve both our environment and economy.”

Fruit trees reduce air pollution, enrich the soil, attract pollinators, and prov ide shelter for w ildlife and shade for you and your family.

Fr u it t rees genera l ly fa l l i nto t h ree categor ies : dwa r f, sem idwarf and standard.

The smallest of the three, dwarf trees offer many benefits. They are suitable for tight spaces, easy to prune and pick, and quick to produce fruit, usually in three to five years.

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EARTH DAY

Although they take several years to reach maturity and are harder to care for, they produce a ton of fruit fairly quickly.

Fruit trees come in hundreds of varieties, each of which has its ow n requirements. Apple trees, for ex a mple, do best i n a rea s w it h fa irly dr y soil a nd lots of light. Find the ones most suitable for your area and ask about their pollinating requirements.

Sem i-dwa r f t rees a re med iu m si zed, ra ng i ng i n heig ht f rom 10 to 16 feet. They require extensive a n nua l pr u n i ng , but produce more fruit than dwarf trees and live longer.

For fruit much of the year, consider planting a number of varieties that bloom at different times. W hen looking for trees, take note of the size and any other features that might appeal to you, like f lowers, leaves and scents.

Standard trees are quite large, with some growing 25 to 30 feet high.

Keep in mind that the smaller the tree is, the less space it will require

and the easier overall it will be to manage. Look for trees w ith strong, straight stems, one clear, identifiable leader and high, wellbalanced branches.

When planting a tree, dig a hole about 18 inches deep and loosen the soil around it with a pitchfork. Place some compost in the bottom of the hole. Set the root ball on top of the mound, spread the roots out evenly and fill the hole with soil, being careful to keep the tree as straight as possible. Add a few more inches of soil around the tree and water it thoroughly. The soil will compress when moist. Sta ke t he t ree to ensure it grows straight.

Just think. With the proper care, your fruit trees will f lourish and you will have plenty of fruit to eat throughout much of the year.

Advertising Supplement, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, April 22, 2011

Worldwide pollution The most polluted places are not necessarily those that produce the most carbon emissions. The top five carbon polluters include: China, the United States, European Union, India, and Russia. Rather, these polluted areas are those that have high levels of toxic contaminants in the ground, water and air. Here are the top five polluted places on Earth (data was accumulated prior to the natural disasters that struck Japan in early 2011).

1. Chernobyl, Ukraine 2. Dzerzhinsk, Russia 3. Haina, Dominican Republic 4. Kabwe, Zambia 5. La Oroya, Peru

Most polluted U.S. cities The United States is not immune to heavily polluted cities. Here’s a list of the top 10 cities polluted by longterm particle pollution, according to a report, “State of the Air 2010.�

1. Phoenix, AZ 2. Bakersfield, CA 3. Los Angeles, CA 4. Visalia, CA 5. Pittsburgh, PA 6. Fresno, CA 7. Birmingham, AL

TRAVEL:

Be a good ecotourist

By Tresa Erickson Feature Writer Maine is a beautiful state w ith outdoor recreat ion a nd t ravel oppor t u n it ies for ecotou r i st s i n ever y reg ion. H i k i ng , bi rd w a t c h i n g , a nd k a y a k i n g a r e all examples of ecotourist activities t hat at t ract v isitors to Ma i ne every year.

Tour ists enjoy v isit ing remote places because t hey a re so u ntouched, a nd to keep a reas like these in pristine condition, t he movement of ecotou r i sm h a s e vol ve d . Tr ips c enter i ng on ecotourism are designed to minimize impact on the host area.

Some ecotourism organizations are better than others, so if you a re going t his route, you need to do your homework and find out which organizations are solid.

This will ensure you put valuable dollars into the loca l economy a nd ma ke m inima l impact on the environment.

A fter you have selected a good organization and planned your t r ip it i nera r y, you need to do your part to be a well-informed ecotourist. You should research the culture and customs of the area beforehand and bring the right clothing.

Some of the most pristine places on earth are the least industrialized and the most visited.

Once at your dest inat ion, you should respect residents and their customs. Dress as they do, follow their etiquette and observe their customs. Don’t take pictures of residents without their permission.

Watch your use of resources while in t he a rea. Cha nces a re t hey will be in limited supply, so use on ly what is absolutely necessar y. Stay at smaller inns when g iven t he choice because t hey w i l l use fewer resou rces t ha n larger establishments.

Drink and eat only what you need.

Conserve energy where possible.

Don’t hunt or harvest endangered animals or plants, or allow anyone in your group to do so.

Be caref ul when camping. Use designated sites and follow the same principles as you do when ca mping at home. Bring clea n clothing and gear, which are free of invasive organisms that could affect the environment Stay on ma rked t ra i ls, watch w i ld l i fe from afar and dispose of human waste properly.

Finally, leave the site as you found it. Pack out everything you brought in and remove any litter you come across from other parties. While v isiting t he area, do your best to suppor t t he loca l economy.

This is one of the main purposes of ecotourism, so give back when you can.

Ta ke loca l transportation, hire local guides and use local inns, restaurants and markets. This will put money back into the economy a n d p r e v e nt r e s i d e nt s f r om taking up destructive practices to make their living. Finally, do not contribute to any destructive pract ices you see, li ke buy ing products made from endangered animals and plants.

Bei ng a good ecotou r ist isn’t d i f f ic u lt . It ju s t t a k e s s ome prepa rat ion a nd di ligence. Do your best to keep the area you visit pristine and make as little impact on it as possible. For more information about ecotourism in Maine, visit www.maine.gov.

8. Hanford, CA 9. Cincinnati, OH 10. St. Louis, MO

Tell EPA: Close toxic air pollution loophole from coal-fired power plants

need to clean them up. Arsenic, lead, for ma ldehyde, hyd rogen ch lor ide, mercur y, a nd diox ins are just some of the 84 toxics coming out of these plants.

The EPA should close the “toxic loophole� that has allowed coal burning power plants to operate The cleanup of toxic air pollution without any federal limits on from power plants is long overdue. emissions of these dangerous The nation's coal-fired power plants pollutants. The new Mercury and emit 386,000 tons of ha zardous Air Toxics Standards for Power air pollutants each year leading to Plants that the EPA has proposed are a range of adverse health effects, based on the pollution reductions already achieved by the cleanest and including premature death. best-performing power plants and The U.S. Environmental Protection facilities in the country, making the Agenc y i s c u r rent ly accept i ng standards achievable and realistic. comments on new standards that will clean up this toxic power plant W hen the proposa l is fina lized, air pollution. The American Lung these standards for cleanup will Association report Toxic Air: The save lives, protect the hea lth of Case for Cleaning Up Coal-fired millions of Americans and finally Power Plants documents the range bring about an action that is 20 years of hazardous air pollutants emitted overdue. Send in your comments from power plants and the urgent today at www.lungusa.org.

Advertising Supplement, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, April 22, 2011

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EARTH DAY

7

Green is in our Nature.

TD Bank is committed to environmental responsibility.

TD Bank is the largest US-based bank to go carbon neutral and the first company to have a North American, closed-loop recycling system which diverts 1,500 metric tons of paper from landfills to the production of recycled paper. In addition, we purchase renewable energy credits for 100 percent of the electricity used by our operations from Maine to Florida.

TD Bank is committed to building environmentally-friendly buildings, and this year, we are building the first “net-zero energy” bank location in the US in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. To learn more about these and our other green initiatives, visit www.tdbank.com/green.

TD Bank, N.A. | ‘USGBC®’ and related logo is a trademark owned by the U.S. Green Building Council® and is used with permission.

8

EARTH DAY

Advertising Supplement, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Friday, April 22, 2011