Out with Disposables and in with Reusables

You may be planning a summer wedding, hosting a big birthday bash for your parents, or getting ready for a holiday celebration. Regardless of the occasion, an easy way to take green living into all of your events is to incorporate reusable dishes and cups rather than disposables.

An astounding 25 billion polystyrene cups are trashed in the US every year! Styrofoam plates and cups are awful things to have in our environment. They are made from petroleum by products, making the extraction of their base components totally unsustainable and non-renewable. Plus, they take hundreds of years (about 500) to break down in the landfill, can leech chemicals into the soil and water in the process, and if they’re incinerated, can add toxins to the air as well.

Plastics are no better. Also made from crude oil, these are equally non-biodegradable and non-renewable. In all, plastics make up around 11 percent of municipal landfill waste in the US. Plus, many plastic disposables end up on beaches and in the oceans, which can injure marine animal.

And then there’s paper, which takes up 35 percent of landfill space. Using paper for disposable dishes and cups is equally disturbing. Take trees for disposable products causes deforestation (which has enormous environmental implications) and when these are sent to the landfill, they contribute to climate change—as they decompose in an anaerobic (oxygen-deprived) environment, they generate methane gas, a greenhouse gas that is greater than 20 times more potent as a heat-trapper than carbon dioxide.

There are many ways to green-up your barbecue dish habits, including:

• Durable Reusables: It may take a little more effort, but choosing reusable plates, cups, and cutlery for your next function will mean less waste is created and fewer resources are trashed after a single use. So pack some dishes for your next picnic, ask your caterer to only use china and real cutlery, and stock your kitchen with enough utensils for your next dinner party. Your dishwasher can do the clean-up for you, and in time, you’ll save a lot of money with this method as well!

• Biodegradable: Whether you need containers to take food to the party or are looking for more eco-friendly reusable dishes, you can get even more eco-friendly by looking for pieces made from biodegradable materials such as bamboo, corn plastic, and even switchgrass (a North American perennial grass). Many of these can be used multiple (hundreds!) of times, but when you’re done with them, they can be composted.

• Recycled-Content: The last best choice, this is the one you use when you can’t do without disposables for your next function but want to be a little more eco-friendly about your choice. Today, there are several brands now creating paper and/or plastic plates and cups made from recycled content.

An easy way to take green living into all of your events is to incorporate reusable dishes and cups rather than disposables. So ditch the traditional disposables and you’ll be on your way to creating a greener event in no time.

Want more information on green living tips and tricks? Sign up for the OrganicAuthority.com newsletter and get your free report How to Shop for Organic Foods on a Budget, brought to you by Laura Klein Green Living Expert.

Choosing Organic Food for a Smaller Carbon Footprint

“Just one 320-acre farm going organic equals 117 cars taken off of the road or 1,462,500 miles not driven!” That’s the conclusion of Chris Hill and Greg Bowman, contributors to the Rodale Institute’s NewFarm.org website which has been heavily involved in researching the impacts of conventional and organic farming.

Seems that buying organic food—be it oranges, carrots, soybeans, or lentils—can be an effective way of shrinking your carbon footprint and living green. That’s because organic farming is a powerful atmospheric scrubber. By cultivating diverse crops, organic crops are better able to sequester carbon. In otherwise, they serve as a carbon sink.

But why is growing organic food better at carbon sequestration than growing food conventionally with fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides? Over their 23-year comparison of organic and conventional corn-soybean farming systems, these were the conclusions gathered:

• Retention of organic matter: A general rule of thumb in farming is that the more organic matter is retained in the soil, the more carbon is sequestered. Organic farming generally makes use of animal manure and cover crops as a means of amending the soil; conventional farming on the other hand uses chemicals which deplete the organic matter found in soil. Pound for pound, organic farming adds rather than takes away soil organic matter and therefore helps to sequester carbon.

• Lower fuel consumption: Organic farming systems use about one third less fossil fuels compared to conventional cropping systems because of a lower dependence on heavy machinery. This lower dependence in fossil fuels results in fewer greenhouse gases expended to grow the same amount of food.

These two factors make for a great climate solution. In fact, if the US were to participate in the Kyoto protocol, it could meet 73% of its proposed targets by converting all 160 million acres of corn and soybean farmland to organic farming methods! That would be like taking nearly 60 million cars off the road.

So in addition to organic foods’ better flavor and higher nutrient content, organic food can help you lower your greenhouse gas emissions! Buying organic from the grocery store, therefore, is a great way to shrink your carbon footprint.

If you want to further enhance your environmental impact, grow your own organic food using, compost, natural fertilizers and soil amendments! This is a cost-effective way to get your daily nutrients and a fun activity for the whole family.

Want more information on organic food tips and tricks? Sign up for the OrganicAuthority.com newsletter and get your free report How to Shop for Organic Foods on a Budget, brought to you by Laura Klein Green Living Expert.

Protecting Little Bodies from the Poisons of Conventionally-Grown Foods

You and your children may be ingesting up to 70 types of pesticide residues every single day, according to a report released by the Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA). These residues are classed in a group of toxic chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and could potentially harm the health of you and your family. Buying organic food may help.

Exposure to persistent organic pollutants has been linked to several serious human health conditions, including certain cancers, suppression of the immune system, disruption of nervous and hormonal systems, and reproductive system damage. The highest exposures in our country are experienced by those living in the Southeast, with the lowest exposures in the Midwest of the country.

Although the use of chemicals that lead to these residues have been widely banned in many countries, including America, they have not been properly controlled in other countries, many of which provide the US with fresh produce. We are exposed to these chemicals when we eat food produced in other countries and through waterways and precipitation as POPs are carried around the globe through the natural water cycle.

But lest you think Americans are free of chemicals pesticides that can harm our health, think again. American crops are exposed to over 500 kinds of pesticides equal to greater than 50,000 tons annually. And the big shocker is that little more than one percent of these chemicals actually reach their intended targets! The rest gets washed away into the environment where they permeate our soil and water.

Exposure to pesticides and POPs is of particular concern for parents with young children. Children have higher metabolisms and lower body weights than adults, making them more susceptible to the effects of pesticide exposure. In fact, there are over 300,000 cases of pesticide poisoning in the US every year. Some studies suggest that pesticides can contribute to the incidence of Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s diseases, too.

Beware! The fruits, veggies, and other foods with the highest levels of pesticides are:

• Summer squash
• Cantaloupe
• Radishes
• Spinach
• Winter squash
• Cucumbers
• Butter
• Meatloaf
• Peanuts

Although buying organic food won’t be a sure-fire way of avoiding pesticides and POPs (virtually all foods are contaminated with POPs according to PANNA), it can go a long way to reducing your exposure. More importantly, it will signal to the government and the agriculture industry that you don’t support the use of conventional farming methods. Consumer choices speak volumes, so make yourself heard!

Want more information on organic food tips and tricks? Sign up for the OrganicAuthority.com newsletter and get your free report How to Shop for Organic Foods on a Budget, brought to you by Laura Klein Green Living Expert.

Organic Foods have Higher Nutrient Values

The fruits and vegetables eaten by your parents and grandparents may have been healthier than the stuff you can buy at the grocery store today. Once again, it proves that eating organic food it not only good for the planet, it’s better for our bodies as well.

In a research study conducted at the Biochemical Institute at the University of Texas, Donald R. Davis uncovered some startling statistics when comparing produce analyzed in 1950 and similar produce analyzed in 1999 by the USDA. Here are the results:

• Lower nutrient quantity: Out of the 13 nutrients analyzed, six had declined over the 50 year period studied.
• Lower mineral quantity: Likewise, when three minerals were examined—iron, calcium, and phosphorous—they were found to be 9% to 16% lower in 1999 than in 1950.
• Lower protein quantity: Virtually all plant-based foods have some protein component, and those grown today are 6% lower on the scale.

In addition to these declines, produce in the 1950s was also higher in things like riboflavin and ascorbic acid (a precursor to vitamin C) by about 15%!

Studies like this have been repeated in other parts of the world, confirming what American scientists have found. This can be attributed to several factors, most of them dealing with big farm methods of growing fruits and vegetables.

For instance, in an effort to grow food larger and more quickly, conventional farmers heap on water and chemical fertilizers, but this can interfere with a plant’s ability to take up and create vitamins and minerals. It also reduces the nutrient density available to plants, which in turn reduces the nutrient value of these foods.

By contrast, organic farming doesn’t use these intensive chemicals, but rather organic matter to boost soil’s growing ability. By cultivating biologically living soil in which microorganisms can thrive, organic farming helps plants in their uptake of nutrients, which are then infused into our produce.

Our bodies require certain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to fight off infections, maintain healthy bones and muscles, and for mental and emotional wellbeing. So if you want to prevent disease and experience true vitality that enables you to enjoy being active for longer, choose organic foods. Freshly-grown organic fruits and vegetables available from a local farmer’s market, your everyday grocery store, or your own backyard, is a superior way to get your daily dose of macro and micronutrients necessary for a healthy body. Choosing organic food recipes is an excellent way to enjoy these delicious, seasonal organic foods!

Want more information on organic food tips and tricks? Sign up for the OrganicAuthority.com newsletter and get your free report How to Shop for Organic Foods on a Budget, brought to you by Laura Klein Green Living Expert.

Greener, Healthier Cleaning with Microfiber

Hospitals around the world are turning to microfiber as a safe, effective way of cleaning virtually all surfaces in their facilities. Microfiber is now being recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency Report (Using Microfiber Mops in Hospitals) to cleanse bacteria-infected floors and surfaces as a means of cutting the spread of disease, reducing costs, and cutting pollution.

It’s now a widely-available, inexpensive, time-saving option for home-keepers as well, giving those looking for tips for green living an effective alternative for reducing waste and pollution as well.

Microfiber is a healthier way to clean

There are likely millions of germs in your home—bacteria and viruses that can make your family sick. While some chemicals like chlorine bleach can disinfect surfaces of these germs, they create secondary health threats like air pollution and poisoning risks.

Microfiber is a great way to get rid of bacteria with only water. Seems a bit fantastic, but microfiber is a highly technological fiber that can actually grab onto and trap germs, allowing you to clean one dirty surface after another without worrying about spreading throughout your home germs you may pick up.

Here’s how it works. Microfiber is made of an 80/20 blend of polyester and polyamide woven together. These fibers are 100 times smaller than a human hair and are split into wedge-shaped strands attached to a nylon core. Splitting the fibers creates a much larger surface area—up to 40 times larger than smooth-surfaced wool and cotton.

This split-strand nature of microfiber allows it to pick up and trap even the smallest particles of dust and bacteria, too. The narrow spaces between strands act like holding cells, grabbing onto debris and keeping it there until you rinse it out.

So microfiber helps to wipe up bacteria and other dirt from your home, but it further improves your family’s health by helping to reduce your dependence on toxic chemicals. Common cleaners, like bleach, toilet bowl cleaners, oven cleaners, furniture polishes, and drain openers can contribute to indoor air that is often 100 times more polluted than outdoor air. By using only water, microfiber reduces the number of these pollutants in your home.

Microfiber is a green cleaning solution

By cutting the number of chemicals used in your home, you’re well on your way to a greener lifestyle. But microfiber helps to further reduce your environmental impact by virtually eliminating one-use cleaning products.

In an average year, Americans will use the equivalent of a 68 mile long caravan of 18-wheeled semi-trucks worth of disposable cleaning products (think dusting clothes, wet pads, scrubbers, wipes, and paper towel). Microfiber can be used, washed, and dried hundreds of times, which means instead of buying disposables, you can reuse your stock of microfiber clothes numerous times.

And although you only use water when cleaning with microfiber, you use much less water than you would with regular mopping and cleaning. Microfiber has enormous absorption capabilities, allowing you to clean up with a fraction of the water you’d normally consume.

Microfiber is a cost-effective method of cleaning

A final perk of using microfiber: it’s cheaper! Without all those specialty cleaning products, wasted water, and disposable cleaning tools, your budget for cleaning will shrink dramatically, leaving more in the bank for other green living purchases, such as organic vegetables and eco-friendly clothing!

So buy your microfiber cloths today! The planet, your wallet, and your family will thank you.

Want more information on green living tips and tricks? Sign up for the OrganicAuthority.com newsletter and get your free report How to Shop for Organic Foods on a Budget, brought to you by Laura Klein Green Living Expert.

Forget Hybrids—cut your carbon footprint by eating less meat!

“It’s one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global.” That’s what a United Nations report concluded in 2006 when evaluating meat consumption worldwide.

In North America, we love our meat—whether it’s a lazy summer barbecue or a regular meat and potatoes meal. But if you’re looking for a high-impact green living idea, you should consider eating less meat since it can have a greater impact on your carbon footprint (for the good!) than switching from a gas-guzzler to a hybrid car.

As the greatest environmental threat of our time, climate change is one we can’t ignore, and your eating habits have an impact on this problem unrivaled by nearly all other sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate change, as you’ve likely heard, is a serious environmental problem with many repercussions, and humans are the ones causing the problem. If we don’t slow climate change, we could be facing devastating consequences:

• Air pollution, hotter than average weather, and extreme weather events will negatively affect human health and could accelerate the spread of vector-borne diseases.
• An increase in droughts, floods, and severe storms will lead to crop failures and shortages in fresh water supplies.
• Glaciers will melt more rapidly, causing rising sea levels which will lead to land loss and the displacement of millions of people.
• Temperatures will increase more rapidly than plants and animals can adapt, causing numerous species to become extinct.

Those are the worst possible scenarios, but they are real, and your diet may be part of the problem.



How eating less meat will slow climate change

Of all of the green living changes you could make to your life, eating less meat (and dairy) may have the biggest bang for your buck—it’s more effective than buying food locally, eating organic, or driving a hybrid car. But why is this? Let me explain:

• Deforestation: Raising animals for meat results in the levelling of huge swaths of forests around the world. It is estimated that 55 acres of rainforest is required to produce one meal composed of meat protein (John Robbins, author of The Food Revolution). Trees are a major carbon sink (not to mention their many other environmental benefits), so cutting them down reduces the planet’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide.

• Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions: Eighty percent of all grain products grown in the US are used to feed livestock. Conventional farming methods involve large doses of petroleum-based chemicals (fertilizers and pesticides) as well as the operation of heavy machinery which burns a proportionately large amount of fuel, emitting a lot of carbon dioxide.

• Enteric fermentation: As ruminating animals (cows, sheep, goats, and buffalo) naturally digest their food, they produce a potent greenhouse gas: methane, which is more than 20 times more effective at trapping heat in our atmosphere than carbon dioxide. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, eating meat is responsible for 37% of methane, 9% of all carbon dioxide, and 65% of nitrous oxide—all of which are greenhouse gases.

Of course, we like hybrid cars and organic food and happily encourage them. But a cheaper and more effective way to live a green lifestyle and cut your greenhouse gas emissions is to simply cut meat out of your diet at least one day every week. This would be like driving your car 1,000 fewer miles every year. And remember: not only are vegetarian organic food recipes creative and delicious, they’re healthier than meat-based meals, too!

Want more information on green living tips and tricks? Sign up for the OrganicAuthority.com newsletter and get your free report How to Shop for Organic Foods on a Budget, brought to you by Laura Klein Green Living Expert.