Overheard at the office: co-worker Jason, grumbling under his breath, “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to get an energy audit. Maybe next month…”
We’re here to help!
At Practically Green you can create your own Action Plan with the actions that you choose from the hundreds of suggestions on our database. Including, Get an energy audit. See, it’s on my Action plan right here! … Okay, I admit: It’s been there since December! Ugh. Why does this sound like such a chore??
I asked expert Laura Stukel to please explain why getting an energy audit is important — and why it’s not as dreadfully onerous as I might imagine. (Laura is a Chicago-area EcoBroker and Energy Consultant; see her site NotYetGreen.com.) Here’s her reply:
Five Reasons an Energy Audit is Better than the Dentist, and Three Ways to Get Started
Admit it, you know where your home lacks energy efficiency. “I always need a sweater in the TV room.” Or, “The baby’s room gets so hot in the summer.” You schedule a trip to the dentist twice a year to keep things on track in your mouth. Why not schedule once for an energy audit? Here are five reasons why an energy audit is better than the dentist:
1. You can start with the big picture. An energy auditor looks at your house as a system. The auditor will give you information that will serve as a home improvement plan. You’ll know which projects will save you the most money fastest so you can pick exactly where you want to begin.
2. You hate when you know you are being “sold” on something. Without an energy audit your option is to guess at the problem and hope you called in the right contractor. Guess what? When you ask the window guy why the TV room gets so cold, he’s going to tell you it’s the window. And if you ask the heating guy, I’m pretty sure he’s going to sell you on a new furnace. Stop guessing. Stop listening to sales pitches for individual products. Instead, with the results of an energy audit in hand you’ll be equipped to call just the right contractor, and tell them what you need so you get just the right quote at just the right price.
3. Many energy audits pay for themselves. An audit will point out free and low-cost actions you can take to make your home more comfortable and save money. For example, one of my clients learned they had never learned to lock the windows properly. They saved money just by fully closing the windows each winter and summer!
4. The right guidance can help you save more money. In addition to planning the work the right way, as mentioned in point #2, auditors are familiar with rebate and incentive programs in your area that might help with project costs.
5. It’s pretty darn cool! An energy audit uses technology tools to pinpoint where your home is leaking energy. In my home, my 2 and 4-year-olds raced through the home as the blower-door test was running (it’s essentially a giant fan that pulls air out of your house and a computer that monitors how much). We literally felt the drafts under the bedroom doors and it made us all more in touch with how our home works to keep us cozy, and the role we all play in saving energy.
Laura Stukel
So here are three painless ways to get started:
First, check out this great video from the friendly crew at GreenHomes America. They explain exactly what to expect during an energy audit, and the elements that you should absolutely insist upon in an audit.
http://www.greenhomesamerica.com/the-learning-center/video-library/110-home-energy-audit.aspx
Once you know what goes into a good audit, you can find an auditor for your area. There are two national groups that certify energy auditors: Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) and Building Performance Institute (BPI). At the very basic, RESNET certifies energy raters. BPI certifies contractors that may do audits, installations or both. Check their directories for professionals in your area:
RESNET - http://www.resnet.us/trade/find-raters-auditors
BPI - http://www.bpi.org/tools_locator.aspx?associateTypeID=CTR&accreditedSearch=Y
Lastly, your local utility company may have resources on low-cost rating resources or incentives to get started. Details vary by utility, so call your local office for information.
And just like the dentist, stop putting it off and schedule this check-up for your house! It’s not going to be as bad as you think!
TWITTER PARTY THURSDAY
Join Practically Green to Launch Earth Month! Share ideas for living healthy & green and win free books!
If April is Earth Month, then Earth Month Eve is this Thursday, March 31. We’re going to celebrate with our very first Twitter party @practicallygrn from 9 to 10 pm EST. You’re invited!
Here’s the conversation starter:
What’s your favorite way to encourage people to make healthy and green improvements in their daily lives? What’s the favorite/most rewarding thing YOU’ve done?
Please use hashtag #practicallygreen and insert @practicallygrn on your tweets.
*** Prizes!! ***
We’ll be giving out autographed copies of:
- Planet Home by Alexandra Zissu and Jeffrey Hollender
- Celebrate Green! by Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson
- An Unhealthy Truth by Robyn O’Brien
- Not Just a Pretty Face, by Stacy Malkan
- The Family Dinner by Laurie David and Kirstin Uhrenholdt
- True Food: 8 Simple Steps to a Healthier You by Annie B. Bond, Melissa Breyer, and Wendy Gordon
- Spit That Out: The Overly Informed Parent’s Guide to Raising Children in the Age of Environmental Guilt, by Paige Wolf
– and Laurie’s also offered a DVD of An Inconvenient Truth and her other book, Down-to-Earth Guide To Global Warming “for kids of all ages.”
We expect most of these authors at the party!
Got Questions? Send us a tweet @practicallygrn or email Samantha: intern@practicallygreen.com
“It seemed like an ordinary day. My oldest three gobbled up breakfast with their usual appetite. The baby was fussy, maybe tired, so I put her down for a nap. The next thing I knew, her face looked like an angry, swollen, red tomato and I had plunged into the midst of a childhood epidemic I barely even knew existed.”
So begins An Unhealthy Truth, by Robyn O’Brien. Who knew a comprehensive battle-cry for safe food could be an absolute page-turner? This beautiful mother of four is also an indefatigable leader as the founder of AllergyKids. We’ve introduced Robyn O’Brien here previously, and we were delighted to meet her in person at the Natural Products Expo West recently.
Robyn sent us the link to a fantastic presentation she gave a few weeks ago at TEDx Austin. “…. It’s 18 minutes and the response has been pretty amazing.”
Amazing as in: it’s had 8,000 views as we write, and it’s going viral with the increasing number of allergy parents in this country. If you know one, please share this clip.
Robin is getting ready for a TEDx Denver presentation on April 7, and we’ll post it as soon as we have it. Meanwhile, please consider all the ways you can be careful about the food at your house, perhaps starting with a close look at the Dirty Dozen:
The “dirty dozen” list of fruits and vegetables refers to the 12 fruits and vegetables most likely to contain higher concentrations of pesticides. The tests are done by the Environmental Working Group and updated annually. By avoiding the “dirty dozen” or only buying organic versions of these fruits and vegetables, you can reduce your exposure to pesticides by 80%.
I recently visited the Chelsea Green website and was absolutely floored! I began to browse some of their categories and ended up with a page-long list of must-reads! How did I not know about Chelsea Green before!? Luckily, we got in touch with Allison Goodwin of Chelsea Green who gave us some AWESOME suggestions for books our readers would love. Thanks Allison!
For 27 years, Chelsea Green has been the publishing leader for books on the politics and practice of sustainable living. To learn more about us, please visit www.chelseagreen.com.
By Amy Kolb Noyes
Nontoxic Housecleaning provides a way for people to improve their immediate environment every day. Pregnant women, parents of young children, pet owners, people with health concerns, and those who simply care about a healthy environment—and a sensible budget—can all benefit from the recipes and tips in this guide.
Composting: An Easy Household Guide
By Nicky Scott
Composting is fun, easy and very satisfying! You can make compost even if you live in an apartment or don’t have access to a garden.
By Jon Clift and Amanda Cuthbert
This book gives you 100 energy-saving tips for the home—from simple things like switching off unnecessary lights and having a shower instead of a bath, to more drastic measures such as installing a condensing boiler.
Sustainable Food: How to Buy Right and Spend Less
By Elise McDonough
Wondering whether it’s worth it to splurge on the locally raised beef? What about those organic carrots? Sustainable Food: How to Buy Right and Spend Less helps the average shopper navigate the choices, whether strolling the aisles of a modern supermarket or foraging at a local farmers market.
Cooking Close to Home: A Year of Seasonal Recipes
By Diane Imrie and Richard Jarmusz
A collection of over 150 original recipes designed to follow the seasons.
By Dianne Onstad
What if you could have information about more than 400 foods at your fingertips? You can find it all in the new edition of Whole Foods Companion.
The Best of Making Things: A Handbook of Creative Discovery
By Anne Sayre Wiseman
Why go to the mall when you can make things at home using materials recycled from around the house? This classic educational and creative text features 125 projects, carefully selected by the author to “develop natural curiosity and self-esteem,” and to demonstrate “simple and important concepts that have shaped the cultures of the world.”
Connected Wisdom: Living Stories for Living Systems
By Linda Booth Sweeney
Connected Wisdom: Living Stories About Living Systems gathers twelve stories from different cultures that each reveal a unique example of a “living system.”
By Lee Welles
Winner of an iParenting Media Award and a National Outdoor Book Award! What would you do if you could hear the Earth asking for help? In the Gaia Girls book series, that is what happens to four girls, each from a different region of the world.
By Philip and Alice Shabecoff
In a landmark investigation that’s been compared to Silent Spring, two veteran journalists definitively show how, why, and where industrial toxins are causing rates of birth defects, asthma, cancer, and other serious illnesses to soar in children.
By Dr. Paul Connett, James Beck, and Spedding Micklem
A thoroughly researched, scientific explanation of the dangers of water fluoridation to both human and environmental health. This book shows why we should all be fighting fluoridation in our own communities.
Radical Homemakers: Reclaiming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture
By Shannon Hayes
Radical Homemakers is about men and women across the U.S. who focus on home and hearth as a political and ecological act, and who have centered their lives around family and community for personal fulfillment and cultural change.
Sign up for the Chelsea Green newsletter today and receive a special one-time discount of 25% off your entire book order!
News Picks:
21 Expert Organic Lawn Care Tips from the Daily Green and the founder of Safelawns.org! Paul Tukey’s piece will get you on the right track this season. I saw a presentation from Tukey last year at my University, and it changed me. His story is a heart-wrenching one, and I promise you will want to hear what he has to say. Read this article and be sure to visit safelawns.org to keep your family safe and your lawn beautiful!
Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times
Masters of Disguise Among Meatless Burgers: I can’t help it, but I love meat. That said, I certainly don’t mind a good veggie burger now and again. This article by Jeff Gordinier of The New York Times describes the evolution of the veggie burger from a disgrace to an absolute masterpiece. The article left my mouth watering and the idea of going vegetarian a bit more realistic. Thanks Jeff!
Photo: Jim Barker
Breakfast is not so gr-r-reat when your only option is Frosted Flakes: This is a really interesting article from Kristin Wartman of Grist discussing the controversy around the Share Your Breakfast campaign by Kellogg’s. Wartman is harsh in her critique of Kellogg’s and its products, but raises some great points. What’s your opinion?
Multi-Media Pick:
I recently came across an awesome flash mob video on Youtube with a focus on recycling. Ah, the beauty of greening the planet with a little public humiliation. Check it out and don’t forget to pat yourself on the back next time you recycle!
New and Cool Pick:
Want to collect rainwater but hate those unsightly barrels? Studio Bas van der Veer’s Raindrop is the solution! I haven’t seen a gardening gadget this cool in a long time; I only hope they become available in the U.S. soon (they have a mini version too)!
This week's PG Picks by Sam Roach
We have just two favors to ask today:
1) The very idea of having a mobile app of Practically Green is so exciting!! — and if we win the Green Awards we’ll use the prize $ to create it! Please have a look at Susan Hunt Stevens’s rogue video entry and vote for us! Thanks…(yes, you have to register, slightly annoying, but takes two secs)
2) Have you performed a green makeover on a room at your house — or do you know someone who has? A baby nursery? A kitchen? A cabana? Tell us about it! We’re producing a feature for a Major. Women’s. Magazine. (Promise… we can’t say which one yet, sorry!!). Click here for the details, and send your before and after photos to our fab intern Samantha Roach at intern@practicallygreen.com!
I have always been a pretty voracious reader of nutrition label data. Admittedly, it was usually tied to one of the various diets I was trying, each focused on a different factor. South Beach and a bout with gestational diabetes was all about carbohydrates. LoseIt focused most on the calorie count. Weightwatchers let me plug in THREE numbers from the label into a calculator to count towards my points total for the day.
However, the more I’ve learned about food, the more I feel the nutrition label isn’t helping much. Why? Here are two boxes of cereal and their nutrition labels:
From a “Big 4″ nutritional standpoint (calories, fat, carbohydrates/sugars, proteins), these products are nearly the same. 120 calories per cup. Approximately ~28 grams of carbs and ~9 grams of sugar. 0 grams of fat. 1-2 grams of protein. Now, my prenatal nutritionist would nix both of them over sugar content (max 15 grams per meal, 45 grams per day was her guideline) and probably salt content. I also totally understand that ANY processed breakfast cereal might not be the best breakfast choice relative to fresh, whole foods.
However, assuming many families (including ours) will continue to have processed cereal as a part of their diet, what do you need to consider “beyond the nutrition label”? What I now find way more compelling and helpful is the INGREDIENTS list. Now, which one of these two products would you pick?
Ironically, what differentiates these products the most is what is MISSING from the one of the left, including:
1. Pesticides. By purchasing a certified organic cereal, you avoid the ingredients having traces of pesticides in them. For the cereal on the left, that is particularly important because it has strawberries in it, which is one of the fruits that retains the most pesticides in it when grown, according to the EWG.
2. GMO’s (genetically modified organisms). About 70% of corn is grown with herbicide resistant seeds and 63% with insect resistant seeds, up from 5% in 1996. It is therefore likely that some of the corn in this cereal on the right is GM corn. One of the biggest concerns about the introduction of genetically modified crops is increased allergenicity and since the introduction of GMO’s, emergency hospitalizations for allergic reactions are up 265%. There is also increasing evidence that animals are experiencing liver and kidney toxicity when fed GM corn. If it’s bad for the animals, is it good for my kids? Unlike Europe, food in the US in not required to be labeled that the ingredients come from GMO crops– so the only way to avoid them are to get certified organic products or skip foods that contain high GM crops like soybeans and corn.
3. Transfats. Note the nutrition labels say 0 grams of transfats for both products. Note the ingredient label for the one on the right says partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Those are transfats! True, it’s a very small amount, but they are there. For this reason, the Good Guide ranks the cereal on the right very poorly (3.6) and the one is in the middle (5.6) for personal health. The environment score for the one on the left is also much high because it’s organic.
3. BHT. This is a preservative added to increase the shelf-life of the product. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has it on their caution list and says to avoid when possible (and notes it’s easily replaceable). Some cereals also contain BHA, which is on CSPI’s avoid completely list and the US Department of Health considers “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”
4. Added coloring. In this case, annatto, added to the one on the right, is a natural food color, which is highly preferable to the artificial food dyes that are extremely common in cereals. For example, Yellow #5 has been implicated in behavior changes in children, can cause an allergic reaction in aspirin sensitive people and may be contaminated with such cancer-causing substances as benzidine and 4-aminobiphenyl (or chemicals that the body converts to those substances). People should be aware that annatto can cause allergic reactions too so while natural, it is on the CPSPI’s “certain people should avoid” list.
5. Long list of added vitamins. Wait? Aren’t added vitamins good for you? Yes, at the recommended intake amounts. But 70% of Americans take a daily vitamin so there are increasing concerns that functional foods (those pumped up with vitamins and minerals) are causing overconsumption which can have negative health consequences. In 2004, Denmark actually banned Kelloggs from adding vitamins to their breakfast cereal, as they do in the US and Britain, over concerns that additional vitamins could negatively impact pregnant women and children.
So are nutrition labels useful? Some say not very. The CPSI recently published a report titled arguing for food label reform called “Food Label Chaos”. In the World Public Health Nutrition Journal, Carlos Monteiro recently published a pretty scathing critique of nutrition labels. He said:
“Food labelling tells consumers little of what they need to know about processed products. This includes nutrition labelling. Food manufacturers have successfully pressed for nutrition labelling to exclude useful information and to include useless information, and use its formats to promote grossly degraded products ‘fortified’ or ‘enriched’ with synthetic vitamins and minerals. At its worst, nutrition labelling amounts to a form of legally sanctioned fraud. It is not possible to reform nutrition labelling in anything like its current form, so that it might be really useful.”
So how should you decide whether to put that product in your cart? When I pick up a packaged food, the first place I look is the ingredient label to see what’s actually IN it and keeping in mind factors that don’t show up on the labels like pesticide exposure and GMO’s. I definitely follow the “more than 5 ingredients is a bad sign” and if “I can’t buy the ingredient and put it in my pantry, I probably don’t want it in my food” philosophy. If it says organic, I look for the green “USDA certified organic” label (recognizing that 5% of ingredients may not be organic unless it says 100%). Only after I’m comfortable with the ingredients, do I look at nutrition label to get a sense for quantity—just how much sugar or salt or fat is in this product.
And yes, I still do pay attention to that calorie count because I know how many calories I can consume in a day before adding pounds. Sadly, my jeans don’t seem to care whether those calories were organically grown.
Sarah Coyne is a young mom who lives in New York City in an apartment with her husband, a two year-old, and a baby. She works full-time and of course she wants her family and her home to be healthy and green! A while back she emailed us:
“I feel like information is abundant on almost any topic with the advent of the internet so the best companies are those that can synthesize information for people and become “go-to” resources to get information on a particular topic. That’s how I see Practically Green – a go-to for a mom who wants to go green, but doesn’t exactly know where to start/what to do and who doesn’t have the time to do the work and research to determine what makes sense.”
We were delighted to hear this – and SO excited when ABC News correspondent Lauren Glassberg produced a segment about Sarah and Practically Green.
From Lauren’s story:
NEW YORK (WABC)
Sarah Coyne is one environmentalist who takes many steps to stay green.
If you walk into Coyne’s house, you must remove your shoes first. She only serves her children organic milk and uses natural toothpaste. She also recycles everything down to her contact lens packaging.
Coyne found many of these ideas on the Practically Green website. She feels these are easy steps to take towards leading a greener life, and if she can do it, anyone can do it.
Susan Hunt Stevens created the Practically Green website after she realized how overwhelmed she was when it came to going green.
“I felt like I could start a service,” Stevens said.
The way to use this website is to begin by taking a quick quiz to see where you rank on the “green tree,” and then tips on being green will follow.
Some of the tips are as simple as buying organic coffee.
There are four hundred simple steps on the website to show you how to be green.
The “Practically Green” website encompasses a community approach, which means you may wind up becoming greener than you thought was possible.
When people view the tips from the website, it gives them the confidence to change because they feel they can do it. This is why Sarah Coyne can say she is greener than she has ever been.
To learn more, visit the website at www.practicallygreen.com
(Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
Jan Devereux, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a writer and mother of three who is guest blogging for Practically Green today about a conundrum many of us face when we travel: How to Find a Green Hotel. Thanks for the great advice, Jan!
As a Practically Green reader, you’re probably putting a good deal of effort into greening your lifestyle at home. But what about when you travel? Whether you’re making vacation plans or hitting the road for business, you may be pleasantly surprised to discover that hotels are going green, too.
What You Might Notice:
Individual bars of soap and sample-sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner are gradually giving way to pump-dispensers in hotel bathrooms. Most hotels also offer you the option of re-using your bed linens and towels (if you don’t find a card inviting you to make this choice, leave a note for the housekeeping service). The more forward-thinking hotels are also offering guests refillable water bottles, recycling bins in each room, motion-sensitive thermostats and access to hybrid car services.
Behind the scenes:
Hotels are improving the energy and water efficiency of their laundries, buying local and reducing waste in their food service operations, installing energy-efficient compact fluorescent lighting and LED signs, and using low VOC paint and carpeting.
Eco-tourism expert Tedd Saunders, who advises hoteliers worldwide on environmentally sustainable operations and practices, says the hospitality industry has undergone a “sea change” in the past decade. Saunders was a pioneer when he started his eco-consulting firm, EcoLogical Solutions, Inc., back in 1992. Today, he’s pleased to see hotels of all sizes implementing innovative green policies that go beyond mere compliance.
“The major chains used to roll their eyes; now they all have environmental teams,” Saunders observes. And, when you consider that the U.S. hotels spend close to $4 billion annually on energy, the industry’s new found enthusiasm for conservation has the potential to make an enormous impact.
Saunders notes that eco-conscious consumers are not alone in helping to drive these decisions; increasingly, corporate travel managers are exerting pressure on the major hotel chains to green themselves, or risk losing multimillion-dollar national accounts. Educating both industry execs and guests is one goal of the Ceres Green Hotels Initiative, which Saunders helped to launch. CERES developed a best practices checklist for hotels to self-assess and a comment card for guests to leave with the manager at check out, rating how the hotel’s green practices measured up.
The way Saunders sees it, the hotel industry is approaching the tipping point where, soon, the major consumer travel booking sites will throw their muscle behind helping travelers make more informed choices about how to travel green. He looks forward to the day when all the major hotel management companies will have built up an internal knowledge base of sustainable business practices so that his consulting services will no longer be in demand. But in the meantime he hopes eco-aware travelers of all budgets will help hotels see the market advantages of going green.
HELPFUL RESOURCES:
For a list of some of the country’s greenest city center hotels provided specifically for Practically Green readers from EcoLogical Solutions, click here.
The Green Key Eco-Rating Program rates hotels in the U.S. and Canada based on a voluntary self-assessment of member hotels’ operational areas and sustainable practices, and its hotels are subject to random on-site inspections (about 20% per year are audited).
The following hotels have earned the highest Green Key rating (5 keys):
ARIA Resort Casino (Las Vegas), Fairmont Newport Beach (CA), Fairmont Pittsburgh, Grand Hyatt Denver, Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach (CA), Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort Spa Casino, Stowe Mountain Lodge (VT), Vail Cascade Resort (CO), Vdara Hotel & Spa (Las Vegas).
The Fairmont and Hyatt (Regency and Grand) chains led the pack in numbers of their properties achieving 4 Green Keys or higher.
Orbitz offers a list of green hotels by state, with symbols to denote those that have earned Energy Star or LEED certification.
- EcoLogical Solutions
And, finally, if you’re planning a trip to Boston and have allergies or respiratory problems, you’ll be happy to hear that The Lenox Hotel has an “allergy friendly” top floor. The entire floor was sealed and then treated for bacteria and mold to create a bio-shield. The floor has HEPA air filters and all rooms were renovated with hypoallergenic fabrics, carpets and cabinetry. Mattresses on this floor and throughout the hotel all have dust mite barriers.
Remember: Select a green hotel when traveling and earn more PG Points!
News Picks:
Maybe it’s Practically Green’s Boston roots, but I just couldn’t bring myself to write today’s post without featuring some sort of St. Patty’s Day article. Ten Ways To Go Green On St. Patrick’s Day from Ingrid Ostby of Ecorazzi will inspire you to have a truly green holiday. From thrift store accessories to using eco-friendly and natural food coloring, these tips are good all year round!
Harvesting the Power of the Mom Blogger: I guess we’re not the only ones that know the POWER of mom bloggers! This article by Pradnya Joshi of The New York Times displays the amazing depth and influence of the network of mom bloggers on the web. We certainly knew all about the amazing support system of strong and intelligent women, but this article is a good reminder!
Nutrition Keys: Will They Really Help Us Make Better Food Choices?
This is a great piece from Lori Alper of Modern Hippie Mag, and definitely something to think about. As Alper points out, nutrition keys aren’t providing any new information, but they may just change the way we shop. I am definitely a label-reader, but when I’m in a rush, I grab whatever is in front of me, and usually regret it. I’m a big believer that something is better than nothing, and if this system encourages a mother of three to buy the cereal with less sugar, then I’m all for it. What do you think?
My Little Seed: A Story of Eczema and Betrayal: This blog post from Healthy Child Healthy World by Paige Goldberg Tolmach is eye-opening to say the least. Doctors told Paige that her infant son’s eczema was genetic, but the diagnosis simply didn’t make sense. Refusing to accept their word, Paige did a lot of research and discovered that it was her own home that was making her son sick. From his crib mattress to his teething toys, Paige’s son was being poisoned. This article will force you to look into the chemicals your family might be ingesting.
Paige Goldberg Tolmach and her son, HCHW
Multi-Media Pick:
The Urban Farming Guys is the video blog sector of the nonprofit organization Rock Solid Urban Impact.
The Urban Farming Guys is composed of 20 families that uprooted from the suburbs and relocated to inner city Kansas City. Their objective? To teach the youth, and “cultivate the life of the innercity.” With community engagement and sustainable farming practices as their bread and butter, The Urban Farming Guys and Rock Solid Urban Impact are an experiment to keep your eye on. They are revolutionaries living their lives to improve others. Watch their videos and learn what YOU can do.
New and Cool Pick:
USBCELL AA Rechargeable Batteries:
I have a drawer in my house that has the sole purpose of collecting used AA batteries. I’m embarrassed to say I have NO idea how many are in there or how many actually work. I know I should recycle the old batteries, but I just can’t let go! I have finally found something to help. These batteries from Moixa Energy have a built in usb to make recharging easier than ever.
This week's PG Picks by Sam Roach
We love seeing home renovations, but particularly if there are GREEN and HEALTHY features. There is something just so satisfying about seeing something not only made more beautiful, but that also uses resources more efficiently and improves health. While renovations take resources, exploring lower impact options can also be really fun!
For example, when we renovated our home, we worked hard to keep everything we could as original as possible. Except the bathrooms.There was no getting around the fact that they were ugly water hogs with poor ventilation, no insulation, and serious mildew/mold.
So we tried to make the upgrades not only stylish, but green. Here’s how one has turned out!
Yes, we love how it looks. But what we love more is that the toilets are dual-flush, the lights are CFL’s, the shower/faucets are low-flow, the wall tile is recycled glass, the paint is low-VOC, and the ventilator fans are EnergyStar. We also insulated the walls, upgraded the windows and the tub is much smaller than normal so we use less water for the kids baths. And yes, even the toilet paper is recycled, much to my better half’s consternation. It’s not perfectly green (what is?!), but we’ve reduced our water usage by nearly half and these upgrades are a huge part of that.
We bet many of YOU have amazing green home upgrades and we’d love to see your best before and after photos of kitchens, bathrooms, nurseries, bedrooms, living rooms, pantries, laundry rooms or even green garages! We are going to show off our favorites on our blog and Facebook page over the next few weeks, but our MOST FAVORITE will also win a copy of Planet Home, the awesome book by our editorial director Alexandra Zissu and advisor Jeffrey Hollender.
You may also get a chance for your green room makeover to appear on the website of a major national women’s magazine! (Photo quality will matter for this so please send high resolution images and please try and have the same angle for before and after).
Here’s what you do to enter, it’s really simple:
1. Email us before and after photos of your project. Use the email intern at practicallygreen dot com.
2. In the email, tell us what healthy green actions you took in your upgrade because as you know, healthy green stuff can sometimes be invisible.
3. Make sure we have your contact information–email, phone.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. And please feel free to share this with your friends who you know have done cool healthy, green stuff! The deadline is a week from today: Wednesday, March 23rd!
One of our favorite green mom bloggers is Lynn from SmilingGreenMom. Lynn is a great mom of two from Indiana who manages to combine a practical and serious passion for her family’s health, looking closely at diseases caused by toxins in household materials. Lynn’s positive attitude and fantastic wit has us hooked!
She recently shared 8 Ways to Green Your Spring with her readers and we are thrilled to share some of them with you too. We’ve also matched them with the relevant Practically Green actions so you can learn from Lynn and earn your points and badges from us!
Lynn’s Tip:
Hang your clothes outside: Your dryer is one of the biggest energy-suckers in your home! So now that the weather is getting nicer, save some money and the planet by hanging your clothes outside to dry! Let nature help you out on this one – it has so many benefits. If you do need/want to use your electric dryer, make sure to clean the lint trap regularly as this will really help with efficiency! According to the California Energy Commission, A dryer is typically the second-biggest electricity-using appliance after the refrigerator, costing about $85 to operate annually.
ylcf.org
Related PG Actions:
Lynn’s Tip:
Clean Green: Dirty little dust bunnies have been seeking shelter in your home over the cold winter months as well – time to spruce things up and clean out! There are many “everyday” products being sold to us that can contain harmful chemicals – read labels, do your homework and stay informed. One of the best online resources to check for toxins in products and to get the inside scoop on safety is the EWG’s (Environmental Working Group) Cosmetics Safety Database. Know your products. I personally use and love Dr Bronner’s, EcoStoreUSA, Celadon Road and a few others but I also love it when I can make my own! Here’s my recipe for laundry soaplemons! and you can always use such natural ingredients as vinegar and
greenissexy.org
Related PG Actions:
Make your own cleaners, including laundry detergent
Switch to all-natural all-purpose cleaner
Lynn’s Tip:
Paint Low-Voc: Who doesn’t love a nice coat of paint to freshen things up? Just remember that many of the products we use are the source for a substantial portion of indoor air pollution, including our paints. “Though conventional paints have gotten less toxic over the years, many still release some level of volatile organic compounds, or “VOCs,” into the air in the form of a breathable gas. According to the American Lung Association, VOCs can cause a number of physical problems, such as eye and skin irritation, as well as lung and kidney damage. The best practice is to use paint that is low in, or does not contain, VOCs and low- or no-VOC paint is a quality, cost-effective painting option that is safe for the environment and the homeowner” (HGTVpro).
Mythic Paint
Related PG Actions:
Lynn’s Tip:
Open Windows: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air is three times more polluted than outdoor air. Let the good in air and the bad stuff out! Easy enough 
Related PG Action:
Take shoes off at the door regularly
Lynn’s Tip:
Garage Sale/Donate: One of my most favoritest things about spring is the cleaning up and clearing out! Spring time to many reminds us of simplifying and sorting…starting fresh and new! It’s a great time to go through your belongings and decide what you love, like and dislike. You might think of this as three piles – but you will only be making two. Keep what you love and out the door with all the rest. Have a garage sale, donate or give as hand-me-downs to someone in need! It’s a great way to clear the clutter while doing something nice too.
Related PG Actions:
Lynn’s Tip:
Rain Barrel: Capture one of our greatest gifts from nature – pure lovely rainwater! Rain barrels are a great way to conserve resources while reducing the amount of well or municipal water we use. “Luckily, rainwater harvesting has gone mainstream, and it’s easy for homeowners to take advantage of recapturing “lost” water with a rain barrel. Your roof collects rainwater and funnels it through gutters or downspouts, where it can be collected. But be sure to leave room to provide easy access the spigot. When your plants need a drink, just use the water from the barrel instead of turning on the hose”(Earth911).
sustainstl.org
Related PG Action:
Install rain barrels and use for lawn and garden
Install a rainwater harvesting system
For Lynn’s full post and more like it visit: www.smilinggreenmom.com!
There are millions of products out there marketed towards parents and families, but certainly not millions of good ones. So, how do you know when a product is good? Everyone knows that the best advice comes from the people you can trust, hence, the incredible value of diapers.com’s 2011 Cribsie Awards! Created to recognize the “best brands, products, services, and websites for babies and tots,” the Cribsies are a great resource for every family! The best part? Every product was chosen by people like you (who have actually used the products, might I add)!
Here at Practically Green we’ve taken it a step further and combed through the great nominees to find our personal favorites, meaning of course, some of the greenest options!
Photo Credit: Happy Solez Organics
Nursery:
California Baby (Skincare)
Halo (Organic fabrics)
Aden + Anais (Organic cotton muslin wrap)
Seventh Generation (Diapers)
Nature Babycare (Diapers)
Under The Nile (Security blankets)
MiYim (Security blankets and toys)
Best Way To Recycle Used Baby Stuff (GREEN GREEN GREEN Category!)
Most Comfy Way To Wear Your Baby: Ergo; Baby K’Tan; Moby Wraps; BobaPine; Sleepy Wrap (All have an organic version, which is the greenest way to go.)
Fashion:
Photo Credit: Hank & Jojo
Play:
BabyBjorn Babysitter Balance (Organic cotton version)
Mealtime:
Happy Baby, Earth’s Best, Tasty Baby, Sprout, Ella’s Kitchen, and Nurturme (All organic!)
The Think Baby (Stainless steel)
Green Sprouts (Glass cubes)
Annie’s, Plum, Little Duck Organics (Choose the organic options which are much healthier and don’t contain the yucky stuff)
Born Free, Dr. Brown’s, Green To Grow (These companies make glass bottles which are safer than and therefore preferable to plastic)
Remember: The more legitimate certifications, the better, and always read the product information.
We look forward to hearing the winners announced on March 25th!
The Green Awards are here and Practically Green is a candidate for the “Green Entrepreneur” Award. Woo Hoo! There is a panel of very distinguished judges, but also a public vote— and we would love our fans and friends to tell everyone how much they love what Practically Green is doing!
How to do it?
1. Check out our submission here. It was a full family effort, including a six-year old videographer.
2. Vote for us! Everyday for the next 14 days!
3. Share the link! Tweet it! FB it! Tell your mother’s group and your book club and your co-workers. And have them tell their friends!
What happens if we win? We get funds to help us bring YOU a mobile version of Practically Green. Because we know you are on the go. We know this stuff is hard to remember. So when you are in the store, you will be able to find “yucky stuff” lists easily through PG on your phone. Or if you want to see which products are recommended, voila–it’s right there! And even better–you want to see which ones YOUR friends liked? One click and woo hoo–friend to friend recommendations at your finger tips.
Whether you are a long-time fan or just found us, thank you so much for spreading the word and letting the judges know how you feel about how Practically Green. We really appreciate it!
News Picks:
Photo Credit: Leah Nash for The New York Times
In New Food Culture, a Young Generation of Farmers Emerges: I love love love this article from Isolde Raftery of The New York Times! Featuring Tyler Jones, 30, and his wife Alicia, 27, of Corvallis, Oregon, this article examines a new generation who has chosen farming as their livelihood. With better agricultural practices driving their passion, the Joneses represent a much larger demographic. Read this article and learn more about the driving force behind a profession rising so quickly in popularity.
30 of the Best Garden Designs: Looking for a little motivation to get your garden going? Believe it or not, it’s not to early to start planning, raking, and hoeing. These absolutely beautiful gardens featured by iVillage will have you dying to get started. Pictured to the right is my personal favorite, #9. Check ‘em out and get started on those PG Points!
Apple Unveils Thinner, Lighter iPad 2 – But is it Greener?
This is a great article from Diane Pham and Mike Chino of Inhabitat, and as you might imagine, very timely. It seems as though everyone I know, whether they own one or not, is talking about the iPad and iPad2. But are they green? Pham and Chino break it down nicely. Check it out!
Multi-Media Pick:
‘How to recycle rain water for use at home’ by SmartPlanetCBS is a great video, featuring a husband/wife team that changed their lifestyle to save water. With commentary from their own rainwater expert, and great footage of their home, the type of rainwater harvesting system this couple used might be exactly what you and your family were looking for! Remember: this one can get you 150 PG Points. Wahoo!
New and Cool Pick:
If you’re like me, you’re always looking for a sweet new bag, and have I got a good one for you! Boston based Couture Planet makes their handbags out of old newspapers, that way your handbag is always one of a kind! They have tons of different styles and you can actually tell them if you prefer The New York Times, or The Boston Globe as well as your favorite section! Personally, I’d go for the Clutch in The New York Times Travel section, how about you?
This week's PG Picks created by Sam Roach
Today we had a great conversation with Laurie David. Her new book The Family Dinner is making its way into kitchens across America, and we couldn’t be happier. For three reasons:
- It’s packed with tasty, easy, healthy recipes.
- It’s full of great ideas for making family meals special, even if they happen every day – you’ll find conversation starters, games, jokes, riddles, and stories.
- It’s a springboard for making healthy green changes in your daily life, one doable and appealing step at a time.
And a fourth reason:
Laurie is a “Hollywood environmentalist,” as Time magazine put it a few weeks ago. She’s also a smart funny thoughtful writer who, like all of us, loves her kids and will do anything she can to ensure a safe future for them.
Dinner is part of the answer: “Dinner is as much about digestible conversation as it is about delicious food.” Her best stories and advice, and those of her friends, are here in this cheery yellow book.
We talked about home vegetable gardening, the fun of cooking with friends, and the wonderful questions that are submitted for Chef Kirsten’s Recipe Wednesday. From this week’s edition: What are your top 3 favorite meals that are quick and kid friendly? We love this last step! “Boil until the pasta is done. Drizzle with olive oil, or throw in a pat of butter, and toss with parmesan cheese. Pour into a large shallow bowl, sit down, and sigh happily.”
And then we got serious. Laurie is devoted to bringing the issue of global warming into the mainstream. I asked the co-producer of An Inconvenient Truth her advice on being part of the solution — as an individual, as a parent, as one person who cares. “Find a way in that works for you,” she said. “One way to get involved and engaged, to participate. Focus on that whole-heartedly, and do it as best you can.”
Taking 5 minutes for the Practically Green Quiz and reviewing the recommended actions for your own Green Action Plan is, we hope, an appealing way forward. If you’re in the mood to improve the dinner experience at your house, maybe you’ll decide to Check the Dirty Dozen, Buy Organic Milk, Plant a Vegetable Garden, Install a Rain Barrel, or any of the hundreds of effective ideas on the site. Get your green score, make an action plan – and, if you like the experience, please recommend it to everyone you know! Thank you!
P.S. Don’t miss HuffPost’s Family Dinner download, emailed on Friday afternoons.
Every Friday, the Huffington Post highlights a compelling news story to spark discussion at your dinner table
Recent topics: The Crush of Schoolwork, Managing Our Money, Our Impact on the Planet, Valentine’s Day in the Classroom. For instance:
How does Valentine’s Day work in your classroom and at your school? Do you bring cards or candy for everyone? Do you find it to be a tough day for some students? What are some other ways you could observe this holiday in school that doesn’t leave students feeling hurt?
Good questions! Imagine if everyone’s family dinner table offered a chance to make the world a better place.
Of all the recommended actions on Practically Green — there are 433 of them, and counting — which do you think are the Top Ten on people’s Green Action Plans?
We wanted to know, so Jason crunched the data this morning and here’s the result. Maybe you’ll decide to add one of these to your plan! Simply click on the orange button “ADD to my plan.” It’s on every action page, and it looks like this:
* * * TOP TEN ACTIONS CURRENTLY ON PRACTICALLY GREEN ACTION PLANS * * *
Click on any of these links to see why that particular action is green, how to do it, recommended products and ratings, and helpful resources
- Get an energy audit
- Install smart power strip to turn off TVs and computers completely
- Calculate my carbon footprint
- Install rain barrels and use for lawn and garden
- Unplug cell phone chargers and other appliances when not in use
- Check my cosmetics against the Skin Deep Cosmetics or Good Guide Database
- Take shoes off at the door regularly
- Install a tankless, on-demand hot-water heater
- Eliminate styrofoam, especially from food and drink purchases
- Install or upgrade to a dual-flush toilet
With thanks to David Hockney and The New Yorker magazine for this beautiful painting of Action number 7.
(Have we told you about our bathroom that’s wallpapered in New Yorker covers??)
This photo shows possibly the most pleasantly aromatic environment imaginable: Weleda North America’s headquarters in Palisades, New York. Imagine 90 birthday candles on top of that historic roof: Weleda is celebrating a big anniversary this year, in tune with its original core values “centered around respect for human beings, nature and sustainability,” as CEO Jasper van Brakel puts it.
Visit the Weleda site to learn more about this history, locate a Weleda spa, get to know some of their expert therapists, subscribe to we magazine, explore the products – and buy them! — including the new pomegranate line of facial care. After all, style guru and Ecofabulous founder Zem Joaquin says it’s “the bomb for hydrating and regenerating aging skin.” We agree! … Frankly, we haven’t yet met a Weleda product we didn’t absolutely LOVE.
Weleda sponsors the Natural Baby badge at Practically Green, and our intern Samantha is practically swooning from the heavenly samples she’s sending out to badge winners! Find a baby and get yours today!
A few months ago, we noticed a modest but powerful post from Jennifer Barckley, Weleda’s Director of Corporate Communications & Education. It describes her shift to a healthier, greener way of life. See what you think, and please send your stories in! We love sharing them.
Five years ago, I turned organic. Although my back-to-the-roots awakening came not so long ago, it was still a time when the now all-abuzz “green” adage was hardly in vogue. But with the help of Weleda, I literally embarked on a life journey—deep into the thicket of all things natural. Inspired by the subtle yet genuine scent of Wild Rose Body Lotion, I rediscovered my deep-
seated connection to nature and began making changes—one natural facial moisturizer, one organic apple, one Biodynamic® glass of wine and one indigenous cashmere sweater at a time.
Inherently, by birth, we are all shades of “green”—natural and organic. As we grow up, it is easy to lose touch with our origins through exposure to processed foods, synthetic household products and not-so-healthy skin creams. I know all too well. This was once my world. But just as these choices are habit forming, the healthier eco-options are equally as addictive. When you give them a dabble, you begin to crave the healthier alternatives and the perpetual empowerment of making these choices….
Whether you roll up your sleeves and start composting, or make time to give your baby a nourishing massage, or simply spend a few minutes each day outdoors, you’ll feel a refreshing difference. I certainly have.
So, into the green we go. We’d love to hear from you along the way. After all, this is a lifelong journey.
You can email Jennifer at jennifer@weleda.com, share stories and connect with Weleda on Facebook (facebook.com/weleda) and Twitter @weleda.
My son Nick graduated from college a few years ago and now he lives in an apartment with two high school buddies in Manhattan. They work around the clock, they carry on socially around town, and their fridge is what you might expect of three guys who aren’t really into cooking, just eating. Often takeout.
Nick came home last weekend. As a kid he spent lots of time with me in the kitchen – that’s where we LIVED most of the time, after all. He’s still there with me, at age 25 — and I’m still teaching him stuff.
Here’s our weekend lesson.
This is what my fridge looked like at 10:05 a.m. (I just went to Whole Foods the day before.)
See? I am a bit of a control freak: I like to have all the labels facing forward. It makes me feel safe, less vulnerable in a perilous world, don’t ask me why. But as Nick and I stood there peering into the fridge together, I realized this was a teachable moment with my almost-adult, college-graduate, wordly sophisticate son. I explained to him that the important info is actually on the REVERSE of the product.
Nick stood there agape as I switched all the items around to reveal their ingredients. It took about a minute.
You’ll have to ask Nick if this made an impression; I have a hunch that it did. He grabbed the cheese first….
YES we have actions on Practically Green that reward you for taking a look at the labels on the products you buy.
For instance:
Find out what food I buy regularly that contains high-fructose corn syrup
Review the “dirty dozen” list of fruits and vegetables
Find out what food I buy regularly that contains artificial colors & flavors
Find out what food I buy regularly that contains artificial sweeteners
And more! So please. Tell a recent college graduate about Practically Green today. Chances are they didn’t learn this stuff in school.
Today’s guest blogger is Anna Clark, from Dallas, Texas, President of EarthPeople. She’s the author of Green, American Style and contributes the Eco-Leadership blog on GreenBiz.com. Anna describes having an a-Ha moment when her first child was born (as so many of us do!). All of a sudden her career, which was going along nicely at IBM, wasn’t satisfying. “I found that I was passionate about the environment,” she says. “I know it might sound crazy, but I felt this creeping helplessness about melting glaciers, polar bears and walruses losing their homes because of our actions. I decided I had to make a dent in it somehow!” Earth People was born.
We’re delighted to have Anna on board our blogging team! Here’s her first report, an interview with CEO Jason Graham-Nye of gDiapers “to get the scoop on why and how his nappies are coming up daisies.” Think about it! 216,000 babies are born every day worldwide, so diapers and related products — their manufacture and their disposal — are major. Anna interviewed the CEO of gDiaper, Jason Graham-Nye. Here’s her report:
A global parenting phenomenon is taking root, thanks in part to a virtual army of over 24,000 enthusiastic gDiapers supporters. But can a disposable diaper liner genuinely ward off rash and function like fertilizer at the end of its use? Yes, and the proof lies in gDiaper’s Cradle-to-Cradle certification.
Anna: gDiapers is the first consumer product of any kind to receive the prestigious Cradle-to-Cradle design certification. How did you decide to pursue that?
Jason: In 2004, we thought green credentials were critical. The University of Oregon found that 95 percent of products are green-washed, as described in the Greenwashing Index. We had a technical director early on and found that William McDonough’s group MBDC was the best. The process really went deep, evaluating our upstream suppliers and their suppliers. When we got upgraded to silver, we worked with our manufacturing partner in Ohio and we influenced this larger company to go 100% renewable. We’re proud of that.
Anna: For industry insiders, your C2C certification tells us everything we need to know about the sustainability of your product. For moms and dads who aren’t familiar, can you talk on the environmental impacts of gDiapers? For example, how safe is the gel for the environment?
Jason: When we first got into this, as parents we were suspect. Super absorbent polymer (SAP) was given a bad rap in the early 80s for toxic shock syndrome. Women were dying, but it was due to prolonged usage, not the super absorbents – that is, the gel. As far as our product goes, you would need to ingest 5 of our diapers whole to get the toxicity equal to one teaspoon of salt. As for the environment, our product allows you to compost the wet ones. They can biodegrade within 50-150 days at home or in 10 days with commercial composting.
Anna: What about the diaper covers? What are the green savings if those covers are plastic?
Jason: Actually, the diaper holder is not plastic. It’s a textile that we’ve been working with for 20+ years to create a barrier that is waterproof and durable. Like a Nike drive fit, it’s a textile that’s been treated…. About 95 percent of kids are in disposable diapers. All disposable diapers need ½ cup of oil to make so they take their toll on the environment, to say nothing of the waste they create. Of course, we want to be best for the baby as well as the planet. Moms don’t realize how much diaper rash occurs due to disposable diapers. The outer pant is breathable and soft on the babies’ skin, which prevents diaper rash. We use these diapers on our own kids, which says it all.
Anna: To what extent have mommy bloggers helped you share your story?
Jason: A ton. Our Facebook community numbers over 24,000. The true believers have been enormously important for us. We have customers who willingly do customer service for us.
Anna: This deviates from traditional marketing. Do you think your company is unusual in listening to your customers?
Jason: I got a shellacking from someone who said the gDiapers brand is out of control, essentially saying ‘it’s now in control of the customers and the horse has bolted.’ On the contrary, by empowering customers we’re giving them a stake in our company. It’s about trust and faith. When leaders get in front of their brands and stop hiding behind customer service, the brand goes to places you never thought it could.
Wrapping up, Jason explains that gDiaper’s philosophy begins and ends with taking care of people. “We massively believe in the social component of sustainability. Kim and I believe in taking time for family.” The company’s generosity to employees – including flextime, telecommuting, subsidized childcare, and ample vacation – has resulted in a near-zero attrition rate (ultimately a money-saver for gDiaper). “We’ve already discovered that one company, even one person, can be the change,” concludes Jason. “Our goal is to transform the way business is done.”
A Mother’s Perspective
Practically Green CEO Susan Hunt Stevens is one of gDiapers users. “We used them with our daughter,” she said. “We washed the cloth outers with our regular laundry and rinsed the liners each time. We did not compost the pee ones since everything got flushed, usually in conjunction with another “need to flush”. As a result, we had no landfill waste until she was completely done with diapers, at which point the 4 inserts and cloth outers we used could have been donated, although they were really in no shape to do so.” We could say that in this case, Susan used the product through the end of its useful life.
To summarize, the beauty of gDiapers lies in the empowerment of its customers. By giving consumers the option to flush, compost or toss, the company gives us room to do as much or as little for the environment as we choose. It’s a reminder that a company can make a greener product but an equally-informed user makes all the difference.
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