Today is Earth Day and I’m encouraging all SASSY wo/men to ‘Go Green’. Hence, by using the familiar ethos of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, I’ve come up with a list of simple suggestions to help reduce your carbon footprint, which is the measure of the impact of our activities on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced.
| Reduce | ||
|
Instead of… |
Try… |
Benefits: |
| Conventional light bulbs | Energy friendly light bulbs | They’re better for your eyesight, and are more energy efficient. Less electricity used = more cash in your pocket |
| Plastic bags | Cute reusable cotton totes. You can find them in any price range, like cute ones from Target, to this uber trendy one from Marc Jacobs. | Plastic bags are made of nonrenewable petrochemicals, that don’t break down for thousands of years, contribute to landfill waste, and are often improperly disposed of, causing environmental nuances. |
| Bottled water | Refillable camping bottles (But not Nalgene, because its been proven that the plastic leeches chemicals into the drinking water.) | Even though plastic water bottles are recyclable, not every building or neighborhood actually have programs in place. So using refillable bottles will reduce landfill waste. |
| Mega-super markets | Eating locally and buying produce from farmers/green markets. | Locally-grown produce tastes fresher because its picked at its peak, and since it doesn’t have to travel as far, the difference in mileage saves fossil fuels. |
| Conventional, snail-mail | Online banking | Less paper, which reduces |
| Reuse | ||
|
Instead of… |
Try… |
Benefits |
| Buying new accessories and furniture | Consignment and thrift stores | My BFF Anna has never paid more than $30 for any of her high end purses (think Kate Spade, Tod’s of London, etc.) Other BFFs Caroline and Elizabeth both have furnished their apartments/dorm rooms with consignment shop furniture that has all been in nearly new condition, while eliminating the amount of waste material that would have been produced to create new items. |
| Paper Towels | Old Clothing | When cut into strips, that old pit-stained N’SYNC teeshirt would make a great mirror polisher/oven cleaner/wood buffer/etc. |
| Disposable Eating Utensils(Cups, bowls, forks, etc.) | Ceramic/Metal/Plastic Utensils ~But if you must; use biodegradable products made from potatoes. |
Less waste contribution to landfills. And really…are we so lazy that washing a bowl is such hard work? |
|
Recycle |
||
| This should be a no-brainer; when disposing of an item, give it a rinse (if you can) then separate | ||
Though this isn’t usually considered a environmental trinity, but I’d like to encourage everyone to Reexamine the way you spend your money. In a perfect world, everyone would earn livable wages, but since we don’t live in one its important to know where and how your money is used once its left your wallet.This may read like a plug, but my primary example is American Apparel, who pays its employees at their Los Angeles based plants approx $12/hour, along with benefits like sick leave, bus passes, and in an effort to reduce the rapidly spreading fog in the area, free bikes and repairs. Just based on the ethical treatment of their employees is enough to make me want to buy all of my casual wear from AA ( however their ‘slim, youthful fit’ + my body shape = bad math.)
In no way am I suggesting that we all become ‘freegans’ and start dumpster-diving in the name of environmentalism. however, if everyone tries to incorporate one new idea per week, gradually we will make a difference in the collective quality of life for ourselves, and most importantly, the future generations of SASSY wo/men.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
~Post-Script~ On my train-ride to work this morning, I thought of the most obvious and easy way to go green and reduce one’s carbon-footprint: PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION!
If those signs posted by the MTA are true, then every full subway car keeps 75 to 125 cars off the road; full buses keep about 40 cars off the road. I realize that if you don’t live in a metropolitan area, that public transportation may not exist/be advantageous…but if this isn’t an issue for you, please make an effort to incorporate city trains/buses into your daily commute.
Thanks for the link to our Marc Jacobs tote bags. We reciprocated with a link back to your site from our Press Page. Click and scroll to see Sassy Women Online at eFashionHouse.com! : )
Here’s some more green tips I found:
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/package/0,21861,1692674-1604538,00.html?pkw=PSRSGLTX031108SNND1