International Migratory Bird Day

I know, the events are getting a bit tiresome, but there are so many good ones, and my husband especially wanted you all to know about International Migratory Bird Day, which is tomorrow. If you’ve never thought about where all those beautiful birds of summer go for the rest of the year, or if you’d be surprised to learn how important other continents (like South America) are for American bird populations, visit the website: www.birdday.org. Maybe tomorrow is a good day to buy a field guide, or to crack open the one you already have, and appreciate the beauties of flight. Esquire magazine agrees.

What to Do About the Organic Food Dilemma

The New York Times recently reported on the quickly rising prices of some organic staple foods, like milk and bakery products. Grocery prices in general rose last year, and organic farmers are beginning to abandon the organic label, citing expensive organic feed for livestock and a shrinking profit margin over conventional foods. Compounding the difficulties are rising fuel prices and a lengthy process for obtaining organic certification.

Many people try to decide which organic products are really worth the price–which provide the most reduction in pesticide exposure? This question has become even more relevant in the current economic climate, and resources abound. Check out Dr. Green’s Organic Prescription for his take on the most crucial organic buys, particularly for families with children. (Can you guess the top must-have?) And be sure to get the new pocket guide to what to buy in the produce section, courtesy of the Environmental Working Group. They even score the level of pesticides in fruits and vegetables. (Preview: organic onions are a waste of money.)

Get Out!

The outdoorsy fun doesn’t stop with Earth Day. Express your love of America’s extensive trail system–or fall in love for the first time, or again–by attending a National Trails Day event near you. Find it at http://www.americanhiking.org/NTD.aspx. And show your local park service some love–it’s like an unofficial appreciation day for them, as well. (Yes, I work in a park. A little appreciation never hurt, right?)

UPDATE on 05/08/08: While you’re thinking about the great outdoors, consider signing up for NWF’s Great American Backyard Campout on June 28th.

BPA: How bad is it, really?

New York Times’ health blogger Tara Parker-Pope has an excellent overview of the chemical everyone’s talking about: bisphenol-A, or BPA. Here are the basics from her blog post:

The substance is bisphenol-a, or BPA, widely used in the making of the hard, clear and nearly unbreakable plastic called polycarbonate. Studies and tests show that trace amounts of BPA are leaching from polycarbonate containers into foods and liquids.

While most of the focus is on products for children, including clear plastic bottles and canned infant formula, the chemical is also used in food-storage containers, some clear plastic pitchers used for filtered water, refillable water bottles and the lining of soft-drink and food cans.

While there is debate about how much of a health worry BPA really is, retailers including Wal-Mart have said they are withdrawing baby products made with it. Nalgene, the maker of a popular sports bottle, and the baby-products maker Playtex have announced they will stop using it.

Here are answers to some common questions about BPA.

What is the evidence that BPA is harmful?

It all comes from animal studies. Rat pups exposed to BPA, through injection or food, showed changes in mammary and prostate tissue, suggesting a potential cancer risk. In some tests of female mice, exposure appeared to accelerate puberty.

A draft report from the National Toxicology Program, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, notes that there is no direct evidence that human exposure to BPA harms reproduction or infant development. “I don’t think there’s anything in this brief that should lead to alarm,” said Dr. Michael D. Shelby, director of the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction, who oversaw the report. “It means we’ve got a limited amount of evidence from some studies that were done in laboratory animals.”

Parker-Pope goes on to suggest ways in which the wary can reduce their already trace exposure to BPA: don’t use hard plastic containers to hold hot liquids, or to heat them, and use fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned. Some baby bottle manufacturers are now making BPA-free containers, and many other container companies are sure to follow due to the public fear of this chemical.

I have not forsworn my trusty Nalgene bottles, but I have decided not to use them for hot drinks or to wash them in harsh soaps or very hot water. Scrubbing the inside of the bottles is another no-no, as it increases the wear on the plastic, which causes leaching. If your polycarbonate (hard-plastic) bottle is scratched or very worn, or you have used it to hold lots of hot liquids over the years, you might consider getting a new bottle.

If you still can’t shake the nightmares of BPA, do the eco-chic thing and 1) make your bottle into a solar lantern (here’s the gadget for only $20!) and 2) get a SIGG for your swig.

NOTE: The “make your bottle into a solar lantern” link is not working, but it’s not my fault. Please try again later.

A few neat things and a request

A quick round-up of some eco-related happenings on the web:

• Low Impact Living’s blog has a great list for the person who thinks they’ve read every tip out there on going green. (Although, why would that person be reading my blog? Hm.) The comments below the list are equally good, and at least one of the tips I truly never had heard before. Another helpful, if not new, list of ways to green your lifestyle is available thanks to The Nest.
• A new magazine for women going green is launching soon; you can preview Positively Green here, and subscribe if you like. Either way, it’s a free digital magazine this month, and it’s glossier in appearance than in content, covering a bit of everything with class. For something a bit marketing-powered but worth a look nonetheless, try the newly reborn Organic Style, also in free digital format right now.
• Some happy news: looks like the SUV market is finally taking a significant downturn (Ecollo.)

The request: if you see any certified organic tea available in chain supermarkets, please let me know. Loose or bagged, it doesn’t matter; I am curious to see if organic tea is a product available to the masses, as food for which you pay shipping is not financially sustainable for many.

Driving Saner

It’s time to face facts, friends. By all accounts, gas prices aren’t going away. While you can chase the best prices near you with GasBuddy.com, the more time-efficient solution to saving money at the pump is watching your aggressive driving. You may immediately say, as many people do, that you are an above-average driver who doesn’t speed or tailgate or commit any other bad road behavior. But if you really think about it, when was the last time you drove with a little chip on your shoulder? Today? Don’t worry; you’re not alone. With all the other aggressive drivers surrounding you on the roads, it can be hard not to blend in with the crowd in the name of self-defense.

Think with me now, however, of the benefits of conscious driving. Hopefully you are already aware and alert behind the wheel; I am talking about a reflective driving style that pays off in dollars and sense. Fueleconomy.gov and ConsumerReports.org both offer excellent online resource centers about increasing gas mileage, and besides keeping your car’s maintanance current, I think the most important takeaway messages are these: drive slower, and idle as little as possible.

Most people know that driving over 55 mph decreases your overall gas mileage, but the rate of acceleration is also a large factor. Hasty acceleration and braking simply use up more gas, which means lost fuel efficiency. Examine your own habits and you’ll probably laugh: how many times do you rev up the engine when you know you’re going from one red light to the next? And do you really need to go 70 up that hill? Allowing yourself to take it slow(er) will benefit your bank account and your peace of mind: by dropping out of the literal race on the roads, you are buying yourself some (relatively more) tranquil moments.

Idling is a more little-known gas waster, but it’s a serious problem, both environmentally and practically. Consider these startling facts from IdealBite: “An idling car creates twice the emissions of a car in motion.” “Idling 15 minutes per weekday can cost you up to $100 in wasted gas over the course of a year.” And, “American drivers use more than 2 bil gal of fuel each year while idling.” (Read the rest here.) The facts speak for themselves: turn off your car if you’re going to be stopped for a few minutes. I’ve even turned off my car at a really long light. Restarting your car is not bad for your engine (as some have thought), and unlike idling, it doesn’t waste some resources (oil) while damaging others (air and water).

I hope driving more mindfully brings greater peace into your commute and trips both near and far.

Fun With Next to Nothing

This is the first of probably many shout-outs to my parents. Growing up, I would declare boredom in waiting rooms, restaurants, backseats, and many other places. My parents would immediately come up with a game, or my father would create a flower or toy out of the McDonald’s napkins. When I smiled in relief, my father would often exclaim, “See? Fun with next to nothing!”

This was only one of the ways my parents taught me the benefits of frugality by example. Now, there are the extremely frugal–those who write books on living off the grid and such–who can be commended for living lightly on the earth. But practical frugality doesn’t require you to give up the investment possessions that may contribute to your happiness, whether to you that means a house or a T.V. or a chic trenchcoat or a new Jeep. What it does do is teach you to be happier with what you have–whatever that is. It also inspires creativity, and that’s something the world needs more than ever.

Yes, frugality can be fun, and it usually is, if you’re doing it right. Although I complain when I know I should live without the gourmet chocolates, most of the time it is enjoyable to see how little money we can spend on food and other goods. Everyone loves a bargain, and hunting for one is certainly a staple of frugal living. Here are few other ways to live more lightly on the earth and on your wallet:

• Invent a solution. Sometimes I’ve wanted things without wanting to pay the price. So, I’ve made my own flower press out of cardboard and rubber bands (which I still use today); I’ve made greeting cards out of pieces of other cards and leftover craft materials. In college, a friend made me a shelf for my coffee and filters out of cardboard, thumb tacks, and string. And a certain man I know made a camera bag out of an old sock. A good resource for making something out of nothing is The Complete Tightwad Gazette.
  
• Try less . . . and I don’t mean stop attempting things. Try to use less of any product you routinely use, and keep using less until you notice a difference. Chances are, you will be surprised how long it takes you to notice a different result, but you will notice the difference in how often you buy the product. Great things to try this with are shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent . . . you get the idea. A related tip is to cut the remainder of a product with water to make it last longer. This works especially well with liquid hand soaps. Can you believe they are selling foam hand soap when you can make it yourself?
• Wash clothes in cold water. You will seldom have a time when you need to wash clothes in even luke-warm water. Cold water washes and rinses as well as warm or hot for all but the most obstinate stains.
• Play a game. Even though I have been wanting to get a coffee from the locally famous Queen City Creamery cafe, I keep telling myself, “wait some more.” It’s become a sort of competition with myself, and it adds an element of fun and accomplishment to frugality. The self-control game is not the only variation; try making dinner from what’s in your house right now. Many people don’t realize how much food is in those assorted cans, and this is another way to strengthen your creative (and culinary) powers.
• Find fun for free. Open your favorite search engine and type in “free activities in [city or place of choice].” There is an amazing wealth of parks, museums, and other attractions in most cities.
• Enact a moratorium. Yet another variation of the “play a game” tip above, this entails not buying any new books until you read what you have, or not buying new clothes until you’ve tried on and refined your existing wardrobe (stylists call this “shopping your closet,” and it’s all the rage right now). You can let yourself work around the moratorium, of course; for books, try getting library card. For clothes, try online clothing swap sites. For both books and clothes, try exchanging with friends.

More ideas will follow, but they deserve their own posts. Please share your own ideas in the comments.

Money Strategies for Uncertain Times

Today I’m starting a series of posts called Money Strategies for Uncertain Times. Some might not see the connection between saving money for oneself and benefiting the planet, but what I strive to do on this blog is connect simple and green living concepts as much as possible. I believe that someone is most likely to begin a nature-friendly habit that is also simplifying to their lives, and many times, this results in saved money. That is where frugality comes in. I interchange the terms simple and frugal for the purposes of being broad in describing this blog’s theme, and although they are not always the same thing, the places in which they coincide are the interesting places I want to highlight here.

In that spirit, this series will explore ways to save money and environmental cost at a time in which oil prices are obviously not likely to return to more reasonable levels any time soon, and in which the economy is experiencing some middle-aged ailments. We have come through the boom times of post-World War II productivity and the technology start-up era, and now the growth chart seems to be leveling out. Sadly, the rich truly are getting richer while the poor cope with an even greater gap between what they get paid and what it costs to live.

While my job, and my husband’s, are not threatened by layoffs and other volatilities, we are feeling the crunch along with everybody else. It will be a joy to share some of the positive ways we are dealing with limited funds–ways both practical and philosophical. It is my hope that this will be a time for us and all of America to learn how living within shortened means is better for the environment–and for our state of mind–than we ever expected.

A few more Earth Day goodies

I hope everyone’s having a peaceful Earth Day. It can be easy to focus on things like climate warming and endangered species on this day, and those things should be addressed pronto. But I believe that the success of Earth Day, even among those who hardly do anything environmentally-friendly the rest of the year, is a result of the positive message and the community spirit it has spread throughout the nation. So, in that light, here are a few more resources to ponder, today or any day:

• Oprah’s Earth Day Event. Oprah has been on a green and frugal kick lately, helping me with this blog. Well, she didn’t intend to, but she did. Today’s show featured Al Gore and movie stars discussing everything from composting to Gore’s newly solar home.
• Glamour’s Eco Guide. Some roll their eyes at my Glamour magazine habit, but in amongst the beauty tips and silly celebrity pages, there are stories each month about women making a difference and causes anyone can support. Here’s the page where a recent issue’s going green how-to extravaganza has made its home.
• NPR’s All Things Considered did a story on green building today, and as usual, the page is chock full of interactive features and guides for those inspired to try it themselves.
• The New York Times has an Earth Day super-issue, and it’s worth it for things like this: “Bill Nye, the television host and science educator, lives in a retrofitted, eco-friendly, 1,300-square-foot, 1939 stucco home in Los Angeles.”

I could keep going, but there is enough wonderful information in the links above to keep you busy for quite some time. Happy Earth Day!

Earth Day 2008

What would I be if I didn’t mention tomorrow, a day that has inspired Americans to environmental acts of good will since 1970? Earth Day is always held on April 22, but somehow it sneaks up on one between Easter and Memorial Day weekend. At least, it sneaks up on me. So even if it’s too late for me to do something extravagant, you might be able to. I encourage you to visit the professionals: Earth Day Network, the self-appointed Masters of Ceremonies, if you will, for the holiday. On their website, you can search for local activities, get directions to said activities, and post an activity (there’s still time!). Even if you can’t make it outside, you can sign petitions, register to vote, listen to celebrity pitches for the fight against climate change, read about the environmental impacts of plastic bags, find our your ecological footprint, watch Earth Day TV, and (gasp) even more green things than you can shake a solar-powered cell phone charger at. So try it. And when you’re done, visit ohranger.com, where you can get detailed info and fun activities about all the national parks, so you can start planning your nature-loving vacation. You could even win one.