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The Earth's In Our Hands
Learn why what we do matters & discover some very easy things you can do to help Mother Nature.
By Sydney Petty
With all the talk about global warming, pollution, and unhealthy levels of heavy metals and other contaminants in our food, water, and everywhere, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem. People often wonder what difference they can make when the extent of the problem is on such a large scale and so relentlessly on-going.
Gradually, however, the word is spreading that small changes in individuals’ everyday lives can make a difference. As each of us strive to adopt a proactive mindset and start working to “own” the problem, our government and corporations will hopefully follow suit and lend a greater hand towards cleaning up the mess.
In honor of Earth Day April 22, Taste of the Bay put together a few possibilities for readers to consider committing to. Just one small change can make a difference. Here are a few:
Bag it Better
Back in 1968, an early scene in Mike Nichol’s classic movie “The Graduate” showed Benjamin Braddock, played by Dustin Hoffman, being confronted by a well-intentioned family friend during his graduation party. The man held up his finger and proudly declared “Plastics!” as the key to a successful future for the hapless young man.
Americans now use 100 billion plastic bags a year, so if Braddock had followed the man’s advice, he’d be wealthy beyond all imagination. Unfortunately, plastic degrades extremely slowly (about 1,000 years to decompose) and tiny particles of it break down and contaminate our soil and water. Burning it can release toxic fumes and manufacturing it often creates large amounts of chemical pollutants. Making matters worse, more than a million birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die every year from eating or getting entangled in plastic according to the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation, and the group estimates 50% of all marine litter is plastic.
Sadly, paper, it turns out, isn’t any better. Producing one paper grocery bag requires more than twice the energy as one plastic bag, while producing 15 times as much waterborne waste and twice as much atmospheric pollution. Though recyclable, Americans chuck four out of five paper bags in the trash.
The best answer to the paper versus plastic debate is neither. Instead, look for reusable canvas and cloth bags for sale at a nominal price at all major supermarkets and many other stores. It takes a while and some effort to get into the swing of using them, as you have to remember to take them in the car and then remember to take them out of the car when you go into the store. However, they are roomy and seem to hold more than the plastic and paper bags. Plus, they won’t burst open when transporting groceries indoors.
Put Your Home on an Energy Diet
While it’s easy to see the environmental impact of the fumes coming out the tailpipe of your car, it’s a bit more difficult to realize that all the energy it takes to run your lights and television, stereo, computer, and other home appliances also comes from fossil fuels burned at electrical plants. Homes are a significant contributor to global warming, and buildings consume 30 percent of energy and 60 percent of electricity used in the U.S.
There are many simple things you can do to cut back on home energy consumption and save yourself a bundle of money as energy costs skyrocket.
The first place to look is your windows and doors. Just making sure you have storm windows in place and a that you caulk any cracks around windows can save you up to one-quarter on your oil and gas bills. Draperies and blinds can also make a difference by insulating during the winter and cutting down on sunlight during the heat of the summer.
If you can’t afford those try plastic sheeting duct-taped or stapled on the outside or inside or your windows.
Having good insulation can save you a bundle too, as can keeping the thermostat turned down. Just one degree Fahrenheit lower, can save 25 to 30 gallons of heating oil per year. In addition, think about turning your thermostat way down when your house is unoccupied; you can turn the thermostat down to 55 degrees without risking a burst water pipe.
The new compact fluorescent light bulbs use 60 percent less energy than your incandescent bulbs, which translates into a lot less carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere from energy plants. By far touted as one of the easiest ways to embrace environmentalism, the impact of having every U.S. household replaced just one regular bulb with a compact fluorescent would prevent 90 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, the equivalent of taking 7.5 million cars off the road.
Remember that major household appliances have two price tags: what you pay to take it home and what you pay for the energy and water it uses. Buying energy-efficient home appliances can result in big savings. Look for the ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, which are approved by the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy and use 10 to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models. They can save you big on your utility bills, and have the environmental impact of planting acres of trees. If you’re not ready to buy a new water heater, simply wrap your old heater in an insulation blanket for an appreciable energy savings.
Go Gentle on the Lawn
Everybody loves a green lawn, but wouldn’t a greener planet be better? Every year, Americans apply roughly 70 million pounds of pesticides to home lawns, trees, and shrubs that are hazardous to our health and harmful to the environment.
Nitrates and phosphates from fertilizers lead to algal blooms that suffocate the Bay, ponds, and lakes by reducing oxygen levels. Effective natural products are now available at your local nursery. Organic fertilizers require less energy to produce than synthetic ones and release nutrients more slowly, so they are effective for longer periods of time. Likewise, natural pesticides have advantages over synthetics, as they target individual pests rather than kill indiscriminately, letting the “good” bugs thrive.
Switching to the organic brands is as easy as asking at your local nursery. Or if you want to give your lawn over to a lawn service, find one that uses natural products. That way you can have a truly healthy “green” lawn that you can feel good about when your kids and pets head out to play.
Or go the free fertilizer route by composting at home. Food waste and yard debris make up 24 percent of the landfills, says the Environmental Protection Agency.
Guzzle Less Gas
Automobiles are our single greatest polluter, emitting nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrocarbon pollutants, all of which contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of the smog that irritates our eyes and damages our lungs. The gases also contribute to the formation of acid rain.
Excess nitrogen is responsible for dead zones in the Chesapeake Bay—huge areas of water so polluted and void of oxygen that life ceases to exist within them. Dead zones have led to record low harvests of crabs and oysters.
Meanwhile, soaring gas prices at the pump are thinning our wallets at an alarming rate. So what are some things an average person can do?
Actually, there are many, and you don’t have to purchase a hybrid car. Consider walking or cycling when you can. It’s healthier for you and an interesting way to travel. When you do need to drive that car, try combining several errands so that you get more done with using less gas.
Car-pooling is always a good idea – to work or to events you know other people around you are going to. Everyone can pitch in with the gas money and you can socialize. Taking mass transit can give you an opportunity to read the paper or catch up on some work as you sit back and let the driver worry about the road. Annapolis Transit offers nine fixed bus routes and two free shuttles to downtown from the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Go online and visit sites like www.artma.org, the web site of the Annapolis Regional Transportation Management Association. There, you can register to carpool with other commuters in your area, which can save you $1500 a year in your commuting expenses, and take a look the area’s bus routes and get their schedules.
6 Simple Solutions with a Big Impact
- Use reusable canvas and cloth bags when shopping. Cuts down on the 100 billion plastic bags used a year that sit in our landfills for 1,000 years, saves double the energy it takes to produce one paper grocery bag, and reduces waterborne water and atmospheric pollution.
- Unplug your power. “Ten percent of the electricity used in homes is burned by communication devices and appliances when they are turned off. If every U.S. household unplugged their computers and cell phone chargers when not in use, collectively we’d save over $100 million,” says The Green Book author, Elizabeth Rogers. And, computers less than 10 years old will last longer if you unplug them. The heat they generate, even in sleep mode is one of the main reasons they break down.
- Stop junk mail or at least recycle it. “The average U.S. household receives 1.5 trees worth of junk mail each year, and many of these trees are thrown right into the trash,” says Rogers. To reduce junk mail, spend a dollar and register with DMA’s Mail Preference Service (www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist). Remember to recycle what you still do receive, though. “If all Americans recycled their junk mail, $370 million in landfill dumping fees could be saved each year,” Rogers reports.
- Start composting. Make your own fertilizer and cut down on your cost in keeping your grass green, feed your lawn natural products, and take comfort when your kids and pets are playing outside knowing they aren’t playing on anything that’s hazardous or harmful. The EPA reports food waste and yard debris make up 24% of the landfills.
- Travel light. Really think about what you need when you travel. “Every additional ten pounds per traveler requires an additional 350 million gallons of jet fuel per year, which is enough to keep a 747 flying continuously for ten years,” says Rogers.
- Be water wise. The average U.S. resident uses 100 to 176 gallons of water every day at home—versus 5 gallons per day by the average African family, according to the Blue Planet Run foundation. Turn the faucet off when brushing your teeth and save 100 gallons of water per month. Set a timer and take a five minute shower and save about 450 gallons a month. Use a commercial car wash versus washing the car yourself and save about 100 gallons less water per wash. These are just a few of the solutions the American Water Works Association recommends. Some places, like the Maritime Autowash found across from the Annapolis Harbour Center in Annapolis or right off Rte. 97 on Benfield Boulevard heading into Millersville and Severna Park reuse the water, so it’s recycled back into the system—saving even more water.
Resources
Annapolis Regional Transportation Management Association
To register to carpool with other commuters in the Anne Arundel County area, which can save you $1500 a year in your commuting expenses, and to take a look the area’s bus routes and get their schedules.www.artma.org
Direct Mail Association’s Mail Preference Service
For $1, you can remove your name or add your name to individual DMA Member mailing lists. www.dmachoice.org
The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time
A user-friendly guide spelling out the impact of our actions and what small changes each person can make that will help save our planet. Written by environmental consultant Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen. $12.95, www.readthegreenbook.com.
The Groundwater Foundation
A non-profit group dedicated to educating and motivating people to care for and about groundwater. www.groundwater.org
One Less Car
Headquartered in Baltimore, this web site has more ideas and ways to promote safe and effective alternative transportation. www.onelesscar.org
Stop Junk Mail
For $20, they will stop up to 90% of your junk mail and plant 10 trees on your behalf.
www.greendimes.com
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