1. To reduce waste and save money, pack your child’s food in reusable bags and containers. (*Kids will be more likely to eat fruits and vegetables if they are packed in colorful containers, so splurge on something exciting!) Laptop Lunches and reuseit.com are just some of the many websites offering eco-friendly containers for lunch storage.
2. Send your kids with reusable utensils and cloth napkins in their lunchboxes. They hold up better under use and can be washed and reused, cutting down on waste.
3. Try to pack only whole foods and non-packaged drinks (such as water in a reusable bottle). Whole foods are healthier and cut down on unnecessary packaging.
4. Make a goal of packing lunches at night, and you’ll be more likely to avoid quickly throwing a lunch together (or even sending kids off for a dreaded school lunch) in the morning chaos.
5. Get your kids involved. Have them help plan their menus, shop and make the lunches. They will be more likely to try something new if they had a hand in creating it.
6. Don’t let lunches get boring.  Switch up traditional PB&J for a sandwich wrap, taco, or even hummus and pita. Just make sure you give it a test-run before investing too much money and time on a picky eater.
7. If you run out of meal ideas, there are plenty of resources available to help you spice things up. Check out this list of 30 lunch ideas from Good Housekeeping: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food/healthy/ideas-kids-school-lunches
8. Cut up fruits and vegetables instead of packing larger, uncut portions. Kids are less likely to take one bite and throw it away, and cut up items can be repacked if they go uneaten.
9. Begin teaching your children how to pack their own nutritious, waste-free lunches. Your workload will be reduced and they will feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for their food. Make a point of mentioning how great it is for the planet that your kids are reducing their waste.
10. Try to buy at least some of your lunch foods at your local farmer’s market. The fresh food will taste better, and you will be supporting your local economy.

Natural materials

“Building and decorating with natural materials derived from sustainable or renewable sources, or even recycled, give pleasure beyond measure. They are a delight to the senses–their textures arouse and tickle your fingertips or toes, their colors warm and excite, their scents evoke something that strikes your core. They also allow you to break the “tizzy-it-up” decorating mold, for when you are  working with natural materials the inclination is to leave well enough alone. Why muddle the perfection?

Natural materials, though, come at a price. Some are derived from countries where economics is seen as more important than conversation, and others have been treated with toxic chemicals in order to fulfill importation criteria

or perceived consumer requirements. The cost of surrounding yourself with natural materials is that you have to do some research. Be aware, for example, of timbers cut from threatened forests, or stone quarries that are disfiguring a landscape. Your background research will also help you to choose the right material for the job.

There are two ideal places to find the natural decorating or building materials you need: the first is in a builder’s reclamation yard, and the second is locally. Reclamation yards are springing up everywhere and even if yo do not find what you need on your first reckoning, you are bound to on the second, third or fourth–trawling reclamation yards can become addictive. Locally manufactured or locally sourced materials mean that gallons of gas have not been wasted transporting them around the country.

The fabric of your home uses lots of natural and healthy materials–glass, plaster, wood, stone, bricks, cement, and tiles. Lime plaster, for example, is a wonderful material. It is made using abundant natural resources, causes no health problems and is non-polluting. Left in its natural state, unsmothered by petrochemical-based paint or vinyl (PVC) wallpaper, it breathes. It is the same with many other building and decorating materials–healthy and non-polluting in their raw state; but as toxic and unhealthy as synthetic products when treated or misused.

For example, the wooden floorboards–old or new–need only a finish of linseed oil or beeswax to bring out the grain, to protect the wood, and to provide a safe surface for walking on.  They do not need coats of synthetic stains or varnishes that contain volatile organic compounds and additives that emit unhealthy fumes. Certain dyes and dying processes, and stain-resist treatments, mean that natural fibers like cotton, linen, silk, and wool give off toxic gases and cause allergic reactions. Instead, there are environmentally safe dying processes and naturally derived pigments.

The benefits of choosing natural materials over blended or synthetic ones are sometimes hard to assess, especially when buying carpets or rugs, for example. The only question you have to ask is: Would you wear it?

There is nothing short-term about using natural materials in your home. Nature’s bounty never falls foul of any decorating trend–it survives them all–and natural materials get better with time and with use. Everyone has known the sensation of running their hand over an old newel post or stepping onto a worn and concave stone step. It is almost as though you are shaking the hand of everyone that has ever walked those stairs, or crossed that threshold.”

As a solar installation company, we’re all for closing coal plants – everywhere.  According to SourceWatch, there are 21 coal plants in Virginia (http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Existing_coal_plants_in_Virginia), all of which emit dangerous pollutants.

But, I’d like to offer another perspective.

We’re in what some call “The Middle Times.”  Not enough renewable energy is being installed and utilized to reduce (much less eliminate) the demand for coal and other fossil fuels.  At the same time, not enough consumers are willing to reduce their energy consumption or (if they can afford it) implement renewable energy solutions.

I wonder how much power the Sierra Club draws from the grid at their office in Alexandria?  And how many of those signing the petition are sitting in an air conditioned room using their laptop when they do it?  How many of them watch TV every night?  How many use a microwave, a clothes dryer, a dishwasher, a refrigerator, a cell phone charger, an alarm clock, an automatic garage door opener, or a light bulb?

We have to face the fact that we, the consumers, are at cause.  As long as we demand power, coal miners and coal plant operators are going to provide it.  And coal plants, no matter where they are, cause environmental damage.  Mining and burning coal is an environmental nightmare.  Just because a power plant isn’t sitting in “your backyard” doesn’t mean it’s emissions don’t affect you.  The truth is, the whole planet is our backyard.  Why is this particular plant being targeted?  And why is the fact that this plant has spent millions of dollars to improve their emissions rarely acknowledged?  I wonder if it’s partly because it sits in the middle of one of the wealthiest areas of our country, right next to our nation’s capital.

There’s confusing information about the plant in Alexandria.  According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the plant provides enough electricity for about 482,000 homes (http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/mirant/).  However, “GenOff” indicates that the plant runs at 18% capacity, sending only occasional power to the grid that is not used by local residents or businesses (http://www.genoffpotomac.com/know-the-facts.html).   And, according to the company that owns it, the electricity generated at the plant is sold to PJM. PJM Interconnection is a regional transmission organization (RTO) that coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity - an “energy broker.”  Does that mean the electricity goes to the highest bidder?  It isn’t clear to me who ultimately uses the power, but what is clear is that the plant generates power and sends it to the grid for a profit.

It’s politically correct to side with the Sierra Club, it’s politically correct to sign petitions to get coal plants closed, it’s politically correct to participate in candlelight vigils in front of a coal plant … but, is that how we should go about solving the problem of burning coal for power?  How do you force a legal, profit-making business to shut down?  I’m not sure you can.

But, what you can do is start reducing the amount of power you draw from the grid.  I think it would be interesting to find out exactly how much power this plant produces and then challenge the local residents to reduce their total consumption by at least that much — or install enough solar/wind/geothermal power to offset it.  Once that’s accomplished and publicized, it would send a powerful message.

A little background:  we live in a 2700 sq. ft., builder grade, NOT energy efficient or well insulated, cookie-cutter, suburban home.

From May of 2008 to April of 2009, we used 32,924 kWh of power.  (Twice the national average!)  That was our baseline.

In May of 2009, we began implementing as many small changes as we could to reduce the amount of power we consumed.  We installed power strips at all our TV’s and computers so we could turn them off at night, we unplugged our phone chargers when not in use, we installed CFL lighting in as many places as possible, we did our best to turn off lights whenever leaving a room and installed a motion sensor in the kids bathroom to ensure that the light would turn off automatically, we installed programmable thermostats and set them a little higher in the summer and a little lower in the winter, and kept the blinds on the South side of the house closed in summer and open in winter.  By the end of April, 2010, we had used 21,811 kWh of power – we had succeeded in reducing our usage by 1/3!

In June of 2010, we turned on the 38 solar panels we installed on our roof.  And we continued to use all the power-saving techniques we had already implemented.  By the end of April, 2011, we had purchased only 12,675 kWh of power from the electric company.

So, in three years, we reduced the amount of power we purchase from the electric company by more than 60%.  Those are real results.  Really.

Next steps?  Well, it’s time to insulate the attic access and add insulation in the attic itself, install ceiling fans in the kids bedrooms and the kitchen, and consider upgrading our HVAC system and purchasing a couple of Energy Star appliances.

The most important thing, though, is that we really did prove that small changes can make a difference.  And adding solar power to the equation makes an even bigger difference.

It works – it really works – just like they say it does.

But, it really can.

Here’s an interesting statistic:  if every household in the United States exchanged one 60 watt incandescent light bulb for a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL), we could save enough energy to power more than 2,500,000 homes for a year and reduce carbon emissions in an amount equal to taking 800,000 cars off the road.

One bulb.  Per household.  Pretty amazing, isn’t it?

And using recycled paper products works in a similar way.  Most of us have established the habit of putting recyclable materials in the recycle bin.  We feel good about it – and we should.   But, if we don’t purchase recycled products, we’re not “closing the loop.”  We’re still consuming raw materials.   For example, we continue to use “virgin fiber” (we cut down trees) for 90% of the paper products we use.

But,

if every household in the United States replaced just one box of facial tissues (175 sheets) with facial tissues made from 100% recycled paper, we could save 163,000 trees,

and replaced just one roll of toilet paper (500 sheets) with toilet paper made from 100% recycled paper, we could save 423,900 trees,

and replaced just one roll of paper towels (70 sheets) with paper towels made from 100% recycled paper, we could save 544,000 trees.

It’s more expensive, I know. But we sure do need those trees. Each time I’m tempted to reach for a less expensive paper product at the grocery store, I think about all those trees. It’s not easy, but to me it’s worth the extra money.

It feels good to save a tree.

Sources:

http://environment.about.com/od/globalwarming/tp/globalwarmtips.htm

http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2901/2901-9004/2901-9004.html

www.nrdc.org

That seems illogical – even a little silly – to our western mind, doesn’t it?  Of course trees don’t hold up the sky.

Or do they?

Didn’t we all learn in grade school that trees inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen?  Without trees, there would be no life for any breathing creature on this planet.  They create the very atmosphere in which we are able to live.  So, in a way, they really do hold up the sky – they create the sky.  Of course, it isn’t likely that the ancient native people who originated the myth could have known that trees exhale oxygen … but, somehow they knew that trees were vital to their existence and should be honored.

Another reason to consider the importance of trees is this:  a tree will process about one ton of carbon dioxide in its lifetime.   That’s not a whole lot, actually. It’s only about 5% of one person’s average annual carbon footprint.  On the other hand, if you were to plant twenty trees a year, you’d essentially negate your footprint for the year.

Does all of that inspire me to be a treehugger?  You betcha.

And along came the clothes dryer.

Before we even begin to talk about the advantages of line drying clothes …

Consider that most HOA’s prohibit permanently installed clothes lines.  Why?  Could it be that, over the last 20 to 30 years, clothes lines have become associated with poverty?  And clothes dryers have become associated with affluence?

At first, only the wealthy had clothes dryers.  As they became less expensive, more and more people began to purchase them, and more and more yards became “clothes-line-free.”  Eventually, we landed where we are today.

Maybe it’s really all about perception. We now perceive clothes lines to be indicative of poverty – which may be why folks don’t want them in their neighborhoods.

What if we were to change how people perceive clothes lines?  What if we began to equate clothes lines with being earth-friendly?  Can we begin a shift back in the other direction?  It would likely take some time, just as the previous shift in perception took time.

Consider this:  if affluence was the original motivation for the shift to clothes dryers, could cost savings and carbon footprint reduction be the motivation for a shift back to clothes lines?  What if it’s just a matter of a few brave souls planting them in their yards and then talking about them?  Could they excitedly explain the benefits of line drying their clothes?  Could they influence friends and neighbors to do the same?  And might some of those friends and neighbors plant clothes lines in their yards and begin talking about them … until we reach another tipping point and everyone perceives clothes lines as “earth-friendly” and clothes dryers as “indulgent and selfish?”

I hope so.

As we usher in 2011 and everyone talks about new beginnings, maybe it’s a good time to start talking about change … or at least changing our perspective.

What do power lines have to do with that?

Before we started burying them, homes were connected to the grid by a wire that stretched from the home to the nearest telephone pole.  I wonder … who notices those wires on the older homes in our communities anymore?  To be honest, I never really did – until I began to focus on the way things are changing with regard to how we power our homes.

And satellite antennas?  There have been some pretty fierce battles waged about them, haven’t there?  It took a long time for HOA’s to come around to understanding that homeowners have the right to choose how they receive a signal for their televisions and computers.  And today, antennas are everywhere.  They’ve become so common, I wonder how many of us even notice them anymore.

These days, some pretty fierce battles are being waged about solar panels.  For those who object to them, it’s often because the panels significantly change the way a house looks (and some people really struggle with change).   Another objection?  “They’re ugly.”

But, are they?  I think that’s a subjective call.  Ugly is really in the eye of the beholder.  To me, solar panels look terrific. They say something about the people who decided to install them.  It’s exciting to see solar panels on a roof.  It’s indicative of a growing number of people who understand the importance of renewable energy solutions.

But I also think solar panels are going to go the way of power lines and satellite antennas.  One day soon, they’ll be so common, we just won’t see them anymore.

• Buy organic and local.  This is an excellent opportunity to patronize your local farmers market.  There’s nothing more nutritious or environmentally friendly than locally grown/raised food.  Here in Purcellville, the Community Market offers a wide variety of foods and gifts – soaps, prepared dishes, coffee, wine, German sausages, pies, cupcakes and more:  http://www.purcellvillecommunitymarket.com/
• If you do shop at a conventional grocery store, buy organic.  And for a list of the foods most heavily treated with pesticides, visit http://www.foodnews.org/.
• Having a party catered or hosting at a restaurant?  Try to find green restaurants and green caterers.
• For that special dinner, don’t use plastic or paper dishes and utensils – use the good china and make it festive!
• Many people look to recycle and feel let down if they don’t have the opportunity.  Put out recycling containers at parties and encourage people to use them.

And last, but not least:  Did you receive food items you can’t use or don’t like (cookies, cakes, bread, cheese, nuts, fruit)?  Donate them to a local food pantry.  But, don’t be surprised if that fruitcake you donate travels around the world and ends up back under your tree again next year.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS
FROM

SOLAR ODYSSEY, INC.
and
UNISON ADVISORY GROUP

When you’re shopping:

• Always bring and use reusable shopping bags.  They’re not just for the grocery store!
• Drive smart — plan your routes well or take public transportation.
• Plan a day to shop with family or friends and only take one car.
• If you’re shopping online, choose ground shipping, buy multiple items from one merchant, and/or buy items in bulk.

When you’re shipping:

• Remember that shredded wrapping paper?  Use that instead of packing peanuts when shipping to family or friends out of town. You can also use popcorn (no butter, though!) or newspaper.
• When you receive a shipment, save your packing peanuts and bubble wrap.  Bring them to a packing store (like Mail Boxes, Etc.) to be reused.
• Reuse or recycle all the boxes you receive.

When you’re traveling:

• Flying?  Pack light.  The more weight you put on the plane, the more fuel is used to get you to your destination.
• Whenever possible, plan your holiday travel to avoid peak times.  In addition to saving you lots of aggravation, you will reduce emissions from sitting in traffic on the highway or at the airport idling.
• Many cities (like Chicago and Boston) allow you to request a green cab at the airport.
• Going to a city between Boston and Washington?  Take a train or the bus.  If you need a car once you get there, use a Zipcar (http://www.zipcar.com/).
• Driving?  Make sure your vehicle is well maintained and the tires are properly inflated — it really improves fuel efficiency.  If you’re stuck in traffic or in a hurry, stay calm and drive gently.  Aggressive driving (i.e., punching on the gas to pass that other car) can lower your fuel efficiency by up to 33%.