Listmania! Go Green!
By GlindaMany of us would like to “go green” but aren’t really sure where to start. Well, there are lots of places to start, and that might be part of the problem. Too many choices lead to a general throwing up of the hands and a proclamation of defeat. Here are some products to help you get on a greener path.
Seventh Generation Diapers and Wipes If cloth diapering is not for you, products from Seventh Generation are free of chlorine and all sorts of other chemicals and are comparably priced to regular diapers when bought in bulk. So, you can do good for the environment and good for your baby at the same time.
Compact Flourescent Light Bulbs I know a lot of you already have these, and most of the complaints I hear from people are that they can’t find the type of bulb they need. Well, I’ve got them for you. Dimmable, floodlight, chandelier light, reading light, anywhere light, I’ve got your back.
Energy Monitor Talk about a useful item! You can go around your house and test everything that has a plug to find out exactly how much energy it uses. I was intrigued by the high customer rating on this device, and the combination of their delight and disgust at finding out how much energy the items actually used. I think this could easily make back the purchase price in energy savings.
Wood Blocks Worried about all those nasty things that can be present in plastic toys? Go with classic wood toys and never worry again!
Reusable Shopping Bags Those ubiquitous plastic grocery bags are simply a bad deal for the environment, and reusable bags can be fashionable and hip, too! This 6-pack from Baggu has great colors and even better, they are machine washable.
Reusable Lunch Bags I think most people are already using these, but if you are in the market for a new one, you might want to consider something like this one from Built NY. The reviews say that it does a good job at maintaining temperatures and is also machine washable.
How about something as simple as a refillable pen? Instead of throwing them away, just refill it and keep using! This Quad-Function Space Pen allows you to write at any angle with two colors of ink, a pencil, and a stylus in one!
If you are a big water drinker, stop buying those plastic bottles! Instead, buy a water filter for your tap if you don’t like the taste of regular tap, and take your water with you in a reusable bottle. This one by Camelbak is spillproof and comes with a flip cap and a straw for ease of use. It may seem like a lot of money at first, but I promise you will be saving in the long run.
And last but not least, buy a book! Wake Up and Smell the Planet: The Non-Pompous, Non-Preachy Grist Guide to Greening Your Day is exactly what it says it is. It even manages to be funny!
Anyone else have any favorite products or tips?
March 2nd, 2008 at 3:52 pm
This is a great list Glinda! I had no idea there were all of those types of CF bulbs!
March 2nd, 2008 at 6:00 pm
don’t know if this is relevant to readers who aren’t living in a drought but we keep a bucket in the shower to collect water for the garden.
we also compost our kitchen scraps
March 2nd, 2008 at 6:55 pm
I bought Langholz and Turner’s “You Can Prevent Global Warming (and save money!): 51 Easy Ways,” recently for my parents, and I’ve found it to be a great place for people to start making small changes to their lives, especially because it talks in clear terms about the impact of your change, both in the world and for you personally. It also gives you an estimate of how much money your changes save you, usually in energy costs–a pretty convincing argument for the average household that feels overwhelmed by huge issues like climate change but can really be motivated by lowered energy bills.
March 2nd, 2008 at 8:26 pm
I don’t know if you’ve seen this, on broken-bulb cleanup?
“If a bulb breaks, get children and pets out of the room. Ventilate the room. Never use a vacuum — even on a rug — to clean up a compact fluorescent light. Instead, while wearing rubber gloves, use stiff paper such as index cards and tape to pick up pieces, then wipe the area with a wet wipe or damp paper towel. If there are young children or pregnant woman in the house, consider cutting out the piece of carpet where the bulb broke. Use a glass jar with a screw top to contain the shards and clean-up debris.”
From the Boston Globe
http://tinyurl.com/34a9mn
I think I’ll stick to incandescents, at least until LEDs become practical. Replacing carpet square by square doesn’t sound too earth-friendly to me.
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:35 am
I can second the recommendation of the BuiltNY lunch totes. I love that they are machine washable; it’s handy when you find Friday’s lunch remains in them on Monday morning. Not that I would know…
March 3rd, 2008 at 1:37 am
Great post! I’ve been wondering about dimmer versions of those fluorescent bulbs. You might want to check your link to the lunch bag, though–it goes to the page with the pen instead.
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:01 am
@JaneC- Crikey! I thought I checked all of those! Thanks for alerting me to that!
@mamacita- Of course you would know absolutely nothing about that!
@Leah- Thanks for letting us know about the book, I agree with you that people can get overwhelmed.
@nursemyra- Good for you for composting!
@Cherry- Most people don’t know there are so many options out there, so I was glad to help!
March 3rd, 2008 at 2:42 am
@Nevicata- There are small amounts of mercury in CFLs which is the concern for a broken one.
I do agree with you that LEDs are actually the future of lighting, but I’m not going to wait for them to become widely and cheaply available before I switch from the incandescent. I don’t think we have a whole lot more time left to start altering our energy consumption habits, so I’ll stick with my CFLs for now and just be really careful!
Thank you for the information, though, that is very important to know.
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Wood blocks are my kids favorite toy … all of them. The grade-schooler, the pre-schooler and the toddler. We have over 700 in a big ottoman in our family room and it’s usually never closed.
March 4th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Great list! Cutting down on plastic use can make a huge difference and really is not hard for everyone to do. Bottled water is a big one, definitely get a filter and a glass/metal refillable bottle. There is a lot of good information about bottled water’s impact on the environment at http://www.BottledWaterBlues.com
April 9th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
And, since I don’t see it here - clean green! Baking soda and white vinegar will clean shiny clean, without nasty chemicals!