Fast Facts

For every 1, 000 watts (1 hour) of electricity saved, we can eliminate the following:
* 20 tons of Carbon Dioxide
* 130 Pounds of Nitric Oxide
* 101 Pounds of Mercury

To give you an idea of what the above actually means. They are the equivalent of:
* Planting 6 acres of trees
* Taking 4 cars off the road
* Not driving 48,948 miles

Source: NJ Solar Power
Figures over 30 years

Recycle Your Christmas Tree

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, between 28 and 30 million natural Christmas trees will be sold in the US during this holiday season.

With Christmas being over and New Years right around the corner, it will be time to take the decorations and tree down. 93 percent of consumers who purchased natural trees will recycle. Some trees will be collected and chipped for mulch and others end up at a large composting facility.

Jefferson Parish, La, uses Christmas trees to construct underwater 'fences' which prevent saltwater from invading freshwater marshes. Many states use the trees to create fish and bird habitats. They are also used to slow erosion on beaches and riverbanks. There is also a Canadian pharmaceutical company that has discovered a way to harvest a flu vaccine component from the conifers.

Some people recycle their Christmas tree and don't realize it. Trees are processed in their own backyard, using the trunk for firewood. When putting their tree out for trash collection, their tree is actually being separated and given to tree recyclers.

To find a Christmas Tree recycler in your area, check www.christmastree.org. Earth 911 maintains a searchable national database of more than 3,500 recyclers and collection events.

Source: Waste Age Magazine

Bottled Water vs. Tap Water

Which one do your prefer? It seems this is a question with many different answers as to why one likes either bottled or tap water. Personal reasons, scientific or aesthetic reasons.

Water comes from many different sources. It can come from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs and wells and the treatment process for each source varies. When water travels over the surface of land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals. The water can also pick up various substances that have been touched by human or animal activity.

When tap water is treated, necessary chemicals are added to combat any contaminants and/or bacteria.
Tap water is highly regulated by State and the Environmental Protecting Agency (EPA). As a result, you can be sure that your water meets or surpasses all state and federal guidelines.

On the other hand, the State Health Department and the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) regulates bottled water. The FDA sets limits like the EPA, but there are differences with process controls. Such as bottling controls, sampling protocols and testing frequencies. Bottled water is not environmentally friendly.

It takes millions of gallons of oil to produce the plastic bottles used for bottled water each year. After the water is consumed, the bottle is usually recycled and end up in the garbage where it takes years to break down. Many cities and towns are taking an active role in educating their residents about the environmental aspects of plastic containers

Although one may feel that bottled waters' main value is the convenience, but isn't it just as easy to fill a water bottle with tap water? What is the biggest difference? The cost of course. Americans have spent approximately $15 billion on bottled water in 2006 alone. Tap water is much less expensive at approximately $.08 to $8.00 per gallon, but the average cost of tap water is about $.02 per gallon.

You could refill a water bottle hundreds of times with tap water for the cost of a single bottle of bottled water.
So maybe the choice is purely a personal one?

Education here regarding the facts and environmental issues may help consumers think twice about bottled water.

Frito-Lay Plant Cuts Waste & Saves Water

According to an article in Storm Water Pollution magazine, Frito -Lay's plant in Arkansas, will eliminate tons of waste and reduce water usage at the facility as part of the US Environmental Protection Agency's top 'green leadership" program.

Frito-Lay has maintained environmental compliance record and making new commitments to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Their commitment in the following 3 years includes:
Reduce 1.6 million lbs of pollution by adding a secondary wastewater treatment system

Reduce total water use by 31.5 million gallons by recycling water used during potato peeling

Recycle more than 1,000 tons of waster through increased recycling efforts.

What is Your Carbon Footprint?

I came across an interseting article by Linda K. Schneider while reading Parks & Recreation magazine.

What is Your Carbon Footprint?

How much land do people require to support themselves?

This is called a Carbon Footprint. Everyone impacts the earth with our daily routines, just by being alive. How much we impact the earth depends on our habits and rate of consumption of natural resources: water, wood, coal, gas and oil.

According to http://www.carbonfootprint.com/; Carbon Footprint is a measure of the impact human activities have on the enviroment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, measured in units of carbon minoxide. At this web site, you can learn how to calculate, reduce and offset your carbon footprint.

We are a culture that turn natural resources into waste faster than any other society on the planet. The carbon footprint is a rough measure of how much productive land any person uses to support their lifestyle. The average Americans carbon footprint has been calculated at 25 acres--that's five times the average Asian or African. If the world's population lived like Americans live, FIVE planet Earths would be needed for survival!!

Small changes can affect someone's footprint: reduce car trips in half by combining errands, go for a walk instead of a drive.

Everyone contributes to this problem daily, BUT everyone can contribute to the solution daily. The goal is to reduce the daily amount of resources used. This problem is quite large, but we can start by thinking small and close to home.

Plant trees. Trees are needed for cleaner air and they give off oxygen. Tress absorb the carbon dioxide that human activites emit. Water is our most precious resource, we can't live without it. Be more aware of the amount of water used for each activity. Energy is used to heat water. Use less hot water, take shorter, cooler showers and baths. Purchase low flow toliets and showerheads. Purchase newer model appliances that are more efficient. Wash your clothes in cold water.

Recycling is another way to reverse the impact on the enviroment. Recycle as many products as you can. Purchase products made with recycled materials.

To learn more about your carbon footprint, find out how you impact the planet, to calculate the size of your footprint, visit the following web sites:
http://www.carbonfootprint.com/
http://www.carbonneutral.com/
http://www.myfootprint.org/
http://www.panda.org/