The current winter is shaping up to be a harsh, bitter-cold winter in many areas of the United States and in most of Europe. Harsh winters with extra low temperatures often produce lots of snow. Here are a few tips for saving and conserving even when it's cold and snowy outside.
If you use a de-icer on your sidewalk or driveway, use products made from magnesium chloride instead of sodium chloride (salt) or calcium chloride. While salt stops working at 15 degrees above zero, magnesium chloride melts ice at temperatures as low as minus 17 degrees and is less damaging to concrete, to your car and to surrounding plants. You might also want to try replacing chemical de-icers with non-toxic alternatives such as clean clay cat litter, sand, or fireplace ash. Chemical de-icers are hazardous to pets, to trees and to shrubs. They can also pollute surface waters and groundwater.
Use electric snow removal products instead of gasoline-powered ones. No solution is perfect of course - electric products do consume energy after all, but they do not emit greenhouse gases. Of course, you can always opt for getting some healthy exercise and shovel snow manually using snow shovels!
Buy recycled winter gear. More and more winter clothing and gear, including jackets, scarves, gloves, and boots, are now made from recycled materials. When it’s time to buy new winter gear, make sure you support green manufacturers by buying their products.
Make snow sports greener. Trail grooming, ski lift operations and snowmaking are extremely energy-intensive and are harmful to natural resources and to wildlife. Try to choose ski resorts that are committed to reducing their effects on the environment – before you go, find out if they adhere to the National Ski Areas Association Sustainable Slopes Environment Charter. Consider cross-country skiing or snow-shoeing instead of downhill skiing, as these sports do not require graded slopes and ski lifts, and so have lower environmental impact.
We hope these Green tips have been helpful. Shoot us a reply if you have any questions, comments, or tips you would like to share! We get a lot of mail, but we read them all and are diligent about responding to as many as possible.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Green Tips For Book Lovers
I love books. Unfortunately, I don't read as much as I used to, but I always have a book (or ten) on my bedside table and a huge wish list of books I would like to read "some day." If you're a book lover too, you might find the following green tips for avid readers useful.
Borrow instead of buying. Buying a new book feels so good. There's something about the touch and the smell of a new book that I find irresistible. But buying new books encourages the printing of more books, which is hugely wasteful. Try to limit buying new books to special occasions. For your everyday reading, join the local library, an online book rental service such as BookSwim, and exchange books with friends.
Buy used books. If you must own books, at least try to buy them used. This is not just better for the environment – it will also save you money. Used books tend to be ridiculously cheap.
Read electronically. Instead of buying physical books, download books from the Internet directly to your computer or to a reading device such as Kindle. Many avid readers initially object to the notion of giving up physical books, but eventually get used to it and find that it helps them keep costs down and reduce clutter in their homes.
Recycle your own books. When you’re done reading a book, instead of placing it on a shelf where it will basically sit unused and accumulate dust, offer the book to friends, or donate it to a local library or to a bookstore. As a last resort, place paperback books, and the inside pages of hardcover books, in the recycling bin. Never toss books in the trash!
We hope these Green tips have been helpful. Shoot us a reply if you have any questions, comments, or tips you would like to share! We get a lot of mail, but we read them all and are diligent about responding to as many as possible.
Borrow instead of buying. Buying a new book feels so good. There's something about the touch and the smell of a new book that I find irresistible. But buying new books encourages the printing of more books, which is hugely wasteful. Try to limit buying new books to special occasions. For your everyday reading, join the local library, an online book rental service such as BookSwim, and exchange books with friends.
Buy used books. If you must own books, at least try to buy them used. This is not just better for the environment – it will also save you money. Used books tend to be ridiculously cheap.
Read electronically. Instead of buying physical books, download books from the Internet directly to your computer or to a reading device such as Kindle. Many avid readers initially object to the notion of giving up physical books, but eventually get used to it and find that it helps them keep costs down and reduce clutter in their homes.
Recycle your own books. When you’re done reading a book, instead of placing it on a shelf where it will basically sit unused and accumulate dust, offer the book to friends, or donate it to a local library or to a bookstore. As a last resort, place paperback books, and the inside pages of hardcover books, in the recycling bin. Never toss books in the trash!
We hope these Green tips have been helpful. Shoot us a reply if you have any questions, comments, or tips you would like to share! We get a lot of mail, but we read them all and are diligent about responding to as many as possible.
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