Green Sanctuary Tips
Think Globally, act Locally. Tell your friends and politicians.
Here are some things YOU can do to help sustain our planet.
GLOBAL WARMING
In order to slow down the increases temperature of Earth caused by the release of greenhouse gasses, these gasses need to be reduced by 70-80% in the next decades.
Become the Power Police
- Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances. Unplug rechargers when not in use.
- Switch the light bulbs to energy-efficient CFL bulbs.
- Run full loads in the dishwashers and washing machines. On sunny days use a clothesline.
- If your electricity comes for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), elect Green Power so your electricity comes from renewable sources like the wind that does not release greenhouse gasses.
Know Cool Cars
- Low mpg car are not cool. Ultra-efficient hybrids and the new all-electric Tesla sports car is!
- Get used to sharing - carpool whenever possible.
- Get the human-powered habit: walk or ride your bike for around-the-corner trips, for a healthier body, and no pollution.
- Efficient driving habits: don't idle unnecessarily, reduce racing acceleration and hard stops; consolidate errands.
- Next time you're car shopping, pick a car that uses less gas, or even buy a used car with low mpg. The production of cars has a large carbon footprint.
Get Water Wise
Pumping water into Southern California is one of our biggest uses of electricity, and thus one of our biggest sources of greenhouse gasses. It takes energy to collect our water, treat it, deliver it, consume it, treat it again, and dispose of it as wastewater. Every bit of water we save, preserves water resources AND saves electricity.
- Take shorter showers - 5 minutes or less is best.
- Turn off the water while soaping hands and brushing teeth.
- Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and walkways.
Practice the 4 R's... Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rebuy - in that priority
Throw "away"? There is no magic place Away
- Think before you buy. Do you really need it? What earth resources did it take to make it?
- Choose reusable vs. disposable. Reusing is twice as good as Recycling!
- Sort your recyclables from your trash.
- Buy products made from recycled materials.
Change your Expectations
The lifestyle for the next generation will be very different from our lives today. We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we create them. - Albert Einstein
- With less greenhouse gasses in the future, we'll have to change habits that relied on fossil fuels.
- Rely on more locally-generated products and services. Learn old skills: making bread, gardening, quilting...
- Don't be a slave to fashion. Fashions change and it is tempting to throw them away after one season. This makes a lot of waste, and uses more resources to creation of more clothing. Choose clothes that will last and satisfy you for a very long time.
- Don't buy into advertising that tells you that you "need" lots of stuff.
Grow Greener
- Plant a Tree - Trees help absorb carbon dioxide. And a well-placed tree provides shade and can reduce the amount of air conditioning needed. If you can't plant a tree, donate to TreePeople and they'll plant a tree for you someplace in your city.
- Grow a vegetable garden - If you grow even a small part of what you eat, you are reduces some greenhouse gasses from the trucks which transport the groceries to market.
- Compost your food scraps and reduce the amount of garbage that need to be transported to our landfills.
UNSHOPPING from Co-op America
Ten Fair Trade Products to Look for:
- tea
- chocolate
- bananas
- sugar
- rice
- vanilla
- spices
- wine
- olive oil
- coffee
Five Things You Should Always Buy Green:
- Paint - look for low or no-VOI paint
- Paper - look for high post-consumer recycled content
- Light bulbs - look for compact fluorescents
- Appliances - look for Energy Star label
- Fruits and Vegetables - look for organic, local, in-season; most important to buy organic to avoid pesticide residue: apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, eaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach, strawberries
Ten Things to Never Buy Again:
- Styrofoam cups
- Paper towels
- Bleached coffee filters
- Teak and mahogany
- Chemical pesticides and herbicides
- Conventional household cleaners
- Toys made with PVC plastic
- Plastic forks and spoons
- Farm-raised salmon
- Rayon
Read Serve God, Save the Planet by Matthew Sleeth, M.D.
No matter your theological perspective, this book offers practical, real-life changes and choices you can make to decrease the greenhouse gases you produce and be more socially-conscious to all of your neighbors around the world with whom we share the planet. The book includes a self-audit you can use to measure your starting point and your progress.
