Every Action Helps!
Arm Chair Action -- writing letters, daily clicks for positive actions (such as www.ecologyfund.com ), single steps for sustainable futures (think changing light bulbs, using cloth bags, planting native trees, feeding the birds) -- small individual changes add up to LARGE cumulative impacts!!
Fight back against over-packaging!
How many times have you bought a small electronic device and found it totally encased in thick, heavy plastic?
The federal government needs examples of over-packaging so that they will be able to legislate improvements. Click here for a sheet of labels to print to use on each example of packaging that you send to the government. Postage is FREE to the House of Commons. Just put the label on the outside and mail it. We CAN make a difference!
Offset your carbon!
Globally, CO2 emissions are causing the Earth's climate to warm, which will have a catastrophic effect if we do not act to reduce them. Carbon dioxide emissions are presently about 40 percent higher than prior to the Industrial Revolution and at their highest level in history! We all have a responsibility in this warming climate since we all contribute to the increasing levels of carbon dioxide. By offsetting your carbon dioxide footprint, you can become part of the solution, instead of part of the problem.
P.O.W.E.R. has established the OFFSET CERTIFICATE to allow you to offset what you can't reduce. For more information on what you can do to help us and the planet, please click here.
Overseed, overseed, overseed!
Overseeding is one of the best organic ways to keep a healthy lawn. Buy seed at a reputable garden center either in bulk or bagged. Buying in bulk allows you to customize your lawn mix. Reseed your lawn in early to mid-spring or late-summer to early-fall.
Use about 4 pounds for every 1000 square feet. Before applying seed, mow your lawn and rake it with a flexible steel rake to remove dead debris and expose the soil. Sow thickly, moving across your lawn vertically, horizontally and diagonally. Press seeds down so that they are in direct contact with the soil. Water daily until germination. Perennial ryes will germinate in a week, while fescues take about two.
For natural lawn care fact sheets visit Organic Landscape Alliance 's new website at: http://www.organiclandscape.org/en/Factsheets_28.html
It's in the bag!
A simple change in the way we do things can help the planet. Think about the number of bags you would use over a week for your purchases. Now multiply by 52 weeks in a year. Estimates of white plastic bag use around the world is 500 Billion annually! Refusing a bag when you only have an item or two is a great start. Reusing a plastic bag has a big impact. Using a cloth bag has an even bigger impact! Once you have used the cloth bag 11 times all future uses are impact free. Plastic bags carry 80% of the nation's groceries, up from 5% in 1982. When 1 ton of paper bags is reused or recycled, 3 cubic meters of landfill space is saved and 13 - 17 trees are spared! When 1 ton of plastic bags is reused or recycled, the energy equivalent of 11 barrels of oil are saved.
A bright idea!
A simple and affordable way to save $$ and help the environment is to change your incandescent light bulbs to compact florescent lights (CFL). Though they may be slightly more expensive, compact fluorescents save up to 75% of energy costs. They end up being far less expensive than regular light bulbs when you factor in the life of the bulb and the ENERGY SAVINGS.
For example, changing to CFL from a 60W porch light could save you up to $22 per year per bulb. For a 100W Family Room light, the savings could be as much as $33 per year... per bulb. Consider the savings for ALL the bulbs in your house!
Recycling the 401!
When I had to put a parking area in front of my house, I was asked if I wanted to use recycled asphalt. I said "YES!" Recycled asphalt doesn't roll like gravel, it doesn't get dusty like chip and dust. It is cheaper than interlocking brick and doesn't heave. It packs down hard... and lets the rain through. If you are interested, you can check out my used share of the 401 at 121 Main Street South in Georgetown.
Last Verified: July 2011