Artryst.com: Design by Gregory Tarnoff

Happy Earth Day! I thought I would take a few moments to detail those things that I have been working hard on this year to do in order to contribute to a greener world. I am not going to preach on global warming as I think we are only beginning to understand what is happening.

This past year I have been conscious of everything that I do and its effect on my surroundings. As such I have take the following actions and I encourage you to take similar ones for yourself.

I purchased a new car. This car, while not a hybrid, is a compact Chevy Cobalt that averages 32 miles per gallon. In my mind, this still isn’t very efficient, but it did replace a 10 year old Ford Explorer that averaged 16 mpg so I have doubled my efficiency.

I began using reusable shopping bags. I purchased some bags from Trader Joe’s for $0.99 each and have continued to use them for over 8 months now. I have eliminated the the 8 plastic bags per week on average that I used at the grocery store. In addition I purchased some smaller canvas totes that I now use at stores like Target and Walmart eliminating those bags as well.

I am reusing all plastic and glass containers that I purchase from the grocery store. Instead of throwing out that salsa jar or hummus container, I wash it and will use it later instead of purchasing Tupperware. In addition I began buying in bulk. I no longer purchase boxes of cereal or cans of beans, but will purchase them from the bulk containers at the local Whole Foods store. I store these items in my reused containers.

I no longer eat meat and now opt for organic vegetables. By choosing locally grown organic veggies, I am reducing the use of fuels in production and transport as well as the chemicals that are used for growth and pest control. This results in better food for my family and a lower impact on our surroundings. By not eating meat, we are again removing chemicals from our bodies, but also we help reduce the demand for feed crops. these feed crops are often heavily treated to control pests and growth which get into the livestock. The livestock themselves have a large impact on the environment. I am not condoning eradicating cows, but by growing them in large herds in confined spaces is not natural.

I am purchasing natural cleaners that don’t use lab created chemicals and have a low impact on the environment in their creation.

My family has reduced computers down to one from three. This saved on the energy vampires and we recycled the computers and donated the ones that still work to Goodwill.

Some additional small steps to take on a daily basis that I have included: turning the dishwasher to air dry instead of heat dry. Turning the thermostat to only turn the heat on when it gets below 66 degrees and turn the air conditioner on above 75. Air dry as much laundry as possible (this tends to be tough due to the volume we seem to have in my house). Eating as much raw food as possible (this is not only healthier for you, but reduces energy used in cooking). And of course recycling as many plastics, papers, and metals as possible.