Author Archives: Carin Lynn

Tip of the Week – Say No To The In-Sink Garbage Disposal

Garbage DisposalJust say no to the in-sink garbage disposal. That’s right – Don’t use that water wasting disposal any more. Instead conserve water by composting your kitchen waste.

In-sink garbage disposals use up lots of water & energy in the process of chewing up food into little bits & flushing it away. Plus, disposing of food this way diverts it to water waste management facilities and then out into the open ocean, where it disrupts the ecosystem.

According to TreeHugger…

“In-sink garbage disposer proponents claim that sending food waste down the drain decreases the amount of waste trucked to the landfill in large diesel-powered trucks. However, the conveyance of food waste through a pipe requires a lot of water and that water has to come from somewhere. According to a 2005 California Energy Commission report, 19% of California’s electricity use, and 32% of its natural gas use is for pumping water and wastewater! So, not only is water a scarce resource that should be conserved, but pumping it requires a lot of energy and, in California at least, contributes a significant amount to global warming.”

Green your kitchen by composting your waste instead of using the in-sink garbage disposal.

20 Cents Tax On Shopping Bags – Seattle Voters Say No

seattle-skyline-with-space-needleOn August 18th Seattle voters rejected a referendum that would have made Seattle the first city in the nation to tax shoppers 20 cents for each disposable paper or plastic bag they received from grocery or retail stores. City Council last year had approved the tax, but a petition effort forced the measure to appear before voters.

Eco-supporters hoped the fee would encourage residents to reuse plastic bags several times or to purchase reusable canvas bags, helping to keep paper & plastic out of the landfills and reducing greenhouse gas emissions all and all.

Airlines To Use Renewable Fuel in 2012

airplanForget the stay-cation, starting in 2012 you can fly on 8 different major US airlines that will be using an alternative fuel made from plant waste. This synthetic diesel fuel will be mass produced at a plant in California by Rentech Inc. and will be used for ground-service transportation at LAX.

Here’s the list of who’s buying the renewable fuel:

  • American Airlines
  • Continental Airlines
  • Delta Air Lines
  • United Airlines
  • US Airways
  • Southwest Airlines
  • Alaska Airlines
  • UPS Airlines

Homemade Eco-Friendly Play Doh

play doughAll kids love to play with Play Doh, but the store bought stuff is full of chemicals & toxins. Yuck!

Think about making your little ones an eco-friendly Play Doh right at home. All you need is salt & flour as the key ingredients plus a few other household items. Here’s how to do it…

What you’ll need:

  • 1 Large Bowl
  • 1 cup Salt
  • 1 1/4 cups Warm Water
  • 3 cups Flour
  • Food Coloring (optional)
  • Lemon, Orange or Other Fragrance Oils (optional)
  • Mixing Spoon
  • Air Tight Container
  • Refrigerator

How to make it:

  • Pour 1 cup salt into large bowl.
  • Add 1 1/4 cups warm water, mix well.
  • Add 3 cups flour, mix well some more.
  • Add food coloring & fragrance oils if you choose.
  • Knead into ball, seal in air tight container and refrigerate – over night for best results.

Product of the Week – New Balance Eco-Preferred Collection WE070

New Balance WE070New Balance has launched a new eco-conscious trail running shoe!

The New Balance 70 or WE070 is part of the New Balance’s eco-preferred collection, launching a corporate-wide sustainability initiative to operate their business in an environmentally sensitive manner.

Not only does the new sneaker feature a reduced-waste design, water-based adhesives, & recycled materials, but it also offers a lightweight, cushy fit with a sturdy, treaded outsole.

The laces, webbing, rand, quarter, tongue and saddle incorporate recycled polyester; the foxing and the tip of the shoe are synthetics made with fewer solvents than traditional materials. Rice husks filler in the outsole reduces the amount of rubber needed, thus reducing the amount of petroleum used. Water-based adhesives (rather than solvent-based) are used to join the upper and the sole unit. Plus there is no paper stuffing or paper wrapping used in the packaging of the new shoe.

Buy It Now!

Couture Bags Made From Recycled Umbrella Fabric

himane bagBroke umbrella? Don’t worry you can now donate it.

Donate a broken umbrella you say? That’s right. New Yorkers can now drop off their broken umbrellas at a kiosk at Grand Central Station. The broken umbrellas then venture on to a new life as fashionable totes & handbags.

Local Labels has teamed up with designer & founder of Himane, Catherine Edouard-Charlot, to collect those busted up umbrellas and refashion them into bags that fashion-forward New Yorkers will be proud to carry. Not only are the designs hot, they’re durable and waterproof too, made from umbrella fabric that would otherwise have been sent to a landfill.

Recycling what was once trash is eco-couture at it’s finest!

Tip of the Week – Hand Wash Plastics

tupperwareWe all love the dishwasher, it’s easy & super convenient for all of us on the go. But when it comes to plastic tupperware, you need to dodge that dishwasher and hand wash plastic items instead. That’s because hot water & automatic dishwasher detergents break down plastics and increase chemical leaching. The best thing to do is wash all those plastic items by hand with a sponge that won’t scratch them.

Product of the Week – Eco-Friendly Charcoal

Cowboy CharcoalFor my family grilling just wouldn’t be grilling without the charcoal. Unfortunately, traditional charcoal isn’t that great for the earth. Luckily we can opt for eco-friendly charcoal.

Eco-friendly charcoal includes lump charcoal, which is made from charred wood that’s harvested from sustainably managed forests, & pillow-shaped briquettes made from scrap wood without coal dust or unhealthy additives.

Buying green charcoal means less deforestation, fewer greenhouse gas and soot emissions, & healthier barbecue eating!