Friday, May 17, 2013
Avoid substances in cosmetic supplies and detergents that can be harmful to the environment.
The following tip comes courtesy the Go Green Galloway Task Force for Sustainability: Chemical exposure is ubiquitous in our culture. You probably already purchase products that are BPA-free. Now try to reduce your body’s chemical burden simply by reading the labels of personal care products and buying paraben-free and phthalate-free products. Parabens and phthalates are found in thousands of products including shampoo, shaving gel, lotion, perfume, cologne, hair gel, hairspray, cosmetics, deodorants, air fresheners, laundry detergent- the list goes on. Read the label to avoid: DEP, DEHP, DBP, BzBP, DMP, methylparaben, propylparaben, benzylparaben, butylparaben. According to the Environmental Working Group, fragrance is considered a trade …
Friday, May 10, 2013
Not eating meat one day each week helps support the environment.
The following tip comes courtesy the Go Green Galloway Task Force for Sustainability: If you want to go green, try eating no meat for one day each week. Did you know America coined the term “meatless Mondays” to reduce consumption during both World Wars? Now the effort is going global once again as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Livestock like beef and lamb are the biggest producers of greenhouse gases in the food system, with most emissions coming from their digestive systems and the fertilizer used to produce their feed. If an American family of four ate no meat or cheese for just one day a week, it would be like taking a car off the road for FIVE WEEKS a year, according to estimates by the Environmental Working Group. …
Friday, April 12, 2013
Some ways to keep water pure.
The following tip is provided by the Go Green Galloway Task Force for Sustainability: There are many ways to preserve the quality of our water. Here are some ways you can help: * Don’t use antibacterial soaps. Most contain trichlosan, which is a pesticide that harms aquatic life and could lead to “superbugs” that are antibiotic resistant. * Don’t flush medicines down the toilet or drain. There is a National Rx Take- Back Initiative coming up on April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. * Don’t put anything except water down storm drains. Dispose of motor oil, detergents, chemical fertilizers and pesticides properly. * Fix leaks that drip from your car, and put a liner in your driveway to collect oil and other materials. These leaks and drips …
Friday, April 5, 2013
It's important to control the amount of water you use when washing dishes, cleaning clothes and brushing your teeth.
The following tip comes courtesy the Go Green Galloway Task Force For Sustainability: Do you realize that some groundwater aquifers are being depleted faster than nature can recharge them? You can reduce your water footprint at home, to help slow the rate of consumption. One easy way to save water is to repair leaky faucets and toilets. You may be losing up to 10 gallons of water per day! Save water by using a dishwasher, and running it only when there is a full load. Hand-washing uses about 20 gallons compared with only 4-6 gallons for dishwashers. When doing laundry, save water by adjusting your washing machine to the proper load size. If you are in the market for a washing machine, remember front-loading machines use less water than …
Friday, March 29, 2013
A quarter-pounder is worth more than 30 American showers.
The following tip was provided by the Go Green Galloway Task Force for Sustainability: Did you know 70% of fresh water used by humans goes to agriculture? The easiest way to slim your water footprint is to eat less meat and dairy. A quarter-pounder is worth more than 30 average American showers. One serving of poultry cost 90 gallons of water to produce. A cup of milk requires 54 gallons of water. And traditional pork production costs 52 gallons of water, not to mention that pig waste runoff causes water pollution when it gets into local water sources. Other water intensive crops include coffee, cotton and wheat. Try to cut down your consumption, if you can. Growth and production of a single cup of coffee uses 55 gallons of water, and …
Friday, March 22, 2013
Non-native plants need more water and fertilizer.
The following tip was provided by the Go Green Galloway Task Force for Sustainability: Have you noticed that your lawn and certain plants in your gardens do not do so well in hot, dry weather? Many of the plants and grasses that cover our yards are non-native species and therefore need more water and fertilizer to survive the conditions of this area. If you are taking on a new landscaping project, think about expanding gardens with native plantings and cutting back on large expanses of lawn. Planting native species of trees, shrubs and grasses will not only keep you from having to work so hard to maintain your yard, but you will also save money by not having to purchase chemical fertilizers. An added bonus: this effort will greatly benefit…
Friday, March 15, 2013
We all have to do laundry; how we do it makes a difference in our environmental impact.
The following tip was provided by the Go Green Galloway Task Force for Sustainability: We all have to do laundry; how we do it makes a difference in our environmental impact. Washing machines/dryers: Your washer and dryer can use a tremendous amount of energy and resources. Ideally, you have an Energy Star front-loading washer and dryer. The next best thing is a front-loading washer (it will use a fraction of the water that a top-loader uses). Use cold or warm water instead of hot; this will reduce energy usage by as much as 60 percent. Do wash only with full loads. An electric dryer is half as efficient as a gas dryer. Be sure to keep the lint filter clean; this practice not only reduces fire hazards, but also greatly increases …
Friday, March 8, 2013
Here's how to make your workplace a "greener" place.
The following tip comes courtesy the Go Green Galloway Task Force for Sustainability: Sometimes, people that are really diligent about recycling and energy efficiency at home are not necessarily that committed at work. Sometimes the lack of motivation is driven by the company; sometimes by the maintenance staff not keeping recycling separate, and sometimes by co-workers. But whatever the cause, you can champion the movement to green your workplace. You will probably find that most people want to do the right thing but are not sure how to go about it. Here are a few quick tips: * Find out how the recyclables are being handled and request that memos go out to employees with specific instructions about what to recycle and where. * Make …
Friday, March 1, 2013
They work as well or better than the toxic ones.
The following tip was supplied by the Go Green Galloway Task Force for Sustainability: Have you ever taken a good look at the products that you have been using to clean your house? Many of the traditional commercially available cleaning products contain harmful chemicals such as chlorine bleach, ammonia, petrochemicals and VOCs that can cause a multitude of health problems, including allergies, asthma, sinusitis or bronchitis. The manufacturing and disposal of these products is also problematic; with many of them having to be handled through hazardous waste collections. Luckily, there are common household NON-TOXIC products that work just as well or better than their toxic counterparts. Among them: Baking Soda, which can be used for …
Friday, February 22, 2013
Go Green Galloway explains what phantom power is and how to avoid it.
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Friday, February 22
The following tip comes courtesy the Go Green Galloway Task Force For Sustainability: Stamp out phantom power! What is phantom power, you ask? This is power that is being used by many of our household electronics and appliances while they are “off” or in standby mode. It is often referred to as “vampire” power for obvious reasons. Televisions, VCRs, satellite systems, audio systems, cable boxes, phone chargers, microwave ovens, computers, printers and portable power tools are just a few of the items found in homes and offices that are draining our power and our pocketbooks. To find out exactly how much phantom power these devices are drawing when turned off, there are energy monitors available, such as Kill-a-Watt, EnergyMonitor and …
