Green Living

A vegan diet is one that excludes the consumption of any animal products, including meat, eggs, and dairy products. In addition, some vegans also do not consume any foods processed using animal products (for instance, bone char is often used in processing refined white sugar).

Vegan diets tend to be inherently green, since they rely heavily on raw, natural foods to derive essential nutrients, such as organic products harvested from local farms. Plus, there are fewer concerns regarding the ethics of livestock agriculture and the environmental impact of raising animals as food sources since the diet omits all animal and animal-derived products.

So it comes as no surprise that a diet that is so green and natural is incredibly healthy. Vegan diets offer reduced saturated fats, high fiber, and healthy carbohydrates (which the body needs for energy).  Furthermore, there are great disease prevention benefits; a vegan (and even vegetarian) diet can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even certain types of cancers, according to the American Dietetic Association. Even a less stringent vegetarian diet (with no meat) can introduce a plethora of nutritional benefits that you wouldn’t have otherwise.

So what does a vegan diet entail? Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, soy products, whole grains, nuts, and beans – all of which are high in fiber and protein.  For calcium, eat lots of low oxalate greens, like broccoli, bok choy, and calcium-set tofu. Need some vegan ideas? Check out these delicious yet healthy vegan/vegetarian recipes and meal ideas.

If you aren’t inclined to eat vegan (or at least implement parts of the concept into your own diet – like reducing the amount of ) for the environmental benefits, how about for your health?

Packing a lunch for work every day may seem a bit tedious but the advantages of doing so far outweigh those of eating out daily.

For starters, it can save you a ton of money. Back when I had a traditional 9-to-5 office job (I now work from home), I would eat out on average three times a week – it may not sound like much, but it definitely adds up! At roughly $5 a meal (sometimes more), I was spending more than $60 a month, just to satisfy my greasy, noon-day cravings. For many people (namely those that have a tendency to visit the drive-through daily), the cost of eating lunch out can be far more, easily exceeding $100 each month.

Aside from your pocketbook, frequent eating out can also wreak havoc on your health and the environment. Unless you are ordering raw veggies and salmon every day, chances are you’re consuming far more calories than you would if you brought your lunch from home. Even worse, you probably don’t even know how many calories are in that burrito or salad drenched in bleu cheese dressing. There just aren’t that many healthy, quick options and most consumers don’t bother to request nutritional information when eating out. As for the environment, eating in will reduce waste (I read the EPA estimates consumers throw away more than 300 billion plastic bags annually, which includes those received from restaurants). Plus, you’ll save on gas and reduce carbon emissions if you aren’t making daily trips out to grab food.

If you aren’t too keen on bringing your lunch to work each day, here are a few tips that can make it a little easier.

• Purchase and pack foods that you enjoy. If you just grab whatever you can find, there won’t be anything in your lunch to look forward to and you’ll be more likely to go out in search of something that sounds good.
• Pack your lunch the night before. Your mornings are probably crazy enough without adding to your to-do list and packing it the night before gives you time to put together a healthy, well-planned meal.
• If part of the appeal of eating out was the opportunity it afforded to get out of the office, eat outside of your office building during nice weather or walk to a local park.

Note: We, of course, use the term “brown-bagging” only as a figure of speech. Instead of single-use disposables, opt for reusable bags, water bottles, and utensils!

Today’s high in Salt Lake City hit 83°F, which is downright balmy compared to other parts of the country; the east coast (where my parents currently reside) is in the midst of a blazing heat wave with temperatures soaring into the triple digits in some areas. Such blistering heat can take a serious toll on energy grids, as homeowners blast air conditioning units in an effort to stay cool. Here are some ways to beat the heat without catapulting your family’s energy or water usage.

1. Take advantage of public centers and programs – think public libraries, pools, recreation centers, etc. The public pool is an affordable, fun place to cool down with the whole family and any indoor activities (such as free kids programs at the local library) will likely have air conditioning. You can cool off without using any resources within your own home.
2. Buy a kiddie pool for the little ones. Instead of constantly running the sprinklers or the hose, fill a small pool that the kids can play in. Cover with a tarp to keep bugs and debris out when the pool is not in use. Refill with clean water once every one to two weeks (or as needed).
   

   Use an oscillating fan to cool down and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

3. Use fans to cool down in the house. A typical oscillating fan costs mere pennies to run (between two and five cents an hour) and can make a room feel up to six degrees cooler. Ceiling fans can also help cool frequently used rooms and cost significantly less to run than air conditioning units.
4. Keep the shades drawn. Close blinds and curtains to shield direct sunlight and heat from getting in the house.
5. Opt for loose, lightweight clothing made from organic materials such as cotton or linen.
6. Stay hydrated! As you perspire and your body loses moisture, your internal temperature rises. Thus, simply staying hydrated (try drinking a glass of ice water each hour) can make you feel cooler. Avoid alcohol and beverages with caffeine, which can accelerate dehydration.
7. Keep any appliances that generate heat turned off. Avoid turning on the clothes dryer, dishwasher, or oven in the middle of the day. Instead, air dry clothes and dishes or wait until the evening once it’s cooled down to run them.
8. Set your programmable thermostat so the air-conditioning is only running when you are home. With most models you can preset temperatures for different times of the day, like 78°F or higher when no one is home.
9. Plant trees and shrubs along the west side of your home. It will provide shade in the summer (and block wind in the winter), helping to keep the inside cooler.
10. Open the windows during the night to naturally cool down the house and in the morning, close them to keep the cool air in and the heat out.

An ecological footprint – it’s a phrase you hear all the time but how many of us know what really comprises an ecological footprint and better yet, what our individual eco-footprints entail?

Defining an Ecological Footprint

In the simplest of terms, an ecological footprint measures human impact on the planet’s ecosystems – or how much of Earth’s resources our daily lives necessitate. Individually, every person has their own ecological footprint, which accounts for nearly everything they do, from the food they eat to how they get around town.

Determining an Ecological Footprint

An ecological footprint can be determined on a large, collective scale (countries or continents, for instance) or applied on a smaller, individual level. Whatever the case, an ecological footprint is determined by calculating the amount of land and ocean required to sustain your consumption habits and absorb the subsequent waste. It’s an intricate calculation designed to answer the rather simple question of how much of Earth’s resources do our daily lives and habits require – an answer that can help us determine how to diminish our footprint.

Calculating Your Footprint

There has long been debate regarding how ecological footprints should be calculated. In 2006 (with subsequent updates in 2009), the Global Footprint Network identified internationally-recognized standards and guidelines for making footprint assessments. Now, determining your own footprint (and ways to reduce it) is as easy as hopping online and answering a few simple questions…

• The Footprint Calculator is the official calculator from the Global Footprint Network. Not only can it help determine your footprint, but it can also show you your biggest areas of consumption.
• The Ecological Footprint Quiz offered by the Center for Sustainable Economy is another reputable and reliable footprint quiz. 27 easy questions help you learn how to curb waste and your consumption.

According to the Footprint Calculator, it takes 20 global acres of “Earth’s productive area” to support my lifestyle…Yikes! Sounds like a lot! What’s your ecological footprint?

After an usually cool start to spring, the Wasatch Front finally warmed up this past weekend, which meant it was out to the yard for the hubby and me! Every spring (well, at least the past three we have lived in our home) we spend hours digging, planting, and weeding in hopes of attaining a yard pretty enough to induce the envy of our all neighbors. Subsequently, it should come as no surprise that I’m a big believer in green landscaping (no pun intended). Not only is organic landscaping healthier for you and your family, it’s better for local ecosystems and it allows plants to thrive without the use of harsh pesticides or unnecessary use of resources. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting to foster your green thumb, here are a few ways to make your landscaping (more) eco-friendly.

The primary flower used in our landscaping is petunias - they're a hardy flower that requires little water.

• Use organic fertilizers or soil amendments in place of conventional chemical fertilizers. While fertilizers are designed to enhance growth of the plant they are being used on, they can be ecologically harmful to the surrounding areas. Organic fertilizers can enrich soil and promote plant growth without the harmful side effects.
• Use natural herbicides to control weeds instead of toxic weed killers. Look for an organic weed control product that is nontoxic and pet safe.
• Choose plants and flowers that are native to the climate so they can withstand the rigors of the climate with little extra water or fertilizer to promote growth. Even better, consider using plants that are drought resistant or tolerant and require minimal water.
• Use eco-friendly mulch in flower beds, which can help prevent weeds and conserve water in the ground.
• Mow, prune and trim using electric or manual landscaping tools instead of gas-powered ones.
  

  We utilize drip irrigation in our garden which ensures minimal and efficient water use.

• Install a water or sprinkler system designed to use as little water as possible. For example, ensure sprinklers are positioned so they are watering the lawn and not your driveway or the sidewalk. In addition, drip irrigation and smart water controls can help regulate and minimize water use based on weather conditions (e.g. if it’s rainy) and moisture needs of the plants.

When most people think of composting, complicated and smelly is what springs to mind. That’s because from a young age, most of us are taught to dispose of waste – not keep the scraps. But composting is a natural, healthy process that’s good for the environment and your garden. Not only does composting foster richer, healthier soil without the use of harmful pesticides, it also helps decrease global warming (organic waste releases carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere when it rots in landfills). And forget complicated…composting is anything but. For those wary of what starting their own compost heap may entail, here are a few of the most common composting myths debunked.

You don't need an elaborate, costly structure to start a compost pile...an old trash can works just fine.

1. You Need Specific Compost “Ingredients” – Not necessarily. Composting occurs regularly in nature (e.g. leaves on the forest floor) without the use of a recipe or specific ingredients. However, adhering to a basic formula can maximize the amount of compost yielded in the least amount of time. A well-balanced composting formula entails three to four parts carbon materials (the dry, brown materials like leaves, straw, newspaper strips, etc.) for every one part nitrogen (“green” materials such as fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, garden and lawn trimmings, etc.).
2. It Smells – When properly maintained, compost heaps don’t really smell at all. Rotting smells can be curbed by simply turning the pile frequently and topping food scraps with a layer of brown materials and soil (this can also prevent flies). Also, too much water can make it smell; while the pile should always be moist, it should never be soggy. If you live in a wet climate, place a tarp over the pile to reduce the amount of rainwater seeping in.
3. You Have to Buy a Compost Bin – While a compost bin that has separate compartments for partly decomposed and finished materials can make composting a bit easier, it doesn’t make the compost itself any better. You can use something as simple as an old trash can or even pick a removed corner of the yard to start the heap.
4. It’s a Lot of Work – Well, this depends on how quickly you want your compost. With no turning at all, fresh materials will turn into the finished stuff in about a year. If you want the compost sooner, turning every few days (which aerates the pile) will yield finished compost within six to eight weeks.
   

   Composting is only as labor-intensive as you want it to be.

5. It Attracts Animals – A compost pile may attract the occasional critter (think a raccoon or mouse) but to deter them, avoid adding bones, meat, or pet manure to the pile.

Ready to get digging? This easy composting guide can help you start a compost pile  in three easy steps.

Spring isn’t only a time for the Earth’s rebirth, it’s also a time to rid our homes (and ourselves) of the winter blues with a rigorous round of spring cleaning. And while the idea of eco-friendly spring cleaning is nothing new (we all know natural cleaners are greener than traditional ones), perhaps we can provide a few green tips below that you may not have done or even thought of before. Happy cleaning!

• Donate – It’s a chief component missing in the “reduce, reuse, recycle” equation. The key to a spic-and-span home is reducing the clutter that seems to amass every winter and reusing whatever you can (think mending old clothes or fixing broken picture frames). What you cannot reuse yourself should be donated to an appropriate organization or non-profit (Goodwill accepts all sorts of items) and recycling should be considered once you have exhausted all other options. By then, there should be very little (if anything) left to throw out. On a (related) side note, this informative “Fix It or Nix It” guide can help you decide which old electronics you should reuse versus donate or recycle.
• Be a Smart Shopper – These days, most stores carry a wide array of so-called eco-friendly cleaning products but knowing which ones are the most environmentally-friendly can be tricky. Enter GoodGuide.com, a website that rates products, including household cleaners, based on just how green they really are (I just downloaded the GoodGuide app for my iPhone which lets you scan barcodes and read the site’s ratings while shopping).
• There’s an App for That! – Speaking of iPhone apps, there are a myriad of apps that can make your spring cleaning even greener (we could do a whole post on green iPhone apps!). For instance, Plastic Recycler tells you which types of plastics can be recycled and Local Reuse connects those looking for the ultimate bargain (read: free!) with your old items that would otherwise end up in a landfill – you can list your items up for grabs or enter your zip code to see what others are offering in your area. In addition, iRecycle is Earth911’s free app that helps you find local recycling centers.
• Kitchen-Made Cleaners – Most of us know that baking soda, lemon, and white vinegar can serve as natural yet highly effective cleaning agents but did you know olive oil, rubbing alcohol, salt can as well? I had no clue! Learn about it (and other tips) here!
• Green Cleaning Services – Scrub what? If a cleaning service is more up your alley (lucky you!), GenGreenLife (the online largest local green business directory) can connect you with cleaning services in your area that specialize is green cleaning.

…or perhaps more fittingly, turning your trash into something creative and useful. I’m a big fan of making practical household items out of things that would otherwise be thrown out. I am, however, not very original or much of a creativity extraordinaire so I thought I would highlight a few of my favorite DIY projects I’ve found on some of the best green sites out there…

Soda Bottles into Storage – As green as recycling is, there’s something even better you can do with used plastic bottles. For instance, Planet Green (sister site to Treehugger) demonstrates how to breathe new life into old plastic bottles and create more storage (I painted mine blue and used them to organize my office supplies).

Salvaging Bottle Caps – I was ecstatic when I came across Crafting a Green World’s “Ten Projects for Old Bottle Caps.” I love the vintage look of bottle caps and while I have a whole jar full of them, I lacked an inspired inkling as to what to do with them. I’m quite taken with #7; what’s more chic and retro than bottle cap refrigerator magnets?

Turn panes from broken windows into works of art to display in your home.

Reusing Old Windows – Living in a (somewhat) newer home, I won’t be replacing my windows anytime soon but I do hope to find an old paned window at a local thrift shop just so I can do one of these amazing projects. I found “7 Outrageous Ways to Reuse Broken Windows” via The Little Green Blog and am head over heels for the stunning pieces they created. Turning a broken window into a piece of art? Now that’s what I like to call truly green brilliancy!

And finally, I just had to throw this one in for good measure. If you are feeling rather ambitious, why not make paper out of dryer lint (courtesy of the Go Green Blog)? It’s an interesting eco-craft that can be fun for the whole family!

Aside from the religious significance of Easter, the holiday also presents an opportunity to celebrate the rebirth of the Earth. And while Easter just wouldn’t be Easter without the iconic emblems of the holiday including Easter baskets and egg hunts, following the 3 eco-friendly “R’s” can significantly make the holiday greener.

Reduce, Reuse, and Recyle those Pesky Plastic Easter Eggs

Reduce

• Skip the fake cellophane grass; once thrown away, it sits in landfills because it isn’t biodegradable. Plus, it can be dangerous if children or pets try to eat it. Use fresh hay or woodland moss or just skip basket filling altogether.
• Reduce packaging by filling baskets with homemade goodies and candies that are not individually wrapped.
• Use natural dyes instead of artificial ones made from processed ingredients (find out here or here).

Reuse

• Don’t purchase new baskets; repurpose old baskets, boxes, or buckets you already have around the house. Or if new baskets are a must, purchase pesticide-free, fair trade baskets.
• While you’re better off not using those bright-colored plastic eggs at all, the kids will inevitably pick some up at the neighborhood Easter egg hunt so find ways to reuse them instead of throwing them out (I loved the Geeky Housewife’s 50 uses for plastic Easter eggs).
• Use potted plants and flowers as Easter centerpieces that can be replanted in your yard after the holiday.

Recycle

• Recycle all plastic wrapping, paper, and plastic eggs (if permissible).
• Don’t throw away those hardboiled eggs after the Easter egg hunt but rather find recipes your family that utilizes the eggs. As for the eggshells, sprinkle them in your garden as fertilizer or use them to plant seedlings.