Short trips

We've all heard that we should save up all our errands and do them at one time, instead of one a day or something. Part of the environmental consideration here has to do with miles driven. If you plan your errands in a nice circle around your town, you'll considerably cut down on the number of miles you cover versus going home in between errands or retracing your own tracks.

Another issue here, however, has to do with your car's emissions. As Green Is Sexy tells us, your catalytic converter works best when it reaches temperatures above 600 degrees (about 6 miles of driving in average outdoor temperatures). Therefore, if you take a bunch of short trips, your car is cool, and you're damaging the environment more than just your carbon footprint for the miles.

Walk or bike for nearby errands if you can. If that's not possible, plan your driving carefully and efficiently.

UPDATE: Commenter Ben says, "I'd like to also add that if you floor it from a stop, you not only reduce the amount of emissions converted by the catalytic converter, you actually can damage the converter and reduce its overall lifetime (~100,000 miles is the current standard, I think). So no jackrabbit starts!"

Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable batteries are certainly the way to go. Although they are more of an initial investment, rechargeable batteries have much longer lifespans than the old kind. This means less energy that goes into the production and shipment of new batteries; it also means fewer batteries in landfills.

Which rechargeable batteries are the best? An article on TreeHugger says, "Duracell batteries lasted far longer - ranging from about 5 to 6.5 hours in life compared to the 3.5 hours of Energizer. Additionally Duracell one-ups Energizer in that its batteries come pre-charged and hold a charge for a year, compared to Energizer's 6 months."

Remember that rechargeable batteries come in almost any size you need. AA and AAA batteries can be found easily at any grocery store, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc. But you can also easily order C, D, and 9V batteries on the Internet, as well as other sizes.

Feeding Baby

We've all heard about the myriad of benefits of eating organic foods. But even if you've not committed to eating organic yourself, you should seriously consider it for your infants and children. We all want our children to get the best start in life possible. And feeding them wholesome foods grown without chemicals and pesticides is one important way to do that.

Luckily, organic baby food is getting easier and easier to find. Gerber even makes a line of organic baby foods, which Wal-Mart carries, for goodness sake. This article is about six other good options for organic baby foods.

One great option, of course, is making your own baby food. You can use your normal kitchen blender or food processor to make it, or your can buy a hand-cranked grinder for less than $20, which makes preparing baby food on the go fast and easy. You can freeze it in ice cube trays for later, or just make as much as you need for one meal. And because you're not left with mounds of plastic or glass jars, it's a cheap, waste-free way to feed baby!

Image from http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21YQYAS0EWL._SL500_AA250_.jpg

Indoor plants: get on it!

A few months ago, I wrote a post about how indoor plants help clean the air inside your house. And the information just keeps pouring in. Lots more confirmation that specific plants help purify indoor air and lots more confirmation that the average American household NEEDS said purification. If you have paint, furniture, or wood in your house, you probably also have some nasty stuff floating around that plants can help you get rid of.

But some new information expands the benefits of indoor plants. For example, this recent TreeHugger article discusses how indoor plants can help hospital patients heal faster and better. Something many people have known intuitively, now with scientific proof.

Do you want in on this clean air extravaganza? This little ditty lists the top five air-cleaning indoor plants. And this article lists ten easy-to-grow choices proven to help purify indoor air. Perfect for those of you who are convinced you have a "black thumb"!

How many plants do you need for maximum benefits? HealthMad tells us, "The NASA study suggests a minimum of 15-20 plants in 6 inch diameter pots for an 1800 square foot area." That is honestly a ton of plants. But an effort of any size can help your health and that of your family tremendously.

Pick a plant or two from one of the links above and give it a try. Many of them are easy to find at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. If you're nervous about keeping things alive, try the easy-to-grow list (most of them are desert plants...very hard to kill).

NOTE: If you have a pet, cross reference these lists with lists of plants that are dangerous for your particular pet. Ivy and aloe, for example, are toxic to kitties but are also two of the best air-purifiers. We have one of each, but we made sure to put them in places our cat can't reach. [Here's a list of toxic plants for cats and dogs.]

Resolutions?

Remember your green new year's resolutions? How are they going? Let me know if I can help!

If you've forgotten yours, or never got around to making one, read over this list from Ecofabulous. Of course, these lists are useful outside of just resolutions though. They help us analyze where we are in our sustainability journey and focus on how to go forward.

Eco Resolutions and Solutions

1. I will stop using plastic bottles and vow to carry my reusable bottle of choice at all times. The NRDC conducted 1,000 separate tests of over 100 bottled water brands and found that the bottled water was not cleaner, purer, or safer than tap water. There have been reports on certain companies simply bottling tap water. So kick the bad bottle habit once and for all. Sigg or Klean Kanteen are great, and lately we’re really loving Earthlust’s custom designs. As an added bonus you can wrap this resolution into the annual “I will save more” declaration and make a jar where each day you put the money you would have spent on bottled water – you’ll be surprised at how it adds up. In 2006, Americans bought 2.6 billion cases of bottled water, totaling $15 billion – a year of plastic bottle money and you may be able to treat yourself to an eco-vacation.

2. I resolve to make at least two small changes in order to use less energy. This year, while you may not be able to install solar panels on your roof, you can make small changes to your energy usage habits that will have a big impact. First, as inefficient incandescent light bulbs burn out, replace them with compact fluorescent bulbs – they last much longer (8-10 times longer) and save money by reducing energy use (typically by 65 to 80 percent). And second, get ride of that haunting phantom load – the electricity wasted when electronics are plugged in but either aren’t on, or aren’t in use (this goes for that fully charged computer or cell phone that’s left plugged in as well). The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that American households use about 43 kWh of electricity each year to power electronics and appliances that are turned off. Plug all your electronics into a power strip and turn it off when the items are not in use – if every American eliminated their phantom load, it would save about $6 billion in electricity costs.

3. Waste: The light green resolution – I will recycle. If you want to take your green routine a shade deeper, then make 2009 the year you start to compost. Really, 2009 holds no excuses for not recycling. Cities and towns are making it easier and easier since most have curbside pick-up. If you are ever in question about whether an item can be recycled, or how to recycle it, check out earth911.com. Encourage your workplace to switch to recycled paper products wherever possible. Since 4 million tons of copy paper are used in the U.S. each year, buying paper with 100 percent recycled fibers uses less energy and water in production and will significantly reduce the number of trees cut down. As for the eco-devotees that are ready for the next step, start to compost your kitchen scraps. According to the EPA, 24 percent of the waste Americans send to landfills is organic waste. We love the Can-O-Worms in-house compost bin. It’s a great way to start reducing your landfill contributions by almost a quarter!

4. If I can schedule in time for the gym and happy hour drinks with friends, I can schedule in the extra time needed to walk or bike to work. Give the road rage a rest and try committing to an alternative form of transportation once a week. Ideally, the carbon-free route is best (with a little added endorphin boost for the traditional “exercise more” resolution) but taking the bus or train will still help to minimize your carbon footprint – according to the American Public Transportation Association, using public transportation saves 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline each year.

5. I will resolve to consider where my food comes from and how it is farmed. Ideally, supporting seasonal, local agriculture from organic, sustainably managed farms is best. This doesn’t have to mean a weekly trip to the farmer’s market – you can sign up for a CSA or simply make a conscious choice at the grocery store when looking at that apple from New Zealand. As you are committing to cut back on your carbon-emitting transportation, try to cut back on your food’s footprint as well. Where it is coming from and the amount of toxic pesticides used are both contributing factors to how much waste and carbon emissions are generated – one study by the Rodale Institute found that organic farming reduces carbon dioxide by using 37 percent fewer fossil fuels than conventional farming.