Healthy Habits

Water Bottles

It came to my attention today during a presentation I was making that there are a lot of people who haven't heard the latest on plastics--especially related to water bottles.  So, here goes an update--

In America we throw away over 30 million plastic water bottles on a daily basis.  Isn't that amazing?!!  Most of these bottles are PET (polyethylene terephthalate) #1 bottles which don't cause an immediate health risk--but do degrade and leach harmful chemicals when heated.  This could be from sitting in a hot car or purchasing them from a vendor where the bottles have been exposed to the sun. 

How many of us reuse these bottles?  You buy a pack with the sports top and reuse them over and over until they crack or leak.  STOP REUSING THEM! The plastic erodes with repeated use.  This means you are ingesting contaminated water.

Get yourself a reusable water bottle.  I started off with a Nalgene bottle.  Even these are now being pulled from shelves for concern over potential health risks.  If you have a Nalgene bottle, make sure to wash it by hand with mild dishwashing soap.  Don't put it in the dishwasher where the plastic can wear down.

The best choice for reusable water bottles is to use one made from aluminum or stainless steel.  There are some cool designs available from SIGG, Thinksport or Klean Kanteen.  By selecting a reusable bottle, you not only make a positive impact on your health--but also a difference by reducing the amount of waste and the energy needed to produce all those plastic bottles!

Drink to your health!

Jurdy Green Earth Day 2008

Do your shopping selections add a lot or a little to the waste stream? Can your purchases be used a single time or repeated times? Are your appliances durable, fixable and energy efficient? Do you conserve or squander natural resources through daily habits?

We all on occasion make choices of convenience that have more environmentally harmful consequences than would more carefully planned purchases and activities.

The trick is to become aware of the impact of our decisions and try to start making environmental stewardship a habit, not a choice.
 

Earth Day 2008

Earth Day--April 22nd

What You Can Do to Celebrate
Plant a tree. Change a light bulb. Drive less. Everyone can make a difference and everyone can do their part.

We spend an enormous amount of time in our homes, which makes them the most important place to start going green. Don't forget that our schools, daycares, offices, and communities can all be more healthy, efficient, and environmentally friendly!

Take Action at Home!
There are many things we can do that can have a positive impact on our environment.  Start by committing to one thing.  You can look at saving energy, using less water, reducing/reusing/recycling, and handling hazardous waste properly. 

Don't forget the kids!
Click here to learn 10 ways to teach your children about Earth Day and help them develop green habits.

Take action in the classroom! 
If you are a teacher or student and would like to learn how you can spread the work in your school.

Take action at work!
Learn more about how you can make an impact in your workplace.

Maybe you know of others that would like to learn more about how they can make a difference.  Encourage them to get involved and contact me if they have any questions.

I also welcome the opportunity to share the subject with organizations and businesses.  Contact me directly to schedule speaking engagements.

Remember to Make Everyday Earth Day!

Planting Bulbs

Go Green Tip:
Dust your light bulbs.  When they need replacing--switch to compact fluorescent bulbs.

If each American home switched to energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs in just five fixtures, we'd reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one trillion pounds.  That's an overall energy savings of $6 billion!

Contaminated Without Consent Video

Contaminated Without Consent is a 16-minute video to inform us about the hidden risks from chemical contaminants found in our homes, workplaces, the products we buy, and even our bodies.  This is a definite must see!

This video is part of the video library on the Healthy Child  Healthy World website.  Their library contains videos on topics such as food, baby care, hazards & threats, prevention, products, and green building.

Do you suffer from Eco-Anxiety?

Are you overwhelmed with all the talk about “going green?”  Do you feel intimidated by the concept?  Perhaps you feel pressured to participate?

Well, don't fret. Each week I'll be including a Jurdy Green cartoon to keep you grinning, along with a simple tip to get your greening.

Enjoy!

Delia

Go Green Tip:
Making your house healthier begins right at your front door.  Take off your shoes when you enter to avoid tracking in lawn chemicals and pesticides.  Better yet--be careful with pesticides and choose natural methods when possible.