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365 Ways
By Travis LeeSustainable Engineering Lead, LUNAR (With entries by Philippe Bourseiller)
1. Reduce junk mail to reduce waste of raw materials.
(From Philippe Bourseiller)Having your name removed from a junk mail list can be as easy as sending a letter, postcard, or email, or making a phone call, to the source of the mailing. Every year, 100million trees, 28billion gallons of water, and $320 million in local tax money are used for the production anddisposal of junk mail. The general cost of transportation of junk mail is more than $550 million.[Comment from Jeff Servaites]When I got home today, I had yet another credit card app in the mail, so Idecided to take care of it. Found some fine writing on it about opting out of allcredit related mail.
 
Here is the information:
 
You can opt out of any mailings that would have been received from any creditreport companies such as Equifax and Experian.
 
Website to do this is:
 
www.optoutprescreen.com
 
or you can call toll free at
 
888-561-8688
 
Save a few million trees and opt out![Comment from Alberto Villarreal]On the same note, I got so mad after being referred to non-existing websites or non-working phone numbers from CHASE’s ”customer service” (after getting tonsof credit card offers via paper mail and asking them to stop), that I ended upwriting a note about their environmental carelessness on my blog.I am so shocked of how companies waste paper with catalogs or things likethat…I also found this website:http://www.stopjunkmail.org/
2. Be an ethical consumer.
(From Philippe Bourseiller)
 
Buying a product means that you keep the company that made it in business, approve theconditions under which its employees work, support the way it makes its products, and encourage
 
its environmental commitments - if it has any. Choosing everyday purchases in a way thatreflects respect for the environment and society is one of the most direct influences you can have.The conditions of workers in developing countries, especially in Asia, are well known today.Some work up to 80 hours per week, and earn just a few cents per hour. It is impossible tocontinue to drive prices down and raise productivity indefinitely without abusing human rights or exploiting workers.
3. Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth.
(From Philippe Bourseiller)
 
Turning off the tap during the time it takes to brush your teeth can save almost five gallons of water (if you brush properly). That is more than an average citizen of Kenya makes due withthroughout an entire day.
4. Decide what you want before you open the refrigerator door.
(From Philippe Bourseiller)
 
If you think really hard, you probably know what’s in you fridge right now. Also, in order to avoidincreasing consumption needlessly, close the refrigerator door as soon as you have taken outwhat you need.
5. Find or offer a ride.
(From Philippe Bourseiller)
 
For environmentally friendly journey between cities, research organizations that can put driversand passengers in touch with each other to share journeys. If you don’t need to find a rideyourself, perhaps you have room to offer someone else. Craig’s List has a ride sharing section,and local universities often post ride boards on their campuses.
6. Avoid washing clothes at too high a temperature.
(From Philippe Bourseiller)
 
Washing and rinsing your clothes on the cold water cycle can reduce your energy costsassociated with laundry by a factor of four.
7. Buy in bulk when possible.
(From Philippe Bourseiller)
 
Limiting the amount of waste for disposal inevitably involves reducing the volume of packaging.For cheeses, slices meats, and grains, buy food in bulk, by weight, or cut to your needs, rather than in prepackaged sizes.
8. Eat lunch where you buy lunch.
Order food “for here” when possible. Many restaurants serve food on washable flatware andsilverware. Ordering food “for here” can reduce the amount of waste used in packaging.
9. Boil only as much water as you need.
(From Philippe Bourseiller)
 
When you boil water for tea, coffee, pasta, etc. try to boil only what you need, or pour the surplusinto a thermos flask to keep the water very hot until you need it.
10. Use concentrated dishwasher liquid.
(From Philippe Bourseiller)
 
When buying dishwasher liquid, ignore boxes of individually packaged tablets, and insteadchoose less polluting and more easily carried alternatives, such as refillable packages, especiallyconcentrated liquids. Dishwasher detergent in tablet form is also higher in phosphorus, whichdisrupts ecosystems when released into our waterways.
11. Use creative nontoxic alternatives to common cleaning products.
 
White distilled vinegar is a popular household cleanser, effective for killing most mold, bacteria,and germs, due to its level of acidity. Cleaning with white distilled vinegar is a smart way to avoidusing harsh chemicals. You’ll also be glad to know that it is environmentally friendly and veryeconomical.
12. Donate you old eyeglasses for recycling.
(From Philippe Bourseiller)
 
The next time you replace you eyeglasses, donate your old pair, and any unused cases, to anorganization that collects and distributes them where they can be reused. Some opticians takepart in collection programs. Every year more than 100,000 pairs of glasses find a new pair of eyes that they can help. Here’s a place in San Francisco that takes donations:http://www.donateglasses.net/
13. Use your library.
Even if you can afford it, rather than buying novels and other books new, subscribe to your locallibrary. Not only are libraries precious civic resources in which everyone should participate, buteach book you check out is one less book manufactured, and a little bit of natural resourcessaved.
14. Use less wrapping paper.
When you can, reuse wrapping paper, ribbons and bows. Also, a brown paper bag from your local grocery store, turned inside out, can make a good-looking wrapping solution.
15. Water your garden in the evening.
Wait until evening to water your garden; during the cooler hours of the night, plants lose lessthrough evaporation, so they use less water. Also keep the weather forecast in mind: there is nosense watering your garden if rain is in the forecast.
16. When you have the time, defrost on the counter.
Rather than adding to the electricity bill by using the microwave to defrost your food, try toremember to take food out of the freezer earlier and let it defrost at room temperature. Or, if youknow at the beginning of the day that you’ll be preparing food from the freezer, place it in therefrigerator before you go to work in order to let it defrost throughout the day.
17. Run the dishwasher only when it’s full (but don’t overfill it).
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