1. Stat: The electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars.
Tip: Turn off and un-plug non-essential lights and appliances
2. Stat: The thermostat senses heat from nearby appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
Tip: Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat.
-Earth 911
3. Stat: Leaking ductwork accounts for 25 percent of cooling costs in an average home.
Tip: have your ducts tested and have any leaks or restrictions repaired by a qualified contractor.
-California Energy Commission
4. Stat: Refridgerators consume about 18% of all electricity in a typical California home.Tip: Call Southern California Edison at 800-234-9722 for a free pick up and $50.00 to have them recycle your old inefficient refridgerator or freezer in an environmentally friendly manner.
5. Stat: Replacing a single 75-watt incandescent lightbulb with a 20-watt florescent bulb will eliminate emissions of 700 pounds of carbon dioxide, 4 pounds of sulfur dioxide, and save 450 kWh over its lifetime.Tip: Replace your most frequently used incandescent lightbulbs with florescent bulbs. Replace all of them for maximum results.
6. Stat: U.S. gasoline consumption of 320,500,000 gallons per day (March 2005) works out to about 3700 gallons per second.
Tip: A way to reduce this number is to minimize short distance trips with your car, ride a bike or walk and when going on long distance trips carpool, this will also minimize rush hour traffic jams on freeways.
7. Stat: Most appliances use stand-by power, such as chargers, coffee machines, microwaves,TV, and computers. This uses up to 40 percent of the energy thery require when you're actually using them.
Tip: Simply unplug these appliances when they are not in use, and you will save money on your electric bill.
8. Stat: Recycling 1 aluminum can saves enough energy to run your TV for 3 hours.
Tip: Recycle to save energy.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Green Eating Stats and Tips
Stat: Researchers at Iowa State University have found that fruits and vegetables travel an average of 1,500 miles within the U.S. (a 22 percent increase since 1981). When imported foods are added to the mix, the average distance from farm to the dinner table increases significantly.
Tip: buying food from a local farmers market will decrease the amount of energy it takes for a simple food item to get into your fridge. Local farmer's markets can be found on this website: www.farmersmarket.com
Stat: Scientists estimate that we have removed as much as 90 percent of the large predatory fish such as shark, swordfish and cod from the world's oceans.
Tip: Eat seafood responsibly by knowing which are the "greenest" choices to purchase. Download a "Seafood Watch" list from the Monterey Bay Aquarium website: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx
Stat: This year Americans will spend over $110 billion more on fast food than they'll spend on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music combined.
Tip: spend the extra effort to make a home cooked meal with organic products that will save you money and your future health. This website will show you 50 ways to eat healthier: http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/02/fifty_easy_ways_to_eat_green
Stat: Only 10% of the 35,000 pesticides introduced since 1945 have been tested for their effect on people.
Tip: Purchase and eat organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible.
Stat: Meat is the most resource-intensive food on the table. Producing meat requires huge amounts of water, grain, land, and other inputs. A pound of beef requires around 12,000 gallons of water to produce, compared to 60 gallons for a pound of potatoes.
Tip: If you’re a meat eater, try cutting out just one serving of meat each week. (As an added bonus, the United States Department of Agriculture advocates eating less meat, more fruits and vegetables, and less fat for control of chronic disease such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.)
Stat: An average of 137 rainforest species are driven to extinction every day. The number one cause is loss of habitat due to tree clearing to provide land for coffee plantations, logging and cattle ranching.
Tip: Purchase only shade grown coffee at your local supermarket or online:http://www.birdsandbeans.ca/
Stat: Fruit and vegetable vitamins vary according to the seasons, as do our needs. Fruits and vegetables that grow in the summer have a high fluid content which help to cool you down. Winter root vegetables are high in starches that help slow the release of energies, which keep you warm.
Tip: By purchasing local foods in-season, you eliminate the environmental damage caused by shipping foods thousands of miles, your food dollar goes directly to the farmer, and your family will be able to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables.
Stat: Pesticide use degrades air and water quality, while threatening the health of workers, farmers, and communities.
Tip: Organic foods reduce the amount of pesticides in your diet and the planet's water and soil, and organic options are available for many types of foods — fresh and packaged.
Stat: According to a recent study at the University of Arizona, the average household wastes an estimated 14 percent of its food purchases—a loss of significant value for most families.
Tip: Purchase foods that you can consume before they expire to help minimize food waste and shrink your grocery bill. Also, consider composting your food waste to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the need for synthetic fertilizer.
Tip: buying food from a local farmers market will decrease the amount of energy it takes for a simple food item to get into your fridge. Local farmer's markets can be found on this website: www.farmersmarket.com
Stat: Scientists estimate that we have removed as much as 90 percent of the large predatory fish such as shark, swordfish and cod from the world's oceans.
Tip: Eat seafood responsibly by knowing which are the "greenest" choices to purchase. Download a "Seafood Watch" list from the Monterey Bay Aquarium website: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx
Stat: This year Americans will spend over $110 billion more on fast food than they'll spend on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos, and recorded music combined.
Tip: spend the extra effort to make a home cooked meal with organic products that will save you money and your future health. This website will show you 50 ways to eat healthier: http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2009/02/fifty_easy_ways_to_eat_green
Stat: Only 10% of the 35,000 pesticides introduced since 1945 have been tested for their effect on people.
Tip: Purchase and eat organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible.
Stat: Meat is the most resource-intensive food on the table. Producing meat requires huge amounts of water, grain, land, and other inputs. A pound of beef requires around 12,000 gallons of water to produce, compared to 60 gallons for a pound of potatoes.
Tip: If you’re a meat eater, try cutting out just one serving of meat each week. (As an added bonus, the United States Department of Agriculture advocates eating less meat, more fruits and vegetables, and less fat for control of chronic disease such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.)
Stat: An average of 137 rainforest species are driven to extinction every day. The number one cause is loss of habitat due to tree clearing to provide land for coffee plantations, logging and cattle ranching.
Tip: Purchase only shade grown coffee at your local supermarket or online:http://www.birdsandbeans.ca/
Stat: Fruit and vegetable vitamins vary according to the seasons, as do our needs. Fruits and vegetables that grow in the summer have a high fluid content which help to cool you down. Winter root vegetables are high in starches that help slow the release of energies, which keep you warm.
Tip: By purchasing local foods in-season, you eliminate the environmental damage caused by shipping foods thousands of miles, your food dollar goes directly to the farmer, and your family will be able to enjoy the health benefits of eating fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables.
Stat: Pesticide use degrades air and water quality, while threatening the health of workers, farmers, and communities.
Tip: Organic foods reduce the amount of pesticides in your diet and the planet's water and soil, and organic options are available for many types of foods — fresh and packaged.
Stat: According to a recent study at the University of Arizona, the average household wastes an estimated 14 percent of its food purchases—a loss of significant value for most families.
Tip: Purchase foods that you can consume before they expire to help minimize food waste and shrink your grocery bill. Also, consider composting your food waste to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the need for synthetic fertilizer.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Reuse Stats and Tips
1.) Stat: Every year Californians generate 66 million tons of solid waste, of which approximately one third is packaging. (The California Integrated Waste Management Board)
Tip: Reuse packing materials (foam peanuts, bubble wrap and cardboard boxes) or find someone who can, such as your local packaging store.
2.) Stat: According to the EPA, between 1960 and 2007 the amount of waste each person
creates has almost doubled from 2.7 to 4.6 pounds per day.
Tip: Turn normal household waste into a fun family craft. Use old bottles, shampoo containers, etc. into vases, shoe boxes into memory boxes, or old paper scraps into note pads. Get more great ideas from www.recycling-revolution.com/reuse-trash-ideas.html
3.) Stat: Every man, woman, and child in the country spends an average of $1,000 a year on new clothes, and likely throws away 68 pounds of clothing each year. Tip: Purchase clothing at a second hand store, and make sure your unwanted clothing is reused, by donating it to The Closet or to your local Salvation Army or Goodwill.
4.) Stat: Americans throw away 25 billion Styrofoam coffee cups every year and 2.5 million plastic beverage bottles every hour. Tip: Invest in a reuseable/refillable coffee travel mug or water bottle.
5.) Stat: 40% of all trash in landfills is paper.
Tip: We can alleviate this by purchasing a reusable coffee filter:http://www.greenyour.com/lifestyle/food-drink/coffee/tips/choose-reusable-or-recycled-coffee-filters
6.) Stat: Americans purchase nearly 3 billion dry-cell batteries every year to power radios, toys, cellular phones, watches, laptop computers, and portable power tools which end up in landfills.
Tip: Purchase rechargeable batteries and a battery re-charger (some battery re-chargers will also recharge regular alkaline batteries).
7.) Stat: There are at least 300 million scrap tires in stockpiles in the U.S. In addition, approximately 281 million scrap tires were generated in 2001.
Tip: Take your used tires to be shred for use around your home, such as cushion under play equipment.
8.) Stat: An estimated 8 billion pounds of plastic bags, wraps and sacks enter the waste stream every year in the US alone.
Tip: Use reusable shopping bags, lunch pails and reusable containers to avoid creating unnecessary waste.
Tip: Reuse packing materials (foam peanuts, bubble wrap and cardboard boxes) or find someone who can, such as your local packaging store.
2.) Stat: According to the EPA, between 1960 and 2007 the amount of waste each person
creates has almost doubled from 2.7 to 4.6 pounds per day.
Tip: Turn normal household waste into a fun family craft. Use old bottles, shampoo containers, etc. into vases, shoe boxes into memory boxes, or old paper scraps into note pads. Get more great ideas from www.recycling-revolution.com/reuse-trash-ideas.html
3.) Stat: Every man, woman, and child in the country spends an average of $1,000 a year on new clothes, and likely throws away 68 pounds of clothing each year. Tip: Purchase clothing at a second hand store, and make sure your unwanted clothing is reused, by donating it to The Closet or to your local Salvation Army or Goodwill.
4.) Stat: Americans throw away 25 billion Styrofoam coffee cups every year and 2.5 million plastic beverage bottles every hour. Tip: Invest in a reuseable/refillable coffee travel mug or water bottle.
5.) Stat: 40% of all trash in landfills is paper.
Tip: We can alleviate this by purchasing a reusable coffee filter:http://www.greenyour.com/lifestyle/food-drink/coffee/tips/choose-reusable-or-recycled-coffee-filters
6.) Stat: Americans purchase nearly 3 billion dry-cell batteries every year to power radios, toys, cellular phones, watches, laptop computers, and portable power tools which end up in landfills.
Tip: Purchase rechargeable batteries and a battery re-charger (some battery re-chargers will also recharge regular alkaline batteries).
7.) Stat: There are at least 300 million scrap tires in stockpiles in the U.S. In addition, approximately 281 million scrap tires were generated in 2001.
Tip: Take your used tires to be shred for use around your home, such as cushion under play equipment.
8.) Stat: An estimated 8 billion pounds of plastic bags, wraps and sacks enter the waste stream every year in the US alone.
Tip: Use reusable shopping bags, lunch pails and reusable containers to avoid creating unnecessary waste.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Book/Bible study offered
In January we will be starting a new book/bible study based on the book "Gardening Eden: How Creation Care Will Change Your Faith, Your Life, And Our World" by Michael Abbate. It will meet on Wednesday nights from 7-8:30 pm. We will meet at Panera Bread on Haven and Foothill in Rancho Cucamonga. We are trying to make this fun and casual, and will read a chapter each week, then discuss it as a group. For more info please contact me at:
birdgrl8@hotmail.com
birdgrl8@hotmail.com
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Re-generation's 1st Annual Fashion Show
The Fashion show on Nov. 14th was a success with about 70 attendees and most of our designs auctioned off. We hope to have even more attend next year as designs are already being planned. Here are a few of the designs from this years show: Bottle cap shirt, newspaper dress, soda can dress, pillow case apron, coke dress and plastic and knitted video tape dress.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Recycle Stats and Tips
1. Stat: 700 years - that is how long it takes a plastic bottle in a landfill to began to biodegrade. Fourteen 20 oz plastic bottles yield enough fiber for an extra large T-shirt.
Tip: Close the Recycling Loop! Buy products that are made from recycled/post consumer materials. Check out www.greengiftguide.com to see examples of these products.
2. Stat: The average person generates 4.5 pounds of trash every day- 1.5 tons of solid waste per year. Although the EPA estimates that 75% of solid waste is recyclable, only about 30 % is actually recycled.
Tip: Recycling does make a difference! The most important part of recycling is participation, so read the bottom labels on packaged items to differentiate what is recyclable and what is not.
3. Stat: Nationwide,130 million cell phones go out of use annually. This creates an estimated 65,000 tons of electronic waste.
Tip: Recycle your cell phone by donating to a charity at: w ww.phones4charity.org OR by taking them to a local recycling center http://www.call2recycle.org
4. Stat: Americans throw out enough paper each year to build a 12-foot high wall from New York to Los Angeles. However, each ton (2000 pounds) of recycled paper can save: 3.5 cubic yards of landfill, 17 thirty foot (pulp) trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil, and 4100 kwh of energy!
Tip: Use paper products made from recycled materials, print on both sides of paper and recycle after use (to find the nearest paper recycling center: www.Earth911.com.
5. Stat: 75% of old electronics sit in storage, because there is uncertainty of how to manage them. Many of these items can be reused, refurbished or recycled.
Tip: Check out eRecycle.org to find locations that manage used electronics.
6. Stat: Americans throw away more than 25 percent of the food we prepare, about 96 billion pounds of food waste each year. Food waste includes uneaten food and food preparation scraps from residences or households, commercial establishments like restaurants, institutional sources like school cafeterias, and industrial sources like factory lunchrooms. The nati on spends about 1 billion dollars a year to dispose of food waste.
Tip: By separating food waste to use for composting o r putting in the green waste bin, it makes it easier to recycle solid waste.
7. Stat: Americans throw away about 40 million soft drink cans and bottles every year. Placed end to end, they would reach the moon and back nearly 20 TIMES!
Tip: Recycle bottles and cans by placing in the designed bin supplied by your city. If these bins are not supplied, take recyclables to a local grocery store that has a "Replanet" recycling center: http://www.replanetusa.com
8. Stat: 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used per year - or one million per minute.Most don’t make it to a recycling facility.
Tip: At most grocery stores there is a bin to recycle these plastic bags. There are also other great uses for these bags; such as jewelry and crafts this web site has great ideas to turn nonsense plastic bags into instant Fun! http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/08/plastic_bag_crafts.html
9. Stat: The average refrigerator aged 10 years or older contains more than 120 pounds of recyclable steel.
Tip: Recycle your old inefficient refrigerator of freezer by calling Southern California Edison at : 800-234-9722 for a free pickup and $50.00 for the rec ycling process.
Tip: Close the Recycling Loop! Buy products that are made from recycled/post consumer materials. Check out www.greengiftguide.com to see examples of these products.
2. Stat: The average person generates 4.5 pounds of trash every day- 1.5 tons of solid waste per year. Although the EPA estimates that 75% of solid waste is recyclable, only about 30 % is actually recycled.
Tip: Recycling does make a difference! The most important part of recycling is participation, so read the bottom labels on packaged items to differentiate what is recyclable and what is not.
3. Stat: Nationwide,130 million cell phones go out of use annually. This creates an estimated 65,000 tons of electronic waste.
Tip: Recycle your cell phone by donating to a charity at: w ww.phones4charity.org OR by taking them to a local recycling center http://www.call2recycle.org
4. Stat: Americans throw out enough paper each year to build a 12-foot high wall from New York to Los Angeles. However, each ton (2000 pounds) of recycled paper can save: 3.5 cubic yards of landfill, 17 thirty foot (pulp) trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil, and 4100 kwh of energy!
Tip: Use paper products made from recycled materials, print on both sides of paper and recycle after use (to find the nearest paper recycling center: www.Earth911.com.
5. Stat: 75% of old electronics sit in storage, because there is uncertainty of how to manage them. Many of these items can be reused, refurbished or recycled.
Tip: Check out eRecycle.org to find locations that manage used electronics.
6. Stat: Americans throw away more than 25 percent of the food we prepare, about 96 billion pounds of food waste each year. Food waste includes uneaten food and food preparation scraps from residences or households, commercial establishments like restaurants, institutional sources like school cafeterias, and industrial sources like factory lunchrooms. The nati on spends about 1 billion dollars a year to dispose of food waste.
Tip: By separating food waste to use for composting o r putting in the green waste bin, it makes it easier to recycle solid waste.
7. Stat: Americans throw away about 40 million soft drink cans and bottles every year. Placed end to end, they would reach the moon and back nearly 20 TIMES!
Tip: Recycle bottles and cans by placing in the designed bin supplied by your city. If these bins are not supplied, take recyclables to a local grocery store that has a "Replanet" recycling center: http://www.replanetusa.com
8. Stat: 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used per year - or one million per minute.Most don’t make it to a recycling facility.
Tip: At most grocery stores there is a bin to recycle these plastic bags. There are also other great uses for these bags; such as jewelry and crafts this web site has great ideas to turn nonsense plastic bags into instant Fun! http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2007/08/plastic_bag_crafts.html
9. Stat: The average refrigerator aged 10 years or older contains more than 120 pounds of recyclable steel.
Tip: Recycle your old inefficient refrigerator of freezer by calling Southern California Edison at : 800-234-9722 for a free pickup and $50.00 for the rec ycling process.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Reduce Stats and Tips
1) The typical American home uses about 300 gallons of water a day.
Tip: Set your sprinklers on a timer or water your lawn once a week, turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth, take shorter showers/baths throughout the week, recieve a Free low flow shower and sink set from the rancho cucamonga water company:http://www.socalgas.com/residential/EE_kit_promo/index.html
2) If all cars on US roads had properly inflated tires, it would save nearly 2 billion gallons of gas a year.
Tip: check tires weekly, for safety and to increase your mpg! Local gas stations have air pumps for your car tires.
3) By turning the heat down, Americans could save more than 500,000 barrels of oil each day--that's over 21,000,000 gallons.
Tip: When heating your home: Reduce your thermostat by 3-5°F when your home is occupied; set to 55°F or lower, or turn off your heating system when your home is unoccupied.
When cooling your home: Increase your thermostat by 3-5°F when your home is occupied; set to 85°F or higher or turn off your cooling system when your home is unoccupied. http://www.sce. com/NR/rdonlyres/D272AFA9-793E-4E19-96B4-E68944DAC6D8/0/08Apr_ResidentialEnergyGuide.pdf
4) If we turned off home computers when not in use, we would cut their CO2 impact by 8.3 million tons a year or 50%.
Tip: put your computer on sleep or hibernation mode when you will be away from it for several hours. You will save electricty and money at the same time! Or simply turn it off when you are done!
5) Less than 1% of the worlds freshwater is readily available for human use.
Tip: Purchase a reverse osmois filter for your home. For more information about price and what this filter can do for your home, check out this website: http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/
6) Everyday in the US we produce enough trash to equal the weight of the Empire State Building.Everyday, the average American produces four and a half pounds of trash-75 % of which is recyclable.
Tip: Reduce your waste by recycling plastic,paper, and alummiun. if you are not sure what is recyclable this website will show you the dos and donts: http://www.ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us/govt/documents/ReuseRecyclingGuide..pdf
7) Between 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide annually, which is more than one million bags per minute.
Tip: Invest in a reusable canvas bag (from the Flipside) for grocery shopping and other purchases.
8) The average adult is on 50 mailing lists and receives an average of 41 lbs of junk mail a year. 44%of this goes unread and directly into the garbage.
Tip: Stop junk mail from being delivered to your home.http://www.ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us/govt/pdf/JunkMail.pdf
Tip: Set your sprinklers on a timer or water your lawn once a week, turn off the water while you are brushing your teeth, take shorter showers/baths throughout the week, recieve a Free low flow shower and sink set from the rancho cucamonga water company:http://www.socalgas.com/residential/EE_kit_promo/index.html
2) If all cars on US roads had properly inflated tires, it would save nearly 2 billion gallons of gas a year.
Tip: check tires weekly, for safety and to increase your mpg! Local gas stations have air pumps for your car tires.
3) By turning the heat down, Americans could save more than 500,000 barrels of oil each day--that's over 21,000,000 gallons.
Tip: When heating your home: Reduce your thermostat by 3-5°F when your home is occupied; set to 55°F or lower, or turn off your heating system when your home is unoccupied.
When cooling your home: Increase your thermostat by 3-5°F when your home is occupied; set to 85°F or higher or turn off your cooling system when your home is unoccupied. http://www.sce. com/NR/rdonlyres/D272AFA9-793E-4E19-96B4-E68944DAC6D8/0/08Apr_ResidentialEnergyGuide.pdf
4) If we turned off home computers when not in use, we would cut their CO2 impact by 8.3 million tons a year or 50%.
Tip: put your computer on sleep or hibernation mode when you will be away from it for several hours. You will save electricty and money at the same time! Or simply turn it off when you are done!
5) Less than 1% of the worlds freshwater is readily available for human use.
Tip: Purchase a reverse osmois filter for your home. For more information about price and what this filter can do for your home, check out this website: http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/
6) Everyday in the US we produce enough trash to equal the weight of the Empire State Building.Everyday, the average American produces four and a half pounds of trash-75 % of which is recyclable.
Tip: Reduce your waste by recycling plastic,paper, and alummiun. if you are not sure what is recyclable this website will show you the dos and donts: http://www.ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us/govt/documents/ReuseRecyclingGuide..pdf
7) Between 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide annually, which is more than one million bags per minute.
Tip: Invest in a reusable canvas bag (from the Flipside) for grocery shopping and other purchases.
8) The average adult is on 50 mailing lists and receives an average of 41 lbs of junk mail a year. 44%of this goes unread and directly into the garbage.
Tip: Stop junk mail from being delivered to your home.http://www.ci.rancho-cucamonga.ca.us/govt/pdf/JunkMail.pdf
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
