Everyone now understands that the economy is broken.
While many name the mortgage and credit-default-swap crises as culprits, they are only the most recent indicators of an economy with fatal design flaws. Our economy has long been based on what economist Herman Daly calls “uneconomic growth” where increases in the GDP come at an expense in resources and well-being that is worth more than the goods and services provided. When GNP growth exacerbates social and environmental problems—from sweatshop labor to manufacturing toxic chemicals—every dollar of GNP growth reduces well-being for people and the planet, and we’re all worse off.
Our fatally flawed economy creates economic injustice, poverty, and environmental crises. It doesn’t have to be that way. We can create a green economy: one that serves people and the planet and offers antidotes to the current breakdown.
Here are six green-economy solutions to today’s economic mess.
1. Green Energy—Green Jobs
A crucial starting place to rejuvenate our economy is to focus on energy. It’s time to call in the superheroes of the green energy revolution—energy efficiency, solar and wind power, and plug-in hybrids—and put their synergies to work with rapid, large-scale deployment. This is a powerful way to jumpstart the economy, spur job creation (with jobs that can’t be outsourced), declare energy independence, and claim victory over the climate crisis.
2. Clean Energy Victory Bonds
How are we going to pay for this green energy revolution? We at Green America propose Clean Energy Victory Bonds. Modeled after victory bonds in World War II, Americans would buy these bonds from the federal government to invest in large-scale deployment of green energy projects, with particular emphasis in low-income communities hardest hit by the broken economy. These would be long-term bonds, paying an annual interest rate, based in part on the energy and energy savings that the bonds generate. During WWII, 85 million Americans bought over $185 billion in bonds—that would be almost $2 trillion in today’s dollars.
3. Reduce, Reuse, Rethink
Living lightly on the Earth, saving resources and money, and sharing (jobs, property, ideas, and opportunities) are crucial principles for restructuring our economy. This economic breakdown is, in part, due to living beyond our means—as a nation and as individuals. With the enormous national and consumer debt weighing us down, we won’t be able to spend our way out of this economic problem. Ultimately, we need an economy that’s not dependent on unsustainable growth and consumerism. So it’s time to rethink our over-consumptive lifestyles, and turn to the principles of elegant simplicity, such as planting gardens, conserving energy, and working cooperatively with our neighbors to share resources and build resilient communities.
4. Go Green and Local
When we do buy, it is essential that those purchases benefit the green and local economy—so that every dollar helps solve social and environmental problems, not create them. Our spending choices matter. We can support our local communities by moving dollars away from conventional agribusiness and big-box stores and toward supporting local workers, businesses, and organic farmers.
5. Community Investing
All over the country, community investing banks, credit unions, and loan funds that serve hard-hit communities are strong, while the biggest banks required bailouts. The basic principles of community investing keep such institutions strong: Lenders and borrowers know each other. Lenders invest in the success of their borrowers—with training and technical assistance along with loans. And the people who provide the capital to the lenders expect reasonable, not speculative, returns. If all banks followed these principles, the economy wouldn’t be in the mess it’s in today.
6. Shareowner Activism
When you own stock, you have the right and responsibility to advise management to clean up its act. Had GM listened to shareholders warning that relying on SUVs would be its downfall, it would have invested in greener technologies, and would not have needed a bailout. Had CitiGroup listened to its shareowners, it would have avoided the faulty mortgage practices that brought it to its knees. Engaged shareholders are key to reforming conventional companies for the transition to this new economy – the green economy that we are building together.
It’s time to move from greed to green.
--Alisa Gravitz, Green America
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Give the Gift of Green this Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that isn't really a holiday because you still have to go to school and work, and there are no weekend parties in its honor. Nevertheless, Valentine's Day manages to be one of the most waste-infused holidays on the North American calendar, coming in a close second behind Christmas. All those colored tissue and construction paper decorations, over-packaged boxes of waxy chocolates and little Valentine's Day cards add up, and if we're lucky the majority of it ends up in the recycling bin. This year, opt for a greener V Day to show your sweetheart as well as your world that you care.
Send an e-card. One billion Valentine cards are sent and received annually. Even if many of these are recycled, that's still a whole whack of trees used in their production. This year, why not bypass the deforestation route and send all your family, friends and sweethearts an e-card. I particularly like someecards.com for really off-the-wall humor, especially those in the Flirting category, but a quick Google search for free e-cards is sure to turn up something to your own taste.
Make your own sweets. Homemade truffles, fudge, cupcakes and cookies are always more appreciated than an uninspired heart-shaped box of mediocre chocolates. Present your goodies in a re-usable tin and you won't have a crumb of trash to clean up!
Ditch the dozen roses. You know the ones: the pesticide-laden, shipped-from-overseas, greenhouse-grown stems that last a few days before getting tossed. Instead, give a thoughtful and completely unique gift like a mix CD of all your mood-inducing Barry White and Marvin Gaye faves. Or some sexy scented, lead-free soy candles, or a homemade coupon book full of favors your sweetie can cash in at will. Once you put your mind to it, you'll come up with lots of fun ideas that'll tickle your loved one and cut down on harmful practices.
Cook up a dinner for two. Let the crowds battle it out in the restaurants and make a purely private and romantic meal at home. You can transform your regular dinner routine by adding a luxurious local wine to the table, typing up a pre-fix menu, turning down the lights and playing soft music. Dress up as if you were going out and get everyone else out of the house for an evening that will leave an impression on your loved one and not the environment.
Get clean before you get dirty. Skip the before-bed shower (and the spa gift certificate) and draw up a bath for two surrounded by candlelight and immerse yourselves in eco-friendly bath bubbles to loosen up the muscles - and inhibitions.
by Amanda Ryan
Send an e-card. One billion Valentine cards are sent and received annually. Even if many of these are recycled, that's still a whole whack of trees used in their production. This year, why not bypass the deforestation route and send all your family, friends and sweethearts an e-card. I particularly like someecards.com for really off-the-wall humor, especially those in the Flirting category, but a quick Google search for free e-cards is sure to turn up something to your own taste.
Make your own sweets. Homemade truffles, fudge, cupcakes and cookies are always more appreciated than an uninspired heart-shaped box of mediocre chocolates. Present your goodies in a re-usable tin and you won't have a crumb of trash to clean up!
Ditch the dozen roses. You know the ones: the pesticide-laden, shipped-from-overseas, greenhouse-grown stems that last a few days before getting tossed. Instead, give a thoughtful and completely unique gift like a mix CD of all your mood-inducing Barry White and Marvin Gaye faves. Or some sexy scented, lead-free soy candles, or a homemade coupon book full of favors your sweetie can cash in at will. Once you put your mind to it, you'll come up with lots of fun ideas that'll tickle your loved one and cut down on harmful practices.
Cook up a dinner for two. Let the crowds battle it out in the restaurants and make a purely private and romantic meal at home. You can transform your regular dinner routine by adding a luxurious local wine to the table, typing up a pre-fix menu, turning down the lights and playing soft music. Dress up as if you were going out and get everyone else out of the house for an evening that will leave an impression on your loved one and not the environment.
Get clean before you get dirty. Skip the before-bed shower (and the spa gift certificate) and draw up a bath for two surrounded by candlelight and immerse yourselves in eco-friendly bath bubbles to loosen up the muscles - and inhibitions.
by Amanda Ryan
Turn Your Winter Blues Green
While we sit and wait for the snow to melt and temperatures to rise again, it's easy to start feeling blue. I mean, when was the last time you saw a dandelion field or a even a swatch of fresh grass? While the world seems to freeze in stillness, you can find new ways to chase away the blahs and stay green this winter.
Do something!
Walking, let along running (and bicycling and skateboarding and many other fun and green ways to stay fit) becomes nearly impossible with snow-covered grounds and freezing wind chill. This winter keep your bikini bod in check by going snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or outdoor ice skating. Cross-country skiing is just as effective as running but much more forgiving of the knees, and all three of these activities offer the opportunity to get out and enjoy nature. Also, none of them require forests to be cut down like downhill skiiing and snowboarding do, and overall they pose an insignificant impact on the environment.
Heat Things Up
If you live in a large house or even just a poorly insulated apartment, you've probably got a few portable space heaters blaring away right now. In order to get your money's worth and use the least amount of energy as possible, be sure to spend a little more initially. Cheap space heaters usually only have two settings: on and off. These ones aren't as effective because rather than maintaining one temperature, they waste energy heating and re-heating over and over again. You turn it on when you're cold, turn it off when you're warmed up, and the cycle goes on and on. It's best to shell out $100 or so for a heater that has a few settings. Used in conjunction with a thermostat, the heat in your home is more likely to maintain a steady temperature, thus eliminating the need to blast new heat in over and over again. Also, space heaters that radiate heat rather than use a fan use less energy as they keep the air warmer for longer, as blown air cools down quickly.
Cut Your Salt Intake
Millions of tons of rock salt, the most toxic of all the deicers on the market, are poured over roads each winter. Salt kills trees and vegetation, contaminates water and poisons wildlife. It also doesn't break down or evaporate, but rather just accumulates, leaving burned grass and salty residues in once-green spaces. If you must use a deicer on your driveway or sidewalk, use one made up of a mixture of chemical compounds rather than just one, as this avoids too much concentration of one harmful chemical. Also, spread a thin layer over the problem spots before the first snowfall, as this will diminish how much you'll need to apply once the white stuff really starts coming down. But of course, the greenest method to deice is shoveling and sweeping often.
Check out last year's post on Green Ways to Winterize Your Home!
by Amanda Ryan
Do something!
Walking, let along running (and bicycling and skateboarding and many other fun and green ways to stay fit) becomes nearly impossible with snow-covered grounds and freezing wind chill. This winter keep your bikini bod in check by going snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or outdoor ice skating. Cross-country skiing is just as effective as running but much more forgiving of the knees, and all three of these activities offer the opportunity to get out and enjoy nature. Also, none of them require forests to be cut down like downhill skiiing and snowboarding do, and overall they pose an insignificant impact on the environment.
Heat Things Up
If you live in a large house or even just a poorly insulated apartment, you've probably got a few portable space heaters blaring away right now. In order to get your money's worth and use the least amount of energy as possible, be sure to spend a little more initially. Cheap space heaters usually only have two settings: on and off. These ones aren't as effective because rather than maintaining one temperature, they waste energy heating and re-heating over and over again. You turn it on when you're cold, turn it off when you're warmed up, and the cycle goes on and on. It's best to shell out $100 or so for a heater that has a few settings. Used in conjunction with a thermostat, the heat in your home is more likely to maintain a steady temperature, thus eliminating the need to blast new heat in over and over again. Also, space heaters that radiate heat rather than use a fan use less energy as they keep the air warmer for longer, as blown air cools down quickly.
Cut Your Salt Intake
Millions of tons of rock salt, the most toxic of all the deicers on the market, are poured over roads each winter. Salt kills trees and vegetation, contaminates water and poisons wildlife. It also doesn't break down or evaporate, but rather just accumulates, leaving burned grass and salty residues in once-green spaces. If you must use a deicer on your driveway or sidewalk, use one made up of a mixture of chemical compounds rather than just one, as this avoids too much concentration of one harmful chemical. Also, spread a thin layer over the problem spots before the first snowfall, as this will diminish how much you'll need to apply once the white stuff really starts coming down. But of course, the greenest method to deice is shoveling and sweeping often.
Check out last year's post on Green Ways to Winterize Your Home!
by Amanda Ryan
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Green Resolutions
Ah, the new year resolution. Even those who say they don't make them secretly keep a list of things they'd like to achieve or attain over the next year. What's interesting about these annual goals is that most people's lists, no matter how privately and carefully constructed, turn out to be exactly the same. More frequently landing on lists this year is the goal to live greener. Luckily, some of the most common new year resolutions mesh perfectly with the go green goal, and here are some simple ways to check off more than one resolution at a time.
Lose weight. You can combine this goal with your going green one simply by cutting back on the amount of food products from animals that you consume. Meat and dairy naturally contain a lot of fat, not to mention chemicals and other additives that overshadow any nutritional value you may have derived form the product. Most soy products are fortified with your daily requirements of essential vitamins, so there's no need to worry about losing nutrients along with the pounds. And taking your bicycle to work one day a week instead of the car will boost your metabolism, burn calories and get your heart pumping at a healthy rate while diminishing your carbon footprint.
Clean and organize. Cleaning out your closets, garage, attic, storage unit, drawers and cupboards is an excellent way to sweep out last year's cobwebs and head into 2009 with a fresh start. But it's also an easy way to curb the carbon emissions caused by factories and shipping. Simply drop all of your unwanted but still usable clothing, home appliances, kitchen gadgets, bicycles, toys, books, furniture, paint cans, and more off at your local thrift shop. Squeeze even more out of your unwanted goods and offer them to consignment stores who will give you store credit or cash in return, and shop other people's treasures while eliminating those harmful emissions.
Save money. Saving money and going green go hand in hand. Instead of purchasing expensive and chemical-laden cleaners, mix vinegar and water in a spray bottle for a streak free cleaning of your kitchen, floors, bathroom and glass. Take public transit or carpool instead of your own car. Bring a commuter mug and receive a discount at most cafes. Shop second-hand stores. Take out library books. Use bags or newsprint instead of wrapping paper. Reuse envelopes. The list of items you can re-use just grows everyday, which is great news for your resolutions as well as your planet.
Volunteer. No matter where you live, how much time you have or what your skills are, you're sure to find an earth-friendly organization that suits you. A quick Google search will take care of finding your choice volunteer opportunity.
- by Amanda Ryan
Lose weight. You can combine this goal with your going green one simply by cutting back on the amount of food products from animals that you consume. Meat and dairy naturally contain a lot of fat, not to mention chemicals and other additives that overshadow any nutritional value you may have derived form the product. Most soy products are fortified with your daily requirements of essential vitamins, so there's no need to worry about losing nutrients along with the pounds. And taking your bicycle to work one day a week instead of the car will boost your metabolism, burn calories and get your heart pumping at a healthy rate while diminishing your carbon footprint.
Clean and organize. Cleaning out your closets, garage, attic, storage unit, drawers and cupboards is an excellent way to sweep out last year's cobwebs and head into 2009 with a fresh start. But it's also an easy way to curb the carbon emissions caused by factories and shipping. Simply drop all of your unwanted but still usable clothing, home appliances, kitchen gadgets, bicycles, toys, books, furniture, paint cans, and more off at your local thrift shop. Squeeze even more out of your unwanted goods and offer them to consignment stores who will give you store credit or cash in return, and shop other people's treasures while eliminating those harmful emissions.
Save money. Saving money and going green go hand in hand. Instead of purchasing expensive and chemical-laden cleaners, mix vinegar and water in a spray bottle for a streak free cleaning of your kitchen, floors, bathroom and glass. Take public transit or carpool instead of your own car. Bring a commuter mug and receive a discount at most cafes. Shop second-hand stores. Take out library books. Use bags or newsprint instead of wrapping paper. Reuse envelopes. The list of items you can re-use just grows everyday, which is great news for your resolutions as well as your planet.
Volunteer. No matter where you live, how much time you have or what your skills are, you're sure to find an earth-friendly organization that suits you. A quick Google search will take care of finding your choice volunteer opportunity.
- by Amanda Ryan
Eco-Friendly Holiday Eating
Last time we covered how to get into the giving spirit while taking less of a toll on the environment. But there's a less talked about area of how to green the holiday season that I'd like to share with you today, and that's how to make your festive dinner table more earth-friendly by making just a few decisions before you buy.
Stay in season. Choosing fruits and vegetables that are naturally in season is a simple way to curb the carbon print left by your holiday menu. Those items that aren't in season where you live have been stored and taxied from all over the world, contributing to harmful emissions given off from cargo ships and trucks.
Go local. For the same reasons as above, choosing locally grown and manufactured foods is a great way to offer your dinner guests a fresh, tasty and eco-friendly meal that's bursting with local flavors. Buying locally produced foods is also a great way to boost the local economy and keep farmers going.
Stick with organic. Not just applicable to fruits and vegetables, choosing free-range turkey, chicken, beef and dairy products keeps pesticide- and carcinogen-laden practices at bay. By selecting a free-range turkey and organic veggies for your dinner table, you can rest assured that your holiday meal doesn't contribute to green house gases, water contamination or any of those other nasty side-effects of mass produced foods.
Rough it. Instead of offering appetizers that require the oven, make a fresh and colorful display of raw veggie courgettes and fruit slices with dip, or tortillas and salsa, to name just a few alternatives. Also, try to keep the main menu dishes and desserts raw or stick to those that can be steamed instead of baked. Not only will your planet thank you, but your waistline will as well!
Have a safe and green holiday season!
- by Amanda Ryan
Stay in season. Choosing fruits and vegetables that are naturally in season is a simple way to curb the carbon print left by your holiday menu. Those items that aren't in season where you live have been stored and taxied from all over the world, contributing to harmful emissions given off from cargo ships and trucks.
Go local. For the same reasons as above, choosing locally grown and manufactured foods is a great way to offer your dinner guests a fresh, tasty and eco-friendly meal that's bursting with local flavors. Buying locally produced foods is also a great way to boost the local economy and keep farmers going.
Stick with organic. Not just applicable to fruits and vegetables, choosing free-range turkey, chicken, beef and dairy products keeps pesticide- and carcinogen-laden practices at bay. By selecting a free-range turkey and organic veggies for your dinner table, you can rest assured that your holiday meal doesn't contribute to green house gases, water contamination or any of those other nasty side-effects of mass produced foods.
Rough it. Instead of offering appetizers that require the oven, make a fresh and colorful display of raw veggie courgettes and fruit slices with dip, or tortillas and salsa, to name just a few alternatives. Also, try to keep the main menu dishes and desserts raw or stick to those that can be steamed instead of baked. Not only will your planet thank you, but your waistline will as well!
Have a safe and green holiday season!
- by Amanda Ryan
Friday, December 5, 2008
Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas
“According to Stanford University, Americans throw away 25 percent more trash between Thanksgiving and New Year's than any other time of year. The result is about 1 million extra tons of trash each week.”
– CBC News (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/27/earlyshow/main2210237.shtml)
I knew that this was a wasteful time of year, but this quote really hit it home for me. Because along with the scent of Christmas pudding, the sound of laughter and that feeling of warmth that the holidays always bring to mind, there also lurks the season's dark underbelly: mounds of wrapping paper, plastic casings and cardboard boxes, not to mention the environmental impact of mass produced and shipped goods. This year, make it a point to be eco-conscious as you tick loved ones off your shopping list. Here are a few green gift ideas we've cooked up for you.
Have you heard of the Handmade Pledge(http://www.buyhandmade.org/)? It's a vow that individuals take to buy and/or make as well as receive only handmade gifts over the holiday season. And what better time to start making your own gifts or purchasing handmade items than in our present economic climate? Handmade gifts reduce the emissions caused by mass shipping and production of consumer items, as well as support crafters and artists around the world. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving!
To aid in your handmade pledge, the ever popular site dedicated to expert crafters, Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/), has a group of artists who call themselves the Eco Etsy Street Team (http://ecoetsy.blogspot.com/). These artists make items from eco-friendly materials and implement green practices in the production of their work, relieving consumers of any and all green guilt they have over the holidays.
While my family makes a point of recycling every shred of wrapping paper that crosses the threshold, the sight of such waste is still enough to make me cringe. This year, ditch the paper and instead get into the stuffing mood: buy a reusable wine or shopping bag for each person on your list and fill it to the brim with goodies. Or, you can find tons of great wrapping ideas from green guru Danny Seo here (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/27/earlyshow/main2210237.shtml)
Ditch the expensive holiday cards this year and send e-cards to all your favorite people. Fast, free and green, they're the best way to let loved ones know you're thinking of them—and the planet.
For the clothes horse, choose a lovely garment made from sustainable materials, like the ones we discussed in Eco Fashion Forward (http://niokagreenstore.blogspot.com/2008/11/eco-fashion-forward.html). Many of these are softer and more durable than cotton, and represent a fashionable way to a sustainable world.
Shopping locally and in stores that sell locally made items is a simple way to reduce your carbon footprint. Less shipping emissions, less driving on your part and supporting your local economy to boot is a great way to get into the holiday spirit.
Bake your favorite four-legged friend some homemade treats instead of purchasing them from a pet store. You'll know what exactly goes into them, which is a plus for your pet's health, and no packaging or shipping is required.
And, of course, you can always purchase some of the best eco-friendly gifts right here at the Nioka Green Store (http://niokagreenstore.com/). Be sure to check back often for the latest featured products!
-by Amanda Ryan
– CBC News (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/27/earlyshow/main2210237.shtml)
I knew that this was a wasteful time of year, but this quote really hit it home for me. Because along with the scent of Christmas pudding, the sound of laughter and that feeling of warmth that the holidays always bring to mind, there also lurks the season's dark underbelly: mounds of wrapping paper, plastic casings and cardboard boxes, not to mention the environmental impact of mass produced and shipped goods. This year, make it a point to be eco-conscious as you tick loved ones off your shopping list. Here are a few green gift ideas we've cooked up for you.
Have you heard of the Handmade Pledge(http://www.buyhandmade.org/)? It's a vow that individuals take to buy and/or make as well as receive only handmade gifts over the holiday season. And what better time to start making your own gifts or purchasing handmade items than in our present economic climate? Handmade gifts reduce the emissions caused by mass shipping and production of consumer items, as well as support crafters and artists around the world. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving!
To aid in your handmade pledge, the ever popular site dedicated to expert crafters, Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/), has a group of artists who call themselves the Eco Etsy Street Team (http://ecoetsy.blogspot.com/). These artists make items from eco-friendly materials and implement green practices in the production of their work, relieving consumers of any and all green guilt they have over the holidays.
While my family makes a point of recycling every shred of wrapping paper that crosses the threshold, the sight of such waste is still enough to make me cringe. This year, ditch the paper and instead get into the stuffing mood: buy a reusable wine or shopping bag for each person on your list and fill it to the brim with goodies. Or, you can find tons of great wrapping ideas from green guru Danny Seo here (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/27/earlyshow/main2210237.shtml)
Ditch the expensive holiday cards this year and send e-cards to all your favorite people. Fast, free and green, they're the best way to let loved ones know you're thinking of them—and the planet.
For the clothes horse, choose a lovely garment made from sustainable materials, like the ones we discussed in Eco Fashion Forward (http://niokagreenstore.blogspot.com/2008/11/eco-fashion-forward.html). Many of these are softer and more durable than cotton, and represent a fashionable way to a sustainable world.
Shopping locally and in stores that sell locally made items is a simple way to reduce your carbon footprint. Less shipping emissions, less driving on your part and supporting your local economy to boot is a great way to get into the holiday spirit.
Bake your favorite four-legged friend some homemade treats instead of purchasing them from a pet store. You'll know what exactly goes into them, which is a plus for your pet's health, and no packaging or shipping is required.
And, of course, you can always purchase some of the best eco-friendly gifts right here at the Nioka Green Store (http://niokagreenstore.com/). Be sure to check back often for the latest featured products!
-by Amanda Ryan
Thursday, November 27, 2008
A Numbers Game
All sorts of numbers, stats and dollar amounts are flying at us these days. It seems that at every turn someone's trying to tell us about falling stock market points, the price of gasoline, the fluctuating dollar, mortgage rates and how to hang onto your own dollars and cents. Sometimes, though, numbers can be a universally effective way of getting a point across. Here are some recent numbers about items most of us use every day.
Aluminum cans. In the U.S. alone, 1,440,000 tons of aluminum drinking cans are used, and only 45% of them are recycled. These recycled cans reduce carbon emissions by 10 tons, and save 96% of the energy it costs to create brand new aluminum cans.
Glass bottles and jars. Out of the 11,390,000 tons of glass bottles and jars we discard each year, 25% of that is recycled each year. The energy savings aren't as great as that of aluminum cans, and come in at only 21% savings. Try re-using all the glass containers in your home a few times before they go to the recycling bin, which is the most energy efficient method.
Newspapers. Your daily paper contributes to 12,360,000 tons of the stuff that gets tossed annually. Whether you also contribute to the 45% of newsprint that gets recycled, it's still more energy efficient to get your news off the Internet.
Plastic soft drink bottles. Only 31% of the 940,000 tons that are tossed manage to get recycled each year, saving 76% of the energy costs that go into creating new plastic bottles. While these bottles are typically turned into other, lower grade fibers, the technology to re-create drinking bottles out of the recycled material is now available.
Yogurt containers. These little cups create 1,460,00 tons of discarded polystyrene, the recycling of which saves 88% of the energy that goes into making new ones. Many cities find it too time consuming to sort these from other plastics, so only a very small amount are recycled.
- by Amanda Ryan
Aluminum cans. In the U.S. alone, 1,440,000 tons of aluminum drinking cans are used, and only 45% of them are recycled. These recycled cans reduce carbon emissions by 10 tons, and save 96% of the energy it costs to create brand new aluminum cans.
Glass bottles and jars. Out of the 11,390,000 tons of glass bottles and jars we discard each year, 25% of that is recycled each year. The energy savings aren't as great as that of aluminum cans, and come in at only 21% savings. Try re-using all the glass containers in your home a few times before they go to the recycling bin, which is the most energy efficient method.
Newspapers. Your daily paper contributes to 12,360,000 tons of the stuff that gets tossed annually. Whether you also contribute to the 45% of newsprint that gets recycled, it's still more energy efficient to get your news off the Internet.
Plastic soft drink bottles. Only 31% of the 940,000 tons that are tossed manage to get recycled each year, saving 76% of the energy costs that go into creating new plastic bottles. While these bottles are typically turned into other, lower grade fibers, the technology to re-create drinking bottles out of the recycled material is now available.
Yogurt containers. These little cups create 1,460,00 tons of discarded polystyrene, the recycling of which saves 88% of the energy that goes into making new ones. Many cities find it too time consuming to sort these from other plastics, so only a very small amount are recycled.
- by Amanda Ryan
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