A Deeper Green

Ok, so I’m a day late… sorry. America Recycles Day is actually November 15th.

America Recycles Day (ARD) has been going on for ten years, trying to get people to recycle their products and just as important, to BUY recycled products. Creating a market for all the things that we recycle is a very important step in the process. So please look for that chasing arrows symbol!

Please visit the ARD Website to find out more information about the mission of America Recycles Day.

Also, there are many things you can recycle that you may never have thought about, check out the link in this blog entry for an article on some difficult to recycle items.

Have a great Friday everyone, and HAPPY RECYCLING!

Red Sky At Morning, by James Gustave Speth (2005)

So, this book was difficult for me to read. The facts are dense, and the subject is fairly depressing, not gonna lie.

That being said, I would like to point out that the book it definitely hopeful.  Speth has some interesting ideas on how the global environmental crisis we are facing can be addressed. Basically the idea is an integrated “ecosystem” approach, and understanding that everything effects everything else. Speth also emphasizes the idea of ecology driven economy. The idea is not a new one, the thought of creating a market for green behaviors and technology is something that has been pushed for years as the way to mix capitalism and environmental sustainability. I am not going to argue the effectiveness of this approach.

The problem with Speth’s book is that it is clearly preaching to the choir. No one but those of us who are already making the needed changes in our life are going to be able to make it through the dense facts of the first few chapters. And as mentioned before, the dense fact chapters are fairly depressing. The optimistic outlook comes later, after you want to chuck the book against the wall and cry in despair.

I think that the book is not the best out there, but I wouldn’t tell you not to read it if you find the subject interesting. It certainly wasn’t a waste of my train rides, so if you were interested in this book you should still read it. Just be prepared to plow through, and keep some happy thoughts in your back pocket.

With all the buzz about water shortages in the West and the South, I have been thinking a lot about water conservation lately. Even more than usual!

One of the big things that we can do that can reduce water use every day is to install a low flow shower head. Seriously this is one of the simplest things to do. I have personally changed my own shower head with no help! So I know you can do it too.

First, some background:

In the US shower heads are required by law to use 2.5 gallons per minute or less. If you say the average shower is 10 minutes that’s a whopping 25 gallons of water! And I know that many of us take longer showers than that! I’m serious, time yourself; I was surprised at how long a shower I was taking (12 minutes! but don’t worry now I hover between 5 and 8, depending on the day).

 Ok, back on topic. Most low flow shower heads use between 1.5 and 2 gallons of water per minute. Meaning you could easily cut your water usage by 5 gallons a day or more, simply by spending 10 minutes replacing your showerhead. That is awesome!

 You could also try to shorten your shower, but from personal experience I know that can be hard.

 I have been liking this  showerhead, but you can go to any nearby hardware/home improvement store and ask about other models. They are very easy to find, and I’m serious when I say I installed my new showerhead by myself. Which means that just about anyone can do it!