Education

Palm Oil: To Boycott or Not To Boycott

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Day 354 – There’s a lot to consider when deciding to use products with palm oil.

The negative aspects of palm oil:

  1. Logging for large palm plantations causes deforestation and biodiversity loss in the tropics.
  2. The palm oil industry demands cheap labor and inflicts human rights violations on its workers.

It’s hard to avoid palm oil. It’s in a lot of our everyday products. Processed palm oil is a common ingredient in cosmetics, shampoos and soaps, toothpaste, deodorant, and laundry detergent. It’s also a common ingredient in processed, packaged foods ranging from candy bars and potato chips to bread and instant noodles. 

So is boycotting palm oil a good decision?

“According to the Sumatran Orangutan Society, a boycott unequivocally would not help workers, forests, or orangutans. On the contrary, it could have unintended consequences, like increased demand for soybean or sunflower oils that require five to 10 times more land. Or it could depress palm oil prices, encouraging its use in biofuels and livestock feed — products whose ingredients receive less scrutiny from consumers. In addition, about 4.5 million Indonesians and Malaysians currently earn a living from palm oil production. We know the industry is in need of fundamental change: The status quo fuels child labor, worker exploitation, and sexual abuse. Yet a wholesale boycott that could deprive workers of a primary source of income without recourse.” – Earth911

The best we can do is read labels carefully and do a little research as to where the palm oil we are using is coming from. Knowledge is truly power.

Tomorrow, the solution to removing microplastics from the ocean.

Products Made From Captured Carbon

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Day 352 – On Day 322, I wrote about a company vacuuming carbon from the atmosphere. It is becoming very clear that a reduction in carbon emissions and planting trees is not enough to battle global warming. Taking carbon out of the air is another weapon.

Earth 911 shared information on three companies making products from captures carbon.

Direct Air Capture

“The first large-scale DAC (Direct Air Capture) plant is now being developed in the United States, but most of the 19 DAC plants already operating in Europe, the U.S., and Canada are small and sell the captured carbon for use in products and commercial processes. There are more companies collecting carbon from industrial emissions at the source. This is because carbon is much more concentrated in industrial smokestacks than in the atmosphere.” – Earth911

Concrete

“Using captured carbon in concrete can not only help offset the energy costs of producing concrete by up to 48%, but it can also reduce the energy cost of capturing carbon by skipping the energy-intensive purification step.” – Earth911

Cleaning Products

 A new laundry capsule from Unilever uses surfactants made with alcohols derived from captured industrial emissions. Although the new laundry detergent will initially be available only in China, it may eventually become an option for everyone looking for a greener clean in their clothes washer.

Ultimately reducing our carbon emissions is the main goal. How we do that is becoming more and more creative.

Tomorrow, recycling antifreeze.

Solar Farms Built on Closed Landfills

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Day 351 – Once a landfill has reached its capacity, there’s not much use for it. That is until it was realized that they could make a good location for solar farms. Solar farms take up a great deal of space. So, it’s ideal to build them on landfills that are no longer in use.

It is believed that the U.S. could increase the nation’s solar energy capacity by 63 gigawatts, or approximately 60%, simply by building solar farms on landfills.

“Nexamp’s Solar Star Urbana Landfill community solar farm occupies nearly 40 acres on a capped landfill. It features nearly 14,000 solar panels and generates 5.2 megawatts of clean energy for low and middle income residents, who receive discounts on their energy bill if they sign up to take on the solar energy. IKON Environmental Energy is building a 70 megawatt solar farm in Houston Texas called the Sunnyside Energy Project that will power 12,000 homes, atop a 240-acre capped, methane-leaking landfill that will also host community features like an electric vehicle charging point, bio-digester to turn certain waste sources into green energy and fertilizer, and a community garden.” – Good News Network

There are more than 10,000 closed or capped landfills around the country, and perhaps as many as 4,000 of them could be turned into solar farms immediately.

Tomorrow, products made from carbon.

Tips for a Sustainable Christmas

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Day 348 – Christmas is right around the corner. So, I thought I would share a few suggestions on how you can make your holiday a little more eco-friendly.

  1. Reduce Packaging – Consider using reusable bags, boxes and cloth wraps to give your gifts. If you do use wrapping paper, use paper that can be recycled or composted.
  2. Reduce Single Use Plastic – Christmas is the perfect occasion to bring out the good dishes. Avoid using disposable plates and utensils.
  3. Use LED Christmas Lights – As the old strands of lights start to go out, replace them with energy efficient LED lights.
  4. Reduce Food Waste – Plan accordingly and make sure you are not making too much food. If there is food left over, make sure to send some goody bags home with your guests. Try to avoid throwing food away.
  5. Buy Local – If you’re still looking for that perfect gift, try to buy local. Not only are you supporting small business, but you are also cutting back on your carbon emissions.

The holidays are a wonderful time to spend with family and friends. It’s also the perfect time to show your family and friends how much you care about them and the planet.

Tomorrow, non-leather belts.

Toolkits to Help You Live a More Sustainable Life

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Day 347 – Sustainable America has created a series of useful toolkits to help people live a more eco-friendly life.

GUIDE TO WASTING LESS AND BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE HOME

The guide covers the following:

  1. Sustainable Steps for the Whole Home
  2. Kitchen & Dining Room
  3. Living Room, Family Room and Den
  4. Laundry Room
  5. Bedroom
  6. Bathroom
  7. Home Office & Workspace
  8. Garage, Basement and Outdoors

A TOOLKIT FOR STRENGTHENING YOUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM

The guide covers the following:

  1. Supporting Your Local System
  2. Building Your Own System
  3. Investing in Greater Change

A NEW TOOLKIT FOR COMMUNITY CHANGE

The guide covers the following:

  1. Food
  2. Environment
  3. Fuel

TOOLS FOR REDUCING IDLING

Whether you want to educate drivers in your neighborhood or launch your own idling reduction campaign, Sustainable America has a range of resources and toolkits designed specifically for you.

There are so many resources available to us. Many are just a click away. Living a more sustainable life does not have to be a lonely experience. You have plenty of help.

Tomorrow, tips for a more sustainable Christmas.

Keeping Up With the Joneses Does Not Help the Planet

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Day 346 – Merriam-Webster defines keeping up with the Joneses as, to show that one is as good as other people by getting what they have and doing what they do.

We are all familiar with the phrase and most of us, at some point, have been guilty of doing it. It’s not always easy to avoid and more times than not we might not even know we’re taking part.

If we are always trying to keep up with what other people have and what they are doing, we will find ourselves purchasing things we don’t need and maybe even participating in things we would rather not. In the end it is a great deal of waste.

By taking on a more simplistic way of living, we can avoid the competition and the unnecessary purchases and accumulation of stuff.

A minimalist lifestyle is the process of identifying what is essential in your life and having the courage to eliminate the rest. When you remove the unnecessary, you free up your time and capacity to focus on the things that truly matter in your life. Less is more.

Minimalism does not mean you have to get rid of all your belongings or never purchase new things. It does mean that you will take time to consider if the stuff in your life makes you happy and has a purpose. It means you’ll take the time to consider if the items you’re purchasing are necessary, quality made and maybe, go a step farther, and ask how it impacts the planet.

For all we know the Joneses are broke and not very happy. So, there’s really no reason to want to be like them. We don’t need the extra stress and the planet doesn’t need all that extra stuff.

Tomorrow, interactive initiatives that will help you live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Plastic Waste Being Used to Make Roads

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Day 345 – It seems like road construction season occurs all year round. Lane reductions, road closures and a constant state of traffic chaos occurs on a daily basis. In the end, a new road with fresh asphalt and no potholes makes it all worth it. Well, maybe not all of it, but definitely most of it.

What would make the whole process even more bearable, would be knowing that plastic waste destined for the landfill is being used to make the roads.

“First appearing in India two decades ago, plastic roads are being tested and built in more and more countries as the world’s plastic pollution problem becomes more acutely felt. India has installed over 60,000 miles of these roads. The technology, meanwhile, is gaining ground in Britain, Europe, and Asia. Several countries—South Africa, Vietnam, Mexico, the Philippines, and the United States, among them—have built their first plastic roads only recently.” – Good News Network

The thought of plastic bottles, wrappers and bags being used to create roadways is absolute genius. Not only is it addressing the world’s waste problem, but it also appears that using these plastics is creating a better a roadway.

“A growing number of studies say that roads containing waste plastic have the potential to perform as well or better than traditional roads. They can last longer, are stronger and more durable in respect to loads and rutting, can tolerate wide temperature swings, and are more resistant to water damage, cracking, and potholes.” – Good News Network

Combining an overall reduction in waste production with the practical reuse of the waste that is created, will lead to a cleaner and healthier planet.

Tomorrow, you do not need to keep up with the Joneses.

Green Apps Helping You Live an Eco-friendly Life

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Day 344 – I tried writing this post a few times and ending up changing topics, because I couldn’t find a good number of helpful environmentally friendly apps. So, when I saw the post by Earth911, 10 Green Apps To Help You Live More Sustainably, I knew that this would be a good time to share the information. With a new year closely approaching, these apps can help your resolutions to being more eco-friendly, become a reality.

Here are five from the list:

  1. iRecycle – iRecycle is Earth911.com in your pocket, the premiere application for finding local convenient recycling opportunities when you are on the go or at home. iRecycle provides access to more than 1,600,000 ways to recycle over 350 materials in the United States. Our daily sustainable living articles, podcasts, and recycling how-to guides are available any time you need information.
  2. Too Good to Go – Join millions of food waste warriors by downloading Too Good To Go – the world’s number 1 app for fighting food waste. Pick up delicious meals and ingredients from local stores. Each year, 40% all edible food in the US is thrown away. At Too Good To Go we want to put an end to food waste by creating a world where food produced is food consumed.
  3. GreenChoice – We rate food products and curate the best options for you & the planet.
  4. ShareWaste – We connect people who wish to recycle their food scraps and other organics with their neighbors who are already composting, worm-farming or keep farm animals. Now you can divert organic material from landfill while getting to know the people around you!
  5. PaperKarma – PaperKarma provides the largest directory in the US for opting out of junk mail, including: Catalogs, Charity Donation Requests, Credit Card & Insurance Offers, Direct Marketers, Local Mailers, National Mailers, and Previous Resident /Occupants’ Junk Mail.

Making a positive impact on the planet is just an app away.

Tomorrow, plastic roads.

Seaweed + Cows = Less Methane Emissions

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Day 342 – Back on Day 303, I wrote about reducing methane emissions. In the post, I mentioned that a large contributor of methane emissions comes from livestock. Methane is a short-lived but powerful greenhouse gas and the second-largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide.

“About 70% of agricultural methane comes from enteric fermentation – chemical reactions in the stomachs of cows and other grazing animals as they break down plants. The animals burp out most of this methane and pass the rest as flatulence. There are roughly 1 billion cattle around the world, so reducing enteric methane is an effective way to reduce overall methane emissions. But most options for doing so, such as changing cows’ diets to more digestible feed or adding more fat, are not cost-effective.” – World Economic Forum

A recent study shows that using red seaweed as a feed supplement can reduce methane emissions and feed costs without affecting meat quality. The seaweed supplement reduced methane emissions by up to 67%. The hope is that this supplement can be scaled up and used throughout the cattle industry.

“Commercializing seaweed as a cattle feed additive would involve many steps. First, scientists would need to develop aquaculture techniques for producing seaweed on a large scale, either in the ocean or in tanks on land. And the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would have to approve using seaweed as a feed supplement for commercial cattle. Farmers and ranchers could also earn money for reducing their cattle’s emissions. Climate scientists would have to provide guidance on quantifying, monitoring and verifying methane emission reductions from cattle. Such rules could allow cattle farmers to earn credits from carbon offset programs around the world.” – World Economic Forum

The idea of feeding cattle seaweed is a strange one. However, a world without less methane emissions is a no brainer.

Tomorrow, compostable bags.

Reusable Mailers: Helping Reduce Waste

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Day 341 – I recently placed an order with Toad & Co. and was given the option to choose a reusable mailer. There was no charge for choosing this option, but I was going to have to be responsible for sending the reusable mailer back to the company. I of course chose to use the reusable mailer. Dropping it off at the UPS store with the provided prepaid postage was a very easy task.

When you consider global e-commerce sales are expected to hit $4.2 trillion this year and around 76 percent of U.S. adults shop online, there is no doubt there is a lot of packaging involved. Mailers being just one of the many shipping options. Many of these mailers can be recycled. Some can be recycled with your cardboard boxes. While others can be recycled with plastic film (#4). Some mailers can even be reused. Unfortunately, many people choose to discard these mailers in the trash.

This time of year, the number of mailers ending up in the trash increases tenfold. It’s a hectic time for many and the idea of separating the increased packaging coming through the door seems like a daunting task. More companies need to have the option of sending your newly purchased items in a reusable mailer. The consumer needs it and more importantly the planet needs it.

If you’re ever given the opportunity to use a reusable mailer, make sure you take it. And more importantly, make sure you send it back!

Tomorrow, feeding cows seaweed.