Raquel Fagan, Executive Editor for Earth911

It’s 5 a.m. and I’m sitting in an airport, but I’m happy. As I wait to board a plane to celebrate Earth Day in the Big Apple, I have a few moments to reflect back to last Earth Day and all the progress we have made.

Since last Earth Day, the Earth911 Editorial Team has written nearly 1,000 articles, secured exciting new partnerships, grown our team and helped gain more than 14 million pageviews.

We’ve stepped up our efforts on the social media front, acquiring more than 16,000 new Facebook fans and Twitter followers, to help our content reach more people.

For more than 19 years, we have been providing recycling information services to consumers – free of charge. We believe that with this undertaking comes responsibility. Based on that principle, we invested numerous resources to ensure our information is as accurate as possible. This is something we diligently work for and are grateful to the thousands of local experts and coordinators who help us meet our goals.

In addition to focusing on accuracy, we have pushed forward with a number of partnerships, from Call2Recycle to SunChips, to maintain our status as experts.

Editorial is constantly striving to bring the latest and greatest recycling information to our readers, all while remaining fact-based and user-friendly.

To assist in this effort, we continue to grow our department and now have writers from coast to coast, including New York City, San Francisco, Chicago and Phoenix.

So, what’s to come? We will continue to expand our platforms, starting with our new iRecycle®Android app and content widget, both of which are included in the newest Sprint Green ID pack. We also just launched the first phase of our new homepage project and plan on creating a more seamless experience for our users.

Our successes are only possible due to your continued interest and dedication to environmental issues, so thank you and Happy Earth Day!

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The plant-based lifestyle has many environmental benefits. Photo: Alex Vietti, Earth911

I decided to write this article for our partner Silk, because I’m vegan.

Vegan – the word comes with a lot of baggage. You get the instant concept of “rabbit food” or perhaps various radical stylings, but rarely do you get the whole truth.

Before I delve too deeply, let me make a little disclaimer. Vegan is a label, one used to easily identify a set of choices, but still, a label, and nothing more. My definition of vegan may be different than yours, so for the purpose of clarity, let’s get on the same page.

Vegan is most commonly defined as a person who does not consume, purchase or use animal products. As an example, I don’t wear leather, wool or silk, I don’t eat whey or honey, and I don’t buy products that test on animals.

The reasons behind being vegan vary as much as the acts themselves. Some are about animal rights, others about the environment, while a vast number do it for weight control.

From Oprah to Ellen, celebs have recently been talking about, exploring and even encouraging people to pick up the plant-based way of life, which includes veganism and vegetarianism, for a variety of reasons.

In honor of Earth Day, let’s focus on the environment.

Soy, almond and coconut milks are all staples of the plant-based diet. According to SwitchtoSilk.com, “one carton of milk requires four times more water than producing one carton of Silk Soymilk.” That’s up to 14,000 gallons of water per year if one U.S. household switched from milk to Silk.

Plant-based diets also tend to have a smaller CO2 footprint than meat-centric diets. A University of Chicago study found that the typical U.S. diet produces almost 1.5 more tons of CO2 per year than a strictly vegetarian diet, mostly due to the burning of fossil fuels during food production.

Producing a half-gallon of Silk generates 65 percent fewer greenhouse gases than the production of the average half-gallon of milk.

Fresh vegetable are essential in vegan and vegetarian diets. Photo: Alex Vietti, Earth911

It goes beyond CO2 emissions. According to a 2008 article in the New York Times, “assembly-line meat factories consume enormous amounts of energy, pollute water supplies, generate significant greenhouse gases and require ever-increasing amounts of corn, soy and other grains….”

As one can see, the environmental benefits of the plant-based diet add up, but what about the dreaded elephant in the room: will-power?

As any seasoned vegan will tell you, starting off slowly is key. In fact, the end goal doesn’t have to be being vegan at all. The goal can be simply to make some different choices, once in a while.

The same University of Chicago study says that even if you cut down from two hamburgers a week to one, you’re still making a huge difference.

Or do something just as simple, like take the Silk for Milk 10-Day Challenge. It’s a cool campaign headed up by Silk. Just switch out your regular milk with Silk for 10 days. If you like it, great; if not, stop. It is literally that simple.

Plus, the website has tons of tips, recipes and options that really make a person feel excited about trying something new.

“Most Americans think ‘eat more vegetables’ when they hear ‘plant-based.’ In fact, they’d be surprised to know that great-tasting foods like soymilk, almond milk and coconut milk count as a way to get more plant-based foods into your diet,” said Andrea Carrothers, MS, RD, nutrition communication manager at WhiteWave Foods.

Already a Silk fan? Try new recipes and check out the following amazing resources. Try to make one vegan meal a week, then every few days, then every day, then….okay, I won’t push my luck.

• Kathy Freston – Healthy Eating, Conscious Eating
• The Vegetation Resource Group
• The Kind Life with Alicia Silverstone
• The Post Punk Kitchen with Isa Chandra Moskowitz

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Editor’s Note: This story was updated on April 1, 2011. You can read it in its original version from May 30, 2009 here.

Just like the game of Telephone has taught us, information filtered through multiple sources starts to get a little less reliable. The same concept can be applied to environmentalism. In celebration of April Fools Day, we thought we would shed some light on common eco-myths.

1. Just throw it out, it’s biodegradable!

“I can just throw this ‘biodegradable’ bottle out, because it will break down.” That would be true if we kept our landfills open to the elements such as light, air and water.

This, however, is not the case. Throwing a biodegradable bottle into a landfill means it’s not going to break down (at least in a time frame that counts). Landfills are meant to keep the elements out, and it is precisely these elements that need to be present in order for a material to successfully biodegrade.

Read: Cheat Sheet on Biodegradable

Biodegradable packaging is great, but the most important factor is disposal. Composting is the best option, but bioplastics may need a more advanced system than your at-home compost. Try your city’s composting program or check out local stores or garden centers that utilize composting.

2. All paper should be recycled

Though we would be the first to promote recycling as a fantastic option, it isn’t always the right thing to do. You can actually do some damage if you just throw everything into your recycling bin. Enter the pizza box. Though there are some obvious recycling bin no-nos, paper is usually a perfect participant in the recycling game.

Read: The Pizza Box Mystery

Unlike plastic or glass, where the recycling process includes heat, paper is broken down using water. And as the old adage clearly states, water and oil don’t mix. That’s right, throwing a used paper plate, napkin or stained pizza box in with the rest of the paper for recycling can actually do more harm than good. In fact, we’re talking about 700 million dollars in contamination each year.

3. Organic food is always better for the planet

An organic banana from Chile that had to travel more than 5,000 miles to reach your table in Los Angeles, is not overall better than a conventional banana that was grown at a farm five miles from your home. It just doesn’t add up. Buying locally has a huge impact on a product’s overall footprint.

If local options are abundant and you have to make a decision between the two, make sure to weigh the pros and cons of each.

Read: How Organic is Organic Food?

For more delicate skins, the levels of pesticides that can be absorbed is much greater. In fact, according to studies by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Consumer Reports and the Environmental Working Group, 97.3 percent of nectarines sampled were found to contain pesticides. The below list can help be used as a shopping guide:

4. But the label said Eco!

According to the Natural Products Association, which represents more than 10,000 natural product companies and retailers, Americans spent $7.5 billion in 2006 on personal care products that claimed to be all-natural but often were not.

Thankfully there are some major regulations in place for some products. Organic, for example, is a statement that is regulated by state and federal agencies.

Read: Top 10 Green Labels Guide

5. Adjusting my thermostat wastes energy

Many people come from the school of thought that maintaining a temperature uses less energy than dropping the thermostat while gone and adjusting when you return. It isn’t that crazy of a notion. In fact, we can recall some similar theories around florescent lights and computers.

According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, it is better to turn down the thermostat while not in the the house. In fact, “If you are out for a good stretch of time (say 8 hours or so), this temperature ‘set-back’ will save more energy than it will take to bring your home back to the desired temperature.” There, it’s settled!

Read: Where Your Home is Losing Money

6. I have to spend a lot of money to go green

If you have ever checked out the price of a hybrid, or taken a stroll through a natural market, you know that green can add some extra numbers to most price tags. But don’t let those higher priced items dictate your level of commitment because this isn’t the only way to go green.

Read: 8 Ways to Go Green and Save Hundreds

7. I’ll just plant a tree – that’ll fix it!

The issue at hand is not so much about the what (planting) but the where (benefit). According to writer Maria Colenso, “Recent scientific studies show those benefits depend on where those trees are planted. Plant in the wrong part of the world and you may be wasting time and money.”

Don’t give up on the planting, just make sure you have a plan. If you are planning to donate to a company or support a cause, do a little research to make sure they are putting their resources to the best use. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Forests that are located in the tropical belt that surrounds the equator have a large benefit on the planet.
• These forests absorb CO2­ (a process called carbon sequestering) which helps lower temperatures.
• Forests located outside of the this belt could have little or no impact on climate change.
• In fact, the farther away from the equator forests are, the more harm they can do.
• Known as the albedo effect, forests outside this belt are more likely to trap in heat, in turn, raising temperatures.

8. If I can’t do it all, I might as well do nothing

The overwhelming number of factors involved with the act of changing can leave even the most steadfast individual discouraged and on the verge of giving up. It is usually around this time that a little voice pops in with the final blow, “What difference does it make anyway?”

Though you may not see the results of your actions in one day, over time, all those actions add up. Take for example our curbside recycling rate.

In 1960, U.S. curbside recycling processed 5.6 million tons of waste. In 2006, we recycled 81.8 million tons, an increase of more than 1,300 percent! Though not everyone who recycled an item between the 60s and today knew about it, they were part of a huge movement that helped change the way we approach waste disposal. What movement are you a part of?

Happy Earth Day from our Executive Editor

Three years ago, when I first stepped foot into my office at Earth911, I had no idea what I was in for. Today, as I sit at my desk and write this letter, I really take a moment to understand what the past three years have meant. Since I’ve been at Earth911, I’ve taken over our editorial department, helped redesign the website (a few times), supported our outreach efforts and worked to create content that you, our readers, would enjoy and benefit from.

With the help of our amazing PR Manager, Jennifer Berry, our unstoppable Assistant Editor, Amanda Wills, and all our staff, freelance and intern writers nationwide, I can look at what we have accomplished and the millions of people we have reached and truly feel content. With the nation’s leading recycling database, I feel as if we provide more than just tips and tools, but actual, feet-on-the-ground resources that help you conveniently recycle and dispose of a vast majority of your goods.

As the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day splashes throughout the newspapers and TV commercials, I feel a sense of pride for our readers. Not only have you cared about the Earth today, but every other day this year, and the year before that, and the year before that. For you, it isn’t a passing day or hot topic, but rather a daily part of life – one that you try to make better in little ways all year long.

I want to personally thank everyone that has been and still is involved with Earth911, Earth911.com, 1-800-CLEANUP and iRecycle®. From every line of code that’s written, to every graphic made and listing added, this company is one that I am so excited to be a part of. I am also proud of our partners and our sales teams that make this resource a reality. Without their generosity and hard work, my team couldn’t do what we do.

Finally, readers, I am glad you have come along for the ride. Your consistent support can be seen in every article read, every link clicked and every outreach effort we do, especially our latest Earth Day Twitter Contest.

I hope to continue to provide everyone with the resources and content they want and need to keep moving towards a more sustainable future.

Happy Earth Day All!!

Sincerely,

Raquel Fagan
Executive Editor
Earth911

“Women are clearly more focused than men on incorporating environmental responsibility into daily household activities,” says Tiller Principal James Marren.

Reusable bags are just one way that ladies plan to green up the next year. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911.com

Guilt wasn’t the only area where women were in the lead. The survey shows that women also plan to make some major changes in the new year.

In fact, 52 percent of women want to recycle more (compared to 33 percent of men), 51 percent want to practice the art of reuse with reusable shopping bags (versus 30 percent of men) and 48 percent want to reduce their household’s energy usage (outnumbering only 32 percent of men).

“That’s encouraging, given that women continue to carry most of the burden of household management” says Marren. “To the extent that women can bring other family members along, perhaps environmentally responsible behaviors will take root even more strongly – with some genuine, enduring benefits to the environment.”

Regardless of their gender, 53 percent of Americans believe that individuals, more so than communities, governments or businesses, can have the the most positive impact on the environment, while more than nine out of 10 Americans agree that “doing small things on a regular basis that make the world a better place is just as important as participating in a formal, organized effort.”

As you start to compile your outline for the next 365 days, let us throw in our two, green cents. But this year, let’s do it a little differently. We are tackling the most common New Year’s resolutions and applying a little environmental know-how. You still get what you need while keeping Mother Nature in the mix.

Get the ball rolling (or dropping) and start by actually making your list:

1. Keep it real- Set the bar at an attainable height. You want the goals to stick, not just have the list stick to the fridge till 2011.
2. Be specific – Add details so you know what to expect and have a jump start on how to accomplish it.
3. Think tiny – Big goals are made up of a bunch of small ones, so start little and build up.

One simple act can open the door to new possibilities and actions. Try something new, together and see where it may lead. Photo: Flickr/annstheclaf

Resolution#1: More Family Time

According to About.com, “Recent polls conducted by General Nutrition Centers, Quicken and others shows that more than 50 percent of Americans vow to appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year.”

Sounds good to us! But what to do with all that time…

The kids – Explore the great outdoors
To inspire an appreciation of nature, give your kids a chance to really explore it. Do some quick research to find out more about the environmental treasures in your own backyard.

Your significant other – Get up, get out and do something
Getting involved in your local community can be a fast, easy way to get connected. A simple trip to the farmers market can help sustain local growers, hook up with your neighbors and find some fresh, organic grub. Also, a Saturday of volunteering at your community garden can help you better understand the use for your own compost or those old tires you were storing in your backyard.

Parents – Food, glorious (organic) food
Mom and Dad probably prepared, literally, thousands of meals for you as a child. Repay them with a delicious family feast made from sustainably sourced ingredients. Sustainable Table has some great suggestions, or you can also whip up your mom’s favorite recipes using environmentally conscious ingredients like free-range eggs, locally raised bacon and organic fruit.

Resolution #2: Resurrect the Workout

Weight and overall health often take the top spot on the list of resolutions. In fact, diet and health awareness is growing now more than ever, and not just among adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2006:

• 18 percent of adolescents age 12-19 years were overweight.
• 15 percent of children age 6-11 years were overweight.
• 11 percent of children age 2-5 years were overweight.

While motivation may be your biggest hurdle, starting with simple steps is both healthy and green. Though gym memberships can be convenient and provide an opportunity to meet people, adding up membership fees and the amount of energy it takes to power a 24-hour gym may be cause to reconsider your routine. Get back to the basics and try taking your activities outdoors:

• Take a jog around the neighborhood instead of on a treadmill.
• Swim laps in a community pool instead of using an elliptical machine.
• Lift yard waste in your garden instead of free weights in the gym.

A Keep American Beautiful litter audit found that Cigarette butts comprise 38 percent of all items littered on the highways, streets, parks and playgrounds. Photo: Flickr/lanier67

Resolution #3: Kick the Nic

Maybe you tried last year, and the year before that…but if it didn’t stick, just try again.

For more motivation, let’s start with your wallet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S., cigarette smoking costs more than $193 billion annually. And smoking doesn’t just wreak havoc on you, secondhand smoke costs more than $10 billion in health care expenditures.

But what do cigarettes cost the planet? According to TreeHugger, “Each year, nearly 600 million trees are destroyed to provide fuel to dry tobacco. Put in another way, one tree is destroyed for every 300 cigarettes. Globally, tobacco curing requires 11.4 million tons of solid wood annually.”

But once the crop is stable, it takes quite a bit to keep it going. “Tobacco is a sensitive plant prone to many diseases. It therefore requires huge chemical inputs: up to 16 applications of pesticide are recommended during one three-month growing period.”

But the planetary harm of cigarettes doesn’t stop at production. One of the most environmental damaging results of the cigarette industry lies in the trash. During the 2008 International Coastal Cleanup, volunteers collected 1,362,741 cigarette butts along U.S. coastlines.

Ready? Check out SmokeFee.gov for some helpful info.

Resolution #4: Balance Your Budget

Debt is on everyone’s mind nowadays, but where does the average consumer stand? According to Money-Zine. com:

• Consumer debt in 2009 now stands at $2.5 trillion.
• The average household in 2009 carried nearly $5,100 in credit card debt.

Many believe that balancing a budget and going green don’t exactly fit together, but the truth is, the two go hand-in- hand. Though many eco-luxuries may still be out of reach for most, many daily green activities can actually save you money.  Check out our 8 Ways to Go Green and Save Hundreds and in just one year, you could save a minimum of $762.30! And this doesn’t even factor in the long-term savings.

Resolution #5: Up Your Volunteering Efforts

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, “About 61.8 million people, or 26.4 percent of the population, volunteered through or for an organization at least once between September 2007 and September 2008.” As those millions can tell you, volunteering is an excellent way to meet new people while benefiting your local community. Check out our 8 Ways to Get Involved as well as HelpOthers.org to find ways to get out there and get involved.

Already have a volunteering gig? Whether it is for an organization with an environmental focus or not, volunteering in general can be an eco-friendly experience. Here are a few things you can do to green the act of helping:

• Carpool with others from the same organization.
• Bring a stainless steel water bottle instead of a disposable plastic one.
• Set up a recycling system at the organization if one doesn’t already exist.
• If a recycling system cannot be put into place, collect papers, plastic bottles and cans and recycle them at home.

Eco-tourism is about respect for the environment. Keep in mind our green traveling tips before making your reservations. Photo: Flickr/ex.libris

Resolution #6: Take a Load Off!

The American Psychological Association (APA) makes it crystal clear: Americans are too stressed. In fact, in a 2007 APA press release stated that “One-third of Americans are living with extreme stress, and nearly half of Americans (48 percent) believe that their stress has increased over the past five years.”

Although there are many ways to add relaxation to your list – yoga, mediation, organization – a good ol’ fashion vacation can often do the trick. While planning and saving for your next trip, keep in mind the keys to green traveling.

Eco-tourism is about respect for the environment. If you’re traveling by car, remember to reduce your potential waste by using reusable storage containers for travel snacks and other take-along items. And, for optimal gas mileage, ensure your vehicle is in tip-top shape before hitting the road, therefore reducing its environmental impact.

And for eco-centric locales, check out our list of top eco-destinations.

Resolution #7: Train Your Brain

Keeping the brain active and in shape is a daily need that can be accomplished in a ton of ways. If you’re looking to start off with a great read, William McDonough and Michael Braungart’s Cradle to Cradle is the ultimate in-depth look at the science and research behind some of the most innovative ideas in the sustainable scene. If you’re into the DIY movement, Lori Bongiorno’s Green, Greener, Greenest is chock full of tips for going green on any budget, schedule or lifestyle.

Want to bite off a smaller chunk of know-how while still learning about the world you live in? Sign up for the Earth911.com weekly e-newsletter and keep exercising that frontal lobe.

The EPA recently announced its video contest, Our Planet, Our Stuff, Our Choice. Now through Feb. 16, contestants can submit a 30-60 second video and win up to $2,500.

According to the EPA, videos can be funny or serious, as long as they focus on the contest themes.Photo: Flickr/Another Pint Please...

The message is simple: Consumers use stuff. Every day, every place, all the time. According to the EPA, reducing and reusing “Is the single most effective way of reducing environmental impacts associated with acquiring goods and disposing of waste.”

But what effect does this stuff have on your environment, your community and your planet? That is exactly the question the EPA wants the public to answer.

Make a video that inspires your community, helps educate the public and most importantly, get’s people up and moving! Topics you can cover include:

- Buying Green
- Recycling
- Reducing Your Consumption
- Composting

For more rules, regulations and entry requirements, check out the EPA’s Web site.

Of the 60 firefighters he studied, 10 of them wanted to fight more fires, based on the connection they felt to helping people and having a greater impact on society as a whole. It looks like Grant was onto something.

Ninety-one percent of Earth911 readers polled agreed that taking action, in regards to the environment, is a middle to high priority, and having green options at your workplace would probably lead to increased job satisfaction and in turn, higher productivity. But how do you make a change if you aren’t in your company’s driver seat?

Office workers in the U.S. generate approximately 2 pounds of paper and paperboard products every day. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911.com

Keep It Simple

The best way to go green, regardless of where you are, is to start small. Recycling is not very electrifying, but it moves mountains.

Though this concept seems simple enough, recycling at work can be a bit more complicated, but it’s effective. Paper is a good place to start. The average office worker in the U.S. uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year. That’s 4 million tons of copy paper used annually.

Check out our resources below, or for a step-by-step guide that explains how to establish or improve upon an office recycling program, visit paperrecycles.org or AF&PA’s Office Recycling Guide.

Change Your Habits

The best way to start a change is by being an example. Though it takes an entire village to really get stuff moving, one person can raise the bar for others to meet. Start small, but spread the word:

• Turn off all unnecessary lights, especially in unused offices and conference rooms, and turn down remaining lighting levels where possible.
• Set computers, monitors, printers, copiers and other business equipment to their energy-saving feature, and turn them off at the end of the day.
• Reuse your cardboard boxes to ship packages or move and store items.
• Print hard copies only when necessary, use a removable stick-on label for your fax cover sheets, and set printers and copiers to print on both sides of paper.

Make It Obvious

In order for changes to spread like wildfire, they need to be obvious and easy. For instance, the Manoa campus at University of Hawaii participated in a project that combined a survey of faculty and staff with a detailed “waste audit.”

It found that when recycling bins were introduced for the first time, the number of empty bottles and cans discarded into the regular trash dropped more than 70 percent. That brought the overall recycle rate of the beverage containers consumed at work to 87 percent. So, through the simple act of accessibility and visibility, a large impact was made. Keep these factors in mind when working on any office eco-project:

1. Target materials for recycling and assess the waste
2. Talk to your recycler
3. Get support
4. Report back

Learn More

How To Create a Workplace Recycling Program
8 Ways to Green Your Office Supplies
A Green Office Remodel
8 Ways to Green Your Job Search
8 Ways to Green Your Paper Use

Regardless of what you put in your oven or your mouth, cooking is usually a holiday staple. But along with cooking, waste isn’t usually far behind. From leftover food to left-open refrigerators, waste is all around us as we prepare the treats that make your holiday dinner party a hit.

Though cooking by candlelight may be a romantic choice, it isn’t necessarily practical for all occasions. So, how does one still be merry while not breaking the eco-bank? It’s as easy as a 1,2,3:

Your holiday dinner party can be easy, breezy and green, from the grocery store to the dining table. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911.com

1. Buy It
2. Make It
3. Clean It

Buy It

According to the U.K.’s Soil Association, “50 percent of the increase in global CO2 emissions between 1850 and 1990 has been tied to changes in land use –mainly because of farming practices.” This huge number demonstrates the impact that food production can have on the planet. Your purchases are important, whether you’re at the the grocery store or the farmer’s market. But the good news is that shoppers are starting to listen.

A recent study by Packaged Facts found that U.S. supermarket sales of environmentally sustainable or “ethical” products will rise about 8.7 percent in 2009 to nearly $38 billion, proving that, despite the recession, holiday shoppers still favor eco-friendly goods. But how does a shopper know what products to buy and which products to pass up? Let’s explore some need-to-know terminology.

Organic

Foods that are labeled organic must meet certain standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Organic foods can vary to a degree, but all take into an account how the product’s growth relates to:

• Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers (synthetic ingredients)
• Antibiotics and hormones
• Bioengineering and ionizing radiation

Purchasing products that limit or deny usage of the above promote healthier foods and healthier environments in which they are grown or raised.

Local

Most produce in the U.S. is picked four to seven days and makes a 1,500-mile trip before it’s placed on supermarket shelves. In addition, the amount of food that is air-freighted around the world has increased by 140 percent since 1990. This long trek not only increases emissions, but it also has a negative impact on local economy and crop production.

Look into Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs as an easy alternative. Consumers buy small “shares” from local farmers before the season begins, allowing farmers to rely less on banks and worry less about marketing. During harvest, members get delicious, local produce delivered to them each week.

Sustainable

Best described by KidHealth.org, “This movement encourages eating foods grown locally by sustainable agricultural methods – that is, using food-growing techniques that don’t harm the environment, are seasonal and preserve agricultural land. Sustainable practices also are humane to animals, pay growers fairly and support local farming communities by distributing their food through farmer’s markets and other venues.”

Organic agriculture requires managing an agricultural system so as to enhance and support natural biodiversity and biological process by using biologically-based techniques that exclude the use of synthetic chemicals and other artificial inputs. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911.com

It is important to note that “local” doesn’t equal “sustainable.” There are a lot of questions to ask retailers, and  SustainableTable.org has developed numerous sets of Q&A’s to get you started. To learn more about the sustainable practices of your local food producers, check out what to ask your local:

• Beef Farmer
• Dairy Farmer
• Egg Farmer
• Hog Farmer
• Poultry Farmer
• Store Manager/Butcher
• Waiter

Grow your own

Although the day of your big feast may be a little too late to plant and harvest, it’s a great time to sow the idea of starting your own garden. When that time comes, we’ve gotcha covered.

Whether you have a large backyard or need to find a creative home for your first plot, the American Community Garden Association (ACGA) is a good place to start searching for the right gardening situation for you.

The ACGA serves the U.S. and Canada, and gardeners can find resources to help start their own community garden and search for gardens by state or ZIP code. The association also provides links to other regional urban gardening associations, as well as research and tips about growing in the city.

Vegan/veggie dishes

While a holiday meal may not be the most convenient time to ditch the staple family recipes, adding to the classics is what makes new traditions. Try adding meat- and dairy-free dishes to your menu this year. If you’re not sure it’s worth it, think again.

According to estimates by the Environmental Defense Fund, if every American substituted a vegetarian dish for a meat dish just one meal per week, the carbon dioxide reduction would be roughly equivalent to taking more than 1.5 million cars off the road.

Going vegan is has become more and more popular in the past 10 years, and in turn, is more convenient and easier to do. Check out the following resource for some great vegan/vegetarian foodie ideas:

• FatFree Vegan Kitchen
• Vegetarian Times
• Post Punk Kitchen
• ChooseVeg

Back to top

Make It

Don’t wait until you have a pan of leftover oil to dump. Make a designated waste oil container, label it and put it in a place where everyone in your home can easily access it. Photo: Flickr/_e.t

Once you have the ingredients down and your plan in place, saving energy and water is the next major mission.

Dive in and watch the small things add up. For instance, every time you open your oven door to peek inside, your oven’s temperature lowers 25 degrees. It takes both time and energy to get that temperature back up and (not to mention) messes up your cooking process.

• Pots and pans – Use the right size for the right burner and put a lid on it. Both will result in the most efficient use of your heat source, making cooking go faster and energy usage shorter.
• Keep it clean – Burnt spots on your stove can take away from the energy that is getting to your pan. Having a clean cooking surface, along with heavy-bottomed cast iron or cooper cook wear can really help to heat things up.
• Get some gas – According to GreenYour.com, “Gas cooking appliances use less energy than electric stoves because the fuel is delivered directly to the home and used directly for cooking.”
• Use it wisely – An electric oven can be a huge consumer of power so make sure to only pre-heat when really needed (like pizza or cakes), keep that door closed (that’s what that little window is for) and double check that the oven is really the right tool (a toaster oven may do the job).
• Dispose of that disposal – According to Kate Heyhoe, author of Cooking Green, “Garbage disposals waste fuel and water and contribute to carbon footprints. The chewed-up gunk goes to a water treatment plant, then the solids get sifted out and trucked to a landfill. This wastes water, electricity, and fuel for transport, and generates greenhouse gases.” If you can compost your leftovers (read below) then do so for a lighter impact. If not, toss the leftovers from your dishes into the trash.

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Clean It

Now that the feast is complete and your belly is full, the dreaded clean up must begin. This portion of  holiday cooking can really make or break the eco-deal. Not only is greening your trash important, but keeping your cleaning supplies and practices up to par is just as important.

Make Your Own Cleaners
Cleaning products get the job done, but at what cost? They can be responsible for around 10 percent of toxic exposures reported to poison control centers and are difficult to dispose of properly. You can most likely find nontoxic alternatives at your grocery store. You can also make your own cleaning product from supplies you probably already have, such as vinegar and baking soda. Try this recipe out for disinfectant spray from NaturalCleaningRecipes.com. Just combine and store in a spray bottle:

• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. tea tree oil
• 1/4 tsp. lavender oil

Think ol’ fashioned

You can purchase paper towels made of recycled content, but they become non-recyclable once you use them to clean the house. However, you can return to the pre-disposable days and use clean towels and sponges until they wear out. This creates less waste and saves you money on supplies.

Remember the broom and the mop? These cleaning classics are still pretty effective for getting your rooms to sparkle, and you don’t need to plug them in or charge batteries to power them.

Recycle

From used cooking oil to packaging and food scraps, recycling should be a major player in your home regardless of the room you’re in. The kitchen just happens to be the hub of most houses and, in turn, can create a lot of materials that can be recycled.

So what’s the holdup? For many people, it is knowing exactly what goes in the recycling bin and what to do with stuff that doesn’t.

1. Check with your local government to get a list of what materials you can and cannot put in your curbside bin.

2. For everything that can’t be put in your curbside bin, check Earth911’s recycling database for drop-off locations near you. This includes those hard-to-get-rid-of items such as paint, batteries, CFLs and pesticides.

Compost

One of the largest contributors to home-based composting piles is kitchen waste. Scraps from meal preparations can be added to a compost bin and contribute to your soil and mulch.

According to the U.S. EPA, each American throws away an average of 1.3 pounds of food scraps daily. In addition to this, yard trimmings and food waste combined make up 24 percent of the nation’s municipal solid waste stream. Even if half of this can be diverted and recycled through composting, our daily trash levels could start to decrease.

Check out our easy to use guide for Composting in the Kitchen to learn more.

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For example, leaky faucets can drip at a rate of one drip per second. That can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year. The simple act of fixing a leak, or even just turning off water while brushing your teeth, can have a huge impact.

Since the little things can often get lost, we decided to return to our roots and get back to the building-blocks of sustainability. And what better to start with than the one item we all have…trash! So, let’s get down to the nitty gritty facts about your trash can and reducing your home’s waste.

Although many U.S. cities maintain an active recycling program, recycling in most is not mandatory, making it an option for residents and businesses. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911

Step 1: Think Inside the Bin

Before you pick the color, type and design of your trash can, its best to know what exactly you’re going to put in it.

Seem simple? Well, it used to be. But with expanding curbside programs and more reuse ideas, what you used to throw out may actually belong in another bin. Take stock of your waste and re-assess what you really need to toss out.

Time For a Trash Audit

While it isn’t the most pleasant job, a trash audit is a necessary step to really grasp what you’re throwing out and, in turn, what you can save. The audit itself is simple, just follow these easy steps:

1. Pick a time period – A week is a good place to start.
2. Get everyone on board – If they live in your house and they make trash, they are involved, so catch ‘em up to speed.
3. Throw stuff away – Go about your normal routine, and toss out what you usually do. It is important that to be honest with yourself and not try to be on your “best behavior.” Remember, you’re trying to get an accurate measurement of your waste output.
4. Weigh in – Each time you take a trash bag out of the house, plop it on the scale. This way you can have a baseline for comparison. Though you will visually be able to see your trash dwindle, the satisfaction of cold, hard facts is the icing on the cake.
5. Put on some gloves – Check daily to see what you threw away that could have been recycled, composted, reused or avoided. This part is the eeewwww moment. But, by doing it daily, it wont be as bad. Don’t be deterred by what you find. Remember your mission. You can do it!
6. Get graphical – Write down your findings, and use them to make a plan. What can you recycle that you’re currently tossing in the trash? What can be composted? What can be reused and, in turn, what didn’t need to be there in the first place?

Step 2: Research What To Do Outside

According to the U.S. EPA, every American throws away an average of 1.3 pounds of food scraps daily. This means, the first thing you can do to really lighten that load is start a compost or vermicompost (composting with worms ) pile.

Starting a compost project is easier than you think. From your kitchen, to your backyard, to a worm bin, composting can make a huge dent in your waste and produce a rich product you can use to help maintain your yard, give to friends or even sell at the local farmers’ market or garden center.

In addition to composting, the simple act of reuse can have a huge impact on your waste production. Basically, reuse means finding a second (third, tenth or hundredth) use for a product to prolong its usable life. Even more importantly, reuse can be a lot of fun. Check out ways to reuse your:

• Jeans
• Plastics
• Costumes
• T-shirts

What’s Just Outside Your Door

The American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) states that 87 percent of the U.S. population, or 268 million people, have access to curbside or drop-off recycling programs. This means that many materials can be recycled and programs are, for the most part, accessible.

1. Check with your local government for a list of materials you can put in your curbside bin.
2. For everything that can’t be put in your curbside bin, check Earth911’s recycling directory for drop-off locations near you.
3. Use mail-back and store drop-off programs. This option is great for electronics and automotive waste. Most auto parts stores and mechanics will take used motor oil and old tires. Many electronics can be mailed to manufactures or traded for money. Drop-off programs, such as Best Buy’s and the EPA’s eCycling Progam, make electronic recycling accessible for consumers.
4. Trade-in programs can often be an option when you are purchasing new items from that same company. By planning ahead while purchasing your newest gadget, you can build in the cost of proper disposal right from the get-go, saving you money and time in the long run.

Products carrying the term "biodegradable" are only compostable in a commercial composting system. Photo: Amanda Wills, Earth911.com

Step 3: Choose Wisely

Now that you’ve figured out how much you throw away and recycle and researched composting options, you know what size container you need and how your waste should be organized. Since knowing is half the battle, you’re, well, half-way done. The next steps are easy…

It’s All About the Hardware

• Think outside the can – With some new designs available, you gain flexibility in reusing plastic bags from your shopping trips. This design, from DCI, reuses wood and clothes pins for your trash needs. Use this concept for inspiration and make your own collection unit.
• Keep your trash in… the trash – Buying recycled trash bags is a simple switch to make and helps close the loop in the recycling process.
• Clean it up – Undiluted distilled white vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold and 80 percent of germs. Who knew? So don’t purchase harsh chemicals to clean those cans when a simple cooking staple can do the trick. If the smell bothers you, add some essential oils or keep the area well-ventilated until it dries. Another natural option is tea tree oil. This leaf contains terpenoids, which have antiseptic and antifungal properties.

Hindsight is 20/20

Before you even make the purchase, think about what the end results are. Now that you know what you can recycle, reuse and reduce, take this mindset with you on your next shopping trip and buy products with the same qualities.

• Recycled-content products are made from materials that would otherwise have been discarded. That means these products are made totally or partially from recycled material, such as aluminum cans or newspaper.
• Post-consumer content is a material that has served its intended use and is being reused in a different product. “Post-consumer” also indicates that the material is not from the manufacturing process but from a finished product that has already been used.
• Recyclable products can be collected and remanufactured into new products after they’ve been used. These products do not necessarily contain recycled materials and only benefit the environment if people recycle them after use.