Archive for December, 2007
December 9th, 2007
Low Impact Living Is 1 Year Old!
Stumble it!
Yes, folks, one year ago this week we launched Low Impact Living! It’s hard to believe it has only been a year– we have been so busy and we’ve been growing like a weed–er, like a native plant. We like to think of our little green business growing in terms of dog years– we feel like we are turning 7 today!
We launched Low Impact Living with the mission of bringing the best educational information and resources to help all Americans make their homes and lifestyles more environmentally sustainable. To do that we have built a library of online educational information on green building, remodeling, materials, solar and wind power and much, much more. We also now have over 700 products listed and 3,000 green service providers across the US. We are adding more recommendations, products and service providers each and every day. Hey, it’s what we do!
We had a mere 5,000 visitors to the site last December– and this past month, November, we had over 80,000 visitors. In December we’re sure we’ll cross 100,000 visitors. It makes us just incredibly happy to know that so many people like you are all over these United States looking for ways to embrace the environment in your homes and lives. You inspire us to keep making Low Impact Living better each day.
We have some great new treats coming out for you early next year. We are rolling out a new and much improved version of our environmental impact calculator. You’ll be able to input much more information about your home and life and get a highly tailored summary of your environmental impacts. This is no mere carbon footprint calculator–it will cover energy use, carbon emissions, water use, trash production, run-off water production and more. AND– we’re really excited about this– we’re going to give you a LILI– a Low Impact Living Index. Each household will get a numerical score, the LILI, which will let you know how you rank in terms of your environmental impact relative to regional averages. The goal is for all of us to get to a LILI of zero– no negative impact on the environment. That may seem like a stretch– but if many of us can go from a 67 to a 34, we will have made a huge amount of progress on a personal and a national level. Together let’s start an American movement to lower our LILIs!
These improvements to the calculator and the LILI scores will be rolling out on the site in January 2008. We’re also going to be adding ways for you, our site visitors, to interact with each other and share your green home improvement questions and experiences. We’re going to create a green community where we can all learn from each other as we lessen our environmental impacts.
Is there anything you’d like to see from us? Is there anything you feel is missing from our site that you’d like to see? Please let us know– we would love to have your help in making this the best green site online. Please send us an email at info@lowimpactliving.com. We read every email!
Thank you all for making our first year so exciting and fulfilling. We appreciate your interest and time. Let’s all make 2008 the greenest year yet!
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December 6th, 2007
The Insulation Situation
OK, let’s face it, insulation is certainly not the most glamorous part of a green home, but when you don’t have it in your walls and attic, you will be left out in the cold. Insulated homes are cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The energy you save by having good insulation in your home also reduces our collective use of fossil fuels and emissions of carbon dioxide, as most power plants in the US today still burn coal. So insulation isn’t sexy, but it’s critical.
What makes insulation a green product aside from the fact that it is essential for energy efficiency? Well it depends on what type of insulation material you use. Standard options for insulation, such as fiberglass, often contain formaldehyde and are potentially carcinogenic. Another risk of standard fiberglass insulation is getting the tiny fibers of glass on your skin and into your lungs. Installers must wear protective gear when handling or disposing of the fiberglass material.
Alternatively, green insulation options for your home are safe for installers, safe for the environment, and most importantly safe for your family. Some are sourced from plant material, and some are made from recycled materials, but all of them are worthy alternatives. Green insulation is typically biodegradable and recyclable at the end of its useful life.
The challenge is to find green insulation that has the same R value, or insulating property, as standard material while being competitively priced. You also need your green insulation to be waterproof, mold-resistant, and insect-resistant. Standard insulation is generally less expensive and more readily available than green alternatives. Recycled denim insulation, for example, is a wonderful green option, but it is almost twice the cost of fiberglass on a materials basis. However, it costs less for installation since no special equipment or safety precautions need to be taken. The recycled denim is extraordinarily light and fluffy, comes in blankets and is very easy to install. Cost for blown-in insulation, like those made from recycled paper, will vary by region and material. For blown in insulation, a certified professional must install the insulation properly in order to make sure it stays in place over time and fills cracks and corners.
If insulation is truly green, then there should be little to no risk involved with its use. New fiberglass options offer products with recycled glass fibers or products with no formaldehyde. Unfortunately, they carry some of the same health risks due to the presence of the tiny glass fibers. Don’t let marketing fool you… True green insulation uses non-toxic and natural materials like recycled paper (cellulose), recycled denim, natural wool fibers, or plant based foams such as soybean. These new green insulation types allow you to cut, handle, inhale, or even roll around in the material with no negative consequence to your health.
Green insulation products are easy to find at Low Impact Living–just click here. There is only one manufacturer right now that is manufacturing the recycled denim insulation– it is called Ultra Touch by Bonded Logic. (See the picture of the denim insulation at the top of this article.) You can purchase this material through green retailers in many parts of the country. Another great green option is BioBased Insulation,which is a soy-based foam that seals all the cracks and crevices of your home providing a strong barrier for insulation. In addition to being made from soy beans, their products are water-blown, so they don’t use an ozone-depleting blowing agent. BioBased Insulation contains no harmful and irritating micro fibers or organic dust particulates often found in traditional insulation. On the cellulose insulation front, GreenFiber Cocoon insulation is a great option. It is made of 85% recycled paper. They just blow in the paper mesh you’re all set.
You can find insulation installers across the US here at Low Impact Living– just click here to search by zip code.
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December 4th, 2007
The Christmas Tree Decision
Is it getting to be that time of year when you’re wringing your hands, wondering if buying a fresh Christmas tree is the environmental thing to do? Do you dream of the sweet smell of pine but then feel a vague sense of guilt wash over you? We have been in your shoes! Here is a quick guide to help you make your decision.
1. If you can, buy a potted pine tree. Decorate it for the holidays and then either put the pot outside or replant the pine tree in your yard. This is the lowest impact approach to the Christmas tree possible. No trees are killed, you get a sweet-smelling tree, and it’s a gift that keeps on giving.
2. If you want to buy a cut tree, try to get an organic Christmas tree. Organic Promise has a long list of organic tree farms across the US. Also, there’s a new initiative out called the Coalition of Environmentally Conscious Growers. Look for their tags on trees. Members of the coalition have passed through an inspection process to determine whether the farm follows high standards for pest management, nutrient use, and wetlands protection among other factors. Although these trees are not necessarily organic, trees from coalition members are more eco-friendly than your average farmed tree.
3. Try to buy a tree from as close to your home as possible– this will cut down on the gas use and carbon emissions involved in transporting the tree. Call local farms and/or Christmas tree outlets and ask them where their trees are from and how they were grown.
4. Whatever kind of natural tree you end up buying, please be sure to dispose of it properly. Most cities will grind and mulch the tree. Call your local waste department and find out about drop-offs and pick-ups. Try Earth 911 to find your local recycling resources.
5. We do not recommend you get a plastic tree. Plastic is made from petroleum which is a non-renewable resource, and the plastics typically off-gas toxins that are bad for your family to breathe. Most plastic trees contain PVC, a particularly nasty form of plastic. Many plastic trees are also manufactured overseas, which means even more petroleum is used in getting them to the US. It may seem like a good idea to buy a plastic tree and use it year after year, but plastic is not the best option for the environment or your health.
So hopefully that’s helpful– whatever you decide, have a wonderful Holiday Season!
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December 3rd, 2007
How To Tuesday: Eco-friendly Pet Care
If you’re like me and my husband, you’re completely nuts about your pets. We have a cat named Paco and a Shih Tzu named Chewie, and we pretty much get twitchy when we are away from them for more than a day. So I am very concerned not only about th environmental impact of our pet care, but also what is best for our pets. Thus the theme of this How To Tuesday.
Pet Food
I’m sure if you’ve been to your local pet care shop recently you have been overwhelmed by the stunning array of natural, organic, and gourmet cat and dog foods on the market now. It’s amazing– in those stores I feel like pets have more food options than us humans!
But if you dig deeper into the pet food market you’ll find some disturbing facts– many, many ingredients that go into standard pet foods are truly unhealthy for our pets, being made from meat by-products that are unfit for human consumption. We have to choose our brands very carefully. Here is a great report on the status of hundreds of ingredients in pet food brands– it will help you do your own research.
At our house we feed our dog Merrick’s dog food. Chewie is a particularly big fan of their Cowboy Cookout dinner. You know it’s good when mom (me) can recognize every ingredient on the list! They also make cat food. I know another family that loves Newman’s Own Organic Pet Food.Our cat eats Evo made by the Natura Pet Products Company. They make a number of natural brands. Their Karma brand uses 95% organic ingredients. They also make the Mother Nature brand of pet treats.
Which brands have you tried and like? Please let us know in the comments section.
Pet Shampoos and Other Care Products
If you read the labels of most dog and cat shampoo and other products, you’ll find that they are full of the same unhealthy chemicals from which human shampoos and conditioners are made. I use Aubrey Organics shampoo for my dog and their human line for myself and we are both good and clean. Vermont Soap Organics makes a good dog shampoo, too. There are also very good non-toxic sprays and lotions to help keep your pets free of fleas and other critters. There are even non-toxic sprays you can use to keep your pets off of your furniture. You can find a number of brands of healthy pet potions in our pet care section.
Doggy Poo-poo
There’s no nice way to put it– our pets generate a lot of waste. A lot of people pick up their pet’s poo-poo with plastic bags and then toss them into the trash. This is a land-fill nightmare– just think how many hundreds of thousands of pounds of poo and plastic end up in our landfills each year. It makes me a little queasy just thinking about it.
If you have a dog, I highly recommend getting yourself a supply of biodegradable poo-poo bags from BioBag. They are easy to use, aren’t made from oil like plastic, and at least have a chance of degrading when they end up in the landfill. While the bags say they are compostable (which is true), you should not deposit animal waste in most home compost bins. There are special kinds of composters that can take animal wastes and food scraps as well.
Kitty Litter
Many conventional kitty litter brands on the market are full of unpleasant chemicals that you (and your cat!) can breathe in when you disturb the litter. I have recently tried a couple of brands of natural kitty litters — Swheat Scoop and Green Tea Clumping Cat Litter. The Swheat Scoop doesn’t clump quite as well as I’d hoped, so you end up throwing out a lot of unused litter with the used litter. But it didn’t stink and so I was marginally happy with it. I was more pleased with the Green Tea version, which clumped quite well and was even less smelly than the Shweat Scoop. With either of these brands you don’t have to put it in a plastic bag to throw it out– just put the litter right into the trash. It will begin to biodegrade from there. Have any of you had success with other brands/types you’d like to share?
Clothes, Gear & Furniture
You wouldn’t wear an uncomfortable synthetic band around your neck, so why should your dog or cat? Please allow me to suggest the stylish hemp collars, beds, blanket and toys from Earth Dog. Spend a few minutes on their site and you won’t be able to stop yourself. We also love the organic kimonos (at left) and t-shirts from Skoon. Your pup will be so happy he’ll never stop licking you.
And how cool is that kitty chaise pictured at the top of the blog!?? It’s called the Purrrounge and it’s made from recycled corrugated cardboard. It is loungey enough for your kitty and strong enough for people. The corrugated texture provides a surface that is soft, breathable and durable for scratching. Even a persnickety kitty like our Paco would be prrrrrr-etty happy.
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December 2nd, 2007
Environmental Thoughts on Winter Sports
It’s safe to say that most downhill skiers and snow boarders love this planet. After all, breathing clean mountain air and taking in majestic landscapes are a big part of what makes winter sports such a joy. Just thinking about it makes me happy and I’m a marginal skier at best.
Unfortunately, the three billion dollar winter sports industry is not exactly good news for the planet. From the creative destruction of equipment; transportation emissions and excessive energy and water use for run grooming and snowmaking; all the way to deforestation, run-off pollution and loss of habitat. It’s expensive and we’re not just talking about your $87 lift ticket.
There are a few things we can do to lower the environmental and financial cost of winter sports.
One of the greenest things you can do for your favorite mountain is not to drive for fly to it. In 2006 Americans made 59 MILLION visits to mountain resorts. At a conservative estimate of 200 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per trip, our winter sojourns caused close to 6 billion tons of emissions. Our airborne pollution is making evergreen trees more susceptible to disease and parasites, says Steve Barilotti in Loved to Death, adding another layer to the mountain drivers global warming contribution. Find a train, bus, shuttle or hybrid carpool. Almost anything beats taking your personal, gas guzzling SUV up to the slopes. The added benefit here is a no limit après ski party –bums and bunnies beware.
There are a few winter sports that make less of an imprint on the environment and still put a rose on the cheek and a sparkle in the eye. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in designated areas are a lift-free, nature-made snow alternative to downhill adventures. These sports are also much easier on the body for us aging skiers. If downhill is the only way you roll, there are several resorts that are taking big steps in the right direction.
Aspen Snowmass in Colorado and Jackson Hole in Wyoming have the most progressive environmental management programs in the United States, with clean energy, biodiesel vehicles and low-flow toilets, to name a few initiatives. They both have the International ISO 14001 Certification, which has become the gold standard for green ski resorts. Expect to see more resorts with this certification in the near future, as mountains scramble to make environmental peace with their economic livelihoods.
There are so many resorts making green efforts, primarily in the area of clean energy, that we can’t mention them all here. One of my personal favorites, Sugar Bowl in Truckee, California is said to be the first resort to rely exclusively on wind power and several dozen have since followed suit. Go to www.keepwintercool.org to find a list of ski resorts trying to do the right thing or ask about the environmental programs at your favorite destinations and choose the mountain doing the most.
On the equipment side, if you are not Sean White or Johnny Mosley, there is no need for the latest equipment. Try a ski swap before heading to the sports equipment superstores. Then rummage through the family chest – I’m dying to see all those stretch pants and one-piece ski suits back on the slopes.
When new gear is a must, there are a few manufacturers using sustainable materials and clean energy. Venture Snow Boards makes boards with certified wood in a wind powered facility and Liberty Skis bamboo skis with clean energy too. Nau and Patagonia are classic standouts in the sustainable winter sports wear category, but even some of the trendy brands, like Volcom and Holden Outerwear, have come out with green lines.
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