Chicken Coup

Experts often argue whether or not global warming exists. Some individuals believe that it is caused by greater forces that are out of humans’ control, while others firmly believe that we need to change our behaviors in order to reverse this process. While I certainly know where I stand, I believe that there are ways to behave in a more environmentally friendly manner, regardless of our viewpoint.

I think the focus on cleaning things up is a good, a positive. You could drive yourself crazy trying to have zero carbon footprint but there are some things we can do that are simple – and free of cost!

Much of our daily life is surrounded by technological advances that make aspects of life easier. Think about the napkin. A simple, mass produced paper product single-handedly made take-away food much, much easier. But now we realize how much wood is required to make our throw away face wiping products. At our home, we have gone back to tea towels. We throw them in with laundry the we would be doing anyway and we’re reusing towel. As a special bonus, cloth is so much nicer on my baby fresh face!

Buy and consume more local foods, of the natural and/or organic variety. I have seen some people recoil at this idea, who think that organic food is reserved for dreadlocked hippies with names like Sunflower and River Raven who walk around barefoot and boycott both razors and bathing. But here is the good news for anyone who may question this “local food” movement: Research has shown that natural and organic foods are better both for the environment and for your personal health. So even if you couldn’t care less about global warming, make the switch for selfish reasons. You will be supporting your local businesses, and enjoying this newfound concept called FLAVOR. So whether you are a leaf-eating vegetarian or a sworn carnivore, you will enjoy both the taste and the health benefits of natural and organic foods.

Ditch the plastic water bottles. I know – they’re SO convenient. But there are new studies on the adverse effects of BPAs (bad chemicals that leach out emitted from certain plastics). Nalgene is now making BPA free bottles. There are also metal bottles, often completely recyclable. Glass bottles are making a surge, too. You can check out at LoveBottleDOTnet. If you get a decent filtration system at home, Brita and PUR are two that are out there. You can use tap water with an added filter. In fact, new studies claim that tap water is often better for you than bottled water because municipal water districts are governed by the EPA ( and have to test many times daily) while water bottle companies are governed by the FDA ( and are only required to test once a week). So, the long and the short of it is that tap water is better! Crazy.

You can also exercise your environmental consciousness by purchasing recyclable packaging, or reducing your packaging needs altogether. While I love pouring that liquid laundry detergent into the machine (along with my tea towels), I’ve switched to powdered in order to use the recyclable cardboard box. It’s an easy change to make. And if I only purchase one or two things from the store, I’ll generally decline the bag. Do I really need the extra assistance to carry my stuff ten feet to the parking lot? And while this is personal preference, I don’t bag certain produce items, like potatoes and cucumbers.

Our wallets can be another great form of motivation for reducing our carbon footprint. I recently switched my lightbulbs from traditional ones to the little twisting CFLs, which burn much cooler. I use 13-watt bulbs, and get 60 watts of light! Another great tactic is to use power strips for all electronic home appliances. Most electronics, including cell phone chargers, continue to draw in electricity even when they are technically not being used. This allows them to start up faster. I made the switch to power strips, and subsequently cut my electric bill in half!

Even Facebook is jumping on the Green bandwagon. If you do not already have an account, you can set one up for free, and install the “lil Green Patch” application. This creates an online garden and allows you to send cute little virtual plants to your friends, which they can add to their online gardens. For every ten friends you send a virtual plant to, you save one square foot of real, non-virtual rain forest. The setup is easy and what can I say, the plants are cute!

And for those of you who balk at the idea of a space-age electric car, rest assured: according to the ACEEE, the greenest car in the United States, for the 6th straight year in a row, is the Honda Civic.

For all of you Hollywood fans out there, take a look at Green is Sexy DOT org, which is full of advice and commentary on living green. Check it out, and find out which actress founded this great site.

And if all other motivation fails, remember that doing good for the sake of doing good is rewarding. I hope you will find these tips helpful and easy.

At Natures-Classroom, we pride ourselves in offering complete environmental education curriculum, right on the American River! Learn not only how to reduce your carbon footprint, but how your actions affect the larger environment. Check out our environmental education website to learn more!