Eco friendly hurricane preparedness? Why does it matter?

I’ve lived through Hurricanes Bob, Ernesto, Fran, Irene, Isabel, Jeanne, and Sandy, which was so fierce it was called a superstorm. I’ve had to survive several “derechos,” too. Plus, just three months ago, I was trapped for three hours in a terrifying flood and had to be rescued by first responders.

Especially with hurricanes, you know they’re coming, and you want to do everything possible to be prepared.  But before you rush out and buy cases of plastic bottled water, crates of paper plates, and bulk bags of single-serving plastic-wrapped food, take a pause.

You don’t need to give up your green lifestyle simply because a hurricane is coming your way!

Check out these 10 eco friendly survival tips. They are the same ones I follow whenever I’m faced with a hurricane or other natural disaster. I hope they’ll help you, too.

Eco Friendly Hurricane Preparedness Survival Guide

Here’s what you may need both during and after a hurricane – and how to keep it green.

Note: For convenience, I’ve provided Amazon links so you can see what I’m talking about. Plus, if you need these soon, you can get them delivered quickly. You may also be able to find most of these items at your local hardware or grocery store. If you do buy them at Amazon, I’ll earn a teeny, tiny commission that helps Big Green Purse bring you helpful info just like this. Thanks!

DRINKING WATER

You could lose access to your water supply if pumps stop working or if the supply becomes contaminated because there’s some kind of breakdown at your water treatment plant.

Authorities recommend you have a three day supply of water on hand for every person in your household. That means about three gallons of water per person, to use for drinking as well as cleaning.

Rather than buy cases of plastic water bottles, fill up gallon-sized water jugs with filtered tap water. You can also use pitchers, Thermoses, large water bottles and even cooking pots.

The LifeStaw Personal Water Filter removes bacteria, parasites and even microplastics so you have drinking water wherever you need it.

Large reusable water jugs are also a good option. Though I almost never recommend buying plastic,  reusable jugs that are used only occasionally can help you avoid dozens of single-use throwaways.

Here are two options. Both are collapsible, so you can store them and save them for the next emergency.

Wash all the containers well in hot water. Wait until the day the weather event begins. Then, fill up your containers and cover them tightly, then use sparingly as needed. The water should easily last for three days.

Don’t leave plastic containers in the hot sun.

Once they’re empty, let them dry out completely, then store them in a cool, dry place.

Finally, if you must buy bottled water, choose the largest containers rather than cases of single-use throwaways.

Need a new water bottle? Here are 5 we like!

PERSONAL HYGIENE

If by chance you do lose water, you’re still going to want to clean up.

Each person should have a washcloth available for their hands and face and a sponge bath or two.

You’ll find lots of soft organic cotton wash cloths here, as well as those made from bamboo.

Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap could come in handy as well. Get the unscented soap and use it for personal hygiene and to wash dishes.

Just remember that any soapy water can contaminate other water supplies, so if you pour soapy water out, make sure you do so at least 200 feet from a storm drain, creek or river.

Once an emergency has passed, this is still a great soap to use around the house.

Skip the antibacterial hand cleaners, but if you do need handi-wipes, look for those made with plant-based ingredients free of alcohol, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, artificial dyes, fragrances, and triclosan.

Babyganics Hand and Face Wipes is one option. Honest Co. is another.

NOTE: Baby wipes are NOT biodegradable. Nor should you flush them down a toilet. Check with your municipality as to whether they can be recycled in your community.

FOOD

Have food on hand that doesn’t require refrigeration or cooking. This could include canned tuna and other fish; dried cereal; fresh and dried fruit; peanut butter and jelly; snacks and cookies; soups; and breads and crackers.

If buying canned tuna and salmon, the two brands I think taste best are Sustainable Seas and Wild Planet.

Sustainable Seas sources tuna caught only by pole and line.

That way, there are no other fish or sea creatures unnecessarily caught in nets and killed.

Sustainable Seas is endorsed by The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program and the Blue Ocean Institute. Plus, it tastes good!

Wild Planet sells salmon, tuna, sardines, anchovies, and more.

The pink salmon is really delicious, and can be eaten right from the can or mixed with a little mustard or other condiment.

Like Sustainable Seas, Wild Planet sources its tuna only from pole or troll catch fisheries, not purse seine nets that catch a lot of other fish or sea animals.

Other Food Tips:

In the event of a power outage, keep freezer closed. Open the refrigerator minimally and quickly. Make ice in advance and as soon as the power goes out, put big blocks of ice or ice cubes in your refrigerator to help keep it cool. Have a cooler out and ready if needed.

POWDERED, BOXED OR CANNED MILK AND MILK SUBSTITUTES

If you lose power, one of the first foods to spoil could be your milk. I personally love milk in my coffee and tea, so I always make sure I have some kind of milk on hand in the event of an emergency.

Though I don’t make a habit of buying single-serving milk, I keep a few cartons of single-serving organic milk boxes in my pantry for emergencies.

If you live dairy-free and prefer almond milk, you can also find single servings in a variety of flavors.

Brands like Silk are organic and Non-gmo verified.

COOKSTOVE OR GRILL

I have a gas stove, so even when I lose power I can cook because I can use a match to light a burner.

If you have an outdoor grill, make sure you have enough propane to meet your cooking needs for as long as the power outage lasts.

Skip a charcoal grill as they generate a lot of air pollution.

Here are some camping stoves that work well and are good to have around in a power outage.

Solar ovens could also come in handy – once the sun starts shining again!

LIGHTING

Candles – Avoid using tapers or any candle that could easily tip over and start a fire. Choose beeswax or soy candles, which are healthier than paraffin candles that emit air pollution.

This 100% beeswax emergency candle won’t tip over, and it will give off a lot of light.

You can also group tea light candles together to create a cozy light source. Keep them on a tray or dish, not just on your table or counter, and definitely don’t put them on paper as a precaution against fire.

LuminAid – LuminAID solar lanterns are inflatable and can be charged either by the sun or USB port. That means you can also use them to charge a cell phone.

I like this company because they also provide emergency relief to communities that are hard hit by storms.

They were very active in bringing lighting to residents in Puerto Rico after hurricanes there demolished the island power plants.

Head Lamp – The beauty of a head lamp is that it shines light in the direction you’re looking while freeing up your hands so you can do other activities.

This headlamp uses rechargeable batteries and shines enough light for reading, cooking and anything else you may need to do to make a power outage more tolerable.

Flashlights – LED flashlights give off very bright light. Most of them are battery powered, so if you opt for battery flashlights, use rechargeable batteries like this one does.

Rechargeable Batteries and Charger – You can get rechargers for most batteries. Recharging batteries reduces the number of batteries you’ll use over time.

My Big Green Purse community recommends using Energizer rechargeable batteries and the charger they come with, rather than a generic brand.

Solar Garden Lights – One Big Green Purse reader brings her solar powered garden lights in from outdoors and takes advantage of the light they emit. Brilliant!

DISHES and DINING

Resist the urge to buy a stack of paper plates, plastic forks and knives, and paper napkins. Greener options include:

Reusable plastic, like the options made by Preserve.

Again, I don’t advocate buying much plastic at all.

But these won’t break, so if you can’t wash them right away, you don’t have to worry about storing them. And once you get them, you can use them for picnics and parties, too.

Corelle – One Big Green Purse readers uses Corelle dinnerware as her back-up, not just for emergencies but for parties, too.

Corelle is extremely durable and doesn’t easily break so, like Preserve, could be a good option if you can’t wash it right away.

Another advantage of Corelle is that it is quite thin; it won’t take up a lot of room when you store it.

Camping plates – If you already go camping, you probably have a set of metal plates, bowls, cups, and cutlery.

If you don’t but your area is prone to power outages and other emergencies, now might be a time to get a set. These are indestructible, easy to store, and easy to clean.

If you don’t have the water to wash your dishes off right away, wipe them off with a damp sponge until you can. Dip them in a pot of water that you’ve added a couple of drops of bleach to if you need to reuse them; the bleach will help disinfect them.

By the way, reduce the need for dishes in the first place. Focus on one-plate or one-bowl meals and lots of finger foods.

Just in case you want to turn an emergency into a party,
don’t miss our post on plastic-free party supplies!

HAND CRANK RADIO

If you lose internet access, you can stay up-to-date on what’s happening by listening to a radio.

I personally prefer a radio like this one: it can be hand cranked when you have absolutely no power, but can also be charged by solar or battery.

It includes a flashlight and a port so you charge your cell phone, too.

CHARGERS

You’ll want to keep phones and other mobile devices charged, and possibly your lap top or computer.

Charge everything up in advance, and charge portable battery packs as well.

Car Lighter Charger – plug into your car’s cigarette lighter, or to the USB port in newer cars

Solar Chargers – There are a wide variety available to charge phones and other mobile devices, as well as laptops.

Keep in mind that if it’s stormy and cloudy, there may not be enough sun to charge your device. Charge them in advance, and recharge them when there’s enough sun to do so!

TRASH BAGS

If you end up with debris that can’t be recycled, use trash bags made from recycled materials, like these.

They’re made from 70% certified post consumer recycled materials and belong to 1% For the Planet.

I’d love to hear about how you prepare for a hurricane or other emergency.

Plus, please let me know if you have any recommendations for our eco friendly hurricane preparedness survival guide. What products and services make your life easier during a power outage or other natural disaster?

The post Eco Friendly Hurricane Preparedness Survival Guide appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Greensburg, Kansas provides a perfect example of how a town sheared down to the very ground it was built on has become a model of sustainability, not just for the U.S., but for the entire world.

At 9:45 pm on May 4, 2007, an EF5 tornado whipped through rural Greensburg, essentially destroying the entire town. (Photo at right from the GreensburgGreentown.org website; see more amazing photos on the blog of professional photographer Galen Buller.)

Within days, the community decided to rebuild their homes and businesses sustainably. Yes, they wanted to get their lives back on track. But they also wanted to create a “model green town” for the future. They formed a non-profit organization called Greensburg GreenTown, with an ambitious and inspiring vision (taken directly from their website, GreensburgGreentown.org):

Vision

Greensburg GreenTown exists to:

• Make it easier for residents to ascribe to and adhere to green practices, and to make green living appealing to people.
• Engage as many residents as possible in the enthusiastic pursuit of making Greensburg a model green community.
• Establish incentives in order to maximize the participation of businesses and residents in rebuilding Greensburg as a model green community.
• Bring in resources and support from around the country to make the dreams of Greensburg as a model green community a reality.
• Make it easier for builders, building supply companies, and local businesses to do business as green as possible.
• Work to spur economic development with a green emphasis.
• Serve the residents in an unbiased consumer advocate capacity, striving to get them the best value for their money as they rebuild their homes and businesses.

The impact that vision had on rebuilding led to substantial environmental gains for the community. When homes were rebuilt, they included:

* 400 dual-flush, low-flow toilets and dozens of water-saving sinks, estimated to now be saving up to 2,500,000 gallons of water per year over the pre-storm toilets

* 260 low-flow showerheads, saving the average family of three up to 2,700 gallons of water per year

* 300 sets of microfiber kitchen and bath cloths, saving every family that uses them money they might otherwise spend on paper towels (TADGreen, which donated the cloths, estimates that if each household in the U.S. replaced one roll of paper towels with an E-cloth, we could save 544,000 trees annually).

Residents also received instructions on how to use non-toxic products to clean their homes; reusable shopping bags to minimize use of disposable plastic bags; and subscriptions to Mother Earth News for regular information on topics like organic gardening and solar energy systems.

Meanwhile, a reclaimed lumber project was launched. Instead of dumping fallen trees in a landfill, the wood was salvaged so it could be used for furniture and trim. And thanks to energy efficiency improvements made when homes were rebuilt, the average Greensburg home now uses 41% less energy than a standard code home.

 On the business side, the town launched the Chain of Eco-Homes Project, a series of demonstration homes that feature a variety of building techniques, sizes, prices and energy-efficiency features. The Eco-Homes Project is intended to be the cornerstone of a new eco-tourism industry in Greensburg, where one of the first homes completed is also serving as an eco bed-and-breakfast for people who come to see and learn from these innovative Kansans.

Greensburg still has work to do to completely realize the inspiring vision it laid out when it created its Greentown idea. But it won’t be alone.  According to the non-profit Worldwatch Institute, in 2012, there were 905 natural catastrophes worldwide, 93 percent of which were related to tornados, hurricanes, floods, drought and other natural disasters. Here in the U.S. Hurricane Sandy and the devastation it caused in New York and New Jersey received much of the publicity, but the drought in the Midwest and floods in many other parts of the country have also left a wake of destruction that needs to be cleaned up and reclaimed.

And there’s more. As recently as last month, two massive tornadoes of equal power to the one that flattened Greensburg tore through Oklahoma. The first destroyed the city of Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma City; rebuilding it is estimated to cost $2 billion. The second ravaged an area 20 miles from Moore, with damage estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

All of these communities can learn from Greensburg, and they should. While it can be hard for a home owner, local government, or business to feel they can afford to make sustainability upgrades to their existing homes and buildings, it only makes sense to do so when they’re rebuilding from scratch.

It also makes sense to do so as more and more scientific research links severe weather events to climate change. “Climate change” describes the alterations to climate and weather patterns that are occurring due to the build-up of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases in the atmosphere. CO2 comes from burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas. The only way to reduce CO2 build-up is to cut back on our use of fossil fuels. Greensburg, Kansas is showing us how to do that. Tornadoes, hurricanes and other extreme weather events are showing us that we must.

RELATED POSTS:

Top Ten Reasons to Take Climate Change Seriously

Climate Change Affects Our Health, Our Homes, Our Families and Our Future

The post Rebuild Sustainably After Natural Disasters Strike appeared first on Big Green Purse.

What does it take
to get kids to save energy? Even if it’s just a simple reminder to turn off the
lights, that message can get old after awhile – which is why the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency is inviting kids and families to join Team
ENERGY STAR. Team ENERGY STAR makes saving energy fun for kids while giving
parents free resources they can use to explain why energy efficiency needs to
be a priority at home. The program is particularly unique because it empowers
kids to help protect the climate and our air through easy-to-implement,
money-saving actions.

 It also provides them an outlet for sharing their passion for preserving our environment. This year ENERGY STAR has partnered with the parents group PTO Today and LG Electronics to share Team ENERGY STAR with kids across the country. PTO Today has even brought in the heroic characters from a new summer animated eco feature film, EPIC, which is sure to excite kids of all ages. The movie, voiced by Amanda Seyfried, Beyonce Knowles, Colin Ferrel, and other celebrities you’ll recognize, features a young girl who finds herself transported to a beautiful natural world, a worldnshe needs to protect. 

 Kids who sign up for Team ENERGY STAR and share their story through www.energystar.gov/team will be showcased in social media by
EPA. They can also enter PTO Today’s contest  for best story. Winners will receive ENERGY STAR certified LG electronics, including cell phones, TVs and MP3 docking stations. Plus, they’ll get their name and photo up in lights on LG’s Times Square billboard in New York City.

 Team ENERGY STAR’s summer outreach has inspired dozens of moms and families to get their kids involved, as demonstrated by this blogging carnival, written mostly by moms who are concerned about the health and climate impacts using energy has on our
families and communities — and who believe we all can do something to make a difference.

YOU + YOUR KIDS = HEROES!

 Harriet of Climate Mama writes, “As summer approaches and we look forward to enjoying family activities like camping, hiking, walks on the beach, fishing, swimming and biking – all of which nature helps make more magnificent – our families are also confronted by
new and daunting challenges that nature is angrily throwing our way: extreme weather, floods, droughts, forest fires, allergies on “steroids,” and super storms. What’s making these weather events worse and how can we “fight back” against these new challenges? Where and who are the heroes that will help us?” Harriet asks. The answer is not Iron Man or the Avengers, but “you and your kids,”
along with Mary Katherine, the young girl who saves the day in EPIC, the eco animated film she’ll definitely be taking her kids to see this summer.

Shane of Environmental Booty sees the potential for her kids to be heroes, too. “Team ENERGY STAR puts the power in kids’ hands to help
protect the climate through easy-to-implement, money-saving actions and provides them an outlet for sharing their passion for preserving our environment,” she writes.

 Last year, Shane’s daughter won the ENERGY STAR challenge, and she is encouraging kids this year to enter the contest, too. “The first 200 families to submit an energy-saving story will receive 2 tickets each to see EPIC, courtesy of Fox. Kids will also get the chance to earn some great prizes from LG Electronics USA and maybe even see their name in lights in Times Square.” Sounds like fun!

It IS fun, says Dominique at My Work at Home World, which is why this initiative is so successful. “Ever wondered how to get your kids involved in saving energy AND the environment? ENERGY STAR has a simple and FUN answer! Team ENERGY STAR! Team ENERGY STAR makes learning about how to save energy fun and can help SAVE THE WORLD! What kid (or parent?) doesn’t want to be a hero?”

SUMMERTIME IS THE PERFECT TIME TO GET STARTED

 Allyson at EcoNews Network agrees that summer is the perfect time to take energy efficiency seriously. It’s “the season where energy consumption skyrockets,” she notes.  “That’s why it’s important to get our kids to hop on the energy efficiency bandwagon. They can finally do something eco-friendly, especially while at home on their summer breaks.”

With the average home giving off more than 20,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year and homes spending more than $2,000 per year on energy bills, she says, “our children should know how and why it’s important to save energy. Kids might think saving energy is boring, but there’s a way to make it fun, and that’s where Team ENERGY STAR comes in handy.”

Linda of Asian Mommy agrees. “Team ENERGY STAR is a great way to inspire kids and families to save energy. I hope all Asian Mommy
readers will visit the website and join.”

 Dorinda at Raising Green Richmond Kids is another mom who appreciates that “Summertime is a great time of year to talk to your children about energy conservation as energy use goes through the roof.   At our home our children know about the little
things they can do to help save energy around our house.  We have talked about turning off the lights and TV when leaving a room, dressing warmly so we can keep the thermostat down a degree or two.” ENERGY STAR makes it easier to help kids understand how they make a difference.

Paige at Spit That Out the Book recalls that “Every summer when the air conditioners in my neighborhood go into full blast
mode, we experience frequent power outages. It’s amazing how much energy it takes to power just one street! That’s why it’s important to consider the small steps of energy saving and upgrading broken appliances with ENERGY STAR certified products.” She also appreciates that “Team ENERGY STAR empowers kids to help protect the climate through easy-to-implement, money-saving actions and
provides them an outlet for sharing their passion for preserving our environment.”

I raise a red flag over at Moms Clean Air Force. “Summer brings many great experiences and memories for families—barbecues, swimming, hot nights and summer movies. It also brings a familiar and unpleasant sight for many communities—a smoggy skyline and poor air quality that can make it tough for kids to breathe,” I report. “Fortunately, you don’t need to be an expert on smog to be able to explain that one way to clear the air is by shifting to cleaner sources of energy like solar and wind. It’s even easier to explain that using energy more efficiently – using less energy to do the same job – is something that everyone can do at home. Plus, using energy more efficiently helps reduce the gases that cause climate change.”

Calley at The Eco Chick is worried about extreme weather events. “With summer approaching quickly, it’s time to start thinking about hurricane season again in Florida; except Florida isn’t the only place where hurricanes can strike.  Our biggest fear when moving to Tampa was of hurricanes and having to run from them each year.  What we realized is that these storms can strike anywhere and are likely to cause more damage to those areas that are not prepared. Scientists have been indicating that climate change may be to
blame for increased hurricane strength, making them even more dangerous. With Hurricane Sandy devastating areas of New York it makes me wonder what this year’s hurricane season will look like.” Calley offers “7 Things You Can Do to Save Energy,” including joining Team ENERGY STAR.

 Katy at Non-Toxic Kids also worries that “the Earth’s climate is changing in ways that can have serious consequences for public health. Climate change will likely increase the number of people suffering from illness and injury due to more pollution, extreme heat, floods, storms, droughts and fires as well as allergies and infectious disease. The elderly, the very young, the disabled, and the poor alone are
especially vulnerable, as are people with heart disease or asthma. Climate change is also expected to cause more severe allergy symptoms because a warmer climate promotes the growth of molds, weeds, grasses and trees that cause
allergic reactions.”

THE BENEFITS OF SAVING ENERGY THE ENERGY STAR WAY

Lisa from Condo Blues knows first hand that saving energy saves money. “In 2008, I did a DIY home energy audit using the energy audit tool on the Energy Star web site. The tool suggested a low and a high energy savings goal. My husband and I decided to try reducing our energy use by the high goal, 20%, as a year long project.” That sounds ambitious right? Even so, says Lisa, we reduced our home energy use by 32%. We beat our goal and have been happily averaging 15 Kilowatts of electricity a day ever since.” Why was Lisa so successful? She says it’s because she didn’t try to tackle energy efficiency alone. “It was a family effort,” she reports, like the kind ENERGY STAR
promotes, and it made all the difference.

 Claire at EcoFriendly Link backs up Lisa’s personal findings with some amazing national statistics. “In 2012, ordinary Americans reduced their utility bills by a staggering $24 billion” by being energy efficient, she says. When you save energy, “you use less power. So you
generate less pollution and improve air quality. Climate change threatens human health, society and ecosystems…and is likely to make allergies even worse.” What she likes about ENERGY STAR is that “you don’t need to sacrifice features, style or comfort,” which is why she is referring her readers to ENERGY STAR for ideas on how to save energy and find energy-efficient appliances.”

Jennifer at The Smart Mama is on a whole-household quest to save energy. She’s in the middle of a major remodel, and figures buying ENERGY STAR appliances is the smart thing to do (well, after all, she is “the smart mama!”). “Most of our energy – about 70% of the electricity we use – comes from power plants burning fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels causes greenhouse gas emission – the gases that contribute to climate change.” That alone would be reason enough to get on the ENERGY STAR bandwagon. But Jennifer goes on to note that “burning fossil fuels spews out a host of chemicals that cause severe health concerns for those living near and far from the power plants…Much of the mercury contaminating our seafood is a result of mercury released from fossil fuel burning power plants. We are all part of this amazing interconnected web, and our personal choices do matter.”

Clay and I teamed up at Ways 2 Go Green to sound a hopeful note. We write, “It’s never too early to talk to your kids about saving energy.” And the sooner the better! “The lights we use, the electronics we charge, and heating and cooling systems we turn on and off all have an impact and contribute climate change. That’s why it’s so important to instill energy efficient habits in kids from an early age, and teach an awareness of the impact our energy use has on the environment.”

Meanwhile, Micaela at Mindful Momma reports that her 8-yr-old son Liam is taking the mission to save energy to heart. He’s also trying to save polar bears, animals whose habitat is literally out from under their feet due to the impact climate change is having in the Arctic. “I’ve talked with him about all the little things he can do to reduce his personal contribution to climate change (and try to stop the polar ice from melting). Things like turning off the lights when he leaves the room, shutting the refrigerator door quickly and biking to soccer practice instead of driving. Even though individual actions like that may seem tiny, I think it’s important to make sure kids realize that they do play a part in protecting the climate.”

SAVING ENERGY PROTECTS OUR HEALTH

Anne at Flour Sack Mama sounds the alarm on health concerns related to the energy we use. “Anyone out there not know what an inhaler is?  Does someone in your family use one or do you know of a young child who must tote one around for after-school activities?  It’s become commonplace, hasn’t it?”

 Anne then asks, “Would you like to be part of an effort to clean up whatever’s in the air that could be making children sick?  You can start today by simply conserving energy. Little habits like teaching children to turn off the light switch when they leave the room, or home maintenance efforts like installing programmable thermostats and picking ENERGY STAR certified appliances — can all save your family money while helping clean up America’s energy conundrum.  We all want a comfortable lifestyle, don’t we?  None of us intended for our
comfortable lifestyle to make children or the planet sick, did we?” 

 Sommer of Green and Clean Mom acknowledges that “It is hard for (my) children to completely understand that the majority of electricity comes from power plants that burn fossil fuels. They cannot see the power plants to understand this but I explain to them that when we burn the fossil fuels this causes greenhouse gas emissions – which affect the environment. I try to explain that when we don’t have to use
as much energy we are helping to not burn as much fossil fuel and this not only saves mom and dad money but means that there are less greenhouse gas emissions and that is good for the environment.” 

 Why Team ENERGY STAR? Why EPIC?

Amity at Green Child Magazine recommends Team ENERGY STAR as a “fun way to get your kids involved in an environment-saving activity.”  “Join Team ENERGY STAR to teach children about the importance of saving energy and stopping climate change using easy, money-saving actions!”

 Like many of the other moms, Leigh at Green 4 U is looking forward to taking her daughter to see EPIC. “Kids need good role models but kids also love movies and entertainment. There are so many movies out there about princesses and other excessive things;
it is great to see a movie that teaches children about environmental stewardship.”

 Leigh is also excited about the contests ENERGY STAR offers – because that’s how she herself got involved. “Winning a recycling poster contest was one of the first steps in my green journey. I love the idea of having kids think about energy conservation and why it is important. If you have kids no matter what age, sit down with them and talk about energy conservation, talk about what you can do as a family, let them research things you can do as a family to reduce your energy consumption and let them help implement it in the house. Encourage your kids to submit an entry to the ENERGY STAR contest. Even if they do not win, the excitement of entering and the conversation you will have together around the entry is worth it.”

Sian at That’s Amasian appreciates the helpful resources Team ENERGY STAR provides to parents (like her!). “Why? It’s the question that plagues all parents of toddlers and preschoolers,” she notes. “Kids are endlessly curious about  literally everything under the sun and beyond. When we don’t have the answers, especially on important issues that affect us all, and that we all can act on (ahem, climate change), I’m grateful for resources for parents, like Team ENERGY STAR. It’s an education program that motivates kids and their parents to make energy conservation a fun, family activity. And, it’s created by the U.S. EPA
so you know that it’s backed by accurate information and honest intentions.”

Lori at GroovyGreenLivin makes it clear why programs like Team ENERGY STAR matter. “Burning fossil fuels causes greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change – a real and urgent challenge affecting people and the environment worldwide. Using energy-efficient products and practices reduces the amount of carbon pollution added to the atmosphere and can lessen the effects of climate change.” In 2012 alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 50 million cars — all while saving $24 billion on their utility bills.” Those are some pretty impressive stats.

 Mary Clare of In Women We Trust asks a key question: “Who is setting the direction of our energy program?” Mary’s hope is
that, through efforts like Team ENERGY STAR, America’s youth will become educated enough about the importance of energy efficiency and renewable energy to put our country and the world on a clean energy course. “The EPIC ENERGY STAR program provides posters and online/offline games to give kids tangible things to do and learn how to use less energy, thereby lowering family monthly bills. Once energy consumption is lower, then it’s far easier to replace our national energy needs with safe, clean, and renewable energy.”

 Jenn at MNN.com applauds
the message behind the EPIC movie that “everyone can make a difference for
the planet.” “I like that motto,” she says.  “Even at the tender
young ages of 10 and 7, my girls have already seen how great our local
playground looks after a clean-up,
or how the little efforts we make at home to cut energy use can
add up to big savings at the end of the month.” Jenn hopes her readers will
sign the EPIC pledge and
share their stories for how they plan to protect the planet.

 Tiffany at Nature Moms declares that, “For me
it is all about the story. Movies transport me to another world and I get to
live someone else’s exciting, dangerous, and inspiring life for a couple hours.
I love my own life too, don’t get me wrong, but ever since I was a kid I have
just loved living in the fantasy worlds created in books and movies. I have
already started my mental list of movies that I absolutely must see this summer
and at the tippy top is the animated eco film called EPIC…It looks to be
the ultimate in story, fantasy, and fun while also having a hugely important
message about the environment and stewardship. We have to get messages like
this across to kids in a way that really reaches them and resonates with them.
It is getting harder to do with all the distractions that abound today but I
think this movie will accomplish it. If I can pair my love of movies with my
passion for environmentalism AND take my kids along for the ride…well, sign me
up for opening day!”

Nikki at Modern Eco Life is looking forward to the movie, too. EPIC…helps teach kids an important environmental lesson: “protecting the planet is cool,” she writes. “The 3D movie tells the story of an ongoing battle deep in the forest between the forces of good and the forces of evil. When a teenage girl gets magically transported into this secret universe, she must band together with a heroic team to save their world…and ours.” Like Nikki says: Cool!

 Kim at The Soulicious Life remembers that, “When it comes to living a more
eco-friendly existence, simple energy-saving practices were some of the
first habits I adopted. To be honest, it goes way back to childhood when
my mother – no doubt trying to control the cost of utility bills
– was constantly on us to turn down the thermostat and turn off the
lights. Now, I instill those same simple practices in (my child). After all
molding the next generation’s little brains around energy-saving
techniques is never easier than it will be now!”

 JOIN TEAM ENERGY STAR TODAY

Erin at Healthy Home Magazine reminds us all that “Team ENERGY STAR makes it easy and enjoyable for the whole family to save energy and money while they do their part to protect the climate. With help from ENERGY STAR and the heroic team from the upcoming filml, EPIC, everyone can make a difference for the planet.”  

Lindsay at Crunchy Saving concurs, but has an additional reason to join up. “As a homeschooling parent, I am always looking for fun ways to teach my children. I love to use a combination of things such as hands-on learning, interactive learning, as well as traditional school settings. I check out new websites for the kids all the time. I loved the Team ENERGY STAR web page…we received some great educational materials about saving energy.” Why bother with the suggested activities? “They’re fun!” says Lindsay.

Urges Bri at Eco Baby Mama Drama, “Parents, please take this opportunity to not only educate your children about our duty to take care of the planet and be responsible but to also show them that saving energy is the right choice to make for everyone everyday and can be fun too! Encourage your children to share what they have learned with their friends and set a good example through their actions and be a proud member of Team Energy Star! Together we can all make this effort EPIC!”

I hope you’ll join Team ENERGY STAR today. To sign up, head
over to the Team Energy Star page
to download the pledge and pick up other useful resources like the ‘Go Green Night Games‘
or the Team Energy Star
Action Kit.  I hope you’ll inspire your child to share
a story about why saving energy is important, too.

On Twitter? Join Team ENERGYSTAR June 7, 2013 for a lively Twitter party to share information and ideas on how to get kids, in particular, involved in saving energy. EPA will also announce the winners of the story competition during the party. Use Hashtag #TeamENERGYSTAR to join the fun!

FULL DISCLOSURE:
I am writing about Team ENERGY STAR because I support the program and because I believe it is important to educate the public about energy efficiency and climate change. I am thrilled to also be working on contract to help educate the public about energy efficiency and Team ENERGY STAR.

Related articles

Join Team ENERGY STAR in the EPIC Fight to Protect the Climate

Essay Contest Gives Kids a Chance to Show What They Really Know About Saving Energy – and Win Some Prizes, Too.

The post Saving Energy is Easy & Fun With the Help of Team ENERGY STAR appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Are we “greener” than we were four years ago?

Yes, we are, and Barack Obama deserves a lot of the credit.

Despite strident anti-environmental opponents on Capitol Hill, President Obama has managed to use the power of his office – deployed primarily through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of the Interior – to make our air and water cleaner, to reduce our reliance on foreign oil, to protect our public lands, and to attack the climate change that causes extreme weather events like Hurricane Sandy.

Is his job done? Not by a long shot. But are we making progress? Definitely. I’m supporting the President for a second term because I think he offers our best hope in this election to continue to make progress
in the future. 

This all became extremely clear to me earlier this week, as Hurricane Sandy was ripping away part of my roof. While I huddled in my basement listening to the terrifying wind and the torrential rain, I found myself getting mad, not just about what it would cost me to repair the damage, but about the reasons behind this catastrophic storm. Meteorologists, scientists, environmentalists, public health professionals, concerned citizens, and yes, President Obama, have all made the link between burning fossil fuels like coal and oil and extreme weather events like Sandy, let alone Hurricane Katrina and many others. And they’ve tried to throw the weight of their various offices behind solutions that would help wean us from fossil fuels.

Meanwhile, conservative forces in Congress and many state houses around the country have blocked legislation that would reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and opposed efforts to increase energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy sources like solar and wind. Bolstered by their conservative colleagues on Capitol Hill and pressured by Tea Party activists, Republican challenger Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, his running mate, have dismissed climate change, have
literally said they “love” coal, and would strive to cripple the EPA if they were elected to office.

Maybe to some people, this is just “talk.” But as someone who has worked in Washington, D.C. to promote environmental protection during the Carter years, the Reagan years, the Bush 1 years, the Clinton years, the Bush 2 years, and now the last four years of the Obama Administration, I can say, and say unequivocally, that environmental policy consistently fares worse under Republican administrations than under Democratic ones. As Sandy has shown, the planet very much faces a climate change tipping point. Obama is on one side, Romney on the other. For me, siding with Obama is a no brainer.

Has Obama accomplished nearly enough? No.

Do I wish more change had happened? Of course.

 But we should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Though President Obama did not mastermind enough legislative victories, he used the power of the Executive Office to achieve many significant environmental gains. It is reasonable to assume that Romney would use his office equally to undercut them.

 I support the re-election of President Obama.

 FOR THE RECORD…
Here is a run-down of some of the major environmental achievements of the Obama Administration, compared to the positions of challenger Mitt Romney.

Cleaner Air

Under directives from President Obama, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency managed to push through the first-ever national safeguards to reduce mercury and arsenic in our air and establish carbon dioxide limits for
power plants. (Romney hopes to eliminate EPA’s power to regulate carbon dioxide and remove rules that limit
emissions from coal plants.) 

Former EPA administrator Carol Browner said the safeguards “are preventative medicine—they will annually forestall thousands of premature deaths, hospitalizations, and respiratory ailments.”

The American Lung Association’s analysis of air pollution shows that all 25 of the cities with the worst ozone pollution in the last report have improved, and 23 of the 25 worst particulate-matter cities are getting cleaner.

All in all, the President used the Clean Air Act to issue six major environmental rules, including ones that limit toxic air pollutants, greenhouse gases, soot, and smog-forming pollutants.

By pretty much any measure, America’s air is cleaner today than it was four years ago.

Energy

President Obama has issued an Executive Order on Federal Sustainability requiring Federal agencies to set a 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target; increase energy efficiency; reduce fleet petroleum consumption; conserve water; reduce waste; support sustainable communities; and leverage Federal purchasing power to promote environmentally responsible
products and technologies.

President Obama rejected the initial northern half of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would run from Canada to Texas, although he has deferred a final decision. Though the President proposed opening more offshore areas to oil and gas drilling, he has maintained a drilling moratorium off the Pacific and most of the Atlantic coasts. He is seeking federal safety standards for hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a process by which natural gas is extracted, and opposes $4 billion in annual tax breaks for oil and gas companies. (Romney supports the Keystone XL pipeline, supports opening all our public lands to oil and gas development, including America’s Arctic Wildlife Refuge, and supports giving more tax breaks to oil and gas companies.)

President Obama is the first president to allow public lands to be opened to solar projects. He has also  approved
17 utility-scale projects with a capacity of 5,900 megawatts, enough to power about 1.8 million homes. The Department of the Interior has continued to support renewable energy initiatives, including six on-shore wind facilities with 800 megawatts of capacity and eight geothermal plants with 424 megawatts of capacity. In total, these projects will generate enough energy to power 2.3 million homes.

The President supports extending federal tax credits for utility-scale wind projects and favors loan guarantees and grant programs for green energy companies. (Romney opposes both.)

Overall, today we get twice as much energy from wind, solar and geothermal sources than we did four years ago.

How does that compare with the Republican approach to energy? The House Republican budget is aiming to cut the Department of Energy’s Office of Science and the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, both of which have played an essential role in America’s quest to achieve energy independence. In fact, reports Juliet Eilperin in the Washington Post, cuts the Republicans recommend would trigger a 19 percent reduction in funding for clean energy – despite the irrefutable evidence that clean energy is the primary solution to climate change.

Further, reports Eilperin, last month, urged on by several business and energy groups, the GOP-controlled House passed the Stop the War on Coal Act, which would reverse several Obama regulations and proposals. It would bar the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases, jettison the stricter fuel standards and give states primary authority over the storage and disposal of coal-combustion waste. Fortunately, that bill has little chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate, and will have no chance at all if President Obama is re-elected.

Fuel Economy

The Obama Administration’s new fuel economy standards are projected to save consumers $1.7 trillion at the pump by 2025 while avoiding 6 billion metric tons of carbon pollution, an amount  equal to total U.S. carbon emissions in 2010. Obama’s standards for new vehicles, Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, was quoted
saying in the Washington Post, rank as “the biggest move to get us off our oil dependence by any president ever.” The rules, which took effect this year, will require the U.S. auto fleet to average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.

Vehicles are more efficient today than they were four years ago, a trend that will continue for the next 13 years…unless Romney reverses the rule.

Wilderness – The Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National  Park

At the President’s direction, the federal Bureau of Land Management announced a ban on new hard rock mineral leasing and mining (primarily for uranium) in a million acres of wild lands adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park.  The mining ban will protect important wildlife habitat and water quality that complement the park’s natural systems.

Obama has also advised all federal agencies with a role in land stewardship to consider the potentially catastrophic effects of climate change when developing their management plans. Crown jewels like Yellowstone National Park may not be suitable for many of the animals living there in the next century. Federal agencies there have been asked to maintain corridors so threatened species can migrate — and survive — as conditions change.

Family Planning

President Obama supports a woman’s right to control her own body, including the right to reproductive choice. He is a strong proponent of Planned Parenthood and other social services that provide contraception and family planning, and believes access to family planning methods should be a basic health care. (Romney opposes reproductive choice and has said repeatedly during his campaign that Planned Parenthood should be shut down.)

Given the role that population growth plays in fueling climate change and pollution, it should be a top priority for any administration to support family planning.

Supreme Court

The most long-lasting impact of any presidency is tied to the justices a President appoints to the Supreme Court. The court is routinely called upon to decide whether environmental laws are legal and can be enforced. The decision of the current, extremely conservative court to allow corporations to be considered as citizens puts them on equal footing with you and me. Yet we know we are not equal, given the billions of dollars they have to spend lobbying elected officials and, as we have seen in this election cycle, swamping voters with misleading ads. The next President will in all likelihood have the opportunity to appoint at least two justices to the court as the oldest members retire. President Obama has a solid track record of appointing justices who value the rights of citizens and who would uphold laws like Roe v. Wade, which guarantee reproductive freedom and access to safe abortion. (Romney has said repeatedly he would work to overturn Roe v. Wade; given the chance, he would appoint justices who share that view.)

PLEASE: VOTE!

An election should never really be about the person running for office. It should be about the world we want to live in, the vision we have for our future and the future of those who come after us. 

We are on the right path. But we will not get much farther along if we don’t vote in this election. We will not get much farther along if we don’t vote to re-elect President Obama.

Please. Go to the polls. 

The post I am Voting for Barack Obama Because We are Greener than We Were Four Years Ago. appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Why We Care About Climate Change

Karen warns at Best of Mother Earth that “we can look forward to extreme temperatures, super infectious diseases spread by insects that thrive on warmer temperatures, poor air quality and more. This is frightening!”

Sounds stupid, right? That’s what Beth at My Plastic Free Life thinks, especially after reviewing the film “The Age of Stupid.” “Set in the year 2055, after the effects of global climate change have basically wiped out most of humans and other animals on earth, a lone archivist records a message, illustrating it with a handful of the billions of stories he’s collected in a massive database he calls the Global Archive, before transmitting the entire collection into outer space as a cautionary tale to future civilizations,” reports Beth. “The big question: Why didn’t we save ourselves when we had the chance?”

Lisa of Retro Housewife Goes Green is wondering the same thing, especially since she lives in Oklahoma’s Tornado Alley, that part of the country that has seen a significant uptick in tornadoes and other extreme weather events over the last few years. “Oklahoma was a poster child for extreme weather last year, we had a record drought, broke the state record for most snow to fall in 24 hours, broke the record for coldest day, had the warmest July on record for the whole U.S., record windspeed, record wildfires, the largest earthquake reported in the state, and more.” Writing while facing another possible tornado just a few days ago, Lisa says, “This all hits home with me as I listen to the thunderstorm outside that has rocked the state and even dropped some damaging tornadoes. And I also think back to last year and all of the extreme weather, including the horrible drought that hurt the state so very much and caused me some sleepless nights worrying about the wildfires my dad, a volunteer firefighter, was out fighting.”

On the Big Green Purse blog, I highlight impacts that directly affect my kids – like worsening poison ivy. Most people don’t realize that poison ivy and its nasty cousins poison oak and sumac, are all getting much more dangerous because the plants are growing faster and bigger, and the toxic oil in their leaves is becoming more intense, thanks to hotter global temperatures. I offer some ways to avoid poison ivy and to deal with it once you get it, since in the short-term we’ll have to contend with it showing up more often in our yards and parks.

Lori at Groovy Green Livin’ sounds the alarm on an impact I care about almost as much as poison ivy: the availability of chocolate!

Chocolate is a heat-sensitive crop, Lori’s research shows. Even a small increase in temperature will affect the crops. A report Lori cites shows why there are big problems to come for the cacao tree:

…an expected temperature rise of more than two degrees Celsius by 2050 will render many of the region’s cocoa-producing areas too hot for the plants that bear the fruit from which chocolate is made, says a new study from the Colombia-based International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).

“Warming temperatures and changes in the precipitation pattern will mean rapid declines in growing conditions over the coming decades. Not good news for the cacao tree and in turn bad news for chocolate suppliers and lovers on a global level.”

Abbie at Farmer’s Daughter reports on the impact climate change is having on another beloved food: maple syrup. “In my lifetime alone, the maple sugaring season has moved from March to February. Maple sap runs when it’s below freezing at night and warms up during the day. If we wait to tap trees until March we will have missed our chance. It is clear that spring has moved to earlier in the year and we have to adjust, tap early, or risk not being able to make maple syrup for a whole year…It’s a New England tradition, my family’s tradition, and yet I worry that some day we may lose it entirely.” Abbie is especially concerned about projections that indicate we could lose maple trees and maple syrup entirely by 2100.

Chocolate and maple sugar are two foods we may not be able to produce any more if climate change worsens. But what about the impact producing some foods has on making climate change worse? Katy of Non-Toxic Kids and Moms Clean Air Force identifies three significant ways factory farming contributes to global warming and suggests some very simple yet highly effective choices you have that can make a real difference.

Tiffany at Nature Moms loves traveling but worries that climate change could destroy some of our most beloved national parks before her family has a chance to visit them. “Climate change is melting the glaciers that make an appearance in some (national parks), which not only affects the beauty of these areas, it also means less water is making its way down to lower areas. Plants and animal life that rely on this water start to become endangered or extinct. Water sources that hikers need to survive start to dry up, making the area inhospitable. Scenic waterfalls dry up earlier and earlier and may eventually be gone for good. Can you even imagine Yosemite without its grand waterfalls???”

Do you have pets? Ronnie at Moms Clean Air Force does, and she thinks climate change is making them sick. “I’m worried that my pets (two dogs and one cat) are gravely suffering because our planet is getting too warm for them.” Ronnie reviews some of the available scientific research, but her own observations are most convincing. Her dogs are thirstier, hotter, and getting ticks much earlier than usual. She’s pretty sure her cat has contracted feline asthma as a result of the increased air pollution associated with climate change.

Stephanie at Good Girl Gone Green bemoans the impact climate change has on much bigger animals: polar bears. “When I think of polar bears, I picture a piece of ice with one stranded on top,” she writes. “Some might say it is a depressing way to think of them, but what is even more heartbreaking is that polar bears may not be around in 50 years. Extinct. Poof. Gone.”

What can we do?

Given the reluctance of some people to accept that climate change is actually happening, it’s important to be able to explain why it occurs. Dominique Browning’s Moms Clean Air Force interview with climate scientist Dr. Heidi Cullen provides a clear explanation and offers suggestions on how you can deal with so-called climate “deniers.”

Harriet of Climate Mama works with the Climate Reality Project to raise awareness. For Climate Impacts Day, she’s organized family and friends to visit the proposed site of a natural gas pipeline that would carry gas derived through hydraulic fracking through a state park. She and her colleagues are also holding a “teach in” on fracking to raise awareness between this controversial practice and links to earthquakes and water pollution as well as climate change.

Anna at Green Talk admits that in her household, wasting food is one way her family contributes to climate change. She’s not alone. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “The amount of food waste generated in the US is huge. It is the third largest waste stream after paper and yard waste. In 2008, about 12.7 percent of the total municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in America was food scraps. Less than three percent of that 32 million tons was recovered and recycled. The rest – 31 million tons – was thrown away into landfills or incinerators.” Why does it matter? “The decomposition of food and other organic waste materials under anaerobic (without oxygen) conditions in landfills produces methane, a greenhouse gas (GHG) 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Landfills are the largest human-related source of methane in the United States, accounting for 34 percent of all methane emissions.” Her solution? Only buy what you intend to eat. And compost!!

For more ways to reduce food waste, check out the suggestions in this guest post from Aviva at The Scramble. Making a list and labeling left-overs are two simple steps that can lead to big savings and far fewer throw-aways.

Mary at In Women We Trust acknowledges that, in the face of overcoming a challenge as daunting as stopping climate change, it’s easy to feel like you’ve hit a “great green wall.” Mary is inspired by people in eleven nations in Africa who are working together to stop the Sahara Desert from creeping further south and turning all of Africa into an arid wasteland. “They aren’t doing it to lower Green House Gases,” acknowledges Mary. “They are doing it to survive, but at the same time, it is helping to lower GHG levels. Even the most die-hard denier can’t argue with the saving of a continent – especially when it’s producing such quickly appreciated results.”

At Big Green Purse, I’ve focused on the many ways consumers can use less energy as an important way to generate less carbon dioxide. They range from smart energy-saving driving tips to the top ten ways to save energy and money at home.

Never let it be said that, despite the seriousness of the challenges we face from climate change, we don’t keep our sense of humor! Deanna at The Crunchy Chicken offers a tongue-in-cheek run-down on the top five benefits of climate change. My favorite? #3: “Tropical weather without vacation prices.” Says Deanna wryly, thanks to climate change, we’ll have tropical weather all year long wherever we live – no need to tough out ten months of dreary winter or spend a fortune on a Caribbean vacation in January!”

Finally, thanks to Moms Clean Air Force for this cartoon and reminding us that the carbon emissions from our vehicles contribute significantly to climate change. In case you can’t commute in a toddler-mobile, here are some other ways you can burn less gas!

What impacts worry you? What solutions do you have? Please take a minute to let us know. Thanks!

The post Climate Change Impacts on Our Health, Our Homes, Our Families and Our Future appeared first on Big Green Purse.