Across the country, many breathe a sigh of relief as the oppressive, muggy heat of the summer begins to subside and give way to more temperate fall weather. Nature hikes and other outdoor activities become significantly more enjoyable, which can be an especially good idea to help work off the extra cookout weight that’s so easy to put on over the course of the summer months. Many nutrition experts … [Read more...]
Trash Arrives Before Humans Do
June 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment
With the surge in green living, there has been a lot of discussion through the years surrounding the harmful effects of trash on the environment. Aesthetically, litter looks terrible as it blows around the landscape or floats in our waterways. Ecologically, the plastic material and the dyes used in it’s creation are both extremely harmful to the environment and marine life. But what about the … [Read more...]
The Psychology of Reusable Shopping Bags
June 20, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Does grocery shopping with a reusable shopping bag make consumers choose different food items than those who opt for single use paper and plastic bags? Do they choose foods that are better quality and more eco-friendly? Researchers at Harvard Business School analyzed two years worth of purchases at a large chain grocery store in California to determine whether consumer buying patterns were … [Read more...]
Oahu’s Plastic Bag Ban Will Experience a Delay
June 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Hawaii legislators have already passed a bill that will ban all non-biodegradable plastic bags from retail locations. The ban starts in July of 2015, and will become a permanent fixture on Oahu’s environmental efforts. However, the Honolulu City Council is looking to pass another bill that looks to outlaw all plastic bags across the region, including those that are biodegradable. The reasoning … [Read more...]
Chicago Joins List of Bag Ban Cities
June 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
At the end of April, Chicago became the latest city to approve a plastic bag ban, with an overwhelming majority vote of 36 to 10. They are joining many cities across the nation that have bag bans in place, including cities in Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Rhode Island, Washington, Hawaii and the … [Read more...]
The Best Green Apps
May 30, 2014 by Leave a Comment
As part of the widespread going green movement, many companies have put out smartphone apps that encourage users to live life in a much more eco-friendly manner. These apps make going green much easier for everyone who wants to reduce their carbon footprint. An eco-app will help you choose the most environmentally friendly products, manage your energy use, save money and reduce carbon emissions on … [Read more...]
How to Reduce Your Overall Kitchen Waste
May 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment
A large percentage of the average person’s waste comes from the kitchen, including food, packaging and water. Reduce your kitchen waste using these simple steps and you’ll be sure to see a difference in no time. The first place to start reducing your kitchen waste is while shopping for groceries. Always take your own reusable grocery bags to the store to reduce the demand for plastic bags. Buy … [Read more...]
Maximize Your Recycling Efforts
May 21, 2014 by Leave a Comment
In regards to recycling, every little bit helps. Taking the time to sort out your garbage or to reuse old products is a great first step in recycling properly. Here are a few more ideas to increase your recycling efforts. Make it a point to buy recycled goods. Many manufacturers are producing goods from recycled materials. Recycled items you can purchase include paper products, clothing, … [Read more...]
Paper or Plastic?
May 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Would you like paper or plastic? Everyone’s heard the question at the grocery store as their items are being rung up. In the plastic vs. paper bag debate, a number of consumers opt for paper bags, believing that they are the better choice for the environment than their plastic counterparts, when in reality, reusable shopping bags are the best alternatives of them all. You generally hear all the … [Read more...]
Reusing Your Plastic Bags
May 11, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Selecting and purchasing eco-friendly shopping bags is just the first step in reducing plastic bag waste. Chances are you already have a collection of old plastic bags hanging around that you’re not quite sure what to do with. First of all, you can reuse them for their original intention: carrying groceries or purchased items from other stores. Bring a handful of plastic bags to the store with … [Read more...]