Category: Save the Planet

Dryer Balls – save money & reduce chemical exposure

Dryer Balls – save money & reduce chemical exposure

Replacing dryer sheets with 1 – 3 dryer balls leads to several benefits. Dryer balls can be made from plastic or wool. Another option is to make your own aluminum foil balls – simply made by crumpling foil. Toss them in with wet laundry instead of costly, chemical-laden, single-use dryer sheets.

They save money in two ways. First, single-use unlike dryer sheets, dryer balls are reusable for many, many loads. Using the same wool dryer balls for over 1000 loads is not uncommon. Plastic ones don’t last quite as long but they are inexpensive and a great option for people with a wool allergy. Wool dryer balls can even be refreshed and rehydrated simply by tossing them in the wash with other laundry.

Dryer balls have also been shown to significantly reduce drying time by up to 25% or more. That adds up to a lot of energy savings over a year. Maybe more important is the time they save by shortening the time needed to dry your clothes. The balls bounce around creating air pockets and separating layers of cloth to increase airflow.

The bouncing action of the balls reduces static and wrinkles by preventing wet laundry from clumping. Increase the wrinkle-prevention by dampening your dryer balls to create a steam effect. This hypoallergenic method eliminates the chemicals and artificial scents used in dryer sheets.

Think the chemicals in dryer sheets don’t affect your skin? Most dryer sheets contain harmful chemicals. Scientific American identified some of the most harmful ones:

  • benzyl acetate – linked to pancreatic cancer
  • benzyl alcohol – an upper respiratory tract irritant
  • ethanol – linked to central nervous system disorders
  • limonene – a known carcinogen
  • chloroform – a known neurotoxin and carcinogen

There are versions of dryer sheets with fewer harsh chemicals and fragrances, but replacing them with dryer balls eliminates all of them from your clothes, while saving time and money.

Urgent Steps Needed to Save Birds Now

Urgent Steps Needed to Save Birds Now

Many birds are experiencing major population declines and need our help more than ever. According to American Bird Conservancy, almost 3 billion – yes billion – adult breeding birds have been lost to the US and Canada. We’ve lost more than 1/4th of our birdlife just since 1970! 90% came from just 12 bird families, including sparrows, warblers, finches, and swallows. Why is this important? Bird declines are indicative of a broader crisis in the natural world including losses of insects, amphibians, and wildlife.

Habitat loss is the main cause of bird declines. Habitat degradation through fragmentation, invasive plants, or poor water quality is another major cause of losses. In this case, habitat doesn’t disappear outright but becomes less able to support birds, such as when habitat is fragmented, altered by invasive plants, or when water quality is compromised. Other significant threats to birds come from cats and other invasive species and exposure to pesticides and other toxins.

Many birds are killed through collisions with glass, industrial communications towers, and wind turbines. Steady burning lights on communication towers attract, confuse, and disorient birds at night and cause nearly 7 million bird collisions annually. A simple solution to reduce bird fatalities is by switching to flashing lights.

But what can you do as an individual to make a difference near term? Plenty! Take Action to Help Bring Birds Back.

Learn more about each of the actions below at American Bird Conservancy American Bird Conservancy has been a 4-star rated charity by Charity Navigator for 10 yrs https://abcbirds.org.

Sea Bins – Another tool for cleaning trash from our lakes and oceans

Sea Bins – Another tool for cleaning trash from our lakes and oceans

People have designed several ingenious ways to capture trash that is in our waterways. Of course, preventing it from getting there in the first place would be the best option but failing that, we need effective ways to remove it. A post from the World Economic Forum highlights Sea Bins. Each bin can capture 90,000 plastic bags a year.

That is a lot of plastic out of our waterways but it still is only a dent in the approximately 8 million tons of plastic that ends up in the ocean yearly. The Seabin Project, maker of the Sea Bins, is a cleantech startup trying to help solve the global problem of ocean plastic pollution. Their Sea Bins act like floating trash cans, collecting garbage, oil, fuel, and detergents. The idea is to skim floating debris from harbours before it enters the ocean.

Learn more: http://ow.ly/cBY550Lp86w

Simple Ideas – Big Results

Simple Ideas – Big Results

Nets over drainage outlets in Australia prevent plastic waste from entering bodies of water. Although the mesh holes are too large to capture microplastics which are becoming a major problem, the nets capture all types of debris that would otherwise be difficult to clean up once loose in a body of water. It also captures both floating trash and items that would sink.

Other countries have used many other simple techniques to capture and remove trash including floating barriers and autonomous drones that scoop up debris into a large sack.

While none of these ideas remove 100% of debris, they each make a significant dent in keeping our waterways clean.

Nets over drainage outlets in Australia prevent plastic waste from entering bodies of water.
Trees are the lungs of the Earth

Trees are the lungs of the Earth

Trees are versatile and provide many essential benefits for life on Earth – including creating oxygen, providing shade, wind breaks, preventing soil erosion, and filter water through their root system and more. Trees are a renewable energy source and source or raw material for building, furniture, paper and more. Trees feed us with their fruit and provide sap for making syrup. They also provide shelter for birds and animals. In fact, approximately 80% of animal, plant, and insect species live in forests.

In addition to the food grown on trees, hundreds of millions of humans rely on forests for basic survival for firewood and shelter materials. Trees also provide employment. Over 80 million people work in jobs that are related to trees and tree products.

Still an estimated 18 million acres of trees are destroyed annually. This puts many species at risk of extinction as their habitat is lost. It also impacts the atmosphere as those trees no longer provide oxygen generation, no longer keep areas cool from their shade, no longer block soil erosion from wind and water. There are many different reasons for deforestation and they vary from place to place. For example, many areas of rain forest have been cut down to make way for palm oil and soy plantations. In America, many woodlands are raised and replaced with new housing neighborhoods. Globally, 40% of all timber is used to make paper products.

So what can you do to help? Plant a tree is a great way to start. Other small and easy steps include:

  • reducing your paper use – for example don’t print unneeded emails or excess pages, use scrap paper for lists, notes, etc.
  • increase recycling of paper and cardboard
  • buy products made from recycled content. Many great products are made from recycled content – check labels to find them
  • avoid products made with palm oil. A majority of palm oil production is done on land where forests – especially rainforests – have been cleared. Palm oil is an ingredient in many food products so check labels and consider alternative products. Some palm oil is sustainably produced and products that carry a sustainable palm oil certificate such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
  • consider buying existing furniture, rather than new. Older furniture is often inexpensive and better made than inexpensive new versions. Wood furniture can be refurbished / refinished for a new look.
  • get educated and spread the word – if we all do a little it will add up to big changes.

You can also support organizations that fight deforestation. Visit their websites to learn more, make donations, or volunteer. Organizations that focus on sustainability and preventing deforestation include:

Remember, not all logging is harmful. . Sustainable forest management doesn’t mean never cutting trees down. Fires are actually necessary for certain trees to produce seedlings. When you know a little more about the , it becomes easier to understand what you read or hear about our natural world and our relationship with them. There is wonderful information on all of the organizations’ websites listed above.

Finally, get out an enjoy nature. Don’t wait for Earth Day. Every day can be Earth day. Studies show being in nature provides health benefits including stress reduction, improving mood, lowers blood pressure, and provides fun and enjoyment.

Recycle Technology with the Help of Goodwill and Dell

Recycle Technology with the Help of Goodwill and Dell

Dell Reconnect

Dell has partnered with Goodwill to make it simple to recycle technology and keep it out of the landfill. Donate unwanted technology including computers, monitors, printers, scanners, hard drives, keyboards, mice, speakers, and cables to Dell Reconnect to help protect the environment, support Goodwill’s mission of putting people to work, and get a receipt for tax purposes. Dell has made real strides in reaching its own moonshot goals around improving sustainability. For example, their “moonshot” goal of, “By 2030, 100% of our packaging will be made from recycled or renewable material” has already achieved 85% in 2020.

While Dell is a major manufacturer of technology products, the resources they have provided are not limited to Dell Products. Other manufacturers and stores such as Staples also provide recycling resources. This article focuses on those from Dell.

Find a location and drop off

More than 2,000 Goodwill locations across the U.S. are participating.  Use this link to find a location near you today.

Recycle Batteries, Ink & Toner Cartridges and Packaging

In addition to Dell Reconnect, Dell also offers links to help you recycle Batteries, Ink & Toner Cartridges, and even your packaging waste.

Ink & Toner Recycling

Dell offers two ways to recycle ink & toner cartridges: use their mail-in program or drop off at a participating Goodwill through the Dell Reconnect program.

Donate to Dell ReconnectDrop off your used ink and toner cartridges at a participating Goodwill and Dell will recycle it for free. Plus, everything you give helps create jobs and skills training for people in your community. Donate

Free Battery Recycling

Dell has partnered with call2recycle to recycle used computer batteries. Call2Recycle handles other types of batteries also. Visit their website https://www.call2recycle.org/ for more information.

Each year billions of batteries end up in landfills, where toxic metals could enter the waste stream and possibly harm our environment. Recycled batteries enable valuable metals to be recovered and used in new products such as making new batteries, pots, pans, golf clubs, or silverware.

To do your part, recycle your used batteries at any one of our certified drop-off locations.

Packaging Help

Many packaging products are recyclable or can be composted. Regardless of where your product comes from, visit https://corporate.delltechnologies.com/en-us/social-impact/advancing-sustainability/how-to-recycle/recycling-your-packaging.htm for more information on what to do with boxes, packing envelopes, product cushions, shipping manifests, plastic bags, and more.

Simple Steps to Save our Feathered Friends

Simple Steps to Save our Feathered Friends

1 in 8 bird species face extinction due to habitat loss. You can help protect them simply by hanging or giving birdhouses.

Photo by Jongsun Lee on Unsplash

How big is the problem? In just 50 years, there are 2.9 billion fewer birds! Loss of habitats can be from human land development or from natural causes such as the many hurricanes and fires over the last few years that have swept through areas and removed available shelter and food sources.

Consider donating bird houses or roosting pockets to local wildlife refuges or hang some to attract birds to your own yard.

Other powerful ways to encourage birds to thrive – avoid pesticides. Pesticides harm birds in many ways including direct contract and through contaminated food sources. Reduction of insect life through pesticides also reduces their numbers as an available food source.

Avoid single use plastics and increase recycling. Many bird species have been found to eat plastic and other trash, mistaking it for food. Birds, fish and other wildlife can become entangled on plastic bags, can loops and other plastic waste. Microplastics or plastic bits have been found everywhere – in our oceans, in animals, and in humans. Reducing plastic use helps all of us.

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Use your computer to make a small change today for free! For a short time, the GreaterGood Rainforest site will fund the equivalent of 21.7 square feet of protected habitat for each user who watches a short video to learn more about the issue. Click on the link above.

Free the Ocean LogoFree the Ocean is another website that supports plastic removal. Answer the daily trivia question and you’ll help remove one piece of plastic from the ocean. Help make an impact today.

Small steps have big payoffs in protecting wildlife. Take some today.

Only 9% of Plastic is Recycled

Only 9% of Plastic is Recycled

With statistics showing only 9% of plastic is recycled, more needs to be done. Recycling is an ideal method of keeping plastics out of landfills and eleswhere in the environment, but many other options are equally beneficial methods of reducing the amount of plastics in landfill or in the ocean.

The variety of plastic types includes a complex array of items that can and cannot be recycled, leaving the consumer the job of determining which to trash and which to recycle. Further complicating things is that some parts of a package may be recyclable while other parts are not. For example, often plastic bottles can be recycled, but their caps cannot. Including non-recyclable items can damage recycling equipment and increase the cost by requiring careful sorting. Many plastic containers contain food, liquids, or other contents that should be cleaned prior to recycling. Even labels can gum up recycling equipment. All of these factors increase the cost and effort required.

reusable water bottle
Photo by Kate Trifo on Unsplash

Reducing our reliance on single-use, disposable packaging can make an equal or larger impact than recycling. Multi-pack and bulk items can provide a better ratio of packaging to products and many companies are making efforts to reduce excess packaging. Other companies are testing alternatives to plastic as packaging materials, including plant-based materials that decompose more easily.

Choosing products packaged in glass or metal are another simple option. Glass and metal are much more efficiently recycled than plastics. Additionally, glass and metal containers can easily be cleaned, reused, and repurposed. Choosing a reusable water bottle over disposable plastic bottles can be a simple act, significantly reduce one of the biggest sources of plastic waste, and be a healthier choice by avoiding exposure to chemicals from cheap plastic bottles that can leach into the water.

Other simple choices include using real utensils rather than single serve plastic ones, grouping shipments to reduce packing, using your own bags when shopping, or buying secondhand. Small changes do make an impact.

Photo by Antoine GIRET on Unsplash

Increase Glass Recycling

Increase Glass Recycling

Although glass is 100% recyclable, only about one-third gets recycled in the US.  (Compared to 90% in Switzerland).  

Americans dispose of some 10 million metric tons of glass annually.  Most of it ends up in the trash.  Of the glass that does get recycled, most is comingled with aluminum & steel cans, various types of plastic, newspaper, junk mail, cardboard, and other paper products in what is called single-stream curbside collection in many US municipalities.

Additionally, many people mistakenly include garbage and non-recyclable items in the recycle bin which leads to higher costs to separate and lower actual rates of recycling.

You can help by being careful to only include recyclable items in the bins and requesting multi-stream recycling in your community. Multi-stream recycling means sorting your recyclables into types and can raise the amount of glass recylced from 40% in single stream to 90% in multistream recycling.

Free The Ocean Of Plastic

Free The Ocean Of Plastic

An estimated 18 billion pounds of plastic enters the ocean each year.

Let’s do something about it.

The state of our ocean effects every single one of us, whether we live in Ohio or Japan. Be a part of changing these statistics and help remove plastics and keep it out. Find out how you can limit your plastic footprint HERE. Free the Ocean takes the advertising dollars generated by you visiting their site and directly pay their cause partner as grants to fund removing plastic.

Simple Things YOU Can Do To Keep Plastic Out Of The Ocean

1 million plastic bags are used PER MINUTE.

Let’s reduce these #’s. Bring your own reusable shopping and produce bags to markets (in many grocery stores this will also save you from having to purchase a bag).

Be a good recycler.

Only 9% of recyclable plastics actually get recycled. So look up what your local waste center accepts and keep that in mind when buying products and throwing things away.

Bar soap > soap in a plastic bottle.

A lot of these tend to smell better anyways.

Stay away from those plastic water bottles.

Seriously. Invest in a reusable bottle, like the Free the Ocean stainless steel bottle, which will not only benefit the ocean but is cheaper in the long run (and keeps your beverages hot or cold). Once you’ve bought a reusable bottle, check out the handy app called Tap that can show you where you’ll find the closest water oasis to fill up. www.findtap.com

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