It's Earth Day: Think Green Folks

If you know me well, you probably knew an earth-friendly post was in store when you clicked on my page due to today's celebration of Earth Day.

I just couldn't resist...after all, it's no lie that I spend nights awake, concerned my children aren't going to see the planet as I have been able to see it (nevermind all those global warming/end of the world shows I watch on Nat Geo and the History Channel before I fall asleep...).

Regardless of surprise, to honor the day and express my deep love for our earth, I've decided to make a list of some things I am going to try to make a habit of during the next year. Each Earth Day, I'll add on more things to the list and before I know it, I'll be as green as can be. Well, in theory at least.

My green inventory thus far...

Positive green points:

+ I use reusable shopping bags as much as possible

+ I use energy-efficient appliances (costly initially, but my bills are actually equal/less than they were living in a small apartment)

+ I recycle virtually everything at home at least (thank you, curbside!)

Negative green points:

- Gas emissions (a 40 mile+ commute, but I'm working on a carpool!)

- I'm a tree killer (there are hundreds of papers in my office)

- At home, I have a bad habit of leaving lights on when I leave rooms

With that guilt taking over, here's my list of 8 things I'm going to do to make my life greener this year (ideas compiled from various Internet sources):

1. Buy larger items. Sounds counter-productive, but think about it: one big jar of salsa takes up a lot less packaging than several smaller jars.
2. Unplug appliances when they're not in use. Does my phone charge magically while I am gone for the day? I thought not. Keeping the less-than-often used appliances unplugged when idle reduces your power usage significantly. Amen to lower bills, too!
3. Use rechargable batteries for cameras, alarm clocks, etc. It's that simple... After all, household batteries present a major toxic disposal issue.
4. Go double-sided. I've vowed to be more conscious that when I am done filling up that piece of paper with to do lists and life goals, I won’t throw it away immediately. Instead, I am going to try to flip it over and use the other side for more unproductive lists.
5. Replace lights with compact fluorescent lightbulbs. CFLs cost three to five times as much as conventional incandescent bulbs yet use 75 percent less electricity and typically last 10 years longer. Just look for the Energy Star label.
6. Hang clothes on a clothesline instead of using the dryer. According to a Time magazine article, a T-shirt can omit up to 9 lbs. of carbon dioxide into the air during its lifetime. Yikes! Although I am a sucker for soft, dryer-scented clothes, I am going to make a conscious effort to hang more and dry less this summer.
7. Buy more at second-hand stores. Why? Buying a used shirt means you avoid consuming all the energy used in producing and shipping a new one and, therefore, the carbon emissions associated with it. Besides, vintage means uniqueness anyways, right? I think I'll just stick to getting cheap, kitschy tees at Plato's Closet.
8. Pay bills online. Why? A.) It revives that feeling of excitement you got as a kid when you actually got something addressed to you in the mail. B.) It avoids wasting both paper and fuel for transporting your Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes entry form. It's a win-win for all.

Take my steps and apply them to your own life. Or not. The choice is yours. But look at how happy this penguin is below. You don't want to be the one responsible for melting his home away, now do you? Then make an effort toward slowing global warming and have a wonderful Earth Day!

My Taste Buds <3 Tava

One of the things I gave up for lent is pop. I didn't think it would be that big of a deal, after all, I don't drink that much pop. But, it's not good for me and when I am in need of a little boost, I turn to it and I feel like I shouldn't. I wish I could be one of those H2O nuts, guzzling away at the cool taste of nothingness, but I just can't do it. I like FLAVOR and I have a major weakness for carbonation.

So, the other day when I was zapping away items for my wedding registry at Target, I decided I needed a drink. Since the Target snack counter fountain mostly contained pop, I only had one choice: Tava.

"What in the world is this?" I thought.

Described as a "Zero calorie sparkling beverage," I was intrigued. The flavor was "Mediterranean Fiesta," and had a taste of citrus + berries (which I later learned should be black berry, tangerine and lime). I was pleasantly surprised after tasting it and I will definitely plan to purchase it in the future.

I didn't know where the heck the stuff came from or who made it (it didn't say on the fountain label), so I did some digging via the Internet. I learned the company was recently acquired by PepsiCo and from what I can tell, its marketing approach is looking to draw from the crowd of what I would call "artsy hipsters." The Web site plays music I've never heard before -- crucial to that type of audience (in fact, I may go download some of the songs...), says Tava supports emerging artists and the list of events where Tava will be present throughout the year include a combo of art/jazz/theater fairs from around the country (none in the Detroit area though -- BOO!).

The other Tava flavors include Tahitian Tamure (tropical fruit/ tangerine/ lime) and Brazillian Samba (passion fruit/ pineapple/ lime). Kind of nerdy names if you ask me, but the flavors taste good and for this artsy type of audience, they seem appropriate.

My research lead me to learn that Tava is one of those drinks fortified by vitamins (vitamins E, B6, niacin and chromium). The sodium levels aren't fantastic (35 mg per 16.9 oz.) and it contains aspartame, which apparently isn't that great for you, but shoot, nothing is bad in moderation. Tava sells for $1.49 for a 16.9 oz., which is comparable to many other energy/vitamin drinks out there.

All in all, for a girl like me who craves the carbonation but not the calories of pop, it does the trick and makes me feel like I belong in the "artsy hipster" demographic. Me likey.

(Side note: Read the story from this week's Fortune here about the changing face of Pepsi and how sassy CEO Indra Nooyi is leading the charge. You go girl!)

Consumer Consequence: How GREEN Are You?

After reading an article by Desiree Cooper of Detroit Free Press (sent to me by my lovely friend Nikki), I decided to take a look at a game called Consumer Consequences, which is designed to illustrate the impact of our lifestyles on the Earth by calculating your ecological footprint. It's part of American Public Media's special series, "Consumed," which explores whether the modern American lifestyle is sustainable in the long run.

The game asks you a series of questions about your lifestyle, and as you play, it will show you how many "Earths" of natural resources it would take to sustain all 6.6 billion humans if everyone lived like you. After taking it, I discovered that if everyone lived like me, we'd go through 3.7 planets. The place where I received the most points (which is a bad thing), was in the food category and shopping habits. My eating out habits and the type of food I consume - lots of meat and dairy didn't help (it's time to increase my veggie and fruits intake). I also am a self-proclaimed shopping addict when it comes to clothes and accessories. Time to start mending things where I can and stopping shopping as much as possible...

There are lots of hints and facts along the way that show you where you can help our planet. One thing I found interesting was that a plugged in cell phone charger consumes energy and adds to your monthly bill. I'm going to make a better effort to unplug mine daily from now on. I scored low for how much garbage I go through (one bag a week), due to all that I recycle, so that was a plus.

Take the quiz, it's VERY interesting!