Green Action – Use Public Transportation

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Be more green!
You can make a difference today!
Make many small changes to make one big change!
And you’ll save a lot!
Take action now!
Here’s one idea.
Use Public Transportation.    
Vacation time is coming and it’s time to plan your families next big getaway. The trouble is energy prices are through the roof and everyone’s interested in saving money.  Here’s a way to save money, create jobs, and help the environment at the same time.
Use Public Transportation.
Using Public transportation is a cost saver and a green lifestyle for not only your daily work commute but  can also make your next vacation a healthy, cost saving adventure.
Here are a few interesting Public Transportation facts.  if used, Public Transportation can save the average household upwards of $8,400 a  year.   It’s estimated that public transportation saved more than 640 million gallons of oil last year just based on the reduction of congestion.
According to Treehugger.com, The United States dependency on foreign oil supplies would decrease by 40 percent if just one in 10 Americans used public transportation. And economically?… public transportation employs approximately 400,000 people and is a $54 billion dollar industry.  Not to mention all commuters that have the ability to work due to the availability of buses, trains, and subways.
And…. we haven’t even yet discussed the health benefits of taking public transportation!  Many studies have shown that the average American walks 6 minutes a day.  Public transportation users walk an average of 19 minutes a day, very close to the  target health incentive of 22 minutes per day.   It’s safer to take public transportation.  Public Transportation has a lower fatality rate per passenger mile than car travel as Public Transportation users tend to drive less frequently,  drive at reduced speeds and are less likely to engage in high risk driving.  Riding a bus is 79 times safer than riding in an automobile, and riding a train or subway is even safer.
And then there is the  basic enjoyment of it. You have no worries about where to park your car, get gas, or pay tolls.  No worries about your children getting to tired to walk… just grab the next bus or nearest subway.  See the sites, take a long walk and still be near a conveniently situated bus stop or subway.
So why not plan to use it on your next vacation to a new city, region, or country?  It’s a great way to see how the locals live, to enjoy the pace of your new vacationland.    Get out from behind the wheel, enjoy the sites and plan a safe, happy, healthy vacation.
 Find more public transportation information here
Find more resources that will help you take action now here.
Find environmental organizations to support here.

Green Action – Plant A Tree

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Be more green!
You can make a difference today!
Make many small changes to make one big change!
And you’ll save a lot!
Take action now!
Here’s one idea.
Plant a Tree!    
“The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” Chinese Proverb
It’s Spring, a time of growth and renewal. From fruit trees to maples here in Maine spring is a wonderful time for planting and preparing for future harvests.
Following that thought there are two green holiday’s during this proliferate month of April.  National Arbor Day, April 27, a day that celebrates the planting of trees and of course, Earth Day celebrated this year on April 22.
Why plant trees?  We all know that trees help us breathe.  Trees remove 100 to 120 billion tons of carbon each year from man-made sources.  They use the carbon dioxide that we release into the atmosphere and store it for energy.  They release oxygen into the atmosphere and filter pollutants.  Mature trees can absorb roughly 48 pounds of CO2 a year. The tree in turn releases enough oxygen to sustain two human beings. They filter rain water and reduce topsoil runoff.  The USDA reports that 100 mature trees can reduce runoff caused by rainfall by up to 100,000 gallons! Water originating in our national forests provides drinking water for over 3400 communities, and approximately 60 million individuals.
Trees provide a windbreak for your home in the winter, shade and cool your home in the summer and provide shade and cool the environment in our cities.  The shade and wind buffering provided by trees reduces annual heating and cooling costs by 2.1 billion dollars. They also provide an eco system for birds, bees, and assorted local fauna.
The more trees the cleaner the air, the cooler the planet, the cleaner the water, the healthier the planet
This makes perfect green sense.
Get ten free trees here.
Find carbon credits here.
Donate a tree here.
Find more resources that will help you take action now here.
Find environmental organizations to support here.
 

Green Action – Recycle Ink Cartridges

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Be more green!
You can make a difference today!
Make many small changes to make one big change!
And you’ll save a lot!
Take action now!
Here’s one idea
Recycle Printer Cartridges   
Here in our Cushing, Maine studio we use many printer cartridges. With numerous photographic printers and many students, our prevalent use of ink can at times be mind boggling.  With numbers ranging from 375 to 700 million printer ink cartridges consumed yearly in the United States, we know we are not alone.
That’s roughly 960 cartridges being disposed of every minute.  Most of these printer cartridges end up on landfill sites leaking toxic ink into the environment and taking between 450-1000 years to decompose.
With about three ounces of petroleum used to manufacture each printer cartridge, the total combined energy usage can be as much as 3 quarts of oil per-cartridge to produce the final product.
The good news is that most cartridges can be reused an average of 5-7 times by refilling and approximately 97 percent of the plastic and metal that make up these cartridges can be recycled.  That said, latest statistics show that only about 30 percent of cartridges are recycled world wide.
There are many ways you can recycle your ink cartridges.
Many non-profits like The Smile Train and United Way have set up recycling programs to collect funds for their cause.  This makes it very easy to support your favorite charity and help the environment at the same time!
Many school organizations have found that this is an un-challenging and effective way to fundraise while teaching the students the benefits of recycling.
Major printer ink retailers have programs in place to recycle cartridges. For years now, Staples has been recycling ink cartridges and giving back Staples Rewards money for all brands of ink and toner.
If your need is to simply dispose of your used cartridges, why not recycle back thru the manufacturer? All major printer manufacturers have their own recycling programs.  You can find the instructions for these programs inside the cartridge box.
Back at our studio we do recycle.  We load up a cardboard box and send it off to the local owner of a horse farm.  She collects cartridges to feed her horses who in turn supply clean manure for gardens.
Now that’s recycling!
Find more resources that will help you take action now here.
Find environmental organizations to support here.

Green Action – Use Multi-Use Bags

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Be more green!
You can make a difference today!
Make many small changes to make one big change!
And you’ll save a lot!
Take action now!
Here’s one idea
Choose to Reuse
12 million barrels of oil are needed
to make the more than 100 billion plastic single use grocery bags that are used in the US every year. An estimated 4 billion of these bags end up as litter each year,  If tied end to end these bags could stretch around the earth 63 times.  Recycling these plastic bags is costly and not economicaly ideal to many second generation markets. Sadly most of these recycled plastic bags end up being shipped to other countries with more lenient environmental laws to be incinerated.
It takes 98% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic compared to a pound of paper. Yet bags made from paper actually require 4 times more energy to produce, create more pollutants, and take up considerably more landfill space than plastic.
What should we do?
The answer lies in multi-use bags.
But be careful, not every reusable bag is the same.  Many bags imported from China have been printed with lead inks, others have been shown to harbor bacteria, mould and other organisms.
Cotton bags, molded plastic carry crates, and natural fiber baskets do the job well – IF you remember to bring them into the store! (Be sure to wash your reusable items regularly.)
Find more resources that will help you take action now here.
Find environmental organizations to support here.

Green Action – Turn Down The Thermostat

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Be more green!
You can make a difference today!
Make many small changes to make one big change!
And you’ll save a lot!
Take action now!
Here’s one idea.
Tune Up The Heat
If each household lowered its average heating temperature by 6 degrees Farenheit over a 24 hour period, we’d save the energy of 500,000 barrels of oil every day.
If your household is like most households, 40% of the energy you use is for heat. Inefficient heating systems can waste 30-50% of the energy they generate.
Test, clean, and adjust your heating system annually for an average of 5% savings.
For Forced Air systems insulate ducts. For Electric systems a heat pump can reduce your bill up to 40%. For Hot Water systems put reflectors behind your radiators.
Save energy, save money, save the planet.
Save now. Then help your friends save. Imagine how much we’ll all save!
Find more resources that will help you take action now here.
Find environmental organizations to support here.