The Armchair Ecologist » Eco-conscious Living http://planet-u.com/blog Empowering individual actions that create a better planet. Thu, 02 Dec 2010 01:34:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Leafit to Nissan http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/11/leafit-to-nissan/ http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/11/leafit-to-nissan/#comments Wed, 01 Dec 2010 04:10:21 +0000 Greg Ugolini http://planet-u.com/blog/?p=84 If you have not seen the commercial for the new, all electric, Nissan Leaf…check out this commercial. It really tugged on my heart strings.

]]> http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/11/leafit-to-nissan/feed/ 0 Eco-diets — the environment gains while you lose http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/10/eco-diets-%e2%80%94-the-environment-gains-while-you-lose/ http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/10/eco-diets-%e2%80%94-the-environment-gains-while-you-lose/#comments Sat, 02 Oct 2010 16:16:53 +0000 Greg Ugolini http://planet-u.com/blog/?p=81 Sometimes I post links to some interesting blog articles.

This one is a great read on many diets out there that can indirectly influence conservation of resources and lessen the impact of your carbon footprint.

]]> http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/10/eco-diets-%e2%80%94-the-environment-gains-while-you-lose/feed/ 0 Putting the green in Halloween http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/09/putting-the-green-in-halloween/ http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/09/putting-the-green-in-halloween/#comments Thu, 30 Sep 2010 17:22:56 +0000 Greg Ugolini http://planet-u.com/blog/?p=73 Happy Hallowgreen!

With the event right around the corner, I did an informal poll to see how “green” people were thinking for Trick-or-Treat. Why, you ask? Last year, I saw many people carrying around small plastic pumpkins. Think of the amount of plastic used and/or discarded for that event.

I conducted this informal research to see if folks were thinking about alternative containers more this year than last. After all, capturing all of that candy treasure during the spooky quests is fun, but why not be green in the process.

Here are the top 5 alternatives to using a plastic pumpkin:

  • Shopping Bag (made from recycled plastic or cotton)
  • Pillow Case (wowie! a bountiful feast of candy and/or cavities awaits the person who can fill one of those. I say, go for the King pillowcase for the added challenge)
  • A plastic shopping bag/Halloween bag (reused from previous years)
  • A woven basket
  • A backpack (I thought that was creative – they also liked carrying their bottled water, warmer layers if it got cold, and a flashlight)

If you elect to use a plastic pumpkin and do not wish to keep it, see if it can be recycled or give it away. Keep in mind that many are made from plastics that can not be placed in the good ole recycle bin. Have fun and be safe.

Trick-or-treat Pillow Case

]]> http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/09/putting-the-green-in-halloween/feed/ 0 Insane workouts that keep you green http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/09/insane-workouts-that-keep-you-green/ http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/09/insane-workouts-that-keep-you-green/#comments Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:27:19 +0000 Greg Ugolini http://planet-u.com/blog/?p=62 Driving too and from a workout facility can be straining on the wallet and can take a toll on the size of your carbon footprint over time.

Yes, I understand not all have a vehicle and may walk to the club or bike. In addition, I understand that some enjoy the atmosphere and motivation a club can evoke. No, I am not suggesting you give up health clubs. Rather, I am pausing to reflect on choices we make.

I recently started the Beachbody Shaun T Insanity workout, which is one of the most intense training workouts I have participated in (at home or at a club).  And, in my quest to find additional ways of being green, I know that I am getting fit and saving resources.

Here are just a few things that would normally be utilized because of a membership I have to a local health club:

  • Water used to wash the towels (if I forgot to take my own)
  • Electricity used to power the building, the dryer/washing machines that process the laundry I may create there
  • Detergents used to sterilize the facility or wash towels. These may be more harmful to the environment than my personal choices that minimize their impact with use
  • Fossil fuels used to power my vehicle to travel to and from
  • Paper statements and other marketing material that slipped through to me despite my request to remove me from snail-mail lists.
  • The plastic that was used to make my membership identification
  • Etc.

Okay, it may seem like a stretch with the above (no pun intended), but working out at home can be just as successful and rewarding with the added benefit of eliminating the car ride and doing a small part in helping reduce the impact on the planet and its resources.

Stay healthy and green!

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You can log on to your account and go paperless. And, it is easier than ever. Every utility company, credit card, or other service I interact with now offers this as a convenient option. That is a magic word for humans right? “Convenient.”

This is not necessarily something folks didn’t know, but have you acted on it yet? I have taken advantage of it in the past and recently. Some offer automatic billing and/or they will email you an e-copy of your bill with plenty of lead time before it is due. There are often many options from which you can select. I love it.

Some companies like AT&T will even plant a tree in your honor for going paperless.

Try it…you’ll like it.

]]> http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/06/going-paperless-trees/feed/ 0 Earth Month revisited http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/05/earth-month-revisited/ http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/05/earth-month-revisited/#comments Sun, 02 May 2010 18:09:50 +0000 Greg Ugolini http://planet-u.com/blog/?p=56 I took an oath not to be preachy or make attempts to prod people into making hefty contributions during Earth Month (ya know…April).  That oath was limited to the blog. That did not stop me from promoting it in businesses.

It was very interesting to see how quickly people were ready to contribute when provided with a recycling opportunity within close proximity to where they worked.

The picture below is from one of the break rooms at a large corporation after a week of collection. Everything you see in the box would have made it into the trash and our landfills.

The organization already recycles paper, aluminum, and plastic bottles. For the week-long challenge, people were encouraged to recycle their paper cups and glass bottles.

There would likely have been more on any other week. The reason? Most people also brought in a mug or cup for their favorite beverages to reduce the resources used. Every little bit makes a difference.

]]> http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/05/earth-month-revisited/feed/ 0 Earth Hour – turn out the lights on 3/27 http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/03/earth-hour-turn-out-the-lights-on-327/ http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/03/earth-hour-turn-out-the-lights-on-327/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:15:47 +0000 Greg Ugolini http://planet-u.com/blog/?p=53 Planet U will turn off all non-essential lighting for Earth Hour, and we encourage organizations and individuals to do the same. This will be awesome!

Earth Hour, which takes place Saturday, March 27th at 8:30 p.m. local time, is an event in which millions of Americans will turn out their lights for one hour in support of action on climate change and toward creating a cleaner, safer and more secure future. 2010 marks the third year of the event, which attracted more than 80 million participants in the U.S. last year, and nearly a billion people around the world, as lights dimmed on such global icons as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Sydney’s Opera House, the Great Pyramids of Gaza and New York’s Empire State Building.

Notable U.S. landmarks such as Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, St. Louis’ Gateway Arch, Sea World in Orlando, the strip in Las Vegas, New York’s Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Washington D.C.’s National Cathedral, California’s Santa Monica Pier and the Space Needle in Seattle are among the hundreds of sites that will turn off non-essential lighting for the hour, in what is expected to be the largest-ever call to action on climate change.

Are you willing to make the 1 hour commitment? Join here (pretty please).

]]> http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/03/earth-hour-turn-out-the-lights-on-327/feed/ 0 Fixin’ to pitch that fir (tree)? http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/01/fixin%e2%80%99-to-pitch-that-fir/ http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/01/fixin%e2%80%99-to-pitch-that-fir/#comments Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:13:11 +0000 Greg Ugolini http://planet-u.com/blog/?p=52 Although I celebrated this holiday without any tree (live or artificial), some of you had.

If you are like most, you’re now ready to get that beautiful “live” tree out of your home to pitch it. Please remember that many local municipalities have programs that allow you to leave the tree at the curb for recycling.

They will then come by on specific dates to shred the tree. Some areas compost where others use it for mulch. It sure beats sending it to a landfill.

One of my friends even likes to submerge them as structure in ponds that have little shelter for aquatic animals.

Happy new year everyone!

]]> http://planet-u.com/blog/2010/01/fixin%e2%80%99-to-pitch-that-fir/feed/ 0 Cereal gets serious…with the environment in mind http://planet-u.com/blog/2009/11/cereal-gets-seriouswith-the-environment-in-mind/ http://planet-u.com/blog/2009/11/cereal-gets-seriouswith-the-environment-in-mind/#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:09:11 +0000 Greg Ugolini http://planet-u.com/blog/?p=51 Three Sisters Cereal is a newer cereal I started purchasing during my short treks to the local Whole Foods Market. What intrigued me the most… it comes in a plastic bag.

I know, you may be saying to me… “How is that good for the environment?”  Well, that is a good question and I am glad you are challenging the thought process to make greener choices.

Consider the alternative, boxed cereals have a plastic liner. Three Sisters Cereal eliminates the use of paper altogether and uses the plastic for storage. Plus, each bag comes with a handy zip seal that keeps the cereal fresh (I like that a lot).

I have tried three of the six flavors thus far: Graham Cracker, Marshmallow, and Sweet Wheat – all are yummy. And, yes I have a sweet tooth when it comes to cereal mom (hence my choices in flavors).

Want another reason to opt for this brand…Three Sisters Cereal uses environmentally conscious business practices that include recycling and using wind energy to produce their cereals. Woohoo!

]]> http://planet-u.com/blog/2009/11/cereal-gets-seriouswith-the-environment-in-mind/feed/ 0 Move over trash — hello green! http://planet-u.com/blog/2009/07/move-over-trash-%e2%80%94hello-green/ http://planet-u.com/blog/2009/07/move-over-trash-%e2%80%94hello-green/#comments Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:52:05 +0000 Greg Ugolini http://planet-u.com/blog/?p=47 Are you going to participate in a family move or work at a business that is relocating? There can be a lot of trash generated as part of a move. The key is to separate the usable “material” from the “true trash”.

This can include recycle worthy or reusable paper products, office supplies, books/magazines, furniture, plastic containers, etc.

A friend of mine recently went through a corporate move. A friend of mine stepped into action after noticing the company was creating trash piles in an empty office that included the above examples.

What did they do? They called a few local schools and non-profit organizations to see if they wanted any of the spare office supplies that one would have wasted.  It sounds like the organizations were absolutely tickled to have the opportunity to reuse “material” that folks were just going to throw away.

Kudos to you my friend! That is a great example of taking a proactive choice to help people and the environment.

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