According to a recent article published by stopglobalwarming.org, 4 million tons of gift bags and wrapping paper are thrown in the trash during our wintertime holiday celebrations. WOW!

Their tips: “try skipping the gift wrap and cut back on holiday waste. Use the least amount of packaging and wrapping as possible, or try alternatives to paper gift wrapping. Newspaper, fabric scraps, scarves, reusable boxes, tins and jars are great wrapping ideas. If you do buy wrapping paper, always choose recycled and save wrap and bows for re-use next year.”

If you have not already checked out their site, I highly recommend it. There are nearly a million and a quarter folks (including me) who have joined the Stop Global Warming Virtual March.

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Hi there. I was going to the store to replace my doorbell and noticed a determined group of people partnering to remove trash and other undesirables from the road’s shoulder. What a great opportunity to write and provide a big “hats off” to those dedicated folks that load up those telltale orange bags with litter. Or perhaps a 21 bag salute is more fitting.

Chances are good that your State’s Adopt-A-Highway program still has a stretch of road near you with your name on it. Adopt-A-Highway programs provide a great opportunity for individuals, clubs, for-profit/non-profit organizations and business, and even sororities/fraternities to step up with their good, environmentally conscious, deeds.

Hey, you get a small workout too! In most cases it’s a two-mile stretch to maintain. Typically it includes the options of removing trash, mowing/weeding, and even the potential of planting shrubs, flowers, and trees.

Don’t worry about the bags and safety vests. My research found that the Department of Transportation in your state would likely provide the bags, vests, and will even pick up and dispose of the bags that folks fill. If you don’t like getting out there and doing it yourself you just may be able to wrangle up some eager volunteers and/or work-for-hire folks that will help with the cause.

I am certainly going to look into volunteering for a cleanup in my area.

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A lady wielding an ugly bottle of cologne attacked me at the mall. She was attempting to lure me into purchasing some awful smelling men’s fragrance. If I really want to saturate myself with cologne at the mall, all I really need to do is visit one of those in-fashion unisex stores that seem to pipe in gallons of it through their air-conditioning vents.

eco-Buyer beware — many fragrances (for both men and women) use scents derived from flowers, plants, and trees that are susceptible to overharvesting. For example, the Brazilian Rosewood tree is a rare find in the wild due to humans harvesting it for just such a purpose.

I decided to conduct my own unscientific poll. I spoke to a sales person at a specialty store. Yes, only one person, but they have observed many folks. They said more people are taking a harder look at the ingredients to ensure the fragrances use sustainably harvested essential oils and botanicals (or are synthetic). Good job people!

Want another nudge towards earth-friendly scents… as much as 95% of the chemicals used to make some cologne and perfume are petroleum based. And, may include some chemicals known to cause cancer, affect nerves, cause allergies, etc. That’s enough for me to steer clear.

While you are taking those steps, also consider purchasing…

• bling-bling that’s not made from turtle shells, coral, or other animals
• furniture or other wood products made from sustainably harvested woods
• house plants/flowers that are grown locally versus those that are wild
• books/magazines printed with sustainable resources and soy ink
• food that is locally grown

Okay, I will stop here. But, I know you can think of a lot more.

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Solvents, stains, household cleaners, and paints are just a few of the items that contribute to the health problems associated with poor indoor air quality. This article doesn’t focus on the myriad of things you can do to help with air quality. Rather, it gives kudos to no-VOC paint manufactures and a brief account of my experience. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound. It sounds scary…and for good reason.

Indoor air quality is one of the top leading health risks (according to the EPA).

My wife, Laura, decided it was time for a new inspiring color in her den. So we headed over to the local home store to check out paints. One brand stood out to us — The Freshaire Choice. After doing a little research on the web, it looks to be the only no-VOC paint that contains zero VOCs in both the paint and the tint. It was neat to watch the friendly home store’s paint lady mix the paint.  She emptied the corresponding no-VOC powder packet to the base paint to achieve the desired color.

How does it look on the wall? It looks great and even seemed to dry a tad faster than traditional latex paints. It is important to mention that the paint also stayed mixed throughout the entire project. And, with no headaches…literally. Here are some other advantages of purchasing this paint:

• The paint is certified by the GEI (GREENGUARD Environmental Institute). This is a respected organization with the mission: “to improve public health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air”.
• The paint chips are made from recycled paper and can be recycled. We brought our samples back to the store and put them back on the shelf.
• 100% of the can is made from recycled material. The bottom of the can we have indicates #5 PP plastic (polypropylene).
• The label is made from 75% recycled fiber and printed with Soy ink.
• It comes with a lifetime warranty…you can’t beat that!

By the way, Laura’s color choice for her office was FA058 — Rushing Stream.

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You may have noticed a trend in the gift card industry…the use of PLA plastic. Yippee! Oh sure, it better to find another way to give a gift that uses fewer resources like an online gift certificate. However, this is certainly a turn in the right direction when considering how popular the whole gift card giving can be.

PLA stands for Polylactic Acid manufacturers derive PLA from renewable sources containing sugar (and sometimes starch) rather than oil like other common plastics. Corn and sugar cane are the primary sources. That’s why you usually see the biodegradable claim on packages made with PLA.

If you are like me, you may have placed PLA into your recycle bin. Good job! Simply placing it in the ground will not cause the PLA to degrade. The average homegrown compost heaps doesn’t have the right conditions for proper composting of PLA. Ideally, it is best to compost it at a facility that monitors the ideal process (including moisture level and high heat levels) needed to break PLA down. During the process, it degrades to carbon dioxide (partially from the microorganisms assisting with the process) and water.  It also seems that many manufactures of PLA are constantly improving their processes and to keep the process as “green” as possible.

Many communities are still working out cost-effective solutions for separating PLA plastic from the traditional PET plastic. When separated in large quantities PLA can also be converted back to its magical ingredient — lactic acid. Neat.

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