Earthday Action

What simple, positive steps can you take to reduce waste on April 22—and every day? We’ve compiled a list of five tips that could make a huge impact on the health of the planet. Challenge yourself to see how many of these Earth Day action steps you can incorporate into your family’s daily routine. Making a difference might be easier than you think!

1. recycle and reuse
Recycling paper uses 70 percent less energy and 55 percent less water than creating new paper. Recycled paper may include unused scraps and fiber left over from manufacturing (saving on transportation costs).

Whenever possible, use washable cups, napkins, plates, and towels instead of paper ones. Recycle aluminum, cardboard, glass, paper, plastic, and tin cans.

2. eliminate unnecessary packaging
At the end of a grocery shopping trip, you hear, “Paper or plastic?” The best choice is to rely on reusable shopping bags, which are often sold in grocery stores.

You’ll be doing the environment a favor. The U.S. could reduce its reliance on oil by 12 million barrels a year if we didn’t go through plastic bags at the rate we do—100 billion annually. Of these bags, less than one percent is recycled, so plastic remains in the environment. The manufacture of paper bags also produces waste and adds to water and air pollution.

Another hint is to try buying your family’s favorite foods in large sizes. This way, you’re not bringing home extra plastic and cardboard.

An alternative to buying bottled water is drinking straight from the tap, using a filter if you’re concerned about quality. Invest in portable aluminum containers, so you can bring your coffee, tea, or water with you wherever you go. This will save you a bundle of money!

3. reduce your home’s carbon footprint
If you replace an incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent light (CFL) in a room that’s lit six hours a day, you’ll save 126 kilowatt-hours of electricity by year’s end. This translates into 170 pounds of CO2 emissions. Multiply that by the number of lights in your home, and you can see that making this simple switch makes a real difference.

CFLs have moved beyond the standard spiral coil and now come in shapes that fit many different fixtures. For example, globe shapes work well in bathrooms while dome shapes (which look similar to conventional bulbs) should be used in lamps with shades that clip directly onto the bulb. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are also efficient—some bulbs last as long as 60,000 hours—but because they don’t provide a sufficient amount of light for most people’s tastes, they are best used for reading lamps or under-cabinet or shelf lighting.

To conserve energy, turn off lights when you leave a room, and unplug stereo systems, phone chargers, and video games when you’re not using them. Clean your house with chlorine-free, natural supplies, and wash clothes in cold water. Limit showers to no more than five minutes if you can, install aerating showerheads, and fix leaky faucets.

4. travel green
If you improve your car’s gas mileage by as little as three miles per gallon, you’ll reduce carbon emissions by 3,000 pounds a year. To reach that goal, check tires often to make sure they’re inflated properly, and get regular tune-ups to boost efficiency. Remove your car’s roof rack when you’re not using it. Don’t drive aggressively; slow, steady acceleration can save fuel. Never let your car idle. If possible, live near your workplace. Consider carpooling, taking public transportation if it’s available, and biking or walking to work.

5. get outdoors and garden
Composting is the ultimate form of recycling and adds healthy, organic matter to your soil. You can compost your fruit and vegetable peelings, egg shells, coffee filters, leaves, and cut grass.
Other green ideas include planting trees and shrubs to help shade your home in hot weather. Reduce watering by mulching your garden with used newspaper, paper bags, grass clippings, and leaves. When you do water, it’s best to do it early or late in the day.

SELECTED SOURCES
“5 Ways You Can Fight Global Warming,” Sierra Club, 3/07 } “8 Ways to Practice Product Stewardship” by Trey Granger, www.earth911.org, 1/16/08 } “10 Tips for Earth Day: Preserving Biodiversity” by Janna Leyde; “The Green Paper Trail” by David Wortman, Green Guide, 3-4/07 } “The Case for CFLs” by Brendan I. Koerner, Slate, 2/5/08 } The Center for Climate Strategies, www.climatestrategies.us/ } The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Green Living by Trish Riley ($16.95, Alpha, 2007) } “Light Bulbs,” The Green Guide, National Geographic, www.thegreenguide.com } Living Green by Greg Horn ($14.95, Freedom, 2006) } The O’Mama Report, www.theorganicreport.com } “Plastic Bags, Headed for a Meltdown” by Jane Black, Washington Post, 2/6/08

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Fennel and Orange Salad
From the American Institute for Cancer Research, www.aicr.org
20 minutes prep time | Serves 4

- 1 bunch arugula, rinsed and dried
- 1 large navel orange, peeled, white pith removed, and cut into thin rounds
- 1 large fennel bulb
- 4 paper-thin slices red onion
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp orange juice
- 1/2 Tbsp orange zest

1. Make a bed of arugula on each of 4 salad plates. Arrange one-fourth of orange slices over arugula on each plate.

2. Cut away feathery tops of fennel at base of stalks and discard. Slice off bottom of bulb. Remove tough outer layer of bulb. Discard both. Cut bulb in half vertically. Cut each half crosswise into very thin slices. Arrange over orange slices.

3. Separate onion slices into rings and arrange over fennel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

4. In a small bowl, whisk oil with orange juice and zest. Drizzle dressing over each salad. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 75 Calories, 1 g Protein, 11 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Fiber, 4 g Total fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono, 1 g poly), 89 mg Sodium, Vitamin C

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Tropical Fruit Sparkler
From the Taste for Life test kitchen

15 minutes prep time
Serves 4

- 1 c peeled, chopped mango
- 1 c peeled, cubed fresh or canned pineapple
- 2 c orange juice
- 1 c crushed ice
- 1 c chilled sparkling water

1. Combine mango, pineapple, and orange juice in blender. Process until smooth and transfer mixture to large pitcher.

2. Stir in crushed ice and gradually pour in sparkling water. Stir until blended. Serve.

Per serving: 101 Calories, 1 g Protein, 25 g Carbohydrates, 2 g Fiber, 2 mg Sodium, Vitamin C, Manganese, Vitamin B1 (thiamine), B6, Folate, Copper