Go Green - Take the Pledge

[Cathie]

There are a lot of us here on PJJ and if each of us just did one thing new to help the environment, we'd be off to a good start. When most people think of helping the environment, thoughts of recycling bins, and guys wearing Birkenstock shoes with tie dyes come into mind. But in reality, there are quite a few things normal people can do to help out. For instance, many stores sell for a cheap price, reusable grocery bags. I've got 8 of them, and they hold far more than normal plastic ones. Not willing to make that switch or feeling like it'll cost you money more than you can afford (Some places sell them for only $0.99), be sure to gather unneeded plastic bags and return them to a bin outside your grocery store. Those plastic bags are recycled into that fake wood used in making the resilient decks. So not only are you recycling, but you're saving a tree! If we all make the effort to do just this one thing, we'll also lower the demand for oil...and if we lower the demand of oil? Lower priced gas. How? Plastic comes from oil and so does gasoline. If you purchase your own groceries and spend about $50 per week, try to make $5 of that organic foods...like your fruits and veggies. $5 worth of fruits and veggies is just a lb of apples, a bag of baby carrots, and some bananas. Not very much. If you spend $100 per week, make it $10 worth as Organic...milk, fruits, veggies...there are many more out there. Just look for the Organic label, and some stores have an organic section. Rule of thumb, 10% of your grocery bill should be organic...why? The pesticides used on fruits & veggies, not only for consumption but also for eating by farm animals, and products used as ingredients, are derived from oil. Again! Oil = Gas. So you help lower gas prices! can't beat that, eh? Desperate for that morning mocha, or evening espresso when you're half asleep doing homework? Bring a reusable travel mug. 1) No cardboard sleeve, and 2) no cup. Less garbage. Here in NY we get $0.05 per can that we turn in...we also pay that same price as a deposit (like...apartment deposit. You pay $200 at signing the lease, you get it back at the end). So while the prospect of turning in 10 cans yields just $0.50, the idea behind it is to recycle the aluminum. Find your local aluminum recycling center or a normal recycling center and take your cans up there...just keep them in a bag and bring them up when the bag is full. BONUS if you do the same for cardboard, plastic and glass.

Well I'll step off my soapbox (See?! I recycled that soapbox! I used it as a step stool). Seriously everyone...take the pledge! These are really things you can do and they can make a dramatic change in our world, if not for us, then for our children (and I've got 2 to think of so it's important to me).