Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: At Home

Big Carbon Footprint Game

Thanks to everyone who participated in our game last week.  We added quite a few stickers!  

This week we are focusing on ways to reduce our carbon footprint at home.  I hope you will join us!

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint:  At Home

We spend so much of our time at our homes; it is also one of the best places to reduce our carbon footprints – and save money too!

1. Use a programmable thermostat
2. Set the thermostat cooler in winter and warmer in summer
3. Change air filters regularly for best airflow
4. Buy efficient AC and heating units
5. Get a home energy audit (you can request a free one from Pepco)
6. Seal air leaks, replace old windows, or add insulation
7. Set hot water heater to 120° F
8. Buy low flow shower heads
9. Wash clothes in warm or cold water; rinse with cold
10. Use a clothes line instead of dryer wherever possible
11. Turn off lights when not in a room
12. Turn off TV and computer when not using.  Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use.
13. Unplug chargers when not using, as the transformer in the AC adapter draws power continuously, even when the device is not plugged into the adapter.
14. Buy energy efficient appliances.
15. Keep your computer in low-power mode as much as possible; use automatic switching to sleep mode or turn it off.
16. Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator.  Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder.
17. Buy/use Halogen, LED or florescent light bulbs.
18. Install solar-powered outdoor lights.
19. Put solar panels on your roof (Solar City has a 20 year lease program, or you can purchase your own.)
20. Buy clean energy.  PEPCO distributes electricity from many providers; you have a choice.  For clean energy, see Ethical Electric, Viridian power with purpose; Inspire Energy; Oasis Energy (sells dirty energy also); and Washington Gas Energy Services (has wind power options).  They all have web sites with their respective rates, contracts, etc. 

Resources:

http://www.pepco.com/my-home/save-money-and-conserve-energy/efficiency-rebates-and-incentives-and-programs/  There are several programs, including: peak energy savings credit; energy wise rewards; lighting program; home energy check-up program; and more.

energysaver.gov

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: Transportation

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint:  Transportation

Over 40 percent of each person’s carbon foot print comes from transportation. This equals 16 TONS of carbon emissions per person each year! So doing activities to reduce your transportation carbon is a great way to reduce Our Big Carbon Footprint.  

1. Learn the carbon emissions of your car

2. Learn the carbon emissions of air, bus, train, and boat travel

3. Carpool/Rideshare

4. Walk

5. Bicycle, Unicycle, Tricycle to work, school, errands, etc.

6. Take Bus, Take school bus

7. Take Metro (once a week, every day, or whatever works for you!)

8. Combine errands to make fewer trips

9. Replace air travel with car, bus, train, or boat travel

10. Learn efficient driving techniques. Don’t speed.

11. Moderate use of your car’s air conditioning (and heat)

12. Service your vehicle regularly

13. Keep car tires properly inflated

14.  Don’t idle car

15.  Remove excess weight from your vehicle

16.  Drive a low emission vehicle

17.  Telecommute and teleconference

18.  If you must fly, fly economy class (each flyer’s share of carbon emissions is less because it’s spread over more people).  Avoid private jets.

19. Vacation closer to home

20.  Buy local produce.  Avoid produce that is transported from South America or other distant places

21. Offset your carbon transportation use

Resources:

https://energy.gov/energysaver/saving-money-gas

http://cotap.org/reduce-carbon-emissions/

https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles

Offset Transportation Emissions

Offset your carbon transportation use.  Avoiding the release of CO2 and other greenhouse gases is the best and most direct way of reducing our climate change impact.  Yet, some emissions are unavoidable.  For those, offsetting is a worthwhile option.  This is done by purchasing ‘carbon credits’ from accredited companies which offer this service, who will then invest those dollars in (for instance) renewable energy projects or planting trees.

http://carbonfund.org/reduce/

http://cotap.org/home/how-it-works/

Fuel-Efficient Driving Techniques

Fuel-efficient driving can not only save you hundreds of dollars in fuel each year but also improve road safety and prevent unnecessary wear on your vehicle.

Accelerate gently: The harder you accelerate the more fuel you consume. Pretend there is an open cup of coffee on your dashboard and try not to spill it.

Maintain a steady speed: Consider using cruise control for highway driving.  However, it can also be helpful to allow your speed to drop when you travel uphill, then regain your momentum as you roll downhill. 

Anticipate traffic: Anticipate traffic, pedestrians, etc, and keep a comfortable distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.  This will help you maintain a steady speed and keep everyone safe.

Avoid high speeds: Most vehicles are most efficient between 30-55 mph.  A vehicle uses about 20 percent more fuel at 75 mph than at 65 mph.

Coast to decelerate: This uses less fuel, and reduces wear and tear on your tires and breaks, which can reduce your maintenance costs.

http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/efficiency/transportation/cars-light-trucks/fuel-efficient-driving-techniques/7507

The Big Carbon Footprint Game is Coming!

In March and April, the UUCR Green Team will be presenting the Big Carbon Footprint Game!  Each week will have a different focus:

March 19th - Transportation

March 26th - Home

April 16th - Food and Water

April 23rd - Stuff We Buy

Here is how to play:

1. Using our list or thinking of your own, choose a carbon reducing action.

*This can be a pledge to take a new action or an affirmation of something you already do.

2. Write that action on a sticker.

3. Put the sticker on the giant footprint.

4. Follow through!

Keep looking here for ideas each week on how you can reduce your carbon footprint.

Give Up for the Earth this Lent

 

 Lent - the 40 days leading up to Easter - is a time that many Christians spend repenting, sacrificing, and listening to God. Whether or not you have observed Lent in the past or already plan on sacrificing something for Lent this year, I encourage you to consider using the next 40 days to show the Earth some love. 

I was inspired this year by Interfaith Power & Light's Creation Care Calendar, which includes a small action to take for each of the next 40 days. It also includes great ideas and links to resources specific to the State. You can find the Maryland version of the calendar here.

There are many actions we take on a daily basis that impact our environment. Even just changing one small thing for 40 days can make a real difference. Here are some ideas of small changes you can make for lent:

• Give up plastic. (Ideas to help you do this here.)  
• If you can't give up all plastic, just give up plastic bottles and/or plastic bags.  
• Set a timer and take shorter showers. 
• Eat less meat - you could follow the traditional practice of having no meat on Fridays. 
• Turn your thermostat down by a degree or two 
• Wash your clothes in cold water  
• Hang your clothes to dry instead of using a dryer  
• Use fewer (or no) disposables - bring a reusable coffee mug to work, use reusable bags for shopping, cloth napkins for meals, rags for cleaning up.
• Focus on recycling everything you can, including bringing your energy bar, snack bag, and baby food pouch waste to the UUCR Terracycle bins.

 Are you giving up anything for lent or starting a new habit? We would love to hear what you are doing. Comment below!

Terracycle

Have you noticed some special bins outside of Founder's Hall the last few months? They are our Terracycle containers! What is Terracycle? I'm glad you asked!

TerraCycle upcycles and recycles traditionally non-recycable waste into a large variety of consumer products. We have joined their "brigades" for snack bags, energy bars and now baby food pouches (new this month!) Because they are designed to accept these particular items, we ask that you put general recyclables in the recycling bins around UUCR, and only place the appropriate items in the bins.

Terracycle

The snack bag brigade can take individual, multi-pack, and family sized snack bags.

Snack Bag Brigade

The energy bar brigade includes all foil lined wrappers for energy bars, granola bars, meal replacement bars, protein bars, and diet bars.

Energy Bar Brigade

Our newest brigade - the baby food pouch brigade - accepts all baby food pouches, along with their caps.  As a Mom of a 10-month old and a 2-year old, I know how convenient and popular those pouches are!

This image only shows "Earth's Best" pouches; the Baby Food Pouch Brigade accepts all brands.

We are happy to offer this resource to care for our earth by recycling these items that otherwise would go in the trash.  We hope that you find it useful.

Tips for a greener holiday!

Image credit: Petr Kratochvil via www.Gaderinge.com

With all of the twinkling lights, decorated trees, beautifully wrapped presents, and yummy foods, the holiday season is a time for family, friends, joy and hope.  However, many of our traditions are not so "joyful" for the planet.  Luckily, there are small changes we can all make to help make our holidays a little "greener."

1. Use alternatives to wrapping paper (or just don't wrap it!).  The wrapping can be part of the gift - a scarf, a reusable box, mason jar and reusable bag are all great options.  If you have kids, using some of their artwork as wrapping paper or tags is a touch that family members will love.  (Just get their permission first!)
2. Reuse or recycle wrapping paper, bows, and tags that you receive.
3. Use LED holiday lights.  If your lights are old or you are buying new lights, get LED bulbs - they use less energy (up to 80% less) and last longer.  They also don't heat up like traditional lights, so may be a safer bet for your tree.  Solar powered lights may also be a great option for outside.
4. Eat local, organic, and in-season.  When preparing your holiday meals, focus on local and organic produce, pasture-raised poultry and eggs, and grass-fed meats.  Your alcohol can be green too - biodynamic or organic wine, organic brews - if you can get local, that's great.
5. Recycle your live tree  Montgomery county will turn your cut Christmas tree into compost or mulch if you leave it by the curb on recycling day.  You can find more information here: http://m.montgomerycountymd.gov/SWS/how/christmas-trees.html
   
6. Use soy or natural beeswax candles instead of those made from paraffin wax (a petroleum product). 
7. Send holiday cards over email - you can save money, time, and paper!
8. Use reusable bags for your holiday shopping.  Most of us already use reusable bags at the grocery store - bring them for your other shopping too!
9. Consider giving environmentally and socially conscious gifts You can find many handmade, fair trade items, items made from recycled materials, and used items both online and in person.  Also consider non-material gifts such as a trip, class, experience, or even a gift of your talent and time.
10. If you are traveling, unplug appliances, turn down the thermostat and turn off the water heater.  This is self-explanatory, save your wallet and the environment!

Doing some or all of these things can be your gift to the earth and its people this holiday season! 

 

Fair Trade and Unitarian Universalism

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/nov/04/multinations-development-fairtrade-report

  
What is Fair Trade?
"Fair trade is an approach to business and to development based on dialogue, transparency, and respect that seeks to create greater equity in the international trading system." www.fairtradefederation.org   Fair trade promotes safe working conditions, environmental responsibility, and economic growth

There are many different organizations that certify and label goods as fair trade.  
In this area, I most commonly see the Fair Trade USA label.  Products that are certified fair trade by Fair Trade USA must meet the following requirements:

• Fair prices
• No GMOs (genetically modified organisms)
• No hazardous chemicals
• No child labor 

Each label may have slightly different requirements, but all have at their heart financial, environmental, and community fairness.

My Alter Eco chocolate bar is certified by Fair Trade USA

Fair Trade and the UU Principles
Buying fair trade items is one way to practice several of the UU principles:

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
2. Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations;
6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; and
7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Many of the goods we buy may have come from workers who work in horrible conditions, and/or make so little that they cannot support themselves and their families.  Child labor still exists (as does slavery, but that is a post for another day.)  In buying goods labeled fair trade you know that a fair portion of that money is going to the person who deserves it.  It also encourages farmers and manufacturers to behave responsibly in terms of the environment - working within the interconnected web instead of fighting or poisoning it.  You can learn about how the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee promotes fair trade here.  

How to buy fair trade?
The most common fair trade items are coffee and chocolate, but there is also jewelry, home decor, body care, olive oil, and more.  When shopping in your local grocery store, you can look for one of the many fair trade labels.

Alternatively, you can shop at a store (in person or online) that carries fair trade goods, such as Ten Thousand Villages or Serrv.  You can search the online directory at Fair Trade Federation to find businesses and products that are fair trade.

Buying fair trade is truly one small way you can contribute to creating a world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.