“Green” Products

Just as carpet baggers attempted to cash in selling goods to the downtrodden South immediately after the Civil War, today there are hucksters hawking “green” products to people hoping to do more for the planet. Rather than fall for “green snow jobs,” take a little time and investigate before investing so your greenbacks help the planet rather than a scam artist.

These are a few highly reliable sites for environmental issues: Natural Resources Defense Fund, Treehugger.com, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund.

While there are many good carbon calculators, I particularly like the Nature Conservancy’s carbon calculator since it includes both household and travel impact.

Remember, “Going Green” Starts at Home

• Swap out your incandescent bulbs for CFLs to reduce your energy consumption.
• Wet your toothbrush then turn off the water while brushing, take shorter showers and find ways to reduce your water consumption – in Australia, such conservation is now government mandated.
  
• Carry a refillable water bottle rather than using plastic water bottles (so many plastic water bottles end up in our oceans harming marine life and the ecosystem.
• Ride the bus or other public transportation whenever possible to reduce your carbon footprint.
  
• ENJOY FLYING COACH knowing you are pampering the planet since coach makes the best use of its space and has a lower carbon footprint than any other class of service.
• Think outside the green” by finding new ways to conserve and preserve.