Posted by CCafeFWD (64.75.223.131) on April 02, 2003 at 06:00:56:
In Reply to: KidCast For Peace Turned on! 12th Broadcast!! posted by Creativity Cafe on January 10, 2003 at 13:57:01:
CELEBRATE EARTH DAY EVERY DAY
Contact: Tom Kay/EcoMall.com
845-679-2490
tom@ecomall.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CELEBRATE EARTH DAY EVERY DAY
Simple Lifestyle Changes that Help Protect the Earth
(Woodstock, NY: April 1, 2003) Its no secret that the environment is in danger and
badly needs our help. The holes in the ozone layer are
widening and the rates of skin cancer and other types of cancer are
going up alarmingly. Air pollution alone is so bad that in many places
people are frequently warned not to go outdoors on particularly bad
days. A recent study by the American Medical Association recently
confirmed that prolonged exposure to polluted air significantly raises
your risk of lung cancer or other lung and heart diseases, and the
American Lung Association recently reported that 142 million Americans are indeed
breathing unhealthy air. And our drinking water is becoming so polluted by gasoline,
pesticides, chemicals and toxic waste that our nation's drinking water in certain
parts of this country is
routinely deemed undrinkable.
Much of this pollution to our environment has been caused by our own
human impact. The good news is that we can also begin to reverse this
damage, and protect the earth, our health and our natural resources. It
is up to each one of us to take individual responsibility for our own
habits and our own individual impact on the environment. There are lots
of easy ways to begin to make green changes in your attitude and your
lifestyle. Not only are these changes better for the earth and your
health, but also often save you time, energy and money. Celebrate Earth Day this
year (Earth Day is April 22nd) by reinforcing your commitment to the environment.
The EcoMall, (www.ecomall.com), one of the oldest and largest environmental portals
on the Internet, offers the following tips which can help save the planet for
ourselves and for our future:
* Household Tips: Reduce indoor air pollution by using non-toxic cleaners, solvents,
pesticides and paints. According to the EPA, the levels of indoor air pollutants may
be two to five times higher than outdoor levels. Buying natural household products
not only protects our health, but also the earth - the toxins from the toxic
chemicals in conventional products get into our environment from releases from
manufacturing and disposal. Save money by creating your own homemade house cleaning
products: mix 2 tsp vinegar and 5 cups of water as a non toxic earth-friendly glass
cleaner, and mix baking soda and water to clean bathrooms, kitchens and ovens. Buy
lots of plants. Not only do plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and clean your
air, but they beautify your surroundings and reinforce your connection with nature,
even in an urban setting. Cut down on pesticide use in your home, lawn and garden
and opt instead for natural, organic pesticide products.
* Energy Efficient Home: Making sure your home is well insulated is one of the best
ways to save energy (and money). Check for cracks or leaks near windows, doors and
ceilings. Become energy aware: Turn down thermostats and turn off lights, stereo,
computers, air conditioner, TV, when not in use. When your next bulb goes out,
replace it with a compact fluorescent light bulb which lasts 10 times as long, and
over its lifetime, uses 1/4 of the energy of an incandescent bulb and can cut
$30-$40 off your electric bill. Consider solar products, such as installing solar
panels to heat your home and hot water, or start small with solar lighting, which
can light the walkway to your house. When replacing major appliances purchase energy
efficient ones - look for the government?s Energy Star label.
* Water Conservation: Always make sure to turn off taps tightly, and fix
water leaks right away: a dripping faucet can waste up to 1,000 gallons
of water a year. Try to take shorter showers, and don't run water continuously -
turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, shaving and washing dishes (A running
faucet puts 3-5 gallons of water down the drain every minute it's on). Wash only
full loads of laundry in your washing machine. Buy a water flow attachment for your
sink faucets and shower heads to reduce wastage, such as a low flow shower head and
faucet aerator which saves about 7,800 gallons of water annually in the average
home.
* Eco Travel: Car pool, take mass transit, bike or walk to your destination. The
growing number of cars on the road poses an enormous threat to the environment. The
burning of 200 million gallons of gas results in the emission of about 4 billion
pounds of carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere - and that's just one day?s worth. Try to plan ahead and
accomplish everything in one trip. Make sure your car gets good gas mileage. Support
alternative fuel vehicles and electric transportation, which are much less
polluting.
* Recycling: Almost anything can be recycled. If a recycling program is
not available in your community, help start one. Recycle everything by
setting up a mini recycling corner in your house where you separate your garbage for
papers, plastics, cans, cardboard, and glass. You can also turn in many recyclable
products for some nice extra cash. And be
practical and creative in discovering further uses for things rather than just
throwing them away. Also stop your junk mail, which has an
environmental savings of up to 75% reduction in paper waste. Write to
the Mail Preference Service, c/o Direct Marketing Association, Box 643, Carmel, NY
10512 or do it online at www.dmaconsumers.org.
* Precycle: Complete the loop by buying recycled paper for home and office use for
items such as toilet paper, tissue paper, paper towel, napkins, wrapping paper, etc.
Look for tree-free paper alternatives like Kenaf, banana paper and hemp (did you
know the original draft of the
constitution was written on hemp paper?) Save paper, save trees. Most of the
original forests in this country have already been cut down. Trees
clean the air, and keep the climate in balance. Other tips: use both sides of a
piece of paper, recycle and look for products in recycled packaging.
* Green Shopping: It is especially important to be an informed consumer and use your
dollars to support companies and products which are better for the earth (and your
health) for home and office. The EcoMall web site (http://www.ecomall.com) features
a wide arrange of environmentally-friendly companies in over 70 different shopping
categories, but here are some of the most important products to buy green: Food
shopping: buy organic produce whenever possible. The USDA recently passed National
Organic Standards assuring that products labelled ?certified organic? meet stricter
criteria and are indeed
organically-grown. Buying organic supports sustainable agriculture and
avoids pesticides and chemical fertilizers that leave an unhealthy
residue on foods, and pollute our land and water. Look for organic
milks which are free of the antibiotics and growth hormones used in
non-organic milk - there is some speculation the hormones used in milk
may be responsible for the early onset of puberty. Eco Fashion: Buy
organic or hemp clothing ? conventional cotton uses 25% of the world?s
pesticides. Hemp and organically-grown cotton clothing now comes in
fashionable styles for the whole family. Natural body: There is now an
enormous selection of body care products using all-natural ingredients
for products such as soaps, lotions and cosmetics with none of the
synthetic, chemical ingredients in conventional body care products.
Natural baby: Use cloth diapers instead of disposables - each year 18
billion disposable diapers are thrown into U.S. landfills. Buy organic
baby food. Look for PVC-free toys.
Other general eco-shopping tips: Avoid single serving products and buy in bulk which
uses less packaging and saves money. Try as a rule to avoid over- packaged products,
as well as disposable (i.e. use replaceable razors, rechargeable batteries), which
produce unnecessary garbage. When you're in the supermarket, ask for a paper bag
rather than plastic, which take longer to break down in a landfill. Better yet,
bring reusable bags to grocery stores, (e.g. back pack, cloth, canvas or rope mesh
bag). Don't buy products in aerosol cans which are both toxic and polluting.
* Vegetarianism: Cut down on meat consumption or consider becoming a vegetarian.
Apart from the crucial considerations of health and respect for animal life, meat
eating is both inefficient and wasteful of land, soil, water and energy. 16 pounds
of grain and 2500 gallons of water must be fed to livestock to produce just one
pound of meat on the table. In contrast, the land is capable of supplying food for
nearly fourteen times as many people when it is used to grow food for people rather
than crops to feed livestock. Not only does less meat demand and the use of land to
grow food crops conserve our natural resources, but can help solve the growing world
hunger crisis.
* Invest responsibly: Use your investing dollars to support companies
which implement environmentally and socially responsible business
practices, and rid your portfolio of companies which are not.
* Take Action: Consider joining an environmental organization, and keep informed and
active on behalf of environmental causes. See the EcoMall web site (www.ecomall.com)
for the latest environmental news, a comprehensive list of environmental non-profit
organizations and other actions and ideas. On a local level, participate or organize
a
neighbourhood clean-up, and encourage schools and your community to go green and
incorporate and promote environmental awareness.
This release is also available online at
http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/earthday2003.htm
Since its launch on November 15, 1994, the EcoMall (www.ecomall.com) has received
over 80 awards and accolades for its online service which provides green education,
a comprehensive selection of environmental products and services, exclusive
interviews with celebrities, ?Ask the Experts? columns, and more. The EcoMall offers
a voice to America?s sustainable business industry, featuring over 300 retailers and
wholesalers in over 70 shopping categories, links to government education,
environmental news, activism alerts, the popular Green Shopping Magazine and
business-to-business opportunities.
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