The Drive for a Greener Tomorrow

We all know that a great way to show that you care about the environment is to drive a hybrid. But what about all of the other great green living products available to consumers. A good example of such a product is the reusable grocery bag. Many people are now skipping the plastic grocery sacks in favor of reusable bags. Not only is this a great way to go green, but you may also be able to get a discount for each bag that you use in places like grocery stores.

Another green living product that is getting more and more popular is the cloth diaper. While it may not seem like something that you would ever want to try, the cloth diaper has come a long way since diaper pins and plastic covers. Cloth diapers now come in cute designs and are just as easy to put on as a disposable. When you choose cloth diapers, you are helping to keep waste out of the landfills.

The last green living product that may still be a bit controversial is the electronic cigarette. If you are not a smoker, than this is not something that will help you to go green, but smokers should consider switching to this product. The reason that some people consider electronic cigarettes as greener alternative to regular cigarettes is that they do not produce smoke and the pollutants that come with cigarette smoke. And the bonus for smokers regarding this product is that they can be smoked in places where traditional cigarettes are banned.

In the 1990’s the era of excess was in full swing. People were taking advantage of our natural resources like they were limitless. Now we are finding out this is not the case. Talk about irony, the same technology that is wearing away our natural resources, since most electricity comes from coal powered plants, is the same type of technology that might just save what little resources we have left.

People of my generation are seeing how very screwed up our parents generation was when they were our age, young and starting out. Now, more and more young adults are venturing into a greener world. New technology and old technology are making that much more easy now than ever before. Old technology like rain collection systems to irrigate their homes or to wash their cars with help cut down on the fresh water use for each household. This is an old system that desert peoples used to take advantage of during the drought times. Passive solar energy to help heat water for our homes is another old technology. Basically it’s just letting the sun heat your water, rather than using your electricity based hot water heater. Composting doesn’t seem like technology, but to early farmers who were struggling to make good crops, this was technology that saved their lives.

Newer technology like solar panels attached to the roof of your home are an initially expensive investment, but they will save you money and perhaps even make you money. Your home can produce enough electricity that it makes excess, which the power company will buy back from you. Residential wind turbines are a great new technology to help you and your family live a greener life.

If you think that you are being eco-friendly because you drive a car with hybrid technology, think again. Marketing of these new hybrids has done an excellent job of making the public believe that they are cutting down on their carbon emissions by driving an electric car rather than a completely gas powered car. But let’s take a little walk in the woods of science down the path of reality for just a moment, shall we?

First, this may come as a shock to John Q. Public, but electricity comes from, in the vast majority, coal. Coal is a fossil fuel that when combusted, (i.e. burned) creates carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas currently being given credit for most of the global warming affects the planet is experiencing. Coal is also mined from the ground. When coal companies mine for this fossil fuel, they are often destroying large habitats. Can we say deforestation? Why does this matter? Well, when carbon is put into the atmosphere by all human activity, the only way to effectively get it out of the atmosphere is through plants during photosynthesis. When the coal companies cut down the trees for their mining operations and then burn the coal for the production of electricity, it’s a double whammy for the environment.

This is why electric or hybrid cars are just not an eco-friendly option while most of our electricity is still coal powered. Once we make the grand leap out of the dark ages into renewable energy sources like solar power, wind power, and hydropower then hybrids might be a good alternative. But for now, all you ‘green’ people, your hybrids aren’t doing what you thought they would for the environment.

We have spent plenty of time discussing ways to live an environmentally friendly, “Green” life. We’ve talked about driving green cars, incorporating green habits, and using green cleaners in our homes. One of the topics we haven’t covered is green eating. If you want to truly embrace healthy living, it’s time to go green in your kitchen. Here are three easy steps to eating green.

First, do a massive purge in your kitchen. Throw away all of the preservative laden snacks. The key to eating green is choosing fresh, whole foods rather than anything processed. Cookies, crackers, and packaged products need to be thrown away. These foods contain MSG and many other dangerous preservatives that are bad for your health and can cause major developmental problems in children.

Second, replace the bad food with green alternatives. Instead of feeding your kids oreo cookies for snacks, bake fresh baked cookies with natural ingredients. Instead of those processed fruit flavored gummy snacks, serve the kids a platter of fresh fruit cut into cubes. Find natural alternatives to all of your family’s favorites and then begin rebuilding your kitchen’s food supply with better choices.

Third, keep a food journal. While you are in the process of changing the way you eat, you will probably be tempted to cheat and eat some of your old processed favorites. You will find that your body began to rely on the chemicals and preservatives that you were constantly ingesting so don’t be surprised to have a slight headache or feel grumpy from the withdrawal.

By keeping a food journal, you can notice how the healthy new foods make you feel compared to when you were eating the other foods. If you give it enough time, you will look back and see that the green foods give you more energy, less headaches, and keep you feeling full for longer.