Category Archives: Eco Friendly Home

Is the Final Harry Potter Novel Green?

I’ve seen a lot of discussion about the final Harry Potter novel. Apparently there was some effort to use recycled paper in its production.

In Canada, the entire release was printed on recycled paper. Conservation groups are recommending that people order it from Canada in order to benefit from this.

Scholastic, the printer in the United States, does not disclose how much recycled paper they use. However, they do say they only use fiber not made from ancient forests for all their publications, and that they use some recycled paper.
I haven’t bought the latest Harry Potter; in fact, I think I own one of them. For most books I like to avoid hardcover. There are few books I reread enough to make hardcover worthwhile.

But the question here relates to which would you rather buy? The Canadian, recycled paper version or the U.S. printed one that is printed on what Scholastic uses regularly, but is more easily available. You probably won’t even have to have it shipped, unless you buy from Amazon or another online book seller.

Technorati Tags: ,

Organic Farming Can Do the Job!

I found this post about how organic farming can indeed feed the world quite interesting. It goes so contrary to the old claims that pesticides and chemical fertilizers are the only way to produce enough food for the entire world.

There are two reports on this, one from the University of Michigan, the other from the USDA. There’s a good summary on the NewScientist website. The most interesting part is that while organic methods would decrease food production somewhat in developed nations, in developing countries organic farming could increase food production by as much as 80%.

It won’t necessarily be easy, of course. From the NewScientist article:

Carl Pray, at University of Rutgers, New Jersey, US, says there is good evidence that small-scale farming in developing countries is more efficient. This is probably because small farms put more effort in the precise management of small areas of land.

But, he says, “the likelihood of all farms reverting to ‘small farmerdom’ is a big question in an age in which labour is becoming more and more expensive. Take China and India, for instance: the demand for labour is such that people are continually being pulled out of the countryside”.

Continue reading →

Time’s Ideas for Going Green

Time Magazine has a list they call their Global Warming Survival Guide. 51 tips on being more green.

Some are as simple as changing your lightbulbs to CFLs. Others relate to building or remodeling your home. Obviously those aren’t going to be for everyone.

I like some of the tips. I’ve been trying to figure out how to put up a clothesline where I live. Given that I’m a renter, it’s not easy, since I can’t just drop in something permanent. What surprised me about the article was that only 60% of the energy used in relation to an article of clothing is in washing and drying it. Says a lot about how much energy it costs just to get it to you.

Buying local is another of their ideas that is possible for many people. Farmer’s markets are a good place to start. You may also find food co-ops in your area. These foods are generally organically grown as well, so you may be avoiding pesticides too.

Shutting down unused electronics, use environmentally friendly makeup, rake up leaves in the fall… many of the ideas are suitable for individuals. The entire series of short articles is interesting and worth the read.

Technorati Tags: , ,

Are You Falling for Green Consumerism?

It’s a wonderful time to decide to be more environmentally friendly in your buying decisions. There are many products available and the prices are getting better. But where people often fall short of their green goals is in really thinking about the environment.

Do you really need to make that purchase right now?

Buying green is a great way to feel good about what you’re buying. You’re buying products that were made in a manner that is less harmful to the environment. Maybe they’re even supporting other environmental causes. And you get new stuff!

The trouble is that many people still buy a ton of stuff they don’t need, while thinking about the green aspects of their purchase. If you’re buying bamboo sheets to replace your old ones, did you stop to think about whether or not your old sheets really needed replacing? Many people replace items that haven’t worn out yet just so that they can buy the more environmentally friendly item.

If you think about that, it makes little sense. You can do a bit better if you don’t just throw out the old item, but donate it to charity or give it to someone else who needs it, but excessive consumption is still a problem. Continue reading →

Green Books for Kids

It’s a wonderful thing to encourage your children to think about the environment. Children absorb information easily and take it to heart. Reading to them is a great way to encourage them and teach them about the environment.

The challenge can be finding books that will entertain them without seeming like a lecture. Children love to learn, but they get bored if things are above their level or not fun.

The Lorax is one story with an environmental message that has long been popular. My daughter went through a phase of asking for that one almost nightly. Gumfounded is a more recent book, and a bit more direct to children’s experience.

My children are young yet, so I don’t have any experience with children’s and young adult novels with an environmental theme. But if you can keep your child interested in reading as well as in helping the environment, you’ve helped them to understand what can be a complex topic.

Technorati Tags: , ,