Cordless Phones are not Sustainable

When you visit someone at their home, do you ever realize what kind of telephone they have?  Do you see if they have an old fashion phone with the thing you swirl to dial?  Or the phones that hang on the wall with long cords to reach all around the house?  Or do they have the more modern day telephone, such as a cordless phone? Today more and more people are buying what is new and big in the market.  But what happens if the newest and latest thing is not the most eco-friendly? 

Households all over are getting ride of their phones with cords and are going cordless.  We live in the United States where we are always extremely busy and on the run.  We like to do a hundred things as one time, so having a cordless makes sense.  We can talk on the phone while doing things around the house. 

However, according to The Daily Green, cordless phones are not sustainable at all.  They are constantly in their charger, which sucks up power 24/7.  Cordless phones use between 2 to 3 watts in both active and stand by modes compared to conventional phones that use only a tiny bit of electricity that comes through the phone line.  Also, conventional phones work when the power goes out in a storm, where as cordless phones do not.  So, save money, electricity and be more sustainable by getting rid of your cordless phone and get a conventional one.  If you like cordless phones more than conventional, then have only one cordless in your house and put conventional phones everywhere else.  If you do get a cordless phone remember to get an Energy-Star rated which indicates it is a high energy efficient phone.

I know that in my household we have always tried having a cordless phone, but they would always die or break somehow.  We use conventional phones and I think they work better than cordless.  Cordless phones are so hard to hear on and you always drop them when your trying to do other things while balancing it between your neck and shoulder.  For me, conventional phones are more convenient and now that I know they use less electricity than cordless I think I will never get a cordless phone.  So next time your out buying a telephone for your house stop and think, which is the better way to go, conventional or cordless?  And hopefully you choose the more eco-friendly telephone.

Weekly Pink Goes Green Tip

Being a college student or a professional in the workforce, how many times do you use your printer a day?  A week?  And even a month?  Probably a lot more than you actually realize.  I know that I am constantly printing out assignments, notes or other things that I need to have on paper.  But all of the things I print out, how much of it do I really need??

We can start being more sustainable by the way we print papers off the computer.  If we do not need something on paper, then save it to your computer.  Do you really need to print out that news article or can you just add it to your favorites and look back on it later??  These are the little things we need to consider when we use the printer.  If it is necessary to print out an article or a document that is not that important, try to print it out on scrap paper. 

When your receive an assignment that is to be turned in on paper, try to remember to print it front and back.  Many professors do not mind if you turn in your paper or final project like this.  In fact, most of the printers on Baldwin-Wallace's campus automatically print front and back.  Also, I would assume businesses would not mind printing front and back either considering many of them are looking for ways to be more eco-friendly. 

In addition, many printers have multiple settings for print quality.  Use the high quality print setting for things that have to look nice, but use the low quality setting for things that don't.  This will save ink.  I though this tip was very interesting because I did not even know that printers had different quality settings.

I know that this printing advice will be useful in my life everyday to help make me be more sustainable and I hope it is just as useful in yours too.

Turkey Trot

This year's 29th Annual Cleveland Turkey Trot took place on Thanksgiving morning, November 25th 2010 at the Galleria of Erieview in Downtown Cleveland.  Registration began at 7:00am.  Following at 8:45am was the 1 mile fun run and then the 5 mile timed run at 9:30am. The Turkey Trot was present by Fleet Feet Sports Northfield. 

This was a great way to get a eco-friendly workout in on the day of Thanksgiving.  Instead of running on the treadmill at home, many people were able to conserve energy by running this 5 mile Turkey Trot.  Everyone enjoyed the scenic run with their family and friends and even got to meet new people.  Of course, it was not eco-friendly driving downtown, but I figure you make up for it because your not using your workout machine at home.  Also, people remembered to bring their reusable water bottles.  There was also a custom contest where many people reused their outfits from last.  Everyone seemed like they had a great time and were being sustainable probably without even knowing it. 

In case you would like to participate in this event next year, here is some more information.      By participating runners received:

• customized long-sleeve t-shirt
• ribbons to all 1-Mile finishers
• random prizes (will be handed out on race day - you must be pre-registered to be eligible)
• age group awards in the 5-Mile run
• costume contest at the start line at 9:15 AM
• d-tag timing in the 5-Mile run
• FREE gift with any Brooks purchase at Fleet Feet during packet pickup on Sunday, November 21 and Monday, November 22

Pictures were taken, awards were given and all participants brought canned goods for St. Malachi Church.  For more information, visit Cleveland Turkey Trot

Eco-Friendly Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time for us to spend with our family, friends and others we are grateful to have in our lives.  It is a time to gives thanks and praise and maybe even start a new "green" Thanksgiving family tradition.  Here are some helpful and easy tips to have a green Thanksgiving dinner.

The day before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year, so do your part and stay at home.  I know Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time you spend with loved ones, but maybe skip the stressful and chaotic traveling and lower carbon emissions as well.  If you do travel to see relatives, make sure you car pool.

When making dinner, eat locally grown, organic food.  Food that does not need to be packaged for a maximum shelf life tastes better and requires less fuel to reach the store. Locally grown food contributes to the economy of your county for farmers and merchants alike. Making an organic meal cuts down on pesticides and fertilizers used on your veggies. The food is healthier and better for the environment – not to mention organic farming prevents erosion, increase soil fertility, and produces higher yields.

Instead of going out to the store and buying decorations that have been sent over from China, make your own.  Use shoe boxes, pipe cleaners, construction paper, and outdoor plants to make your own centerpieces.   Use corn husks and other food to decorate your house and set up that Thanksgiving mood.

And always remember to recycle.  Thanksgiving produces plastic, paper, glass, and all sorts of recyclable waste – so be sure to put them in their proper barrels or bring to the supermarket or local recycling center.  Also, have reusable bags handy to buy all your Thanksgiving food and ingredients instead of using plastic and paper bags.  In addition, try not to buy excess food. I know it may be hard to envision, but by not over indulging and letting extra food go to waste will help the planet in the long run.

I challenge you to try and use these easy eco-friendly tips on Thanksgiving day with your family.  To learn more about easy ways to help the planet this Thanksgiving, watch this video from Fox 31 news, Go Green: Thanksgiving. 

Weekly Pink Goes Green Tip

People workout for all different reasons.  Whether it is to stay in shape, lose weight, look good for summer, or for your new years eve resolution, working out is always great for your body.  However, sometimes we are not as eco-friendly as we should be when it comes to our workout.  For instance, we should not be driving to the gym or using water bottle that are not recyclable.  Below are some simple and easy tips for a great eco-friendly workout from the website greenertrends.

1.  Save energy and money by walking or running outside.  Why stay inside on a treadmill that uses electricity when instead you can go on an exciting walk/run right outside in your own neighborhood.  You do not have to drive to any gym and you save money on your electricity bill.

2.  Join a gym that is walking or biking distance.  Everyone already has a hard enough time squeezing in a workout once a day, so why waste more time by driving to a gym that is too far away.  Instead, join a gym that is close so you can get a workout on your way there and back.  Also, if your gym is far away you will probably never go to it because you won't have the time to drive there, workout and then drive home.  So be more sustainable with your workout, use of time and the earth's resources.

3.  Always use a reusable water when you workout and even when you do not.  Reusable water bottles cost less than disposable water bottles.  They also are more sustainable and do not end up in landfills like disposable bottles.

4.  When shopping for new workout clothing, be sustainable and buy eco-friendly workout clothing.  Look for clothes that are made out of organic cotton and bamboo or go to the thrift store and buy used workout clothing to wear.

5.  Forgetting about the gym and now walking/running outside, but still need a good lift in??  Go onto Craigslist.com or search around in thrift stores to find used and low priced items. 

6.  Give away or recycle your old workout gear.  Just like you can get reusable workout gear, you can sell yours.  You make money while giving someone a great piece of workout equipment, instead of it ending up in a landfill.

So for now on, when you workout use these tips to give you a sustainable, low cost and beneficial workout. 

Walmart

Sustainability efforts are on the rise and Walmart has jumped on the bandwagon.  At Walmart, they know that being an efficient and profitable business and being a good steward of the environment are goals that can work together. Their broad environmental goals are simple and straightforward:

• To be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy;
• To create zero waste;
• To sell products that sustain people and the environment.

Their efforts have been recognized through numerous awards, which would not be possible without the support of their customers, associates and communities around the world. 

I did not know that Walmart was such a big supporter of sustainability efforts.  It seems that more and more businesses now are focusing their energy towards becoming a more eco-friendly business.  For instance, Chipotle and Pepsi are taking part in their own sustainable programs.  Chipotle has improved their buildings and food by making them both more eco-friendly.  PepsiCo began Performance with a Purpose, which delivers sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet.  Walmart, Chipotle and Pepsi are just the few well known companies that are helping us and the environment by being more eco-friendly.

To read more about Walmart's efforts and recent events, visit http://walmartstores.com/sustainability/.

Sustainable Cleveland 2019

While searching the Internet, I found Cleveland's new and upcoming project called Sustainable Cleveland 2019.  Through this project Cleveland will become a model of sustainability and will become a leader in the emerging green economy over the next nine years.
 
Sustainable Cleveland 2019 mission statement is:
We are committed to improving the quality of life in the City of Cleveland by strengthening our neighborhoods, delivering superior services, embracing the diversity of our citizens, and making Cleveland a desirable, safe city in which to live, work, raise a family, shop, study, play and grow old.

The work began in August 2009 when nearly 700 people from across greater Cleveland and across the nation gathered at Public Auditorium for a three-day summit focused on Building an Economic Engine to Empower a Green City on a Blue Lake. This effort is focused on supporting business growth, protecting the environment and creating opportunities for individuals to prosper.

For more up-to-date news about Sustainable Cleveland 2019, visit their blog at http://www.cleveland2019.org , or their website at http://www.city.cleveland.oh.us/CityofCleveland/Home/Community/ThingsToDo/AISummit?_piref34_445897_34_304083_304083.tabstring=Tab5,  

Weekly Pink Goes Green Tip

Need a new bag to carry your books in around campus?  Well don't go spend $50 on a bag that you will not even use after college.  Instead, reuse old cloth bags to carry your books in. 

Delta Zeta's on this campus and around the country are using their DZ convention bags and dzdesignbags to carry their books in.  If you are not in a sorority, you could do this with any bag you have laying around your house. 

What happens if they are too old and torn??  Get some materials for $5.00-$10.00 from Jo Anne Fabrics and patch up your bag.  You could also add studs and more colorful fabric and turn your old bag into something new and hip. 

These bags can also be used to carry around your groceries.  This will help the environment because it will allow for plastic and paper bags to not be reused.  So, next time you want to buy a book bag or go to the grocery store, remember you could be more eco-friendly by reusing an older bag.

New Green Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center

Delta Zeta’s national philanthropy, supported by both collegiate and alumnae chapters, is speech and hearing and The Painted Turtle camp.  Delta Zeta's partnerships with and The Painted Turtle and The Starkey Hearing Foundation were announced at the 2006 National Convention. 

All of these important programs provide additional volunteer and giving opportunities for collegiate and alumnae members.

Chapters also support local and national speech and hearing organizations, such as Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., the only four-year liberal arts school in the world devoted wholly to the needs, instruction, and training of young people who are deaf, and the House Ear Institute, which is one of the world's foremost research, teaching, and treatment centers in the field of hearing.

To go off of that, our local chapter supports the Cleveland Speech and Hearing Center.  As of October 19, 2010 the USGBC's Green Building Certification Institute completed their final review and officially awarded Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center LEED Silver certification for their new eco-friendly building.  LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) created LEED as a rating system for green building.  The following points describe the new Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center LEED Highlights for their silver certification:

• Our decision to build on Euclid Avenue in University Circle. This put CHSC on a predeveloped site, with close access to neighborhoods, amenities and public transportation.
• Efficient use of green space - the small amount of landscaping requires no irrigation system.
• Cost-effective plumbing fixtures which use 45% less water than typical fixtures.
• The building is designed to be 27.5% more efficient than required.
• During the construction process, high volumes of construction waste were recycled, with a target minimum of 75% being diverted from landfills.
• Wood used in the construction was FSC certified.
• The interior building materials meet or exceed LEED required Indoor Air Quality standards.

For more information on the new eco-friendly Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center, visit CHSC.

Giant Eagle- Eco-Light Bottle

Have you been to Giant Eagle recently to go grocery shopping?  Did you happen to walk down the beverage aisle or maybe buy a pack of Giant Eagle water?  Notice anything different? 

This happen to me last night at Giant Eagle when I went to buy a pack of water.  I always buy Giant Eagle water because it is cheaper than the rest of the brands.  I know I could swipe water in the vending machines on campus, but why pay $1.40 for one bottle of water when I can buy a whole case for $3.99 or $4.99. 

Well anyways, back to my story.  I picked up a case of Giant Eagle water and noticed that the bottles have changed.  They are now eco-light bottles with 50% less plastic.  I know that everyone is trying to be more environmentally friendly, but I was surprised to see that the cheap Giant Eagle brand has even changed its ways.  Even though I already support the Giant Eagle brand water, this new eco-friendly change will remind me to support them even more.  Below is a description of the new bottle and changes made from the Giant Eagle website.

One of the most environmentally friendly bottles ever!*

Choose a high quality water bottle with approximately 50% less plastic*! Our Eco-Light Bottle^TM is easy to handle — and its contoured shape offers a perfect combination of function, design and environmental consideration.
Since the bottle is lighter, it also requires less energy to produce, so the end result is a reduced carbon footprint. Enjoy the crisp refreshing taste of Giant Eagle^® Purified Water — and feel good knowing the product you are purchasing is 100% recyclable and one of the most environmentally friendly plastic ½ liter bottles ever produced!*
Please join us in our efforts…always recycle.

Weekly Pink Goes Green Tip

Walking around campus do you tend to get lazy and decide to go through the automatic door?  Is it really that hard to open a door yourself?  I see students all the time pushing the button and walking through the these doors, instead of opening a normal door with their own two hands.  Are we really that lazy these days?  I understand it might be more convenient, but seriously, come on here people!!  Next time you go to push the button for an automatic door, stop and think, how does this effect the environment?  I know your probably thinking that these doors can't effect our environment.  But truth of the matter is it does.  By not using an automatic door you can conserve energy.  At one school in New Jersey, every time students use these doors is costs ten cents.  This is money that students tuition goes towards, which could be used in a much more productive way.  Just think, some of our BW tuition money could be going towards the costs of energy used to open an automatic door because people are lazy and cannot open a door their self.  If all the money I spend going to school here is going towards this, I know I would be upset.  BW is supposed to be a green campus, but our students and faculty contradict this issue by using automatic doors.  So my tip for the week is to be more self conscious walking around campus because all of our actions and behaviors do impact the environment. 

Recycle Ink Cartages

Don't you hate it when your ink cartage is low and you have to throw it away?  Well next time you go to take your ink cartage out and toss it in the trash, STOP!  Do not throw your ink cartage away because you can recycle them.  I bet you never knew this and I never did either until I joined Delta Zeta. 

All around BW campus, Delta Zeta sorority distributes recycling ink cartage boxes.  This allows staff and students to recycle their ink cartage's instead of throwing them away.  Below are pictures of the boxes placed around campus.  Next time you see a box, remember to recycle our ink cartage instead of tossing it into your trash can.

Eco-Friendly Homecoming T-shirts

Last year for Homecoming we ordered shirts from a company called Andira International.  This company offers consulting, design, distribution and marketing to companies that want to create products while remaining as eco-conscious as possible.  The company has three different collections called Demano, Artesania, and Rain Tees. 

When our sorority bought our t-shirts from the company we went through The Andira Rain Tee Collection.  This collection saves trees with tees.  Rain Tees is a 100% organic line of apparel for women and children that features designs by youth living in endangered rain forests.  They donate school supplies to the children and ask them to illustrate what they see happening in their world every day. Each Rain Tee features their thoughts, illustrations and names, and for every item sold a child involved in the non-profit Kids Saving the Rain Forest receives a tree they can plant to replace one that has been destroyed.

Since Delta Zeta supports sustainabilty efforts, we thought this would be a great way and opportunity to participate.  Our chapter ended up winning the t-shirt contest during the homecoming pep rally.  On the front the shirt it said, "Delta Zeta is saving the Rain Forest..."  and the back said, "While the Yellow Jackets are destroying the Cardinals."  Below are pictures of all of our girls in our 1st place homecoming shirt.  To look at Andira International main website, visit http://www.andiraintl.com/philosophy.html.  To look at The Andira Rain Tee Collection, visit http://www.raintees.com/. 

Weekly Pink Goes Green Tip

While you are on the search for safer makeup, be careful not to be green washed by the labels.  Here are some labels to watch out for, thanks to Consumer Reports:

Organic:  There are no regulations for using the words "Organic" on a makeup label, unless it is a USDA label
Natural:  Same for "Natural."  It means nothing on the bottle.
Unscented:  "Unscented" does not necessarily mean "Fragrance-free,"  as manufacturers sometimes add fragrance as masking agents.

Here is the a website called Skin Deep, which allows you to search your makeup to see if there are any hazardous ingredients in the product.  I use this website to search the makeup I use to know if I am using eco-friendly makeup or not.  If not, I look at other makeup options on the website that would be better for my health and the environment.