From April 23rd, 2008

It is refreshing to report that each time I return to New York after a few months away, the city seems to be greener and more eco-aware. While progress is still confined in very specific places, such as the farmers market, organic restaurants, and health food stores, the fact there is a notable transformation is comforting. Of course, we still have a long way to go.

At first, I thought this post would be most appropriate on Earth Day, but realized that it is important and fitting for everyday. I just wanted to re-enforce some age-old wisdom: It’s the small things that add up.
There are so many simple ways of being more environmentally friendly in your everyday life. These small actions, when practiced by many, can and will have a tremendously beneficial effect on the environment. Over the past few years, I have been trying to be greener. I’m realizing how easy, stress-free, and rewarding it can be.
Here are a few small reminders about how to continue to make your life greener and a few links to wonderful eco-concerned sites.

1.Unplug and Conserve.
- When you aren’t charging your mobile phone or computer, unplug the charger. According to the European Commission, if 10 percent of the world’s cell phone owners unplugged their phones/ chargers, energy consumption would be reduced by an amount equivalent to that used by 60,000 European homes per year.

2. Carpool or Take Public Transportation as much as possible.
You’ll save a lot of money on gas, too.

3. Use Cloth Shopping Bags.
- Remember to bring a cloth bag to the store. Fortunately, some stores across the country (such as Whole Foods) are discontinuing the distribution of plastic bags. If everyone did this, we’d reduce plastic bag use by many billions

4. Be an Eco-Smart Consumer
- Purchase products packaged with biodegradable material (such as starch & recycled paper)
- If you are buying a product packaged in plastic, try to choose the most homogenous form of packaging. For example, choose a shampoo bottle made from one type of material versus a mix of plastics and paper labeling. The latter often can’t be recycled
- Try to purchase eco-friendly cleaning products. Remind yourself that hints of what you dump down the drain often ends up back in your drinking water.
- Don’t take plastic utensils unless you absolutely need them.
- Reuse food containers if possible

5. Sort Your Waste
- Recycle – Find out about your local recycling & deposit program. Reuse what you can. Donate what you don’t want.

6. Conserve Water
-Be more conscious of how long you spend in the shower and if you use extra water when washing dishes.

<<< Holy bathing ghat in Nasik, Maharasthra, India, July 2007

Here are a few links to wonderful, environmentally aware sites:
National Geographic’s Green Guide magazine’s website:
www.thegreenguide.com

A great online green guide with links to hundreds of other green sites:
www.treehugger.com

Body & Soul magazine’s website. They have a great new section on Green Living:
www.wholeliving.com

Not so natural sunset over New Jersey. Taken from Hudson River Park. May of 2007