Skip the plastic bags and take your own canvas sacks to the market.
When you consider all of the dangerous pollutants coming from industry and manufacturers every day, it may seem like there is little that you, the average consumer, can do to solve the problem. But by simply making informed, environmentally conscious decisions each time you go shopping, and encouraging your friends to do the same, you can make your own home, and the planet as a whole, a cleaner and safer place to live.
Julia Scofield Russell is Founder and Director of the Eco-Home Network and the Eco-Home environmental demonstration home for sustainable urban living in Los Angeles. A frequent radio and television guest, Russell has been giving lectures and workshops on the importance of living in balance with Nature since 1985, and played a key role in organizing the award-winning First Los Angeles Ecological Cities Conference. Russell, who is the mother of two sons and grandmother of three, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Whittier College in May 2001. Here she offers a few simple tips for making your home and life more eco-friendly:
- Safe cleaners.
When it comes to household cleaning products, Russell recommends choosing those that are not labeled disinfectant, anti-fungal or anti-microbial. Products without these descriptions will be safest for the environment, and you are more likely to find them in retail stores that specialize in eco-friendly items.
- Make your own.
It's also quite easy to make your own cleaners. Russell uses vinegar and water for many cleaning chores including washing her windows and wood floors.
- Shopping bags.
To cut down on wasted plastic or paper bags, take your own canvas shopping bags to the grocery store.
- Food waste.
If you have a back yard, build a composting bin and turn all your food waste into useful compost.
- Fabrics.
When buying clothing or fabrics, choose organically grown cotton or natural wool. Products made of these fabrics are healthier for you, your home and the overall environment.
For more information about environmentally friendly living, check out the following organizations or websites:
Practical Earth-Friendly Ideas for Your Home
Eco-Home Network
The Simple Living Network
Green Matters
Buy Green
Earth 911
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