Enviros’ Obama To-Do List: Safeguard Climate, Water, Wildlife
WASHINGTON, DC, November 14, 2008 (ENS) The end of the Bush administration can’t come soon enough for U.S. conservation groups, who believe that the election of Barack Obama has ushered in a “new era of hope” for the environment. “Eight dismal years of environmental abuse and neglect are now coming to an end,” said Betsy Loyless, the National Audubon Society’s senior vice president for policy.

Brown Clouds Melt Glaciers, Darken Cities Across Asia
BEIJING, China, November 13, 2008 (ENS) A brown cloud of pollution caused by human activities, three kilometers thick and stretching from the Arabian Peninsula across Asia to the western Pacific Ocean, is darkening cities, speeding the melting of Himalayan glaciers and affecting human health, finds a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme.

Navy Wins, Whales Lose U.S. Supreme Court Sonar Case
WASHINGTON, DC, November 12, 2008 (ENS) The U.S. Supreme Court today lifted restrictions on the Navy’s use of sonar off the coast of California, handing a defeat to environmentalists who say the limits are needed to protect whales and dolphins. The court, in a 6-3 decision, ruled that a lower court judge had wrongly allowed the environmental impacts of the training exercises to trump U.S. national security interests.

G20 Leaders Urged to Support Global Green New Deal
WASHINGTON, DC, November 12, 2008 (ENS) When the leaders of the G20 countries gather in Washington this weekend for a special summit on the global financial crisis, pressure will be on to seek solutions in the growth of a new green economy. The initiative for a New Green Deal was introduced late last month by the United Nations Environment Programme and the British government and the idea has swftly gained support among environment and sustainable business leaders.

There’s no reason we can’t have a great Thanksgiving holiday and still do our part to reduce its impact on the environment. A green Thanksgiving is actually just one more thing to be thankful for. Here are some tips on how to improve your Thanksgiving celebration.

The Turkey
For many people, this holiday isn’t complete without a turkey and all the trimmings. However, the raising of livestock is an extremely resource-intensive process, using up immense amounts of feed, plus the pesticides and fertilizers required to grow the feed. Poultry droppings are often disposed of incorrectly, and lots of petroleum is used to transport the turkeys, both while they’re alive and after they’ve been slaughtered.

On top of that, many conventional farming methods are widely considered inhumane - rules that require humane slaughter of animals like cattle don’t apply to poultry, and these animals are raised in very cramped conditions. Conventionally raised meat also contains the question of whether antibiotics and other chemicals given to these birds can make their way into our bodies and be harmful.

If any of these things are concerns of yours, there are several solutions. The one that causes the least suffering and environmental damage overall is having a vegan or vegetarian Thanksgiving. Try one of the turkey or other meat products on the market made from soy, wheat, corn, or other grains and legumes, or skip the “turkey” altogether and just make your favorite fall dishes. It can be a great and environmentally friendly, if unconventional, way to give thanks for all you have - especially the earth! However, this won’t necessarily be desirable in all households, and even if you’re vegetarian, there’s your family to consider. Many families don’t consider it truly Thanksgiving unless they have turkey.

A locally produced, humanely raised organic turkey is a good choice for those who aren’t vegetarian and still want to reduce the impact of their celebration on the environment. In many cases, you can visit the farm to see how the animals are raised, and talk to the farmer about them. They’ll also taste much better than conventionally raised turkeys, because they live happier lives.

Heritage breeds - turkeys that have not been bred for the maximum amount of white meat like “industrial” turkeys - are also known for their better taste, and are usually raised on a small scale. There are a few different terms to understand when choosing your turkey, since you may see some of them independently of the others.

These turkeys are from older breeds. These birds have smaller breasts and less white meat, but may taste better over all. They are not necessarily free range or organic, but are usually produced by smaller farms that also use these methods.

Certified organic turkeys - Turkeys that are certified organic eat only grains and other foods produced by farmers who also have the organic certification. They receive no hormones or antibiotics. However, certified organic turkeys can still be raised in cramped indoor conditions, though their living conditions are a little better than their conventional cousins, as part of the organic standard.

Free range turkeys - Free range turkeys have been given access to the outdoors. However, this loosely regulated term means many different things, and these turkeys may only spend a little time outside, and may not be given grazing access.

Pastured turkeys - Turkeys that have been pastured had outdoor access and were able to forage for their food. They probably receive supplementary feeding, but also ate small greens and insects they found outside. Pasturing usually provides a richer flavor, but is more expensive.

Kosher turkeys - Kosher standards dictate a certain standard of living conditions for a turkey, including grain geed, freedom to roam and no antibiotics. Kosher meat is not the same as organic meat, and is salted before market, so don’t brine it.

Other meats should be treated the same way as the turkey. If ham, beef, chicken, or any other animal food is traditional for your family’s Thanksgiving meal, the most ecologically friendly option is usually to choose locally produced, humanely raised meats that are free from antibiotics and other chemicals. Just about every kind of meat is available if you’re willing to look, but be aware that shopping for better meat will mean you have to plan early.

Many farms offer a pre-order plan - you can even sign up to get your turkey as much as a year in advance! Your local farmer’s market, co-op, or natural food store may be able to provide you with an organic turkey or other meat, or you may have to talk to local farmers. Much of the time, word about these great foods is passed via word of mouth, but many farms and stores now also have websites. Check www.localharvest.org to find local foods in your area.

The Rest of the Meal
Of course, it’s not only about the turkey or ham. Mashed or scalloped potatoes, desserts, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and many other foods are also traditional at Thanksgiving. Choosing to buy these from local, organic farmers can help reduce the environmental impact of your feast. Again, expect expenses to be higher when buying organic, but also expect better taste. Heirloom varieties can be an unusual addition to your Thanksgiving, and also surprisingly flavorful - they may be older, but they have a lot to offer.

You may have to make choices about whether you want to buy a food locally or one that’s certified organic. Local food travels a shorter distance, so it’s usually fresher and tastier than food that’s been shipped, and uses less petroleum for delivery. However, it may not have the organic certification, and may carry pesticides and have been grown using lots of fertilizers. The best option is to educate yourself about the process of growing the food you use as well as you can, then make a decision from there.

If you do prefer local food, shop for it wisely. A trip alone in a car to the farmer’s market down crowded highways could wipe out the benefit you get from buying food with fewer miles on it in the first place! Try doing your shopping all at once, and with other people if you can. That reduces the amount of fuel burned. If you live close enough to a city farmer’s market to walk or cycle there, that’s a great option! Taking the bus is another fuel-saving choice that can help you reduce emissions, whether you’re shopping for Thanksgiving food or just going about your day.

Avoid Packaging
It’s easy to choose a boxed, frozen pumpkin pie instead of making one from scratch, but the packaging involved can end up in the landfill. Cooking from mixes and cans can also produce a lot of waste. When you can, buy items with the least processing and packaging, and cook from scratch if possible. That’s definitely more time consuming than a pre-made or processed product, but it’s better for the environment.

Cook Less
You may be thinking that buying more expensive organic foods and cooking from scratch will make it hard to have your usual Thanksgiving spread. That may be true, but one place to look for waste is that traditional meal. We all make a little too much for the number of people attending, but that also often quickly turns into a lot too much. If you were eating leftovers every meal for a week last year, why not just make less food?

After all, Americans throw away an estimated ninety-six billion points of food across the country each year. Thanksgiving makes up a big part of that - try only to make as much food as will be eaten this year, either at the Thanksgiving dinner proper or within a day or two afterward.

You’ll end up throwing less out, and you’ll have a better meal overall. If family members will be bringing dishes to go with the meal, be sure to coordinate well, so that there aren’t too many duplicates. Send leftovers home with members of the family to spread them out, and reduce the amount of food that is wasted, too.

One important thing to remember if family members are bringing food is not to cook too much yourself. The host of the Thanksgiving feast often feels the need to provide an entire dinner themselves, in addition to what others will bring. Just make one or two things - you’ll save time, money, and feel a lot less stressed. Plus, there’ll be less cleanup to do before your family arrives.

Avoid Disposables
if you’re having a large celebration, it can be tempting to switch to disposable plates and dinnerware, just for one day. However, each guest may produce more than one place service worth of garbage. That’s a lot of waste in one day, and many homes will be doing it - just look at the overflowing trash bins on the curb the day after! Don’t take part in contributing to the huge amount of waste produced every Thanksgiving - it’s time to say no to throwing dishes away.

Use reusable dishes for the celebration if possible, and wash up cooking dishes in advance to reduce the amount of work you need to do. In fact, Thanksgiving is a perfect chance to get out the good heirloom china that grandma used to use, and explain its past to your children. That can add a little bit of family history to your Thanksgiving, and help you save resources and reduce waste.

Feel free to delegate dish washing tasks to other family members and wash up in shifts, too. Remember - if you cooked, others should help you with the clean up! If the thought of doing all those dishes is too scary, look into biodegradable disposable dishes that will use fewer resources and eventually deteriorate, instead of bleached papers and plastics that will never decompose.

Another thing that gets thrown out is the invitation to your Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of sending the traditional card and envelope, why not an invitation by email or telephone? For those people you must send physical invitations to, try a postcard instead of a separate card and envelope, and request replies by telephone or email to cut down on waste.

Saving Electricity
Most of us will have the lights on a lot more during the Thanksgiving day, so this is a great time to switch to CFL bulbs, if you haven’t already. Besides saving resources, CFLs also save you money. While they’re more expensive up front, they last longer, and they use a lot less power. Don’t be overly concerned about the mercury contained in the bulbs. It’s only a risk if the bulbs break - it can’t leach out while they’re in use.

Local hardware stores will dispose of these bulbs correctly for you when they wear out, and handling them with a minimum of care removes any risk you might be exposed to. Of course, you could also turn the lights off and enjoy time with your family outside or on the porch, instead of in front of the television. If the weather outside is pleasant this year, open the windows if the house is warm, and turn down the thermostat. Remember you’ll need less heat if there are many people visiting, since body heat can warm up a room quickly.

Decorating
If you have decorations from last year, there’s no need to buy new ones. Instead, just reuse the old ones. The same set of decorations can be put together in many different ways, after all. If you do need to buy decorations, choose ones that will last, and save money by finding colorful leaves from your back yard, or by displaying popcorn on the cob and pumpkins that you can later eat.

Cut Down on Travel
Many families have enormous gatherings, with members traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to see their loved ones. This results in a lot of pollution and packed airports and highways. If you’re concerned about the impact of your Thanksgiving on the planet, it’s time to say no to travel every holiday. Instead, have a smaller Thanksgiving at home, with family members who live nearby or just your immediate family in attendance.

Then, call the rest of the family after dinner, or talk to them online if you have a webcam and microphone. That’ll allow you to wish them well without spending the money or the fuel to travel. If you must travel, try to do it at off-peak times, and consider purchasing carbon offsets to make up for it. They’re not the best choice by far, but they’re better than doing nothing.

Recycle and Compost
Be sure to carefully recycle all items that you can. Don’t be tempted to throw out everything because it’s so much work. Instead, rinse containers carefully and put them in your recycling bin. Label bins clearly for members of your family to use, and make sure there are extras available for overflow. That way, no one will be tempted to just throw cans and other recyclables in the trash, where you’d have to fish them out later.

Be sure you communicate about recycling and how to do it if you have family members coming who don’t normally recycle in their homes. Each area has different policies, and even people who are accustomed to recycling might not understand the ones in your area. Be patient and don’t let yourself get frustrated! If you don’t have curbside recycling, take your recyclables to the local recycling center - you would even get a few dollars for soda cans and other metal containers. Do this a little at a time so it doesn’t get exhausting.

Remember to compost all leftovers and scraps, too. The turkey can’t be put on the compost heap, for fear of attracting opossums, rats, and other pests. However, scrap meat can be fed to dogs and cats (no bones!) and the fat can be donated to local biofuel companies (check to see if there’s one in your area that can use the turkey fat that collects in the bottom of the pan).

Anything plant-based can be composted, from scraps and parings to leftovers no one will eat and will produce good quality soil for you in the spring! If you live in an apartment, condo, or home without a yard, you can still compost. Think about a small indoor composter, or vermi-composting using a special type of earthworm. These composting methods can be odor-free and very effective, breaking down waste and producing great fertilizer for your indoor plants.

Plant A Tree
Did you know that fall and winter are the best time to plant trees? The cold weather means that these plants don’t suffer as much shock from transplanting, and are much more likely to grow healthily in the spring. If you’d like to improve your property, planting a tree is one way to make things look better and add a little more oxygen to the world. Plant life also helps keep our cities cool, so think about adding a tree-planting to this year’s Thanksgiving celebration. Now is the time to add to local beauty, and make the world just a little better.

Be Thankful!
Don’t forget that Thanksgiving isn’t actually about pumpkin pie and turkey. It’s about being thankful that we have those things, as well as our family and the world around us. While planning your Thanksgiving meal this year, don’t forget to do it in a way that really says you’re thankful for what the earth gives you.

An environmentally friendly Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be hard, and it could result in a more satisfying, much less stressful holiday for you and your family. Remember - you don’t have to do everything at once. It’s better to tackle the areas you can manage for now, then add more good habits next year, than to try it all at once and end up stressed out and unsuccessful. No matter what, do your best, and enjoy your time with your family. Large or small, Thanksgiving should be a time of celebration - don’t get so caught up in the details that you forget.

Also in the coming months I plan on starting a new section “Science on TV.” This segment of the blog will be such a blast, highlighting some of my favorites nature, wildlife, environmental, and science tv shows.

In the meantime, here’s the top 8 most popular posts of the year…

Top 12 Solar Panel Loan Sites

39 Vehicles That Get Over 25 mpg

The Trend is Eco-Iconic

Energy Crisis of Energy Opportunity

Everyday Ways to Protect Our Environment

An Unusual Approach to High Gas Prices

How To Offset the Cost of Solar Panels

Saving the Endangered Squirrel Monkeys of Costa Rica

Plus, when you conserve energy and water you’re also helping save our natural resources which makes you feel even better.

1. Turn the lights off when you’re not in the room.
2. When a light bulb goes out, replace it with a compact fluorescent (or CFL).
3. Instead of buying bottled water, put a filter on your tap water and use re-usable bottles or pitchers.
4. During the heat of the day, close the shades.
5. In the winter, open the shades.
6. In the summer, do not keep the air conditioning below 78⁰F and put the air conditioning to 82⁰F when you are not home.
7. In the winter, do not keep the heat above 72⁰F and put the heat on 68⁰F when not at home.
8. When doing the laundry, only wash full loads.
9. Enroll in a money saving plan with your utility company to use the majority of energy at off-peak hours. (Ok, this technically doesn’t save energy, but it does save you money!)
10. Unplug small appliances when they are not in use.
11. Instead of throwing away unused water or ice, save it to water your plants.
12. Use fans instead of turning down the air conditioning.
13. When you are done with the computer for the day, shut it off.
14. Plug your tvs, dvd players, game systems, and computers in surge protector power strips and then shut them off when not in use.
15. When it rains, turn off your sprinklers and drip systems for a few days.
16. If you live in hot climates, do not have a lawn.
17. Landscape with only native plants so you do not have to water them.
18. Replace outdoor and landscape lights with solar lighting.
19. Turn the water off when brushing teeth.
20. Only let the shower run for a few minutes when waiting for the water to heat up.
21. To speed up the heating of the shower, turn one bathroom faucet on to the “hot” position and run this until the shower turns warm.
22. Use cloth towels instead of paper towels.
23. Don’t wash your car that often.
24. When washing your car, do not let the hose run. Instead, fill a bucket and use that water for cleaning.
25. Buy concentrated cleaning products.
26. Always use cold water to wash clothes (yes, even when using regular detergent.)
27. Run your dishwasher only when it is full.
28. Purchase recycled paper products.
29. Properly inflate your tires.
30. Instead of idling, shut your car off.
31. Go easy on the brakes when driving.
32. Avoid drag on your car.
33. If you’re in the market for a new car, buy a hybrid or purchase one that gets at least 30 mpg.
34. When you’re in the market for new appliances, buy only energy efficient ones.
35. Eat less meat.
36. If you’re in the market for a new water heater, buy a tankless water heater.
37. Combine errands so you reduce driving.
38. Walk, ride the bus or bike as often as you can.
39. Buy products with minimal packaging.
40. Reuse as many items as you can.
41. Buy local food when possible from farmer’s markets.
42. Do not buy leather.
43. Ask your employer to let you telecommute/work from home at least one day per week.
44. Purchase a programmable thermostat.
45. If you’re in the market to buy a new computer, buy a laptop instead of a desktop.
46. Clean the furnace filters once a month during the winter.
47. Change your air conditioner filters when dirty.
48. Change your car’s air filter when dirty.
49. Weather-strip your windows and doors.
50. Use timers for outdoor lights so they stay off during the day.
51. Install a low-flow showerhead
52. Water your plants and lawn at night (If you absolutely must have a lawn.)

I was messing around today on YouTube and stumbled upon an adorable baby seal video. So I figured, why not do a post with as many baby animal videos as I can possibly find? Sounds fun huh?

I’m such a sucker for lil’ baby animals…

On all of these videos I’ve included the information from the producer and links to their causes just below each video.

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A Cute Baby Seal Pup

Cute, eh? Sadly, in Canada close to 300,000 poor, defenceless baby seal pups (most between
2-WEEKS and 3 months of age) are brutally murdered every year in the annual, government-sanctioned commercial seal hunt - all for the sake of fashion, vanity, politics, money and greed. Many are even skinned alive while conscious.

(What kind of heartless human being could even think of doing such a thing!?)

Polls consistently show that most Canadians oppose this ‘hunt’, but still the Canadian government and fishing industry refuse to end it.

This senseless killing MUST STOP NOW! Everyone with a soul & a heart knows that its extremely cruel, barbaric, unethical and inhumane. (Its just wrong on so many levels, and you know it!!)

These beautiful creatures have every right to live life and need all the help & support they can get.

For more details & to find out how to help please visit these websites:

www.StopTheSealHunt.com
www.HarpSeals.org
www.ProtectSeals.org
www.Boycott-Canada.com
www.SeaShepherd.org

btw for myths & facts about Canada’s COMMERCIAL baby seal slaughter, go here:
http://www.hsicanada.ca/seals/seal_myths_and_facts.html

p.s. Ignore all the trolls on here who are trying to justify/support it - this unnecessary BABY seal slaughter is UNJUSTIFIED - there are absolutely NO excuses for it whatsoever.

Some people may argue that its ‘traditional’. Well ”tradition’ is NO excuse for brutality, cruelty & suffering. Tradition does not automatically give a person a right to do something. In fact, tradition is NO good reason for ANYTHING! Slavery was once ‘tradition’ -wanna keep that fine tradition alive !?!

Some people might also argue that it provides ‘jobs’ for local communities. But this is another stupid, ignorant reason for allowing such barbaric and cruel slaughter of beings that are denied life just because somebody somewhere might want to wear their skin. In Nazi Germany, the construction of gas chambers & ‘death camps’ probably provided work for someone. The ‘job excuse’ is not a moral or sound reason for allowing the unneccessary slaughter, cruelty & suffering of hundreds of thousands of innocent, helpless living beings.

Clearly anyone who participates in this cruel, barbaric activity is a very sick, evil, twisted & sadistic individual who lacks any ethics & morals.

On top of that it is neither a ‘hunt’ nor a ‘harvest’ (seals are NOT fish, everyone knows that - do they look like fish to you !?! ) - its a cruel, unethical, inhumane, barbaric & unnecessary SLAUGHTER of totally helpless, defenceless & intelligent BABY marine MAMMALS for their FUR (understand that humans are biologically classified as ‘mammals’ too).

All that stuff about seals eating all the cod has been proven to be complete bullshit too & is another UNjustified reason. It is scientific fact that seals actually keep the ecosystem alive through what they eat & cod only accounts for about 3 % of their diet. The reason there’s no cod left is simply because of OVERFISHING BY GREEDY HUMANS (and who says cod ‘belongs’ to humans anyway !?!). http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/no-cod-blame-the-seals

No need for any kind of ‘cull’ either (the planet is overpopulated with humans, does that mean we should ‘cull’ humans !?!). Nature tends to even things out on its own, and humans don’t have the right to take away life just because they can or want to. Its already been a very bad year for the seals as it is - IFAW.org has predicted a 100% mortality rate for seal pups born this year (due to poor ice conditions from global warming, thousands have already drowned or died immediately after birth). They need to be PROTECTED - *not* exterminated!

BTW - Despite what some ignorant folk on here may say, yes it IS a slaughter of defenseless & helpless BABY seals. As soon as they begin to shed their fluffy white coat — as young as 12 DAYS old — these BABY seals can be ‘legally’ hunted by sealers (and just because its ‘legal’ it doesn’t make it morally/ethically ‘right’ either).

In fact most of the seals killed are only 2-WEEKS to 3 months old; 97 percent of the seals killed over the past three years have been LESS than 3 months old with the majority being JUST a FEW WEEKS old i.e THEY’RE BABIES!

At the time of slaughter, many of these pups have not yet eaten their first solid meal or taken their first swim.

Sealers (the seal killers) prefer to kill BABY seals because their skins are in “prime” condition and fetch the highest prices.

Here’s a rather appropriate quote from Gandhi:

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by how well its animals are treated.”- Mahatma Gandhi

Cute baby tiger

Cute baby tiger “Hadiah” Baby Sumatran Tiger Cub at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. In the Nursery (44sec). Female, Born 12/12/2006
Produced by Ryan Hawk.

Baby elephant

http://www.zsl.org Elephant baby at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo - she’s an asian elephant who’s 4 months old.

Baby Rhino

See our gorgeous baby white rhino at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, born December 2007.

http://www.zsl.org

PANDA BABIES

PANDA BABIES PLAYING with SLIDE

Baby Kangaroo

Bet you all havent seen this before

Baby Koala Bear Climbs Over Mum

A baby koala bear at the Hamilton Island Koala Park climbs over its mum who is happily chewing on eucalyptus leaves

(More videos coming soon!)

(I’m having some major technical issues with this video, so I’ll have to you the link instead of having you watch it on the site…sorry!)

Click here to watch the video

(More photos of our trip to Australia Zoo and video clips of ‘The Crocodile Hunter’ are found below.)

November 15 is Steve Irwin Day.  I want to take a moment and share with you how this amazing man changed my life.

I started watching the Crocodile Hunter when it first started airing.  I was just a teenager at the time and I believe Steve’s documentaries shaped my purpose in life.

Every week I’d sit down with my dad, who was also enthralled by Steve, and we’d watch as Steve swam near crocodiles, handled venomous snakes, and screamed “Crikey, she’s gorgeous” in his thick Aussie accent.

For starters, I have some wonderful memories with my dad, who has now passed, that I owe to Steve and his show.

But after watching every Crocodile Hunter episode I learned how just one person can truly make an enormous difference.

I have never seen anyone as passionate about anything as Steve was for conservation.  His passion for saving wildlife was absolutely infectious.  Steve turned that passion into action and thanks to him, millions of people have experienced the true beauty of nature and why it needs to be protected.

Steve taught me how important every single animal is and how every animal deserves its place in the world - whether fuzzy and cute or scaly and scary.

Steve also taught me how precious life is and that you should never waste a second of it.  Steve dedicated his life to protecting all life on earth and his legacy will live on forever.

Several years ago I had the honor and privilege of visiting Australia Zoo.  It was a life-long dream of mine to visit the place that encompassed everything that I had learned from Steve.

I’ll never forget the beauty and care that went into every exhibit.  As I walked through every enclosure I could easily sense that every animal was loved just like family.

I’ve included some pictures from my trip below, as well as some video clips of my favorite Crocodile Hunter shows.

So how do I remember Steve Irwin?

He helped shape my passion for wildlife conservation and in turn, I’ve dedicated my life to help save our planet and all the creatures who inhabit it.

Steve knew that when one person stands up for what they believe in, others follow.

Thank you Steve Iwin, your legacy inspires me everyday.

How you can help:

Learn more about Steve Irwin Day

Learn more about Australia Zoo

Donate to Wildlife Warriors

How do you remember Steve?

Please feel free to share your stories in the comment section below.

Photos from our trip to Australia Zoo:

[Getting greeted by an Asian Elephant as you walk in to Australia Zoo]

[Just a few of the Koalas at Australia Zoo]

[The Tiger Show at Australia Zoo]

[One of the many crocodiles at Australia Zoo]

[The Croc Show at Australia Zoo]

[My fiance Jason petting a kangaroo at Australia Zoo. Yes, you are actually encouraged to pet the kangaroos!]

Video clips from some of my favorite Crocodile Hunter episodes:

Halloween is a favorite in the US, and for good reason.  There’s very little that’s as fun as getting into costume and eating too much candy - whether you’re five or fifty.  Like lots of other holidays, though, Halloween results in some pretty serious effects on the environment.  From an increase in trash thrown away to the materials used to make store-bought costumes, almost every aspect of this holiday needs green attention.

In North America, we spend more than six and a half billion dollars on this spooky holiday every year, five billion of which is spent in the US.  Choosing to direct our money toward more ecologically friendly solutions could make a big difference in how much Halloween affects the environment.  After all, in the past several decades, there’s been a big move from hand made costumes and treats to mass produced commercial types.

Eco-Friendly Costuming
Costumes are one of the most identifiable parts of Halloween, and one of the ones that we can most easily take back from consumerism.  While many of use had handmade costumes as children, these have gone by the wayside, to be increasingly replaced with disposable, mass produced versions.

Many of these commercial costumes are made from plastic and other synthetics, and just like plastic juice bottles, they’re hard to recycle - even harder than most containers.  Since store-bought costumes are often poorly made, many children will wear their costume only once before throwing it away.  Some won’t even last the night.

Your options to avoid this kind of waste include making your own costume (a time-honored tradition) and renting one for the evening.  Both of these choices allow you to have a much higher quality costume than one bought at the store, and to be sure that it’ll be reused.  You might even spend less money.

Let your kids use their imagination on Halloween, and allow them to help make their costumes.  Children can make fascinating things out of old dress up clothes, and if no one else knows what they’re supposed to be, it doesn’t matter.  Just make sure your kids are having fun.  Lots of children will be dressed identically this Halloween - let yours stand out with a hand made costume.  Just be sure, if your child is using dark colored clothes and you live in a high traffic area, to put a piece of light colored fabric or reflective ribbon on the costume.  That will help avoid accidents.

Grownups can have fun with costumes made at home, too.  Many adult costumes are just as poorly made as the ones for kids - thrift stores and home sewing can produce a better and more flattering result.  If you don’t have the time or inclination to make your own costume, the costume rental store is a great option, too.  You’ll be surprised by the range of options available, once you think outside the box and stop buying mass-produced costume pieces.

Finding Green Candy
What’s the second most important thing about Halloween?  For many kids, it’s the trick or treating.  However, the candy and treats most available are pre-packaged, and produced by only a few companies.  Most contain genetically modified ingredients, and almost all of them produce a lot of paper and plastic waste.  The days when home-made treats were acceptable have passed long ago, now that most parents are afraid of poison, razor blades, or other nasties hiding in their kids’ sweet treats - a fear that’s mostly fueled by rumor and supposition.

Snopes.com, debunker of many urban legends, reports that they have found no incidents of randomly poisoning Halloween candy, though there have been a number of scares, and one or two incidents where unrelated poisonings were blamed on candy.

Foreign objects inside Halloween candy have occurred over the years, but almost all reported incidents have been hoaxes, and even out of the real cases, no one has ever been seriously hurt.  Less than ten cases in fifty years have resulted in even the most minor of injuries.

What does that mean for environmentally concerned parents whose children are trick or treating?  There’s no need to shun home-made treats, fruit, and other goodies, for one.  While it may be hard to get others to accept that popcorn balls and similar treats are safe, you can give out food that reduces environmental impact.

Look for natural or organic candies with minimal packaging when you select your trick or treating options.  The selection of ecologically friendly candy available is growing - from lollipops to chocolate.

They can be found in your local organic grocery or health food store, or you can order them online.  These are a slightly healthier, more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional ways to satisfy your sweet tooth.  Honey sticks are a fun treat for children over the age of two, as are fruit leather, dried organic fruit boxes, and fair trade chocolate.

Any individually wrapped candy will produce some packaging, but you can pick and choose what you buy.  Look for treats that use as little plastic packaging as possible - paper isn’t the best choice, but it’s better than that using fossil fuels.

Buy locally made sweets sold by local retailers whenever you can.  That supports local economies, and it cuts down on the pollution and fossil fuel consumption required to transport candy long distances.  Some people also choose not to give out candy at all.  Instead, they offer inexpensive items like pencils, crayons, projects books, erasers and other treats that are useful as well as fun.  Rocks, shells, and even marbles can be a lot of fun for kids this Halloween, too.

Loot Bags and Candy Containers
Every child going trick or treating needs something to carry his or her treats in.  Once upon a time, that may have been a reused shopping bag, but now these bags are often single use and special purpose.  Plastic bags shaped like pumpkins, ghosts, and other spookies may look good, but most of them will be thrown away.

Like many other soft plastics, recycling facilities may be hard to find, causing those bags to end up in the landfill.  Around the world, more than five hundred billion plastic bags are used every year, and less than one percent of them ever see a recycling facility.  When your little goblins go out this Halloween, provide them with reusable bags and containers.

Canvas or other cloth shopping bags and net bags make great treat holders.  You can even use a pillow case (your kids will love how much more it holds), to provide a reusable, ecologically friendly alternative to single use loot bags.  Molded plastic jack o lanterns and cauldrons are multi-use, but remember that these specialty items require fossil fuels to make and transport.

Decorations For A Greener Halloween
The majority of decorations for Halloween in North America are either styrofoam or plastic - both petroleum products.  Since plastics for this purpose are mostly soft, they, like styrofoam, don’t usually get recycled.  As with plastic bags, there’s a dearth of facilities for properly recycling these materials, meaning that most Halloween decorations end up in the landfill.

When choosing autumn decorations, think about a natural solution.  Use pumpkins, apples, corn husks, pine cones, and hand made items.  We all know that it’s easy to make a ghost from a white sheet with a face.  Use non-permanent pens to draw the face on, or attack felt shapes to the sheet with pins to provide a ghoulish expression.  Use soy based candles instead of petroleum-based paraffin, and provide spooky music to create your ambiance.  Once it’s all done, the fruit can be eaten, the corn and pumpkins put out for local wildlife, and handmade pieces can be put away for next year.

What About The Pumpkin?
One source of Halloween waste we might not think much about is the pumpkin.  A classic, biodegradable source of Halloween fun, jack o lanterns become a problem if there are too many of them.  They release greenhouse gases when decomposing, like any other organic material, and they often take up a lot of space in the landfill.  However, they’re a traditional Halloween centerpiece for a lot of us.  Does the environmental impact of so many Jacks mean we have to give up our Halloween pumpkins?

You don’t have to say goodbye to your pumpkin, as long as you pay attention to where it comes from and what you do with them.  Many pumpkins are grown using chemically intensive methods, including heavy pesticide and fertilizer use.  An organic or pesticide-free pumpkin from a local farm can help reduce this issue.  You can also reduce - choose just one pumpkin for the whole family, instead of one or more per person.

Once you’re done with your jack o lantern, don’t just throw it away.  These big, vibrant squash are a food crop for many animals and humans, and letting it rot in a landfill would be a waste.  Jack o lantern style pumpkins are usually too touch and fibrous to make pie from, but neighborhood squirrels and other animals will appreciate them as the days grow colder.  Seeds can be placed in a bird feeder, or left out for other animals, too.

If your climate is too warm, or local animals are interested, composting your pumpkin is another option that lets it keep working for you - in the form of nutritious soil for your lawn and garden.  Not everyone has a lawn big enough to compost at home, but many people have enough space for a vermiculture (worm composting) box, or a local garden or hardware center that will compost for them.

Halloween Parties
A common way for grownups to have spooky fun, and loved by many kids, too, Halloween parties can cause a lot of waste.  Disposable plates, cutlery and glasses take up a lot of landfill space and are hard to recycle.  Mass-produced packaged food has lots of travel miles on it, and usually isn’t organic.  However, you can throw a Halloween party that doesn’t have a big effect on the environment - just use local, minimally processed food and reusable dishes and decorations.

Organic food is getting much easier to find - choose pesticide and synthetic fertilizer free apples, pumpkins and other foods for decoration, games and eating.  Avoid packages of chips and snacks, even when organic, since processing is a fuel intensive procedure.  Instead, provide snacks that are closer to their natural form.  It’s easy to whip up a delicious and nutritious veggie plate with dip, homemade baked goods, and many other options for your Halloween party.  Choose decorations that can be reused or disposed of responsibly, and know what can and can’t be recycled in your area.

Bonfires and Fireworks
Less common in the US, these are still an important part of many Halloween celebrations.  However, both fires and fireworks have major environmental impacts.  The chemicals that most fireworks are made of are bad for the environment, producing toxic gases, carbon dioxide, and noise, heat and sound pollution.

After fireworks displays, water and air pollution both go up.  The general area where the fireworks have been let off is more toxic than other air, and many of the non-recyclable toxic pieces of trash left after fireworks have been set off end up in landfills.  Once there, they become yet another source of chemical leachate - a common problem in overfilled landfills.

Animals have trouble with fireworks, too.  Both domestic and wild animals don’t understand what’s going on when we set off these colorful explosions.  They often have better hearing than humans, resulting in pain and fear when they’re too close to an exploding firework.  The impact on animals is big enough that many local vet offices and animal protection agencies tell pet owners to keep their animals inside and pay attention to them if fireworks are likely to be set off.  Wild and farm animals have no such protection, and may be seriously alarmed by the unexpected noise and light.

Bonfires are another Halloween tradition that can be a big polluter.  While bonfires are becoming less common, they do still happen, and they use up fuel and increase air pollution.  During firework and bonfire intensive events, air pollution has been noted to increase significantly.  Carbon dioxide emissions also mean that air quality is reduced in areas where burning takes place.

Transportation on Halloween
Holidays often create an increase in emissions and air pollution due to increased travel.  While fewer people trek across the country on Halloween, there’s still a lot of wasted fuel due to travel to parties and driving for trick or treating.  Some parents even sit in the car and let the engine idle while their kids go up to a house, then drive to the next one!

To reduce the environmental of your transportation this Halloween, think carefully about it.  If you’re taking kids trick or treating in your neighborhood, choose to walk with them - don’t drive.  Those concerned about safety can travel in groups with other families, and have a lot more fun at the same time.

Trick or treaters who live outside of town and can’t walk between houses may wish to drive into town, or to a more densely populated area.  However, you can invite another family to come with you, saving space in the car.  Once you reach your destination, park and walk the rest of the way.  Choose costumes that are suitable for the weather, so you’ll be comfortable and happy on foot, instead of needing a climate controlled car interior to stay warm or cool.

Heading to a party?  There’s no reason to take your car alone if you can ride with someone else or have them ride with you.  Walking, bicycling and riding the bus or other public transportation are other ways to get to and from a party with lower environmental impact.  Again, travel in groups if you’re concerned about safety, and dress for the weather.  You’ll have a great time, spend less on gasoline, and pollute less, too.

Fueling Lighting On Halloween
Flashlights, candles and decorative lighting are often important parts of Halloween, but they can cause a lot of fossil fuel use, plus send a lot of non-reusable batteries to the landfill, creating more heavy metal pollution.  The good news is that there are some options you can choose to reduce the impact of your family’s lighting choices for Halloween.

If using conventional flashlights, choose rechargeable batteries that can be used again and again.  Another alternative is to switch to shakeable flashlights or those that can be charged using a crank.  Solar lights can be left in sunlight to charge during the day, then used at night.  They’re great for lawn decorations, too.  Solar landscape lighting is easy to install, and uses no power.

When choosing candles, remember that conventional types are petroleum based.  Instead of paraffin, choose a soy based wax or other natural product that results in less damage to the environment.  Remember to look for organically produced soy products, since conventional ones use a lot of fertilizers and pesticides.

Keep It Simple
One way to reduce a lot of waste and environmental impact is to simplify your holiday.  You’ll also feel a lot less stressed.  Instead of going to lots of parties and events, or throwing a big one yourself, stick to smaller, simpler gatherings.  You probably won’t notice the difference when it comes to having fun, but you’ll be a lot less tired and anxious.  You’ll also use less fuel and buy fewer commercial items.

Remember - a spooky movie light can be just as much fun as an all-out Halloween party.  Simpler events often lead to having a better time over all.  If you’ve tended toward big Halloween events in the past, it might be time to slow down a little this year - for yourself and for the environment.

Don’t Lose Sight Of The Big Picture
No article on a green Halloween should be treated as a checklist.  If you don’t pay attention to why you’re doing more environmentally friendly things, you could end up doing them without thinking about what each of them means.  A greater benefit for the environment results if you pay attention to your daily activities, and think about how you and your family affect the world around you, instead of “going green” without much consideration.

Doing everything at once can lead to becoming overwhelmed.  Instead of trying to improve your holiday all in one fell swoop, identify the biggest problems first.  Take on transportation issues, reusability, or organic food, then pay attention to other problems.  Remember - travel and food are some of our biggest problems, when it comes to environmental impact.  If you reduce the amount of fuel you expend and the damage done by what you eat, you’ll have made a difference!

Once you get comfortable with one change, you can move on to another.  Environmentally friendly practices are things you need to incorporate into your life overall - not just on Halloween.  Think about what you’re doing and why you do it, and you’ll find that it’s a lot easier to have a green holiday of any sort.

From reusable loot bags and costumes to organic pumpkins, a green Halloween can be a lot of fun, and doesn’t have to be hard.  Work with the time and budget you have to produce the holiday that’s the most fun for you and your family, and the least damaging to the environment.  Remember - every little bit helps!

One of the biggest things that goes with the need for light is light bulbs and for the most part these can use up a considerable amount of power. There are alternatives. These alternatives include fluorescent light bulbs. Up until a little less than 20 years ago, there were no fluorescent based light bulbs that could be used inside a regular lamp.

The only ones that were available where the long or short tubes that most people still think of as fluorescent lighting, compact fluorescent light bulbs however can provide your home with energy efficient lightening. These compact fluorescent light bulbs can save you hundreds of dollars a year when it comes to your electric bill and in the process eliminate tons of green house gases. They also tend to last longer than traditional light bulbs making their price more affordable.

These types of light bulbs are going to look like a fluorescent tube that has been bent and twisted into something similar to the size of a regular light bulb. They are not however and while they do have a standard base allowing them to be used in the same socket as a regular light bulb, they may have difficult fitting due to height or width.

They are still difficult to dispose of because of the mercury so like regular fluorescents you do not just want to throw them in the trash. However, the amount of energy they save does make it worth while to dispose of them properly. Recent years have seen a slight drop in price and since they can last longer than a regular bulb and take up considerably less energy while providing a cleaner and brighter light they are well worth it.

The average life for compact fluorescent light bulbs is between 8-15 times greater than a standard incandescent light bulb. This means they are rated for between 6,000-15,000 hours.

These lights are made to be left on for longer periods of time so keep this in mind when lighting your house you can reduce a compact fluorescent light bulbs lifespan by 85% simply by turning it off within the first five minutes of operation. In order to prevent this leave the light on for at least 15 minutes. If you know, you have an area, which has shorter lighting time consider using regular light bulbs on these lighting areas.

Fluorescent light bulbs can create a great deal of benefit for you. They produce a cleaner more natural light as a result; they often appear brighter than regular lights. They take less energy to run making them safer for the environment even if they do need to be disposed of properly and cannot just be thrown away.

You should consider the lighting situation before placing the light bulbs, as there are some fixtures, which may not have the room for these types of light bulbs.

You can be on your way to saving not only the environment but also money and energy through the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs.

People do not heat their homes when they are away so why keep hot water aroundthat you are not using. Tankless water heaters provide water at a rate of 2-5 gallons per minute. This is enough to do anything you need; however, it may not be enough hot water to supply the entire house if you are doing things at the same time such as washing dishes and showering. To solve this there are two solutions.

The first solution is to install a unit for each appliance that is going to be using hot water. This means each one will have water heated separately and so the drain on the overall system will be less. The other option is to install a whole home tankless water heater. While more expensive, it will supply enough water that you are able to run multiple appliances that need hot water at the same time without creating a water shortage or straining the system.

There are two ways that tankless water heaters are supplied with the energy they need to heat water- gas or electric. While they still use regular power sources they are not maintaining a supply of heated water and as a result do not use the same amount of power that a tank hot water system uses. You also do not have to worry about the maintenance that is required to make sure that tanks maintain fresh and clean water. You also do not have to worry about the chance of a tank rupture and the resulting flood and replacement. These are not appliances that can be installed on their own so a qualified professional will be needed.

There are a number of benefits that come with using tankless water heaters. You can install them near to the appliance they are going to be used for, if you are using smaller tankless water heaters eliminating the wait time for hot water to come though the pipes. This is something that has to be done whether you are using tankless or tank water systems. For an average home, you could be between 24-34% more energy efficient and that can increase to as much as 50% if you install a water heater for each of the hot water outlets in your home.

If you are looking for ways to save money and provide your home with hot water on demand, then consider the advantages of using tankless water heaters in your home.

(More Tankless Water Heater Resources Coming Soon!)