New Wave Enviro: Eco-Water

Making certain changes in your life will not only benefit your health, but also your wallet. 

In my house, I'm the one who does the grocery shopping.  Something constantly on the list that irks me to no end is "water."  I know that this one word is meant to convey to me "Ashley, buy a flat of unnecessary plastic water bottles filled with water that tastes like plastic because of its packaging and is practically a poison because of all of the leeching that occurs from the bottle and is most likely going to end up killing marine life."  Just saying "water" saves ink, I guess.

Picture from here.

For a long time, now, I've been trying to turn everyone I know on to reusable water bottles.  Personally, I have three -- one of which is the promotional one from Twilight with a picture that says "Team Edward" under it.  It's not that I'm a huge twilight fan -- personally, I love vampires but I don't really think of the Cullens et al. as vampires.  But I digress.  The people from Twilight are supposed to be as cold as ice and Edward lives up to that reputation through his use as a water bottle; my water is always nice and cold.

Quite recently, however, I've been in the market for a new stainless steel water bottle and I stumbled upon a company that makes some of the safest water bottles, plus food storage and filtration systems, that I have ever seen.  This company is called New Wave Enviro.  What I really like about them is how thorough they are.  They think about everything from bottle to cap to filter to lunch.

They do carry plastic which is notorious for leeching deadly chemicals and carcinogens into whatever they hold.  The plastic they use, however, is BPA free.  For those of you not in the know, BPA stands for Bisphenol A.  It is an endocrine disruptor that has been linked to birth defects, obesity, cancer, neurological issues, thyroid issues, sexual dysfunction, etc.  Basically, the stuff's bad news.  New Wave Enviro uses plastic in the safest way possible, though, so they get my stamp of approval.

Aluminum water bottles are a definite step up from plastic; however, they must be lined to be safe to drink from.  The lining can chip or flake, creating dangers.  There was also a time when the lining was made of BPA.  Then you have the cap possibly being made of plastic, etc. etc. 

The safest by far is stainless steel. Stainless steel does not need to be lined, leeches nothing, and is smooth and pore-less.  It keeps your drink at just the right temperature without any nasty health side effects.  New Wave Enviro has a great collection of stainless steel water bottles.  I really like this bottle because not only is it safe and nice to look at but it also benefits a good cause:  Pandas International.  It's the bottle I intend to get once I make my way down to Wholefoods.  There are so many other great bottles and storage containers including a small stainless steel bottle with a nipple for babies.  It makes sense, doesn't it?  Knowing what we know about the dangers of plastic water bottles, why would you want your kid drinking out of one?  I wouldn't.

Even if you're the kind of person who looks at all of the science supporting the dangers of plastic water bottles as witchcraft and tomfoolery, you can't ignore the toll it takes on the environment.  Emissions from production aside, so many plastic bottles are not recycled and they end up on the sides of our roads and in our oceans, rivers, and lakes.  They polute our world and kill our wild life.

That not a good enough reason, either?  Okay.  Buy one water bottle, refill it, it lasts forever.  Or, waste money buying a bunch of disposable bottles of water that make water taste like plastic and do not stay cold. 

As always, it's your choice.

Environmental Degradation

Once upon a time, deforestation occurred, predominately, because rural farmers needed to clear land so that they could create farm land.  You know, agriculture.  Deforestation was bad then, just as it is now; however, it's sort of difficult to oppose someone who is just trying to eat and stay alive.  As a society, we are encouraged not to hate on the little guy; we root for the underdog.  Like Rudy.

Times have changed, however, and deforestation is no longer primarily the result of rural farmers just trying to survive.  Now, deforestation occurs in response to consumerism.  Supply and demand.  As a society, we want post-its, paper towels, toilet paper, news papers, pencils, hardwood floors, building materials, notebooks, and of course, animals.

Land is constantly being cleared for the raising of animals like cattle.  These animals are commonly used for things like leather.  So, let's think about this.  100-some-odd miles of rainforest are cleared away to raise cattle.  That cattle is slaughtered and shipped and sent to some nice place in say Vietnam, for example, where it is made into shoes or something that is later shipped elsewhere; the US, UK, Germany, etc.  The act of deforestation creates mind-blowing amounts of carbon emissions -- ironically, the trees are what rid the air of carbon and create oxygen.  Then, it gets shipped all over the place on boats, on planes, and in trucks, again creating carbon emissions.  Now, the factory in Vietnam received it's leather from Brazil, who subcontracted to ranchers in the Amazon.  This network spans thousands of miles.  This extensive travel contributes to environmental degradation.

Picture from here.

Deforestation is one of the biggest problems plaguing the world today.  It is a supply and demand enterprise, however, which means that we, the consumers, can help put an end to it.  How, you ask?  Excellent question.  I'll tell you.  Now, let me first tell you something.  I am in no way trying to simplify the seriousness of deforestation.  A lot needs to change in order to end this horrible act that is suffocating the planet.  The first step, though, like with everything else, lies with the individual.  The individual needs to want to make the changes.  Needs to want to know about the issue.  Needs to want to make a difference.  It all starts with the little things, also.  It's the little things that will add up.  Gateway drug, remember?  So, let's discuss what you, as an individual human person can do to lower the demand for deforestation and in turn, lowering the supply.

Go paperless:  With almost everything -- maybe even everything, actually -- there is the option to pay your bills online, only.  The paperless option saves paper in the forms of statements, envelopes, stamps, etc.  This also creates less carbon emissions from the processing of the trees into wood pulp, and the wood pulp into paper.  Also, go paperless when it comes to all of your mail.  Cancel your magazine subscriptions.  Call the companies responsible for junk mail and tell them to take your name off of their list.  Cancel the phone book/yellow pages.  Use e-mail instead of standard mail.  Read your news online instead of getting news papers (I highly recommend The Huff).  You can get almost everything online, including news papers and many magazines.
Microfiber:  Instead of buying paper towels and napkins, use towels and microfiber clothes that you can wash.  Paper towels are not recyclable if they are wet or dirty.  So, basically if you used a paper towel, you can't recycle it.
Electronic Books:  If you have a Kindle, Nook, iPad, or a computer -- which I'm assuming you do since you're reading this -- then you can read all of your books electronically.  As an English student, I am a book junkie and it is called upon me to buy a lot of books for school.  I do, however, have a Kindle.  Kindle has an app for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, as well as a downloadable version for computers that allows you to buy Kindle books without a Kindle.  With the exception of new releases, Kindle books are usually much cheaper than standard paper books -- I've never seen a book more expensive on Kindle than it is in a bookstore.
Don't Wear Leather:  Not only is it gross -- it's the flesh of a dead animal that would be decomposing if it hadn't been chemically treated with poisons.  The lower the demand for leather, the less land being cleared to raise the cattle, the more trees that stay intact purifying our air and serving as homes for millions of species of animals as well as producing components for medicines.

Deforestation is no longer poverty-driven; it's industry-driven.  If we change the demand for these products, we can change the supply.  When the 2012 election starts, do your research.  Use your vote in a way that not only benefits you but the entire planet.  Use your voice.  In the meantime, be a conscious consumer.  There is so much more that can be done to put an end to deforestation.  Above are just the bare-basics.  I encourage you to research the issue and educate yourself on your planet.  If someone were ripping out your lungs, wouldn't you have something to say about it?  The trees are the lungs of the planet.  We need them.

How do you keep cool?

This is my first official post.  First off, let me say that my main source of news is from The Huffington Post.  It is a great site that offers not only nation and world news but also news on the Green movement.  For me, this is paramount.  This post will focus on an article from The Huffington Post -- or, as I refer to it in my own mind, The Huff.

For the full article, go here.

In the article Summers Are Going To Get Hotter, Stanford Scientists Say, Joanna Zelman discusses the scientific study conducted by Stanford University that has explored the extreme temperature shifts in the middle latitude regions; this includes the United States.  Last summer, reportedly, tied with 2005 as the hottest year on record with a global temperature 1.12 degrees Fahrenheit above normal.  Although 1.12 degrees may not seem like a lot -- from a day to day stand point, it really isn't -- it is the changes in long-term weather trends that are considered to be scientific evidence of man-made global warming.

"Most atmospheric scientists attribute the change to gases released into the air by industrial processes and gasoline-burning engines"  (The Associated Press).  This is man-made global warming.  What all of this basically comes down to is that it's going to get really hot.

Where I live, in the San Francisco Bay Area, it has actually been pretty cold the last two weeks.  Over the last three or so days, it has started to warm up.  This week, temperatures are in the eighties, inland.  In the summer, we usually see temperatures around 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Personally, I hate the heat.  I can't stand being hot or sweating.  I have, however, gotten used to the Summer heat the same way I've gotten used to the Winter cold.  You see, I live in a house that was built in the 1970's.  The AC/Heating is original to the house and since it is an older house, it is poorly insulated.  So, we don't even bother trying to use the AC because it wouldn't make a bit of difference except to our energy bill.  From this, I've learned how to successfully keep my cool even in the face of ridiculously high temperatures.

Keeping cool is extremely important because high temperatures can be very dangerous.  The article mentions that in 2003, heat waves in Europe killed an estimated 35,000 people.  Agriculture is also threatened by the heat.  If it is not cold enough in the Winter months, crop eating insects don't all die off and then thrive on the crops in the Spring.  The heat can also interrupt the life cycles of the plants, damage them, and even prevent their growth entirely.

As individuals, I think there is an easy two-fold plan of attack.  Number one, you need to stay cool.  Drink a lot of water.  Get a reusable water bottle to refrain from using plastic which creates oodles of carbon emissions when produced; plus, the metal ones like I have keep your water nice and cool and can also act like a cold compress.  If you have long hair, keep it up.  Dress responsibly for the weather.  Wear sunscreen.  Swim whenever you can.  Take cold showers when you shower.  PG&E, also, gives rebates for certain types of green AC units.  At my house, certain rooms have window units which work superbly -- sometimes even making the room cold at its lowest setting.  Check the PG&E site for a list of Eco-rebates you can utilize in your own house.

Number two, we all need to work on the thing that is causing man-made global warming: carbon emissions from gasoline-burning engines and industrial processing.  So, whenever you can, walk or bike or skateboard, or whatever instead of driving.  If you do have to drive, try and carpool or take public transportation.  Also, make your voice heard.  Climate change is no joke.  You know all those tornadoes that have been touching down all over the country?  Well, that's what happens with climate change; the strange becomes normal.  Find our what you can do in your community to combat climate change and make the changes in your own home.

I encourage everyone to follow the link to the article and read the whole thing.  Research and educate yourself on what's going on on our planet; what we're doing to our planet and how we can make things better.

In closing, I'd like to say that I was once of the mindset that global warming is fake.  After all, there are apparently more polar bears now than there were 50 years ago.  The global climate, however, is rising.  You can have all of the pithy little t-shirts you want saying that it's a fraud but the truth is is that it's getting warmer and warmer.  It is those long term trends that point towards global warming, not the population of polar bears.  Another thing, just because a population is "abundant" does not mean than it's environment is not in danger.  Look at us; there are over 6 billion people on the the planet and our environment is falling apart.  Looks can be deceiving.