Fast Facts

Get the quick-and-dirty facts on your real-time environmental impact coupled with a quick tip on what you can do.

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  04-22-2008

  Fight Global Warming: Eat Organic

  Conventional farming depletes soil carbon, preventing the soil from absorbing carbon dioxide.

  What Can You Do?

  Buy organic! A bit like the carbon offsets of agriculture, organic farming not only consumes 37 percent less energy than conventional farming, but in one year, an acre of organic crop soil will pull up to 7,000 pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere, according to the Rodale Institute. That's more than half of the average vehicle's total emissions over the course of a year. So while the premiums we often pay for organic food can feel extravagant, the benefits are priceless.

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  01-06-2009

  Trim Those Packaging Pounds

  Packaging makes up a third of all garbage tossed in the U.S.

  What Can You Do?

  Here are a few ways to cut down on waste:

  • Cut back on single-serving foods and beverages. Instead, buy items in bulk and portion them out into reusable containers.
  • Tone down the take-out. Cooking just one more dinner and packing just one more lunch a week will have a big impact on unnecessary waste and will save you money.
  • Buy household items, like detergent and cleaning supplies, in concentrated forms so that you get more product per package.
  • Whenever possible, look for packaging made from recycled materials, and always check the plastic code to make sure the package is recyclable.

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  Photo courtesy Shutterstock Images

  04-17-2007

  How to Grow Clean Air

  Indoor chemicals contribute to allergies, asthma, birth defects and learning disabilities in children.

  What Can You Do?

  While plants can't cure major indoor pollution problems on their own, they are an ideal antidote to the minor contamination introduced into our indoor environments through everyday household products and building materials. As few as 15 houseplants in an average-size home can offer a significant reduction in the number of indoor contaminants.

  Here are some common indoor air contaminants and the plants that can help remove them:

  • Formaldehyde: The Boston fern (Nephrolepi exalta "Bostoniensis"), Florist's mums (Chrysanthemum morifolium), the Gerbera daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) and the Dwarf date palm (Phoenix roebelenii) reduce indoor levels of formaldehyde, a contaminant present in particleboard, carpet backings, some grocery bags, facial tissues, paper towels and permanent-press clothing, and released by gas stoves.
  • Toluene/Xylene: The Areca palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens), the Moth orchid (Phalenopsis) and the Dwarf date palm remove xylene and toluene, harmful volatile organic chemicals which can be emitted from gasoline, adhesives, ceiling tiles, computer screens, paints, inks used in photocopiers, stains and varnishes, and upholstery.
  • Other hardworking and beautiful indoor plants include bamboo palm (Chamaedorea), Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), English Ivy (Hedera helix), the indoor dracaenas (Dracaena "Janet Craig," D. marginata, D. massangeana and D. warnekii), and the snake plant or mother-in-law's tongue (Sansevieria trifasciata laurentii).
  • When choosing houseplants, remember that many can be toxic if ingested, so be extra careful if you have young children or pets in your home. Staff at the local garden center should be able to advise you on nontoxic choices.