Beginner Treehugger Tips

Attention Treehuggers

I have found myself recently in deep thought about the needy and saving our planet. If you are like me and want to help Mother Earth… I put together a list of the top ten things a beginner tree hugger can do. Once you have gotten into the groove of doing these things then you can raise awareness and spread word to your family, friends and followers.

The Top Ten

1. Invest in a dishwasher or a wash and drain bowl or a double bowl sink. The dishwasher uses less water and if you don’t have one filling one side of the sink or bowl with warm soapy water and washing the dishes within the sink or bowl at the end of the night saves running up your water bill. You’ll also need to invest in a timer my preferred is the Williams Sonoma Stainless Steel Mechanical Timer. When you shower set the timer for 15 minutes, when it goes off, shower time is over. This goes hand in hand with the first two mentioned…don’t leave the faucet running while brushing your teeth. Turn on the water to wet your toothbrush and on again to rinse the sink and toothbrush off when you are finished. All three of these things count as one thing because it ties into preventing water waste by being more efficient.

2. Clean that dryer filter that is clogged with lint. The dryer uses more energy when the filter is filthy. Even better, ditch the dryer and get a clothes line or drying rack and hang dry your items. Many people are getting electric stoves and truth is not only are they difficult to control temperature wise but they take longer to get hot and cool off. This being said they use more energy so a gas stove is the way to stay. Even gas heating is better than electric heating.

3. Get some solar panels. They use photons from the suns energy and turn it into electricity that can be used to power electrical loads.

4. Stop using one use items such as knives, spoons, forks, straws and plates at restaurants and stop buying them for events and gigs. Let me tell you why! Microplastics leak chemicals and pollute the air and everything that comes in contact with them. A perfect example is Bisphenol A known as BPA it is one of the most common toxic chemicals microplastics leaks. Not only can microplastics stunt growth but they disrupt your immune and reproductive systems. Some even say it is linked to birth defects and cancer. Needless to say, those plastic bottles of water people keep buying do too. Just get a filter for your sink and a stainless steel or glass water bottle and fill it up. You could even get a Brita filter to go in your fridge or countertop, either or works.

5. Traditional 12W LED lightbulbs last three times longer than the 60W Traditional Incandescent lightbulbs and use 75-80% less energy saving you money. If you are looking to save your skin from some aging and some ultraviolet radiation while indoors you can buy a contemporary metal lantern and remove all lighting sources. You can place a candle inside and light it to see when there is no daylight. Keep in mind there are many other things that give off ultraviolet radiation like the sun and nail curing lamps that people use when getting a gel polish manicure or pedicure. That is why dermatologists recommend using moisturizer with SPF not just during hot summer months but on your face in your moisturizer daily to protect your skin. There are different SPF's for different environments increasing from SPF15 to SPF 20 to SPF30 to SPF50 to SPF60. If you live in a scorching hot climate SPF60 is definitely for you.

6. "Recycle or ditch the stics!" Stics being slang for plastics. Did you know that junk food packaging is mixed with aluminum that cannot be separated from the plastic it is mixed with? That means they cannot recycle it. If you are creative you can make some recycled fashion with those aluminum plastic chip bags and candy wrappers or don’t buy them at all. Recycling is a job in itself. The past year I learned this. If you don’t rinse what you are recycling completely off of food residue it cannot be recycled. That is why it is so important to make sure to rinse your styrofoam, aluminum foil wrap, aluminum foil trays, cans, bottles and glass thoroughly after using if you must purchase things packaged as such. (Note: Canned foods contain 40% BPA, styrofoam contains neurotoxins and plastic wrapped anything contains phthalates that disrupt your endocrine system.) I am not quite finished yet…let’s talk batteries! Battery acid leakage destroys our ecosystem and diminishes our breathing air quality. When it comes to batteries a battery charger is the best way to go opposed to recycling so you don’t have to keep buying new ones every month. Ditch buying more batteries! One more thing, when it comes to paper just don’t shred it because then it cannot be recycled.

7. Ladies and or mommas, this is for you. Say it with me… “BIODEGRADABLE means untraceable!" Buy biodegradable pads, pantyliners, tampons and wipes for you when it is that time of the month. Buy biodegradable wipes and diapers for your baby. If you really want to go that extra mile for Mother Earth you can get the Flex menstrual cup or reusable pads while on your menstrual cycle and get a washcloth instead of wipes for wiping. You can even cop a dozen of Rumparooz one size cloth pocket diaper with the snaps. They’ve got a bunch of cute colors and prints for babies.

8. From best to least best options for traveling to stop air pollution you can ride your bike, can get an electrical vehicle, carpool or take the bus. Gas ran vehicles are a major pollutant because they produce nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. In addition, when flying do it with a significant amount of other people. Avoid personal jet flying as its more efficient and reduces air pollution. Even simply by buying your products from a local small business you’d be helping. Mass produced products use warehouses and manufacturers so they use large amounts of energy to produce items in large quantities. By doing this they induce a lot of carbon dioxide.

9. Go digital. Get your check direct and your magazine subscription in pdf form. Put your photos on a USB or some form of an external hard drive. Don’t journal instead vlog, blog or download the Momento application for private journaling. The trees provide wilderness and wildlife to our animals and oxygen to us we need them to stay where they are and stop cutting them down especially for Christmas. For Christmas get an artificial tree you can break down and reuse each year. If you want the tree smell you have options, don’t fret! You can light a balsam and cedar candle and turn fresh pinecones into ornaments to hang on the tree or even hide them underneath the tree to achieve the scent.

10. Ammonia is a known toxin that doesn't belong in any home. Windex is infamous for having large amounts of it. While it cleans, inadvertent spray enters and irritates your respiratory system and eyes. Fumes fill the room you're cleaning in. Instead use water, vinegar, soap and a microfiber cloth all equal parts. This is the same for majority of air fresheners, carpet or upholstery cleaners, drain cleaners, chlorine, bleach and antifreeze. Products with sulfuric and phosphoric acids, borax, lye, PVC, formaldehyde and phenol are also harmful to health and are toxic. Be a candle lover and ditch the air freshener. There are non-toxic versions of everything listed above so don’t stop cleaning. For example, Biokleen’s carpet and rug shampoo is environmentally friendly and so is Simple Greens carpet cleaner. American Society for Testing and Materials states glycerin is a more environmentally friendly alternative than ethylene glycol-based antifreeze to cool an engine. If your drain needs some cleaning the best thing to do is drop three Alka-Seltzer tablets down followed by some boiling water. Some say you can even use baking soda and cider vinegar opposed to toxic drain cleaners. Lastly when it comes to bleach and chlorine just don’t! If you have a pool make it a salt-water one or try copper ionization or even bromine is better. As for the bleach, Seventh Generation has color safe bleach without the toxicity regular Clorox bleach does.

Baby Steps

These are ten things you can do to help Mother Earth. Baby steps though I don't even do all of these things quite yet. You've got to take baby steps. I started out taking half hour showers now I simply turn on my Pandora and let four songs play and force myself to get out. I myself, have not had the courage to give up my Tostitos, Ghiradelli milk chocolate caramel squares, M&M's but I definitely don't consume as much as I used to. I do a five second rinse of my dishes then place them in the dishwasher. I hang dry my clothes. I admit I fell in love with the taste of the Essentia alkaline water so I do buy it and drink my two liters a day but I recycle my bottles and don't use plasticware. I get dip powder when I go to the nail salon opposed to gel. Like I said baby steps. We all have to start somewhere.