An antique or vintage rug will become part of your family heirlooms. By purchasing one, you lessen the impact on resources that are used to make a new rug. You may also save material from reaching a landfill.
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An antique or vintage carpet is unique, more sustainable than a new one, and shoppable online from trusted retailers. An antique or vintage rug will become part of your family heirlooms. By purchasing one, you lessen the impact on resources that are used to make a new rug. You may also save material from reaching a landfill. Read more here. Windshield washer fluid accounts for a surprisingly large percentage of toxic vehicle emissions. A startling new study by the American Chemical Society spotlights an underestimated source of vehicular emissions: windshield washer fluid. The researchers argue that even as more and more drivers switch from gasoline to electric vehicles, the emission levels of these non-fuel-derived gases will likely remain consistent. Read more here. Draft snakes are a quick and simple solution to blocking leaks at the bottom of doors and windows. Draft snakes were a fixture in Depression-era America--a quick and simple energy-saving tool. Laid across cracks under doors or windows, they prevent cold air and draft from blowing in and warm air from escaping. Read more here. Here’s a wild reason to watch TV--Annals of Botany reports that watching nature documentaries makes children and adults more interested in plants. While humans are generally concerned with endangered animals, threats to plants are harder to recognize. A new paper in Annals of Botany indicates that watching nature documentaries makes people more interested in plants. Some 40% of plant species are under threat of extinction. Plants that are not directly useful to humans are particularly vulnerable. In the United States, for example, plants receive less than 4% of federal funding for endangered species, despite comprising 57% of the endangered species list. Read more here. Photo by Susan O'Donnell There are now sustainable options for dental floss: recyclable paperboard containers and compostable silk floss. Dental floss is typically packaged in a one-time use plastic box which may also be covered in additional plastic packaging. Floss itself is made of synthetic material that is hard to recycle and takes decades to break down.* There are now alternatives on the market that are recyclable, reusable, and compostable. Silk is a compostable alternative to synthetic floss. Recyclable paperboard packaging is used by some brands, and there are also refillable options. This Treehugger article** lists a number of brands that offer compostable silk floss and refillable containers. Locally, Martindale’s in Springfield carries Radius dental floss packaged in a paperboard box. *according to Colgate website **Starre Vartan, November 18, 2022, "The 9 Best Biodegradable Dental Flosses," Treehugger.com Install dimmers on lights to save energy by adjusting the lighting to the level that you need. Installing new lighting? Consider including a dimmer switch in that new installation. According to PECO, you can save up to $25 per year on electricity by using dimmer switches. Instead of the standard light switch which offers just one option for brightness, dimmer switches allow you to use less light, and thus less energy, according to your needs at the moment. Keeping lights on at a lower level also extends the life of your light bulbs. Photo by Susan O'Donnell Keep in mind when purchasing clothes online that returned clothes often end up trashed rather than being resold. According to this Treehugger article* by Katherine Martinko, 30-50% of returned clothing from online stores are not restocked but rather end up in a landfill. Keep this in mind when making purchases from online stores, especially if you intend to return some items. For example, the practice of ordering multiple sizes of clothing just to try them out and get the right fit may contribute to more waste than expected. *Katherine Marinko, October 11, 2018, “The renewal workshop repairs and resells brand-name apparel” Treehugger.com Photo by Susan O'Donnell Swarthmore’s single use regulation ordinance goes into effect on January 8th, 2024. Decline the plastic utensils when asked by a restaurant if you want them. The new ordinance prohibits merchants from providing single-use plastic bags for purchases or Styrofoam packaging for food or beverages. In addition, disposable foodware accessories, such as plastic utensils, plastic straws, and pre-packaged condiments, will be provided only upon request by the customer or offered as a self-serve option. This provision will prevent unwanted and unused disposable items from ending up in the trash without even being used. To take full advantage of this option, decline plastic utensils when asked and use washable items instead. Photo by Susan O'Donnell Don’t kill spiders in your home. They eat mosquitos, moths, flies, and other dreaded insects. Or place a cup over the critter, slide a piece of paper under, and transport it outside. Spiders provide natural pest control, eating the insects you don’t want in your house. Unlike the large poisonous spiders you may have seen in movies, almost all of the species that live in the U.S. are harmless to humans. Read more here. Photo by Sean O'Donnell An unprecedented number of people will give and receive thrifted presents this year so don’t be afraid to embrace secondhand gifts, once stigmatized but now celebrated. A profound shift has occurred in the way thrifted gifts are viewed by Americans. Gen Z is leading the charge. Read more here. |
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