Blog Archives

Keep plastic utensils out of the recycling

4/26/2024

Recycling mystery revealed: plastic utensils are not recyclable.

Plastic utensils are not recyclable. The majority are made of polystyrene (#6 plastic, same as Styrofoam). Some are made of #1 plastic but are not labeled, so we have no way of knowing. The odd shapes also jam machinery. Replace plastic utensils with compostable or reusable ones.

Read more here.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Plant a memorial tree

4/19/2024

Transform grief into environmental healing with memorial trees.

There is no simple way to process the loss of a loved one. The weight of grief can feel unbearable. Planting a living memorial tree blends the intimate ritual of honoring a loved one with positive action for the planet.

People also plant trees in honor of births, weddings, and housewarmings. Planting a tree in celebration of a birth is perhaps the most poignant of occasions because this is a gift that will grow alongside the child, year by year maturing and flourishing. With a memorial donation to The National Arbor Day Foundation, they will plant a tree in a national forest devastated by fires and other disasters.

Read more here about dedicating a tree locally at Scott Arboretum.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Drive gently to use less gas

4/12/2024

Driving gently can lower your gas use by up to 33% on the highway and 5% in the city, according to the Department of Energy. Fast accelerations, high speeds, and abrupt stops waste energy.

A special report on 247wallst.com by Liz Blossom points out that "the optimal highway speed for gas mileage is 50 mph; after that, your gas mileage drops quickly." In addition, "fast accelerations and abrupt stops waste energy. By driving gently you can lower your gas mileage by up to 33% on the highway and 5% in the city, according to the Department of Energy. Don’t idle your car, especially while running the air conditioner. In the winter, give your car only 30 seconds to warm up — it will warm up quickly when you start driving. Regular maintenance will help your car run at top efficiency — fixing serious maintenance problems can improve mileage by up to 40%."*

Other driving strategies that improve your gas mileage include avoiding engine idling (turn off the car if it’s going to be more than 30 seconds) and jack-rabbit starts. Read the traffic, signs, and lights in order to minimize the wasted energy in braking. Maintenance tips include keeping tires properly inflated (each 2.5 psi of tire inflation improves fuel economy by 1%), choosing “low rolling resistance” tires, which improve fuel economy close to 3% relative to standard replacement tires, and minimizing excess weight (1-2% mpg improvement per 100 lbs. of reduced weight).

*Liz Blossom, January 8, 2020, "30 ways to make your life more environmentally friendly," 247wallst.com

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Plant milkweed for monarch butterflies

4/5/2024

This spring, plant milkweed in your yard to restore habitat that supports monarch butterflies.

Monarch butterfly caterpillars are specialists for eating milkweed; there is no other plant that can sustain them. From the toxic sap of the milkweed, they become unpalatable themselves, keeping them relatively safe from predators. One of the marvels about monarchs is that they migrate between Mexico and Canada but take three generations to do so, stopping in various locations throughout the United States. This means that they need to find milkweed along their route to lay their eggs so that the next generation can continue their journey. As their required habitat is disappearing, monarch populations have been declining. You can help the monarchs by planting a patch milkweeds in your yard. In our area, plants are available to purchase at native plant events such as the annual Brandywine Conservancy native plant sale in May or at nurseries such as Redbud in Media. You will not only be supporting monarchs but also a whole range of pollinators that feed on the nectar of milkweed plants. You will find these attractive flowers a beautiful addition to your landscaping!

You can find out all that you need to know in these guides: Create Habitat for Monarchs and the Gardening for Monarchs brochure. Learn more about their amazing migration at Monarchwatch.org.

Photo by Debbie Long, Flickr

Keep plastic utensils out of the recycling

Plant a memorial tree

Drive gently to use less gas

Plant milkweed for monarch butterflies

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