Check out these great tips and tricks for a greener college experience!

More after the break… (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - bunnylady

We’re well into August, but summer’s not done yet! Depending on where you live, high temperatures and hot weather can still stick around for quite some time. For many people, taking in a dip in a swimming pool is a favorite way to beat the heat and cool down. But have you ever considered the environmental impact of swimming pools? Obviously, they require lots of water, as well as chemicals and energy to run the pumps and filters that keep them clean. The following tips can help you reduce water loss, minimize the use of potentially-harmful chemicals and lower the energy needed to maintain your pool.

Choose Eco-Friendly Materials to Build Your Pool

If you’re building a new pool, opt for recycled, re-purposed materials. Doing so will keep these materials from winding up in a landfill and can also slash your energy output. An eco-friendly option for a pool foundation is ICF (Insulating Concrete Foam), which is “made of concrete mixed with other materials,” such as “Styrofoam coffee cups, wood waste, shavings and chips,” to help minimize heat loss, explains the Web site, GreenYour.com (1). Old recycled glass can be formed into new pool tiles, creating mosaics or patterns on the pool floor or around the pool. Water-based, low-VOC paints are great choices, too (1). (continue reading…)

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It’s officially summer! Sure, that means sun and fun, but also soaring temps and sweltering humidity. So, when you’re sticky and sweaty, what can you do to keep cool? Air conditioning isn’t the only way to go – plenty of other options use less energy and have lower costs. Check out these tips to beat the heat:

Become a Fan of Fans

Fans are a great way to create a breeze and move around stale air. In particular, attic fans are ideal because hot air rises, and a lot of heat comes into your home through the roof (1). Also, having a ceiling fan in your bedroom will circulate and cool the air, making your sleeping environment cool and comfortable (2). (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - Maica

Recycling has become an important part of our lives, with the faithful assumption that disposing is bad and recycling is always good by definition. Pause to consider the science and the economics of every proposition, including segregating plastic containers, bottles, newspapers and metal cans and then placing them in colorful boxes at curbside. Without even questioning either the cost or the outcomes of the process that starts at the curb, or if recycling is economically or environmentally sound.

Saving Trees with Paper Recycling

People recycle paper to save trees. However, most paper comes from trees that are planted with the intention of eventually harvesting them to make things like paper. This means that if we all use less paper, there would be fewer trees planted. Maybe some people ought to use less paper anyway, but no one assume that the people who are in the business of growing and harvesting trees are going to continue to do so even if we don’t buy their products. For every 13 trees “saved” by recycling, 87 will never get planted. It is because of the demand of the paper that number of trees have been increasing in the world. Moreover, recycling newsprint creates more water pollution than making new paper. De-inking old news papers produces a lot of toxic sludge that requires special disposal. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - Falconiaz

I’m writing this article on my laptop. You’re reading this article on your computer. My cell phone is next to me on the table. The TV, VCR, DVD player and stereo are across the room. Face it, we’re an electronic e-culture: we rely on electronic devices for work, entertainment, communication and a bevy of other purposes. And we’re always awaiting the next, latest, greatest models of electronic items: when they hit the shelves, we fork over big bucks for new versions with bells and whistles. But what happens to our old cell phones, computers, TVs and other electronic items when we don’t want them anymore? Often, they’re shipped off to other countries for disposal in landfills, where they pose environmental and health hazards. This is why responsible recycling of electronic e-waste is so important.

What is E-Waste?

E-waste — or electronic waste — is a broad term for old, unused, discarded electronic goods, such as computers, cell phones, TVs, VCRs, CD players and other similar items. According to the Web site, Earth911.com, e-waste makes up only a small portion of the contents of landfills — only about 1 to 4 percent (1). Yet, e-waste is the source of approximately “70 percent of the heavy metals in landfills,” Earth911.com writes (1). The number of discarded electronics sitting in landfills worldwide is astonishing – and growing by 40 million metric tons each year, as we continue to buy new electronics and throw our old ones away (1). (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - PinkTag

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. To commemorate, the Nature Conservancy has five simple ways you can help.

1. Use Reusable Bags

Hundreds of thousands of marine animals die every year from ingesting plastic bags.

2. Eat Sustainably

You eat fish even when you don’t: 36% of world’s fisheries catch is used to feed farm animals. (continue reading…)