Toilet paper is probably one of the easiest ways to create waste, especially since we are unable to recycle what we use-there usually aren’t bidets in apartments in the United States. Luckily, there is an option we can take to at least minimize the impact we have. What option you ask? Using toilet paper that has already been recycled, my good sir.

Like many other shoppers, when I first saw recycled toilet paper being sold, I clinched my cheeks and said ‘ouch’. Nonetheless, after a few cloggings of our toilet by our previous wiping pleasure I along with a little persuasion of my girlfriend decided to pick up a bag of Marcel recycled toilet paper on our next shopping trip.

You are probably wondering whether or not my anus bled after its first usage. Well, I am happy to tell you it did not and the toilet paper is actually quite soft. My only complaint about the paper is that it isn’t thick enough.

The toilet paper is almost transparent with the feel of a fabric softener sheet. If you have no clue what that feels like, after doing a load of laundry go to the bathroom and wipe the sheet across your butt. Do you like that? Well, I do. If that makes me weird then so be it. I am a little weird. Hey, I’m a nerd. A nerd who likes the feel of fabric softeners wiped across his ass.

What isn’t mentioned on the can, is millions of other species are being caught as a replacement.

Firstly, lets set this straight. There are many types of tuna. The most commonly fished types are:

• Blue-fin tuna – has been recommended against eating since the southern blue-fin is endangered and the northern blue-fin is close to being endangered. This tuna is native to the Atlantic ocean, but cultivated off the coast of Japan and is now commonly used in sushi.
• Yellow-fin tuna – the second most commercially caught tuna, but is listed as endangered especially in the Mediterranean. The EU has placed fishing quotas on the fish and if they aren’t kept, the fish may go extinct in as little as 15-years. This fish is mostly caught off the west coast of the United States and is seen as over-fished. This tuna is the most common to swim with dolphins and is sold both as frozen and in canned form.
• Skipjack tuna – the most commonly caught tuna (although it isn’t really a tuna). It is often canned with the label ‘light meat’ in North America. This fish swims in large schools but don’t associate with dolphins. However, they are an important diet for many sharks and other large fish. This makes it easy for non-Skipjack (including turtles and other juvenile tuna) to be caught in purse seine nets.
• Blackfin tuna – the smallest tuna species. This fish is short lived and fast growing. Unlike many other tunas, Blackfin are found in the warmer parts of the Atlantic ocean from Cape Cod to Brazil. This fish is commercially caught mostly in the Caribbean but is sport fished in other areas. Blackfin is generally of excellent quality and is sold fresh, canned, and frozen. Blackfin are not listed as endangered or threatened.
• Bigeye tuna – fished commercially worldwide but are seen as threatened. They are over-fished due to juvenile Bigeyes association with logs and other floating objects making them especially susceptible to purse seine fishing. Bigeye also mature at a later age than other tunas.
• Albacore tuna – do not swim in tight schools so are seen as a tougher catch. The stocks are at record highs in the north and south Pacific but are endangered in the north and south Atlantic. Alabcore do not swim with dolphins.

Almost all tuna are caught using purse seine nets and FAD. These devices are used to attract fish in the area of the net (along with their predators and swimming companions). Over 1 million fish and 100,000 by-catch (mostly sharks, dolphins, larger fish, whales, and turtles) are caught using FAD. Due to this practice, the bycatch has resulted in the threatening and near extinction of many different ocean species.

Even with this practice, the US Consumers Union has noted that there is no guarantee any “Dolphin-safe” tunas are in fact dolphin-safe because there is no universal or independent verification. Sadly, most tinned tuna does not educate consumers on the fishing methods used nor the type of tuna.

Nonetheless, there is still hope for tuna and environment lovers.

The U.S. North and South Pacific albacore pole & line and troll fisheries are seen as the only sustainable tuna fisheries in the world by the Marine Stewardship Council. Albacore is seen as the best choice for consumers since the industry is sustainable, eco-friendly (since there is little per catch, it is easy for the fisherman to spot non-Albacores and throw them back.

Now, the only problem is finding a place where Albacore is sold.

It should be noted that Albacore are listed as endangered in some parts of the world, specifically India. If you are in one of those areas, finding another tuna solution may be more difficult.

Well, lets let Cromely speak for himself:

Great tips. I would suggest being careful about daily watering, however. Before watering, always make sure the plants need it. You can probably find a cheap water meter at discount stores and gardening centers.

If plants get too much water, their roots will have trouble getting the appropriate nutrients and oxygen from from the soil. In containers, it can sometimes be challenging to keep plants from suffering from “wet feet.”

Cromely offers a great solution to the problem. An example of a water meter for plants (also known as a soil moisture meter) is a Thirsty Light.

Here’s how Thirsty Light works: just stick it in the soil. Once the soil becomes too dry, the LED lights start blinking. Then when you water the plant, it stops.

You can find the Thirsty Light on Amazon for just $9.95. Here’s what it looks like:

An (even better, IMO) alternative to the Thirsty Light is the Plant Watering Bulb. Plant Watering Bulb’s work essentially the exact same way but instead of alerting you when the plant needs water, they simply use the water held inside the bulb.

This can either be a plus or a minus. No matter what, you will still have to water the plant the same amount. The difference is that instead of watering the plant, you will be filling up the bulb. So you will still need to continually check the bulb to make sure it contains water.

You can find the Plant Watering Bulb on Amazon for $6.95 each. You can probably find a similar product in your local gardening center. These have become quite popular as of late and when bought in bulk you can save quite a bit of cash.

Here’s what the Plant Watering Bulb looks like:

No matter what you chose though, be sure to keep the soil moist, just don’t over-water.

First things first, do you have a southern window or balcony? If so, you are in luck! You can grow a wide variety of vegetables suitable for mild climates and can find a big enough pot for. The most common apartment vegetables are lettuce and tomatoes (mainly grape or cherry tomatoes). Both are easy to take care of, grow in most climates, and do not need large pots.

Here are some other great apartment vegetables:

Almost anything leafy: spinach, endive, cabbage

Root veggies: sweet and hot peppers, carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, onion, squash, radish

If you plan on growing vegetables indoors, do not buy gardening soil. Gardening soil will generally compact in containers and will kill your crop. Try using a mixture of light soil instead, such as part potting soil, part vermiculite, part peat, and part perlite.

Be sure to water your plants daily and keep them at a southern facing window. Since water may deplete the soil’s nutrients, be sure to give the plants a supplement feeding every two weeks and do not expect the same type of crop output as an outdoor garden since lighting (even in a southern window) and pollination (even though this can be done by hand) are limited.

If you do not have a southern facing window or balcony, you can still try growing herbs. Instead of the 8+ hours most vegetables require, herbs generally need just 4 hours of sunlight, so any window ledge works great. The best advice anyone can give though is to think of several herbs you enjoy cooking with and simply look up their needs and try to accommodate them.

Of course, if you really want an indoor garden and don’t have a southern facing window it is still possible with a little help. If you have an extra room or area sealed off (like a closet), you can simply buy a sunlight lamp and leave it on during the day.

The three R’s of waste management are extremely important and can help us turn the planet around and help us live in a healthier environment.

Here is what you can do for free at home to help the environment:

Reduce

• Turn your thermostat to 78 or higher in the summer and 68 or lower in the winter.
• When you leave home, turn up the thermostat several degrees in the summer or down several degrees in the winter and just change it back when you get home.
• Open your windows and turn on a fan on mild days instead of running the AC.
• Turn your water heater to 120 degrees or lower.
• Take shorter showers and no baths! Baths are a huge waste of water and can use as much as 5 times the amount of water used during a shower.
• Turn off the water when shaving and brushing your teeth. You can plug up the sink and have about two inches of water for shaving.
• Keep the fridge and freezer door closed until you know what you want. When the fridge is open too long, it then has to work harder to cool.
• Take care of your vampire electronics. Your television, DVD player, computer, and other electronics suck power when they aren’t even turned on. Unplug them whenever possible.
• Don’t water your lawn. Watering lawns is a huge waste of our resources. If your neighborhood lets you, don’t do it. You’ll save hundreds of dollars. If you must water your lawn, follow these guidelines:
  1. Water the lawn between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. to reduce the water lost to evaporation.
  2. Don’t water the street or sidewalk.
  3. Water the lawn only when it is needed. This will help your grasses’ roots grow deeper and force weeds to die out. Many weeds have shallow roots and are encouraged to grow with frequent waterings.
• Pay your bills online and get rid of paper.
• Pile the clothes in the washing machine. The more clothes a washer has (to an extent anyway) the more efficient it becomes.
• Pile the dishes in the dishwasher. More dishes equals less wasted water.
• Turn off the lights when you leave the room. The ghosts can see in the dark.
• Turn your electronics off and not in standby mode. Standby mode is a waste of electricity. Go ahead, turn them off. It is safe.

Reuse

• Donate your old clothes to Goodwill or other shelters instead of throwing them out. You know those clothes you can’t wear anymore? Donate them.
• Hold a yard sale for old products and furniture you don’t use or want any longer. Almost everyone has old products laying around in boxes they don’t use anymore. So why not make a few bucks and let someone else use them?
• Create art out of damaged products. Don’t let broken products let you down. If you can’t make it into art, someone else can.

Recycle

• Create a compost pile. It will not only lower the amount of garbage you throw in the landfill, but will also create a natural fertilizer.
• Take your recyclables to the local recycling center. paper and aluminum are the most popular, but more plastic recycling centers are popping up. Many will pay you for the deed too.

Do you have any free green tips?

You don’t need to follow every tip listed. Actually, if you and everyone else followed just one of them, the environment would be better than it is today. Educate and encourage your family and friends and do something green today. Every little bit helps.

Photo by girl_named_fred

In the home

1. Put more clothes in the washer. The fuller it is, the less water is wasted.
2. Dry your clothes outside. The clothes will last longer and you’ll save money and electricity.
3. Put your razor in a dry place. The most common reason razors get dull is because of water, not your hair. And since bathrooms are one of the most humid places in a home, it can cause your razor to go bad much more quickly than a drier location.
4. Take care of your vampire electronics. TVs, computers, DVD players, etc. all use electricity when they are turned off. Up to 15% of your electricity is being thrown out the window by these objects. Solve the problem with a power supply that has an off button and use it.
5. Turn off your PC off at night and when you’re gone.
6. Recycle your paper. The second most common recycling center in the United States is for paper. If everyone did their part, millions of trees would be saved.
7. Use a tankless water heater. With regular water heaters, the water is constantly heated and kept at the temperature you specify. Tankless water heaters are on-demand so less electricity is used and the possibility of water damage goes down.
8. Keep your water heater at 120°. There’s absolutely no reason a water heater should be above this and you will save up to 15% on your electricity bill.
9. Use less plastic. If you are someone who uses plastic cups or plastic plates, stop! I know it takes a little more effort to wash a plate, but the amount of damage plastic does to the environment is insane.
10. Use less paper towels. Some families use up to 4 paper towel rolls a week. That is 108 paper towel rolls a year-a huge amount of paper. Instead, try cutting your usage slowly by incorporating clothe towels every so often.
11. Donate old clothes. You’ll not only be helping the environment by keeping these clothes out of the landfill, but you will be helping someone in need.
12. Hook up a gray water system. Gray water is used water from the shower, sink, and washing machine. This water can be reused for watering your garden or simply flushing your toilet. Check out the systems available.

In your yard

13. Use a reel push mower. No gas means more savings and less pollution. It only takes slightly more effort to use a reel mower but your eardrums won’t be bleeding after your finished. The only sound will be the chopping of your grass. If you have a large lawn, check out the growing number of electric mowers sweeping the nation. And yes, there are even riding electric mowers.
14. Use a rainwater barrel. Buy a rainwater barrel and set it under your gutters. No, you don’t have to drink it, but you can use it on your garden, lawn, or other outside water needs.
15. Use native plants and grass. Plants which are native to the area require less management and less watering. Actually, they require almost no management after planting.
16. Have a garden. You’ll have vegetables just outside your door. It’s cheaper and more environmentally friendly than going to the store.
17. Create a compost. A compost can lower your garbage output by as much as 25%. Stick your vegetable and fruit skins and stems along with freshly mowed grass, leaves, and dead plants (but not diseased!) in a pile near your garden-even lint from your drier can go in there. Once it has composted, stick some with soil, it is a natural fertilizer.

On the road

18. Inflate your tires. You’ll use up to 20% less gas if your tires are properly inflated.
19. Change your air filter in your car and in your home. Changing the filter regularly will save both protect your engine and save you money on gasoline. Dirty air filters can cause your vehicle to use up to 10% more fuel.
20. Car pool to work. The less amount of cars on the road means cleaner air and less sound pollution. If your city has car pool lanes, you might just get there quicker too.
21. Drive the speed limit, at least on highways. 55mph is often seen as the magic number when it comes to fuel economy. Anything higher and the engine works twice as hard. The difference between 55mph and 75mph is 20% more fuel.

While shopping

22. If you can’t find what you want locally, buy organic. Organic foods have less harmful chemicals to both you and the environment.
23. Buy locally. You’ll be supporting your local economy and gas won’t be wasted shipping the food across state lines.
24. Try to eat less meat. Meat production uses a ton of resources to produce and cause an extraordinary amount of methane. Yes, there are many ways scientists are looking to lower the harm meat production and methane causes but many are untested and unreliable in their current state. Try eating just one less meat meal a week.
25. If you must eat beef, eat buffalo instead. Since buffalo are native to the land, they are better at using it compared to cattle. The meat is healthier for you too.
26. Use cloth bags instead of plastic or paper bags when shopping. Today, you can get cloth bags for around $0.50 to $1 just about anywhere. Just by buying two or three you will help save on plastic. If everyone did their part, shops could save money on bags and your goods will be cheaper and the environment healthier.
27. The next time you need a new appliance, buy EnergyStar or better. You don’t need all your appliances to be EnergyStar, but the next time you need a new appliance check out what they have to offer. Who knows, maybe you’ll love it.
28. Buy sustainable or recycled wood for flooring and furniture. By doing this, you’ll help save from deforestation and cause less damage to the environment.

Even with these tips, the single most important green thing to remember is reduce, reuse, and recycle.

So what are the three R’s of waste management? Reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Reduce
Reduce: to bring down to a lower extent. Basically, use less products. Instead of using paper towels, use clothe. Instead of watering your lawn, let it die. Instead of using paper plates, use real ones.

Whatever you use, try to use less of it or completely get rid of it. This includes electricity.

Reuse
Reuse: to use again. Try to find new uses for old products and try to buy recycled. Check out local yard sales before trying to buy new and look for new owners for your old appliances before chucking it in the trash. Also be sure to donate your old clothes and carpets to charities, there is always someone out there in need, even if you think no one will want it, check it out just to be sure.

Recycle
Recycle as much as possible. More and more cities around the world are offering recycling pick-ups, allowing several types of plastics, paper, and metals to be easily recycled. Although this may be more work (and more costly), it is a great way to help out the environment.

On the other hand, many cities have recycling centers which will pay you to recycle your goods–aluminum and paper centers are the most common. You might remember recycling soda cans when you were a child, those same centers are still in operation today. So if nothing else, save your cans and bring them to be recycled every couple months.

Although the three R’s are just one step to becoming green, it is a big one. If everyone followed the three Rs our landfills would be of virtually no use and new methane production would be cut by a huge margin. So remember to reduce, reuse, and recycle before making new purchases or throwing the old into the garbage.

Photo by basykes

Cork is grown on trees. It is harvested by ’shaving’ the tree, thus the tree lives to see another day. Then in a few years it is shaved again. Cork Oak is the most popular cork-tree, and it is shaved roughly 12 times during its lifespan, but often more. Cork is shaved in 9-year spans after the tree reaches 25-years of age. They live anywhere from 120-200 years old. So now you know why it is sustainable, but why is it a great option for flooring?

Cork flooring is the world’s best kept secret. It is used in almost every public building in the United States where wood flooring is asked to be installed with its use dating back to the 1890s. Why is this? Because it is the perfect high-traffic flooring solution:

1. It helps control humidity.
2. It is naturally insect resisitant.
3. It is sound-proof.
4. It is naturally anti-allergic.
5. It is extremely durable.
6. It is naturally fire-resistant.
7. It is soft, making the floor more comfortable to stand and walk on compared to other woods.

Of course, with all the benefits of cork there has to be a downfall, right? Sadly, yes. Cork is roughly $8/sq. ft compared to bamboo’s $2-$4/sq. ft. In most cases, this puts itself out of range for most customers. Nonetheless, if you can afford the comfort of cork, you’ll have one of the best flooring options available in the world. And don’t forget, it’s green!

Why do you hate me? I’m made from the same animal as bacon, ham, and spare-ribs, so why discriminate? Sure, I may be made up of the left-overs, but isn’t that a good thing? If I wasn’t made with these parts they would be thrown away and additional pigs would be killed to take their place.

I know I’m not alone. My friends, chicken nugget and bologna, receive the same treatment. We aren’t necessarily worse for your diet than other meats, but you still dust off your shoulder when we are near. We never asked for your entire diet or even meal; we only ask you to substitute us every so often for other meats. I know, you think we are made of gross discarded parts which other meats won’t use. Although that is true to an extent, you are hurting the environment by weening children off us. For every child which used to eat bologna sandwiches but now eats turkey breast there is an additional pig ear in the landfill. Not only this, but for every turkey breast the child eats there is an additional turkey that needs food and water. And although some turkey farms are using the methane produced from their poop as electricity, many still aren’t. The end result is more pollution.

Surely you don’t mean to hurt the environment, no one does. It is all lack of awareness. That is why I, Mr. Nugget, and Mr. Bologna have come together to educate you, your family and friends about this subject. We don’t want your money or even much of your time. We just want you to reconsider your decision on not feeding your children our product.

Thank you for listening,

PK Hotdog

P.S. If you have any questions about the environmental aspects of hotdogs, please let me know.

Plants
House plants help naturally filter the air giving a fresher, cleaner environment while balancing indoor humidity. So not only will your seasonal allergies take a hit but you’ll be able to adjust your thermostat a degree or two and save electricity.

Window garden
Without a yard to grow vegetables some might just give up; however, many common vegetables and herbs are able to grow indoors with enough sunlight–and even more with southern exposure. You’ll save money and help the environment by less trips to the market.

Change Your Air Filter
By changing your furnace/AC filter monthly you’ll keep it running efficiently and keep the dust out of the air. You’ll save money and breath better.

68/78 degrees
During the winter months keep your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower and 78 degrees or higher during the summer months. Each degree is worth 3% of energy used, so the more you can stand the heat/cold the better.

Use a fan
Fans don’t cool the air by themselves, but what they can do is help you feel cooler. This will help you raise the thermostat a few degrees higher and lower your energy bill.

Kill the vampire electronics
Vampire electronics can be up to 30% of your electricity. What are vampire electronics? They are televisions, DVD players, cable boxes, and even cell phone chargers not in use but are still using electricity. You can solve this by hooking them up to a power strip and simply turning it off before you go to bed or head off to work–unplugging them works just as well, only more of a hassle.

Use your dishwasher
Although dishwashers use both electricity and water, it is important to take care of the near-future first. Dishwashers use substantially less water than hand-washing. Hey, it is easier anyway and doesn’t take as much of your time. Just be sure to keep it on air-dry instead of heat-dry to save a little bit of electricity and only turn it on when it is full. If you don’t have a dishwasher, just be sure to plug up the drain and don’t keep the water constantly running while washing.

Use compact fluorescent or LED bulbs
By just replacing three light-bulbs you can save up to $60/year and stop 300lbs of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.

Showering
Take shorter showers and install a low-flow showerhead. The average showerhead uses 2-4 gallons of water per minute. By shortening your showertime by just 1 minute, you’ll save at least 730 gallons of much needed water (enough for one person to live on for 4 years). By shortening your shower by 1 minute and using a lowflow-showerhead (one that uses 2 gallons or less) you’ll save a heck of a lot more. You can find a lowflow showerhead for as little as $16.

Install a dual-flush pump
Most renters don’t allow their tenants to install new toilets, but what you can do is install a dual-flush pump to help conserve water. A dual-flush pump will allow you to flush your liquids away with half as much water while giving you the choice to use a full-flush for solids. You can find these from anywhere from between $30 and $60 and are easy to install.

Save bathroom sink water
No, I’m not going to tell you not to wash your hands. But what you can do is use less water to do so and less while brushing your teeth and shaving. While shaving, plug up the sink and give yourself just an inch or two to do the work. For brushing, turn off the water until you are finished. Also, you don’t need the faucet on all the way while washing your hands. Turn it about half-way instead and it should be more than enough pressure to do the job.

Water heater
Keep your waterheater no higher than 120°F. Anything hotter is a waste of electricity.