Outdoor Ecology
Leaving a Cleaner Campsite Campers, mountain-climbers, and backpackers should all be aware of campsite “ethics,” says lackie lohnson Maughan, coauthor of Hiking the Back-country; A Do-lt-Yourself Guide for the Adventurous Woman. “Pack out everything that you bring in,” says Maughan. ‘This includes cigarette butts, tinfoil, bottle tops, eggshells, orange peels, and used sanitary napkins.” THE SPORTING LIFE, LOW-IMPACT STYLE True, we’re all entitled to our bit of fun, but the fact is, some forms of outdoor sports are a bit kinder to the environment than others. Here’s a short list of sports with a high environmental impact, and some low-impact alternatives. High-Impact Sports...
Read MoreCutting Out Waste
Junk Mail: Take the Envelope…Please! The best way to stop the junk mail you don’t want is by using the no-postage-necessary envelope usually found within the junk mail packet. Cut out your name and address label and send it back in that envelope,along with a note saying “Please take me off your mailing list,” says Gelb. Why Not More Food, Less Packaging? The smart environmental shopper compares similar products to see how much packaging surrounds them—and then purchases the item wit? minimal or no packaging. That’s the recommendation of Betsy Rich, program director of the Pennsylvania Resources Council in Media, Pennsylvania. ‘lndividual servings are overpackaged because you get a small amourt of product with a large amount of...
Read MoreSharing and Reusing
Pass It Along Do you have leftover household cleaners, paints, and pesticides? Share them with a family member, friend, or neighbor who can use the remainder of the product, suggests Sharon Rehder, environmental engineer with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in Al-bany. But first, check to make sure they have not been banned or restricted since they were first purchased. The waste management office in your locality should be able to answer that question for you. Think—Which Group Could Use This? Old, serviceable musical instruments or cameras can be donated to schools. Sports equipment can go to Little Leagues or after-school recreational programs. And as for magazines—they’re wanted by hospitals and nursing homes. These...
Read MoreSteering Clear of Pollutants
Running an Errand? Think Twice! ln highly populated areas, emissions from automobiles contribute at least 50 percent to ozone problems, and their exhaust accounts for nearly 90 percent of carbon dioxide pollution. According to Mark Simon, director of alternative fuels for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, carpooling and combining errands are two ways to significantly reduce the pollution contribution. “Try not to drive just to pick up a quart of milk,” Simon says. “lf you do,you’ll be making many separate little trips every day.” Do Away with Chlorine Fumes Instead of chlorine bleach to clean mildew, use borax and hot water,suggests Joy Williams, community assistance director of the Environmental Health...
Read MoreRecycling Everyday Items
Save Your Phone Book-For a Cow More and more phone book publishers are making recovery programs available to their customers. According to Willis Hengy, a representative of the Michigan Directory Company, Southwest Bell sets up drop-off points for old directories when they distribute new ones. When they’re shredded, the old directories are used for animal bedding. The National Yellow Pages Organization advises customers to contact the phone book publisher in their area for instructions on proper disposal methods. The publisher’s name is usually found on the cover of the directory,and the phone number is listed under Advertising. Try the WMO—Then the YP When in doubt about the proper way to discard a particular item, a phone call to the waste...
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