E-NEWS SIGNUP

Join our online community! Sign up to receive green tips, news about your favorite charities, quiz contests & more, delivered every other week.

WORKPLACE GIVING

Workplace Giving

You can give to all of EarthShare's charities through one simple payroll contribution!

  • Employers: learn how easy we can make it
  • Employees: start a campaign at your work
Learn more about workplace giving, running a campaign & EarthShare in the Combined Federal Campaign »

EARTH SAVING NEWS > AUGUST 4, 2009

Before you dive in…

Beaches-nrdc-surfrider Planning a late summer getaway to one of our nation’s shorelines? You may want to read this first. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently released their annual report on water quality at U.S. beaches and the news isn’t pretty. Their survey found that pollution caused more than 20,000 closings and advisories at American beaches last year due in large part to insufficient sewage and stormwater systems – this pollution can put swimmers at serious risk.

There’s some good news, though. The same week the report was released, the EPA agreed to redevelop their beachwater quality standards over the next three years. NRDC is also working on getting the Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act of 2009 passed through Congress. The bill will increase funds to help monitor beach water quality and study sources of pollution and methods of cleanup and removal.

If you want to do something to help the beach bill pass, take action on the Surfrider Foundation’s website and invite friends to join the cause!

 

Reducing energy consumption: it can be done.

Turbines Big industry and transport, give yourself a pat on the back: efforts to reduce energy consumption in 2008 made a difference. According to a new report, America used less energy in 2008 than in the previous year. Industry and transportation are responsible for the overall decrease, spurred by the economic recession and shifts in energy policy.

It seems that other sectors need to try harder, though.  While use of energy in the transport and industrial sectors fell, residential and business usage climbed slightly.

Want to learn how to decrease the amount of energy you consume each year? EarthShare offers a variety of easy green tips to help you reduce your consumption at home, in your car, and at work. Then visit some of our member organizations’ site for more insight and suggestions.

 

Buying locally tastes good on many levels.

Farmers-market If you’re like most of us and don’t grow your veggies in the back of your truck, we suggest checking out your local farmer’s market. By shopping at farmer’s markets you can support your local economy, protect the environment, and help out your waistline. Go one step further and bring your own reusable shopping bag!  If you don’t know how to find a local market, check out the top 20 farmer’s markets in America, a listing which is being updated live based on votes from supporters of EarthShare member American Farmland Trust.  Don’t see your favorite listed?  There are two weeks left to cast your vote for your own local farmer’s market.


Be like San Francisco – compost!

Compost When you’re done eating the tasty treasures from your local farmer’s market, try dumping the scraps into a compost bin instead of throwing them away. Composting recycles an array of organic materials that would otherwise end up in landfills where it can produce harmful gases like methane. Learning how to compost properly can also save you dollars because you can use it to fertilize gardens, flower beds, and farms.

In fact, composting is so useful that Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco recently signed into law legislation that makes composting mandatory for San Francisco residents. This will be implemented by distributing green bins for composting in addition to the trash and recycling bins his constituents receive. The law hopes to push the city closer to its 2020 goal of sending zero waste to landfills.

Take part in nature’s natural cycle of growth and decay by composting your extra garden materials – we’ll tell you more and show you how.

Bookmark and Share

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00e554936bef883401157256e64b970b

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Earth Saving News > August 4, 2009:

Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

Post a comment

Comments are moderated, and will not appear on this weblog until the author has approved them.

If you have a TypeKey or TypePad account, please Sign In.