Earth Saving Tips from Earth Share

Winter 1997

Fireside Chat

Sitting in front of a roaring fireplace on a cold winter's night is one of life's simple pleasures. To gain the most from this experience, follow these "warm" words of advice:

Turn the furnace down when you fire your fireplace up. You can probably lower the thermostat setting to between 50 and 55 degrees and still be quite comfortable.

Close the door and open a window. Close all doors and warm-air ducts entering the room where the fireplace is located, and open a window near the fireplace 1/2 to 1 inch. Air needed by the fire will be provided through the open window, and the amount of heated air drawn from the rest of the house will be reduced. If the fireplace has an outside supply of air, opening a window is not needed.

Install grates or glass screens. If you have a simple open masonry fireplace, install a glass screen, a convective grate, a combination convective grate with glass screen, a radiant grate, or a fireplace insert. Some of these devices will cut down on the loss of warm air through the fireplace chimney. Many of these accessories will considerably improve heat recovery from the fire.

Don't forget to caulk windows and doors to prevent cold air from leaking in. Insulate yourself, too, by dressing more warmly to retain your own natural body heat. For women, slacks are warmer than skirts. For men and women, long-sleeved sweaters can add between 2 and 4 degrees in body warmth.

Fresh Air at the Office

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air. Research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. It's also true that, unlike so many other forms of pollution, indoor air pollution is relatively easy to correct.

Some common sources of indoor air pollution include new carpet; paint; mold and mildew build up, particularly in ventilation systems; tobacco smoke; restroom air fresheners; chemicals emitted by copying machines; and formaldehyde and other chemicals that can seep out of pressed-wood products like particleboard, plywood paneling, and fiber-board.

To keep your air as fresh as possible, consider these tips:

Circulate the air. Wherever possible, select offices whose windows open _ and crack them open every now and then. If you install new carpeting or cabinets at home or in the office, open windows and turn on fans until the new smells dissipate. Make sure that copying machines and other equipment are located in rooms that are properly ventilated.

Consider the alternatives. Many chemically-sensitive consumers opt for carpet made from wool or cotton rather than synthetic fibers; others choose cabinets made from solid wood and finished with water-based varnishes rather than those constructed from particleboard or fiberboard.

Keep it clean. Rather than use synthetic air fresheners to mask an unpleasant odor, find the source of the odor, and clean it up. Then open the windows for fresh air, or use flowers or potpourri to add a more natural scent to your room. If necessary, install air filters and purifiers and other air cleaning devices.

Ask smokers to smoke outside. It is not unreasonable to ask visitors to your home to take a smoking break out of doors. Many offices have already instituted a smoking policy that minimizes nonsmoker exposure to environmental tobacco smoke; if yours hasn't, broach the topic with your office manager.

Speak up. If you or others at your office are experiencing health or comfort problems that you suspect may be caused by indoor air pollution, discuss the issue with your supervisor. Talk with your own physician and report your problems to the company physician, nurse, or health officer so that they can make appropriate recommendations.

Believe it or not!

According to a two-year study by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), many indoor plants absorb air pollutants through their leaves and roots and convert them into breathable air.

Within 24 hours, some plants can remove up to 87 percent of toxic indoor air.

Depending on the species, one plant can provide effective cleaning for every 100 square feet of space. For example, between 15 and 20 golden pothos and spider plants can refresh the air in an average 1,800 square-foot home.

Plants work equally well in homes, offices, and factories, as long as their requirements for sunlight, water, and soil are met.

Trees, Please

Trees and the forests they create play a critical role in main-taining the health of our environment. Their root systems prevent erosion and thereby protect water quality. Their leaves filter the air and, through the shade they cast, reduce global warming. The natural community that develops around forests also helps protect the planet by providing a safe and nurturing environment for all kinds of fish and wildlife.

Unfortunately, forests in this country and around the world are being squeezed by increasing demands for wood and paper. For example, between 50 and 100 acres of tropical rain forest -- an area the size of ten city blocks -- are destroyed every minute. At that rate, there will be no intact tropical forest left within one hundred years. Forests in North America, particu-larly the ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest, are also under stress.

Many offices and individuals have already begun to address deforestation issues at home and abroad by recycling paper and by buying recycled paper products. Here are a few other actions you might consider to minimize your need for wood:

Hire eco-conscious carpenters or contractors. A growing number of construction suppliers are using wood salvaged from other construction projects, particularly in applications that will be hidden from view when the construction is complete. Other contractors are opting for lumber that is "sustainably" harvested from forests, so that the trees are removed from the forest selectively, without destroying the entire forest ecosystem.

Consider alternative building materials. Agricultural by-products such as wheat straw, coconut palm and bamboo have become viable materials for home and office construction.

Try paper alternatives. Some consumers and companies are turning to kenaf, a paper-like product derived from the fast-growing hibiscus cannabinus plant. The plant produces 3-5 tons more fiber per acre than comparable trees that are harvested for paper production, and require 15-25% less energy during the production process.

Use computer technology for correspondence. Instead of printing out memos or letters on stationary, use electronic mail to get your messages across.

Just the Fax

Transmitting documents via fax machine eliminates the need for extra paper products, such as envelopes, mailing labels and even stamps. Faxing can also save a substantial amount of energy... provided you have the right equipment. To extend the "green" factor of your fax machine even further, follow these suggestions:

Buy recycled plain fax paper. Besides the usual advantages of buying recycled, such as saving energy, water and forest resources, plain paper costs less than the treated, rolled paper some types of fax machines use.

Look for energy-efficient rated machines. Ironically, a fax machine consumes the most energy when it's not being used. To waste less energy, some machines, like those that bear the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star label, "power down" when they're not transmitting a document. If you are buying a new fax machine, choose an Energy Star model. You could reduce energy costs by almost 50%.

Send faxes via modems. Use your personal computer to send and receive faxes, thereby eliminating the need for hard copy faxes.

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Earth Share, a federation of America's leading non-profit environmental and conservation charities, promotes environmental education and charitable giving in employee workplace campaigns.

For more tips or to find out how your workplace can help the earth, visit the "Get Involved" section of our website, or call (800) 875-3863.