Earth Saving Tips from Earth Share

Summer 1999

NOW THAT'S COOKIN'!
What would summer be without barbecues, picnics, and spur-of-the-moment meals eaten outdoors? Take the "heat" out of summer cooking with these simple ideas:

Take advantage of the summer's garden-fresh produce to whip up salads and other side dishes that require little or no cooking energy.
If you barbecue frequently at home, consider replacing your charcoal grill with an electric one. Electric grills generate far fewer air pollutants than burning charcoal, or even propane gas.
If you do use charcoal, apply the minimum amount of lighter fluid (which contributes to air pollution) to ignite the charcoal.
Choose meals that don't need to be reheated to be enjoyed as leftovers.
When buying an outdoor grill, choose one that also has a burner feature. You'll be able to cook as well as grill outside, helping to keep your kitchen cool and minimize indoor air conditioning needs.

PUT AWAY YOUR KETTLE; SEARCH OUT THE SUN! Fill a clean, clear glass jar with fresh water and tea bags (at least three bags per half-gallon of water). Cover the jar and place it in full sunlight. Tend to your chores, read a book, take a nap -- pay the jar no attention! In a matter of hours, you'll have energy-free "sun tea" to pour over ice and quench your thirst.

RECYCLE YOUR...LAWN MOWER?!!
Many local utilities offer discounts on new, electric powered lawn care equipment to businesses and homeowners who trade in their gasoline-powered appliances. Contact your power company to find out if you can take advantage of such an offer in your community.

TAKE CARE WITH LAWN CARE
Consumers concerned about the noise and air pollution generated by gas-powered lawn mowers are increasingly turning to several low-energy, high- quality alternatives:

Rotary mowers. Those "old fashioned" hand-powered mowers your grandparents used are making a comeback! Homeowners with smaller lawns find rotary mowers particularly appealing for their maneuverability, low maintenance costs, and minimal environmental impact.
Electric mowers. Electric mowers emit far fewer pollutants than gasoline-powered machines, are much quieter, and are often easier to push than their gas-guzzling counterparts.
Battery-powered mowers. Some mowers and other garden equipment operate with battery packs that can be electrically recharged. Though these mowers offer many of the same benefits as electric mowers, they do contain batteries that generally last only about 5 years. Because the batteries contain heavy metals, they must be disposed of in a hazardous waste facility.

Regardless of the lawn mower you use, consider these other tips for low-impact mowing:

Mow only as often as you need to keep your lawn in good shape. For most lawns, that means cutting your grass no lower than 2.5 inches; keeping many grasses as long as 3.5 inches is ideal for crowding out crab grass and other weeds.
Minimize the amount of pesticides and herbicides you apply to your lawn, and use organic fertilizers.
If you're in the market for a lawn care company, seek out one that uses "natural" management practices as opposed to heavy chemical treatments.
Leave grass clippings on the lawn after you mow to provide your lawn with a natural (and free) source of nutrients, or compost the clippings for use in your garden.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT!
The average gasoline mower tested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emits in one hour of operation the same amount of hydrocarbons (air pollutants) that a 1992 Ford Explorer emits over 23,600 miles!
Source: Green Seal

THE PAPERLESS OFFICE
Many companies are saving time, money, and environmental resources by converting printed publications into electronic, paperless documents. Several options are available:

E-mail is a paperless, electronic alternative to written correspondence. Increasingly, it is being used both for internal and external communications, such as letters, memos, reports, and updates.

Web pages help a company meet a variety of more complex publication needs. They can serve as an "electronic brochure" that offers fundamental and detailed information about products and services, replace an entire printed catalogue, report research findings, and display graphics, interviews, and even video images.

An Intranet is a Web site that exists on a company's internal computer network. Effective Intranets can eliminate some office documents altogether (such as employee manuals, benefits information, and training documents).

CD-ROMs can hold hundreds of pages of information, graphic images, and audio and visual clips. CD-ROMs, which resemble a musical compact disk in size and appearance, are often less expensive to produce than publications, while being far more flexible in the amount of information they contain and the ways in which it can be retrieved.

A "fax-on-demand" system can reduce paper and postage costs by allowing employees, customers, and clients to retrieve needed information via fax.

Good Idea! With the proper equipment, you can turn your company's telephone system into an environmentally effective information resource. Rather than print up brochures, flyers, or notices, provide callers with frequently requested information by allowing them to dial into recordings that answer fundamental questions about your product or services.

PLANNING YOUR SUMMER VACATION?

How about these eco-options?

Get involved with projects to protect endangered species, reforest eroded hillsides, or convert abandoned railroad tracks into hiking and biking trails;
Participate in programs to restore historic buildings, map archeological sites, or manage wildlife habitats;
Plan hiking, biking, and backpacking adventures for the entire family;
Take outings to monitor streams and rivers, visit organic farms, or count migrating birds.
Several Earth Share member agencies offer a wide variety of individual and family vacations and service trips. You can locate these organizations via the Earth Share Web site at www.earthshare.org

Several Earth Share member agencies offer a wide variety of individual and family vacations and service trips. You can locate these organizations via the Earth Share Web site at
www.earthshare.org

If you go camping...

Put Nature first. Take only pictures. Leave only footprints.

Choose the right equipment. Heavy, lug-soled boots can destroy fragile terrain. Consider wearing a pair of light boots or well-cushioned running shoes whenever it is safe and conditions permit.

Use established trails. Cutting switchbacks tramples vegetation and leads to soil erosion.

Minimize the impact of your campsite. Select a level campsite with adequate water runoff. Locate your site at least 100 feet away from natural water sources. Select a site that has already been used, and leave it in as natural a state as possible.

Don't litter. Pick up litter as you encounter it. Carry out or burn all of your own garbage.

Wash at least 100 feet away from water. Do as much of your cleaning as possible with soapless hot water.

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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.