Text Box: The holidays are right around the corner, which means SHOPPING. Whether it’s shopping for gifts or for fixings for the perfect holiday meal. When shopping for your items make sure to think about the following items: Take your reusable shopping bags everywhere. So many items come in non-recyclable packaging which just becomes trash. Take a moment to look at the packaging and see if it is a #1 or #2 plastic, these are the only recyclable plastics for curbside pickups. Does this gift need to be wrapped? If so, think of alternatives to wrapping paper, like newspaper or put the gift in a reusable bag so that it’s two gifts in one. And last but not least, do you really need to buy a gift? Start a trend with your family by suggesting a White Elephant gift exchange or buying gifts only for children. Text Box: Here comes the shopping Season Text Box: Powered by the Sun, LiveGreen runs on 100% Green Energy Text Box: We’ve been running our home with solar electricity for a couple months now. We have never been “big” electricity users, and we’ve always been conservative when it comes to leaving lights on, and we still are. But now we know that when we are using our electricity that the energy is coming from the sun. As I type this newsletter the computer I am using is being powered by the sun! When we have people over they are always very interested in the solar panels, and the one overwhelming theme we hear is that “they’re just so expensive.” Now I’m not saying their not expensive, they were a pretty penny, BUT the electric bills are expensive and those are paid every month. Depending on what you use in your house Summer and Winter will probably be the most expensive seasons for people, air conditioners and heaters use a lot of energy. We don’t have an air conditioner, so that doesn’t play a part for us in Summer, but Winter is coming and if it is anything like last Winter it is going to be cold. Of course I am talking cold for San Diego, which some may say isn’t really cold, but to us San Diegans it is. Needless to say most people who have a heater are gearing up to get them running. Their monthly electricity bill will increase substantially, ours will not, because our electricity is coming from the sun. For information about solar for your house visit http://www.livegreensd.com/CPS.html

September 2007
Text Box: LiveGreen Tips: Buy Organic, if not Organic, buy Local. Support the community by shopping at a Farmer’s Market. If you stop to run an errand and forget your reusable bags, don’t take a bag. In most cases you can carry your items, or put them back in your cart and empty the cart into the back of your car. Paper or Plastic? Neither!

Anti-bacterial Debate

By Noelle Morris, EPIC Cleaning Products

Today about 75% of liquid soaps are antibacterials. But there is an ongoing controversy over the active ingredients found in these hand soaps, triclosan and quarternary ammonium compounds. Extensive studies have shown that triclosan causes skin irritations, kills human mesoderm tissues, and causes extensive damage to our environment. Surprisingly, recent research has shown that antimicrobial soaps are ineffective, outside a sterile hospital setting and are actually causing more harm to our society than good! Because they kill most bacteria in their paths, they leave only the toughest behind, potentially helping drug-resistant bacteria thrive. Also, in water sources, triclosan combined with chlorine and sunlight can produce chloroform, a suspected carcinogen. While the debate continues, it may be best to lean towards the safe side and use nontoxic cleaning products. If you'd like to learn more about the harmful effects of anti-bacterial soap, please follow this link to download a pdf file: http://www.products4causes.com/pdf/Triclosan.pdf

 

The Linkery: Great Food with a Conscience

If you are looking for a place to eat in San Diego and want to eat at a place with excellent food and a friendly staff, try The Linkery. Owner Jay Porter is progressive when it comes to the quality of your meal as well as its ecological footprint. Known to spend many weeks away from his hometown to visit with the independent farmers that raise food for the restaurant, Jay also works very hard to bring you a meal without causing harm to the environment. Read more...

 

 

 

 

gDiapers - Making a Difference for Your Baby and the Planet

At LiveGreen we are always on the lookout for new, environmentally beneficial products that people can use in their everyday lives that could take the place of a similar product that harm the environment. Recently, we had a chance to chat with Michelle Schnoor, Marketing Director at gDiapers, about thier innovative, flushable diaper. Stats like 50 Million Diapers A Day and 500 Years peaked my attention. Read more...

 

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