Root vegetables are among the most sustainable
Did you know root vegetables are among the most sustainable vegetables you should incorporate into your diet? A study by the Journal of Cleaner Production found carrots, potatoes and onions to be among the lowest greenhouse gas-emitting crops of all fruits and vegetables. In addition to the health benefits, root vegetables also last a long time, which makes them less prone to food spoilage and waste.
GREENER TRAVEL
If you’re planning a trip and the final destination is less than 500 miles away, the greenest way to get there is by car. Mile for mile, flying by plane is far worse, considering the greenhouse gases, soot particles and other contaminants planes emit when in flight. Driving a car is especially better if you have a hybrid or electric car, and it’s best if you’re sharing the ride with someone else. Want to take it up an even greener notch? Take a train!
FLAT DRIVE
When you’re planning a road trip, wouldn’t you like to be as fuelefficient as possible? Uphill drives burn more fuel, so it make sense to find the flattest route to get from Point A to Point B. While the website FlattestRoute. com is targeted to cyclists, it can also help motorists avoid mountains when driving. Just enter your starting point and your destination, and it calculates the flattest way to get there.
LOCAL ONLINE
Yes, it’s possible to buy local online, too. When shopping on community websites like Etsy, be careful not to buy things from sellers that are far away from you. The shipping charges and emissions to ship that handmade object can be considerable. Instead, use filters that let you shop by location, so you can narrow down your field ranging from country, to state and even city (where you could pick up the item yourself). Narrowing down your search on social media sites like Facebook Marketplace is another great way to shop local, too.
LOCAL TOURIST
While taking off for a tropical island for a last-minute getaway or grabbing a cheap ticket to spend the weekend across the country sounds exciting, long-distance travel is a nightmare in greenhouse gas emissions. Have you really discovered everything you can do right in your own state? You might be surprised at how many parks, hiking trails, home rentals and attractions there are. The website OnlyInYourState.com lists it all, with categories that range from “nature” and “seasonal” to more intriguing ones like “creepy.”
REFURBISHED
Want to save money on your next desktop or laptop computer? Look for refurbished models available directly from the manufacturer. At Apple, models that were demonstration units or returned under their return and refund policy are completely refurbished using new parts, thoroughly cleaned, given upgraded software and repackaged with new accessories and cables. They also come with a one-year warranty and are sold for hundreds of dollars less than new. It’s a great way to save money and keep electronic waste out of landfills.
BEER VS. BUGS
Flat, warm and stale beer should never be tossed down the drain. Just add unwanted beer to a bucket and place it on the ground outdoors. Mosquitoes are attracted to beer and they’ll drown in the bucket. Also, if you have wooden outdoor furniture, use beer to bring dull wood back to life. Just pour it on and rub with a clean cloth. Finally, the easiest thing is just to give your outdoor plants a drink of beer. The natural sugars are a great fertilizer for them.