Update

Being Eco-friendly in the way we live has been easy in some aspects but not in others. I've noticed that, as stated before, old habits do die hard. We seem to be doing really well when it comes to keeping appliances and electronics unplugged when not in use. I have noticed though that sometimes lights are left on. This may just be because someone was rushing and wasn't really thinking about the light. I feel that if this challenge was more than a month, more progress in living environmentally friendly would be seen. It takes time to break old habits and form new ones. Setting these new habits takes determination and may not be as easy as it would seem.

When is comes to being Eco-friendly, I think we should all think back to the mascot Captain Planet for inspiration. :) Some tips from that site (http://captainplanetfoundation.org)for helping the environment are:
1. Pack a Waste-Free Lunch!
An environmentally friendly lunch includes a reusable bag or lunch box, thermos, plastic containers, cloth napkin and silverware. All of these items can be used again later.
2. Get Involved!
It's up to us to save our planet, so get involved in an environmental organization. Check with your local zoo, chamber of commerce, or an environmental publication to find one that's right for you.
3. Trash It!
Chances are that no matter where you walk, you'll see trash. It only takes a minute to stop, pick it up and dispose of it. You can even organize a group of friends to clean up your local park or neighborhood so that you have a nice place to play.
4. Bright Idea!
Energy is wasted when we use light bulbs with higher wattages than needed, so double-check your bulbs! You can also save energy and money by installing more efficient, compact fluorescent bulbs. And remember to turn off lights when you're not in the room.
5. Conserve Water in the Bathroom!
Make sure to turn water off while you're brushing your teeth. You can also take shorter showers. In fact, make it a game! Keep an egg timer in the bathroom and see who can get their showers down to three minutes. (And still get clean!) By the way, installing a water-saving shower head not only saves water, but it also saves the fuel that would have been used to heat up the extra hot water. And that reduces pollution.
6. Recycle, Recycle, Recycle!
From newspaper to egg cartons to organic materials such as leaves and yard clippings, lots of things can be recycled. Even coffee grounds can be used as fertilizer for some plants. So don't throw away what you can use again!
7. Charge It!
The mercury in old batteries will eventually leak out and poison the water it runs into. Instead, buy rechargeable alkaline batteries that can be charged 25 times. That means 25 batteries you didn't have to buy and throw away.
8. Create a Tree-Free Home!
There are lots of ways you can reduce tree consumption in your home. Try replacing paper napkins with cloth napkins, paper towels with a special set of cloth towels or napkins, making note pads from previously used paper or leaving messages for the people in your house on a reusable message board.
9. Camp Safely!
If you're planning a camping or hiking trip into the wilderness, pay attention to how you clean up. Try washing with soapless hot water and sand -- even the mildest soap puts a strain on the environment. If you do use soap, use a biodegradable one. Since there are no bathrooms, be sure to dig your latrine as far as possible from water sources to avoid contamination. Remember, your campsite belongs to others, too (like animals and plants). Leave the site as you found it - or better!
10. Set goals!
There are lots of ways you can make a difference, but don't get overwhelmed by trying to do it all at once! Set weekly or monthly green goals for yourself. This will help to better manage your efforts and still help you to see the changes take place.

Some of the tips above may not apply to this Eco-challenge but they are good in general.

Something I also think is a good idea for being Eco-friendly relates to sustainability. A lot of construction, say for new homes, is done with wood construction. In order to have this construction, thousands of trees are cut down. Even though new trees are planted, they take a long time to grow to full size. 30 years or so is the shortest time these new trees have taken to grow. I believe we should plant not just one tree for every one cut down but at least 3 (to start). Trees aren't just cut down to build homes and other structures, they are used to make our paper goods. We need these trees to help us survive. To clean the air we breathe. So, as well as planting more trees, instead of just making more and more new homes, I believe that old ones should be repaired. If the old homes are in too bad of a condition to simply repair, we should then just demolish and try to rebuild on that land. That way, we use the same land again rather than taking up more of the precious land we only have so much of.

Co-Captain
Rachel Lubin
609-575-3940
lubin4711@philau.edu