Going Green in 2012

As we head into 2012, folks are resolving to lose those few extra pounds, save more money, or spend a few more hours with families and friends, but for those of you with the environment on your mind there are also some resolutions you can make to make your life a little greener. Anyone can make a commitment to reducing their environmental impact.

"The global community, and particularly people living in industrialized societies, have put unsustainable demands on our planet's limited resources," said Robert Engelman, President of the Worldwatch Institute, a global environmental research organization based on Washington, D.C., in a recent press release. "If we expect to be able to feed, shelter and provide even basic living conditions to our growing population in years to come, we must act now to change."

The United Nations has designated 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. According to the UN, broadening access to sustainable energy is essential to solving many of the world's challenges, including food production, security and poverty.

Hunger, poverty and climate change are issues that we can all help address right in our own homes. Here are simple steps for going green in 2012:

Recycle

In 2009, San Francisco became the first U.S. city to require all homes and businesses to use recycling and composting collection programs. As a result, more than 75% of all material collected is being recycled, diverting 1.6 million tons from the landfills annually – double the weight of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Recycling in Norristown is easy. The municipality adopted single-stream recycling in the beginning of the year so residents can put all of their recycling in one container. You can even get a free recycling can from the municipality. Just stop by Norristown Municipal Hall and ask for one.

You can use any container for a recycle bin. Just place a recycle sticker on an old trash can or other container or get a free recycling can from the municipality. Recycling bins and stickers are available at .

So what gets recycled? Aluminum cans (beer and soda), aluminum foil and foil plates, metal lids and metal cans, glass bottles and jars (food and drink only), plastic bottles and containers labeled #1 through #7 (soda, water, milk, juice, liquor, shampoo, detergent, condiments, salad dressing, yogurt, margarine), mixed paper and cardboard like newspaper, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, envelopes, file folders, corrugated boxes, cereal boxes, gift boxes, paper bags and phone books.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for each pound of aluminum recovered, Americans save the energy resources necessary to generate roughly 7.5 kilowatt-hours of electricity – enough to power a city the size of Pittsburgh for six years.

Turn Off the Lights

On the last Saturday in March (March 31, 2012) hundreds of people, businesses, and governments around the world turn off their lights for an hour as part of Earth Hour, a movement to address climate change.

  While Earth Hour happens only once a year, you can make an impact every day by turning off lights during the day, or whenever you will be away for an extended period of time.

Make the Switch

In 2007, Australia became the first country to "ban the bulb," drastically reducing domestic usage of incandescent light bulbs. By late 2010, incandescent bulbs had been totally phased out, and, according to the country's environment minister, this simple move has made a big difference, cutting an estimated 4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2012. China also recently pledged to replace the 1 billion incandescent bulbs used in its government offices with more energy efficient models within five years.

A bill in Congress to eliminate incandescent in the United States failed in 2011, but you can still make the switch at home. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use only 20-30% of the energy required by incandescent bulbs to create the same amount of light. LEDs use only 10 percent, helping reduce both electric bills and carbon emissions.

Turn on the Tap

The bottled water industry sold 8.8 billion gallons of water in 2010, generating nearly $11 billion in profits. Plastic water bottles create huge environmental problems. The energy required to produce and transport these bottles could fuel an estimated 1.5 million cars for a year, yet approximately 75% of water bottles are not recycled – they end up in landfills, litter roadsides and pollute waterways and oceans.

Here's another interesting fact – while public tap water is subject to strict safety regulations, the bottled water industry is not required to report testing results for its products. According to Worldwatch, a recent study showed that 10 of the most popular brands of bottled water contain a wide range of pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, fertilizer residue and arsenic.  

Fill reusable water bottles with water from the sink or use a water filter system like Pur or Brita. The United States has more than 160,000 public water systems, and by eliminating bottled water you can help to keep nearly 1 million tons of bottles out of the landfills and save money on water costs.

Turn Down the Heat

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that consumers can save up to 15% on heating and cooling bills just by adjusting their thermostats. Turning down the heat by 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours can result in savings of 5-15 percent on your home heating bill.

Turn down your thermostat when you leave for work, or use a programmable thermostat to control your heating settings.

Support Local Food Recovery Programs

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), roughly a third of all food produced for humans – approximately 1.3 billion tons – gets lost or wasted, including 34 million tons in the United States, each year.  Grocery stores, bakeries and other food providers throw away tons of food daily that is perfectly edible but is cosmetically imperfect or has passed its expiration date. In response, food recovery programs run by homeless shelters or food banks collect this food and use it to provide meals for the hungry, helping to divert food away from landfills and get it to the people who need it most.

Encourage your local restaurants and grocery stores to partner with area organizations that run food banks and kitchens like the , , or Go through your cabinets and shelves and donate any non-perishable canned and dried foods that you won't be using.

Buy Local

"," was established last year as a way to support small businesses during the busiest shopping time of the year. Author and consumer advocate Michael Shuman argues that local small businesses are more sustainable because they are often more accountable for their actions, have smaller environmental footprints, and innovate to meet local conditions – providing models for others to learn from.

Instead of relying exclusively on large supermarkets, consider farmers markets and local shops like or for your produce, eggs, dairy and meat. Food from these sources is usually fresher and more flavorful and your money will be going directly to these food producers.

Get Out and Ride

We all know that carpooling and using public transportation helps cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and our gas bills. Norristown is lucky to be a transportation hub with several SEPTA regional rail lines and buses operating out of the Norristown Transportation Center.

Next time you're headed out, consider taking public transportation or even making use of the bike trail that runs through Norristown to points east and west.

Plant a Garden

Whether you live in an efficiency or a McMansion, growing your own vegetables is a simple way to bring fresh and nutritious food literally to your doorstep. Researchers at the FAO and the United Nations Development Programme estimate that 200 million city dwellers around the world are already growing and selling their own food, feeding some 800 million of their neighbors. Growing a garden doesn't have to take up a lot of space, and in light of high food prices and recent food safety scares, even a small plot can make a big impact on your diet and wallet.

 Want to start small and easy? Plant some lettuce in a window box. Lettuce seeds are cheap and easy to find, and when planted in full sun, one window box can provide enough to make several salads worth throughout a season.

Compost

And what better way to fertilize your garden than using your own composted organic waste. You will not only reduce costs by buying less fertilizer, but you will also help to cut down on food and other organic waste.

If you need tips about the right ways to compost, websites like HowToCompost.org and organizations such as the U.S. Composting Council can provide easy steps to reuse your organic waste.

Eat a Little Less Meat

Livestock production accounts for about 18% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for about 23% of all global water used in agriculture. Global meat production has experienced a 20% growth rate since 2000 to meet the per capita increase of meat consumption of close to 100 pounds.

We're not suggesting you go vegetarian or vegan, but simply cutting down on the amount of meat you consume can go a long way to helping the environment. Consider substituting one meal a day with a vegetarian option. And if you can't  think of how to substitute your meat-heavy diet, websites such like Meatless Monday and Eating Well offer numerous vegetarian recipes that are healthy for you and the environment.

The most successful and lasting New Year's resolutions are those that are practiced regularly and have an important goal. Simple practices like recycling or riding a bike, can have a great impact on making the world we live in a better place. As we prepare to ring in the new year, let's all resolve to make 2012 a healthier, happier and greener year for all.