Zero Waste in Real Life: Including Zero Waste Pioneers You Won’t Believe

trashcan

The Trash Problem

The EPA reports that in 2012 Americans disposed of about 251 million tons of solid waste; that’s almost 4.5 pounds per person per day. A little more than a third of this waste was recycled or composted, leaving 164 million tons to go to landfills and incinerators.

All that trash began as life-supporting raw materials. Once it hits the landfill or incinerator most of those resources are no longer useable by us, so we need to mine or harvest more. Disposable plastics require the extraction of ever more petroleum products, at a mounting fiscal and environmental cost. Disposable paper products accelerate the pace of deforestation. [click to continue…]

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5 Household Wastes You Should Be Recycling in the Garden

Recycling for the Garden

Garden Recycling: Using Household Wastes to Build Soil and Repel Pests

One of the satisfactions of gardening is the ability to work sustainably and close loops. Instead of just buying inputs and discarding wastes, gardeners can reuse discarded materials, reducing both cost and waste.

Compost is the primary example of this recycling. Some household discards also have more specialized uses in the garden. And, some don’t even have to be composted to utilize their thrown away nutrients. Here are five household wastes to recycle in the garden and how to use them: [click to continue…]

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101 Sustainable Gardening Tips: Useful Tips to Start Today

April 21, 2015

Learning: Gardening and Environmental Education 1. Pay attention to your land. 2. Learn your average frost-free dates. Notice how they vary year to year. 3. Notice where water collects and where the soil dries fast. 4. Notice where wild plants grow most abundantly. 5. Read gardening and farming books. 6. Talk to local farmers. 7. […]

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2014 Electric Cars in the USA: Here’s the new lineup

November 14, 2013

As the U.S. government continues to promote cleaner vehicles and offer subsidies for both personal and public charging stations as well as for environmentally friendly cars themselves, we expect the number of EVs and their market availability to increase. New additions to dealerships include: Chevrolet Spark EV, Honda Accord plug-in hybrid, Honda FCX Clarity, Porsche […]

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2014 Hybrid Cars in the USA: See the new lineup

October 31, 2013

The U.S. hybrid vehicle market is expanding rapidly as lower prices make the initial investment a more attractive long-term investment for buyers. New to the market are the Audi Q5, Honda Accord, Infinity Q50, Infinity QX60, Mercedes-Benz E400, and Subaru XV Crosstrek, with several others to debut in 2014. Our list includes cars, SUVs/CUVs, and […]

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BNSF, Second Largest Consumer of Diesel Fuel, Looks at Switching to CNG

September 11, 2013

Did you know that BNSF, the railway company owned by Warren Buffet’s Birkshire Hathaway, is probably the second largest purchaser of diesel fuel in the United States, coming in only after the US Navy? That’s a lot of diesel fuel. With diesel prices near $4 per gallon, and natural gas (CNG) at around half of […]

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2014 Diesel Cars in the USA: Here’s What’s Available

August 2, 2013

While the demand for U.S. diesel vehicles cannot match that of the overseas market, development and sales of diesel cars, CUVs, and SUVs are taking off in the States as a fuel efficient alternative to hybrid and electric vehicles, although lagging them when it comes to air quality. The three biggest reasons why diesel automobile […]

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2013 Sedans with the Best Gas Mileage

July 4, 2013

By Stephanie Lezotte Summer is near and car dealerships will soon offer incentives for purchasing 2013 vehicle models in order to make room for 2014 models. If you are in the market for a new sedan and fuel efficiency is important to you, we have identified the most fuel-efficient 2013 models. Hybrid vehicles are really […]

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Highest Gas Mileage Small to Midsized SUVs and Crossovers for 2013

June 25, 2013

  The SUV is often used as a symbol of anti-environmental excess. Remember the Hummer? Even so, large numbers of people still love to own them and drive them. To pretend that they don’t is pointless. So we’ve compiled this list of SUVs that get the highest gas mileage, which is significantly higher than some […]

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6 Pickups with the Best Gas Mileage for 2013

June 4, 2013

by Stephanie Lezotte Yesterday’s gas-guzzling pickup trucks have come a long way. Advanced engineering has brought hybrid engines and fuel-efficient technology to some of the most rugged trucks, allowing drivers to save money at the pump and to be somewhat more environmentally conscious without sacrificing the hauling capacity of a pickup. According to EPA fuel […]

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