Author Archives: melissawest

Eco Friendly Summer Sports

Posted on May 29, 2012 | 1 Comment

As the temperatures rise, it’s time to pack away those skis and skates or take a leave of absence from your climate-controlled gym.  Summer, with her longer days and balmy weather, is a great time to keep fit while enjoying the Great Outdoors.  Plenty of opportunities abound to burn calories while leaving a minimal carbon footprint.  None of these sports require a gas-powered motor or make a lot of noise.  All of these sports are eco-friendly since they leave no emissions, no pollution and almost no environmental impact. Continue reading →

→ 1 Comment

Posted in eco kids, green around the world, health, living green on a budget

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

7 Cheap & Easy Ways Make Your Summer Greener

Posted on May 21, 2012 | 5 Comments

Make this summer the most environmentally responsible yet–and save money in the bargain!

1. Buy a water bottle and fill it from your tap. A stainless steel Kleen Kanteen water bottle starts at $15.00–the same price as 15 units of bottled water you might buy at the ball diamond or gas station, golf course or county fair. Continue reading →

→ 5 Comments

Posted in green around the world, living green on a budget

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Dirty Garden Tips

Posted on May 14, 2012 | 2 Comments

What do plants need to grow?

Sun, dirt, water. You know you want your garden to get at least 8 hours of sunshine.  You hook up sprinklers or find rain barrels to keep your plants watered. But what about the dirt? What can you do to provide the best nutrients for healthy roots and plants in your garden? Continue reading →

→ 2 Comments

Posted in gardening, living green on a budget

Tagged , , , , ,

Pay As You Throw: A New Approach to Garbage Collecting

Posted on May 7, 2012 | 6 Comments

In most cities the cost of garbage collection and  landfills is covered by property taxes.  Neenah, Wisconsin is trying a new approach to funding garbage collection, and by doing so they’re hoping to reduce the amount of garbage collected.  Continue reading →

→ 6 Comments

Posted in 3 Rs, issues

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Trashy Weekend

Posted on April 30, 2012 | 3 Comments

Enviro Girl has been tracking her trash in order to get a handle on exactly what her household throws away.  When confronted with the latest statistics on Americans and garbage (Americans throw away an average of 7 pounds of garbage per person every day), she wondered how her family compared to the national average.  In this instance, her goal was to be below average. Continue reading →

→ 3 Comments

Posted in 3 Rs, issues

Tagged , , , , , , ,

A Little More Trash Talk

Posted on April 27, 2012 | 1 Comment

As part of Enviro Girl’s effort to get a handle on her household’s trash habits, and in effect understand how people can throw away an average of 7 pounds of garbage daily, she’s writing down all of her household garbage.  This list excludes recycled or composted waste.  Since yesterday at breakfast Enviro Girl’s family has thrown out Continue reading →

→ 1 Comment

Posted in 3 Rs, issues

Tagged , , , , ,

Still More Trash Talk

Posted on April 26, 2012 | 2 Comments

Enviro Girl tried to weigh her kitchen garbage bag this morning, but it’s still so light that her bathroom scale will not register it.  It’s lighter than a gallon of milk, which weighs about 7-8 pounds, so 2 days into her Trash Study, her household is well below the daily average of producing 7 pounds of garbage per person.  To recap:  In her examination of the garbage issue, Enviro Girl is tracking her household’s trash for a week, Continue reading →

→ 2 Comments

Posted in 3 Rs, issues

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

More Trash Talk

Posted on April 25, 2012 | 6 Comments

As part of our exploration into trash, Enviro Girl is tracking what she throws in the garbage–a bit like counting calories or writing down every expenditure.  To solve the trash problem (of 7 pounds per person per day in America), you have to understand it first.  Enviro Girl considers herself to be well below the norm in trash production, but she’s tracking her trash because you never know what surprises you’ll find digging in the garbage… Continue reading →

→ 6 Comments

Posted in 3 Rs, issues

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Talking Trash

Posted on April 24, 2012 | 7 Comments

Last week Enviro Girl listened to a radio program where the guest speaker addressed the topic of garbage.  He cited statistics claiming Americans throw away 7 pounds of trash a day.  SEVEN POUNDS!  Enviro Girl did a little research on her own and discovered this, this and this. Genuinely depressing stuff when considering the money, land space, energy and other resources wasted in our disposal habits.  But Americans have a cavalier attitude about throwing stuff away–how can we convince people to throw away less stuff?  And how can we convince people that generating less trash takes very little effort? Continue reading →

→ 7 Comments

Posted in 3 Rs, green around the world, issues

Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Environmental Education 101: How to Train a New Generation of Eco-Activists

Posted on April 19, 2012 | 5 Comments

This topic is near and dear to Enviro Girl’s heart, especially as we celebrate Earth Day this Sunday.  All the great superheroes train up a new generation of crime-fighting warriors.  The same must be true for those on the environmental front:  we have an obligation to teach our children how to protect the planet and its resources and we have to explain why it’s an important value.   In Enviro Girl’s mind, this boils down to a short list of 3 easy things we can do as parents and teachers: Continue reading →

→ 5 Comments

Posted in 3 Rs, contests, eco holidays, eco kids, green around the world, issues

Tagged , , , , , , , ,