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Green Facts
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Rainforests are being cut down at the rate of 100 acres per minute.
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Refrigerators built in 1975 used 4 times more energy than current models.
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American workers spend an average of 47 hours per year commuting through rush hour traffic. This adds up to 23 billion gallons of gas wasted in traffic each year.
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In California homes, about 10% of energy usage is related to TVs, DVRs, cable and satellite boxes, and DVD players.
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For every 38,000 bills consumers pay online instead of by mail, 5,058 pounds of greenhouse gases are avoided and two tons of trees are preserved.
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Washing your clothes in cold or warm instead of hot water saves 500 pounds of carbon dioxide a year, and drying your clothes on a clothesline six months out of the year would save another 700 pounds.
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A laptop consumes five times less electricity than a desktop computer.
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Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy used to make the material from scratch.
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Recycling for one year at Stanford University saved the equivalent of 33,913 trees and the need for 636 tons of iron ore, coal, and limestone.
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A single quart of motor oil, if disposed of improperly, can contaminate up to 2,000,000 gallons of fresh water.
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Less than 1% of electricity in the United States is generated from solar power.
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Turning off the tap when brushing your teeth can save as much as 10 gallons a day per person.
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You’ll save two pounds of carbon for every 20 glass bottles that you recycle.
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Americans use 100 million tin and steel cans every day.
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Shaving 10 miles off of your weekly driving pattern can eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year.
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It takes 6,000,000 trees to make 1 year's worth of tissues for the world.
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Due to tiger poaching, habitat destruction, and other human-tiger conflicts, tigers now number around 3,200—a decrease in population by about 70% from 100 years ago.
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If every U.S. household turned the thermostat down by 10 degrees for seven hours each night during the cold months, and seven hours each weekday, it would prevent nearly gas emissions.
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In the United States, automobiles produce over 20 percent of total carbon emissions. Walk or bike and you'll save one pound of carbon for every mile you travel.
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Current sea ice levels are at least 47% lower than they were in 1979.
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Americans throw away more than 120 million cell phones each year, which contribute 60,000 tons of waste to landfills annually.
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The World Health Organization estimates that 2 million people die prematurely worldwide every year due to air pollution.
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You will save 100 pounds of carbon for each incandescent bulb that you replace with a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL), over the life of the bulb.
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Americans throw away enough aluminum to rebuild our entire commercial fleet of airplanes every 3 months
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82 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. come from burning fossil fuels.
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Every week about 20 species of plants and animals become extinct.
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A tree that provides a home with shade from the sun can reduce the energy required to run the air conditioner and save an additional 200 to 2,000 pounds of carbon over its lifetime.
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One recycled aluminum can will save enough energy to run a 100-watt bulb for 20 hours, a computer for 3 hours, or a TV for 2 hours.
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Recycling 100 million cell phones can save enough energy to power 18,500 homes in the U.S. for a year.
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Bamboo absorbs 35% more carbon dioxide than equivalent stands of trees.
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Nudge your thermostat up two degrees in the summer and down two degrees in the winter to prevent 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
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States with bottle deposit laws have 35-40% less litter by volume.
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You will save 300 pounds of carbon dioxide for every 10,000 miles you drive if you always keep your car’s tires fully inflated.
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Glass can be recycled over and over again without ever wearing down.
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An aluminum can that is thrown away instead of recycled will still be a can 500 years from now!
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77% of people who commute to work by car drive alone.
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A steel mill using recycled scrap reduces related water pollution, air pollution, and mining wastes by about 70%.
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Recycling 1 million laptop computers can save the amount of energy used by 3,657 homes in the U.S. over the course of a year.
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Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year.


The events of 2011 tested the resolve of environmentalists everywhere. The year was full of reminders of the kind of resolution it will take to continue to gain small environmental victories in 2012, but it was also full of events that should inspire us as we consider new resolutions...

From crow pose to tree pose, yoga evokes a physical and spiritual connection with nature. Through the concepts of karma and ahimsa, yoga teaches that every action – no matter how small – has consequences. By challenging yogis to mind their breaths, the practice fosters an awareness...
The time of year is approaching again to gather with family and friends and share your thanks over a big meal. Yes, Thanksgiving Day is right around the corner! While this season is usually a time to celebrate the land and its offerings, it can also be a time to give our respect back to the environment. Below are some ideas to make this...
How exactly do your daily actions impact the environment? What if everyone lived like you? Find out by playing with one of the dozens of eco-calculators available for free online! The most popular calculators determine your environmental footprint, which is a measure of how much land area it takes to support your lifestyle. According to the...
Children are suffering from nature-deficit disorder. “I like to play indoors better, 'cause that's where all the electrical outlets are,” a fourth grader in San Diego once told Richard Louv, author of The Last Child in the Woods. Instead of playing in the sun, children are exploring virtual worlds—television, computers, and mobile phones, just...
I recently read a question posted on the Greeniacs Forum page that essentially asked, “how green are you willing to go?” I find this question intriguing—why would I feel uncomfortable doing some things but not others? My response is twofold: societal pressures and legal pressures, which undoubtedly go hand in hand. Laws are in place to enforce...
Looking to rev up your social life in 2011? If you are a green-minded single looking to meet other green-minded singles, here are some ideas to get your eco-mingling on! Try volunteering with a local environmental organization to look for a date with similar goals! Volunteering together to plant trees or clean up the local creek can benefit...
Community service is a great way for people to give back to their community while supporting causes near and dear to them. It is also a great way to meet other like-minded individuals. Sometimes community service is a job or school requirement, and in such cases it is best to get involved in something you are truly passionate about so it is...
Since the winter months started rolling around I have been digging out my old sweaters, scarves, and other winter garb from the bottom of my closet. For years I have been avoiding my thermostat to keep myself from cranking up the heat. Not everyone can do this, however, and heaters cause huge spikes in our energy usage every year around this...
Someone has suggested a fourth R in the waste hierarchy: reduce, reuse, recycle, and RETHINK. A few days ago, thumbing through a magazine, I read a letter to the editor from a woman who complained: “Please stop putting ‘green’ articles in your magazine. They’re a dime a dozen.” I had to agree with her, even though I’m “guilty” of writing...
It’s Spring Vacation time, which gets me in the mood to plan a trip. Home or abroad, I’m still the same person who can’t bring herself to toss a pop can. Why should I leave my green ways behind me just because I’m traveling? Green vacationing means choosing activities that have less impact on the planet: staying closer to home, driving...
The Greenest Characters in Pop Culture… Let’s take a look at some of the most enduring environmental figures in American pop culture. They are the products of imagination that brought environmental awareness to those too busy, or lazy, to pick up a copy of Silent Spring...
I know February might seem a little early for a Summer Reading List, but consider it preparation for global warming. Combine the chronologically organized works below with this Greeniacs article, and you will have more than enough books to bury your head into as the summers get longer and hotter…
Are you a New Year’s resolution-maker? Well, in 2010, countries across the world are making environmental sustainability resolutions! With the recent world climate conference in Copenhagen setting the precedent for a more environmentally progressive future world, many countries are implementing goals to limit their...
With our global emphasis on green and sustainable living, many people are actively doing their part to engage in “green acts”. Whether it’s recycling, toting reusable grocery bags, there are a number of ways to engage yourself in balanced living. Step 1 to realigning your lifestyle using eco-principles is to begin seeing differently. See...
Americans are buying bigger houses, accumulating more products, upgrading continuously, working longer hours, being more productive, and becoming more in debt than ever before. In response, the voluntary simplicity movement emerged, driven by a fairly simple goal: rebelling against the consumerist culture of excess that had...
Everyone hates being told “I told you so”, and most women also hate thinking their mother was right. However, on stepping upon the threshold of 30, and with my mother now in her early sixties, I can’t help but notice that on a good day, she looks not more than maybe only five or ten years older...
Is ecotourism really eco-friendly? The travel and tourism industry is the largest sector of the world business economy and is responsible for over 230 million jobs and more than 10% of the gross domestic product worldwide. Tourism is especially important to developing countries: according to the Global Ecotourism Factsheet, “for the world’s...
May Your Holidays be Green… The holiday season is one of America’s most excessive and extravagant times of year. However, I do confess, there is something about this time that sends chills of joy through me. It is a combination of the lights, people buzzing along the streets, Christmas trees and menorahs lit up all over town, great...
The holiday season is here! The 2009 holiday season not only marks the end of another year, but it also marks the end of a decade—a decade that has finally made the environment a priority. Global warming has been coined the word of the decade, major climate negotiations are currently taking place in Copenhagen, green technology...
While most people go into hibernation mode during winter, wanting nothing more than to curl up around a fire with hot coco, there are those of us who start going slightly delirious at the thought of being caged in for the cold winter months. However, unless you’re in the Arctic, there’s no reason why you have to induce self imprisonment during...
Thinking of making your Halloween eco-friendly this year? Hopefully the answer is “Yes!” Every October, millions of Americans spend billions of dollars preparing for Halloween. We head out to stores to stock up on candy, costumes, decorations, and other party supplies. Sadly, most of the Halloween goods we buy are not very eco-friendly—and...
All environmentalists want to curb the effects of wasteful and damaging human activity on the environment, but some environmentalists believe the root of major environmental problems is simply the rapid growth in the number of humans on Earth. This phenomenon is otherwise known as overpopulation. As demonstrated by the recent food...
They say people in glass homes shouldn’t throw stones. Well, this is one glass home you’re not likely to find a squabbling pair in. In 1984, Buddhist monks in Thailand began gathering bottles to decorate their shelters. The interest not only attracted a lot of tourists but also resulted in a flood of donated bottles to...
Fortunately, nowadays it is much easier to make eco-friendly lifestyle choices than, let's say, 20 years ago. Whether it is the car you drive, the oven you use, the clothes you wear, or even the everyday products you buy, there is a green alternative. I have made many changes in my life for the environment, but one question that still lingers...
Back to school shopping is always a feeding frenzy. I’m in a hurry, and with each daughter insisting that she “needs” the hot pink erasers or the cute Post-It Notes, I end up tossing stuff willy-nilly into the cart and making my escape. One way to stop the feeding frenzy is to follow that tried and true formula: the three Rs. The first R means...
Illegal drugs are a well-known menace to society. The social impacts and the effects that they have on the body are widely known. However, when thinking about the illegal drug industry, the environmental impact of producing these drugs is often overlooked. The most commonly abused drugs—marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin—also pose...
What is New Urbanism? New Urbanism is a recent trend in city planning that developed in the last few decades. The basic premise of New Urban neighborhoods is a rejection of all the environmental and social consequences of suburban sprawl. While originally a solution to housing congestion in cities, sprawl is now creating many more problems of its own...
A green lifestyle is an ethical commitment to conservation - or just simply a greater awareness of what we're consuming and what impact we have on our environment. Over the last few years, with the rise of a 'green' trend, we've seen a lot more companies not only catering to the green market, but making it easier to consumers to be educate...
This festival was very green friendly displaying an awareness of helping the environment by providing compost and recycling trash bins throughout the festival, using solar panels to power the “Tunnel Stage,” offering a recycling store to accept used bottle, cans, plastic cups, and old cell phones in exchange for different prizes such as Vitamin...
Want to watch your environmental impact but still have a fantastic wedding day celebration? Couples all over the world are making it happen by finding simple ways to “green” their weddings. From invitations to wedding attire, there are many easy and low cost ways to keep your nuptial celebrations eco-friendly. While there are “green wedding...
Purchasing renewable energy credits (RECs), installing solar panels, holding environmental rallies, and demanding organic and local food are just a few things that campus environmental groups around the nation have been up to. From small community colleges to big universities, students at campuses across the United States are joining...
As a child growing up in the Midwest, I was able to enjoy the luxuries of our seasonal vegetable garden and other fresh produce from local farms. I remember picking fresh berries on our camping trips to Lake Michigan and eating snap peas or cherry tomatoes directly from the vine in my backyard. I rarely considered washing these fresh picks...
For the greater half of my life, my daily diet has been vegetarian. My middle school years turned me onto the animal rights movement, causing me to dismiss red meat, and then white meat, and finally any form of seafood. As I got older, my taste for eggs and most dairy products began to fade, but I have yet to give up cheese and chocolate...
Many years ago, as I was moving out of my college apartment in Boulder, Colorado, I was faced with a devastating decision. Did I really have to throw the loads of plastic bags that were shoved into one of my kitchen drawers in the garbage? It didn’t seem right to me. Not only was it dumbfounding that an eco-conscious town like Boulder...
In the past few years, we've discovered so many different ways to live an eco-friendly lifestyle. Everyone wants to go green, but not everyone has the time, money, and effort to do everything. Fortunately, changing just a few of these little habits can make a huge difference. Here are the top ten easiest (and cheapest) things you can do to go green...
Too often human adulthood is comparable to a hamster running on a wheel. The routine of every day life seems to fall into the get up, go to work, go to the gym, make dinner, watch TV, go to sleep mode, leading to an unshakable cycle that comprises your life. This austerely-put realization should not be depressing in any way, it should propel you...
Choosing a college or university can feel like a full-time job. There are thousands of schools in the United States—each with its own claim to fame. Prospective students are forced to search through a pool of schools to find one that they can identify with and receive their desired education from. If the environment is a top priority, a new...
The month of February brings us Valentine’s Day-that [sometimes] dreaded holiday of pressure and expectations. Whether you are single or coupled up, Valentine’s Day offers the tradition of card giving, flowers, chocolates, dinner, and of course, romance. Instead of stressing about how to make a dozen red roses or a heart-shaped box of chocolates...
Celebrities have become the bread and butter of our weekly news, whether we or they like it or not. Although tabloids usually focus on relationship status or weight and style changes, celebs do a lot of good for the environment that deserves positive attention. These aren't just famous people who pay thousands of dollars to attend an...
Imagine a world where everyone has access to a bicycle. In this world the air is cleaner, the cities are quieter, and everyone has a smile on their face. This vision (or something like it) may soon be realized in Washington, D.C. through a bicycle sharing program called “SmartBike DC.”...
San Francisco is home to a variety of events and festivals throughout the year. It has been said that, “if celebration and protest are polar twins, San Francisco does both with equal verve.” San Francisco makes a festival out of a neighborhood, holds world-renowned jazz, blues and music festivals, explodes fireworks over the Bay for a...