Apple computers have emerged as the clear leader as far as green computers go. Their Macbook, made from polycarbonate, is recyclable and will most likely be re-used in other products. Apple also offers free recycling of your old computer. The new macbook also uses less packaging, it is 53% smaller than the original macbook packaging. Since the boxes are smaller, they can fit more on planes, boats, and trucks, which reduce CO2 emissions. The new Macbook also has a battery, that will last up to five years or 1000 charges. This is considerably more than other laptops which frequently last from 1-3 years. Apple has also eliminated toxins like Arsenic, Mercury, Lead, PVC, and BFR. Macbooks now have efficient power adaptors, low-power components, and power management software. It even has earned the EPA’s Energy Star qualification, for its low power usage.
So here’s what you can do: go eco friendly with your sunscreen! It’s really simple and here are a few tips to help you out:
Check the labels and make sure there is no use of nano-materials. These chemicals linger in the air longer after it evaporates from your skin after you sweat it off.
Look out for Oxybenzane. This chemical is used in many cosmetic products, but mainly in sunscreen for absorption. It has been linked to babies with low birth weight, hormone disruption, cellular damage and even allergies!
There are plenty of options when you’re looking for a new sunscreen. They cost maybe a dollar or two more than your usually bought brand! Here are some, just to name a few:
Soleo Organics Sunscreen Organic chemical free sunscreen, SPF 30+
China has a population of over one billion people; one of the largest populations on Earth. China also claims one of the highest pollution levels on Earth. Coal is a major factor to blame for all the sulfur dioxide, because it is a main source of energy for the country.
Is this posing an effect on the population’s health? The pollutant can only seriously affect a person’s health if they’re breathing heavily and allowing it to reach the lungs. Sulfur dioxide can cause a mild throat and nose irritation after a short amount of exposure. Long amounts of exposure can cause airways obstruction, pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), and even death.
So how do you go back to school green? Here’s a guide to help you through!
School Supplies:
The most eco-friendly option for items like binders, pencils, highlighters, etc. is to do your best to re-use your items from the year before. If you’ve found a binder brand that really holds up to the amount of abuse you put it through each year, but isn’t necessarily an “eco-friendly” brand, buy it anyway. If you’re able to get two or three years out of it, instead of just one, the earth will thank you. Of course, if you find that brand and it IS eco-friendly, then absolutely go for that one! For items like spiral notebooks, composition books, and filler paper, see if you can find a brand that uses recycled paper. A lot of your favorite department and convenience stores (such as Target and Wal-Mart) carry these items.
Lunch:
So if you have a cool eco-friendly lunch box, what do you fill it with? Whatever you like is the real answer, but there is an eco-friendly way to have lunch, too. Instead of using plastic bags, try using Tupperware as much as possible. You can buy plain, clear, Ziploc plastic containers, or, some new products have fun patterns, too! And best of all, you can get these products anywhere, from Target to Giant to Wal-Mart. If you really have to use plastic bags, re-use your bags: wash them out and hang them open and upside down each night. This way, you can use the same bags for up to a month, instead of a new bag each day.
Clothing:
For all the girls out there (and yes, some of the guys, too), you know that school is not just about binders and grades. It’s also a little about how you look. And guess what? Sometimes your clothing is less eco-friendly than your school supplies! Think about it. A lot of your clothes travel thousands of miles by plane to get to the stores you buy them from. Think of how much gas it takes to power a car, and then multiply that by five. That’s how much it takes for a plane to travel just across the United States, from Maryland to California, with full cabins and storage units. Try to find stores that sell clothes made in your part of the world, whether that be the US or Australia. Also, try to find stores that sell eco-friendly options!
PreserveProducts.com consulted dental professionals to create a more efficient handle on a toothbrush that not only is curved to reach those hard-to-reach places, but it is also made completely out of recycled yogurt cups! Preserve encourages the buyer to send back the toothbrush after 3 months (which by the way is when you should replace a toothbrush) for it to be recycled. For more information on how to get your hands on one of these, cheap eco-friendly Preserve toothbrushes, visit preserveproducts.com and make a change in the way you make your teeth sparkling clean.
PreserveProducts.com consulted dental professionals to create a more efficient handle on a toothbrush that not only is curved to reach those hard-to-reach places, but it is also made completely out of recycled yogurt cups! Preserve encourages the buyer to send back the toothbrush after 3 months (which by the way is when you should replace a toothbrush) for it to be recycled. For more information on how to get your hands on one of these, cheap eco-friendly Preserve toothbrushes, visit preserveproducts.com and make a change in the way you make your teeth sparkling clean.
There are quite a few ways to sooth sunburns without medical products that contain substances like Lidocaine. Aloe plants contain a gooey substance that soothes burns. If you don’t have access to an aloe plant, aloe can be bought at most drug stores, just make sure it has no added colors or products. Believe it or not, milk can heal burns too! Whole milk soaked on a towel placed on the burned area for about twenty minutes will help to sooth the pain. This also helps to prevent blistering.
Today Goodwill Industries is a $2.4 billion nonprofit organization that helps anyone and everyone on through their struggles to find employment. In 2009, Goodwill helped almost two million people through employment and training programs and found over 155,000 people a job. Many people face barriers to employment; whether it be having a physical or mental disability or even not knowing how to properly write a resume or fill out a job application. These problems used to be impassable road blocks for many people, but with Goodwill’s help they become merely a speed bump.
By making donations to Goodwill you will not only be actively reducing consumption and recycling, but you will be giving a hand up to a stranger in need.
Water covers around 70% of earth’s surface but most of it is undrinkable due to the fact that it is salt water. Water supplies today are limited; one third of the world’s population lacks clean drinking water.
Around the world, we selfishly pollute our accessible drinking water. The improper treatment and disposal is a large cause of water pollution. Sewage is drained off in large quantities into rivers. It contaminates said rivers with large amounts of harsh chemicals and pathogens. This sewage buildup can spread many diseases. The sewage fosters the growth of mosquitoes, which harbor the illnesses Malaria and Typhoid.
