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You want to do the right thing for the planet, which means stocking up on canvas bags, turning the heat off before work and tossing water bottles in the recycle bin. But guess what? A lot of those so-called green actions have a negative impact on the planet.
Green Deceits
Using fewer appliances is better for the planet, right? Not when it comes to washing the dishes. Running the dishwasher has less of an environmental impact than washing the dishes by hand. According to researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany, dishwashers use half the energy, one-sixth of the water and less soap than washing dishes by hand.
Over the course of one year, washing dishes in the dishwasher will save up to 5,000 gallons of water, notes Elizabeth Rogers, author of Shift Your Habit: Easy Ways to Save Money, Simplify Your Life, and Save the Planet.
You'll save the most energy by running the dishwasher only when it's full and letting dishes air dry instead of using the heated dry cycle. And make sure to avoid paper plates -- even on picnics!
When it comes to choosing a Christmas tree, cutting a live tree is better for the planet than putting up an artificial tree. Even though artificial Christmas trees can be reused season after season, the environmental impact of manufacturing and shipping the plastic trees is significant.
According to the National Christmas Tree Association, fake trees are made from petroleum-based products, shipped from overseas and end up in the landfill. Cut trees, in contrast, are grown on Christmas tree farms where their stock is replenished each season and forests aren't depleted. Prior to being cut, trees provide habitat for wildlife and absorb carbon dioxide. After Christmas, cut trees are 100 percent recyclable. Get more tips on green-ing your holiday traditions here!
Yes, recycling is a good thing. The problem isn't that plastic water bottles are being hauled off to recycling centers and given new life as soccer jerseys and dog toys -- it's the sheer number of water bottles that is bad for the planet.
It takes 1.5 million barrels of oil -- enough to power 100,000 cars for an entire year -- to manufacture the number of plastic water bottles that Americans drink on an annual basis, according to the Earth Policy Institute. The resources required to recycle plastic water bottles is also significant -- if the bottles are recycled at all. Currently, less than 31 percent of plastic water bottles are recycled; the rest are sent straight to the landfill.
Invest in a reusable water bottle and switch from bottled water to tap water (studies have shown that one is not healthier than the other). And check out what this truly resourceful family does with water bottles.
You're convinced that washing the car with a bucket and a hose uses less water than running it through a commercial car wash where powerful jets of water are hitting the car from every angle. You're wrong.
It takes up to 140 gallons of water to wash a car at home compared with just 45 gallons of water at a commercial car wash.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the water used to wash a car at home contains residue from gasoline, motor oils, heavy metals from rust and chemicals from soaps and detergents, which runs into the sewers and pollutes rivers, streams and lakes. In contrast, commercial car washes have sophisticated wastewater management systems that help prevent water pollution.
You use plastic containers to tote lunch to work and microwave leftovers, pop them in the dishwasher and reuse them all over again.
Plastic leaches a chemical called Bisphenol A, or BPA, that has been linked to immune impairment, obesity and early onset puberty," explains Sara Snow, eco expert and author of Sara Snow's Fresh Living: The Essential Room-by-Room Guide to a Greener, Healthier Family and Home.
Snow recommends storing and reheating food in glass containers because glass is a natural material that won't off-gas chemicals into the environment (or your leftover lasagna). Looking for unique food storage options? These are great for saving counterspace.
Sometimes, gas gets a bad rap. The assumption that cooking an entire meal using a few briquettes and a lighter has less of an environmental impact than cooking burgers on a gas grill is false. When it comes to barbeques, gas is greener. Charcoal grills produce three times more greenhouse gases than propane grills, according to British researchers.
For diehard charcoal fans, trading briquettes that are doused in chemical-laden lighter fluid for briquettes made from natural materials like bamboo is a good green option.
You don't want to run the heat or air-conditioning when no one is home but turning it off isn't a green act.
Turning the thermostat off can cause temperatures in the house to get too hot or cold, forcing the furnace or a/c to work harder to warm or cool the house when you get home. Leaving the thermostat set at a constant temperature also wastes a lot of energy. The solution: Install a programmable
"A programmable thermostat adjusts your air conditioner and heater settings based on the time of day," explains Rogers.
A simple programmable thermostat costs under $100 and can save up to 15 percent on annual energy costs. Also consider an eco-friendly humidifier to help control air quality.
There is a huge push to go paperless. There's no question that signing up to receive the cable and phone bills via e-mail and reading the newspaper online saves a lot of paper. When it comes to books, it appears that electronic readers are not as green as paperbacks.
An article in the New York Times compared e-readers to paperbacks and found that manufacturing an e-reader required the same amount of fossil fuels, water and minerals as producing up to 50 books and has an impact on global warming equivalent to manufacturing 100 books. (Besides, books make for great design!)
Leave the e-reader on the shelf and keep purchasing paperbacks. Or, as the authors of the article suggest, borrow books from local libraries.
Turning off the coffee maker, television and radio is much better than leaving them running 24/7 but shutting down the power doesn't mean appliances and electronic gadgets aren't consuming energy.
Vampire power refers to the energy that's used when something is plugged into the wall -- even if it's not turned on -- and it accounts for up to 10 percent of residential energy use. You can cut energy use by unplugging products, not just turning them off.
"Search the wall sockets in your house for devices that don't need to be plugged in," advises Chris Kielich, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Energy. "You can put a lot of appliances on a power strip and unplug that when they're not in use."
You've started looking for products made from natural and sustainable materials in the hopes of reducing your carbon footprint. Sadly, a lot of the products that claim to be eco-friendly don't live up to the hype, including products like these, which are only partly green.
It's a common practice for manufacturers to incorporate one green element into an entire piece and then make the claim that the product is environmentally friendly. You can avoid being "green-washed" -- or a victim of "green consumerism" -- by reading all of the product information and asking questions about the materials and the manufacturer. Or see what products get the thumbs-up on eco-friendliness from ShelterPop.
