We all know how important it is care for our environment and there is a big push to purchase products that are “green”.  But do you know how to determine if a product meets the green guidelines?

1. Is the product made with recycled, salvaged or agricultural waste content?

 Products with pre-consumer recycled content
 Salvaged products
 Products with post-consumer recycled content
 Products made from agricutural waste material

2. Does the product conserve natural resources?

 Products that reduce material uses
 Products with exceptional durability
 Certified wood products
 Renewable products

3. Does the product avoid toxic or other emissions?

 Natural or minimally processed products
 Alternatives to ozone-depleting substances
 Alternatives to hazardous products
 Products that reduce or eliminate pesticide treatments
 Products that reduce storm water pollution
 Products that reduce impacts from construction or demolition activities
 Products that reduce pollution or waste from operations

4. Does the product save energy or water?

 Building components that reduce heating and cooling loads
 Equipment that conserves energy or fuel cell equipment
 Renewable energy or fuel cell equipment
 Fixtures and equipment that conserves water

5. Does the product contribute to a safe, healthy built environment?

 Products that do not release significant pollutants into the building
 Products that block the introduction, development or spread of indoor contaminants
 Products that remove the indoor pollutants
 Products that warn occupants of health hazards in a building
 Products that improve light quality
 Products that help control noise
 Products that enhance community well being

Now that you know what makes a “green” product, take a look at these OC businesses  who have a made a commitment to Going Green by clicking HERE.

Source: U.S. Green Building Council, Green Building Inc., NAHB, Energy Star

“I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues.”
— Dr. Seuss (The Lorax)

At home:

1.  Make your own window wash: Mix 3 tablespoons vinegar with 2 cups of water. Spray right on your windows and wipe away.  For windows that have been tinted, this is a must as cleaners with ammonia can harm the tinting. 
2.  Wash laundry in cold water instead of hot. This also keeps your clothes in top shape for longer.
3.  Lower the temperature on your hot water heater.  Simple, simple, simple.
4.  Five-minute showers – make it a goal for yourself.  Reward yourself with extra time in bed.
5.  Make your own sink and toilet cleaner:  Drizzle your sink and toilet bowl with vinegar, lemon juice. Sprinkle with baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Wipe sink down with a sponge/Scrub with toilet brush.
6.  Turn off vampire electronics.  Unplug appliances, and don’t leave chargers plugged in when nothing is being charged.  Plug your TV, DVD, computer, and printers into UL-certified power strips and then switch off the entire group each night to prevent overnight electrical draw.

While out:

7.  Stop using disposable bags and purchase some reusable bags.  It’s an affordable onetime expense.  Many stores are providing a 5 cent discount on your purchase and many Trader Joes offer a raffle ticket for an opportunity to win a $25 gift card when you bring your own bags.
8.  Buy a reusable water bottle, and stop buying plastic disposable bottles.
9.  Support your local economy and shop your local farmers’ market.
10.  Purchase products from companies that environmentally friendly.  For example, brew coffee that has been shade grown or is labeled “Free Trade”.  The tasty snack, SunChips has launched a line of chips in a fully compostable bag.  And right here in OC, many OC Businesses are committing to being green.

Small changes make for big results.   In honor of Earth Day, start making your changes today!

Last Month Welcome To OC invited its readers to participate in a contest held by So-Cal Solar on “How Green Are You?”  Take a look below to read about the winners and their great ideas on being green.

Green Contest Winner…The Komar’s Impact

March 18th, 2010
So-Cal Solar Inc. ran a contest last month on how green are you. After many entries we are happy to announce Nick and Brooke Komar as our winners. This couple really has made saving our planet a priority in their household and together their contributions make a positive impact on our environment. Below is their story on how they work together to reduce, reuse and recycle.

“Reduce: For the past 6 years I’ve been reducing the amount of plastic bags in our landfills by shopping with fabric grocery bags. If I forget them in the car, I ask the grocer to put my cart aside and I run and grab them (they’re only 50 feet away! no biggie!); at malls I reduce shopping bags by asking subsequent stores to place their merchandise in my initial bag; I do all my shopping on one day to reduce emissions; we keep our A/C and heat as low as possible and just put on or take off layers to regulate our temperature; recently I’ve learned my hubby limits himself to just a few squares of toilet paper per bathroom pit stop!

Reuse: I’ve always been a fan of reconstituting items. As an artist, I will repurpose objects and make them into new things (clothing into a purse, curtains into a canvas, wine corks into a trivet); our wedding day was even green! Our e-vites/RSVP were virtual & I went to antique stores to purchase the centerpieces (candelabra’s) and have used them to decorate our home since then. My wedding dress will be re-worn by a friend and then I’m having it turned into a quilt!

Recycle: I began recycling in 4th grade after I completed a school project on ozone layer depletion and greenhouse gases. It impacted me greatly. I thought I wouldn’t live to see my 18th birthday because of pollution! Thankfully I am still here, and our earth is here too! But that made a big impact on how I live my life. My husband and I thankfully now live in a town/city that encourages living green! Plano, TX accepts all plastics, papers, glass, and metal and they collect them at our doorstep biweekly! However, before that, I lived in Germany (where they enforced recycling) and in Indiana where I would have to take separate recyclables myself and then transport them in my car to the local recycling plant.”

Recycling, reusing, and recycling are a great way to start your quest to care for our planet.  There are many Orange County businesses who have gone the extra step and have “greened” up their business practices.   Check them out HERE!

So Cal Solar wants to know “How Green Are You”. Tell us your story on what you do to impact the environment in a positive way. No impact is too small or large and we want to hear about it to share with the world and continue increasing awareness. If you recycle we want hear about it. If you have a solar electric system we want to what your system’s environmental impact has done. If you stopped using plastic bags we want to know how you adjusted from plastic to eco-bags. If you do it all WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT!!!!

Bringing environmental awareness to our readers is a top priority for So-Cal Solar Inc. That is why we have decided to run a contest and hear how our readers have changed their lifestyles to help the environment. The “How Green Are You” contest will be from February 22-March 17, 2010.   Details of the contest can be found on http://tinyurl.com/ygktxgr.

Another great way to express your environmental savvy is to patronize green businesses.  Every step toward reducing our carbon footprint is a step in the right direction.  Make your first step by visiting Going Green in OC!

In Orange County, being environmentally aware and reducing our carbon footprint is a big focus in our lives today.  But did you ever stop to consider what chemicals you are putting onto your face? Does parabens, harsh chemicals, petroleum, synthetic colors and fragrances, Paraffin, PABA, mineral oil, propylene-glycol, phthalates, genetically modified organic material, DEA and animal ingredients sound like a smart investment in you and in your skin. Today’s savvy women are putting pressure on the cosmetic companies to produce organic products because while we care about our skin, we are not ready to give up the luxury of make-up.  The major focus of “green cosmetics” is the ingredients and the more organic the ingredients the better.

Ready to get started?  Here are some great ways to ease into going green.

~ Use fewer products. The chemicals coming in contact with your skin the better so take a look at your daily routine and see if there is a product you can use less often or even not at all.
~Read labels. There are no laws governing the marketing claims on personal care products, and so claims like organic, natural, hypoallergenic, animal cruelty free, and fragrance free can mean anything or nothing at all.  Read the ingredient label carefully to find evidence that the claims are true. 
~ Use milder soaps.  While soap removes dirt and grease from the surface of your skin it also strips away your body’s own natural skin oils. By choosing a milder soap  you may reduce skin dryness and therefore your need for moisturizers to replace your skin’s natural oils. 
~ Minimize your use of dark hair dyes. Many contain coal tar ingredients that in some studies have been linked to cancer. 
~ Cut down on your use of powders; avoid the use of baby powder on newborns and infants. A number of ingredients common in powder have been linked to cancer and other lung problems when they are inhaled. FDA warns that powders may cause lung damage if inhaled regularly.
~ Choose products that are “fragrance”-free. Fragrances can cause allergic reactions. Read the ingredient label carefully because some poducts claim to be fragrance free when they are not.  In products truly free of fragrance, the word “fragrance” will not appear there. 
~ Reduce your use of nail polish. It’s one of the few types of products that routinely contain ingredients linked to birth defects. If you need to make a compromise, paint your toenails and skip the fingernails.

Start with small changes, but don’t stop there.  There are more and more cosmetic lines promoting organic makeup.  Some even have biodegradable packaging!  Make an investment in the future of our Earth and your skin at the same time.  For more help in your project to become environmentally conscious, click HERE