SUSTAINABILITY TIP OF THE WEEK

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #1
Plug your electronics into a power strip, and turn it off at night to save electricity.
Most electronic devices, including your TV, have an “always on” component that continues to use electricity as long as they’re plugged in, even when they’re turned off. Plugging several devices into a single outlet strip allows you to easily turn the power off to them all with one touch, which should be done at night or whenever they’re not in regular use.
It’s our world. If we conserve what we have, there’ll be enough for everyone.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #2
If you’re going to be idling your vehicle for more than 10 seconds, shut off the engine. You’ll be saving gas, saving money, and reducing polluting emissions.
Extended idling isn’t necessary to warm up your vehicle, even in cold weather. Modern vehicles need only about 30 seconds of idling to warm the engine, and should then be driven off slowly to warm wheel bearings, suspension, transmission and tires. Idling engines aren’t operating at peak temperature so fuel is only partially combusted, leading to engine oil contamination and build-up of residues on cylinder walls that can damage your engine’s components and increase fuel consumption. An idling engine produces twice the amount of exhaust emissions as an engine in motion, including particulate matter, dirt, nitrous oxide, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. These gases and compounds are related to asthma, allergies, cancer and climate change, causing major impacts worldwide.
It’s our world. If we use what we have carefully, everyone will benefit.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #3
To save energy on home heating, close off rooms that aren’t regularly used, keep your thermostat between 65-68° during the day and 55° at night, put on additional clothes (heat yourself rather than your room), and set your hot water heater for 110-120°.
For each 1 degree you turn down the thermostat in the winter, you’ll save up to 5% on heating costs. Just by regularly turning your thermostat down 10–15° at night while you’re sleeping, you’ll save from 5–15% a year on your bill. Lowering your hot water heater setting by 10° typically saves around 4% on the cost of water heating each year. Since water heaters are often set at 140°, savings with a 110-120° setting can be substantial.
It’s our world. If we use resources carefully, everyone will be better off.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #4
Consider eating lower on the food chain whenever you can. Plant protein requires far less land, water, and energy than animal protein. Reducing consumption of meat by even 10% can make a significant difference for the environment as well as your own well-being.
It takes about 16 times the amount of fossil fuel energy to produce a pound of beef protein compared to a pound of wheat protein, and over 100 times the amount of water. According to the USDA, one acre of land can produce 356 pounds of protein from soybeans, 265 pounds from rice, 211 from corn, 192 from legumes, 82 pounds from milk, 78 pounds from eggs, and only 20 pounds from beef. It is estimated that a person replacing just one beef meal each week will, on average, save more than 40,000 gallons of water, 70 tons of grain, and 300 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions a year.
It’s our world. If we conserve, we’ll all be better off.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #5
Conserving water in your daily routines can add up to thousands of gallons a month. In the bathroom, decrease the use of water for flushing, bathe using a low-flow shower head, and turn the water off while soaping up, washing hair, brushing teeth, or shaving. In the kitchen, consider washing dishes by hand rather than using a dishwasher--put water in one basin for washing and in another for rinsing both dishes and vegetables, or use short blasts with an aerator instead of letting water run. Compost your food waste rather than using a garbage disposal.
If your toilet was installed before 1992, reduce the amount of water used for each flush by inserting a displacement device in the tank, saving up to 300 gallons a month, even more for large families. Installing a high-efficiency showerhead and faucet aerator can reduce home water consumption and water heating costs by as much as 50%, saving about 7,800 gallons of water per year in the average household. Garbage disposals use as much as 4 gallons of water per minute.
It’s our world. If we practice conservation, we’ll all be better off.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #6
Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOVs) are the most inefficient use of transportation energy and contribute significantly to global pollution. Taking the bus is a good way to avoid congestion, save fuel, save money, and save emissions. It’s also a great way to meet people. Try the convenient trip planner at www.transit.google.com to check times and routes locally and regionally.
Valley Transit fares are $.75. Low-income, student, and senior monthly passes are available for $10 at the downtown transit center and at Valley Transit headquarters. Regular passes are $20. The Valley Transit website with full routes, including inter-city service and other information is www.valleytransit.com.
It’s our world. If we use our resources carefully, we’ll all be better off.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #7
Riding a bicycle is the most energy-efficient of all modes of transportation. A bike is also good for health, it’s inexpensive, emits no pollution, is easy to park, and is a more social mode of travel than driving an automobile. You can even put it on the front of a bus!
The Walla Walla area is a great place to bike. Slopes are gentle, bike lanes are often available, and all Valley Transit buses have bike racks for use when needed. When you’re on a bike, it’s easy to stop and talk when you like, which contributes to a sense of community. Be sure to wear a helmet, use lights at night, and follow the rules of the road.
It’s our world. If we use consume less, we’ll all be better off.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #8
Going paperless, or reducing paper usage, can save individuals and businesses time, money and storage space, and can also help the environment. The typical U.S. office worker uses about 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year.
Consider these ways to reduce paper and save trees, oil, electricity, and landfill space: Set up direct deposit for your income and electronic statements for your accounts; file documents electronically; request electronic versions of catalogs and manuals rather than paper copies; use both sides of paper when printing, including the back side of already-used paper for drafts. Be sure to back up electronic files, and to recycle any paper no longer needed. For more on saving paper, go to http://eetd.lbl.gov/paper.
It’s our world. If we use resources carefully, we’ll all be better off.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #9
Consider using rechargeable batteries. Compared to disposable batteries, rechargeable batteries last longer, offer more power, and because they are used over and over, the need to buy new batteries is greatly reduced. Rechargeable batteries can also be recharged using a solar power charger.
Rechargeable batteries cost more initially, but considering their life span of many recharges, actually cost less overall. Many of the commercially available solar powered yard lights have rechargeable AA batteries in them for storage which are recharged during the day. Rechargeable batteries are recyclable and help keep dangerous toxins in conventional batteries out of our landfills. To find battery recycling services or sites please visit http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/batteries.php#where2recycle.
It’s our world. If we consume less, we’ll all be better off.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #10
Buying food produced locally and growing some of your own food avoids the costs of transportation, allows you to monitor the conditions under which your food is produced, and contributes to both community sustainability and food security. Purchasing food transported long distances contributes to pollution, reduces nutritional value, and sends money out of our community rather than circulating it locally where it will multiply.
Most food on our plates has been transported well over 1000 miles. It may also have been produced under conditions that are hazardous to workers, unfair to animals, and harmful to consumers and the environment. The Walla Walla area is a great place for gardening and farming, and has the capacity to produce and process more of its own food for local and regional consumption. Mid-March is a good time to start planting peas, radishes, spinach, and carrots in your garden. We’ll be adding more weekly planting advice along with future tips.
It’s our world. If we produce and consume responsibly, we’ll all benefit.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #11
Computers, monitors and television sets contain toxic heavy metals including lead, cadmium and mercury and cannot be disposed of in the trash. If they are no longer usable, they can be dropped off without charge at a special electronics recycling station in Walla Walla at 827 N. 12th Avenue, or at the corner of Rose & 13th, and in Milton-Freewater behind the Drive-In theater on Highway 11. If they are still usable by others, help conserve resources and contribute to community well-being by donating them to a nonprofit organization for reuse.
If you have to buy new equipment, look for electronics that contain fewer toxic constituents, use recycled materials, are energy efficient such as an Energy Star label, are designed for upgrading or disassembly, use minimal packaging, and meet other green performance criteria. For a website on green products, go to www.epeat.net.
Gardening update: This is a great time to add compost to your soil. Try the City of Walla Walla’s compost facility at the city landfill, which has a wonderful batch right now! Call 527-4591 for details.
It’s our world. If we produce, reuse and recycle responsibly, we’ll all benefit.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #12
Spring is here…time to get out the mop. Here are some Green cleaning tips to keep in mind:
● Skip the air fresheners. Chemical fresheners can cause eye, skin, and respiratory irritation.
● Use vegetable-based cleaning products instead of harsh chemical cleaners. Vegetable-based cleaners, like those made with coconut oil, are becoming more popular every day.
● Vinegar, nature’s cleaning miracle, can be used to clean just about anything. Use it straight to clean kitchen floors or wash windows, mix it with baking soda and essential oils to clean sinks, and even use it to remove stains in your carpet.
● Skip the harsh chemical cleaners in the bathroom. Make that porcelain sparkle with non-chlorine bleach cleaners or white vinegar and a baking soda-water paste.
● When you make the switch to natural cleaning products, be sure to safely dispose of any dangerous chemical products you may have already had. Don’t pour them down the drain, onto the ground, or into the trash. Read the labels or check with your waste management provider for options.
Gardening update: This is a great time to plant strawberries, as well as broccoli, potatoes, lettuce and other greens.
It’s our world. If we produce, reuse and recycle responsibly, we’ll all benefit.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #13
Walking, or the art of traveling by foot, is a human’s natural means of transportation. It’s also good for your health, gives you a cardio vascular workout, reduces stress, aids in maintaining a healthy weight, adds zest to your life, is free, provides more opportunities to interact with others, and doesn’t contribute to either air pollution or traffic congestion.
If the average American walked or biked to work or shopping once every two weeks instead of driving, we could prevent the pollution of close to one billion gallons of gasoline from entering the atmosphere every year. Motor vehicle emissions represent 31% of total carbon dioxide, 81% of carbon monoxide, and 49% of nitrogen oxides released in the US, along with significant noise pollution. Next time someone tells you to “take a hike”, instead of getting mad, take them up on it!
It’s our world. If we use resources more thoughtfully, we’ll all benefit.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #14
Reducing throwaways is one of the keys to sustainable living. Using durable products with reduced packaging can make a significant difference in conservation of resources and avoiding pollution. Be sure to use reusable grocery bags, reusable water bottles and coffee mugs, cloth towels and napkins, and durable plates and utensils whenever possible.
Packaging and containers make up the largest portion of trash generated, nearly 78 million tons in 2007! If you forgot to bring your own bag and only have a couple of items to purchase, say "No" when the merchant asks you if you want a bag. Where only throwaways are available, bring your own reusable utensils, tableware, water bottles, cups, and cloth napkins. Keep reusable grocery bags on the front seat of your car, where you’ll remember to bring them in. Don’t buy bottled water; buy yourself and your family members good quality water bottles.
It’s our world. If we use resources more thoughtfully, we’ll all benefit.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #15
As you walk along trails or sidewalks, help keep them clean by picking up any trash you find. Be sure to carry a plastic bag along with you to pick up and dispose of your own pet droppings. While informing authorities of damage or unsafe conditions in parks and other places, do your part as a proactive citizen to keep our communities and environment clean and safe through your own immediate action when possible.
Cleaning up the world and protecting public resources is everyone’s responsibility. Citizen efforts save local governments money and can make the difference between a neglected community and healthy one.
Gardening tip: When thinning for proper spacing, consider offering your neighbors the thinned plants for transplanting, saving them time and money, and increasing the harvest.
It’s our world. If we share responsibility and resources, we’ll all be better off.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP #16
Pesticides are substances that disrupt or kill organisms we consider pests. Most natural pesticides, derived from a natural source such as a mineral or made by other organisms usually for their own defense, are safer and more friendly to the environment than conventional pesticides. They can also be very effective, and should your first choice for most home and garden pest control needs.
Natural pesticides for gardens include
Neem Oil - used against insects that chew on plants such as black vine weevil.
Insecticidal Soap - used in gardens and landscapes against a variety of small, soft-bodied pests like aphids, spider mites and scale crawlers.
Rotenone - an older, broad-spectrum natural insecticide used for a variety of garden and landscape pests, available as a powder or liquid.
Spinosad - a newer, broad-spectrum insecticide for use in gardens and landscapes.
Pyrethrum - an older, broad-spectrum insecticide for use in gardens.
Diatomaceous Earth - a dry, powdery material (natural dust) derived from the shells of marine organisms, used mainly to deter and kill crawling pests both indoors and outdoors.
Insecticidal soap plus at least one relatively broad spectrum/ low toxicity pesticide such as neem oil, spinosad or pyrethrum will handle most of your garden's pest control needs in a safe and eco-friendly manner.
It’s our world. If we use resources more thoughtfully, we’ll all benefit.

SUSTAINABILITY TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS
1. Recycling paper saves wood fiber which means fewer trees cut down, less habitat destruction, and more carbon dioxide kept out of the atmosphere.
2. Consider buying a live tree for Christmas rather than a cut tree. After the holidays, plant the tree in your yard or neighborhood, or donate it for planting in a local park.
3. Think of durable gifts, and limit use of throwaway wrappings. Look for long-lasting items with minimum packaging. Try reusable cloth wrappings instead of paper.
It’s our world. If we make things last, there’ll be enough for everybody.