Personal Sustainability

Before we can tackle on world issues of sustainability I believe it is important to start with oneself first and what I mean by that is personal sustainability. Personal sustainability is just that, personal, so the lifestyle changes you chose to make must be right for you and only you can decide what those are. Once you've made these changes then it's easier to advocate for and implement substantial sustainable choices that apply to the world. For me, I believe that my body is a temple so I've bowed to make personal changes that will stimulate my mind, body, and soul. For this reason I have chosen to become vegetarian, do yoga, meditate amongst nature, and follow a stricter exercise regimen.

Vegetarianism is a very personal choice that actually require some research behind it in order to do it in a healthy way (for more in this,check out my post on vegetarianism). It's been going really well so far, i've had a lot of fun discovering new vegetarian meals I would never have thought of trying otherwise. Since becoming vegetarian, i've found myself making wiser food choices as well and I feel a lot more energized and healthy. I think that I'm gonna keep at it even after I'm done with this sustainable living class.

I've always liked doing yoga but have never actually set out time in my schedule for it, usually I would fit it in if I found some extra time. Actually dedicating time for yoga actually makes me a less stressed out so that I can use it to take a break and then continue on with the rest of my tasks for the day. I know a couple moves but I've mostly been using NetFlix yoga videos to get a well rounded session.

Yoga is a log impact form of exercise, mainly focusing on the mind body connection rather than a heavy fat burning work out, so to balance things out I've been trying to commit to a stricter exercise regimen. It's probably been the hardest of my changes to keep up since there's been such gloomy rainy weather most of this quarter which makes it so much less appealing to go to the gym 3 or 4 times a week, especially since I live off campus. However, I still make sure to keep an active lifestyle to balance out the times when I'm feeling unmotivated about spending hours at the gym. I walk everywhere and take nice bike rides around Santa Cruz whenever possible and that's not just a benefit to my body, it's a benefit to my mind as well. Nothing feels better than being alive and being able to enjoy the nature the world has to offer.

That brings me to meditation! Anytime I'm feeling overwhelmed I turn to nature. Being outside reminds me that there is so much more out there, so much beauty and adventure to discover that that worry about that Stats test or project that's due isn't the most important thing in the world. I don't want to waste my life away feeling stressed out about the little things, not that I'll completely disregard all my responsibilities to sit out under a tree basking in the sunlight (as much as I would LOVE to) but I think taking that time off to do it can bring you back to a more level headed mindset. And I'm not just blabbing about hippy dippy stuff, it actually does make a difference. Mind, body, and soul, you must be good to all elements of your being and for me, simply being able to walk outside and take sometime off to look around, feel, and listen to the world around me nourishes all elements of my being.

Cut Carbon Emissions-Don't Drive!

A big way to reduce your carbon footprint is to cut back on driving. Walking and riding a bike is a fun way to do so! There are so many benefits to walking from monetary to health and the same goes for biking. I love biking, so naturally I'm a big advocate for it. Here are just a few reasons in case you're anti-bike (for some odd reason):

• Biking has virtually NO carbon footprint
• Biking is the most energy efficient form of transportation
• Healthy exercise
• Time efficient
• Fun!
• Stress-reducer
• Muscle tone
• Save money
• Low impact on the body and the environment
• Reduce air, water, and noise pollution
• Enjoy the beauty of the world

One gallon of gasoline produces 19 pounds of carbon dioxide and the average car emits about six tons of carbon dioxide every year compared to 0 carbon dioxide emitted by bikes.

But if you don't own or have access to a bicycle, public transportation is another great alternative. Benefits of public transportation:

• Save money. According to the American Automobile Association, the estimated cost of driving a single-occupant vehicle is between $4,826 (for a small car) and $9,685 (for a large car), depending upon mileage. By contrast, the annual average cost for public transportation for one adult ranges from $200 to $2,000, depending upon mileage, time of day, type of vehicle or service.
• Promote clean air. Each year, public transportation use avoids the emission of more than 126 million pounds of hydrocarbons, a primary cause of smog, and 156 million pounds of nitrogen oxides, which can cause respiratory disease
• Reduce energy consumption. A person who commutes 60 miles each way daily could save an estimated 1,888 gallons of gasoline every year by switching from using a car to using public transportation.
• Stimulate economic development. A transit coalition report, “Dollars & Sense: The Economic Case for Public Transportation in America,” found that every dollar taxpayers invest in public transportation generates $6 or more in economic returns.

Cutting back on driving has been extremely easy since I don't have a car here. But in addition to that I've been trying to walk as much as possible, the walk to and through campus is especially nice. When I can't walk riding my bike is the next option, then comes public transportation for longer distances, and last is resorting to being driven by one of my housemates if all else fails.

Do You Know Where Your Food Comes From?

Do you know where your food comes from? Most people don't and most large food companies want to keep it that way. Day in and day out people swarm their local supermarket for all their food needs, never once thinking about how that food got there. Food doesn't just neatly show up on supermarket shelves, it has to come from somewhere. More often than not, the produce in supermarkets is shipped in from all parts of the world. This is the reason why certain fruits and vegetables are available year round even when they're out of season. At first glance this may not seem like that big of a deal, I mean who wouldn't want juicy watermelon available to them year round? But there's emissions to think about! You can do your part by buying local, farmers markets are a great choice. Not only are you supporting local farmers but you know exactly where your food comes from.

Farmers markets are the best way to get back in touch with your food is by getting your food and lucky for me Santa Cruz has some awesome farmers markets! Farmers markets are not only full of tasty and delicious food but they are also full of wonderful people. Its nice to be abel to go back to the same stand every week and see the same familiar face handing out their tasty treats. Also, they really know their stuff. If you ask them a question about their product they can go on talking to you for hours about how it was harvested and when, how the season is going, and what food will be available next week. This is a stark contrast to supermarkets where it seems the most the people that work there can tell you about the food is whether or not it is in stock.

I have heard a lot of people say they don't go to farmers markets because they are too expensive but I have always found that they are always worth a visit. I have often found fruits and veggies at the same price as the supermarket price, and in their peak season they can be even cheaper. Healthy food that supports local farmers seems like something worth the extra few dollars. When I know that the quality of food I am getting at the farmers market is so much better than store bought produce I feel like its worth the sacrifice. If it means that I have to make sacrifices else where in my life, so be it.

If you're local to Santa Cruz, there's a farmers market going on almost everyday of the week. Check it out!

Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism is a personal choice and one that should thoroughly be researched in order to be able to fully commit to it in a healthy way. I'm not here to preach vegetarianism but I will say that it is a positive lifestyle change that can help the environment and your personal well being when done right. I did research on the subject before I made my decision and found many many positive results. For one, different people follow different forms of vegetarianism, choose the one that's right for you.

Full Vegetarian- Eats no meat of any kind.
Semi-Vegetarian- Eats fish and maybe a small amount of pultry but sustains a diet made up mostly of vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds, and nuts.
Pescaterian- Eats fish but no pultry or red meat.
Veganism- Excludes all animal flesh and animal products, including milk, honey, eggs.
Raw veganism- Includes only fresh and uncooked fruit, nuts, seeds, and vegetables

One thing to remember is that you can't simply eliminate meat from your diet without substituting it with the vitamins, minerals, and protein you are losing. The top five nutrients most vegetarians lack are

protein (consume wheat, soy,nuts, and beans)
iron (consume more plan iron and avoid absorption inhibitors such as coffee)
zinc (consume plenty of soybeans, cashews, and sunflower seed)
calcium (consume plenty of soy yogurt, almonds, and other calcium fortified foods)
vitamin b-12 (consume vitamin b-12 fortified foods such as soy milk and eggs)

After considering the vegetarian option that's right for you and making sure you get the proper intake of nutrients, here are some of the wonderful benefits you may reap:

• A healthier mind, body, soul, and planet
• More energy
• Healthier skin
• Lower risk of heart disease
• Longer life expectancy
• Save Money
• Conservation of non-renewable resources
• Conservation of water
• A stance against factory farming

These are just a few benefits, there's many more!

Mmmmm Spinach and Feta Pasta! 100% delicious and 100% vegetarian.
Make it yourself!

Waste Reduction

What is waste reduction?

Waste reduction refers to reducing the amount of waste produced and reducing the toxic substances in waste. Think about it, all products you buy come with packaging which will eventually require disposal, most often ending up in landfills. The earth has a limited amount of space and with more and more waste being dumped into landfills, the capacity is running out. The least waste you produce, the more you are helping to save natural resources, energy, costs, and pollution. Waste reduction is a actually pretty easy task to take on, you just have to be mindful of a couple choices and opt for alternatives. Heres a list of the things we've been doing to reduce our waste production:

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

• Avoid excessive packaging. Packaging accounts for 64 million tons of weight, 33% of our garbage.

  • Buying in bulk reduces the amount packaging waste but don't buy more than you need as that produces wastes as well, be mindful and chose what's right for you.

• Avoid using paper towels. Opt for cloth rags instead.

• Avoid styrofoam. Opt for unbleached paper products.

  • Not biodegradable

  • Toxic chemicals leach out of these products into the food that they contain.

  • Products made with petroleum which is not sustainable and heavily polluting

• Avoid plastic bottles. Use a canteen or nalgene instead!

  • Plastic bottles take 450-1,000 years to biodegrade.

  • People in the U.S. throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles an hour.

  • Plastic contains harmful chemicals (cadmium, lead, PVC,etc.)

• Avoid plastic bags. Bring your own reusable bag.

  • Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year.

  • Plastic bags don't biodegrade, they photodegrade-breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways and entering the food web when animals accidentally ingest.

  • Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine mammals die every year from eating discarded plastic bags mistaken for food.

• Compost. Nature's way of recycling, reduce the volume of garbage sent unnecessarily to landfills and give back to the soils.

  • The National Composting Council estimates the average U.S. household generates 650 lb of compostables every year. (That's a lot of potential soil!)

• Avoid buying new clothing, buy secondhand if needed. Altering clothes you already own is a fun and sustainable option!

  • Cuts down on the amount of fabric waste that ends up in landfills

  • Cuts back on the amount of energy and raw materials utilized to make clothing

  • Support charities/non-profit organizations such as Goodwill and The Salvation Army

    
    

The Water and Life Cycle as One

“We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.” - Jacques Cousteau

Although water accounts for 70% of the Earth surface, only about 1% is can consumed by humans,the rest being saline. Today, the freshwater supply is practically non-existent with large portions of the world suffering from inadequate access to a potable water supply and having to revert to water sources contaminated with disease vectors and pathogens. The current water crisis is a WORLD issue. Nearly one billion people – about one in eight – lack access to clean water. This lack of water is closely related to poverty meaning some the poorest nations in the world are dealing with the biggest scarcity. Here are some facts to consider:

• Almost two in three people lacking access to clean water survive on less than $2 a day, with one in three living on less than $1 a day

• More than 660 million people without sanitation live on less than $2 a day, and more than 385 million on less than $1 a day.

• Access to piped water into the household averages about 85% for the wealthiest 20% of the population, compared with 25% for the poorest 20%.

• More than 3.5 million people die each year from water-related disease; 84 percent are children. Nearly all deaths, 98 percent, occur in the developing world.

• Lack of access to clean water and sanitation kills children at a rate equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every four hours.

• Lack of sanitation is the world’s biggest cause of infection.

• Millions of women and children spend several hours each day collecting water from distant, often polluted sources.

"400 million children (1 in 5 from the developing world) have no access to safe water. 1.4 million children will die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation" (State of the World’s Children, 2005, UNICEF)

A big contributor to the water crisis, studies show, is the commodization of water. With water being seeing as a commodity rather than a fundamental right, supply is controlled by multinational corporations; meaning the poor are the most affected seeing as the top priority is to maximize profits. The poor are left helpless as they can no longer afford the commodity.

In most developed countries, such as the U.S., we take access to clean water for granted. “A mere 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World.” (Maude Barlow, Water as Commodity—The Wrong Prescription, The Institute for Food and Development Policy, Backgrounder, Summer 2001, Vol. 7, No. 3). This misuse of water is evident in everyday life, all you have to do is look around. Think about how much water is used just to water a lawn (with 50-70% of our residential water used for landscaping, that's about 10,000 gallons of water per summer per 1,000 square foot lawn!); how much water is used to flush a toilet (typically 6 gallons!); how much water is used when brushing your teeth with the faucet running (around 2 gallons!). The numbers are astounding, right? Luckily there's a lot water to be conserved simply by being more conscious about water usage. Here are some changes that can be made to do your part:

In the bathroom:

• To significantly reduce water use, replace your old 5 gallon per flush toilet with a new 1.5 or 1.6 gallon per flush toilet.

  • This may be a costly so an alternative solution is to retrofit your old one with a water-saving device such as sealed container filled with sand.

• If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down.

• Take shorter showers. A shower head that uses 5 gallons per minute meaning a shower longer than 8 minutes uses more than 40 gallons of water.

• Turn the water off when soaping up or shaving.

• Keep a basin in the shower to catch water while it's heating up. This excess water can be used to flush the toilet or water the garden.

• Use basin to wash hands and shave.

• Turn off water when brushing teeth.

In the kitchen:

• Wash dishes in a basin rather than letting the water run. This saves on dish soap as well.

In the laundry room:

• Front-loading washing machines use 40% less water than top loaders.

• Wash only full loads

So far we've been following all of the suggestions above, with the exception of switching to more efficient appliances obviously due to financial reasons, and they've pretty easy to incorporate. Although, ill admit that I wasn't the most water efficient when it came down to showers so a shower timer has been really handy. I've been cutting back showers by A LOT, I used to take 15 minute showers but i've been cutting that down by 5 minutes for now but eventually in half. It's actually not too bad, just can't stand and enjoy the warm water for as long as I used to but the compromise is well worth it.

Green Laundry

"What am I going to wear today?" The question I ask myself every day, but today I open my drawers and oh no! nothing to wear...darn. This means laundry day. One of the most dreaded chores, most of us like to avoid it for as long aswe can, but it has to be done. Separate the clothes out by color, throw them into the washing ma average chine, then toss them in the dryer. Sounds about right, huh? Well here's something to think about...

Washing machine: Each year, the energy used to run an average washing machine produces 90 kilograms of greenhouse gas.

Warm water: If you wash your clothes using warm water, add another 475 kilograms of greenhouse gas to this. This works out to be around 4 kilograms of greenhouse gas produced per wash.

Dryer: If you use a dryer, add another 150 kilograms to that.

Detergents: For top loading washing machines, the production of washing detergent generates around 0.3 kg of greenhouse gas per wash. For front loaders, it’s around half of that.

Wow! That's a lot of greenhouse gases. When I came across these numbers I was pretty shocked. The most shocking was definitely how much greenhouse gas was produced when washing your clothes with warm water, 475kg, that's more than 3 times the greenhouse gas produced when using a dryer! That's it, it's cold water washes only for me. Although getting rid of your washing machine is rarely a viable option (at least not for me), there's still a lot of greenhouse gas production that can easily be cut! Here are a few things that can be done, most of which i've personally applied with great results! :

• Wash clothes in cold water. Simple and easy, doing this can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 4kg per load!

• Use Eco friendly laundry products. Most of these Eco friendly laundry products contain natural elements that are derived from natural biodegradable resources that don't contain regular polluting ingredients found in traditional laundry products. Therefore no toxins that harm the environment.

  • EcoSense laundry detergent is a good option.

• Don't waste washing detergent and use concentrated liquid instead of powder. Solid capsules of detergent have the highest

  carbon footprint. Powder has a slightly lower footprint; liquid has a lower one still; and concentrated liquid has the lowest of all.

• Avoid using a clothes dryer. Clothesline!Conserve energy and save money while reducing your carbon footprint.

  

Our clothesline!

In case you're not convinced, advantages of

line drying:

• Save Money

• Conserve Energy

• Reduce carbon footprint

• Sunlight acts as a disinfectant and natural bleach

• Clothes smell fresh and clean without being exposed to toxic chemicals

• Clothes last longer

• Physical activity that can be relaxing