Umhlahlandlela We-No-Stress Wokuya Okuluhlaza

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USUZWILE Khetha amanabukeni endwangu

SITHI Nikeza umshini wakho wokuwasha ikhefu

Indwangu iqhathaniswa nokulahlwayo: Ungunina wazo zonke izingxabano ze-eco. Uma uthi nhlá, kungase kubonakale sengathi akunangqondo. Ngemuva kwakho konke, izingane zidlula ngamanabukeni angama-5 000 ngaphambi kokuba ziqeqeshelwe indlu yangasese- leyo ngoplastiki abaningi abafakwa ezindaweni zokulahla inkunkuma. Kodwa uma ufaka amanzi namandla asetshenziselwa ukugeza wonke lawo ma-diaper, ukukhetha akucaci kahle. Eqinisweni, ucwaningo lwaseBrithani lwabonisa ukuthi amanabukeni alahlwayo nawendwangu anomthelela ofanayo kwezemvelo ngenxa yaleso sizathu. “Kulula ukuthi abantu babone ngeso lengqondo amanabukeni alahlwayo avala izindawo zokulahla imfucumfucu, kodwa akulula kangako ukuthwebula izinsiza ezidingekayo ukuze kuhlanzwe amanabukeni endwangu, ngakho-ke akubonakali kuthusa,” kusho uLaura Jana, MD, udokotela wezingane e-Omaha, Nebraska, owacwaninga udaba ngenkathi ebhala ngokuhlanganyela incwadi ye-American Academy of Pediatrics ethi Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality.

Bese kuba nombuzo wokusebenziseka kalula. Bangaki abazali abanamehlo abukhali, abakhafula amathe- abanesikhathi sangempela abanesikhathi sokugeza amanabukeni nsuku zonke? Nakuba ingekho into efana ne-100% yezinto eziphilayo ezilahlwayo, ezinye zingcono emvelweni kunezinye. Izinkampani ezinjengeSeventh Generation (seven generation.com), TenderCare (tendercarediapers.com), kanye neTushies (tushies.com) zenziwa ngaphandle kwe-chlorine, ngakho-ke azikhiphi ubuthi ngesikhathi sokwenza. Futhi cabanga ngama-GDiapers (gdiapers.com), i-hybrid phakathi kokulahlwayo nendwangu. Banesembozo sikakotini esisebenziseka kabusha esibanjwe nge-Velcro, kanye nolayini owuphonsa phansi endlini yangasese.

USUZWILE Faka endaweni yama-bulb avamile nge-compact fluorescents

SITHI Shayela emakamelweni athile, hhayi wonke

Kuze kube manje, indlela elula yokonga amandla ukushintsha ama-incandescent amalambu e-compact fluorescent (CFLs), asebenzisa amandla angaphansi ngamaphesenti angama-75 futhi angahlala isikhathi eside ngokuphindwe ka-10. Ngakho-ke kungani wonke umuntu engakwenzanga ukushintshaniswa? "Isizathu esikhulu ikhwalithi elula," kusho uJosh Dorfman, umbhali we-The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget. "Kusengahambisani nemikhiqizo yonkana." Ngokukhanya okufudumele, okufana ne-incandescent, khetha i-CFL ene-2,700K (Kelvin) kune-5,000K (ukwehlisa inombolo, ukufudumeza umbala wokukhanya), bese ukhetha umkhiqizi okalwe kakhulu, njenge-GE noma i-N: Vision . Bese ufaka ama-CFL lapho ukukhanya kungeyona into enkulu, njengasephasishi noma ekamelweni lokulala, futhi ugcine ama-incandescent egumbini lokuhlala nasendlini yokugezela.

Ekugcineni, khumbula ukuthi ama-CFL aqukethe inani elincane le-mercury. Uma isibani sisha, shayela umnyango kamasipala wakho we-solid-waste noma uye ku-epa .gov/bulbrecycling ukuze uthole mayelana nokulahlwa endaweni yangakini. Ungashiya futhi ama-CFL asetshenzisiwe ezitolo ze-Home Depot noma ze-Ikea.

UZWILE Khetha iphepha phezu kwepulasitiki

SITHI BYOB

Cabanga ngosuku olujwayelekile oluchithwa ukwenza imisebenzi ethile: Ufika ekhemisi, esitolo samabhuku, esitolo sezicathulo, nasesuphamakethe. Emuva ekhaya ukhipha izikhwama zepulasitiki eziyi-10 bese uziphonsa kudoti (noma uzisebenzise ukuze ubambe udoti), nakuba unomuzwa wecala. Akugcini nje ukuthi lezo zikhwama zinqwabelana ngama-landfi lls, kepha uma uhlala edolobheni elifana neNew York noma iSeattle-elihlongoze ukukhokhisa abathengi ngopulasitiki- nabo bangagcina bekulahlekisele inqwaba yoshintsho. Kungakho ama-totes avuselelekayo kuphela kwendlela yokuthenga. IGreen-kits.com ithengisa inqwaba yezikhwama zikakotini zemvelo nezingokwemvelo, kufaka phakathi izinguqulo eziqondene nomkhiqizo kanye nama-totes enziwe ngesitayela enza izipho ezinhle, ezisebenza ngomhlaba.

UZWILE Uma kukhulunywa ngokudla, yiba yi-organic purist

SITHI Go organic yeminye imikhiqizo

Njengoba izimpawu zikhala ngokuthi "organic" kuyo yonke indawo, ukuthenga ezitolo sekucindezela kakhulu (ikakhulukazi ngoba ukudla okuphilayo kungabiza amaphesenti angama-20 kuye kwangama-30 ngaphezulu). Kodwa ukugcwalisa inqola yakho yokuthenga ngemali yokugibela akukwenzi ube i-gal eluhlaza kakhulu ebhulokhini. UCindy Burke, umbhali wencwadi ethi To Buy or Not to Buy Organic, uthi: "Uma wenza ukusetshenziswa kwemishini esindayo, ukucubungula kabanzi, nokuthumela ukudla izinkulungwane zamamayela, okungokwemvelo akusho okungcono ngemvelo." "Futhi, izindinganiso ze-USDA eziphilayo azihlukanisi phakathi kwabalimi abahamba ngaphezu kwamasu okukhula okuphilayo nalabo abalandela ubuncane obungenalutho, ngakho umthengi akazi ngempela ikhwalithi yalokho abakutholayo." (Ochwepheshe batusa ukuthi kuthengwe izithako zemvelo zezilimo ezithile ze-pesticide, njengama-strawberry, amapentshisi, ama-apula, isilimo esidliwayo esinamagatsha anamanzi, ne-ulethisi; ukuthola uhlu olugcwele lomkhiqizo oqukethe amazinga aphezulu ezibulala-zinambuzane, iya ku-feednews.org).

Esikhundleni sokukhetha i-organic, uBurke nabanye ochwepheshe bakhuthaza ukuthenga kubakhiqizi bendawo lapho kungenzeka khona. "Ungathola ukudla okuphakeme ngentengo ephansi," esho. Ngaphandle kokucutshungulwa kokuthunyelwa nokuthunyelwa okubandakanyeka emapulazini amancane, endawo, ukuthenga izinto ezikhulele duze nasekhaya futhi kukunika amandla okwenza ubudlelwano nabakhiqizi, ngakho-ke ungabuza ukuthi bayikhulisa kanjani imikhiqizo yabo (yize amapulazi amaningi amancane engenakukwazi bathole izitifiketi ze-organically certifi d, kungenzeka ukuthi abazisebenzisi izibulala-zinambuzane). Uma ungenakho ukufinyelela emakethe yabalimi, cabanga ngokujoyina iqembu lezolimo elisekelwa ngumphakathi (i-CSA), lapho amalungu akhokha imali yonyaka noma yenyanga epulazini ukuze bathole ukudla. Ukuthola i-CSA edolobheni noma esifundeni sakho, iya ku-localharvest.org/csa.

UZWILE Uhlobisa kabusha ngopende lwe-VOC ephansi

SITHI Kwenze-futhi uphefumule kalula

Kunesizathu sokuthi ingubo entsha kapende inephunga elihlukile-uphefumula emazingeni aphansi okukhishwa kobuthi okubizwa ngama-organic compounds (VOCs). Abagcini ngokungcolisa umoya wasendlini, ochwepheshe bakholelwa ukuthi nabo banegalelo ekuqedeni ungqimba lwe-ozone. Eminyakeni eyishumi nanhlanu edlule, izinkampani zaqala ukuhlinzeka ngopende abaphansi nabangenayo i-VOC, osekuthuthukisiwe ukufanisa ukuqina nokutholakala kukapende wendabuko, kususwa amagesi angaphandle. "Kungenye yezinketho ezilula kakhulu ongayenza ekhaya lakho," kusho umklami wezangaphakathi uKelly LaPlante. "Cishe zonke izinkampani manje zinezinketho eziphansi noma ezingekho ze-VOC. Zibiza kakhulu [noma yikuphi ukusuka kumaphesenti angu-15 ngaphezulu ukuze ziphindwe kabili intengo], kodwa njengoba izinkampani ziqhubeka nokugxumela, sizobona amanani ehla." Opende abaluhlaza abayintandokazi kaLaPlante bahlanganisa uBenjamin Moore Natura (benjamin moore.com), Yolo (yolo colorhouse.com), kanye no-Devoe Wonder Pure (devoepaint.com).

UZWILE Faka esikhundleni sethoyilethi yakho; isebenzisa amanzi amaningi kakhulu

SITHI Ukufakelwa kabusha okuncane kunganciphisa ukusetshenziswa kwamanzi

Uma unendlu yangasese enhle ngokuphelele futhi ungenayo inqubo yokulungisa indlu yakho yokugezela, zigcinele inkinga nezindleko zokufaka imodeli ephansi. Kunalokho, ngemali engaphansi kuka-$2, unganciphisa kakhulu amanzi owasebenzisayo ngokufaka i-Niagara Conservation Toilet Tank Bank (energyfederation.org), enye yamagajethi ayintandokazi ka-Dorfman. "Kubukeka njengomcamelo we-whoopee. Konke okwenzayo ukuwugcwalisa ngamanzi bese ukulengisa ethangini futhi kufana nokuthi ufake indlu yangasese entsha esebenza kahle kakhulu," kuchaza yena. (Amathoyilethi ajwayelekile akhiqizwa kusukela ngo-1994 asebenzisa amalitha ayi-1,6 nge-flush ngayinye; izinhlobo eziningi ezisebenza kahle kakhulu zisebenzisa amalitha ayi-1.28. IToilet Tank Bank inciphisa ukusetshenziswa kwamanzi ngo-0.8 amalitha nge-flush ngayinye.)

Uma usukulungele ukufaka enye indlu yangasese endala, ungacabangi ukuthi ukuhamba phansi kuyindlela okufanele uhambe ngayo. UCarter Oosterhouse weHGTV, ophethe i- Okushisayo Okubomvu nokuluhlaza okotshani, iphakamisa ukufaka imodeli ye-double-flush esikhundleni salokho. Akulula kangako ukuthola (hlola kwa-Home Depot nasezitolo ezikhethekile zasekhaya nezasekhishini) futhi kubiza cishe ama- $ 100 ngaphezulu, kepha i-home-reno guru incoma ubuchwepheshe bayo obuhle. "Inkinga yamathoyilethi atholakala ezindaweni eziphansi kakhulu uvame ukuthi ushaye izikhathi ezingaphezu kwesisodwa ukuze wehlise yonke into," kuchaza i-Oosterhouse. "I-double-flush inezinkinobho ezimbili-esisodwa sikadoti oketshezi, esisebenzisa amalitha angu-0.8 nje kuphela amanzi, nesinye esiqinile, esisebenzisa amalitha angu-1.6."

UZWILE Faka i-showerhead egeleza kancane

SITHI Gcina imali yakho

Uma umlutha waleyo shawa eshisayo, egcwele ekuseni, cishe ngeke ujabule nge-showerhead egeleza kancane, enciphisa ukuphuma kwamanzi ngamaphesenti angama-25 kuya kwangu-60. Esikhundleni sokuma ngaphansi kocucu, ulwela ukukhipha i-conditioner, thatha ishawa emfushane; uzokonga kufika kumalitha angu-2.5 ngomzuzu.

Lapho unganciphisa khona, noma kunjalo, kusinki sakho. Faka i-aerator-ziyizinkulungwane ezimbalwa nje-futhi izonciphisa ukugeleza kwamanzi ngamalitha ama-2 ngomzuzu, okungewona umhlatshelo obonakalayo.

UZWILE Sebenzisa kabusha i-elektroniki yakho

SITHI Hamba 4 yona

Ngokwe-Consumer Electronics Association, ikhaya ngalinye laseMelika linezinto ezilinganiselwa ku-24 ezisebenza ngogesi. Futhi kubukeka sengathi nsuku zonke, izinhlobo ezintsha, ezingcono zomakhalekhukhwini bethu bakudala, amakhompyutha, kanye nama-TV ziyaphuma, okusho ukuthi inqwaba yezinto eziphelelwe yisikhathi okufanele zisuswe. Kodwa izinto zikagesi ziqukethe izinto eziyingozi, njengomthofu ne-mercury, ezidinga ukulahlwa kahle, ngakho awukwazi ukuvele uzishiyele umqoqi kadoti.

Ngena ku-epa.gov/ epawaste, bese uchofoza ku-electronics recycling (i-ecycling) ukuze uthole uhlu lwezinhlangano ezigaya kabusha nezixhumanisi zezitolo nabakhiqizi-okuhlanganisa i-BestBuy, i-Verizon Wireless, i-Dell, ne-Office Depot- enikezela ngezinhlelo zabo. (Futhi lapho uthenga izinto zikagesi, yiya kumkhiqizi, ofana no-Apple, okhuthaza futhi osiza ukugaywa kabusha.)

UZWILE Utshale imali kuma-carbon offsets

SITHI Ungazithengisi

Lo ngumbono ozwakala umuhle ngombono, kepha ngokwenza, hhayi kakhulu.Nansi isisekelo: Ukuze unciphise ukungcola okudalayo ukwenza ibhizinisi lakho lansuku zonke-ukuwasha izingubo zakho noma ukuya emsebenzini-ungakhokhela inkampani ethembisa ukusiza imvelo, ithi, ngokunciphisa ukungcoliswa komoya; ukuthuthukisa imithombo yamandla evuselelekayo, njengamandla omoya; noma ukutshala izihlahla.

Yize kungumbono omuhle wokumaketha, awukwazi ukukhansela imiphumela yemisebenzi yakho, kusho uDorfman. "Uma usuthathe indiza, ukukhishwa kwendiza kusuke sekusemkhathini. Ayikho indlela yokuziqeda, noma ngabe utshala izihlahla ezingaki." Ukutshala imali kuma-carbon offsets kungasiza ekudambiseni icala elithile, kodwa akuthinti isithombe esikhulu. Ukunciphisa ukusebenzisa kwakho amandla kuyindlela enhle kakhulu.

UZWILE Thenga imoto eyihybrid

SITHI Jump on the bandwagon

Mhlawumbe akukho lutho olumemezayo "Ngiyi-pro-planet!" kakhulu kunokushayela i-hybrid. Basebenzisa injini encane eyonga uphethiloli ehlanganiswe nenjini kagesi esiza injini uma ugijima. AmaHybrids anciphisa ukusetshenziswa kukaphethiloli futhi anciphisa ukukhishwa, kanti umbiko we-Intellichoice wango-2008 uphinde wathola ukuthi bongela abathengi imali ngokuhamba kwesikhathi (yize kunentengo ephezulu yesitika) ngokusebenzisa izindleko eziphansi zokulungisa nezomshwalense nokulungiswa okumbalwa. Futhi, uma uthenge i-hybrid ngemuva kukaJanuwari 1, 2006, ungahle ufaneleke ukuthola isikweletu sentela.

Ngakho-ke uma usemakethe yemoto entsha, ngazo zonke izindlela, thenga i-hybrid. Uma ingekho kusabelomali sakho, kunenqwaba yezinye izimoto ezonga uphethiloli eziningi laphaya, ezintsha futhi ezisetshenzisiwe. Iya kokuthi i-furueconomy .gov futhi uzothola izilinganiso zemayela ne-emissions yazo zonke izinhlobo zezimoto.

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