Simply Green with Emme

Wake-Up Call

I knew it was going to be impossible to avoid on a holiday: sitting in traffic, that is. We know that travel on Memorial Day means we will have to count on it.

For the first time ever, I actually turned off my engine while in bumper-to-bumper traffic on an entrance ramp. I was surprised to see many other folks do the same. One dude got out his skateboard and did a few tricks for us. A nice way to prevent getting hot and bothered, I thought, and talk about being prepared!

After setting a lifetime record on the amount I spent on gasoline to fill my '99 Volvo, I was prompted to consider the gas I was consuming that day, as well as how much it would cost to make the day trip I had planned for the next day. "Can I make it through the two travel days on one tank? Wow, I just filled up, and I might have to fill up again tomorrow night." Sad to say, but I was one of those who handed over my gas card, said “fill'er up please,” and that was it. It was part of my regular budget, and there was no need to think about it. But the wake-up call has arrived, and we now have no choice but to think about it.

I was too young in the '70s to understand the embargo and resulting crisis, but now I get it, loud and clear, and it's beginning to pinch. Without a doubt, our lives are overdependent on oil and gasoline. Driving my daughter to school daily (although we will ride bikes now that it’s warmer), visiting friends, running too often to the supermarket—we have become fuel addicts, and we are not alone. Ever increasingly, it seems that gas is what makes the world go around.

A Captive Audience

So as I continued to sit in stand-still traffic for more than an hour, and after a lovely conversation with the gal in the car behind me about an essential oil that takes away the sting of insect bites, I tuned the radio to NPR, which was doing a segment on gas consumption of all things! I listened intently, learning that not only are Western countries consuming more and more resources, but Third World countries are also consuming more. In India, China and Africa, more and more people are leaving their countryside lifestyles to get jobs in nearby cities, turning in their bikes for fuel-burning cars. The standard of living is increasing globally, and the world is feeling the effects of diminishing resources from the shift of supply and demand.

I do believe things happen for a reason, and for me, being a captive audience really forced me to listen and take notice. The timing could not have been more perfect, and I was listening.

We are fortunate to be living during a time of great opportunity, but we don’t always take full advantage of it. Let’s shift out of the current gotta-have-it-NOW mindset to a what-can-I-do-with-what-I-have thinking, and even carry it over into our businesses. My gym, for example, is thinking out of the box, now offering membership discounts for getting there on foot or by bike. What a great incentive idea! And from there, I’m sure more ideas will flow.

Story of Stuff

I have a new friend who lives on an island in Norway that is government-subsidized to explore and research new and different ways to live more environmentally sound and aware. She and her neighbors take the environment very seriously, and she shared a powerful video with me. I want you to watch it and absorb it. It takes 20 minutes, but I assure you, it will be well worth your time. Share it with your family, friends, email list, corporations, and municipality and government officials. 

And please remember to leave guilt at the door. It does nothing but tear us down. Allow the video to prompt you to take a more proactive approach by doing your part to chisel away day in and day out, no matter how big or small the effort. Just as long as you do something, REGULARLY.  

Check out StoryofStuff.com and let me know what you think!

As I reflected on my last blog about global warming, I decided that because the issue is so vital, I need to reinforce it today. But where to begin? I am led to a problem that has definitely hampered the implementation of the green movement: It’s difficult to make a difference when you don’t understand or feel personally connected to the issue.

Of course we all know the buzz words associated with global warming: gas emissions, toxic waste, recycling and so on. We also know that we need to respond to the growing crisis of the earth’s depleting natural resources that we rely on so heavily to sustain us in our increasingly complicated lives. But both are big concepts, and we sometimes fail to personally connect. There are innumerable articles and blogs (including my own) that address learning how to conserve, improving the environment, and going green. We offer examples and advice for do-it-yourselfers and even recommend businesses that specialize in helping us live a greener life, practically doing it for us! So let’s not allow ourselves to become too far removed from the issues, problems and consequences, and let’s start by really appreciating the very beautiful world that we are trying to save! Day in and day out, as we travel the fast-paced consumer lane of life, we feel immune to natural disasters that hit, twirl and shake the world, always “there” and never “here.”

Change—real change—takes place because we believe so deeply in something that we acknowledge the threat that, unless we act, it will likely go away. Until the pain of not changing pushes us, we won’t change.

So here’s an idea for the Memorial Day weekend that commemorates the many who have made the ultimate sacrifice in order to preserve the freedoms of our beautiful country: Why don't we dust off our old camping gear, campfire grills, hammocks and pocket knives, and reconnect with our beautiful green earth? If you’ve never camped or haven’t in years, now’s the time to start. There's no need to travel far—just get out there and enjoy! Who knows? Experiencing the overwhelming awe of morning dew or a starry night, or even witnessing the last sunburst before a multicolored sunset, could spark a new personal commitment to preservation and conservation.

I assure you that once you expose yourself to camping and the great outdoors, all that is going on in this world will matter more to you. Then going green won’t be only for "those greenies from the '70s," but will include you, me and everyone around us!

So I offer a heartfelt thank-you to all of you who have served (and of course those of you who are currently serving) our country. Let’s do our part in preserving the land that has so courageously been protected for us. Happy Holiday!

With the tremendous loss of life related to the tumultuous weather and natural disasters that have struck around the world over the last two weeks, I feel the need to take a moment to just let it all sink in. In the last couple of weeks the world has experienced:

• An earthquake that registered 7.9 in Eastern Sichuan, China, and has resulted in an estimated death toll of 50,000 (AP News)
• A tidal surge from Cyclone Nargis, with winds that reached as high as 121 mph, hit Myanmar, killing 62,000 to 100,000 people and leaving more than 1 million people homeless
• A tornado that blazed through Missouri and Oklahoma at 170 mph and killed 23 people, adding to the abnormally high annual death rate due to tornadoes (AP News)

Naturally, the world has always experienced natural disasters; we expect hurricanes and tornadoes to hit at this time of year and well into the summer. But the intensity, overwhelming devastation and increased frequency of these events has prompted scientists to ask why.

One reason is clearly evident: global warming.

According to National Geographic News, experts say our mountain glaciers are melting faster than ever; Mount Kilimanjaro’s glaciers are melting so quickly that the mountain lost nearly a quarter of its ice from 2000 to 2006. And according to StopGlobalWarming.org, leading science journals report that atmospheric greenhouse gases have reached levels not seen for millions of years, and that species are vanishing as a result of climate change. They also report of extreme weather events, long-term droughts and rising sea levels.

So let's stop and let this all soak in. Take the time to learn all we can about global warming and its effect on the environment. Commit to do our part by not adding to greenhouse gas emissions. And above all, let's never think it's somebody else’s problem. It’s up to us. The time is now to make a change!

To learn more about global warming and how to lower your carbon emissions, visit StopGlobalWarming.org.

Why is it that we recycle during the week, but at a party, everything gets tossed into one big garbage bag? Is it that we fear inconveniencing our guests, don't want to seem too earthy, or just don’t think twice in the rush of things? I bet many hosts would welcome recycling help with all the other tasks they need to tend to at party time. So if I see the pile of plastic and/or glass mounding high among the rest of the trash, I often offer to help separate them quickly. I find my small efforts are usually very much appreciated. I don’t want to imply that you should start washing your host’s plastic plates for reuse if he or she says, "Oh, just throw it all in there." Just offer your help initially to plant the seed, and then leave it alone if the response is not favorable.

But yes, it's in these situations that we especially need to separate plastic, paper, aluminum, glass and so on.  This is the time when consumption is higher than normal, and therefore lots of recyclables are mindlessly discarded. The environment will benefit just as much as our children from the consistency of our actions. Better yet, how about forgoing the recycling bin altogether at party time by using the “real stuff” that can be washed and reused? What a fabulous party setting it would be with fabric tablecloths and napkins, and real dishes, flatware and glasswear; it could be stunning!

Okay, I know… talk about inconvenient. But if we don’t make a change now, we will most definitely be inconvenienced in the long run. It’s time to dust off the glasswear and china. And if you still opt for plastic all around, why not throw it in the sink, wash it up and have it available for your next party? So before your next celebration, ask yourself what your party plan will be and follow through. Your guests may appreciate it more than you know!

I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the NJ Global Green Expo at Liberty State Park last weekend.  Despite the rain on Sunday, the turnout was good for its inaugural year. I met so many resourceful and dedicated people over the course of the three days. I both laughed and was brought to tears by the presentations, but the best part was learning about the environment from top naturalists, doctors and activists, including Dr. Sylvia Earle, Ted Danson, Jeff Corwin and Ed Begley Jr. to name a few. I got the chance to connect with leaders in the New Jersey alternative energy industries and learned that innovation is rapidly evolving and will present many exciting projects that are just around the corner.

However, the research and findings about our current green situation is not good, no matter how you slice it. The following are a few facts that left an impression on me:

• As a result of over-fishing and lack of regulation, one third of our fish have been eliminated from our seas.
• Swordfish continues to be a threatening source of toxic mercury in our diets, but it is not the only fish we need to be wary of.
• According to the EPA, one out of every six women of childbearing age in the United States may have blood mercury concentrations high enough to damage a developing fetus. 
• If, as Americans, we continue at our current rate of daily product and resource consumption, we will need three more worlds of resources to fulfill the demand. 

I left the Global Green Expo with this: I need to buy less, conserve more and leave some for others who need it. I am committed to living a simpler and more sustainable life today. I hope you will join me!

For more information, please do as I have and check out the Oceana Web site (protecting the world’s oceans) at Oceana.org.