WASHINGTON - Americans rank last in a new National Geographic-sponsored survey released Wednesday that compares environmental-consumption habits in 14 countries.

Americans were least likely to choose the greener option in three out of four categories - housing, transportation and consumer goods, according to the assessment. In the fourth category, food, Americans ranked ahead of Japanese consumers, who eat more meat and seafood.

The rankings, called "Greendex," are the first to compare the lifestyles and behaviors of consumers in multiple countries, according to the National Geographic Society.

It plans to conduct the 100-plus-question survey annually and considers trends more important than yearly scores, said Terry Garcia, executive vice president of National Geographic's mission programs.

"This is not just a one-time snapshot," Garcia said. "Some of the most important information may yet be revealed."
India and Brazil tied for the highest score: 60 points out of 100. U.S. consumers scored 44.9.

In between, China scored 56.1, Mexico 54.2, Hungary 53.2, Russia 52.4, Great Britain 50.2, Germany 50.2, Australia 50.2, Spain 50, Japan 49.1, France 48.7 and Canada 48.5.

Results are based on 1,000 online respondents per country interviewed in January and February by GlobeScan, an international polling firm.

To see how you score, take an abbreviated version of the survey at National Geographic Greendex

How Americans ranked among 14 nations in eco-friendly choices.
Transportation: 14th Place
Housing: 14th Place
Consumer Goods: 14th Place
Food: 13th Place

Source: McClatchy Newspapers
Above article printed in Arizona Republic

I got to wondering how many trees that I've help slay over the years just to wipe up a small spill or to dry my hands. I tattoo for a living and our most commonly used items are paper towels. There is definitly nothing I could think of to replace them in my work environment but I thought I could maybe drastically reduce our use of them at home. After talking it over with my wife we went to the store and purchased 20 nice bistro style bar cloths, a small trash can and mesh bag to store the dirties in and a shelf to put the clean one's on in the kitchen. All in all we are in for $57 and the way I figure it thats about 5 to 6 cases of paper towels in cost. With a case lasting only about a month for us this project should pay for itself within about 5 months or so. You could save some money if you have no need for a shelf but with limited space we definitly needed one. One of the great things about cotton cloths is how long you could keep them around. After the new cloths have been used in the kitchen/household and are all beat up, just transfer them to the garage or garden to further there lifespan. Then when the time comes to retire your trusty rags rest assured that you have helped our environment in some small way.

Ultimitly I would like to be able to completly discontinue the use of paper towels in my home. With a new baby on the way and having been rasied using paper towels my entire life, I'm not sure if we will be able to completly stop using them but I would like to make the one's I have to buy last much longer.

We spent yesterday doing some of our spring cleaning and at the end of the day took notice that we did not have to replace the paper towel roll when normally we may have used a roll and a half or more. Hey thats a good start. Think of how many resorces we could save on just by using cotton cloths instead of tree based paper towels.

If any of you have ever pondered over the question “paper or plastic?” then here is an informative interactive site on MSNBC which tackles the grocery bag predicament. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23358591/ The site includes info on the resources used, recycling, current laws, and a way to calculate your impact.

There is of course, the third option, the reusable bag. You can find these almost anywhere now and they are not too expensive. I got mine for just $1 each. There are benefits of getting the paper or plastic options as well, if you reuse the bags for other purposes such as for trash, recycling, lunches, or even for your next grocery store visit. My local grocery store, Ralphs, offers discounts for all three types of bags: $0.10 each for reusable, $0.05 each for paper, and $0.03 each for plastic. Check your local grocery stores to see if they offer any of the same benefits. If you do get paper or plastic though, make sure they eventually end up in the recycling bin!

Hope this helps!

Mari

11th Hour Action Intern

Xerox Corp. is working on a green technique that's as plain as the stack of papers on your desk. Scientists at Xerox can make the print on documents appear -- then disappear in time, allowing paper to be reused. The goal is to produce an erasable paper that costs two to three times the price of regular paper but can be used hundreds of times. 

Using a molecular compound similar to the one on tinted eyeglasses, which darken or lighten depending on the amount of ultraviolet (UV) light in the environment, Xerox labs have developed paper that changes color when exposed to UV light. Unlike tinted glasses, however, which change color instantly upon walking outside or into a building, the print on Xerox's paper fades gradually over 16 to 24 hours, or it can be erased instantly by heating the paper.

READ MORE

Site provided by: www.thegreenreporter.com

Seeing as babies seem to be one of Hollywood’s newest obsessions, I decided to do some research on diapers. Disposable diapers are extremely wasteful and harmful to the planet. Here are some facts provided by the Real Diaper Association:

- “Disposable diapers contain traces of Dioxin, an extremely toxic by-product of the paper-bleaching process. It is a carcinogenic chemical, listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals. It is banned in most countries, but not the U.S.

- Over 92% of all single-use diapers end up in a landfill.

- No one knows how long it takes for a disposable diaper to decompose, but it is estimated to be about 250-500 years, long after your children, grandchildren and great, great, great grandchildren will be gone.

- Disposable diapers are the third largest single consumer item in landfills, and represent about 4% of solid waste. In a house with a child in diapers, disposables make up 50% of household waste.

- Over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feedstocks and 20 pounds of chlorine are used to produce disposable diapers for one baby EACH YEAR.”

Crazy, right? Even despite the intense environmental factors, babies experience uncomfortable dryness and rash, and parents experience loss of cash due to the high costs of buying disposable diapers.

The solution? Reusable cloth diapers! Just Ducky Baby (justduckybaby.com) offers various models of cloth diapers that are extremely comfortable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective. The woman who started the company, Heather, hand makes all of the products, along with the rest of her team. It’s nice to support a small company (though I am a little biased, since Heather is a friend…shameless plug, I know) and to help the environment.

Here’s to reducing, reusing, and recycling!

Mari

11th Hour Action Intern

So I teach at a low income city middle school.  The neighborhoods around the school are mixed with professionals and low income families.  I ride my bike to school most days.  I did this last year also.  I keep hoping I will inspire some other people at work to start riding their bikes.  but nothing yet.  I get teased on a regular basis, which I don't mind.  I just tell them well who is paying for gas?  Not me.  But this isn't my issue.  the school has about 550 students or so and faculty.  I seem to be the only one that recycles.  I have a box in my room, that is filled with plastic, paper, and cardboard.  I go behind people all the time picking stuff out of the trash, but I don't want to be pretentous, but I am sick to death of all the trash that gets tossed out. 

Last year for Earth day- my class did this whole paper bag decorating project.  We did alsorts of things to try to get others to recycle with little results.  My town doesn't have manatory recycling- I know it is crazy in this day and age.  since I only drive about once every couple of weeks.  It isn't really fesible for me to gather all of the school recycling.  I know there are other like minded people there but they all seem afraid to rock the boat.  It is only my 2nd year at this school so I am still a newbie.  A big storm is coming so I suppose I will write more later. 

As my first entry in my blog within this community, I wanted to give ideas for individual progresses in the battle for the Earth. Nevermind the epic examples and way of speaking I am using, I am a Quebecer and hence a French Canadian, and I study litterature... ;)

Back to our sheeps (french expression), I wanted to help and give ressources for people who feel alone in their our battle. Sometimes, people around you are aware of the problem, but just won't let go their little comfort. They just don't want to see the larger picture and the interrelations between industry, consumption, pollution and their way of living. I speak of this knowing about it : I have found that for my father, recycling was secondary to his non willingness of having a huge plastic recycling can in his garage. After months of shouting, crying, being angry, nothing helped. After 12 years of good recycling habits, my father threw it all away just so he didn't have to change his two little recycling receptacles for the bigger one. And then, his little revolution against all environemental efforts just to prove his point about recycling.

While this, I moved in my own little appartement. I could make my own ecological choices, as I began to see all the things at home we were not doing, and that I now could do. I was queen of my home, and my boyfriend gave me the go to make the green choices.

So I speak here of this helplessness some may feel in a world were people agree about a problem, but just give up in front of it. Looking like a ecological freak when I still need to accomplish half of what Green communities and groups do is not really helping.

This is why I want here to talk about my little efforts, which would become greater if they became habits for half the cities, then half the countries, then I hope all the planet one day.

And this will touch every aspects of life. I am RIGHT NOW listening to a televised news broadcast, where they speak about all the consumption products we all use in our everyday life and that may cause cancer. Now, cancer at first was not related to environnement, but think about the wrongs this may do to us, and then, think that this may go in the environnement then. It is just the same as the mercury you can find in fishes.

People need to know that it is not because you don't see something or throw it away that it disapear.

I am not all mighty, and I am not a scientist. But I hope that if you read me, my opinions will count because of the experience of it. I will give ideas and ask for some too ! Sometimes, the ideas may not be perfect but...

...to lessen the burden of the change, if this may help to take more and more good actions for our planet, well then it is for the better, and people must become open-minded and change-friendly, so they are not stuck with their habits, not-green, half green or greener !

Marie-Ange the Celt (or Mary-Angel) ;)

Hi everyone!

I'd like to present you a French website that deals with four major issues that are:

energy savings, domestic rubbish management, domestic air quality management and sustainable use of water.

Those issues are treated deeply, dedicated to the general public.

For the moment, the website is written in French but in a few weeks, this website will concern all european countries: all major themes will be treated in a local aspect (national market, local regulation...).

It is really interesting and objective (no brands...).

I really hope you'll enjoy it!

See you on http://www.economiedenergie.fr

Don't forget the blog if you want to react http://blog.economiedenergie.fr/ 

In the North Pacific a jellyfish became entangled with plastic debris and ropes. (Charles Moore/The Algalita Marine Research Foundation)

Tonight, March 28th, ABC's Nightline has a segment called, "The Garbage Patch."

Floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is a continent-size garbage dump of partially decomposed plastic sludge. Grocery bags, umbrella handles and other plastic castoffs make their way to this crossroads of ocean currents, to create the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This human carelessness has scientists seriously worried about a delicate ecosystem. ABC's Brian Rooney reports from Long Beach, Calif.

Read Brian Rooney's Landfill in the Sea: Ocean's Food Chain Threatened by Constant Influx of Rufuse...here. 

UPDATE:   If you missed Friday’s Nightline episode on The Garbage Patch, here are a few short YouTube videos on the subject that are worth watching.

The Garbage Patch

Oceans Becoming a Garbage Patch

Major League Baseball announced a partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) with the creation of a Team Greening Program. This program was developed to support and coordinate the many environmentally sensitive practices now pursued by virtually every Major League club. The joint effort marks the first time that Major League Baseball will implement a league-wide environmental protection strategy.

This unprecedented program, more than two years in development, will expand on the industry's best practices, offering specific local advice concerning such topics as energy use, purchasing, concession operations, water use, recycling and transportation.

"MLB's greening initiative is good for the environment and the bottom line," said Frances Beinecke, NRDC President. "Their work will save energy, reduce waste, and make the organization, the teams, and the stadiums all run more efficiently. By launching the NRDC Team Greening Program for Major League Baseball, the League is showing tremendous leadership, using its influence to show the world the importance of environmental protection and green business practices to protect and preserve this historic game for future generations."

"The commitment by our national pastime to enhance its ecological profile in a meaningful and public way marks a watershed in the history of baseball and the environmental movement," said Allen Hershkowitz, Senior Scientist, NRDC. "No other sporting institution has influenced American culture as much as baseball and the League is once again putting that influence to very good use."

As part of this ongoing relationship, Major League Baseball and NRDC will also provide materials throughout the League's ballparks to encourage fans to make environmental changes in their own homes and businesses.

I was happy to read that Major League Baseball is committed to protecting generations of future baseball fans. Being a die hard Chicago Cub fan has already taken a few good years off my husband’s life. lol

If you have any further interest, you can read the complete articles at MLB.com and the USA Today.

Here are some tips from the NRDC on Greening Your Fantasy Baseball League.