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Sustainable Living Articles
Articles that target modern,
busy people interested in perspectives and solutions that reveal
the wisdom, simplicity and accessibility of earth-conscious living.
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PURCHASE SUSTAINABLE
LIVING ARTICLES WRITTEN BY GREEN LIVING SPECIALIST, CRISSY TRASK,
FOR YOUR MAGAZINE, NEWSPAPER OR NEWSLETTER.
$.23/word
for first rights.
$.10/word
for non-exclusive reprint rights.
To purchase a license
to use any of the articles below, contact Crissy at
ct [at] greenmatters [dot] com
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Articles,
[approx. word count]
and rights available:
It's Summer Time and the
Living is Green [812]
first rights
available
Summary: Summer is a great time to be green. The weather and
long days provide many occasions and opportunities to reduce
our carbon footprint. This article provides 11 specific suggestions
for using the season to reduce carbon emissions.
Solving the Mystery of Carbon
Offsets: How to Use and Choose them Wisely [766] reprint rights available
Summary: When it comes to shrinking our personal footprint beyond
the practicalities that we think we can control, a growing number
of us are learning to consistently purchase "carbon offsets".
However, confusion and doubt surrounding how carbon offsets work
and their authenticity have persisted. This article explains
carbon offsets and includes consumer buying tips.
8 Ways to Green Everyday
Life [1,703 plus optional
pull quotes] reprint
rights available
Summary: The call to action
grows louder: it's time to take responsibility for saving the
planet. The good news is that we can all answer that call. While
not everyone can commit to a car-free commute or a biodynamic
diet, most of us can make small changes that have a larger impact
when consistently practiced. If you are ready to "green"
your life, read on.
Casting Light on Home Lighting [728] first rights available
Summary: Homes are getting larger and lighting plays an increasingly
bigger role in interior decorating-contributing factors to the
doubling of electricity used for home lighting in just 4 years.
Efficiencies, however, can be recouped through wise choices in
lighting use and products.
The End of Junk Mail [743] first rights available
Summary: Junk mail is nothing new, but some eye-opening facts
on its ineffectiveness and wastefulness is sure to renew your
efforts to put a stop to it. Ten-step processes and fee services
aren't necessary. With just four recommendations to consider
and implement yourself, you'll be on your way to freedom from
unwanted mail.
Tap in to Better Water [940] first rights available
Summary: A hard look at bottled water reveals its unreliable
quality and the tremendous resource and financial waste resulting
from its consumption. Make amends with your tap and you can have
power over your water's purity, reduce waste and save money.
Home Hearth [478]
reprint
rights available
Summary: Lighting a fire in the fireplace on a cold winter's
night is practically irresistible, but it's not all coziness
and warmth. Smoke from chimneys, especially in densely populated
urban areas, impairs air quality. For those burning strictly
for occasional ambiance, switching to manufactured logs will
greatly reduce harmful emissions created from burning cordwood.
This article reviews three manufactured logs.
Protect Indoor Air Quality
with Low VOC Paints [741]
reprint
rights available
Summary: Indoor air can
be up to five times more polluted than outdoor air, according
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, thanks in large
part to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by household
furnishings and products, including paint. This article is a
guide to choosing healthlier, more earth-friendly paint coatings.
Recycled Decking [726] reprint rights available
Summary: Wood, the traditional choice for decking, now has some
stiff competition. Wood alternatives like composite and plastic
decking require none of the maintenance of wood and last longer.
But if you want to make sure your purchase of composite or plastic
decking is earth friendly, select products that are recycled--not
all of them are. This article compares and contrasts wood and
non-wood products and provides a list of environmentally preferable
brands from which to choose.
Water Wiser [776] reprint rights available
Summary: A first hand account of the author's decision to replace
her front lawn with hardy, low-water plants; permeable surfaces;
and local materials. This article demonstrates that going turfless
is rewarding in both predictable and unpredictable ways. A very
relatable and inspiring article for anyone considering water-wiser
landscaping.
Smaller Is Better [530] first rights available
According to the U.S. Census, up until 1987, homes greater than
3,000 SF weren't even built--or so few that they weren't counted.
Today homes built that are 3,000 square feet or more outnumber
homes built within any other square footage category. The trend
in larger homes is consuming more land, more resources and arguably
making us more isolated and less safe. This article explores
the trend in large home construction and offers reasons to consider
a smaller home.
Killing Energy Vampires [612] first rights available
Summary: It used to be you could turn everything off in your
home and stop your electric meter cold. Not anymore. Try that
today, and chances are your meter will continue to spin. The
cause: "energy vampires." Discover what energy vampires
are and how to put a stop to their power sucking ways.
Eco-friendlier Skies [467] or [711] first rights available
Summary: Aviation is the fastest growing source of carbon dioxide,
the chief global warming gas. A concerned frequent flyer has
some options when it comes to improving their travel-related
carbon emissions as this article points out.
Give It an Old Fashioned
Cleaning [578] reprint rights available
Summary: Our current reliance on toxic and single-use cleaning
supplies is negatively impacting our indoor and outdoor environments.
Taking a page from our grandparents cleaning manual could change
all that.
Paper or Plastic? Neither--If
It Doesn't Cause a Fight
[624] first
rights available
Summary: An anecdotal essay on the author's experiences using
cloth bags at the market. Some will find her confessions hilarious
and others will find them disturbing!
Finding Solutions for Reducing
Plastic Packaging and Its Effects
[636] first
rights available
Summary: If the amount of plastic packaging entering and leaving
your house has you concerned, learn how you can combat the waste
by implementing some immediate and practical solutions as well
as advocating for longer term solutions.
Is Green Shopping An Oxymoron? [512] reprint rights available
Summary: Some doubt the legitimacy of a green movement that condones
shopping. Can shopping be part of the environmentalist's ritual?
This column explains that yes, it can be.
Battling Ice, Not the Environment [462] or [741] reprint rights available
Summary: Tackling winter ice on the surfaces around your property
requires immediate attention, but it's important to pause long
enough to consider the impacts of different ice management solutions
to property and the environment. This article provides information
on sand and salt as well as newer products that are effective
and safe.
True Recycling [879] first rights available
Summary: When we hand over recyclables to a collection facility
via curb side pick-up or a drop off center, we are only halfway
done. Recycling is a two phase undertaking, and our intention
to recycle is not complete until we buy back the material that
was recovered from us. This article explains how to close the
loop on recycling by identifying and purchasing recycled-content
products and provides online resources and tips to make it easier.
Green Cars [537] reprint rights available
Summary: In response to a global warming crisis and consumer
demand, niche companies are producing some sporty all-electric
vehicles--and selling out! Their availability and price, however,
put them out of reach of most American consumers. If you want
to walk onto an auto dealer's lot tomorrow and find fuel efficiency
and lower emissions, your choices are sadly limited, but this
article tells how to find some of the greenest cars available
with reasonable price tags and alerts the reader to affordable
all electric vehicles that are not far away.
Picking Up Pet Waste Hard
for Some [445] first rights available
Summary: Pet waste left on the ground is more than unpleasant.
It's a source of bacterial contamination in urban watersheds.
Removing pet waste from urban parks and lawns is every pet owner's
responsibility. Although there is no perfect solution for its
ultimate disposal, this article covers three basic choices: throw
it away, flush it, or bury it.
Secondhand Bliss [1000] first rights available
Summary: There is a category of earth-friendly goods often overlooked
except by the most frugal Americans--secondhand, gently-used
items. Environmentally speaking, reuse is preferable to buying
something new for many things we need. Whether a committed shopper
of used things or warming up to the idea, this article can help
the earth-minded consumer and novice secondhand shopper find
satisfaction and success when shopping for previously-owned things.
Hungry for Meat [777] first rights available
Summary: Adopting a vegetarian diet is a healthful and eco-friendly
endeavor, but for many people giving up meat entirely is a hard
road. This article provides information that will compel people
to eat less meat, but also provides guidelines and resources
that will enable them to identify meat, poultry and fish that
is produced or harvested sustainably.
Computing with a Conscience [890] first rights available
Summary: When purchasing a new computer, there's more to consider
than memory, bandwidth and compatibility. The expansion of computer
use and the rate at which new technology renders older computers,
full of toxic heavy metals, obsolete is forcing us to consider
a computer's total life cycle impact before making a purchase.
This article gives pointers on extending the life of your computer
to keep it in service, or if need be how to recycle or donate
it. If it's a new computer you need, the article provides guidelines
for selecting one that is energy efficient, upgradeable, recycled
and recyclable, less toxic and for which end-of-life disposal
can be safely managed.
Clean and Toss: When Cleaning
is a Bad Thing
[360] or [285] first
rights available
Summary: Some manufacturers are trying to make cleaning our homes
an exercise in polluting the planet! Cleaning attachments for
mop heads, toilet brushes and dusters that get discarded after
one use are creating more garbage, resource waste and pollution
through their use. This article points out the negative impacts
of throw-away products and includes a table outlining the savings
from shunning single-use products in favor of those packaged
in bulk, even when "splurging" on more expensive, eco-friendly
cleaning products.
The Quick and Dirty on Dry
Cleaning [494] first rights available
Summary: Dry cleaners have a dirty habit. The overwhelming majority
of dry cleaners use a toxic solvent known as PERC (short for
perchloroethylene) to remove dirt and stains from fine fabrics.
This article helps consumers of dry cleaning services understand
the risks and find non-toxic alternatives.
Spring Cleaning, Naturally [519] first rights available
Summary: If spreading chemicals around the house isn't your idea
of cleaning, how 'bout whipping up some safe, natural products
you can feel good about and depend on to clean your house. This
article shares information on conventional cleaners and recipes
for homemade solutions anyone can make.
Eating Healthy When Organic
is Out of Reach [638]
first rights
available
Summary: For many consumers, the price or accessibility of organically
produced foods makes it difficult for them to choose organic
as often as they would like. This article provides some helpful
tips that will enable the reader to find healthier and more sustainable
foods without relying on the Organic label.
Four Out of Five Shoppers
Choose Plastic [691]
first rights
available
Summary: This column explores the curious preference for plastic
bags, the problems their popularity has created, and solutions
that range from the practical to the unpopular-but-effective.
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