Updated 3-9-10
What You Can Do:
In 2007 MDUUC members signed pledge forms from the UU Ministry for Earth and agreed to take positive action in response to Global warming by committing to one (or more) of following three actions. Since this helped MDUUC qualify as a Green Sanctuary, Newcomers since 2007 are encouraged to commit too.
How are you doing with your Green Sanctuary commitments?
- Reduce the thermostat setting in your home by at least 1 degree during cold months. Increase your air conditioning setting by 1 degree during warm months.
- Reduce driving speed by 2 miles per hour from the speed you would normally drive (when traveling 60 miles per hour or more).
- Replace 3 regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs in extensively used light fixtures in your home.
Save on paper by reading the MDUUC newsletter online instead of having it delivered. http://www.mduuc.org/news/beacon.pdf. (If you are serious about reading online, contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to take your name off the mailing list and receive a password to access the password-protected online version -- the complete version, an incomplete version is above. You might also make an donation to MDUUC that will cover what would be the cost of mailing the newsletter to you.)
10 Ways to Lower Your Toxic Exposure
Whatever you think about detoxing, both critics and proponents agree on one thing: The best way to reduce the level of chemicals in your body is to limit the number that gain entrance. In short, reducing your daily toxic exposure may be the best detox of all. Here’s how.
- Don’t smoke. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 compounds, including 40 known carcinogens, and it’s the leading source of indoor air pollution. If you can’t break the habit, at least smoke outside and spare your family and friends.
- Cut down on mold. Inhaled mold spores can cause allergies, asthma, and other respiratory diseases, so ventilate bathrooms, launder area rugs regularly, and thoroughly clean water-damaged carpets. Also, keep moisture levels to a minimum; an indoor humidity level below 50 percent is best. Hardware stores sell devices that measure humidity, as well as dehumidifiers that lower humidity levels.
- Eat organic fruits and vegetables. If your budget balks at the idea of relying exclusively on organic produce, consider substituting organics for the worst offenders. According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, D.C., the 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables are strawberries, bell peppers, spinach, cherries, peaches, cantaloupe (from Mexico), celery, apples, apricots, green beans, grapes (from Chile), and cucumbers. For a list of the 12 least contaminated produce picks, visit the group’s website at www.ewg.org.
- Use sink and shower filters to reduce your exposure to chlorine. Chlorination byproducts are linked to elevated risks of birth defects, miscarriage, and bladder cancer.
- Leave dry cleaning to ventilate outside of its bag for a day or two in the garage, on a deck, or inside the trunk of your car. Within 48 hours after you hang dry-cleaned garments in your closet, your home will actually contain elevated levels of solvents. The EPA lists tetrachloroethylene, a common dry cleaning solvent, as a probable carcinogen.
- Scrutinize your cosmetics, deodorant, and hair spray. Last year, 52 out of 72 name-brand beauty products were found to contain phthalates, a family of chemicals known to cause birth defects. Unfortunately for consumers, a loophole allows companies to leave phthalates off of ingredient lists. For a list of phthalate-free cosmetics, visit www.nottoopretty.org.
- Use nontoxic bug repellents. Long-term effects of pesticide exposure may include damage to both the liver and the central nervous system as well as cancer.
- Substitute all-natural household cleansers and detergents for chemical- laden, overly scented ones. Look for products at health food stores, or, for scrubbing, make your own mix of water, vinegar, and baking soda
- Limit your use of paint, varnish, and wax, all of which contain cancer-causing organic chemicals. When you must use them, be sure to ventilate the area as thoroughly as possible. Or choose non-toxic paints.
- Don’t buy products pre-soaked in formaldehyde, such as particleboard, plywood, and permanent-press fabrics. Formaldehyde is a suspected carcinogen that can cause everything from nausea to headaches to asthma attacks.
Stop waste and help ban the phone book.
Did you know that up to 5 million trees are cut down each year to create the white pages phone book? The environmental impact in printing, delivering and recycling phone books is immense.
BanThePhoneBook.org wants you to know that you have the power to influence phone companies and local governments to create opt-in programs and only deliver phone books to those who have requested them.
Some facts about the White Pages:
- 147 million directories distributed each year in the United States.
- 5 million trees destroyed.
- $17 million in recycling costs.
- 16 percent of White Pages recycled each year.
- 660,000 tons in the waste stream.
- Greenhouse gases reduced by three times when phone book not produced, versus recycled.
Encourage your child's or grandchild's school to become part of a new recycling effort by the Contra Costa County Solid Waste Authority.
The 4 Rs of the School Program are Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot!
The majority of what schools throw away can be recycled. Paper, plastics—even leftover food—can be kept out of landfills, saving natural resources, energy and space. Recycling also saves money, since recycling services cost less than trash collection.
The Contra Costa County Solid Waste Authority has created waste reduction and recycling programs to help decrease waste in the 46 eligible schools within its service area. CCCSWA and its contractor TRG & Associates work with administrators, teachers, facility managers, custodians and most importantly, students to implement successful school recycling programs that help make waste prevention a part of everyday life. Many services are free. You can find valuable information on this website to get your school started with a new recycling program or to enhance your current efforts -- www.wastediversion.org
Become aware of recycling facts. Did you know that one ton of recycled paper uses about 65% less energy, creates 35% less water pollution and contributes 74% less air pollution than virgin paper?
- Each day the average American creates 5-6 pounds of waste.
- For every dollar spent, 10 cents pays for packaging.
- On the average, recycling one ton of glass saves 40 gallons of fuel oil.
Safely dispose of your prescriptions to protect drinking water. What do you do with old prescriptions? Studies have shown that about half of all consumers put unwanted medications in the trash and 35% flush them down the toilet.
Prescription drugs have been detected in our drinking water, so please do not flush drugs down the toilet. And please do not throw them in the trash, because landfills can leak, which may cause drugs to leach into the soil.
Instead take unused drugs to one of the following collections sites. Seal pills and bottles of liquid in plastic bags and either remove or black-out the prescription labels. Controlled substances such as anti-depressants or painkillers must be turned into the police. The collection sites are open from 8am to 5pm weekdays:
Collection Sites:
- Walnut Creek City Hall
1666, North Main St., Walnut Creek - Contra Costa Regional Medical Center Sheriff’s Substation
2500 Alhambra Ave., Martinez - Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Field Operations Building
1980 Muir Rd., Martinez
Help stop invasive plants. Protecting California from invasive species costs $85 million every year. Invasive plants increase wildfire potential, reduce water resources, accelerate erosion and flooding, threaten wildlife, degrade range, crop and timberland, and diminish outdoor recreation opportunities. Plants are being moved around the globe like never before. A few will become invasive in their new environments, harming the environment and economy. Climate change increases the challenge of stopping the spread of invasive plants. Protect California’s biologically rich landscapes and provide jobs in the “green” economy to restore eco-systems.
Ask your local nursery professional about which plant will thrive in your garden. Choose non-invasive alternatives to protect California’s wild lands and wildlife! For a list of invasive plants, go to: www.PlantRight.org.
Conserve on water usage. Californians are facing water conservation. A great article entitled “Gray water, rain gardens help make our water go further” in the March 18th edition of the San Francisco Chronicle gave some good suggestions for saving water:
- Consider how many times you turn on the faucet to get a drink, wash up or flush pipes out before making the morning pot of coffee.
- Avoid wasting faucet water by collecting what would normally go down the drain -- gather it in a pitcher for other uses or purchase a counter top water filtration pitcher.
- For a few dollars you can purchase new 10-gallon paint buckets with lids and store them near sinks. Make sure the buckets have handles because they will get full and heavy in no time. Keep one in the bathroom to collect water while it heats up as it comes out of the faucet. If your shower’s large enough to accommodate a bucket, keep one there as well to collect any clean wayward water.
- When prepping and cooking in the kitchen, clean fruits and vegetables in a water bath, saving dirty water in a bucket, and repeat until clean. Even cooking water from vegetables and pasta can be saved for use outside. And water left in disposable water bottles? Pet bowls or patio plants are the perfect spot. For smaller dwellings, collect water in a watering can to water house plants and container plants.
Paint your roof white. Hashem Akbari, a senior scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a group of fellow engineers suggest that all rooftops and paved surfaces be painted white, or at least cool gray colors, to reflect the sun's rays. This would counter the effects of climate change and cool Earth's urban surfaces. In a study of the Los Angeles Basin, the team found if all black surfaces were converted to white, the surface temperature could drop as much as 5 degrees. For more details, check out the San Francisco article under the Local News tab.
The Winter 2008 issue of Nature Conservancy magazine says that while 72% of Americans believe their actions have significant impact on the environment, 25% say they have not taken any steps to reduce their environmental footprint (according to a recent Harris Poll of 2,600 respondents). The poll revealed a growing enthusiasm for green living, but many respondents were uncertain what steps to take.
| Paper | 2 - 5 months |
| Orange Peels | 6 months |
| Milk Cartons | 5 years |
| Filter Tip Cigarettes | 10 -12 years |
| Plastic Bags | 10 - 20 years |
| Leather Shoes | 25 - 40 years |
| Plastic Containers | 50 - 80 years |
| Tin Cans | 100 years |
| Aluminum Cans | 100 - 500 years |
| Styrofoam | Never |
Here Are Some Websites with Good Ideas: Toss paper in the recycle bin each month. Every ton of paper that you recycle saves 20 trees. Paper is not trash! If you must use paper, look for products that are made from post-consumer waste.
Get off junk mailing lists. Check out 41 Pounds, or Catalog Choice
Visit Interfaith Power and Light's store (partnered with Energy Federation Incorporated) for high-quality, affordable energy-efficient products. The Regeneration Project, of which Interfaith Power and Light is a part, is an interfaith ministry devoted to deepening the connection between ecology and faith. The project is mobilizing a national religious response to global warming while promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency, and conservation.
Recycle clothes. Buy items from thrift stores, ebay or consignment stores. Donate your old clothes to hospice or a similar non-profit.
Wash clothes in cold water to save 80% to 90% more energy. Line drying your clothes in the spring and summer can prevent about 700 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per household (based on EPA averages). To keep jeans and towels from getting stiff, add a half cup of white distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle or give them a brief spin in the dryer.
Top Reasons to Hang Out Your Clothes
- Save money (more than $100/year on electrical bills for most households).
- Conserve energy and save the environment.
- Clothes and sheets smell better.
- Clothes last longer. Where do you think lint comes from?
- It is a physical activity you can do inside or out.
- Sunlight bleaches and disinfects.
- Indoor racks can humidify in dry winter weather.
- Clothes dryer fires account for about 15,600 structure fires a year.
Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, or install dimmers.
Start a "One Night Off" campaign. Have your family pick one night a week to disconnect from technology and reconnect with each other.
Use "smart" power strips. TreeHugger on Smart Power Strips
Instead of buying new toys, organize toy swaps.
Reduce lunchtime waste. The average school-age child who packs a lunch generates 67 pounds of waste a year. Use cloth napkins instead of paper; use Tupperware instead of plastic bags; buy reusable drink containers; and use lunch boxes/totes instead of paper or plastic bags.
Eat locally. The average American meal travels more than 1,500 miles from the farm to your home.
Eat foods grown locally. If you eat foods produced near your home, transportation costs are vastly reduced and the food is fresher.
- Terra Firma Farms
Winters - delivers to Pleasant Hill
$59-132 month (530)-756-2800 - Riverdog Farm
(Capay Valley) delivers to Walnut Creek and Concord
$16 weekly (530) 796-3802 - Farm Fresh to You
(Capay Valley) delivers to East Bay areas
$22 to $29 weekly (530) 796-6009
Dial-A-Fish for healthier sea food. Use your cell phone to get up-to-date health and environmental information about 200 kinds of seafood. Get the mobile version (or use the web version) of the Environmental Defense Fund's Seafood Selector.
Limit the pesticides you consume. Peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, and nectarines have the highest level of pesticides. To find out how much your favorite fruit is exposed to, go to Food News.
Make your own bug spray instead of using pesticides and get rid of aphids, mites, and mealy worms. Mix a tablespoon of canola oil and a few drops of Ivory soap into a quart of water. Shake and pour in a spray bottle.
The Internet is an incredible resource for being Green. There are even more actions available under Social Justice and Green Resources, Green Actions. Green Education has links for self and child education (the child education links are great!). And there are newspaper articles about environmental issues under Green News.
