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What a Waste!

According to the Annenberg Foundation’s Garbage exhibit, the average American generates 4.6 pounds of trash per day - that’s 1460 pounds per year! Less than 25% of that waste is recycled, with the rest going to landfills (which are becoming harder and harder to create) or to incinerators. Decreasing the amount of garbage you put into the waste stream is an easy way to lighten your footprint.

Everyone Can Recycle

Recycling has become the green gold standard for most Americans – if they know nothing else about contributing to a healthy, more sustainable environment, they’re aware that the can recycle aluminum, paper, glass, and plastic. Many communities have curbside pick-up services available for recyclables, and a few cities have even mandated recycling to deal with shrinking landfill space. If you don’t have a pick-up service available, there are likely locations for dropping off recyclables. You may even be able to pitch those cans, newspapers and bottles at a location that benefits a non-profit organization you support.

Your Action for Today:
Learn About Recycling in Your Community

Earth 911 is your one-stop location for details about recycling services in your community. Visit their recycling page, and find out how easy it is to dispose of recyclables without throwing them in the trash! While you're at it, also take a look at the Recycling section of the Green Life Guide.

And...

Start your Green Journal! The Green Journal is your space on the Green Options web site to record your daily actions, to publicly commit to larger actions (as we’ll ask you to do in later lessons), and to discuss your efforts to live a greener life with other GO members. Starting a journal is easy:

1. You do have to be a member of Green Options to start a Green Journal. Creating a membership is easy and free, and we won’t fill your inbox with junk email.
2. Once you're logged in to your account, visit our Green Journals discussion board.
3. Click on "Post New Forum Topic"
4. Title your journal something like "Bob & Amy's Green Journal." Feel free to be creative (within the limits of the forum rules, of course!).
5. Every time you complete one of your daily actions, create a post in your journal for it. Write as much or as little as you like. Ask questions of other users - they can often be one of your best sources of information. By writing in your journal, you'll also be helping them with their own green journey.

Tomorrow: Start looking at your energy use.

Sincerely,

The GO Team
GreenOptions.com