Some little boys want to be President, some little girls want to be astronauts, and some kids want to grow up to be super heroes.  The most probable of the three could turn out to be the latter. Here are some environmental careers for those who have a passion for saving the world.

AIR QUALITY SPECIALIST Are you constantly riding your bike to classes and posting flyers for car pools? An air quality specialist works on testing the level of emissions, sources, and new technologies to stop emissions eventually.  Working in this field can range from sciences, technology, to public speaking.

ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGNER Are you front and center at all social functions on campus? An environmental campaigner does the dirty work to get environmentally friendly bills passed, foundations endorsed by famous names, financial loans, and other support for Earth-friendly projects.   Think of this position as a talent manager for Mother Nature.

SAVE THE RAIN FOREST Are you studying abroad? Rain forests have had the world’s attention for decades now, and they still need saving!  Many worldwide foundations like The World Resources Institute have active offices all over the world.  Positions can range from door-to-door petitioning with locals to speaking in court houses with international governments.

If you have an enthusiasm for saving the environment, but have yet to find a major, one of the above could be for you!  If you are already active in the green community, why not get paid for it?  These are ways to turn your hobby or interests into a career!

(Image source: http://bioliberty.ning.com)

Joy to the world because Christmas is near. Reindeer and manager scenes litter the yards, Christmas stockings hanging from the fireplace, and who can forget the red, green, and white Christmas lights that cover the house. No doubt the electric bill will be sky high, not to mention all the energy and resources wasted during the holiday season. Some might say that Christmas is bad for the environment. That could be true if people don’t realize the repercussions of their festivities!

According to the National Geographic News, Robert Lilienfield states, “Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s day, Americans throw away a million extra tons [900,000 metric tons] of garbage each week, including holiday wrapping and packaging.” Lilienfied is co-author of the book Use Less Stuff: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are. With the amount of money wasted on gift paper you could buy extra gifts.

Being eco-friendly is about reducing, saving, and recycling. Christmas time is no different. As a matter of fact, this time can be used to share and use the eco-friendly tips we come across all year. Many people are unaware of simple and everyday ways of incorporating green living. So in the midst of tis the season to be jolly, here are a few tips to an eco-friendly Christmas:

• Use LED lights – Use 90 percent less energy, meaning they are energy efficient and approved by Energy Star. According to HolidayLEDs.com, “Energy Star qualified products and practices help you save money and reduce greenhouse emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. EPA and U.S. DOE. The ENERGY STAR label also designates superior energy performance in homes and buildings.” According to one U.S. Department of Energy study, if everyone replaced their conventional holiday light strings with LEDs, at least TWO BILLION(!) kilowatt-hours of electricity could be saved in a month.
• Refrain from using paper plates and plastic cups and silverware – Spread the chores by asking people to help with the dishes. Imagine all the paper and plastic that can be saved during this time alone!
• Recycle — Get out last years bags that someone gave you and reuse them. Instead of fully wrapping a gift use a little ribbon to tie around the present…REDUCE!
• Recycle – Get those creative juices flowing and combine different wrapping paper scrapes that are left lying around.
• Conserve — Unplug lights during the day. Lights that are cut off but still plugged in is still considered waste energy.

(Image source: stanzapub.com)

It’s time to clean. Just like cleaning the home, the car, and office space is important; cleaning the body should also be vital. This also another simple way to incorporate a green lifestyle. Starting with yourself to promote health is crucial to the environment. If you’re feeling fatigue, having skin problems, pains and aches, or digestive problems, then it might be time for a detox. Detoxification is about resting, cleaning and nourishing the body from the inside out. It’s about releasing toxins from the body and supplying the body with the proper nutrients. Detoxifying can guard against diseases and replenish energy to maintain good health.

According to medical director of Helios Clinic and coauthor of 7-Day Detox Miracle, Peter Bennett, “The body has its own natural healing system…Detoxification enhances this system.” So how does it work? Detoxification means cleaning the blood, mainly through eradicating impurities from the blood in the liver, where toxins are processed for purging. “Detoxification works because it addresses the needs of individual cells, the smallest units of human life…everyone should detox at least once a year”, says Bennett.

Where to begin? How about starting with food for medicine. There are many favorite household foods that promote cleansing for the body. Here are 12 top cleansing foods for detoxification:

1)      Apples — high in pectin, a type of fiber that unites to cholesterol and weighty metals in the body. They prevent toxic build up and cleanse the intestines.

2)      Beets — a great blood purifier and liver cleanser.

3)      Cabbage — strengthens the liver’s ability to detoxify.

4)      Celery and Celery Seeds – great blood cleansers and contains numerous anti-cancer compounds. Celery seeds include over twenty anti-inflammatory substances.

5)      Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Oil — a great source of essential fatty acids, specifically Omega-3a.

6)      Garlic — known to help reduce blood pressure. It’s best to choose fresh garlic, not the garlic powder.

7)      Grapefruit — known to promote weight loss; it also contains pectin fiber that lowers cholesterol, which cleanse the blood. It’s a great intestinal and liver detoxifier.

8)      Kale – this green vegetable is high in fiber and strengthens liver cleansing.

9)      Legumes — incorporating beans in some meals, you could gain lots of fiber and protection from cancer.

10)  Broccoli Sprouts — extremely high in antioxidants. They help to simulate detoxification enzymes in the digestive system.

11)   Green Tea — purges toxins out of the system, plus it fully load with antioxidants, specifically an antioxidant called catechin, which is known to increase liver function.

12)  Lemon Juice – is known to help the stomach’s digestive ability, plus it’s high in vitamin C.

Buying organic clothing is one area that isn’t discussed too much, unless you’re highly environmentally conscious. Nevertheless, organic clothing is just as good for the environment as the three Rs. According to farmers, one-third pounds of chemicals are used to grow enough cotton for just one t-shirt. By switching to organic cotton, you reduce the amount of pesticides, insectides, and herbicides used in farming, which can reduce pollution. Herbicides are used for pest control, insecticides kill insects that would damage crops, chemical fertilizers are used to nourish the plants, which can leak into the environment and harm the worker. This does not include the toxic dyes and formaldehyde.

Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and unrelenting pesticides and fertilizers. All cotton sold as organic in the United States must meet strict federal regulations covering how cotton is grown. Here are 5 reasons to use organic clothing.

1. Reduce allergies to chemicals — Skin can absorb toxic substances from the clothes and  linen sheets for bedding. With organic cotton, the risk of allergies is minimized.

2. Decrease the global water shortage — Cotton not only uses one third the irrigation water worldwide, chemical residues from regular cotton farming pollute rivers.

3. Stop poisoning the food we eat — 90% of the chemicals used in cotton farming goes to the air, water, and soil. These go into the vegetables we eat and to the crops that feed animals  farmed for their meat or milk or eggs.

4. Stop poisoning the cotton workers — Cotton pickers are exposed to harmful pesticides used in regular cotton farming. In third world countries, it is not uncommon for pregnant women and even children to work as cotton pickers. Symptoms can range from headaches to cancer.

5. Guard the eco-system – Plants and animals are affected, when the rivers, airs, and soil are poisoned and vice versa. Plus, pests can develop immunity to the insecticides, causing stronger chemicals to be used. By using natural resources to manage the pests, this problem can be prevented from escalating.

We’re well into Autumn, now, what with Halloween being this weekend. Most people don’t realize it, but this time of year is a key for practicing being ecofriendly with all the parties and festivities going on! Why not celebrate this colorful time the green way? Get the whole family involved and start planning now. Here are few ideas:

1) Throwing a Party – Send out invites via evite.com to cut down on paper. Host the party the pot luck style and reduce the waste of bags, cans, plastic, and paper plates. This also saves you money on food (remember the 3 Rs). Provide beverages in a punch bowl, served with glasses, to reduce bottle waste. Make homemade candy, rather than passing out store brought candy that can leave a long trail of wrappers. This also reduces the clean up time, perfect for busy families everywhere!

2) Trick or Treating – Buy reusable buckets, bags, or pillow cases. These items are eco-friendly and can hold more candy. Save gas and sneak in some exercise by staying in your neighborhood to collect goodies. Get your creative juices flowing and try designing costumes with unused items in the house or patching up old clothes for a unique style. It beats buying new costumes from year to year. In 2008, the National Retail Federation’s Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey predicted Halloween spending to reach 5.77 billion dollars. This year, try something new!

3)  Host a Neighborhood Cleanup – Let’s face it, no matter how much you put into your green efforts, not everyone will follow suit. But their environmental reluctance doesn’t have to result in negative repercussions for the whole community—not if everyone pitches in! After the Halloween and other parties, plan a cleanup team.. Invite the kids to help, this will teach them about community service and give them another chance to see their friends.

Still unsure what you should be this year for Halloween? Green is the way to go!

(Image Source: ursispaltenstein.ch)

The focus of my blog is how the individual’s efforts can effect a situation dramatically. Much of what I focus has to do with simple solutions. However, I wanted to take a second to recognize the entertainment industry for its steps for creating a more environmentally aware culture. Award shows are gearing up to make 2009 the most ecofriendly year imaginable. Celebrities promoting the ability to reduce their carbon footprint at highly profiled events are guaranteed to target the correct audience; the teen generation.

In August, the Teen Choice Awards, sported a green carpet made out of synthetic grass, which musicians, such as Miley Cyrus and Britney Spears walked. This support was just enough to promote the go-green theme to a young audience.
The 2009 Tony Awards aimed their go-green message towards a different demographic. Throughout the event, related theatre telecasts were broadcasted, to motivate theater communities to adopt environmental friendly practices in their production.

At the 2009 Emmy Awards, producer’s announced their “Green with Emmy,” campaign. Their production consisted of lighting that reduced energy, tickets printer on tree-free paper, and catering with recipes made with local produce.
The Grammys also made their first step to changing the environment. Winners and nominees were given gift-bags made with eco-friendly material and program books made from recycled paper.

It’s important for highly anticipated and televised award shows to promote their audience to become more environmentally aware. Music and entertainment are the best way to reach many different demographics to reduce their carbon footprint. Congrats and thank you to the forces behind these insightful programs and efforts!

(Image source: bryan-brown.com)

The only way you haven’t heard of solar energy is if you’ve been living under a rock for the past 20 years. The question is, have you ever thought about the impact that solar energy has on the environment? Ever thought why it’s was important to conserve solar energy? Well, solar energy is energy from the sun that is transformed into thermal or electrical energy, and converted into heat once it hits a surface. Without the sun we could not survive on earth, because enough heat would not be produced to keep us warm.

We use solar energy to grow plants, cook food, warm the house, run the car, and make electricity. Solar energy also makes rain fall and the wind blow. We collect energy through dams and windmills. Solar energy produces no air or water pollution and no greenhouse gases. Despite the initial substantial amount, solar energy is cheaper over time. Solar energy is renewable and clean, plus it is free as long as the sun shines.

Knowing this will allow everyone to partake in being ecofriendly by incorporating the three “Rs” (reduce, reuse, and recycle) and conserving solar energy. Here are seven ways to reduce your use:
1. Turn washer to cold or warm water—not hot, switching can save 500 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.

2. Buy compact fluorescent bulbs—they use only a quarter of the energy from regular bulbs, plus they are much brighter.

3. Walk or ride a bike instead of driving—save money, gas, and drop a few pounds while conserving energy.

4. Avoid over checking food while it’s cooking in the oven—each time the oven door is open, the temperature drops, which makes the energy expend to increase the temperature.

5. Take a shower over a bath—showers use four times less energy than a bath.

6. Use less hot water—enough said.

7. Plant a tree—maximize the energy generated from the sun. This also helps plant growth and produce harvest.

(Image source: solar.envirohub.net)

Thousands of important items are trashed instead of recycled each day—mostly because people don’t know their options. According to the Toxic Substances Control Program in California, “Americans throw away about 35 billion aluminum cans every year.” RAYS, also known as Recycle and You Save, states, “A recycled six-pack of aluminum cans could save enough energy to drive a car five miles.”

Glass also can be recycled, despite minimum advertising, “Most bottles and jars contain at least 25 percent recycled glass. Glass never wears out and it can be recycled forever” (The Recycler’s Handbook). Steel is another item that’s hardly mentioned when discussing recycling. “Americans use 100 million steel cans a day. We throw away enough steel every year to build all the new cars made in America” (50 Simple Things Kids Can Do to Recycle). So what other type of items can be recycled besides paper, water bottles, cans, and plastic? Here is a list of nine creative items to recycle:

• Wrapping paper – Use as a packing tool, as animal bedding for small pets, scrapbooking material, or spitballs.

• Eyeglasses – Maybe that Lasik has worked and you no longer need those glasses. Why not give them to organizations that help the needy. Contact (800)-CLEANUP to find a list of drop-off stations.

• Old Jeans – Have some free time on your hands and a creative itch? Use your old fabrics to make quilts, pocket books and backpacks, dress up scarecrow, book covers, and whatever else you can think of.

• Bottle caps – How often have you recycled a plastic bottle but tossed the lid? Aveda has a program called Recycle Caps with Aveda, which encourages schools to get their students involved in the program. It’s a great educational tool.

• Carpet – Sure, there may be pet stains and all kinds of odors, but your old carpet is someone else’s steal! Take old carpet to a local charity or used building materials recycling center. It could as floor mats in the car or laundry room.

• Aerosol cans – take the cap off and make sure the can is empty, then place them on the curbside alone with the other recycling items.
• Computers – Every two to four years Americans upgrade to a faster, better computer. The leftovers can be cleaned up, erasing the hard drive, and donated to local organization and charities.

• Cellphones – This month it’s the iPhone. Next it’s the Storm. We go through phone so quickly, because just like computers, we want the most up-to-date software. If you’ve got phones making paperweights, try donating them to organizations that recycle them. Or, if it’s in usable condition, try reselling it online.

• VHS – Have you even heard of this? Guaranteed there is someone out there who has a VHS machine collecting dust. Free up the clutter and place them in the mail to Alternative Community Training, a nonprofit company that provides jobs to people with disabilities.

(Image Source: inhabitat.com)

Granted, I’m not suggesting that water bottle sandals are for you, but there are a number of uses for the plastic that go beyond attire and water containers. Americans purchase an estimated 34.6 billion single-serving water bottles each year. Bottled water is the single most used among all beverages, which includes alcohol, juices, and soft drinks. The growth of water bottles has increased greatly from 3.3 billion in 1997 to 15 billion in 2002. Now that’s a lot of plastic. Most bottled water is consumed away from home, normally at the park, at the gym, in the office, and while driving—areas where there is no recycling. There are hardly any areas to recycle outside the home.

About eight out of ten bottles make it to a landfill or incinerator. Hundreds of millions find destinations as litter on the roads, parks, beaches, in streams, and other waterways. Taxpayers pay numerous dollars each year in disposal and litter cleanup cost. Many people throw away water bottles after using them, because they find no need to reuse them.

Here are eight ways to reuse water bottles:
• Refill bottles with water and freeze to use as an ice package for lunch boxes
• Refill bottles with your favorite beverage or protein shake
• Refill bottles with sauces and salad dressings
• Refill bottles with water and poke holes in the top to sprinkle plants.
• Keep them and use them for students’ science projects
• Save money for a rainy day
• Reuse bottles for weights—refill different size bottles with sand or water.
A liter bottle filled with dry sand weighs about 2.6 pounds!