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What's Your Green Quotient?
By Krista Carlson
If you haven't heard yet, take heed now: Green is the new black. Everywhere you go people are talking about green. Every new ad is showcasing a new angle of green. "Organic," "hybrid," "eco-friendly," "carbon-footprint." These are the buzzwords of 2008.
Ten years ago, recycling, and Greenpeace in your vocabulary meant you were a new-age hippie, a "treehugger." Today, being green can mean an expansive variety of things, from solar panels on your roof to vegetarianism to choosing to use public transportation. Now it's hip to go off the grid, and "treehugger" is no longer a dirty word.
The green movement isn't just growing; it's spreading faster than a cold in a kindergarten classroom. And that's a very, very good thing.
Why be green and what is "green" anyway? It may be safe to assume it's obvious, but let's break it down anyway, just for kicks. Being green is acting, consuming, and considering the environmental impact of your actions, purchases and lifestyle choices, and making sure that the environment will not be harmed by those actions.
At the roots of green living lies sustainability. The point is to ensure that we're not depleting the resources we depend on for survival. The earth is an abundant planet, and for centuries people have been increasing their standards of living past sustainable levels.
A good way to understand this concept is to compare it to living off of an endowment. Let's say you had $1 million to live on for the rest of your life. You would need to live off the interest without depleting the principle, so that you always had something to draw from. Now compare this to the earth. Nature regenerates and an ecosystem is an interdependent unit, but when there is too little or too much of a particular element, the imbalance undermines the ability of the rest of the parts of the system - be it plants to prevent soil erosion, animals to control insect populations, insect to pollinate plants, or a number of other parts - to maintain and operate without the other pieces sufficiently in place.
Human demand today well exceeds the capacity of our resources.
Essentially, we are living off of our children's and grandchildren's air, land and water. The compounding increase in green products and technology, and the shift in lifestyle is the only chance society has to ensure that resources we depend on are there for the next generation.
Take this quiz to determine your G.Q.:
1) I commute by:
a. Gas-powered car - 0 points
b. Hybrid/Biodeisel/Electric -2 points
c. Bike/public transportation /walk - 3 points
d. Combination of car and other - 1 point
2) I eat green by:
a. Composting - 2 points
b. Growing my own vegetables - 3 points
c. Buying mostly organic - 1 point
d. Buying mostly locally grown foods - 2 points
3) I keep pace with new eco-friendly technology and products:
a. Mainstream news sources including L.A. Times, Associated Press, CNN - 1 point
b. Specialized Green Living sites like Treehugger.com and Gliving.com - 2 points
c. I don't pay attention to it - 0 points
4) I support waste diversion:
a. I throw all my waste in the trash - 0 points
b. By recycling plastic and glass- 1 point
c. Composting (double points!) - 2 points
d. Recycling, refurbishing, reusing and donating to others - 2 points
5) I get most of my meals from:
a. Food prepared at home - 2 points
b. Take out and fast food - 0 points
c. Sit-down restaurants - 0 points
6) I reduce my energy usage and grid dependence by:
a. CFL's in most fixtures in my home - 1 point
b. Double-paned windows, proper insulation - 1 point
c. Wind or water-generated power - 2 points
d. Solar panels - 2 points
7) When shopping I use:
a. Plastic bags - 0 points
b. Paper bags - 0 points
c. Sometimes I bring my own bags - 1 point
d. I always bring my own cloth bags - 2 points
8) I conserve water by:
a. Aerators on my kitchen/bathroom faucets - 1 point
b. Waterless car washes or car washes - 1 point
c. Keeping my usual shower time under 10 minutes - 1 point
d. I water my lawn and the adjacent sidewalk in the middle of the day - Minus 2 points
9) I drink:
a. Bottled water - 0 points
b. Tap water - 1 point
10) My diet is:
a. Carnivorous - 0 points
b. Omnivorous, with several meatless meals each week - 1 point
c. Vegetarian - 2 points
d. Vegan - 3 points
11) I clean my home with:
a. Ajax, Windex and 409 - 0 points
b. Eco-friendly cleaners like Terracycle and Method - 1 point
c. Homemade cleaners with kitchen ingredients like baking soda and vinegar. - 2 points
12) I have donated to environmental organizations:
a. Not at all - 0 points
b. Once or twice this year - 1 point
c. Monthly - 2 points
d. By volunteering/holding fundraisers - 3 points
Bonus Round: Yep, there are a few bonus points for those extreme green habits. Give yourself an extra one point for each of these that apply to you.
"At least 75% of your personal care products are biodegradable /chemical-free
"You have a share in or work at a farm co-op
"You bring your own cup when you go to coffee shops
"You make a point of purchasing organic cotton and bamboo apparel and towels
Now give yourself one point for every change you've made to a greener standard since the beginning of the year. This could include changes in your commute like making your car more fuel efficient, choosing a different mode of transportation, or moving closer to work. Or maybe you've made changes in your home, like building a compost heap, switching to cloth napkins, or taking shorter showers. Other positive changes in your lifestyle may have been choosing to eat organic, eat less meat, or eat at home more. (The last one is a common money-saving tactic too, yet it also has huge environmental benefits.)
The key is not to see how perfectly green your life should be, but rather to make the changes that you're able to make and begin to shift habits and attitudes to be more eco-conscious. Add up your points to get your Green Quotient and find out how you rank in the green department. Then review the tips that follow on how to take your G.Q. to the next level.
0-10 Eco-Villain - Do you hang with Hexxus, the guy that tried to destroy the Ferngully rainforest, because it seems you two have a lot in common? The bad news is that your mean, ungreen habits are taking a toll on the environment, contributing to global warming, reduced potable water, excess waste in landfills and unsafe chemicals in the environment. Sorry to be so mean about, but even the Grinch was green! The good news is you can change your ways, and when you do you'll end up saving money as a result. Now who can argue against that?
11-20 Getting Green - We know, Kermit the frog said "It ain't easy being green," and we understand. Now that you've taken a few steps in the right direction, use this quiz to pick an area, or a few, to improve your G.Q. in.
21-30 Growing Greeny- You're making a big difference! Your habits are growing greener day by day, so just keep on stretching your eco-muscles and your G.Q. will be through the roof in no time. Check out www.IdealBite.com for bite-sized tips on how to flex those green muscles in every area of your life.
31+ Gloriously Green- Leading the pack in changing things for the better, you've made earth-conscious decisions a natural standard in your daily living. Since you're pretty well set into a routine of eat, sleep and breathe green the next step you can take is to meet some like-minded greenies and use those relationships to help others make changes in their lifestyles. The other great benefit of befriending fellow greenies is potential for new products, services and outlets to change the tides on a larger scale. Take a look at www.GoToGreenLA.com for a list of upcoming green events in Los Angeles.
Much of what constitutes green living today can be determine by consumer choices. Eco-friendly products are becoming more and more readily available to consumers, which means now they have a choice. It used to be difficult and costly to purchase eco-friendly products, including organic food and clothing, household cleaners, and alternative fuel and energy sources. Now we've got options galore!
The holiday season is the perfect time to stretch your green muscles. Opportunities to 'green it up' lie in all sorts of holiday activities, from earth-friendly holiday meals, choosing green gifts, traveling to all the holiday parties, and more.
Here are 5 tips for greening your holidays:
1) Green Feast Trifecta: Buy local, buy organic, and eat less meat. Buying local foods will have a significant impact in reducing emissions from transporting food. Eating organic lowers the amount of pesticides that are used and left to pollute the environment. Eating less meat leaves more water and land available for producing grain crops and other foods that need a fraction of the water to yield a crop that would feed several hundred more people.
2) To Tree or not to tree, that is the question. Every year 1000's of trees are sold for Christmas. The verdict on the debate to purchase a real or artificial tree is in: Go chop one down. That may sound harsh, but plastic trees require a good amount of resources to make, and trees made from PVC can rarely be recycled when you decide to put it to rest. Tree farms, on the other hand, are designed to be sustainable. Plan to compost your tree, or better yet, plant it in the backyard if you have space to. Or you could just forego the tree altogether, which would be the most earth-friendly choice.
3) Wrapping paper is passé. Wrap gifts in fabric that can be reused. Use worn clothes you longer wear or pick up some a few yards of fabric. Your friends will appreciate the personal touch and be able to reuse the fabric as gift wrapping or for crafty purposes like quilts, patches, book covers and more.
4) Jolly Green Gifts. Giving gifts that are earth friendly is easier than ever! Whatever kind of gifts you're searching for this season, there is almost certainly a green alternative. From organic cotton clothes, fair-trade and organic foods, to locally-made goods and more. Check out Green and Greener, a new store in Valley Village that caters to greening your life in every way. Green and Greener is located at 4838 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Valley Village, 91607.
Another way to pass on the eco-cheer would be to plant trees in a person's name, give the gift of a protected area of rainforest, or donate to an environmental organization on their behalf. Gifts like these have an extensive impact on a sustainable future.
5) Be Creative.
'Take your family and friends on a tour by bicycle of all the decked out houses in your neighborhood. (A person can travel 4 times farther on a bicycle than by foot, which means you can cover a good distance and take advantage of the mild Southern California climate that makes biking possible year-round. The trip can be experience for family and friends that is healthy, earth-friendly and free.)
'Go Eco-Caroling. Change the words to holiday songs to encourage holiday generosity and cheer to extend to the earth as well.