Sustainability
Buyers Guide: Choosing the Greenest Clothes Dryer P
People rarely shop for a clothes dryer by itself. It’s more common to buy washers and dryers as a pair. And usually, it’s the washer that gets more attention, even though dryers use more energy than any other home appliance. You could just get the dryer that matches...
How Can We Reduce Our Demand for Unsustainable Palm Oil? P
Does the mention of palm oil make you think about deforestation, habitat destruction, and exploited workers? You’re not alone. You’ve likely heard that palm oil is unsustainable, but that’s not the whole story. We can help reduce its environmental impact by becoming...
Recycle Your Contact Lenses, Don’t Flush Them P
When you think of plastic pollution, you probably imagine discarded straws. And water bottles. And bags. Some folks are also focusing on something smaller — itty-bitty items millions of us use everyday. Contact lenses, when improperly discarded, likely create...
5 Tips to Safeguard Against Electromagnetic Radiation P
Even though we can’t see them, we are surrounded by electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Our computers, microwaves, cell phones, power lines, cell phone towers, fitness tracking devices, smart meters, televisions, routers, X-ray machines, and radios all emit them to varying...
5 of Grandma’s Natural Cold Remedies P
It’s that time of year – cold and flu season. People across the country are scrambling to keep their immune systems strong and find ways to battle colds naturally. But, just how do you do that? Are there natural remedies for colds that actually work? Like a loud,...
Energy Apps To Help You Go Green and Save Money P
Maintaining a comfortable home is important. No one wants to freeze in the wintertime or melt in the summertime. Yet, the cost — both for your bank account and the environment — of heating and cooling a home can be high. Luckily, there are simple ways to limit energy...
How To Care for Cast-Iron Cookware P
Are you considering making the switch to a cast-iron skillet or other cookware? Extremely durable and virtually indestructible, this cookware lasts decades with proper care. But some people may avoid cast iron because they’re not sure how to care for it. Is it hard to...
Restore Our Earth With Climate Literacy P
April 22 marks the 51st Earth Day with the theme Restore Our Earth. That theme seems appropriate for 2021 as a whole, as we begin looking at how to restore normalcy and functionality to governments and communities. EARTHDAY.ORG is determined that the normal we restore...
How To Avoid ‘Revenge Pollution’ While Reviving the Economy P
As the economy reopens and we venture out into the world we once knew, it is tempting to try to make up for lost time — that time we could have spent traveling, shopping, and restaurant and bar hopping. Perhaps you have already made a list of things you wish you had...
Footprint by Footprint: Calculating Carbon P
Every day of your life, across everything you do and buy, you contribute to rising greenhouse gas emissions. Now, you can track the impact of all that activity — the stuff you buy, the places you go — to understand your carbon footprint. There are many carbon...
Jiminy’s Cricket-based Treats Reduce Your Dog’s Carbon Footprint P
We first discovered Jiminy’s cricket protein-based dog food and treats last year and recently tried a variety of their snacks with our dogs, Lizzie and Miriam. There are not many choices we can make when shopping that produce a bigger change in environmental impacts...
Easy Carbon Sequestration You Can Do Yourself P
As any sci-fi fan can tell you, human survival depends upon an Earth-like atmosphere that’s 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon, and 0.03% carbon dioxide with traces of other elements. There is some wiggle room in the tiny percentage of carbon in the air. There were...
Nothing Is Perfect and Everything Is Perfect P
Sustainability is a series of experiments. No one is perfect and too many people don’t try to help the Earth because they think they won’t make a difference. Author Alice Waters reminds us that every tree is beautiful and we can be, too, if we forget perfection and...
Our Plastic Crisis Has Made NIMBYism Global P
For decades, the U.S. has been exporting its plastic for recycling. It’s easier and cheaper to send it to countries where labor costs are low than to develop an infrastructure that can process the quantity of plastic waste we generate. But is it really due to costs...
Infographic: Plastic Pandemic in the Age of COVID-19 P
Recycling efforts have taken a backseat during the pandemic. Efforts to protect public health — from a huge increase in the use of disposable PPE to prohibitions against reusable bags and coffee mugs — are damaging the health of the environment. And plastic use has...
6 Home Energy Trends for 2021 P
A number of trends are converging to make 2021 a year of big changes to our home energy use. With an increased focus on climate change, the widespread popularity of smart home technology, and falling prices for clean energy options, the pace of adoption of new energy...
Earth911 Inspiration: Invitation To Be What We Are P
This week’s quote is from American author Gretel Ehrlich: “Everything in nature invites us constantly to be what we are.” Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click to get a larger image. The...
How To Donate Container Deposit Refunds to Worthy Causes P
Looking for a way to raise money for your favorite nonprofit or charity — without asking donors for money? If you live in one of the roughly 60 states, provinces, or countries that collect container deposits on beverage cans and bottles, consider collecting and...
We Earthlings: Get the Plastic Out! P
The average American discards 17.7 pounds of PET (also known as PETE) plastic bottles each year. By eliminating your share of PET bottles, you can prevent 108.9 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, reduce ocean plastic pollution that kills 1 million seabirds and...
Maven Moment: the Old Coffee Pot P
A good cup of coffee to start your day … what could be better? Mom always made Dad a nice cup of espresso every morning in her little stovetop pot. The top and bottom of the pot screwed together with a coffee filter (a metal funnel) with coffee grounds between the two...
Paying for the Costs of Dealing With Pollution P
Today’s Earth911 inspiration is from economist Ha-Joon Chang: “People ‘over-produce’ pollution because they are not paying for the costs of dealing with it.” If we were charged fees to clean up the mess every time we polluted, would we pollute less? Earth911...
Uncovering Greenwashing: Vague Promises and Irrelevance P
Consumer demand is supposed to drive product development. But even though 78% of Americans believe companies should be environmentally responsible, a seminal study on greenwashing found that nearly all green marketing claims are false or potentially misleading....
The Biden Era Arrives With Dramatic Climate Action P
The Earth911 Reader collects and comments on useful news about science, business, sustainability, and recycling to save you time and keep you informed. IN SUSTAINABILITY Biden’s Day One Delivers Climate Hope The end of the Trump era arrived with President Joe Biden’s...
A Gift Guide to Sustainable Skin Care P
Winter is a tough time for our body’s largest organ, which is why personal care products can make great holiday gifts. In this guide, we highlight eco-conscious companies focused on sustainability and social welfare. There’s something here for every step of your...
We Earthlings: The CO2 Impact of Streaming Video P
Video streaming has become a part of many people’s everyday lives and we’re here to help you learn about what that means for the environment. Every hour of video you stream emits 0.88 pounds of CO2. If you watch an average of six hours a day, your annual video carbon...
Careers in Solar Energy P
The solar energy industry is expanding across the United States and beyond as more countries transition to renewable energy. In the U.S., 855,000 people were employed in the renewable energy industry either directly or indirectly in 2018. Over 240,000 of these people...
Healthy Wines: What the Labels Really Mean P
Fellow wine lovers, I have good news and bad news. Here’s the bad: Two-thirds of all wine production originates in Europe where grapes receive higher doses of synthetic pesticides than virtually any other type of crop. Since the U.S. is currently first in the world...
How to Compare Solar Energy Bids, Select a Solar Installer P
More home and business owners are installing solar panels than ever before. And we now have a greater variety of panels and solar equipment to choose from than ever before. Depending on where you live, you probably have at least two or three solar installers that...
Maven Moment: Donations to Veterans’ Organizations P
Mom’s friend Hannah (who was of the same generation as Grandma Jennie) was very patriotic. Hannah’s husband Fred served in the Pacific during World War II, and although she didn’t regularly donate to charities, she had a soft spot for veterans. She always sent them...
Changing the Economy With Sustainable Investments P
Daily, you make decisions that influence humanity’s impact on the Earth’s environment. Those choices may feel small, but combined with others’ decisions, they ultimately determine the strategies selected by companies. In previous quizzes, we’ve explored the positive...
Six Greener Alternatives to Plastic Trash Bags P
Are you on your way to a zero waste household? If you haul your trash to the curb every week in a plastic trash bag, figuring out a more sustainable alternative to that plastic bag can be challenging. We’ve rounded up a few greener trash bag alternatives for your...
We Earthlings: Recycle Your Motor Oil, Don’t Dump It P
What connects us all? Nature and our shared relationships through nature. Share We Earthling posters to help your friends think recycling first (click the image for a larger, high-resolution poster). This post was originally published on July 23, 2019. ...
What Are Nurdles and Why Should You Care?
Nurdles, also known as “pre-production pellets,” are small pellets of plastic resin, about the size of a lentil, that serve as raw material for manufacturing everyday plastic products. These lightweight pellets are also a major source of microplastic pollution. Easily...
How To Make an Upcycled Jar Terrarium
Terrariums add variety, depth, and beauty to your plant collection. You can easily make one at home out of an upcycled container. Creating an upcycled jar terrarium is also a fun and educational project to do with your kids. Using materials that you already have on...
How to Break the Paper Towel Habit
In almost every American kitchen, you’ll find a roll of paper towels. They have the coolest commercials, and I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say every girl had a crush on the Brawny man at some point. But why do we have them? Why are they viewed as a necessity?...
Earth911 Quiz #56: Does This Go in the Blue Bin?
Editor’s note: “Does This Go in the Blue Bin” is one of our most-popular quizzes. We’re giving you another chance to challenge your knowledge of good recycling decisions. Across the U.S., one of the biggest influences on recycling success is your decision about what...
How You Can Help Protect Our Oceans
A healthy ocean means healthy humans.We depend on the ocean for such fundamental conditions of life as climate regulation, food, and even oxygen (for every second breath you take, thank the oceans’ plankton), but our misuse of single-use plastics is harming our...
Maven Moment: Reuse Ideas for Old Pantyhose and Stockings
Years ago, pantyhose or stockings were must-haves for a working woman’s wardrobe. No professional woman would consider going to work without wearing them. Even today, pantyhose and knee-high stockings make an outfit look finished and professional. And knee-high...
15 Eco-friendly, Non-Toxic Candles
Did you know conventional scented candles are a huge source of indoor air pollution? They also release toxins when burned so I’ve rounded up 15 eco-friendly and non-toxic candles you can burn guilt free. Most candles are made of paraffin wax which releases highly...
Greenest Insulation Products for the Home
Pliny the Elder was the first to write that home is where the heart is, but many older homes are drafty and have cold floors and uneven temperatures that can chill an environmentally aware heart. Do you remember the nursery rhyme about a cold, old house where even the...
90 Companies Account for 2/3 of Global CO2 Emissions
Did you know only 90 companies account for two-thirds of the industrial CO2 (carbon dioxide) and CH4 (methane) emissions in the world? Ninety companies with billions of customers who can send a clear signal that they want responsibly zero-carbon products. Think about...
This Week’s Sustainability, Business and Science News
The Earth911 team combs news and research for interesting ideas and stories about the challenges of creating a sustainable world. We call it the Earth911 Reader and we hope you find it useful. IN SCIENCE EU’s Green Deal Sends Environmental Impacts To Energy Nations...
Use Your Microwave Less, Reduce Your CO2 Emissions
Use your microwave 10 minutes less a day and reduce your CO2 emissions by up to 610 pounds a year, depending upon the source of your electricity. Data source: Quiz #88: Coal-fired Energy Reduction Challenge Print or share We Earthling posters to inspire others with...
The End of King Coal, Fuels From Plants and Carbon Capture
The Earth911 Reader collects and comments on useful news about science, business, sustainability, and recycling to save you time and keep you informed about the trends in environmental issues. IN SCIENCE EU Introduces Digital Earth Model to Support Climate...
Not So Good, Better, Best: Synthetic Fabrics
Some people will argue that following fashion trends is shallow. But at least one aspect of fashion deserves everyone’s attention. The fashion industry is responsible for 10% of annual global carbon emissions. Whether you follow the trends or not, we suggest using...
Maven Moment: Safe and Natural Baby Products
My mother-in-law Lucy had four children. They were born in the 1950s and the early 1960s. Like many mothers during that time in the U.S., she fed her children formula or condensed milk and she used cloth diapers and products like Johnson’s Baby Shampoo for their hair....
Will Your Next House Be a Tiny Home?
Although the American dream used to involve a white picket fence and a nice-sized home, some are opting for a pocket-sized alternative. As many people look to simplify their lives and rethink their priorities, living in a dramatically smaller home is appealing to an...
Give women a voice in the fight against climate change
In November 2021, The UK will host the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow. The climate talks will bring together heads of state, climate experts and campaigners to agree coordinated action to tackle climate change. The UK will be...
10 Green Apps To Help You Live More Sustainably
Most of us strive to use less energy, consume fewer unnecessary products, reduce our contribution to pollution, and take care of our natural ecosystems. But it isn’t always easy. So, it’s nice to know that with the right mobile apps, you can get recommendations, track...
How To Make Less Trash the Simple Way
What the heck does it mean to live a zero waste lifestyle? Can I really not make any trash? Don’t let the term fool you. Zero waste is an industrial term referring to a circular economy in which all processes of design (the plan for how it’ll be made), manufacturing...
