PGC Day 4 - Greener 2013
Eryn
Lawton Chiles High School
1. Down Comforter-BAD
My down comforter was made in China; where there are still practices is live bird plucking. Although I
have no idea whether live birds were plucked to make my blanket, it still seems wrong to have it. Since
this product is made in China, it can be assumed much plastic, cardboard, and gas was wasted sending
the product from China to America.
Alternative: Wool Comforter from nofeathersplease.com
An alternative is USA made organic certified wool comforter, which is organically processed and certified
for organic processing standards by Oregon Tilth. Since it is USA made there will be a drastic reduction in
the amount of resources used. As a bonus, no animals were harmed in the making of this blanket!
2. Homemade Cleaning Sprays-GOOD
Just last year, I began to replace some of my cleaning supplies with safer, eco-friendly sprays. For
example, instead of using Lysol to clean my counters, I spray vinegar. This is a natural alternative to
Lysol, which contains nine chemicals harmful to my health.
3. Pillow-AVERAGE
My pillow was made in China, but furnished filled in the USA. It is bad in the sense it was made overseas,
wasting resources to transport it to the United Sates. The good part is that it was filled and furnished in
the United States, using US resources instead of taking resources from other countries.
Alternative:
Bed, Bath and Beyond, a store in my city, sells organic pillows and organic pillowcases. The pillow is
made of organic cotton and prints are made with low impact dyes using a low impact printing process.
4. Television-BAD
My television was made in the United States and is considered a durable good because I’ve had it for ten
years. The bad side to this television is that is made from harmful products, including a flame retardant
called polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Studies have linked polybrominated diphenyl to many health
problems. This chemical was banned in 2004 but since my TV was made before, the flame retardant is
still present.
Alternative:
PGC Day 4 - Greener 2013
Buying the smallest, lowest-resolution LCD television and keeping it for as long as possible is the most
eco-friendly television you can purchase. Televisions last about ten years – so the amount of electricity
stems from the consumers use more than the production.
5. Air Freshener-BAD
Little did I know, air fresheners are a source of indoor air pollution. Air fresheners are linked to many
volatile organic compounds. Concentrations of the chemicals found in air fresheners are two to five
times higher indoors than outdoors
Alternative:
The Lazy Enviormentalist makes natural candles with wholesome organic ingredients that are non-toxic.
These candles are found right here in Tallahassee, I can buy them without having to waste the resources
needed to mail candles to my home.
6. Aluminum Cans-BAD
Bisphenol A is an ingredient which typically makes up the lining of aluminum cans that contain foods,
soups and juices. The food inside these cans will absorb the BPA, which will build up in the human body
and take years to eliminate from the body.
Alternative:
Buying edibles packaged in glass jars or BPA-free containers. Instead of buying meat or vegetables in a
can, buy the food locally and organically.
7. Hand sanitizer -BAD
I like keeping my hands clean and I use hand sanitizer often. The more I used the healthier I thought I
was being. However, sanitizer uses benzalkonium chloride which has a variety of health risks-including
skin, respiratory and auto-immune disorders.
Alternative:
Dr. Bronner’s hand sanitizer is the organic and health risk free option! The hand sanitizer is free of gmoalcohol and preto-carbomer thickener.
8. Furniture –GOOD
All the furniture in my room is bought from yard sales and used antique shops. All of my furniture is
durable and will last the rest of my life, meaning I won’t have to purchase more furniture.
9. Books and DVDS –Average
PGC Day 4 - Greener 2013
About half of my books and DVDS have been purchased brand new from stores. Books are made with
harmful ink and paper from sources that clear cut trees. Both DVDs and books have been shipped from
all over the world, wasting recourses that could be saved if the books and movies have been US made. I
never throw out books or DVDs though – they are always donated to yard sales or used book or movies
stores.
Alternative:
Buy all books and movies second hand! There are plenty of stores in my city that offer this service.
10. Snickers- BAD
Snickers are my favorite candy and can almost always be found laying around the house. A regular 58g
bar contains 26.1g of sugar. Studies at Princeton University show it causes three key signs of addiction:
cycles of cravings, binges and withdrawal symptoms. I now know why I always eat them…
Alternative:
There are so many alternatives to snickers such as choosing not to eat them, picking a different snack
food, or eating something healthier!