Which is Greener?

Green is actually my favorite color, but when I talk about “going green” these days I’m really referring to a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Not too long ago I drove by a huge landfill right next to I-95 in South Florida. It was a shocking sight and really brought home the impact of our wastefulness.

So I started thinking about ways our family could reduce our carbon footprints. Of course, that brought up a lot of questions about which approach was better when taking into consideration how much water, energy, and production costs were involved with different processes. Here are a few things that I found out and wanted to share:

• Dishwasher vs. hand-washing: According to a study from the University of Bonn in Germany, the average dishwasher uses only half the energy, one-sixth of the water, and less soap than hand-washing dishes. It is possible to be more efficient when hand-washing, but it’s not easy according to an article posted at Treehugger.com. So, the green solution is to run the dishwasher once it has been completely filled (not half full) with dirty dishes with the heated drying option turned off.

Note: rinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher is not considered eco-friendly because of the amount of water that is used (approx. 2 gallons flow from the faucet per minute). If your dishwasher does not effectively clean food particles from the dishes, you can put them on the rinse cycle first which still uses less water and energy overall. I prefer to fill the sink with a couple gallons of water and let the dishes soak for a few minutes.

• Paper plates vs. real plates: Reusable plates are more environmentally friendly when washed in the dishwasher. Unless they are made from recycled products, paper plates require trees to be cut down and chemically processed at paper mills which pollute the air. Then the paper plates eventually clutter up landfills where they will probably never fully degrade. The green solution is to stock up on inexpensive plates that can be found at thrift shops, garage sales, and your local dollar store.

• Cloth vs. paper napkins/towels: It really depends on how the cloth or paper napkins are made. For example: cotton is not typically an environmentally friendly process (unless it’s organic), due to the greenhouse gas emissions from growing the raw materials and the manufacturing process. So using a paper napkin (preferably from recycled products) is actually less expensive and less invasive to our environment than a cotton napkin. Your eco-friendly choices are: (1) purchase hemp, linen, or organic cotton dish towels and napkins; wash in cold water and line dry when weather permits, or (2) purchase paper towels/napkins made from recycled materials that are unbleached with no ink designs. Another green option is to either buy secondhand towels and napkins, or make your own from old sheets and towels.

• Plastic or paper? When it comes to bagging your groceries – neither. Reusable bags are the best alternative. And you probably already have some on hand without the need to buy new ones. Carrie Boyko of the New Kid on the Green Block blog writes, “Cleaning out your closet to find all those gifted tote bags you tucked away for a rainy day is probably your best and most economical implementation for this idea.”

• Styrofoam vs. paper cups: You would think this is a no-brainer…and you would probably be wrong. At least, I was! The surprising reality is that Styrofoam is more eco-friendly and much less expensive to produce than a typical paper cup for hot beverages. Those trendy paper cups from your favorite coffee shop cost twice as much to produce, require 36 times the amount of electricity, and 12 times the amount of water. Plus, you have to use a cardboard sleeve to keep from burning your fingertips off. The only way a paper cup can win this contest is if it’s biodegradable (and most are not). Of course, the best case scenario is to bring your own cup or tumbler.

This is just the beginning of new and “greener” things to discover, so I’ll keep you posted as I find out more. And please feel free to share some of your green tips with us on the Busy Moms Tips Facebook Fan Page.

(c) Copyright – Charlene Davis. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.