Matt About Money » Environment

Green Round Up

Matt Bell — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:25:53 +0000

In honor of Earth Day, here are a few articles I found useful. This one includes links to sites that will help you turn your old unused electronics into cash. This one has some good ideas for cutting back on electricity use. And for some less predictable ideas, here’s how to have an eco-friendly wedding and here are several lesser-known and counter-intuitive ways to help the environment. For even more eco tips, check out the recommended links on my web site.

Should You Pay Kids to Go Green?

Matt Bell — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 01:37:44 +0000

A new web site, Green Allowance, encourages parents to use allowances to motivate their kids to develop environmentally friendly habits. The site fosters a deal between parents and their kids: the kids take on various energy saving projects, the parents split some of the estimated savings with their kids. Green Allowance sends report cards, showing how much energy and money were saved by the kids’ activities.

My take? I’m all in favor of teaching kids how to save energy, but I’m not crazy about the idea of paying them to do so. We try to turn daily activities into learning activities, reminding our kids that we have to pay for things like water. They’re learning that if they remember to turn the water all the way off after washing their hands, we’ll have more money for a vacation and other things.

A good web site that will help your kids learn how to save energy is Energy Star Kids. What do you do to help your kids learn about conserving energy?

It’s Not Easy Being Green

Matt Bell — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:43:11 +0000

Paper or plastic? At first, it was polite of grocery store cashiers to ask which sort of bag we’d prefer. But today, the question often sounds like, “Environmentalist or Polluter?” Everyone knows that paper is the best choice for protecting the planet. Or is it? A recent Wall Street Journal article noted, “There is growing evidence that the production, use and disposal of plastic bags put less burden on natural resources than paper bags.” So, reusable bags must be the answer, right? Not so fast. A recent study found reusable bags to be breeding grounds for bacteria.

Short of shunning the grocery store altogether in favor of growing all of our own food, it seems that the best option for carrying our groceries home is a reusable bag. Just make sure to wash it every now and then (This Newsday.com article explains the non-intuitive nuances of how to do so properly).

Another Solution for Old Electronics

Matt Bell — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:21:18 +0000

I’ve written in the past about how to dispose of old cell phones, TVs, and other electronics. A recent post on ChristianPF.com highlighted a program I hadn’t heard of before called Flipswap, which enables you to exchange an old cell phone or iPod for an Amazon.com gift card. Devices received by the company are either repaired and resold or recycled.

Thousands of cell phones end up in landfills every day. Far better to recycle them. Even better, since many discarded devices are still in working order, simply hang on to your electronic gear longer. It’ll be better for the planet and your pocketbook.

Where Old TVs Go To Die

Matt Bell — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:14:06 +0000

It’s spring-cleaning time, and with television stations switching to digital signals many people are getting rid of old analog TV sets. However, a Chicago Tribune article noted that it’s not so easy. Many thrift stores are no longer accepting analog sets or other older electronics, so there’s concern that a lot of electronic gear will end up in landfills, creating “electronics graveyards.” With earth day coming up, a better alternative is to look for a nearby recycling event that’ll take your old electronics. You may be able to find an event at Earth911.com, the Earth Day Network (click on “EDN Programs & Events”), or check the web site of your town or county.

The Environmental Protection Agency also has a comprehensive list of web sites with information about recycling electronics. If your TV set is still in working order, you might also consider keeping it and getting a digital signal. Or give it to someone else via Freecycle or Craigslist.