The Christa McAuliffe Planetarium is dedicated to encouraging good stewardship of the planet we all share. Here you will find out about some of the things we are doing to help in this way and also some things that you can do to help the environment on a day-to-day basis.
There are a lot of easy things that you can do every day to both help the environment and your wallet. Here you will find some things that you may know and maybe a few things you didn't. Every day we can find new and different ways to be better stewards of our planet, Earth.
Cleaning
Finding cleaning products that are effective and environmentally friendly can be challenging. If the label says "all natural" does that mean it is still safe around kids or pets? Some of the "green" cleaners can be more expensive as well. Here are a few things to try that are probably all in your house already:
Use baking soda and vinegar in your toilet for a cleaning volcano! Use a mix of baking soda and water on hard tile stains, let it sit for a short time then spray it with white vinegar. Allow the mixture to foam then wipe it off with a damp sponge. An alternative is to mix the baking soda and vinegar first, allow it to settle and then use a scrub brush. This is great for cleaning grout!
Pipe cleaners can be harmful to septic systems. For slow drains, pour a cup of baking soda into the drain and then follow with three cups of boiling water. For clogged drains try a good old plunger then follow with the baking soda and boiling water.
Use a mixture of one part white vinegar and 2 parts water in a spray bottle to clean your windows. Shake well before each use. Paper towels will leave streaks or lint behind so try either a micro fiber cloth or newspaper to wipe clean!
Clean countertops with the same white vinegar and water mixture as for windows. You can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil as well!
Vinegar also makes an excellent degreaser. Use it undiluted to clean stovetops, baked-on grease, even grills!
Sprinkle baking soda on carpets or upholstery and then vacuum. The baking soda will both clean and remove any unwanted odors.
Add a scoop of baking soda to your laundry instead of bleach. This can also help stretch your supply of laundry detergent!
It is best for your clothes (they will last a lot longer) and your electric bill if you dry them on a line or clothes rack. In the winter, hang a line inside in an out-of-the-way location. This will also help humidify your home slightly!
You can add a cup of white vinegar instead of fabric softener. The smell will wash out in the final rinse. Tip: particularly if you use a powdered detergent, experiment with a little detergent and vinegar before you load the wash to be sure they do not foam when combined!
Return to Green Tips
back to top
Food
It is surprising what you can find in food that you might not want in your belly. Be sure to read the labels and try to buy local and/or organic when possible. This helps cut down on the shipping costs and a demand for organic food reduces the amounts of pesticides and herbicides that can run off into groundwater. Support your local farmer's market!
Even in small or urban space, you can grow some of your own veggies during the summer. Look for books about container gardening at your local library.
Most people know that they can reduce their waste by recycling but what about all those kitchen scraps? Composting will reduce your waste even further! There are composting techniques you can use even in urban settings so search online or visit the library to find what would best suit your situation.
Shop with reusable bags. Most grocery stores are selling reusable bags now and will give you a small discount at the register for having them. You can also get smaller, mesh bags for your produce so that you can be plastic-free at the store. But don't think just groceries. You can take those larger bags clothes shopping too!
Either buy in bulk or find products that use less packaging. Another thing to think about is what kind of packaging a product uses. For instance: the waxed cardboard packaging for liquids is not recyclable but the plastic packaging is.
Home
There are a lot of little things that can be done around the house to help the environment and save you money. Larger projects like replacing insulation or windows can be initially expensive but will save you quite a lot in the long run.
Reduce, reuse, recycle. Reduce your waste by resuing items as many times as possible. Recycle everything you can. The energy saved in creating a new glass bottle from a recycled one rather than from scratch will save as much energy as would power a compact fluourescent light bulb for 24 hours. That might not sound like much but just think of all the glass bottles out there!
Replace any incandescent light bulbs with either compact fluorescent or LED lighting. Even halogen lights use significantly less power than standard light bulbs and will last much longer.
When looking into landscape or safety lights, consider going solar. Many of the small, solar landscape lights need very little sunlight and will run long into the night.
Have any leaky faucets? Fixing even a small leak in the bathroom or kitchen can save thousands of gallons of water per year.
A low-flow shower head can save thousands of gallons per year as well. Also try to keep the length of your showers to six minutes or less.
Wash out your recloseable plastic bags instead of throwing them away.
Have a wood burning stove with an electric fan? There are fans out there that you can place directly on your wood stove and will run off the heat!
Consider switching off the power strip that leads to your computer and/or TV/DVR when they are not in use. Any item that has a little indicator light on it is still using electricity even when the power is off.
Look for printer paper (and other paper products) that is not only recycled but also has a high "post-consumer" content value. The difference is this: recycled could mean that the paper company is using their own scraps - awesome but there is one better! Post-consumer means that it was once a newspaper or a cereal box or something else that someone recycled.
Go paperless! More and more banks and credit card companies are offering paperless statements. Paying your bills online will significantly reduce the amount of paper you have to recyle too!
When purchasing new appliances or electronics, read all the labels and look for those with an Energy Star label. These items will be the most efficient products in their category.
A digital thermostat can significantly help with the heating or cooling bill! They are very easy to install and can be programmed to adjust the temperatures for day, night and even weekends.
Drapes can help a lot as well. In the winter, use heavy drapes at night to help keep the heat in. During the summer, drapes can help cool the house during the day by keeping the hot sunlight out.
If you are looking to renovate a room, consider what materials you might use. Recycled glass or concrete make for beautiful countertops and tiles! Bamboo is an extremely hard yet fast growing grass that can also make for gorgeous countertops or floors. Another flooring option is cork which is made from the bark of trees using a process that does not harm the tree. It is a very springy yet surprisingly durable option. Bamboo and other renewable resources can also be made into fibers for carpeting.
If your water heater is not insulated, you can get a blanket for it. Also, consider turning the temperature down on it just enough so that you do not have to use as much cold water in the mix. Need a new water heater? Perhaps an on-demand water heater would be right for your situation. These heaters use much less water and only heat the water when you are ready to use it.
Return to Green Tips
back to top
Kids
Going green with baby can seem a daunting task but there are more and more products and resources out there to help you along. Putting just a little thought into the types of things you may need along the way can make a world of difference.
Let's start with diapers. Disposable diapers can be much easier and the chemical used to absorb moisture is actually a non-toxic and biodegradable NASA spin off! The drawback is that the plastic in them will not biodegrade and also the waste in them does not get treated in a septic or sewer system. Cloth diapers can be more challenging but they are not the hankies with big safety pins that you sometimes think of. They are easier and more user friendly for both parents and children now.
Consider squishy toys and clothing made from organic cotton or bamboo (yes, bamboo clothes and towels are super-soft!).
Return to Green Tips
back to top
Pets
Pets and children can be even more sensitive to what we keep in our homes. If you have a cat, it should be a familiar sight to see it in the sink or bath tub, lapping up water! Using greener cleaning practices can make a big difference.
If you have a smelly litter box, sprinkle a cup of baking soda into it after each cleaning. This will absorb the odors but will not harm kitty when she is cleaning off.
Consider using a wood or wheat based litter. These will compost more readily than some others.
Try pet food that is organic or from a local region. This can help to cut down on groundwater contamination and shipping costs.
Return to Green Tips
back to top
These days, commuting to work is a fact of life. Walking or buying a hybrid car might be out of the question for some people. But not to worry, there are a lot of little things that can be done to reduce your vehicle's impact on the environment.
Try to never leave your vehicle idling. It takes less than 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart your car and it is better for the engine to warm up while in motion. Try turning off the engine while in line for the bank window or take-out. Better yet, just park and walk inside!
Check the tire pressure on your vehicle regularly. Underinflated tires will reduce your gas mileage by more than you might think.
Slow down! When driving faster that about 62 mph, the drag on your vehicle increases exponetially with increased speed. Dropping your highway speed to just 60 can make the most significant impact on your mileage. A Planetarium employee who tried this trick realized a 23% increase in average gas mileage. Another family realized a 30% increase!
Make sure your gas cap is tight. It is estimated that 147 million gallons of gas are lost annually to evaporation due to leaky gas caps.
If at all possible, walk or ride a bike to your destination as often as you can. If that is not practical, try to find one or more carpool buddies.
Do as much of your shopping in one go as possible. Reducing the number of trips to the store will reduce your number of visits to the gas station!
Use mass transportation were possible. Planning a trip to the city? Take a bus or train and use mass transport while there.
If you are in the market for a new vehicle, try looking for the smallest one that can still get the job done. You might be surprised how much can be fit into the new compact and subcompact cars. Don't go for the bigger vehicles unless you really need the space or capabilities. Your wallet and the environment will thank you!
Return to Green Tips
back to top
