Summer is Approaching!

Here are some ways to finish out the spring and step into summer as sustainably as possible!

Support:

FSC certified wood products: Making sure you aren't buying the remnants of a destroyed rain forest is a very good thing. The Forest Stewardship Council exists to do just that. Look for their logo - a check mark-tree outline with the initials FSC - or go to their website for a list of certified companies: chportal.fsc.org/PublicCertificateProject.

Speak Up:

Demand transparency: One thing that we can do as consumers is make sure we know what ingredients are in the products we buy, and if they are potentially harmful. Of course, not all companies want to make this information public. Lend your voice to a campaign that is fighting to make them! Here's one opportunity to do just that: www.womensvoices.org/campaigns/secret-scents/glade-stop-keeping-secrets/. Make sure Glade discloses what ingredients go into its fragrances!

Everyday Living:

Reuse yard waste: Instead of bagging up your grass trimmings, spread them on your garden. The grass will prevent weeds from growing, and it will help plants retain moisture on hot days.

Water prudently: Avoid watering plants at the hottest part of the day, because then the water will evaporate before it can be absorbed. This way, plants will need (and you will waste) less water. Also, be sure not to waste water by getting most of it on the leaves - make sure you get it at the base of the plant.

More sustainable traveling resources: Check out travelocity.com/TravelForGood/gr-directory.html for their Green Hotel Directory.

Plant lawns: If you have any ability to do so at home or even at work or in a community project, lawn planting is a great thing to do for the environment. No matter how small, lawns purify the air and make surrounding buildings cooler, lowering AC output.

Protect against insects safely: Summer is approaching, which means so are a lot of bugs. Wasps in particular can be both irritating and dangerous. However, that doesn't mean you have to wreck the environment to get rid of them! Check out eartheasy.com/live_natwasp_control.htm for a variety of techniques and products to safely repel wasps.