Going Green - Do you know what the 4th “R” of recycling means?
It’s time to expand our thinking and add another layer to our recycling strategy. How many of you know the 4 R’s of Recycling? What is the missing “R”? Well if you’ve been watching my events post you could probably make an educated guess. The fourth “R” is “Rot” I have listed all the composting events going on in Contra Costa County for 2010 in my events section. I highly recommend that if you don’t know a lot about composting that you attend a class. Last year I made an attempt to compost and I made a nice garbage can full of stinky sludge. The good news is after attending the class I learned about the scientific part of composting and I started over and now my composting pile is starting to do it’s job. It’s amazing what a little air will do to help in composting.
Another surprising benefit to composting is that my trash can is not full every week. Little did I know that this one small change would reduce my trash so much. I am so much more aware of what I’ve throwing away.
Did you know that composting has a significant impact of reducing the carbon dioxide released into the environment?
Composting helps the climate! The US EPA estimates that simply increasing our national recycling rate from its current level of 30 percent to 35 percent would reduce GHG emissions by 10 million metric tons of so-called carbon equivalent (MTCE). That amount is equal to the average annual emissions from the electricity consumed by roughly 4.6 million households. (2.)
There is a great article on the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority website pertaining to the impact of the 4r’s on our climate. Did you know the EPA ranks landfills the second largest source of human released methane gas?
I challenge you to think about making one small change and consider composting. Worm composting is a small way to start and it’s something you can do in a small tub that doesn’t use very much space.
Here is a link to a quick guide to worm composting at www.savvygardener.com.
What did Uplifting Green Learn Since Earth Day Last Year?
My journey this past year into becoming a more responsible, sustainable and environmentally good steward of the earth and the resources has proven to me that I can change. Through my diligent writing, research and undying curiosity of needing to know the truth, I’ve made friends and have started developing a like-minded audience.
Let me preface my accomplishments this year by stating that when I made the proactive and conscience decision to live a “greener” life I was definitely “talking the talk” but did not know how to begin to “walk the walk.” Now I have the drive and ambition to peel another layer off the onion this next year and I hope to achieve more and pass my knowledge and experience along to whomever wants to listen.
So how did I start becoming an actively conscience steward of my environment?
First, I needed a broad view of what comprises of my worldy sustainable issues. For me, I realized I consume too much of everything. I use too many resources, I aimlessly throw away anything and everything not fully realizing the impact of my actions.
What did I do with this information?
Second, I asked lots of questions. I follow treehugger.com, planetgreen, mygreenpurse, I watch “Living with Ed” I read books two especially good ones were, No Impact Man by Colin Bevin
What did I learn?
Well, everyone has there own opinions, some more drastic then others but the end result is there are many people who want to change their ways and many people are changing their lifestyles, careers and attitudes based on wanting to live a more sustainable, responsible and eco friendly lifestyle.
What did I specifically do to change this past year?
1) I made friends and I started this blog, I’ve joined many green forums and green groups. I want to know as much as I can and I want to tell everyone about what businesses and services are doing it right.
2) I made a few personal changes. I try to carry a commuter cup into Starbucks and my friends always commetn on it but I do make a statement and an impression.
3) I started really recycling. I compost my food scraps and some of my lawn trimmings. My daughter is earning money from our recycling efforts too. My trash can is usually only half full by the end of the week.
4) I joined freecycle.org and instead of buying new things I try to reuse and repurpose. It’s really kinda fun.
5) I became a Contra Costa County Bay Area Green Certified Business. That was pretty exciting and it really got me motivated to make changes around the house. We know have all CFL lighting and I’m much more aware of my energy consumption. This is an area I want to work on for the next twelve months.
What do I want to accomplish for the next twelve months?
I want to write about all the businesses in my area that are doing it right. I want to share their ideas and visions so we can start making better purchasing decisions and spend our dollars more wisely. I realize there are many greener options than I’m aware of and if I was unaware of them how could you know about them? How are we going to start supporting the right people producing the best products and services that are sustainable, responsible and eco friendly?
Sustainable Contra Costa County - No Impact Project - Join Us for a One Week Cleanse
| April 18, 2010 | to | April 24, 2010 |
The No Impact Experiment is a one-week carbon cleanse starting on April 18. It is a chance for you to see what a difference no-impact living can have on your quality of life. It’s not about giving up creature comforts but an opportunity for you to test whether the modern “conveniences” you take for granted are actually making you happier or just eating away at your time and money. For more information visit www.noimpactproject.org and/or Sustainable Contra Costa’s Facebook page
Read to Book, Watch the Movie, Listen to it on Audio of Kindle. Make your own decision.
Going Green, Burning Fat and Drinking Organic, Fair Trade Coffee from Boresha®
Okay my loyal fans, I really want you to give this a fair sip. If I told you I found a coffee that is 100% certified organic, as well as fair trade certified, and helps you burn fat would you be interested in hearing about it? I’m banking on the fact that you are reading this blog because you want to make better buying decisions this year and you want to burn off excess fat.
We’ve all been continually reading and watching the news and know that coffee beans are the #2 internationally traded commodity but not all coffee is treated equal nor are the people who work hard to cultivate, produce and deliver it to our doorsteps.
Boresha International roasts coffee in Concord, CA. Did you know that the United States does not grow any coffee except in Puerto Rico and Hawaii? The coffee beans purchased by Boresha arrive from the Ethiopian, Ugandon and Tanzania regions. These beans are grown on farms that are environmentally sustainable and boast of the following certifications.
(OCIA) - Organic Crop Improvement Association which is the oldest, largest and most trusted leaders in the organic certification industry 100% shade grown organic.
USDA Organic - The United States benchmark for standard agricultural practices. Operations must be certified by a state or private entity that has been accredited by the USDA.
Fair Trade Certified - The coffee was grown responsibly, the farmers received a fair price and no child labor was used.
So now you feel good about the coffee you are drinking, you are supporting the local Concord, CA economy and did I mention you can also burn fat at a rapid rate drinking Boresha’s B-Skinny coffee?® 
Boresha Coffee and Skinny Science joined forces and together have developed a patented fat-burning thermogenic coffee. BSkinny Coffee® received the first and only low glycemic coffee patent ever awarded. This low glycemic patent is for hunger control, balanced energy, and combats stress-related eating. Did you know that drinking coffee causes fat storage in humans? So technically you are getting the buzz you crave but you are stimulating fat storage at the same time. One of the key components of BSkinny coffee® is that is contains “Buffered Caffeine” instead of regular caffeine.
I am personally looking forward to trying Boresha Bskinny coffee® for myself if for nothing else than to know I’m purchasing and consuming a responsibly grown coffee that is being roasted in Contra Costa County. If I burn some fat in the process I’m certainly not going to complain.
If you click here, you can order a free sample, just pay for the shipping.
Uplifting Green is a Certified Contra Costa County Green Business
After a few months of making a few minor changes around the house and developing a few new habits, I am proud to announce that Uplifting Green has joined the group of over 300 small to medium sized businesses in Contra Costa County whom are certified as a “Green Business.” Taking the time to understand what this certification represents and how much of an impact each and every one of us has on our local environment has been a humbling experience. It is my personal goal to heighten the awareness of what each of us can do to live a sustainable, eco friendly lifestyle by continually reducing our carbon footprint. The purpose of Uplifting Green is to bring cities, businesses and consumers together through continually providing information about events, green businesses, and the latest news and tips on the “Green Movement.” It is not enough these days to talk about going green it’s time to take action. Together we have the ability to change law, our buying habits, and we can even make good lifestyle changes that will protect our environment for future generations. I encourage those of you that read this blog to leave comments and ask questions. If you are a green certified business and need a fresh marketing angle, this is the place to be. Green businesses have a voice here. My goal is to write reviews, post green advertising, green classifieds and upload green videos. Let’s make a commitment to “uplift” businesses that are taking the initiative to make our world a better place to live.
If you are interested in obtaining the Contra Costa County Green Certification click here.
If you are interested in “Green Marketing” contact me directly: Diana Dobbie, Uplifting Green 925.513.7241
