One Rotten Apple Spoils the Whole Barrel: Why Macs Are bad for the Environment

We’ve all seen those Apple commercials where the old, boring guy is the PC and Justin Long is the “cool, younger and hipper” Mac. While they are creative they annoy us,(who on earth thought Justin Long was “cool”?), but that’s not why we’re writing this post.

This week, we’re highlighting an amazing campaign that Greenpeace has started called “Green my Apple”. Seems that the boring dude (Mr. PC) actually knows something about the environment that your Mac doesn’t. Apparently, Apple—that company we love for being fresh, edgy and giving us ipods in cute colors—is lagging behind everyone else in the green arena. Even worse, they don’t seem to care.

"You’re Toxic, I'm slippin’ under…"

Apple is failing the environment in 2 ways: Toxic Chemicals and in their lack of a “Take Back” program.

Toxic chemicals are actually a big problem in all electronics. One of the worst is the plastic Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) that is used in pretty much every computer. From its manufacture to its disposal, PVC emits toxic compounds. During the manufacture of PVC, dioxin and other pollutants that cause global warming are emitted into the air. When PVC reaches the end of its life, it is difficult to recycle. Thus, it can be either land-filled, where it leaches toxic additives, or incinerated, again emitting dioxin. Gross.

Which leads us to product take-back… If you’re making products with toxic chemicals, you should at least take them back in order to ensure they are disposed of in the most environmentally friendly manner. Over at Apple, the majority end up in toxic e-waste yards in Asia., exposing children in China and India to dangerous chemicals and polluting our air.

If all your friends jump off a bridge and institute take-back programs, would you?

Though not perfectly green yet, other companies, such as HP and Dell, have set a specific date to remove PVC from their products lines. Apple hasn't. Major brand-new product lines like the iPod nano and MacBook still contain loads of PVC.

Other computer and electronic companies also already have extensive take-back programs in place. HP’s program, first evaluates all the discarded equipment for re-use. In Canada, for example, HP donates functioning electronics to schools. The remaining non-reusable equipment is sent to a state of the art facility where the e-waste is processed and recycled.

Because of how poorly Apple fares in both the toxic chemical and take back departments, in an extensive and detailed study, they have been ranked the ABSOLUTE LOWEST out of the 14 major electronic companies for their eco-policies. The list is pretty interesting...See how everyone ranked (and why) .

Wait, you’re not asking me to give back my iPod, are you?

No…your tip for the week is a little easier than that. THIS WEEK write Steve Jobs a letter asking him to re-consider Apple’s dismal eco-policies. Don’t worry, we’ve got a link to a letter that’s already written (though you can edit it to your heart’s content) with a button to send it straight to him. The hope is that the more people who complain, the more Apple will get the message loud and clear. Click here to send your letter:

And since that was pretty easy, there’s one more thing we want you to do. Apple has been able to stay pretty under the radar with this—surprising considering this is in direct opposition with their young, clean and hip corporate branding. So whether you forward this post to your entire mailing list (something we always encourage you to do…we are always looking for new subscribers), send a video e-card to your friends about it or any of the other ideas at "Green my Apple".

We’re not trying to ruin Apple—I mean, who hasn’t revolutionized their workout with their iPod? We’re just trying to apply some good old fashioned consumer pressure to make them change their ways… and maybe their commercials.

Like a Virgin

You’re making your weekly grocery store run (okay, fine...monthly grocery store run) and you are on the paper product aisle. You’ve got a few extra bucks in your pocket so you think, “How about I spend my hard-earned money on regular paper towels instead of recycled ones, so I can spend the extra $2 on Happy Hour tonight?” Understandable.

But, do you ever think to yourself when you are passing a tree on your way to the grocery store, “How about I pull over and chop down that tree trunk and wipe my nose all over it?” Ew, no. You don’t think that.

But if you buy non-recycled paper towels, that’s what you are inevitably doing….Plus, in most cases, making products from recycled materials creates less air pollution and water pollution than making products from “virgin” (non-recycled) materials.

Our tip for the week....stop de-virginizing all those paper towels and tissues and start buying recycled paper products!

To quote everyone’s favorite Trident commercial...Chew on this:

• If every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber toilet paper (500 sheets) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 423,900 trees.
  

• If every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber paper towels (70 sheets) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 544,000 trees.

• If every household in the United States replaced just one package of virgin fiber napkins (250 count) with 100% recycled ones, we could save 1 million trees.
  

• In case you forgot why trees are important in the global warming battle: A tree can grow to manufacture five pounds of pure oxygen per day, consume carbon dioxide to fight the "greenhouse effect" that threatens our survival, and provide the cooling equivalent of ten room-size air conditioning units (for more facts about why trees are groovy, take a look at our November 12th post Get more Bag for you Buck)
  

Buying recycled paper products is as easy as downloading the new JT song from iTunes...Just read the label:

• When items are made from recycled materials, they usually say so right on the label.

• Look for products that have a high recycled content, including high post-consumer content. Post-consumer fibers are recovered from paper that was previously used by consumers and would otherwise have been dumped into a landfill or an incinerator.
  

• Look for products that are chlorine-free (TCF) or processed chlorine-free (PCF). We all love our Crest White Strips, but some things just don't need to be even whiter and brighter. Like your toilet paper. Unlike your precious chompers, the chlorine used in many paper bleaching processes contributes to the formation of harmful chemicals that wind up in our air.

Click here to check out a FULL LIST of how your favorite products fare in terms of recycled content, bleaching processes and post-consumer content.

Having trouble finding recycled paper products?

They should be at your local grocery store or drug store. But if not...When you’re on Amazon buying your the new Harry Potter book (Lydia!!), check out all their links to buying recycled paper products (Seventh Generation, Windsoft, Green Forest and many others).

Or when you are on Drugstore.com buying Excedrin in bulk because you decided to use your extra cash on Happy Hour instead of Recycled Paper Towels, click on their products links for these same brands.

Or go to TreeCycle.com (get it) for online resources for every recycled product you can think of and more. Get your office to switch to recycled paper or order your own biodegradable take out hot cups and save your Starbucks money for your house down payment.

If you are feeling uber-proactive:

CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER if a brand you buy for your home doesn't have any recycled content. Tell them to use more recycled fibers, to avoid sourcing from ecologically valuable forests and to ensure any virgin fibers used are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

And if you’re like my little cousin and still not convinced because you think that recycled toilet paper is made from people’s used toilet paper, HERE ARE THE FACTS:

The process that turns recovered paper into recycled fibers for use in new papers is a heavy-duty washing, scrubbing and screening process. Those papers are dumped into huge vats, similar to several-stories-tall washing machines.

Inks are floated to the top of the vat, where they are skimmed off. Heavier non-fiber materials in the paper (such as paper clips and staples) are swirled through centrifugal force and shoved through smaller and smaller screens to separate them from the fibers and send them out of the system as waste.

Recycled fibers are washed and scrubbed and washed and scrubbed and screened and washed again over and over before they get to the paper making machine.

Now you know so there is no excuse. Buy recycled paper products and leave the virginity to the trees.

For more info, check out Conservatree.

In Honor of Honest Abe and George W. (the first)

We think whoever invented President's Day is a genius…What's better than a long weekend right in the middle of the winter to ski, sun or see old friends...the only problem is that all that weekend jet-setting can wreak havoc on the environment. Whether you're flying to the other side of the country, or just driving your SUV up to the local mountain, here is a way to offset your guilty conscience without giving up the precious vacay time….

Meet Terra Pass, an amazing offsetting program that can help you reduce your carbon footprint all the way to zero. Basically, you go to their site and using their prompts, type in what kind of travel you will be doing (flying or driving?) and what cities you're traveling between. They calculate the donation it will take to offset (balance out) your CO2 emissions, and then invest your donation in green energies. (Terra Pass has a strict verification process to make sure they money is being used to make actual environmental change.)

For example, Jess (in L.A.) absolutely HAS to fly to Toronto, Canada this weekend for a wedding (oh the late 20's, so many weddings…). When she typed her travel info into Terra Pass (which literally took less than 5 seconds--such an easy site to use!), they told her that her round trip of 4,361 miles was the equivalent of 1,701 lbs. of CO2. How could she offset that? Terra Pass recommended she buy $9.95 "Puddle Jumper" which balances out 2,500 lbs of CO2. So, for less than it costs to see a movie, Jess can now enjoy her friend's wedding, eco-guilt free. And the money she donated went to projects that offset C02, such as wind energyand industrial efficiency programs.

And even if you're too cool for commercial travel and you love your PJ (private jet, duh), Terra Pass can design a custom offset for your jet travel, too. Contact aviation@terrapass.com or (877) 270-1122. (But P.S., did you know that one hour in a Gulfstream GV burns about as much fuel as one year of driving? Can’t you just slum it in first class?)

And once Prez Day is over and you're left to deal with your gotta-get-out-of-town-itis til Memorial Day, you can STILL use Terra Pass. Whether it's your daily car-usage, the hydrangeas you had to fly across the globe to have in your winter wedding, or the emissions you produce in your own home, Terra Pass has options to offset the carbon emissions your lifestyle produces.

So, go ahead, sing it with us now…Vacation all I ever wanted, Vacation have to get away…


P.S. Happy Valentine's Day! Don't give your love flowers drenched in chemicals! Buy organic roses...click HERE for more info why buying organic flowers is better....

or

Give that special someone a Terra Pass Gift Certificate. Brilliant!

Wet is the New Dry: Environmentally Friendly Dry Cleaning

Ever notice that funky smell on your clothes when you get them home from the dry cleaners? It sometimes gives you a headache and you find yourself in miles of clingy plastic bags and lots of flimsy hangers trying to rip your clothes from the clutches of the packaging.
Did you know the process of “dry cleaning” your clothes consists of your clothes being dipped in a toxic chemical solution (Perchloroethylene, also known as PERC) and then pressed to a crispy crunchy finish?

Overall the process of dry cleaning is not good for the environment, but what about your personal health? Though just trace amounts remain on your clothes, the dry cleaned duds are still “off gassing” the PERC chemicals while in your closet and over a period of time, even trace amount of this chemical may be toxic. PERC has even been proved to cause cancer to those who come into direct contact with the chemical, especially in employees of dry cleaners. Talk about the perks of a job.

The eco-effects of PERC and dry cleaning are equally grim. Most of the PERC used by the dry cleaning industry escapes incidentally into outdoor air through windows, vents, and air conditioners. Once outdoors, and after a few weeks, PERC breaks down into other chemicals, of which are toxic and some of which deplete the ozone layer (EPA DFE, 2005).
Most of the solid waste materials resulting from dry cleaning are collected by hazardous waste management companies for recycling and/or incineration (EPA DFE, 2005). However, if incinerated, greater problems may be caused, as the "incineration of PERC waste leads to the formation of dioxin, a potent carcinogen in humans" (Greenpeace, 2003).

PERC also contaminates water... the solvent has contaminated one in 10 wells in California. According to Greenpeace, "70% of all of PERC used ends up in the environment where it extensively contaminates both ground- and drinking water.

So given all the health and eco-concerns, it is very exciting that last week, the ever progressive state of California enacted the nation’s first statewide ban of PERC, the most common chemical used by dry cleaners. The regulation by the California Air Resources Board will phase out the fluid next year, banning dry cleaners from buying machines that rely on the solvent. The state’s 3,400 dry cleaners who now use it must get rid of machines that are 15 years or older by July 2010. By 2023, no more dry-cleaning machines that use PERC, a potential carcinogen, will be permitted in the state.

The good news is…you can still wear your cashmere. There ARE alternative cleaning processes, and a lot of dry cleaners are catching on. Essentially, there are three main healthy and eco-friendly substitutes: Silicone, Wet Cleaning and CO2 Cleaning. (Yes, that last one was CO2 cleaning…we know we’re usually talking about how evil CO2 is in terms of global warming, but as a clothes cleaning method it’s totally legit.)

There are other non-PERC methods available, however, CO2, silicone, and wet cleaning are the three most prominent and attractive due to their environmental friendliness and cleaning ability. So how do the alternatives compare, at least in terms of cleaning ability?

Carbon dioxide- This method reportedly gives the best results...Clothing doesn't change shape, shrink, or stretch. with little or no change in the color or the texture of the fabrics.

Silicone-based- Marketed as GreenEarth cleaning, this method is almost as good in terms of overall quality of cleaning. Find a Green Earth Cleaner in your state or city.

Wet Cleaning- This is a system that uses biodegradable soap and water. Computer-controlled dryers and stretching machines ensure that the fabric retains its natural size and shape. Wet cleaning can purportedly clean 99.9% of "dry clean only" garments safely, including leather; suede; most tailored woolens, silks and rayons. (Neckties seem to be the one exception.) Read more about it.

The funny thing is, according to a 2003 Consumer Report, which compared the cleaning quality of all three methods and PERC, PERC (the traditional dry cleaning method) scored very low in how well it actually cleaned the garments). A lambswool jacket was severely pilled. A skirt shrank almost one size. Asilk blouse faded and had a white, frosted look. This was the only method that resulted in an odor being left on the clothes.

Given that CO2, silicon, and wet cleaning are apparently better in almost every way than traditional dry cleaning, why aren't more cleaners making the change? Well, PERC came into dominance as a cleaner because of its superior cleaning power, reduced flammability, and affordability. However if the cheaper dry cleaning is contaminating your soil and water and giving you cancer, it’s probably not cheaper in the long run.

Which brings us to our Tip of the Week: Find a dry cleaners who offers Non-PERC cleaning method and start taking your clothes there. If you live in L.A., here are a list of some local green-friendly dry cleaners, though we’re sure it’s not completely comprehensive. If you live elsewhere, look around and do a little research (even going to Google and typing in “dry cleaners”, “environment” and/or “eco-friendly” along with your city name could yield some feasible results). If you live in Nor-Cal here is a link with a list of green cleaners http://www.ecologycenter.org/directory/results.php?sFAQ=dry%20cleaning/wet%20cleaning.

However, given the fact that eco-friendly dry cleaners aren’t the norm (yet) and may be hard for some of you to find, here are some things to remember next time at the dry cleaner:

1. Recycle the hangers each time.

2. Wash your cotton items (like mens dress shirts) at home and take them to the cleaner to be pressed, avoiding the cleaning process all together.

3. Certain items marked “dry clean only” do not need to be cleaned after every wear (a wool suit is a good example of this). We don’t want you to walk around in stinky, stained clothing, but if it doesn’t NEED to be cleaned, then don’t. Our earth doesn’t NEED any more PERC in it either.

4. Bring back the annoying plastic bags for them to re-use or recycle them.

5. Ask them if they have any eco-friendly dry cleaning alternatives. The more pressure they get from their consumer, the more likely they are to start chaging their processes. It’s the power of the purse.

If 50 is the new 30, and pies are the new cupcakes, then I think it’s time we all fess up to the fact that wet is the new dry… cleaning.