How can you decrease this huge waste of water? Pledge to decrease your water footprint! The National Geographic came up with a water consumption calculator for people to take, then pledge at the end to decrease their water consumption by specific amounts.

How does it work? The calculator asks a number of questions pertaining to your home and lifestyle. Some of the questions include:

• What year was your home built?
• How many showers do you take a week, and for how long?
• How much pork, chicken, milk and coffee do you consume per day?
• What is the fuel efficiency of the car you drive, in miles per gallon?
• How much do you spend on clothes and shoes, including jeans, T-shirts and running shoes, suits and dress shoes?

To figure out how much water you consume, and to pledge to decrease, go to the National Geographic’s Water Footprint Calculator.

The problem that many “eco” hotels have is they advertise green living and green travel but in reality don’t have any sort of eco-friendly programs, were built decades ago (before flower power popularized) and produce tons of waste per week.

How do you pick through the greenwash posers and ensure your travels are in fact green? Read our checklist, and then pack your suitcase and head on to that green adventure!

1. Check out the organizations/hotels environmental policy. A key indicator that what you’re looking at is greenwashing? No environmental policy. The policy will generally be posted on an organization’s website, but are usually available in person in writing as well. These policies should cover the organization’s environmental impact, employment and cultural policies.
2. Ask questions! This is the key ingredient to finding out if a place is really green and not just putting the sign in the front window. Ask important environmental questions that a place that cares about the environment should be able to answer, even those who work the front desk. Some questions to ask include:
   1. How do they recycle?
   2. Do they employ local guides and leaders?
   3. Do they have a “green” purchasing policy?
   4. How do they minimize the effect on the environment by their walking tours in local towns and wilderness areas?
   5. What are their energy sources?
   6. What proportion of their revenue goes into helping the local communities or local environmental charities?
3. Lastly, get the goods! Generally, a company or organization that makes efforts to help the community takes great pride in it, and likes to brag. Ask the customer service reps what milestones they’ve recently reached, or what environmental programs they’ve recently initiated. Hearing the pride behind employees voices should be a clear indicator they are really there trying to make a difference.

1. Purchase or remember your reusable tote bags
2. Go the whole day without using your car. Take public transportation, walk or just stay home!
3. Eat a meal of locally sourced food and avoid beef. This will greatly reduce your carbon impact.
4. Have a picnic with your grandkids. To promote being outside, The Nature Conservancy is encouraging everyone to eat a meal on a park bench, picnic table or a bed sheet in a field.
5. Swap out your traditional light bulbs for CFLs

It’s a busy weekend with the holidays going on. If you take a couple of these easy steps to make a green home this weekend, you will be doing great work for the Earth! Remember, it’s the only one we have!

During his speech, held at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., he set up some items he thought the American public should address, or at least keep in mind.

1. American oil imports will be reduced by 30%
2. America does not have the oil supplies to fuel our country without outside help
3. Natural gas holds extreme potential… if used right
4. Battery production is key to promoting electric cars
5. Nuclear power is still a very real part of America

To read more, click here.

However, keeping it safe and charged is something I’ve had a problem with. Technology might not be the best at offering green alternatives, but I’ve found some great products that actually will assist in the problems I’m having with my iPad, as well as be environmentally friendly!

The Vers Shellcase

This hand-crafted bamboo stand has a metal foot to make the incline of your iPad at rest convenient and natural to how you work. There is also a hardwood option for those not into the bamboo look. As a bonus, Vers will plant 100 trees per every one tree it uses in producing its product!

The Audrey iPad Purse

Carrying multiple bags always strains my back, but I always feel like my regular purse isn’t safe for transporting my iPad places. This Audrey iPad Purse fixes those problems, being stylish, eco-friendly and safe for your iPad and all accessories. It’s made from recycled “suede and satin”, vegan leather and recycled zipper.

Solio Solar Charger

Although these small chargers cannot charge your iPad in the traditional sense, when fully charged it can power your iPad like an external battery. Although not cheap ($99.95), this charger can help save a lot of energy.

But what happens in between trips to the cleaner? Those hangers can take up a lot of space and make green living a bit cumbersome. Luckily, Hanger Hampers have great green living ideas and have come up with a solution.

Hanger Hampers fits nicely into a corner of a closet or bedroom and neatly holds any standard size hanger. It is made from post-consumer material so buying it alone promotes green living. Once it fills up, you can recycle your hangers back to the dry cleaners. Enjoy a nice discount or watch their eyes light up when they realize they don’t have to order more hangers for a month! Not only will you save space in your closet, but you help decrease the number of hangers floating around your area, and prevent landfill waste.

These diets are simple, easy to manage, and cost effective.

1. Real Food Diet – If grandma wouldn’t call it food, neither should you! The Real Food Diet consists of eating foods with little to no unpronounceable ingredients. Many food products in your local grocery store are packed with unnatural and processed ingredients which can retain fats in your body.
2. Locavore Diet – Stimulate your body and the local economy by buying foods produced within 100 miles of where you live. Farmer’s Markets are a great source of local fruits and vegetables, as are local bakeries and food co-ops for baked goods and other products. Local foods tend to be less processed, giving your body natural vitamins and proteins it needs to stay healthy and trim fat.
3. Eco Atkins Diet - The traditional Atkins Diet is packed with animal fats, far from green and only questionably healthy. But this eco twist follows the same carb-to-protein ratio using plant-based proteins like soy, beans and no-starch gluten instead. Researchers found dieters lost weight and reduced their bad (LDL) cholesterol levels at the same time.
4. Vegetarian Diet – Did you know that eating a veggie diet can reduce your carbon footprint by a ton? Your water footprint (as well as water weight) will significantly decrease as well. Keep in mind you can still have eggs and dairy. You also want to make sure to fill up on healthy produce and legumes so you don’t fill up on carbs.
5. Vegan Diet – This diet is not for the faint of heart. You need to be dedicated and strong-willed, willing to take the extra step from vegetarian to vegan. Vegan diets are like vegetarian, although they also take out any animal-based products like dairy and eggs.

If the vegetarian and vegan diets are too much for you to handle, try a flex diet. Flex diets designate certain times when you are allowed to eat meat, like the weekends, every other day, etc. It weans meat off your diet slowly but still allows you to indulge those burger cravings that everyone seems to have!

• Clean your dorm or apartment using inexpensive and green cleaners
  • Replace these cleaning products with these natural mixtures in inexpensive water bottles. Stain remover = baking soda and a little water; Counter/tile cleaning products = equal parts water and white vinegar

Who would have known, though, that the words fast food and organic could be in the same sentence. There are actually fast food organic restaurants all over the country! Here is list of the Top 5 Organic Fast-Food Restaurants.

1) Organic To Go

Founded just seven years ago, Organic To Go opened its first location in Seattle, Washington. Since then, they have opened several locations on the West Coast and Virginia. The organic menu includes a variety of items such as sandwiches, pizzas, salads, wraps, soups, breakfast burritos and quesadillas.

2) Chipotle

Chipotle Mexican Grill began in Denver in 1993 and is known for its scrumptious oversized organic burritos. Locations are dispersed throughout the United States and Canada. The founders of Chipotle firmly believe in free range meats. Their mission statement “Food with Integrity” reflects their interest in serving natural whole foods to their customers.

3) Evos

Evos is a healthy alternative for the good ol’ burger and fries. They are known for their tasty slow roasted organic burgers. They also have organic shakes made with natural milk, fresh fruit, and sugar. As for the fries, they are never fried; rather they are baked with a process called air baking. Natural food for the whole family!

4) GustOrganic

GustOrganic is a fast food restaurant solely located in New York City. All items served at GustOrganic are 100% organic. Up and running since 2001, they are planning to expand in the near future. The menu includes breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner items.

5)  O’Naturals

O’Naturals started in Portland, Maine 10 years ago. So far there are four locations of O’Naurals – in different parts of Maine, Kansas, Massachusetts and Arizona.  Their fast-food dishes are organic and use locally grown ingredients whenever possible. Their menu features soups, salads, flatbread sandwiches, and even kids’ meals.

Here are 7 environmental ways to make the most out of the pumpkin decorations you see at the stores without spending too much! Uses range from food, decorations, and even body care!

Food

• Stuffed Pumpkin – the pumpkin is already hollowed out, now stuff it again! Use bread crumbs, cheese, garlic and cream. To add flavor to the cream feel free to add nutmeg and black pepper. Cut the bread and cheese into slices, throw it in the pumpkin, and bake! Make sure there is a nicely sized hole on the top to scope out the deliciousness at the end! The oven should be at 350* and the pumpkin should bake for 2 hours, taking the top off for the last 20 minutes.
• Harvest Pumpkin Soup – Pumpkin soup is one of the best harvest foods available, one that keeps you energized, healthy and warm throughout the fall season. There are plenty of recipes online that incorporate leeks, apples and cider to make a spicy or hearty soup, ready for any hungry family our get together.
• Pumpkin Biscuits –Warm biscuits straight from the oven are mouthwatering enough, but with pumpkin? Count me in! Follow any typical biscuit recipe, but add ½ teaspoon of allspice and ¾ cup canned pumpkin. Add the pumpkin to the flour, the allspice to the salt, flour and baking soda, and you’re set to go with the most mouthwatering pumpkin biscuits!

Body

• DIY pumpkin body butter – This exfoliating ‘oh-so-good’ massage aide and moisturizer is actually extremely easy to make! Mix ½ cup of pumpkin puree, ½ cup solids from a can of coconut milk and a ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. That’s it! Once you apply to the skin and massage it in, let it fully soak in for 10 minutes or so, then rinse off with warm water.
• Pumpkin Mask – This is a great excuse to sit back and relax for an hour while getting pampered, exfoliated and moisturized! Everything one needs in the fall season! Unfortunately, this is not something to be done at home, but offered at many spas and skin care specialists. The smell is intoxicating, the feel of your skin baby smooth, and your complexion ready to take on the world!

Home

• DIY floating pumpkin candles – Place these in water-filled shallow bowls on the dinner table and have a beautiful fall inspired centerpiece. Buy 6-8 miniature pumpkins and the same number of small votive candles. Cut a hole the size of the candle in the top of the candle and sit the candle snugly in the hole.
• DIY fresh-pumpkin air fresheners - Make the delicious smell of Halloween and Thanksgiving last throughout the season. This is extremely and will hone your pumpkin carving abilities! Cut the top off and scoop the guts from the pumpkin just like you would if you were carving it. Cut holes in the pumpkin sides for ventilation, then spread your favorite spice along the inside of the pumpkin top (nutmeg, cinnamon, etc.). After you place a beeswax tea candle in the middle, light it, and let the subtle aromas of pumpkin mixed with spice calm and relax you.