2.  Think before trashing your old electronics. “Call2Recycle provides a free and convenient way to recycle old cell phones and used rechargeable batteries found in cordless electronic products such as laptops, camcorders, digital cameras, cordless power tools, mp3 players, PDAs and more,” Briana Papa of Call2Recycle, said.

“There are more than 30,000 retail, community and business collection sites enrolled in the program throughout the U.S. and Canada. Consumers can simply drop their used rechargeable batteries and old cell phones in branded Call2Recycle collection boxes at participating retailers such as Best Buy, Target, RadioShack, The Home Depot and Lowe’s. Call2Recycle is operated by the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC), a nonprofit, public service agency dedicated to recycling used rechargeable batteries.  For more information on the program and to find a comprehensive list of collection sites, please visit www.call2recycle.org.”

3.  Rather than spending your Sunday mornings clipping coupons, only to leave them at home when you go to the store, why not keep them close in a convenient way?  Try TheSavingsPost.com, “a local coupon site that allows consumers to text message local coupons to their cell phones.”

“Consumers always have their cell phones with them so they always have their coupons with them,” Dan Sexton, president of TheSavingsPost.com, said.  “Consumers are not only saving on paper, ink, etc….but they are also saving money while they shop locally.”

4.  Want to wish your friends and family “happy birthday” and stay green?  There’s an option for that now with BirthdayDialer.com.  This “new website allows the user to select from a menu of fun musical birthday greetings and send one directly to their friends’ phones for free,” Heidi Glauser of www.birthdaydialer.com, said.  Fun, free and green.  That’s hard to beat.

5.   Are you drowning in foil, plastic wrap and paper towels?  Make your household a little greener and “look for glass containers that are sturdy, sealable and reusable and use cloth napkins,” Shelby Zadow, marketing director for BioAg.com, said.

6.  Want to make your razor last longer? “Corrosion causes most razor heads to go bad not dullness,” Raddenbach said. “My wife and I use manual razors with disposable heads. After each shave we use a spray bottle to clean the heads out thoroughly and blot it dry with a towel, and we don’t leave the razor in the shower.”

7.  We plan our hectic schedules around our work, so why not our errands as well?  Group your trips for less stress, both on you and the environment! “Whether it’s by car or public transit, planning your trips to the store or to run errands can be most efficiently accomplished with the least environmental impact if you make sure you’re not backtracking or running one errand a day,” A.J. Dax, green lifestyle expert, said.  “Best of all, of course, is planning you errands so you can do them by walking or bicycle whenever possible.”

8.  Similarly, Dax recommends planning your cooking.  “Because I have an electric stove, I time my cooking with how long the burner will remain hot so I’m not letting the heat from the burner go to waste.  I also recommend Staub and Le Creuset cooking pots (or similar enameled cast iron).  Once these pots get warm, they retain their heat and cook similarly to a slow cooker.  So you don’t have to have the burner turned up on a higher setting until the cooking is done.  That said, people should also remember to use lids properly when cooking.  So many people forget that if they’re boiling water or other items, they will heat faster and use less energy if you put a lid on the pot to hold the heat in.  Those old fashioned tips really do work a lot.  Grandma knew her stuff!”

9.  Start thinking “functional chic” when you shop for your home rather than “fashionable chic,” Zadow said.  “I think the biggest change has been in my mind set.  Areas I would typically want to redecorate (remove out dated tile etc), I’ve decided instead to find ways to decorate around instead of creating more waste.”

10.  Clothing and shoes, however, can be another deal entirely.  You can still be fashionable and green.  Dax created and continues to follow his own shopping rules. “If I see a great new pair of shoes and those shoes aren’t replacing a pair that has worn out, I buy them.  But when I go home, I have to pick a pair of shoes that will be donated to charity.  The same goes for clothing.”  This is a great way to recycle your clothes and shoes for a greater purpose while still buying what you want.

Thanks to all of these great ideas from the HARO contributors!

Have green tips for SocialYell?  Tell us today at SocialYell or tweet about it to SocialYellBlog on Twitter!

Ashley Strickland is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Georgia.  She loves reading the green tips people send out!

In the rush to go green through every possible venue, we have all largely overlooked the pink elephant in the room.  Shopping seems like such a benevolent thing to do in this economy.  (RED) signs in the Gap window assure us that our purchases are helping others in another country.  Wearing TOMS shoes gives us the ability to put shoes on someone’s bare feet.  These are great ideas, just some of the few available under the giant umbrella of the fashion industry.  But what about the rest of it?

So, just how responsible is the fashion industry, on the whole?  For years, textile and clothing companies have been accused of exploiting foreign labor.  Fashion also drives consumer demand and consumption.  Even “eco clothing” purchases are often discretionary consumption.  So, what are our options?  How do we improve the fashion industry while we continue to use it?

First of all, we have to take the fashion industry seriously.  Just hearing the word “fashion” calls up images of pouty models, haute couture and glossy magazines covered with airbrushed, smiling faces.  Beneath this timeless veneer is the root of our biggest obsession and consumption.  Fashion needs to be taken seriously and handled with care.  That is just what the Greater Washington Fashion Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. plans to do.

Christine Brooks-Cropper, the president of this organization, “has made considerable strides in creating a Fashion Caucus to represent the voice of the Fashion Industry in Congress nationwide,” Jessica Hoy, senior associate, said.  “The interesting thing about this Caucus is it could represent everything from trade issues and sweat shop regulations to Design Piracy and fashion week locales.”

“[Brooks-Cropper] is trying to mobilize the fashion industry and give it a voice on a law making level so issues can be discussed and resolutions can be made,” Hoy said.

What exactly are the issues that need to be dealt with in the fashion industry?  Consumers and designers alike weighed in.

“The issue that I really care about is producing clothes by sweatshop labor,” Lidia Wachowska, proprietor and designer of Evil Kitty, said. “I understand that 95 percent of clothes are produced oversees, mostly in sweatshop condition. I’ve been told so many times that I have to outsource and go abroad; otherwise there is no future for my label.”

Wachowska, however, disagrees.  “I believe you can be successful and keep your production local. Evil Kitty is a socially responsible company. I use a local Chicago manufacturer, who is located 5 blocks from our studio. We reduce the carbon footprint to the minimum there and at the same support the local economy. All of our fabrics are purchased from U.S. mills or local distributors and fabric stores. I also believe in making a quality garment, a piece that you can keep for years, and will not go out of style.”

Designers are also looking to consumers as the next big trend in turning the fashion industry’s practices on its ear.

“People need to become aware of where things are being produced and become more conscious shoppers,” Kate Robertson, owner of Mayu Hand-Knit Alpaca, said.  “Consumers have power.  If consumers would just realize and value the practice behind the product, then they would be showing the fashion industry consumer responsibility.”

For some, it is a matter of balancing the trends and desires of consumers.

“I feel the fashion industry, though having a myriad of influences itself, greatly influences consumer behavior,” Adrien Edwards, owner of TheNakedHippie organic t-shirts, said. “But at the same time, I think the chicken and egg argument has to be determined for two very different factions of the ‘Fashion Industry.’”

“The fashion businesses that influence the trends more tend to be the ones with the most well funded marketing departments, such as Gucci, Armani, Gap, etc…. Whereas the more subtle businesses such as Snorg Tees, Tom’s Shoes, ecco or Ugg back in the day, and of course TheNakedHippie, tend to be directed more by the consumer’s desires.  Many of the ladder style businesses were erected as a result of an existing trend,” Edwards said.

There are other sustainable and eco-friendly designers forming a grassroots effort to save the planet and still make people feel individual through expression.  Activist fashion house Vaute Couture, which makes vegan coats, Rising Tide Fair Trade, an ethical fashion company and LAVintage, a company that deals in “recycled” clothing, are just some of the better choices available.  But what about the other designers?  How do existing designers “go green”?

Kathleen Fasanella just may be the missing link.  In addition to blogging about the fashion industry “from a sustainability standpoint,” Fasanella “leads, instructs, and teaches designers about how to produce responsibly.”

However, Fasanella and her small team at Fashion-Incubator can’t do it alone.  It all comes back to the consumer.  We have a voice, and it speaks even louder through our wallets.  If we educate ourselves on what we’re buying, then perhaps our dollars will do the talking.  Eventually, we just may turn the fashion industry around.

Remember that in this day and age, knowledge is the new black.  People aren’t paper dolls and it’s time we let the fashion industry know that the days of irresponsible silence are over.

Check out some of the fashion discussions going on today at SocialYell!

Ashley Strickland is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Georgia.  She is now seriously considering buying a vegan coat.

“Even before the challenges Wall Street has endured, there were good and bad firms,” said Kelly Damron, a certified public accountant and MBA.  “ But it seems the firms are better today, in general, because there is more oversight, collaboration and accountability.” While it’s nearly impossible for corruption to be detected by the public it’s also difficult for regular accountants to identify fraud.  There is actually a special certification for fraud examiners since they require such a different skill set from tradition accountants. Consumers can find out if the firm or advisor they are working with has had an audit done by a certified fraud examiner and the outcome of the audit.

Publically traded companies are less likely to commit fraud, Damron said, since they are under inspection by a number of consulting services. “Unfortunately, ethics is not a Firm issue, but an issue of those who are running the Firms,” Damron said.  In many cases word-of-mouth or media accounts are the only resources for the public in determining who to trust.

Kelly Campbell, author of Fire your Broker, a book about finding sound financial advice gave a few tips.

-Do research on any financial adviser: Background checks can be done to see if a broker has any infractions on his or her license. If there is not that much info on them that’s a good sign. “No news is good news.”

Check out these sites for backgrounds on brokers: FINRA.org and SEC.gov

-Ask to talk to current clients: They will point you toward their happiest clients for sure but be creative with your questions and you can still find out a lot.

-Look for earned experience: Did the person go to school? Did they spend the money and the time to get the designations respected in the industry? These can be signs that they are truly committed to the field and not just about making a quick million.

Be smart. Ask questions. Go forward and finance.

Elizabeth Ulion is a graduate student at Northwestern University. Finances confuse her.

Photo courtesy of srqpix/Flickr.

Atrazine is a common weed killer used on farms, golf courses and lawns across the country.  The chemical can wash into watersheds and drinking water supplies are monitored for contamination. Officials are required to report increases in atrazine to consumers. The Times investigation found that in some areas concentrations had spiked but the rise was not reported to residents.

Studies on the health impacts of atrazine done after regulations for the chemical were put into place have shown new information. Exposure may cause serious developmental effects during times of fetal development.

“There are short, critical times — like when a fetus’s brain is developing — when chemicals can have disastrous impacts, even in very small concentrations,” said Deborah A. Cory-Slechta, a professor at the University of Rochester in New York who has studied atrazine’s effects on the brain and serves on the E.P.A.’s science advisory board. “The way the E.P.A. tests chemicals can vastly underestimate risks.”

“There’s still a huge amount we don’t know about atrazine,” she added.

Well, I’m going to pick up a water filter…Yell out your thoughts!

Elizabeth Ulion is a graduate student at Northwestern University.

Photo courtesy of lindyireland/Flickr

Slide a few aisles down in the supermarket and hit processed foods – for the purposes of this post, anything that isn’t a whole food (see aforementioned definition).  From crackers to frozen meals and everything in between, there is a seemingly endless variety of organic foods.

There are many reputable organic food manufacturers out there.  Keep in mind it’s also a growing industry which forces competition… and adherence to rules, but perhaps only the specific rules laid out to attain organic certification (through myriad certifying entities).  So, your picture of what is organic may not be an entirely full picture.

Consider this, from an LA Times article, USDA Organics Label Comes Under Fire:

Grated organic cheese, for example, contains wood starch to prevent clumping. Organic beer can be made from non-organic hops.

True organics are better for you and the earth and are better tasting.  We need to vote with our forks and purchase foods that are sustainably produced.  Take few extra minutes to be sure what you are eating really is organic and not fauxganic.  How do you do that?  Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. READ – Flip the package over and take a quick scan of the ingredients.  You may be surprised at what is actually in those crackers you are about to buy.  The list starts of with organic ingredients, but there could be other (very hard to pronounce) ingredients as well.
2. GET IN THE KITCHEN – Start with organic whole foods that are locally grown.  Starting from fresh ingredients that you put together is the best way to ensure you are eating the freshest food.
3. BE EDUCATED – Take steps like you are right now, reading blog posts, articles, and books.  Spend some of the time that you might be educating yourself on the latest tech gadget, on what you are putting in your body.
4. CONNECT – Connect with local farmers.  Find a farmers market or buy into a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  Surrounding yourself with like minded individuals will help you understand the food you are buying and eating.
5. FIND - Sustainable farms on SocialYell.  If you know of a great, local organic farm, add it!

Meghan Nesta is a sustainability and social media nut residing in the Philadelphia, PA metro area and loves to connect with other greenies on twitter.

There are many philosophies behind sustainability but the most prevalent stem from the fact that humans are dependent on the planet for survival. If we use up limited resources like fresh water and oil or destroy ecosystems that provide resources we can use like forests and farmland humans are out of luck. Without soil we can’t eat. So according to this reasoning we should use farming practices that conserve and create naturally nutrient rich soil.  This thinking goes along with the proverb: “Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children.”

For others nature has value separate from people. The philosophy known as deep ecology focuses on the intrinsic value of all parts of the planet. Animals have the right to live as they are meant to live and the natural systems of earth should be allowed to function as they always have.  For a brief comparison of shallow and deep ecology check out this video:

The trend of religious groups working towards sustainable systems has grown over the last few years.  Putting aside the focus on the “dominion” of people over nature, these new groups follow the belief that it is their duty to treat the planet created by a divine hand in a respectful and protective way. “At the core of Jewish and Christian ethics are the commandments to love God and one’s neighbor. Can we love the Creator without celebrating and caring for the creation? Can we love our neighbor without protecting the environment on which that neighbor’s life and health depend?”  states the Web site of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment.

In a post Why be Sustainable? the blog Sustainable Progress highlighted three simple reasons to strive for sustainability:

1. Help to avert major conflicts over dwindling resources
2. Increase the level of personal happiness and health within communities
3. Give people a sense of hope and an ability to focus on longer term visions for humanity

There are many reasons people try to live more sustainable lives. Yell out your reasons!

Elizabeth Ulion is a graduate student at Northwestern University.

Photo courtesy of woodleywonderworks/Flickr.

The compound most common in antibacterial products triclosan has been used for 35 years and is becoming more prevalent in household products. It’s also showing up in breast milk.

Most antibacterial products are disposed of down residential drains and the environmental impact is not pretty. “According to Mike Layton, program manager with advocacy group Environmental Defence, triclosan can react to chlorine in drinking water and form chloroform, which is a carcinogen. And when triclosan reacts with light, it can actually form poisonous dioxins, he says.”

Where are these compounds found?

“There are hundreds of products that contain triclosan nowadays, with everything from liquid soaps and toothpastes to deodorants, clothing, tissues and toys. Beyond Pesticides, a non-profit organization in the United States, has an extensive list of everyday products containing triclosan, such as Colgate Total, Old Spice High Endurance Stick Deodorant, Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel and J Cloth towels.”

Well, that’s frightening.

What do you use instead of antibacterial products? Yell it out!

Elizabeth Ulion is a graduate student at Northwestern University.

Are you a bottled water kind of person or do you take your water from a filtered tap?  Not sure what you do and don’t know about safe drinking water?  Check out what the experts have to say!

1.  “The best way to ensure your water is safe to drink is to have it tested with a certified laboratory.  At a minimum folks should have their water tested once per year for coliform bacteria, nitrates, lead and, depending on risk factors, volatile organic compounds (VOC’s).  If any contamination is found, it can be treated.   Americans spend billions of dollars on bottled water which may be no safer then their own tap water,” according to Sara Kuzma of Suburban Water Testing Labs in Pennsylvania.

2. “Boiling controls most harmful microorganism. Refrigerator filters are only as safe as the water supply or water line entering your refrigerator,” says Mark Latimore, Jr., an Interim Dean and Soil Microbiologist of Fort Valley State University.

3. “If your home is connected to a public drinking water system you have two fairly easy ways of getting information about the quality of your drinking water.  All public water systems are required under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act to prepare and distribute an annual Consumer Confidence Report that discusses the levels of various contaminants in that system’s drinking water.  The report can often be found online on the water system’s webpage, if they have one.  Another way you can get information on your local water quality is through the US EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS).

“Between these two sources of information you can find out a lot about your local water. You would have a hard time finding equivalent information about your bottled water,” says Craig Mains of the National Environmental Services Center.

4.  Curious about home filters?  “Your Consumer Confidence Report can provide information that could indicate whether you need a filter or not.   A carbon filter can be installed at just one sink so it isn’t necessary to have an expensive unit that treats the water for the entire house.  A carbon filter won’t necessarily remove every contaminant that might be in your water but it will remove some contaminants in addition to chlorine. In most cases I think it is the only type of filter that would be needed for a household on a public water system,” recommends Craig Mains of the National Environmental Services Center.

5.  Try to find a local, safe source for your water!  “My personal solution is to purchase 5-gallon jugs of real spring water from a local source I trust explicitly and that publishes their raw testing results, which cover hundreds of potential contaminants. The water I buy comes from a single, naturally free-flowing spring here in Maine. The water starts out as pure as it gets and is tested regularly for hundreds of potential contaminants.

“By buying the bulk jugs and filling my own reusable bottle I minimize waste. The jugs are cleaned and used hundreds of times before being recycled. And most importantly I know where the water I drink comes from and what is and isn’t in it,” shares Sheldon Perkins of Maine.

6. “Water filters currently provide the best and healthiest solution to the problems of both bottled water and tap water.  Water filters remove more dangerous contaminants than any other purification method, and they are uniquely designed to work with municipally treated water. The water they produce is not subject to phthalate contamination, and they are able to remove cryptosporidium from drinking water, a feat that neither municipal water treatment plants nor bottled water companies have yet managed.

“Also, drinking filtered water is a much more economical practice than drinking bottled water. The pure water product of a water filter costs very little more than untreated tap water. Furthermore, because water filters use no more energy than is already required to propel water through a home’s plumbing system, they circumvent several of the environmental problems of the bottled water industry. If you are truly concerned about municipal water and how it effects your health a whole house filter system is the best solution because clean, filtered water emerges from every water source in the house,” says Dan Godfrey.

7.  Are you on well water?  Then, “you need to test your own water regularly. Metals, nitrates, etc. Also need to be conscious of risk of radon in your water,” cautions Jennifer Taggart of thesmartmama.com.

8. Are you curious about testing your water?  It’s “easy enough to get a $25 kit and send your [tap] water sample off,” says Jennifer Taggart of thesmartmama.com.

9. What about all of the places your water travels through?  “Know your pipes. Your pipes, fittings, faucet and aerator can contribute lead. A simple solution – let it run if water left standing more than 6 hours; don’t boil to drink; get a NSF certified for lead removal filter,” recommends Jennifer Taggart of thesmartmama.com.

10.  “An important water safety tip few people consider is not using plastic with your water. Plastic bottled water is a waste as nearly 80% of those bottles end up in the trash and not the recycling bin. Also, multiple tests have found plastics can leach toxins into your water. For 20 years, Lipsey Mountain Spring Water has been delivering purified mountain spring water bottled in glass,” says Kate Griffin in Atlanta, GA.  If you do chose bottled water, try looking for an option in glass, as it has been proven safer than plastic, but be sure to recycle when you’re through! 

Thanks to all of the HARO experts and participants who shared their knowledge for this blog!

Got ideas for tips, or do you just have a voice to share?  Let us know today at Socialyell.com!

Ashley Strickland is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Georgia.  She never realized how little she knew about water safety!

The New Hampshire Virtual Farmers Marketplace has been in operation since 2008.  Customers can log in, place an order and schedule a pick up or delivery time from farmers near them.

“This technology is an absolute requirement for survival.  We know there is a whole generation of consumers that is comfortable with computers and the Internet, and they use it for shopping,” said Jeff Cole, executive director of the Massachusetts farmers markets group and reported by USA Today.

A whole new group of people might start buying directly from farmers this way. For others it might make it easier to sit and wait for delivery instead of getting out and connecting with a community. Being part of something bigger, meeting people you might not have a chance meet (farmers!) and seeing the wide variety of food produced by farms in your area are some of the best opportunities created by farmers markets.

What do you think?

Elizabeth Ulion is a graduate student at Northwestern University. She is addicted to the summer squash from the local Kern Family Farm.

Photo courtesy of NatalieMaynor/Flickr

Is your food really organic?

The truths about greenwashing are everywhere.  If you are just starting out on this journey of living a more sustainable lifestyle, along with the increasingly “green” product line on your local Walmart’s shelves, you’ll most likely notice a growing awareness that claims of greenness may not be 100% truthful.  So, OK, you check out SocialYell’s rankings, read news bits off your twitter stream and feel pretty confident on what to believe.

What you may not realize is that there is a greenwashing taking place in our food that, to the average consumer, may be even more difficult to decipher and understand.  Fauxganic (faux organic) food is becoming more prevalent and more difficult to really understand.

Organic means organic, right?  Well, kind of.  Like any industry, and yes Organic food is an industry of almost $23 billion a year (yes, that’s with a B), the bigger it is the more blurred the lines are.  Your organic strawberries may not be treated with pesticides, but truly sustainable farming practices are not being practiced at the farm they came from.  (For an in depth exploration of these topics, a must read is Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma.)

Here’s an illustration on the more far reaching effects of sustainability in food: I was on vacation in Florida a few weeks back and went to buy some organic oranges.  I’m in Flordia, a citrus mecca of sorts, right?  When I turn the bag over, I’m shocked to find that these oranges are actually from California!  So, does the lack of pesticides compensate for the journey these little fruits took to the store?  It’s something to think about.

The origins of organics, I argue, take into account much more than just adhering to a non-pesticide rule.  It’s the whole picture, the whole approach to how we produce from start to finish.  Earth to plate.

Be educated!  Take a few minutes to flip over the package, read the fine print, and peruse the interwebs to see where your food really comes from.  It’s an eye opening experience.

Meghan Nesta is a sustainability and social media nut residing in the Philadelphia, PA metro area.