10 results for tag: green products and places

Hold the wrapping paper! Most of that gift-wrap is not eco-friendly nor recyclable

It is that time of year again—no matter what holiday you celebrate, or what religion you subscribe to, it is difficult to be unaffected by the enthusiasm of the season of giving and reflection. It is predicted that the average American will spend $942 on holiday gifts this year. It is no secret that as consumerism spreads, landfills also fill up, and the Earth suffers.   According to Stanford University, Americans throw away 25% more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday period than any other time of year. And most of that holiday wrap is not eco-friendly or recyclable. A whopping 40% of the world’s industrial logging goes into ...

Hold The Salt: Options For Keeping Your Sidewalk Ice-Free

Winter weather in Oregon can be unpredictable. With this latest cold snap, it is time to start thinking about how we combat snow/ice on our sidewalks and driveways. The cost of so much salt Salt is used in many parts of the country because it lowers the freezing temperature of water and therefore can help accelerate the melting process of snow and ice. However, after it’s spread on roads or sidewalks, all of that salt has to go somewhere, and most of it washes into the storm sewer and gets deposited into the nearest river.  There, it can harm freshwater fish, frogs and other wildlife that aren’t acclimated to salty water, and can reduce ...

Alert: your right to know is at risk

Just as Oregon begins to find out how toxic chemicals occur in children's products, an industry-backed bill could block that information. Industry groups are behind the proposed "Accurate Labels Act" ( H.R. 6022/S. 3019 ), first introduced in 2018, which would make it easier for manufacturers to hide chemicals linked to cancer and other health harm. It would block Oregon's Toxic Free Kids program—yet Oregon's Representative Schrader is one of the co-sponsors. See details on the Accurate Labels Act and how it would block Oregon's law. And then take action: Your browser does not support iframes. Please visit <a href="https://oecon...

Green tips: Is your fridge running? Better go catch it!

What’s white and stands in the corner? A naughty fridge. It’s amazing how many fridge jokes are out there when you need them. Here’s no joke: Your fridge is one of the biggest energy hogs in your home. A new fridge could be as much as 75% more efficient than an old clunker. But even the most efficient fridge uses more energy a year than the average citizen in Ghana. Or Yemen or many other nations. For real. So if your fridge is more than ten years old, a new one is likely to pay off in serious energy savings. You can find out just how much you'll save using this refrigerator calculator from Energy Star. Also check out the ...

A shoppertunity to be green

Earth friendly. Biocompatible. 99% natural. 100% Eco-conscious. The frustrating reality for shoppers today is that these labels don't mean anything. At least that's what the Federal Trade Commission determined when setting green label guidelines in 2012. So what’s a shopper to do? OEC put together a list of best practices for shoppers to help reduce, re-use, recycle—and to reward good environmental stewards. If you're not already doing everything on this list, October is a great time to start! Get in on the Northwest Earth Institute's Eco-Challenge. Green Shopper's Checklist Download a copy here. Reduce Avoid PVC plastic ...

How to buy a new couch

For the first time in decades, shoppers can now walk into some major retail stores and buy a couch made without toxic flame retardants. As the Sunday Chicago Tribune on January 23rd this health hazard hidden in our furniture may be on its way out. Look for a furniture tag that reads: “the upholstery materials in this product contain NO added flame retardant chemicals.” In 2012, the State of California acknowledged that safe furniture is practical and possible without added chemicals. As more consumers including Kaiser Permanente demanded safer alternatives, manufacturers have started stepping up to meet the demand. That’s the power of green ...

Expanding Oregon’s Advantage

Inspired Innovation: Expanding Oregon’s Advantage in Sustainable Chemistry and Materials Research indicates that the global market for chemicals and materials designed and manufactured using sustainable chemistry, also known as green chemistry, will continue to grow. It’s estimated that the market will expand from about $3 billion in 2011, to almost $100 billion by 2020.A Oregon is poised to become a national leader in the development and commercialization of the next generation of affordable, high performance chemicals and materials. Materials are at the heart of the global economy. The availability and performance of chemicals and ...

Give your home a health check-up

The way you maintain your home can make a big difference to your family’s health. Pollutants commonly found in households can trigger asthma, allergies, chronic disease and other negative health effects. This booklet will help you protect your family’s health with “eco-healthy” practices in your yard, garden and any room in your house. Use our room-by-room checklist to give your home an eco-healthy checkup. Then, use our eco-healthy home guide to learn about: Low and no-cost practices you can try with a little time or a few dollars Affordable alternatives for the next time you shop Investments to consider when you make a big ...

Principles for a Healthy Oregon

If we desire a more sustainable society, one in which our goods and services are designed to regenerate life rather than jeopardize it, we must design products to be safer from the start by eliminating toxic chemicals through the use of green chemistry. Green chemistry is the application of 12 principles in the design, manufacture and use of chemicals and chemical products, as defined by Paul Anastas and John Warner. The principles are focused on reducing hazards, increasing efficiency and transitioning to renewable feedstocks. Through the application of these principles, products become safer for employees and customers alike, helping ...

Healthy Purchasing: Collaborating for change

Oregon Environmental Council facilitates the Healthy Purchasing Coalition, a group of governments, universities, ports, businesses, and nonprofits engaged in leading edge public procurement policy. This coalition, which includes the City of Portland, Metro, Multnomah County, City of Hillsboro, Port of Portland, City of Eugene, City of Corvallis, Portland State University, Portland Community College, San Diego County, District of Saanich, British Columbia, and the University of British Columbia, is working together to integrate human health, chemical hazard, and safer alternatives into institutional purchasing decisions. Why? Changing the way ...