Here are some facts I took out of Intermountain Stories, a newsletter for Intermountain employees about recycling and saving energy:

• Every ton of paper that's recycled can save the energy equivalent of 185 gallons of gas.
• Turning off the tap when you brush your teeth can save as much as 10 gallons of water a day per person, according to the Chicago Tribune. That's about 14,400 gallons of water a year for a family of four.
• For every 38,000 bills paid online, 5,058 pounds of greenhouse gases are avoided and two tons of trees are preserved, according to the Electronic Payments Association. The association also estimates that using direct payment can save people about $150 annually in late payment fees along with stamp and check costs.

Here are some of the things I have done in the last 6 months to go green:

• I don't bag milk, bottled juice or other larger items when shopping at the grocery store.
• As a department at work, we have a recycle bin where we put paper items that are not confidential that can be recycled. The department housekeeper then collects the items and puts them in a bin to be taken to a recycling center. I have been putting a lot of paper and cardboard items in this bin that I previously put in the one that the company pays a lot of money to have recycled, which I still use for confidential information.
• I pack my lunch in a reusable container.
• I donate used clothing that no longer fits and other items no longer needed to charity.
• I recycle my newspapers and phone books.

Did you know you can cancel your junk mail? Send a request to Mail preference Service, Direct Marketing Association P.O. Box 282, Carmel, NY 10512 or go to http://www.dmaconsumers.org/.

Please respond and let me know what you have done in the last 6 months to "go green".

Environmental Health

Environmental health encompasses all the interactions of humans with their environment and the health consequences of these interactions.

How to Be a Green Consumer:

• Remember the 4 Rs of green consumerism:

1. Reduce the amount of trash and pollution you generate by consuming and throwing away less.
2. Reuse as many products as possible, either yourself or by selling them or donating them to charity.
3. Recycle all appropriate materials and buy recycled products whenever possible.
4. Respond by educating others about reducing waste and recycling by finding creative ways to reduce waste and toxicity and by making your preferences known.

• Choose products packaged in refillable, recycled, reusable containers or in readily recyclable materials, such as paper, cardboard, aluminum, or glass. Don't buy products that are excessively packaged or wrapped.
• Look for products made with the highest possible content of recycled paper, metal, glass, plastic, and other materials.
• Choose simple products containing the lowest amounts of bleaches, dyes, and fragrances. Look for organically grown foods and clothes made from organically grown cotton or Fox Fibre or another naturally colored type of cotton.
• Buy high-quality appliances that have an Energy Star seal from the EPA or some other type of certification indicating that they are energy- and water-efficient.
• Get a reusable cloth shopping bag. Don't bag items that don't need to be bagged. If you forget to bring your bag to the store, it doesn't matter much if you use a paper or plastic bag to carry your purchases home. What's important is that you reuse whatever bag you get.
• Don't buy what you don't need - borrow, rent or share. Take good care of the things you own, repair items when they break, and replace them with used rather than new items whenever possible. Sell or donate used items rather then throwing them out.
• Walk or bike to the store. If you must drive, do several errands at once to save energy and cut down on pollution. (Carpool to work).
• Look beyond the products to the companies that make them. Support those with good environmental records. If some of your favorite products are overpackaged or contain harmful ingredients, write to the manufacturer.
• Keep in mind that doing something is better than doing nothing. Even if you can't be a perfectly green consumer, doing your best on any purchase will make a difference.

Sources: U.S Environmental Protection Agency 2006, Consumer Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste. Natural Resources Defense Council 2006, NRDC's Guide to Greener Living.