Green Myths
Novemer 1, 2008
For everyone who tries to do a little good in the world, it seems there's a skeptic waiting to claim that those actions do no good at all. If you need a good comeback—or if you just need to reassure yourself—here are responses to some common misconceptions about going green.
"Recycling wastes more energy than it saves."
TRUTH:Typically, this myth comes at you in the form of “Sending out trucks all over town to pick up bottles and cans takes more energy than you'll save by recycling.” It sounds compelling, but it's wrong. For example, recycling aluminum cans cuts energy use and greenhouse gases by 95 percent compared with the energy needed to make virgin aluminum. In general, the energy used to manufacture new products from raw materials is at least ten times more than the energy consumed by curbside collection, recycling and transportation of recycled goods to retailers, according to a 2004 study published in the International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment.
"Natural cleaners don't disinfect."
TRUTH:Natural cleaners are highly effective in the bathroom and kitchen, even when it comes to nasty food-borne bacteria like E. coli. Susan Sumner, head of the Food Sciences and Technology program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, found that all you need to wipe out Salmonella, Shigellaand E. colibacteria is a combination of household hydrogen peroxide and undiluted white or apple cider vinegar. Put the two liquids in separate spray bottles and spray one immediately after the other, in either order. You can spray it directly on fruits and vegetables as well as on surfaces, such as cutting boards and countertops, for an effective, nontoxic disinfectant that can be wiped right off. Household vinegar can also take care of mold in the bathroom, killing off 82 percent of mold strains. For tougher mold problems, mix two teaspoons of tea tree oil and two cups of water, spray on and then scrub off after 30 minutes.
"Plastics are safe in the microwave."
TRUTH: Unfortunately, reheating in plastic isn't your safest bet. Common food-grade plastics, such as yogurt containers, margarine tubs or disposable plastic plates, are FDA-approved but have not been tested for use in microwaves. If they are microwaved, they may release chemicals that can interfere with hormones into food—especially fatty foods. Furthermore, heated food can melt them, posing a risk of burns and scalds. Those plastic containers labeled “microwave-safe” won't melt or crack, and they havebeen tested under typical conditions of use to see if chemicals in plastic wind up in food. Any chemicals that leach into food appear at levels far below those shown to have any health effects. Still, even “microwave-safe” #7 poly- carbonate plastic should be avoided, since it leaches hormone-disrupting bisphenol A, especially when heated. And “microwave-safe” plastic can bubble, scratch or degrade over time.
To avoid all of these issues, microwave foods in glass or ceramic containers or on undyed paper towels. If you cover a food dish with plastic wrap, be sure it does not touch the food and leave vents for steam to escape.
"With China and India pumping out so much CO2, there's no reason for me to cut back mine."
TRUTH:Sure, China and India are overtaking the U.S. when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions. But “it doesn't hold a lot of water to say ‘someone else is polluting so we'll pollute too,'” says Kenneth Broad, Ph.D., National Geographic Emerging Explorer and University of Miami professor. And given that those countries have larger populations than ours, their citizens pollute much less than we do on a per person basis: The average American produces 3.8 times more than the average Chinese and 10.7 times the average Indian. Last February, China and India said that they would continue to keep their per person emissions lower than the U.S. Meanwhile, U.S. carbon dioxide emissions aren't only increasing, they're accelerating. However, changes we make as in- dividuals can have a big impact. If every time we purchased a new car we chose the most fuel-efficient vehicle that met our needs and budget, this would keep nearly 30 million tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere each year.
"Keeping your heat on one setting is more efficient than turning it up and down."
TRUTH: “Setback”—reducing or turning off your heat when you're sleeping or not at home—is in fact more efficient (and com- fortable!) than keeping your home at a single low temperature all the time. The myth is that keeping your thermostat at a constant temperature uses less energy because, presumably, your heater would have to work harder to power up from a lower tempera- ture. But according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), you'd have to keep your home tem- perature four to six degrees cooler all the time (brr!) for the savings to equal setting it back the recommended eight degrees when you are at work or under the covers. Just don't turn off your heat completely in freezing weather since your pipes may burst. ACEEE says that with twice-daily, eight-degree, eight-hour setbacks, you can save 16 to 32 percent of your heating energy.
"Over its life span, a hybrid is less eco-friendly than a Hummer H3"
TRUTH: In 2007, a widely circulated study claimed that a Toyota Prius has a larger environmental footprint than a Hummer H3. CNW Marketing Research, the study authors, asserted that the energy consumed in the manufacturing and recycling of a Prius—along with what they assumed was a short life span—out- weighed its fuel savings. This study sharply contradicted previous scientific research from organizations such as the U.S. Depart- ment of Energy and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which measured all aspects of a Prius's life cycle more accurately. A key mistake of the CNW study was underestimating the energy used in a car's operation, which actually accounts for 80 to 90 percent of its lifetime energy; the CNW research weighed this energy use as less than 10 percent. Although the production of a Prius involves energy-intensive mining for the nickel in its battery, its highly efficient fuel economy will send it quickly whizzing by the H3 in terms of overall energy savings.‘‘
"With China and India pumping out so much CO2, there's no reason for me to cut back mine."
TRUTH:Sure, China and India are overtaking the U.S. when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions. But “it doesn't hold a lot of water to say ‘someone else is polluting so we'll pollute too,'” says Kenneth Broad, Ph.D., National Geographic Emerging Explorer and University of Miami professor. And given that those countries have larger populations than ours, their citizens pollute much less than we do on a per person basis: The average American produces 3.8 times more than the average Chinese and 10.7 times the average Indian. Last February, China and India said that they would continue to keep their per person emissions lower than the U.S. Meanwhile, U.S. carbon dioxide emissions aren't only increasing, they're accelerating. However, changes we make as in- dividuals can have a big impact. If every time we purchased a new car we chose the most fuel-efficient vehicle that met our needs and budget, this would keep nearly 30 million tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere each year.
"Keeping your heat on one setting is more efficient than turning it up and down."
TRUTH: “Setback”—reducing or turning off your heat when you're sleeping or not at home—is in fact more efficient (and com- fortable!) than keeping your home at a single low temperature all the time. The myth is that keeping your thermostat at a constant temperature uses less energy because, presumably, your heater would have to work harder to power up from a lower tempera- ture. But according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), you'd have to keep your home tem- perature four to six degrees cooler all the time (brr!) for the savings to equal setting it back the recommended eight degrees when you are at work or under the covers. Just don't turn off your heat completely in freezing weather since your pipes may burst. ACEEE says that with twice-daily, eight-degree, eight-hour setbacks, you can save 16 to 32 percent of your heating energy.
"Over its life span, a hybrid is less eco-friendly than a Hummer H3"
TRUTH: In 2007, a widely circulated study claimed that a Toyota Prius has a larger environmental footprint than a Hummer H3. CNW Marketing Research, the study authors, asserted that the energy consumed in the manufacturing and recycling of a Prius—along with what they assumed was a short life span—out- weighed its fuel savings. This study sharply contradicted previous scientific research from organizations such as the U.S. Depart- ment of Energy and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which measured all aspects of a Prius's life cycle more accurately. A key mistake of the CNW study was underestimating the energy used in a car's operation, which actually accounts for 80 to 90 percent of its lifetime energy; the CNW research weighed this energy use as less than 10 percent. Although the production of a Prius involves energy-intensive mining for the nickel in its battery, its highly efficient fuel economy will send it quickly whizzing by the H3 in terms of overall energy savings.‘‘
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