Got a green idea?

Hi guys again! How is your process to a greener life? With our pieces of advices, do you feel already going green? Well, I hope so.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. We often forget about the first two “R’s”. We tend to think that with recycling is enough, but it isn’t. It is time to redirect our attention.

In this post, I would like to share with you one idea for reusing, in order to show you that if you want to start living a greener life, you just need good attitude and a little bit of imagination. Just look around and play with the possibilities.

Each year I select my study materials for discarding, but this time I wanted to do something different. I felt that recycling paper and putting it into a recycling bin wasn’t enough. I want to reuse them as much as possible. I wanted to do something useful so, I decided to make my own second-hand notebooks, which I’m using this semester at the university.
   

I collected white paper used for one side only, I took 3 or 4 sheets, and I folded them in half and cut them. All the paper was placed into piles of 160 sheets and then bounded. The result: a spiral-bound notebook of 160 sheets only for CLP 800, while a 100-sheet notebook can cost CLP 1,290 in the market. Maybe, there is not a huge difference in prices. However, my notebook lasts 2 months, approximately, while the other one lasts about 2 weeks, so I have to buy 2 per month, which means CLP 1,780 in savings.

This is just an example to show you that there is no need to have a BIG idea just a green one.

Energy Efficiency

Technology has become an indispensable part of our daily life. It plays a key role in housekeeping: washing machine, vacuum cleaner, refrigerator, microwave oven, electric/gas stove and iron among others. They represent a high percentage of electricity consumption in our households for this reason it is important to look for the energy efficiency label, which will help us to save money and reduce our ecological footprint.

In our country, refrigerator is one of the electrical appliances that have more presence in households and, at the same time, use more electricity. According to a study¹, 96.8% of Chilean households have at least one refrigerator. The average annual consumption of electricity due to the use of refrigerators is 516.3 kWh, which represents 29% of the electricity consumption of a house. 

So, it is important to know which aspects take into consideration when buying an electric appliance. Let’s imagine that you want to replace your 15-year-old refrigerator with a new one. Most refrigerators of fifteen years ago are class D or E which means a consumption of 625 kWh per year. Commonly, the new ones have either A, A+ or A+++ class. For this example, we’ll use the A+ class, which uses 187 kWh. There is a difference of 438 kWh, in other words, 70% of savings in electricity. So, if we consider that each kWh costs CLP 110, we’ll save 20,570 in 1 year!

https://ideaelectrodomesticos.wordpress.com/2012/12/18/cuanto-dinero-ahorra-un-electrodomestico-de-eficiencia-energetica-a-a-a-a/

When buying you should choose a top freezer model because they use between 10% and 25% less energy than side-by-side or bottom-mount models as well as models with icemakers and water dispensers.

As you can see, there are several aspects you should consider when buying an electrical appliance, this is just an example. But, you already know that the energy efficiency label provides a lot of information.

Keep making greener choices!

1: Estudio de usos finales y curva de oferta de la conservación de la energía en el sector residencial

Sources:

http://formularios.minenergia.cl/cpeee/archivos_bajar/informe_meps.pdf

http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/tips-kitchen-appliances

Is it true?

As we said in our last post, making greener choices is not only good for the environment, but also for your wallet, and sometimes they’re good for your health too.

You don’t believe me, do you? Well, I don’t blame you because many people don’t know either. I’m talking about the cat litter market. How are these things related?

Although there are no studies on this issue, there is a controversy about the safety of clay cat litters that use sodium bentonite as their clumping ingredient. It is believed that clay particles can cause even death if a cat swallows them while licking their paws and fur, because they can expand and harden in the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to this, most clumping litters are considered toxic substances because they can induce abortion in humans.

We haven´t mentioned yet the consequences for the environment. The mass formed by clumping clay cat litters are non-biodegradable; therefore they do NOT decompose in landfills. So, let’s think of all the waste we’re throwing away. How many bags do you use in a month? I used about 2 bags of 6 kg each month, which is 144 kg in a year. That’s too much, don’t you think?

Fortunately, there are eco-friendly alternatives.  Each day, organic biodegradable cat litters are appearing in the market with new brands. This is the result of a new market niche. These alternative cat litters are made from: corn, wheat, wood fibers or shaving (pine and walnut pellets), volcanic rocks (zeolite), paper, among others.

 As you can see there is a wide range of cat litter alternatives chemical free, which are 100% natural and therefore is safe for landfill disposal. And also, they are NOT harmful to humans or cats.

But that is not all; they’re much cheaper than clay litters. Let’s compare:

I used to buy mainly two clumping cat litters: one is Super Mix of 7.5 kg which costs about CLP 7,000. But, my cat used 1 and ½ bags in a month, so I spent about CLP 14,000 every two months. The other one was Traper of 5 kg, which costs CLP 5,290. Whit this one, I also needed 2 bags per month. Once I bought Cat’s Pride litter (5,290), but it didn’t even last for 2 weeks!

What about the eco-friendly ones? Well, I compared prices in different supermarkets and home centers and there is a wide gap when compared to non-biodegradable litters. The prices of natural cat litters are very similar: CLP 1,790 (2 kg); 2,260 (2 kg); and 3,290 (2.5 kg). I bought the CLP 2,260 litter and I must say that it lasts longer than the clumping cat litter. I also had to buy 2 bags, but I saved CLP 9,480at the end.

So, what do you think? Do you take up the challenge? Try with an eco-friendly cat litter during 1 month and then share your experience with us!  

*Prices from: Easy, Homecenter Sodimac, Lider and Santa Isabel.

Sources:

http://cats.lovetoknow.com/Safe_Cat_Litter

http://www.cosasdegatos.es/cuidado-gato/arena-para-gatos-biodegradable

Making greener choices

Would you like to be more eco-friendly but you don´t know where to start? I know that sometimes it may be difficult to start doing something new and making it part of your habits. But, what if we begin with something simple? Remember: try with one step a time! 

I can assure you that whit this easy and simple action you will be in the right way to go green.

I’m talking about replacing your traditional or incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient ones, such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or light emitting diodes (LED). Today, I’m focusing on the CFLs because they have a greater presence in the Chilean market and also because they’re cheaper than LED light bulbs.

First of all, we should know, what’s the main difference between traditional bulbs and energy saving ones? The difference is the amount of energy they use to produce light and heat. 

 While, incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat and only 10% as light, CFLs produce light with 75% of the electricity they use. In fact, when compared to traditional bulbs, CFLs use 75% less energy.

http://inside.edison.com/g912 

As you might think, that waste of energy is money we’re throwing away. Lighting represents a high percentage of electricity consumption in households so, by replacing light bulbs you can reduce up to 80% of your electricity consumption. You will notice this on your bill each month. For example, if you just change the most used bulbs at home, you could save between 25% and 30% of electricity.

It’s true; CFLs are more expensive, but don’t worry because in the short term you will start saving money. An incandescent bulb of 75 Watts costs on average CLP 450, while the price of a CFL varies from CLP 2,290 to 3,290*. However, you should keep in mind that an energy-efficient bulb last 10 to 25 times longer than traditional ones. 

Let’s compare both bulbs in detail. Take a look at the following table:

	Average lifespan (h)	Use (W)	Daily use (h)	Use kWh1			Cost (CLP)
				daily	monthly	annual	daily	monthly	annual
Incandescent bulb	1,000	75	5	0.375	11.25	135	41.25	1,237.5	14,850
CFL	8,000	14	5	0.07	2.1	25.2	7.7	231	2,772

	Annual cost (CLP)	Market price (CLP)	N° of bulbs needed for   8,000 h	Total cost (CLP)
Incandescent bulb	14,850	450	8	18,450
CFL	2,772	2,7902	1	5,562

1: Based on an electricity rate of CLP 110 per kilowatt-hour (Concepción may, 2016).
2: Average price.

By just replacing incandescent bulbs at home, you can save CLP 12,888 in a year. Not bad, isn’t it? We’ve already replaced all light bulbs. What are you waiting for?

Change your bottle!

Would you like to save money, protect your health and the environment at the same time? Well, you have to do just ONE thing: CHANGE YOUR BOTTLE!

The worldwide bottled water consumption is severely damaging the planet. Did you know that about 3 million tons of plastics are used to produce water bottles? And that about 80% end up in landfills? 

During the last years, the plastic water bottle business has grown at a remarkable rate each year to become a US $100 billion industry. Only in Chile, the consumption of bottled water increased by more than 50% during the last decade. In 2013, bottled water consumption was 393 million liters. That is 22 liters per capita, while 10 years ago consumption was only 7 liters per person, according to the Association of Soft Drink Producers (Asociación Nacional de Bebidas Refrescantes - ANBER).

That’s  quite  impressive,  isn´t it? Now, you might be wondering what happens with all that plastic. Well, that’s where the problem lies. In fact, up to 25,000 plastic tons go into the ocean each year in Chile¹.

This matter should concern all of us, because it’s a global issue. It’s not only the amount of plastic we’re throwing away, it’s the time that each PET bottle (polyethylene terephthalate) takes to decompose: between 100 and 1,000 years. 

Isn’t it too much time? And it gets worse. I haven’t even mentioned that 1 liter of bottled water can cost up to 1,000 times MORE than tap water, according to figures from UNESCO.

In the US a bottle of 750ml costs about CLP 950, while in Colombia it costs about CLP 2,517 and in Venezuela a bottle of 500ml costs about CLP 18,000. 

In Chile the price of 500ml of bottled water on average cost 750 CLP. This is incredibly expensive if we compare it with tap water, which costs 1 CLP on average.

Moreover, unlike what companies try to make us believe, municipal water is under the same and sometimes higher safety standards than bottled water. Actually, studies reveal that bottled water regulations are inadequate to ensure purity and safety. In the case of Chile, tap water is really safe. In fact, municipal water treatment has even stricter standards than those stated by the World Health Organization.

So, why do you want to be part of an industry that has more cons than pros? Why are you willing to pay so much for something when you can have it at home? Well, we’re not considering those countries where bottled water is a need because people have no access to safe water.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to make the change. Using reusable bottles it’s not only good for the environment, but also for your wallet. 

(1): According to the study “Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean”, led by researchers of the University of Georgia.

Sources:

http://www.unesco.org/water/news/newsletter/153_es.shtml

http://www.andess.cl/noticias_detalle.php?n=240

http://www.emol.com/noticias/economia/2014/02/13/644771/chile-consumo-per-capita-de-agua-embotellada-crece-mas-del-50-en-la-ultima-decada.html

http://www.sofofa.cl/mantenedor/detalle.asp?p=60&s=6040&n=21360

1 song, 1 shower

Hello there! Today I want to talk to you about an important issue nowadays, which is water waste and a really simple way to reduce its misuse, saving money at the same time.

We take for granted that water is a right and therefore it should be at our disposal. But this is no true! It’s widely known that water is the basis of all life. However, we just realize of their importance when water supply is cut off and we can’t do common activities such as going to the bathroom, cooking or doing the laundry.

Water is the most precious resource on earth, but unfortunately it is unevenly distributed around the world. Just for you to know, here are some facts:

Source: http://water.org/water-crisis/water-facts/water/

which means

Source: http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/water-cooperation/facts-and-figures/en/

Another global issue is related with water scarcity. This problem is twofold: firstly, water use is growing way faster than the rate of population increase and secondly, water reserves are being used faster than they can be replenished.

Source: http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/water-cooperation/facts-and-figures/en/

Isn’t this extremely unfair? Of course it is! This is the reason why having water in the comfort of our homes is a PRIVILEGE and; therefore we must be conscious and preserve this invaluable resource.  

But, how can we preserve it? Did you know that –roughly speaking– 70% of water use in households occurs indoors? Or that more than 60% of this use occurs in the bathroom? Take a look at this image:

As you may see in the picture, taking a shower is the activity in which we spent the highest amount of water in households. We spend about 200 liters of water in a ten-minute shower, on average, according to the World Health Organization. That is the daily amount of water that 14 persons need in a week.

Come to think of it, the time we spend while showering is an important topic and it should concern all of us. But, what can we do in order to reduce our daily water consumption?

I know that sometimes it may be difficult to include something new in our routine. But believe me; with this method you won’t have this problem. How do I know this? Because I started to use it some weeks ago and I can say that it works, well at least for me. It’s really simple.

The idea consists of reducing the time you spend in the shower, but in a funny way. The only thing you have to do is put a song when you’re going to take a shower and finish before the music is over. It’s easy, simple and you don’t even have to spend money on those faucet aerators.

With this method, you will reduce your daily showering time to a maximum of 5 minutes (about 60 liters of water). This will allow you to save up to 4.000 CLP* per month, which means significant savings for an average family. Keep in mind that this figure is just for one person, so imagine if another roommate applies the same strategy. This would mean 96.000 CLP in savings in a year. And yet we’re not considering your gas consumption, because this measure will also help you to reduce your gas bill. Make the counts!

Of course, it’s also a good idea to buy a water-saving low-flow shower head (faucet aerators) because it can reduce up to 50% in your water use. But in Going Green Now, we believe that any change starts with a change of perspective. First of all, we have to learn the importance of water in order to appreciate its value, and then we’ll really be conscious and reduce its use. Only then, our actions will be meaningful. 

*Source: http://www.gob.cl/2015/01/14/ministro-undurraga-y-superintendenta-de-servicios-sanitarios-lanzaron-campana-nacional-de-ahorro-de-agua/

For our second post, we would like to continue  talking about the situation of plastic bags in our country because we want you to realize the critical situation we’re going through. You probably have read or heard about the “Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance” that some regions started to implement. Well, you might think why this? Why now?  

In case you didn’t know, our country has the highest production of solid waste in Latin America but only 10% of garbage is recycled. If we only consider the use of plastic carryout bags, more than 3 millions are being used every year, that is, 200 plastic bags per person which generally end up in landfills or public spaces such as squares, even in tourist places like national parks.

For this reason, we saw mainly supermarkets promoting a more environmentally friendly alternative. The nonwoven fabric bags spread quickly and today not only supermarkets but also shoes and departmental stores have replaced the traditional plastic bag by reusable shopping ones.

As my partner pointed out in the previous post, the case of Chile is not different from what happened in many other countries. The popularity of reusable bags has reached such a level that a new niche product has been created. Consequently, several small and medium-sized enterprises have emerged; some of which are expanding abroad. This is something beneficial for the economy and the environment; however, there are other aspects to take into consideration when it comes to the disadvantages such as the monetary cost for users.

We may all agree that plastic bags are like a plague difficult to eradicate and that any attempt to reduce their use has only positive aspects. Nevertheless, there is one thing I’m concerned about: The price of reusable bags. At the beginning, supermarkets sold these bags at $100 CLP then at $290 and now they cost $800 in some places.

You might think that $800 CLP is not that much, but if we think about this when doing the grocery shopping, we usually need more that one carrier bag. Therefore, we have to spend about $1600 or 2400 CLP additionally only in bags because –and let’s admit this– most Chileans are not accustomed to bring their own bags when shopping.  

This may not look like a big deal; even so, spending $2400 in carrier bags seems a considerable amount of money when we consider that about 50% of Chilean workers earn the minimum wage and that they would spend that money on other needs. Besides, what it bothers me the most is the fact that supermarkets are taking advantage of this situation. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against reusable bags! But, why do they increase prices so often? In just a few months supermarkets increased the price of bags eight times their initial cost and given the fact that so far no one has said the opposite, now I’m wondering, are they continuing to rise?

From my perspective, I don’t see the point in restricting the use of plastic bags –which had no cost for consumers– and imposing a new system that is advantageous to companies. In order to make a major change in our habits, first of all, I would suggest that bags shouldn’t be so expensive and secondly, that the government or even supermarkets should create a strong campaign for raising people’s awareness about the importance of reusable shopping bags.