take one for the trees...

My eldest son and I have verbally jousted and butt heads since conception. Those things that will serve him well later in life - a sharp tongue, quick wit, and killer perseverence and strive to be independent - right now can be a real pain in the you-know-what. Parents, you know of what I speak.

So yesterday my boys and I venture into my less than favorite big box office supply store (sacrifice we made rather than adding car miles to our daily footprint). Today's case in point on the parental battlefront: a new math binder.

"Choose a new binder for yourself." I let the phrase escape my lips without considering that his fierce independence would put the Betty-approved 100% recycled binder squarely in last place on his list.

Of course he picks up the Made in Taiwan, bleached paper, 0% recycled paper, dead tree variety and begins to dig in his heels in that familiar way. "This one," he declares.

I sigh. "Nope. Sorry, Pal. I'm not buying that one." And I go through the litany of environmental offenses and call up our family love of trees.

"But you said..." I know and that was before your mother remembered that she's Betty and I can no more bring herself to buy that binder than go thru the McDonald's drive through, I think to myself. "That one has a leaf on it," he states his main objection.

"OK so X out the leaf when we get home, if you don't like it."

He's glaring now.

"Choose one of these made from recycled paper. See? Look. This one has guitars on it and no trees were harmed in the making of this one and we love our trees, right?"

He is unmoved.

And I know this is about differentiation and choice and all that developmental shmah. I could have easily caved here. We're both tired and after all it's only one notebook, right. But that's really not the way I run my life. I believe small acts of love add up to make a difference. I say this in an aisle piled ten-feet high with bleached white paper, imagining thousands upon thousands of these black and white composition books in stores everywhere. And I want to show my son that our choices DO make a difference.

I hold my ground. After several uncomfortable minutes he reaches for the recycled notebook with the leaf.

Phew. Trees: 1pt. I give him a shoulder hug. "Good job, Buddy."

BWB

A Greener View from Betty

Enjoy this month's tips from Betty on window treatments here or in the newsstands or at on Abode.

The windows in your home likely offer a beautiful view of the great outdoors, but did you know that they may be costing you as much as a fourth of your total heating/cooling expenses? So after you’ve caulked and weatherstripped your windows to reduce air leakage, Betty recommends purchasing eco-friendly window treatments. Blinds, shades, and draperies can reduce heat loss up to 10 percent in the winter and cut heat gain by 45 percent in the summer.

Curtains
You’ll want to stay away from petroleum-based material like polyester, nylon or rayon and purchase organic cotton, linen, silk, or naturally fire-resistant wool. Ideally, buy a thick material that’s light-colored on one side and dark-colored on the other side so you can reverse them for the seasons. The drapes should overlap in the center and cover the window completely. When you clean them, opt for CO2 cleaning rather than the polluting percholoroethylene dry-cleaning.

Blinds
Stay away from PVC or vinyl mini-blinds popular in the mid-‘90s, as some manufactured outside the U.S. contain lead. Unsure? Remove if installed before 1997. FSC-certified, low-VOC finish wood blinds are available at most online and brick-and-mortar retailers. However, roll-down or Roman shades made of natural bamboo, sisal, or other grass are a nice tree-friendly wood alternative.

At our home we did a combination of insulated natural grass blinds with a dark curtain for added efficiency. Until we could afford expensive new windows, this was an energy-smart solution.

Here's to blinds that help you see the green - in your pocket in terms of energy savings AND in your enviro-wise action!

Best,
Betty

What's on Betty's (Sustainably Harvested Wood) Coffee Table??

Enjoy this month's Abode Column from Better World Betty here or online or on newsstands

Coffee table reads

This month Betty shares with you some of her favorite green reads to place on your sustainably harvested wood coffee table!

The first choice for local tree-huggers like myself is The Remarkable Trees of Virginia: a beautiful culmination of a four-year effort to “locate and describe the state’s most interesting and significant trees.” It includes photography by local Robert Llewellyn.

More practical would be The Better World Handbook, a comprehensive guide to green living subtitled “Good Intentions to Everyday Actions.” Its simple cover and pragmatism makes it a classic and part of Betty’s inspiration.

I also like The Consumer’s Guide to Effective Environmental Choices.

Cradle-to-Cradle is a must, written by local eco-visionaries William McDonough and Michael Braungart, who also launched an international product certification program.

For a wide audience including kids, How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: 365 Simple Ways to Save Energy, Resources and Money by Joanna Yarrow is colorful and engaging, raising awareness with a call to action.

The former English teacher in me loves Recycle This Book, a creative compilation of 100 top children’s authors’ tales of going green.

Feeling funny? Put out a tongue-in-cheek title like Wake up and Smell the Planet or How I Save 1/16th of a Billionth of the Planet by James Glave. As a former “cul-de-sactivist,” I can’t wait to crack this one open for some laughs.

Finally, what coffee table would be complete without a copy of Dr. Suess’ The Lorax?

I suggest buying these books from our local independent booksellers (Over the Moon, for example) for that Betty or Baldwin in your life!

PS
After writing this column I found the amazing book: The Treehouse Book by Peter and Judy Nelson with David Larkin.

BWB

Do you want more local food at convenient locations??

Take this survey...

A friend of mine is considering opening a locally-owned, full-service grocery store in Charlottesville, with a commitment to sustainability and local food, and a focus on finding food justice solutions in our community. She asked Betty to get the word out to BWB peeps about aLOCAL FOOD SURVEY because she wants wants to serve the our local needs. In her words, "Your honest feedback would help us to determine the viability of her vision. Please only respond if you regularly shop for food in the Charlottesville area. Thank you!"

It’s here:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PRQNBT8

Thanks Rachael and friends!
BWB

Betty sheds some light on the subject...

Enjoy this month's Abode column here or in the newsstands or online:

Show me the light
Lighting accounts for 20 percent of the average monthly electric bill, so this month’s column promises to turn you on with cost savings!
By now you’ve heard of CFL bulbs, but LEDs are getting a lot of ink, too. Which is greener? Here’s Betty’s comparison:

Compact fluorescent lighting (CFL)
It’s true that if every American changed just one incandescent bulb to a CFL bulb, that would be the equivalent of taking 800,000 cars off the road. At $4 each, they offer three to four times the energy savings of an incandescent. They are readily available nowadays, and aesthetically are able to mimic the lighting effects of the old ones. The cons: They contain trace amounts of mercury (which collectively adds up), and some complain that their warm-up period to reach full brightness is too long (instant gratification, anyone?).

Light emitting diodes (LED)
These bulbs are pricier at $30-40 each, but imagine never having to change a light bulb again. They offer 10 times the energy savings and create less heat (they’re even cool to the touch), which results in lower home cooling costs. There is no mercury in the manufacturing or the bulb itself. The cons are the upfront cost and the fact that they’re not as readily available; both should continue to improve.

Don’t forget motion sensors as a smart alternative to leaving lights on for long periods of time, and solar lighting if you enjoy outdoor lighting accents.
Energy efficiency is the key, so just remember to “turn on the darkness” when you leave the room.

Best,
BWB

BRAG Campaign kicks off with a splash (of coffee in a reusable mug, of course!)

Friday morning the BRAG team was out and about catching acts of greenness throughout Charlottesville. We had a blast!

*We started off in from of the Darden School of Business at their bike rack (we counted 8 bikes) but we must of missed the bike owners, unfortunately (I was there at 7:55am!) But we'll be back and at other local bike racks this month.

*We caught Charlotte getting off the UVA bus transport - way to use PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION!

*We caught Gary in his slick suit and tie and REUSABLE MUG ready for big important meetings. We tried to talk him into changing into the high fashion Betty T, but he passed.

*We caught Marianne with her REUSABLE MUG at local java spot, Greenberries.

*We caught a sweet older gentleman, Sam, who thought we were UVA students with his REUSABLE MUG. His buddy ratted him out, saying that was "the only thing Sam does do for the Earth!" That's O.K. We trust in the Betty-Earth karma he helped generate!

*We caught a Western Albemarle High School student heading into school with her ZERO-WASTE LUNCH BOX - (stainless steel snappy containers)!

*And Betty Lou (aka my mom) got caught with this email announcing we are going forward with a 100-mile Thanksgiving Meal with her purchase of a local turkey! From North Carolina:

Went in to a new store today called “The Meat House” which has been open for a little over a year. Almost everything fresh in the store is grown locally.



A friend suggested ordering the turkey from them which I’ve done. The turkey is from North Carolina and dressing which is made locally as well. I think we can pull off this 100 mile Thanksgiving. Can’t believe I haven’t been to this store before.



You’ve got to see this store. I will be a regular customer, for sure. Mom

Betty's tips for furnishing

Enjoy this article in your local Abode magazine, online, or here:

As you read this, you are probably sitting on something comfortable but substantially less “green” than Mother Nature’s floor (the dirt) or a Caveman’s favorite chair (a rock). We spend hours upon hours sitting or laying down on objects that are made of a combination of wood, glues, finishes, foam, and metal springs fashioned from materials from around the globe. Betty offers the following tips for green furnishings.

*Choose furniture with the least-toxic finishes and glues. Avoid formaldehyde and other flame retardants which off-gas, compromising your indoor air quality.

*Buy FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified wood, or products shaped from reclaimed materials. I spied a beautiful bench crafted by John Shumate, a Barboursville artisan, at Artful Lodger.

*Ask lots of questions about the product material and manufacturing process. Beware of greenwashing. Betty advocates going local, but you may have to purchase online.

*Think durability. Natural fibers are great, but can wear and tear and stain more easily.

*If you have budget limitations, consider going green with just one aspect of the product. Or get creative by upcycling a yard-sale find, or buy vintage so that the off-gassing is done. Also consider refurbishing or reupholstering with natural fibers like hemp.

*Look for the Greenguard certification or Cradle-to-Cradle certification (from local eco-firm MBDC) where the complete life-cycle of the product is considered.
Finally, when you are done with that old couch, be sure to visit Betty’s hard-to-recycle online search tool (web address below), or call a local charity.

Hope that helps!
BWB