COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL APRIL 18, 2018
11A
REMEMBER SAFETY FIRST!
Before your plant...
look up and call 811 before you dig.
787 Bailey Hill Rd.
Eugene, OR 541-484-1151
www.lanelectric.com
How big is
your footprint?
You might be surprised at how
much your family uses every
year. When looking to go green,
it’s a good idea to start by seeing
just how big of an impact your
household has on the planet every
year.
Go online
Websites such as Eco Footprint
(www.myfootprint.org) can help
you determine how much your
household impacts the environ-
ment. It will tell you how many
planets would be needed to
support your family’s lifestyle if
everyone lived like you. It also
will give you the Earth Overshoot
Day — the day when humanity
as a whole maxes out Earth’s resources for that
year. The calculator is maintained by the Global
Footprint Network and asks you a series of
questions, then uses national data pulled from
15,000 data points per country per year from
United Nations data sets, peer-reviewed science
journals and collections.
Observe an eco sabbath
Now that you know how much you use, it’s
time to cut it down. One way to do that is to set
aside one day a week for a eco sabbath. Like
a religious sabbath, this is a time of rest from
consumption. While it will be hard and you can
expect withdrawal pains, the good news is that
you get to set the rules. Set aside an hour, a day
or a whole weekend and don’t buy anything,
don’t use machines, don’t cook, don’t use
mobile devices, however you want to tailor it to
your family and your eco footprint.
Get growing
Another footprint your family leaves is your
carbon footprint. A carbon footprint is the total
set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by your
household, expressed as an equivalent of carbon
dioxide. No matter how careful you are, you’ll
probably end up using some carbon. Offset that
with a quick trip to your local garden center to
plant trees and plants that can reduce or even
neutralize your carbon footprint. Ask for help
choosing native landscaping that’s easy on re-
sources such as water and doesn’t require much
in the way of chemical fertilizers and insect
control. Another option is to donate to nonprof-
its and other causes that support carbon-neutral
efforts.
Cause an Effect
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R ECYCLE ! R EUSE !
DONATE YOUR
ITEMS TO THE
ReStore
Drop off your old paint
for recycling
at our ReStore location
during business hours
R E S TORE H OURS
T HURSDAY , F RIDAY & S ATURDAY
10 AM -4 PM
Preserve our earth
Keep items out of the landfi lls
Donate to the ReStore
Habitat Offi ce and ReStore
2155 Getty Circle ~ Unit #1
in the Cottage Grove Industrial Park
South on Hwy 99 past the High School
Make the decision to make a difference this Earth
Day. On Earth Day and every day, the routine
choices we make affect our planet, so here are
some simple tips for choosing wisely:
• Reduce, reuse and recycle
at home, at work and at school.
• Shop for used goods, or look for items
made from recycled materials.
• Buy in bulk or multi-packs to
cut down on packaging waste.
• Look for Energy Star ® and WaterSense ®
labels on products like appliances
and plumbing fi xtures.
• Cut down on plastic bags by carrying your own
reusable shopping bag to the store.
• Properly dispose of recyclable items, electronics
and potentially hazardous materials.
• Always turn off lights and appliances when you
leave a room.
• Unplug your mobile phone charger when it’s not
in use.
• Walk, ride your bike or use public transportation whenever possible.
• Choose locally and organically produced foods.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
• Don’t top off your gas tank, as this lets harmful chemicals enter the air.
• Go to www.epa.gov/earthday to fi nd local volunteer opportunities and to learn more about steps you can take
to protect our planet.
Green your routine with eco-friendly choices from these local businesses:
Labrang Tea
Traders
Eugene, OR
https://lmftea.com/
Call 541.767.0358
for more information
Email
info@habitatcg.org
This N’ That
Corner
Humane Society CG
33 N 8th St,
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
(541) 942-3130
Cottage Grove Territorial Seed
Company
Garbage Service
20 Palmer Avenue,
2055 Getty Circle, Cottage Grove
541-942-8321
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
(800) 626-0866
Bring Recycling
Feel So Alive
4446 Franklin Blvd, Eugene, OR
97403
(541) 746-3023
“Fish Friendly Carwash”
Eugene, OR
(541) 525-0703