Getting a Grip on Sustainability

With branches across the world, sustainability can sometimes feel scattered at NOLS. Our Sustainability Coordinator, Karly Copeland is saddled with the important task of unifying all these great ideas into sustainability purchasing guides. Although we are still in the planning phase of this assignment, the NOLS sustainable purchasing research team stumbled upon a few interesting ideas people have for reducing, re-using and recycling.

Reduce:
While reviewing travel-purchasing research, filled with practical sustainable suggestions like taking only non-stop flights and carpooling, one suggestion seemed to stand apart from the rest. Reduction guides suggest that people start planning their trip routes to minimize left hand turns. At first glance, this suggestion seemed a bit over the top. My mind instantly created a scenario where families like the Griswolds from “National Lampoon’s Vacation” are expected to plan their cross-country route in a counter clockwise fashion, so they do not offend the left hand turn rule. However, after discussing my ridiculous idea with colleagues here at NOLS, I was brought back to reality and quickly realized I currently implement the same strategy in my everyday life. Minimizing the amount of left hand turns you take on average minimizes the amount of time you are on the road. I am always trying to get my errands done quicker so instead of taking the route to the grocery store that includes 1 stop sign and 3 lights, I go one block out of my way to take the route that only has 1 stop sign and 0 lights. This way my car doesn’t idle as long and the trip takes consistently less time. Consequently my car produces less emissions and I use less fossil fuels.

Re-use:
Re-using takes the form re-purposing when reviewing green cleaning purchasing research. The majority of research we compiled suggested that “green cleaning” is not only achieved by purchasing expensive name brand “green certified” cleaners. One can achieve “green” by re-purposing what they already buy at the grocery store for cleaning instead of cooking. Vinegar, baking soda, lemon, and salt hold natural cleaning power just waiting to be unleashed. Common floor, bathroom, and all-purpose cleaner recipes are available online and in bookstores across the country. Re-purposing your household goods reduces the amount of chemicals released into our environment and reduces the toxicity of our lakes, streams and animal habitats.

Recycle:
I remember the days when recycling your unwanted paper at the local center was the extent of most peoples paper recycling repertoire. It seems now, that if you aren’t currently using paper made from recycled content, you are behind the times. It is common practice throughout the country to encourage recycled paper purchasing. Many companies even require their staff to buy no less than 30% PCR (post consumer recycled fiber) or they only buy tissue paper with 100% recycled content and a minimum of 50% PCR content. Its exciting to see how reduce, re-use, and recycle ethics infiltrate every aspect of ones life.

You can’t bike to the grocery store, to get the white vinegar you need for your floor without stumbling into some sustainable practice you have been doing for years that is just now gaining “green” publicity.

photo courtesy of Lara McCluskey