Dear Eartha, I heard plastic bags might get banned in Colorado. Is that true?
Earlier this winter, the Dillon Town Council opted to ban plastic bags and foam takeout containers starting in August. Breckenridge and Frisco will ban single-use plastic bags starting in September. Additionally, state legislators introduced a bill to ban single-use plastic bags and foam food containers throughout Colorado. It’s not the first time such legislation has been attempted at the state level, and the debate is heated.
What is single-use plastic?
. Half that is used just once before it’s discarded. Flimsy plastic shopping bags are one example. Other culprits include plastic packaging and food service items like plastic utensils and takeout containers.
Dear Eartha,
The amount of dog poop I see around town and on our trails is concerning. Is it bad for the environment when our dogs do their business and it’s not picked up?
We have all seen or smelled the landmines that our dogs leave behind when it’s time for them to go. The impact on our environment can be less noticeable but when we don’t clean up after our furry friends, it can leave a lasting negative impact on the places we love.
Why It Matters
To any dog owner who shrugs off their pooch’s poop in the woods as no big deal, I’d encourage them to consider the cumulative impact. According to the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics
Dear Eartha,
I recently had a baby, and my friends keep recommending all this stuff that I’m not even sure I need. Do you have any tips to be less wasteful?
If you enjoy living a sustainable lifestyle, there is no reason to stop once you have a baby! Your desire to leave the world a better place becomes even more meaningful when you have kids. Modern marketing, and maybe even other moms, might tell you that you need a lot of stuff: clothing, toys, baby products, furniture the list goes on.
But a lot of stuff means a lot of waste. Many baby items are used for only a few months before they become outgrown or are no longer needed and disposed of. So what is an eco-conscious mom to do? Even though it can feel like an overwhelming task, there are small, but impactful, things every parent can do to leave a smaller footprint.
Dear Eartha,
I have a lot of good habits at home, but when it comes to greening operations at my small business, I don’t know where to start. Do you have any tips?
If you’re like me, your home has become your office, complete with kids and dogs making cameos in video calls. But the good news is that regardless of where you work home office, actual office, retail store, restaurant, etc. it’s easy to apply the sustainability habits you have at home to your real life workplace. From simple fixes to more involved building retrofits, here are some ideas that will help your business improve energy efficiency, reduce waste and save money.
Dear Eartha,
My gas stove is on its last leg. When I was looking for replacements, I read that gas appliances can cause poor air quality. I love cooking with gas, but is it healthier to cook with an electric stove?
With the average American spending nearly 90% of their time indoors, it’s worth asking about the quality of your indoor air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency
, the quality of air indoors is often more polluted than the outdoors. In some cases, indoor air is so dirty that it would violate federal clean air standards if it were outside! Unlike outdoor air, no one is regulating the air we breathe indoors.