Urban Homesteading

URBAN HOMESTEADING

We rural folks always refer to living in the big city (manila) as "kada-galaw, may bayad" (every action needs payment). I believe that the reason behind this is because in the big city, in order to survive, one has to embrace the true meaning of capitalism and make sure that each individuals rights are properly met. Some even exploit this social structure just to get ahead. Granting this is the city life, one thought always pop in my head - "how can one be self-sufficient in an environment where everything has a price tag?" As a boy growing in a rural community, I did not adjust to the urban life immediately.

Urban Homesteading is a process of being able to provide for oneself despite living in an urban community. Simply put, urban homesteading means self-sufficiency. A lot of people in first world countries are now getting into this new habit. You can see on high rise apartments several organic farms being cultivated to provide basic needs for a family. Depending on the season, one can see different varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables being planted.

This initiative by urban folks is a major step in getting back to our organic roots where fruits and vegetables are organically grown from dirt. Unlike today, where majority of the can goods being sold at supermarkets are genetically modified to last longer. The problem with GMO's is that the consistency of the nutrients are no longer present therefore it poses a great threat to the health of the consumers. Corporations in the food industry are now taking advantage of GMO goods because it is not only efficient in their part but also it's efficacy to generate huge amount of money is unstoppable.

Urban homesteading is a great way in going back to our roots and also assuring the environment that there is still hope in making this world a better place to live in. Being a homesteader means being an environmentalist by heart because you are making sure that the life you want to live is as organic as possible. A greener life means appreciating all the things the environment has to offer. And when you look at it at a macro perspective, eating and producing foods from your own backyard is a great way in helping the environment. For one thing, you don't need to drive your car and burn fossil fuels just to go to the grocery or local market just to buy a piece of vegetable that you could organically grow. This will also make sure that imported goods are no longer patronize which will make these foreign companies to rethink their marketing strategy in disposing their goods. And by practicing urban homesteading, this will also lessen the importance of eating can goods and other meat products that require heavy machinery to produce. And most of this will make sure that your health is at optimum level because you know what is entering your body.

I found this one website that has a great collection of resources pertaining to urban homesteading. For more info, click here.

8 Ways of Becoming a Zero-Waste Society

There has always been a series of discussions regarding zero-waste societies and how we can achieve it. Some goes against the idea but I think there is still a way in attaining a society with zero-waste. It all depends on how we define the term waste and how we look at it.

According to www.dictionary.com, waste used as a verb actually means - being gradually consumed. Therefore in a much micro-perspective, to be consumed means to be used as much as possible as long as it is still usable to some living thing. Whether it is between both humans or between bacterias, as long as it serves it's purpose, I think that is the best way in understanding the word waste.

So, I made up a list that I think is the best way for us to attain zero-waste culture, and here they are.

8 Ways of Becoming a Zero-Waste Society:

1. Minimize Product Packaging - Whenever I go to any store, whether an appliance store or a retail store of shoes, it seems that the packaging of most items are made to impress people just to make them feel that what they are buying is pure quality. I believe that minimizing the product's packaging will zero the waste since while maintaining it's allure to the consumers. Added benefit is that the manufacturer can save a lot from raw materials in packaging their products. There are brands that are commendable in reducing the total cost as well as the raw materials used when they are packaging their items. I believe as consumers, we can influence the manufacturers way of producing these packaging by being effective product stewards in choosing the most cost-effective and eco-friendly items in the stores.
2. Go For Biodegradable Items - if you are planning to go for a camping trip or family picnic, or do something that you only do once or twice, try purchasing biodegradable items so that just in case your friends or family members throw it away carelessly, you are assured that somewhere in time, those items are eco-friendly and are easily converted to biodgradable form.
3. Composting: Not Rocket Science - some won't go for composting because they think they can't do it or it's difficult. Well, I say it's not and it's actually fun when you get used to it. All your compostable waste will turn into FREE FOOD for your plants. :) Just follow the proper waste seggragation scheme.
4. Reusable Containers are the Future of Pack Lunches - I went to the supermarket the other day and I just found out that there is a dedicated rack for reusable, microwavable containers in different sizes and colors. I think this is a good way in zeroing out waste since it will help us reduce our consumption of plastics.
   
5. Recycle - this is an obvious suggestions.Try to recycle all items that you think is recyclable. If you are unsure of an item if it can be recycled then go online. Search for the product specifications and where is the nearest factory that can disposed of that item in your area.
6. Go for Long Term - when buying a product, go for brands that you think will last you the longest. I know that there is an economic crisis today but when you look at it at a bigger perspective, the longer you have it, the more savings you will have since you won't go buying the same expensive item over and over again.
   
7. Effectively Dispose Non-Usable Leftovers - for items that are no longer usable, try to separate them from your other usable items and practice searching for best ways in disposing them. Online communities are great when it comes to that. Your junk might be a treasure for someone else. :)
8. TAKE THE FIRST 7 STEPS AND PUT IT IN YOUR HEART - the first 7 steps are useless if you don't take it yourself to care. So start caring!

8 Ways to Practice Product Stewardship

Product Stewardship is the process of evaluating the life cycle of the products we buy and use. It involves how they are made, how they arrive at stores, how you use them and what happens to them when you no longer need them. As a consumer, it is our right and obligation to know these things because this will not only help the quality of products being manufactured but also helps in improving the manufacturing process for a greener earth. Here are 8 ways to ensure that you are being a good product steward.

1. Stay Informed  - wherever you are, as a consumer you are being bombarded with different marketing campaigns telling you how "green" their product is or how their product qualifies for an "environmentally-safe" insignia just to sell their goods. We also have to understand that there are different levels of being "green" to keep in mind. While a carbon offset is a nice gesture by the company to think of the environment, a change in manufacturing to remove harmful chemicals is probably more meaningful in the long run. Companies play a huge role in product stewardship but without the proper endorsement of informed consumers, these means nothing.
2. Extra Spending Won't Hurt You - price is a huge factor when you are shopping, but keep in mind that product stewardship costs everyone money. Companies spend more to manufacture eco-friendly products so if you can afford the extra cost, the environment (and the future generations) will thank you. 
3. Locate Your Products  - imported cheese from France may taste great, but what is the cost for the environment when it is shipped to you. Consumer products list where it comes from on the package, so take a look the next time you buy a product. An eco-friendly solution is to shop at a farmer's market at least once in a while. This will not only lessen the toll on the environment but also supports the local economy.
4. Check the Ingredients - with all the fad diets today, almost everybody is checking the nutritional panel at the back cover to check for carbohydrates and trans fats. Why not do this for other consumer goods. The next time you buy a product, check for it's composition. One thing to look out here are the products that contain lead and mercury which are chemicals that can wreak havoc to the environment. 
5. Reduce Your Packaging - when was the last time you bought something not wrapped in paper or plastic? To be more eco-friendly, try using a reusable canvas bag when you shop at the groceries or try buying in large quantities the products that you normally use to lessen the packaging being thrown into landfills. This will also help the companies to change their packaging cost to a minimum to be more environmentally friendly.
6. Recycle - do I need to say more? :)
7. Take Advantage of Take Backs - a lot of companies today, specially electronic goods (like laptops, mobile phones, pda's, etc) offers a free service of taking back the used battery or any part that can be recycled so that consumers need not to worry about disposing this hazardous parts. Some even offer monetary compensation for old parts.
8. Close the Loop  - the recycle symbol has two purposes: first is to tell you how the recycling process is done and the second is what is being made of that recycling procedure. The recycled content will then be sold again to maximize profit and at the same time helping the environment. Buying recycled is how you close the loop; otherwise it becomes less important that it was recycled in the first place.]

So what are you waiting for? Start being a productive and efficient Product Steward today!!!!

7 Ways To Be Energy Efficient At Home

On the advent of rising fuel cost and high increase of demand in energy production, a lot of power-generating plants are looking for more raw materials to convert to energy. As a result, the environment suffers from these industrial plants and at the same time, these power plants can dictate the price of generating and transmitting this energy to consumers' houses. And looking at our economy today, more and more companies are finding ways to eliminate high usage of electricity simply because it can cut down their cost to more than 40% of their total annual budget. 

Looking at an ordinary consumer with an average monthly salary, it is only imperative to cut cost in order to survive in this community. One way to do it is by cutting down the usage of our electricity.  When one decide to do this, there are a lot of benefits that will follow through. 

But the questions is, how do we do this? How can one be energy efficient at home? So here are 7 simple ways that you can contribute in greening the earth.

1.  Replace your OLD Refrigerator - The older the fridge, the higher in consumes energy to maintain the desired temperature. There has been a lot of significant changes in this industry in improving energy efficiency so that it can both benefit the consumers as well as the environment. Direct Energy spokesperson Lisa Dornan said "If you look at the top-rated refrigerator in 2001 that was Energy Star, and one that you would buy today with an Energy Star rating, there would be a 20% to 40% difference in energy efficiency" during a press conference about minimizing energy consumption. Her firm performs home energy audit and energy retailer. As a rule of thumb, when buying refrigerators, always look at the energy efficiency ratio (EER). The higher it is, the better. Also, anything that has a motor in you appliance set, try to have it replaced with newer models and make sure to check the EER.
   
2. Install programmable timers and thermostats - When buying appliances, make sure it comes with a timer or thermostat sensor in order to make it more efficient. This is helpful because it can minimize the usage of appliances when not in use. Best example is your air conditioning unit that can be programmed to switch on and off the time you leave your house and the time you come home so that it will not keep on removing the heat of the house all the time. 
3. Don't let the heat escape - Caulk your windows and door frames to make sure they are airtight. Also, try to install honeycombed-type shades in order to trap the heat before it goes inside your house.
4. Use compact fluorescent bulbs - this is a no brainer kind of suggestion. This kind of bulbs are very efficient and easy to produce. It can dramatically decrease your power consumption as much as $400 per 10 incandescent bulbs.
5. Change the filter of your air conditioner unit- this will help you AC units to function properly and detect thermostat changes in order to require it's machine to operate. This will also help minimize wear and tear on your unit. 
6. Invest in an attic fan - for regular homes, try installing an attic fan, it is more energy efficient and it can remove unwanted heat to make your house feel cooler. For people who live at apartments or condo units, try buying an energy efficient fan in replacement of your AC unit during the cooler season. 
7. UNPLUG all appliances not in use - even though your TV set is not switched on, by merely plugging it to the power outlet inducts energy thus increasing your bill at a certain level. Try unplugging unused appliances and switching off lights when not in use in order to cut down on the cost and minimize energy loss.

So these are some ways that can help you be energy efficient at home that can benefit you, your family and the environment. But before I end this article, I would also suggest to look for those power savers being sold at hardware stores. These are devices that cuts down the energy loss being transmitted in your home by reusing it in the system. These are somewhat expensive devices but when you look at it in the long run, it will help you cut down on your cost.