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ST. LUCIE County HOMETOWN NEWS
FOREVER YOUNG
April 2012
Every small effort makes a big difference By Shelley Koppel Associate news editor
PORT ST. LUCIE — Saving the planet may seem like an overwhelming task for an individual. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that each person’s little effort adds up. Sandra Bogan, environmental education and outreach coordinator for Oxbow Eco-Center wants people to know that every effort counts. Not everybody can make a huge investment in changing their lifestyle,” she said. “Here are some simple steps to be more conscious of your impact on the environment. Once you think that way, you’ll find more ways.” For Ms. Bogan, reducing consumption is the key. “Consumption is the food you consume, the water you use, the energy you use and the amount of garbage you create,” she said. The first step is to look at what you’re buying. “Don’t get more than you need,” she said. “If there are leftovers, make stews or stocks and freeze it. Make smoothies with overripe fruits or vegetables. Waste and purchasing go hand-in-hand. You won’t throw it away if you don’t have it.” The issue of consumption is tied to health as well as the environment. “What’s good for the environment may also be good for the body,” Ms. Bogan said. “I want hormone-and antibiotic-free meat and dairy products. Growth hormones are used to get them to market sooner. Buying organic and hormone-free meat is good for you and the environment.” Buying locally grown goods is another step to help the environment. “If it’s grown locally, it doesn’t have to travel as far and use energy,” Ms. Bogan said. “Why do we need tomatoes from Mexico? You can grow herbs, tomatoes and lettuce
and you don’t need a giant garden. We’ve become removed from the source of our food. Kids today say t h a t f o o d comes from the g r o c e r y store.” Ms. Bogan said that locally grown foods are less likely to have pesticides, and not wrapped in plastic, creating more waste. Buying locally a l s o helps t h e local economy. C o n serving water is something we can think about inside and out. “To reduce watering, reduce turf areas,” Ms. Bogan said. “Have more islands of shrubs and low-growing plants. Choose the right plant for the right place. Native plants don’t need water because they’ve been through drought cycles before. They also attract native pollinators like butterflies.” Even washing your car can be a water-saver. “If you wash your car, park it on the grass so it does double-duty,” Ms. Bogan said. “The soap gets rid of aphids and the water doesn’t just
go down the drain.” Indoors, make sure you have a full load of clothes before doing a wash or use the low w a t e r setting. You can get lowflow shower and faucet heads and low-flush toilets. If you use bottled water, refill the bottle from the tap. “That makes a h u g e i m p a c t ,” M s . Bogan said. “ Yo u c a n put a filter on the s i n k . Bottled water is not better than sink water.” Ms. Bogan calls water bottles that are used once ‘onesers,’ and says it’s a good idea to eliminate them from your life. “Anything you’ll use once and throw away is not good,” she said. “A bottle can be reused. Grocery bags can be used for garbage. Donate things. One man’s trash is another’s treasure. We’re moving beyond recycling to repurposing, giving something a new use.” Finally, conserving energy is not only good for the environment but the pocketbook. “Water heaters are big energy
consumers,” Ms. Bogan said. “Put a blanket around it and turn water down to body temperature. Put a timer on it so it isn’t heating water all day when you don’t need it. St. Lucie County has a model program to provide low-interest loans to retrofit homes to be more energy- efficient. For more information about the program, visit the w e b s i t e www.st.lucieco.gov/ed/empower or call 468-1818. Air conditioning is a big energy user and it’s important to buy one with a good energy rating and to maintain it by changing filters, servicing it once a year and turning up the thermostat when you leave the house. It’s important to remember that appliances and equipment such as computers use energy even when they’re not one. “They’re ‘energy vampires’,” Ms. Bogan said. “If you leave your laptop or phone charger plugged in, it uses energy even if the equipment is not plugged in. Put your electronics like your television and radio on a surge protector and turn them off every day. You’ll be amazed at how much energy you can save. Ms. Bogan said that people don’t always realize how much power they have to effect change in the market place, whether it’s for more fuel efficiency or less packaging or food. “People have power as consumers to change and influence the market,” she said. “Buy food with less packaging and insist on it. Being more aware and more conscious and demanding more helps corporations be responsible and brings prices down. As consumers, we create the market.” The Oxbow Eco-Center is located at 5400 N.E. James Dr., Port St. Lucie. Call (772) 785-5833 or visit the website www.oxboweco.com.