Mike Kemp /Getty Images
READ MORE ABOUT:
Let's hope that more people know how to recycle than how to spell it!
The spelling-disinclined may have found Lori Harfinest's spelling bee a bit harsh. After all, we all know that crummy spelling skills don't reflect intelligence (does the name Thomas Edison, genius dyslexic, ring a bell?).
Lori's pop quiz got us thinking about another green challenge: the eco-cynical Anti-Greenies. These are people that live happily in the river of denial about every eco challenge. Fear not! The following hard and fast facts will fuel a perfectly peaceful reply en route to a healthier, more eco-aware population:
Anti-Greenie: Recycling actually wastes energy.
Happy Greenie: Actually, reusing aluminum is 95 percent more energy-efficient than creating products with raw materials. And recycling plastics uses just 10 percent of the energy it takes to make a pound of plastic from virgin resources. (Thanks, Ready, Set, Green!)
Anti-Greenie: Plants are natural. The word 'organic' is a marketing term
Happy Greenie: Have you heard about the United States Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program? They designate what can and cannot be dubbed as 'certified organic.' You can read all about how certified organic growers achieve that designation on their website. I'll send you the link! Food with a USDA Organic sticker is herbicide-, pesticide- and fungicide-free. Who doesn't want that?Anti-Greenie: Turning off the water when I brush my teeth isn't going to save the world.
Happy Greenie: You can save more than five gallons of water per day by turning off the water while shaving or brushing your teeth. I know... I was shocked too!
Anti-Greenie: My car is a clunker but it's the only one I have! What am I supposed to do-walk 20 miles to work?
Happy Greenie: Of course you have to drive to work. But taking care of your car impacts the environment. Believe it or not, a car that isn't tuned properly produces 10-15 times more pollution than a properly tuned up car!
Keep these rebuttals at the ready and help take the meanie out of the Anti-Greenie!
-
- {}
