Wa$ted Episode: Firemen Go Green

Firehouses are open 24/7, so that means the lights stay on, the doors stay open and there's lots of trash—much of it paper and plastic proof that firemen like all things disposable. From recycling to recipes, Annabelle and Holter show 20 firefighters how to green up.

Eco-friendly, money-saving tips from this episode:

1. Leachate is a toxic liquid produced when water interacts with trash and chemicals in a landfill.


2. It takes 1.5 million barrels of oil to produce a year's supply of plastic bottles. Enough oil to fuel 100,000 cars.


3. In the U.S. alone, "vampire power" costs consumers more than $3 billion a year.


4. "Vampire Power" is energy that appliances continue to draw even when not in use.


5. Ammonia and alcohol are toxic chemicals that pose serious health risks, especially when inhaled.


6. It takes over 500 years for plastic to break down when it is thrown into a landfill.


7. BPA is a chemical found in some plastics. When it reacts to heat it can leak toxins. BPA free bottles eliminate that danger.


8. An increasing number of U.S. cities have banned the use of polystyrene take out containers in restaurants.



Read Holter's Journal from this Episode:
Firemen Dedicate Themselves to a Greener Life

Products featured in this episode:
Laundry Dropps
Nalgene
Sage Green Bags
Belkin OXO
Sustainable Solutions Inc.
Busch Systems International
Excel Dryer Inc.
USA Technologies
Tri Palm International LLC.
Core Products Company Inc.

Don't miss this episode of Wa$ted! or any of your favorite Planet Green shows. Check out the tv schedule for listings.

To learn more about the science behind the Ecological Footprint, visit Global Footprint Network and BioRegional Network.