Read 'n' Seed 5: Fourth and Final Review of Do One Green Thing

For the fourth and final quarter I read the last section or part of the book.  This time the primary topic of discussion was regarding ‘Transportation.’  This section included chapter 13 which expanded from page 215 to 225.

The overall main topic, as I mentioned, was about transportation the each chapter was focused on discussing walking, biking, and ride sharing.

After reading the fourth section of the book I would have to say there was 2 main pieces of information I found to be most significant and surprising.  


1. The book gave a list of online stores were you may donate any old, wearable shoes to those who really need them, such as orphans to AIDS victims in Africa.  on is http://www.hoperuns.org/.

2.  One way to 'cut back' on gas is by making sure your tires are properly inflated.  If everyone in the U.S. did this gas consumption would reduce by 3.3 percent (or $24 million a day).  Another interesting fact is that when it comes to driving try to reduce the amount of things you transport.  For every extra 100 pounds your car has to transport a 2 percent lose of gas mileage occurs.

What we can really take away from this is that knowing in the U.S. most people travel by driving a vehicle so these were a few precautions we can do if you have no other option but to drive.

New Terminology:

1. Polycyclics aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs):  potent atmospheric pollutants

I really enjoyed reading this book.  What I appreciated about it was that the book let you know of how you may become more eco-friendly in a number of different areas in your life.  The book explained how adapting these behaviors would benefit the earth as well as yourself and those around you AND it actually gave you names of products to choose over others, which has been super helpful.  The book is also not formatted like most books, so it has been very simple and fun to read.  This means a lot to me because I know I can easily access and look-up the information in the future whether I want to show others about the topic or simply remind myself of how I can be eco-friendly.  This book is very important since I would really like to be more cautious when it comes to taking care of myself and the environment.  This book has been such a useful tool that has really encouraged me to adapt new behaviors and consider making different life choices, which I know will help out everyone and everything in the end.  I would most definitely recommend this book to others and I actually have been encouraging my roommates to read the book!  As I mentioned before this book has broken down the facts about why and how it's important to take care of the earth.  It is also very simple and easy to read so I know the book won't be confusing or hard for them to follow.  I found this book to be very helpful and these are the three most significant things I have learned from it:

1. When it comes to washing dishes and wanting to save more energy and water, would you think hand-washing or dishwashing would be more eco-friendly?  I guessed hand-washing and I was incorrect in my assumption.  On average, using a dishwasher uses only half the electricity and one-sixth of the water than hand-washing does.
2. If every American stopped purchasing water in disposable bottles then we would save a lot of water.  I'm sure this seems like a given point, however, I was not aware that it takes twice as much water to make the disposable bottle.  So you could say that every bottle of water actually represents three bottles of water.  This poses a problem not only because over 80% of disposable bottles end up in landfills, but this also uses up even more water than necessary.  What we can do to help diminish this issue is to purchase reusable bottles, such as steel or aluminum, and fill the bottles with tap water.
3. Most of us are now aware that drinking wine, in moderation, is good for you.  Though people with asthma and allergies have something even more to look forward to.  Studies have shown that people with asthma and/or allergies often prefer white wines over red due to the lower quantities of sulfite, a common allergen, found in the wine.  USDA organic wine forbids any additions of sulfites in the wine.  So organic wine is beneficial for people with these health conditions since enables them to drink without the issue of breathing problems occurring.

Read 'n' Seed 4: Third Quarter of Do One Thing Green

For the third quarter I read the third section or part of the book.  This time the primary topic of discussion was regarding ‘Personal Care and Apparel.’  This section included chapter’s 11 and 12 which expanded from page 149 to 189.

The overall main topic, as I mentioned, was about personal care products and apparel so each chapter tied into that category.  Chapter 11 focused on Skin and Hair, and chapter 12 focused on clothing.

After reading the third section of the book I would have to say there were 3 main pieces of information I found to be most significant and surprising.  

1.  By stearing clear of products from bottles of personal care products with the term 'fragrance' imprinted on it you may protect you and your family's hormonal system.  This is due to fragrance being composed of a hormone-disrupting chemical, phthalates.  Fragrance is also the number one ingredient in personal care products associated with allergic reactions.  When companies use the term 'fragrance' it allows the companies to unlabel or 'hide' components of synthetic scents.  Surprisingly, even bottles that include the word 'natural' by itself are meaningless without a reliable third-party certifier's seal.  This is because toxins such as lead and mercury are originally 'natural,' even though they have been altered for the product.  The best way to avoid exposure to any of these products would be to, when shopping, look for the personal care products to contain a gold green standard label 'USDA Certified Organic.'

2.  When it comes to personal care products it seems I am always looking for a new product to try, especially when it comes to purchasing moisturizer.  Unfortunately, a number of moisturizer products include synthetic chemicals, which may cause cancer and hormone disruption.  This is a little terrifying when it comes to moisturizing the skin because chemicals may be readily absorbed through the skin and eventually make their way into a person's bloodstream.  Some great plant-derived products that may be readily available and won't empty the wallet include oil preservatives such as aloe vera, rosemary, and olive oil.  Please avoid products that include petroleum-derived preservatives, including parabens.

3.  I always knew that purchasing less new clothes was good for the environment (demand goes down), however, it never really dawned on me that you could purchase eco-friendly clothing.  It seems a good portion of clothes are made from cotton, the most popular natural fiber, though, also in the top three slots for having pesticides sprayed on the crop (after corn and soy).  Another product we often hear used in clothing is polyester.  Unfortunately, polyester leaves the biggest greenhouse gas footprint and consumes the most energy.    A great new product clothes are being manufactured from is bamboo.  Bamboo grows at a considerably fast rate and is constantly being renewed and when used for clothing has a smooth feel to it.  The next time you go clothes shopping take an extra moment to read the label.  Shirts that include hemp, organic cotton, recycled cotton or wool, or bamboo are considerably eco-friendly.

New Terminology - definitions and information provided in the link

1. Phthalates
2. Parabens

Read 'n' Seed 3: Second Quarter of "Do One Thing Green"

For the second quarter I read the second section or part of the book.  This time the primary topic of discussion was regarding ‘A Green and Healthy Home.’  This section included chapter’s six to 10 and expanded from page 77 to 149.

The overall main topic, as I mentioned, was about maintaining a green home so each chapter tied into that category.  Chapter 6 focused on appliances, chapter 7 on lighting, chapter 8 on saving water, chapter 9 on simple green housekeeping, and chapter 10 on reduce, reuse, recycle.

After reading the second section of the book I would have to say there were 3 main pieces of information I found to be most significant and surprising.  

1.  Lighting accounts for 20% of our energy use.  When it comes to lighting I have always been a fanatic about making sure lights are turned off when no one's using them, though I never really knew how I could help conserve energy when it is necessary for light fixtures to be turned on.  In this particular section of my book I read about converting from incandescent bulbs to efficient compact fluoresent light (CFL) bulb and purchasing light-emitting diodes (LED) lamps and fixtures.  CFL bulbs shine ten times longer and are about 75% more efficient than regular incandescent bulbs, while LED bulbs illuminate 25 times longer.  These fixtures are so energy efficient that if everyone replaced just one standard light bulb with an energy efficient bulb consumers would save about $600 million and enough energy would be conserved to light 3 million homes for a year!  Can you imagine how much energy would be saved if all lights in our homes were CFL or LED bulbs? 

There are also color options for CFL bulbs to choose from.  There are clear bluish white colored bulbs to resemble daylight or yellow/red color that's comparable to the incandescent light.

2.  When it comes to washing dishes and wanting to save more energy and water, would you think hand-washing or dishwashing would be more eco-friendly?  I guessed hand-washing and I was incorrect in my assumption.  On average, using a dishwasher uses only half the electricity and one-sixth of the water than hand-washing does. 

A recent study conducted from Germany concluded that new dishwashers can save 4,300 gallons of water a year over hand-washing.  This was troubling for me considering the house I rent does not contain a dishwasher, though, again, the book pulled through for me and provided tips for those of us who do not own dishwashers.  To begin with, scraping dishes clean and allowing them to soak in the sink before washing will help.  When it comes time for washing them, scrub the dishes and whatnot and then stack them to one side of the sink, when rinsing, give them a quick pass under the faucet and wash utentisils by the handful, not one by one.  Finally, place the clean dishes promptly into the other side of the sink or into a dish rack.    One final precaution that may be taken would entail purchasing a low-flow faucet aerator, which releases .5 gallons per minute unlike standard faucets that release 2.2 gallons per minute.  Aerator faucests may be found and purchased at most hardware stores, if you're not sure when you get there, simply ask for help.

3.  Often when the subject of creating a greener home is discussed one topic that always seems to be mentioned revolves around cleaning supplies.  The purpose for using cleaning products is to create a clean and sanitary home, however, it appears that is not necessarily what may happen.  Most house cleaners release toxic ingredients, such as petroleum-derived insecticides, into the air along with distributing unhealthy fumes.   Now, with the help of this book, I will be able to make plant-based household cleaning supplies of my own from the DIY recipes listed.  Recipes listed are soft scrub, fume-free oven cleaner, glass cleaner, floor cleaner, disinfectant, stain remover, mold remover, deodorizer, carpet/upholstery spot cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, metal polish, and drain cleaner.  What makes me excited is knowing I can make these products using common household products such as baking soda and white vinegar, but I also feel more confident knowing these products are not emitting toxic fumes throughout the home and into the atmosphere.  If you would like a recipes let me know!

New Terminology - definitions and information provided in the link

1. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
2. Light-emitting diodes (LED)
3. Aerator

Read 'n' Seed 2: First quarter of "Do One Green Thing"

For the first quarter I had decided to read the first section or part of the book focused on Food and Drink.  This section included the first five chapters and finished on page 77.

The overall main topic, as I mentioned, was food and drink so each chapter tied into that category.  Chapter 1 focused on drinking water, chapter 2 on produce, chapter 3 on fish, chapter 4 on meat, dairy, poultry, and eggs, and chapter 5 on food storage and cookware.

After reading the first section of the book I would have to say there were 3 main pieces of information I found to be most significant and surprising.  

1.  If every American stopped purchasing water in disposable bottles then we would save a lot of water.  I'm sure this seems like a given point, however, I was not aware that it takes twice as much water to make the disposable bottle.  So you could say that every bottle of water actually represents three bottles of water.  This poses a problem not only because over 80% of disposable bottles end up in landfills, but this also uses up even more water than necessary.  What we can do to help diminish this issue is to purchase reusable bottles, such as steel or aluminum, and fill the bottles with tap water.


2.  Most of us are now aware that drinking wine, in moderation, is good for you.  Though people with asthma and allergies have something even more to look forward to.  Studies have shown that people with asthma and/or allergies often prefer white wines over red due to the lower quantities of sulfite, a common allergen, found in the wine.  USDA organic wine forbids any additions of sulfites in the wine.  So organic wine is beneficial for people with these health conditions since enables them to drink without the issue of breathing problems occurring.


3.  I've heard before that you should avoid purchasing 'Teflon', a nonstick coating on cookware, though I never really knew why.  After reading I learned that when overheated (above 500 degrees F) nonstick coatings can release hazardous fumes.  The chemical released is known as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which has been found in recent studies to cause cancers, reduce fertility, and interfere with fetal development.  The best way to reduce your chances of becoming ill would be to avoid using these products all together.  Though I did find it interesting that, when cooked at normal temperatures, Teflon pans may not necessarily cause human illness.


New Terminology - definitions provided in the link

1. Bioplastics
2. Biodynamic
3. Bisphenol A (BPA)

Read 'n' Seed 1: Do One Green Thing

(photo selected from Barnes&Noble website) 

1. Do One Green Thing: Saving the Earth Through Simple, Everyday Choices.
2. This book takes a look at how most people live today and challenges the reader to begin making a conscious effort to make sure the way they live is healthy for them and the environment.  This book is broken into four sections: Food and Drink, A Green and Healthy Home, Personal Care and Apparel, and Transportation.  Each section mentions what is the easiest and most affordable 'green' change they could make.  It also involves a 'Choose It/Lose It' portion in each chapter where it lists products that are or are not very friendly to you or the environment.
3. I chose this book because of the fact that each section has a portion of it dedicated to giving you the science aspect of what you are doing - as in it mentions what we can do to benefit our health along with keeping the environment a safe place.  It gives you websites you can visit if you would like to do further research of your own regarding the topic, it answers common questions people have regarding better living - such as 'What saves more energy and water, machine- or hand-washing dishes?'  Finally, but certainly one of the key reasons why I chose the book, entails the 'Choose It/Lose It' section where it actually gives you names of products to use and products to avoid, so this book doesn't just tell you to do something and why you should do it, what I love about it is that it actually helps your find better products to use and encourages your to incorporate healthier habits into your everyday life.
4. Here are some helpful links to find out more about the book!
1. Information about the book
2. Reviews of the book
3. Author website for the book
5. This book includes 13 total chapters which are divided into four parts or sections and contains a total of 255 pages. For each quarter I will be reading one part or section of the book, the first quarter going over the 'food and drink' part, the second quarter going over 'a green and healthy home,' the third quarter will cover the 'personal care and apparel' part, and finally the four quarter will being discussing 'transportation.'

Welcome to Sonny Days Ahead!

My name is Sonny and I am currently a college student pursuing a degree in Health Education with an emphasis on Community Health.  Spinning off from my blog title, my blog's content will entail information involving 'looking ahead.'  We will be researching and viewing what is going on in the environment now and precautions that are being taken to prevent this, or reducing the chances of this, from happening in the future.

There are 6 possible types of posts on my blog. They include:

1. Advocacy Project
2. Eye Openers
3. Reflections
4. Eco-Chic Lifestyle Change
5. Read 'n' Seed
6. Share and Voice

If you notice at the bottom of this post, the categories will be listed as labels. This post is has been labeled with all five kinds of posts. You will also see the number of each kind of post in my Labels Gadget at the top of the page. All post titles from now on will begin with one of the categories above.


The members of my web group are:

1. Kristen M@Kristens Atmosphere
2. Callie@Ecofriendly with Calista
3. Heidi@Heidis Healthy Environment
4. Kara@Karas Coming Clean
5. Danielle@Tree Hugging with Dani
6. Ashley@Ashleys Fresh Air Atmosphere
7. Casey@Caseys Green Daydream

You can subscribe to my blog by clicking the subscribe gadget in the gadget column. You can also follow my blog by clicking "Follow this Blog" in the gadget column. I am subscribed to all the blogs in my blog list gadget. You can see my complete profile and all the blogs I am following by clicking on "See Complete Profile."


I hope you find this blog to be not only entertaining but informative as well.  Thanks for stopping by and remember, no matter how today seems there will always be 'Sonny Days Ahead!'