How you can help green America

Co-op America is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

In the Fall 2008 issue of Quarterly magazine, Co-op America offers an article on "25 Ways to Green the World."

"We've assembled, all in one place, our top, time-tested 25 ways you can use your economic power to advance the green economy," Co-op America tells its readers.

Check out the list below and select ideas that you haven't tried, and add them to your life.

1. Live simply and use less.
2. Get what you need without money.
3. Connect with neighbors.
4. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
5. Buy green and local.
6. Buy fair trade.
7. Green your food choices.
8. Put energy efficiency first.
9. Advance green power.
10. Stop dirty energy.
11. Rethink your transportation.
12. Protect the world's poor from climate change.
13. Know what your purchases are funding.
14. Stop sweatshops and child labor.
15. Advance environmental justice.
16. Support green jobs.
17. Be wood wise.
18. Choose least-toxic products; use precaution.
19. Screen your investments.
20. Invest in communities.
21. Join shareholder actions.
22. Give generously.
23. Foster peace.
24. Use your vote.
25. Educate others.

Co-op America, an organization dedicated to creating a just and sustainable society by harnessing economic power for positive change, is changing its name to Green America. The change takes place Jan. 1, 2009.

Copyright 2008, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Comments

[KT]

Thanks for the great tips! I must add, however, that perhaps the best thing you can do to help the environment is to reduce or stop eating meat. We were excited when AARP gave that very tip to their members in a recent newsletter -- http://prime.peta.org/2008/09/change-your-diet-change-your-world%E2%80%94aarp-suggests-eating-less-meat

Every bit helps!

[Rita]

Thanks for the tip about how vegetarian diets help the environment. The Co-op America article included eating lower on the food chain under item No. 7, Green Your Food Choices. If they add this article to their Web site, I'll link to it so that people will be able to read more about the 25 items.

Rita