The average temperature in Western Siberia has increased by 3ºC in the last forty years. That means huge amounts of ice melt, which raises river and ocean levels and causes flooding, which means that animals which like cold places have fewer places to live. It’s caused by global warming – which is why we all have to act now.
TOP TIPS FOR GREEN GIRLS
Don’t send an old-but-still-working computer to the rubbish tip just because it’s out-of-date and you’re lucky enough to have landed a new one. Someone else might be glad of it, so try offering it to a school or community centre or a local charity (ring up and check beforehand if they accept electrical items). If your old computer is bust, rather than dumping it, a computer company might be glad of it to use as spare parts. If you really do have to bin it, make sure you take it to your local rubbish and recycling centre so it’s disposed of in the right way, because computers contain chemicals that are dangerous if they leak into the soil.
Ahh, winter! The season of sleigh bells, Santa, Jack Frost nipping at your nose – and burning loads and loads of fossil fuels to try to keep warm! Very eco-friendly – NOT. Here’s how to stay green and cosy . . .
1 When the weather gets cold and wintry, spend an afternoon with your mates making draught excluders – sealing up gaps is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to reduce heat-loss. You don’t have to make those hideous snake ones that always end up at jumble sales. See who can create the funkiest draught excluder for the bottom of their bedroom door – decorate them with bits of fake fur, feather boa, sequins, ribbons and buttons (all recycled from old clothes, of course!).
2 During the day, don’t head straight to turn on the fire or the central heating. Instead, put on some warmer clothes. You don’t have to sit there looking like Queen Nerd from Nerdville. Invest in a gorgeous snuggly jumper and a pair of fluffy slippers, and if the cute boy you fancy pops round, use the cold weather as an excuse to snuggle up close under a sofa throw – that way, you’ll be saving body heat and saving the planet at the same time. (Now you’re talking. Count me in. I think I’m really beginning to get this green thing – Nesta.)
3 Resist the charms of an electric blanket at night – take a hot water bottle to bed instead, or pull on a pair of bedsocks (don’t think Marge Simpson, aim for Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle).
When you’re boiling a kettle to make a cup of whatever, don’t fill it to the brim – only heat as much water as you need. And make sure you don’t go wandering off while it’s heating up, so you have to re-boil it again two minutes later! (Oops, that’s so me – TJ.)
It takes twenty times more raw materials to raise animals for meat than it does to grow grains, fruit and vegetables. It’s simple – if you want to be greener, eat less meat!
OK, so we all want to look and feel our best. But did you know that some beauty products are damaging the planet? ‘Duh, how can a bit of lip gloss damage the planet?’ we hear you say. Well, for a start, beauty products are some of the most over-packaged items in shops. And make-up and perfume are often packed with chemicals and synthetic ingredients that need a lot of factory processing. In Europe and the USA, a cosmetic or fragrance product can call itself ‘natural’ even if only one per cent of its ingredients fall into that category.
But never fear. All is not lost. There are ways we can be green and gorgeous.
1
Go for eco-friendly beauty companies. For instance, The Body Shop was one of the first companies to promote eco-awareness and they are continually campaigning on the issues of environmental awareness, climate change and safe drinking water.
2
Choose shop-bought products with care. As a general rule, products with fewer ingredients are greener than products with a looooooong list of ingredients, plant-based products take a lot less manufacturing than petroleum-based products, and bath salts contain fewer chemicals than bubble baths.
3
Reduce your use of shop-bought products altogether. For instance, when you’re choosing make-up, go for brands that are refillable, like MAC. You’ll waste far fewer containers and it’ll be cheaper in the long run too. Even better, make your own – see below for some brilliant ideas.
4
When it comes to shampoo and conditioner, most of us use far more than we actually need. Shampoo once instead of twice and see if you can spot the difference. Bet your hair’s just as glossy and gorgeous.
5
Reduce your use of disposable beauty products, like make-up remover wipes. A facial wash does the same job but without as much waste.
6
Um, not exactly beauty, but organic sanitary towels or tampons are better for the environment than the ordinary kind – and probably better for you too!
Instead of buying highly processed and packaged fragrances from shops, you can make divine scents at home by mixing two or three drops of essential oils such as jasmine, rose and neroli into an unscented base oil like grapeseed, almond or sunflower.
You can use essential oils in unscented base oils in all sorts of other ways – for skin moisturisers, as bath oils, and as hair rinses to give your hair that extra shine. There’s a bewildering variety to suit different skin and hair types, so ask for advice – unless you’re like Izzie and you know all about essential oils already because natural remedies are your thing.
Be like Lucy and experiment with making your own luscious beauty products from natural ingredients like avocado, honey, oatmeal, banana and egg. Trying out natural recipes is a great excuse to get together with your mates for a girls-only evening of pampering, chatting and relaxing. Turn the page for some scrummy examples.
Kiwi Facial Cleanser
Ingredients (makes one application):
1 kiwi fruit
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon orange water
1 tablespoon apricot or almond oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon finely ground almonds
2 drops orange (or your favourite citrus) essential oil
Instructions:
Purée the kiwi fruit in a food processor until liquid. Add the yogurt, orange water, almond or apricot oil, honey and ground almonds and process until thick and creamy. Add the essential oil and stir to mix. Massage gently over face and neck to cleanse. Rinse well.
Zingy Ginger Skin Cream
Ingredients:
5 cm piece fresh ginger
2 teaspoons light sesame oil
2 teaspoons apricot kernel oil
2 teaspoons vitamin E oil
½ cup cocoa butter
Instructions:
Preheat oven on lowest setting. Finely grate the ginger, then squeeze this over a small bowl to extract the juice. Place the ingredients (including the ginger juice) in an overproof dish and put in the oven until the cocoa butter is melted and the oils are blended. Allow to cool, then pour into a clean, dry container and store in a cool dry place. You can also add a couple of drops of orange or another essential oil.
Cucumber Hair Treat
Ingredients:
1 egg
4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cucumber, peeled
Instructions:
Blend the egg, olive oil and cucumber. Spread evenly through your hair, leave on for ten minutes, then rinse thoroughly. For best results, do this once a month.
Strawberry Hand and Foot Smoother
Ingredients:
8-10 strawberries
2 tablespoons apricot or olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt, such as sea salt
Instructions:
Mix together all ingredients, massage gently into hands and feet, rinse and pat dry.
Luscious Rose Bath Milk
Ingredients:
1 cup rose petals OR ½ cup rose water (available from health food stores)
½ cup coconut milk
Instructions:
Add the rose petals or rose water and coconut milk to a warm bath and relax.
Divine, and the
y make fab presents for birthdays and Christmas too.
Get up and move more! If you feel good inside, you’ll look great on the outside. Skin looks glowing and eyes look bright and sparkly if you’re into exercise. Walk to school or get on your bike, instead of getting a lift in the car. Save your money, your waistline and the environment all in one go. Even if you only step it out or use pedal power three times a week, your metabolism will quicken, you’ll stay in trim, you’ll have more energy – and there’ll be less pollution.
Ninety-five per cent of the fruit and fifty per cent of the vegetables eaten in the UK are imported. That means a lot of trucks, trains and planes putting out planet-poisoning fumes to get them to a shop near you. Read on to find out what to do.
It can be very frustrating not to be in control of what type of food ends up in your house. For instance, Lucy’s parents always buy organic healthy fruit and veg, although she often just craves a burger. (Oi, no need to tell everyone! – Lucy) Izzie’s mum used to buy fast food, until Izzie told her that what she really wanted was organic healthy fruit and veg. (My body is my temple . . . plus I have to think of my hips. Groan – Izzie)
Here are a few ways you can have more influence:
Offer to help with the weekly shop.
Suggest that it would be easier to get everything in one big shop rather than several little ones – using the car less means saving in petrol usage and in carbon dioxide emissions.
Remind your parents that it’s a good idea to buy essential items in bulk, which again means fewer trips to the shops in the car and also means less packaging (plus often it’s cheaper).
And if you’re on the spot, you’ll be able to persuade whoever does the shopping to follow some go-greener guidelines,
1
Buy locally-grown produce – compared to produce from miles away overseas, local food needs less transport, which means less petrol and less carbon dioxide. Locally-grown produce also has less packaging than produce from far away. Always check labels to see where food has come from.
2
Buy fruit and veg that are in season (meaning the time of year they naturally grow) – this will have involved less use of chemical fertilisers and they will probably have been grown locally too. To find out which foods are in season each month, look at www.bbc.co.uk/food/in_season/.
3
Buy organic fruit and vegetables – because they’re grown without pesticides, they’re less damaging for the environment (and probably less damaging for us as well). They taste better too.
4
Avoid genetically-modified products – the long-term consequences for the environment are not yet known and could be harmful. Food that is genetically-modified should always say so on the label.
5
Buy fair trade products – these are products which guarantee that farmers and employees have been treated and paid fairly, and that they’ve been made in ways that are environmentally-friendly. A fair trade product will always say so on the label.
6
Take your old plastic bags with you so you don’t have to grab new ones at the supermarket, or buy a ‘bag for life’ which you can use every time.
7
Lastly, check out your local supermarket’s recycling facilities and don’t forget to take along recyclable stuff that isn’t collected from your house.
Plastic bags begin life as petrochemicals, which go through umpteen energy-eating processes before they are transformed into carriers. In one year alone in the UK we use enough plastic bags to cover the whole of London! Always take your own bag with you when you go shopping.
It’s better for the environment to choose vegetarian rather than meat-based meals, because meat production requires far more energy than eating locally-produced fruit, vegetables, grains and pulses. This doesn’t mean that you have to give up scrummy weekend bacon butties or say no to your mum’s famous lasagne – but try to go for the veggie option more often. And when you eat fish, try to steer clear of endangered species. (Check out www.fishonline.org/advice/eat for which fish are OK to eat.)
TOP TIPS FOR GREEN GIRLS
Find out if you have a local farm shop or farmers’ market where you can buy local produce. Your family’s food will be fresher and if you bike there, it will be cutting down on environmental pollution and energy use as well. Some farm shops have bottle refilling schemes too (for things like olive oil, vinegar etc), which is a brilliant way to recycle.
Without water, there would be no life on Earth. Although most of the water on the planet is undrinkable salt water in the seas and oceans, it is still an essential part of our eco-system, which we are polluting with toxic waste. Also, hot areas which are already short of drinking water are becoming even drier, due to climate change. In many parts of the world which have plenty of fresh water, climate change is causing frequent flooding, contaminating the existing water supply. So make sure you treat water like the precious resource it is.
1
If you love a deep bath, try to ration yourself to wallowing in just one long soak per week. Try a shower instead – it uses MUCH less water and you’ll be just as clean. But don’t spend ages under one of those supersonic power showers with a million jets and nozzles, or you’ll use more than a bath!
2
Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth – by leaving the tap on while you perfect your smile, you can waste up to four and a half litres of water.
3
We all know that to have sparkly eyes and glowing skin, we should drink lots of water every day. But you can help the environment if you don’t go for bottled waters – just drink tap water (buy a water filter jug if you prefer the taste). By not buying bottles all the time, you’re cutting down on both manufacturing and waste – and you’re saving money too.
4
If you like drinking ice-cold water, instead of running the tap until the water gets cold enough, fill a bottle and store it in the fridge.
5
Stop anyone in your family from adding to water pollution by getting rid of liquids like oil or paint down drains or sinks. There are special facilities at rubbish and recycling centres to dispose of these without contaminating our water supplies.
By the year 2025, it is estimated that two-thirds of the world’s population will face a water shortage. Make sure you don’t waste a drop.
TOP TIPS FOR GREEN GIRLS
The production of shop-bought fruit juices takes both huge amounts of packaging and huge amounts of water – about twenty-two glasses of water are used in processing just one glass of orange juice. If you buy a juicer and make your own juices at home, you’ll be helping the environment in the long term. Alternatively, just eat fruit! You’ll be saving water, saving energy, saving food miles, and saving on packaging ending up in landfill.
People in the UK buy twelve billion drinks cans every year – enough to stretch to the moon and back – but only a quarter are recycled. The energy saved by recycling just one can is enough to run a TV set for three hours!
Start a trend at your school to use refillable pens (like fountain pens) rather than disposable biros. Refillable pens may cost more to start off with – but you’ll be cutting down on the energy used to make disposable ones, to transport them to the shops for sale, and then to get rid of them when they’re empty. If you choose refillable pens in funky designs, you’ll probably find that they’ll catch on you’ll all be trendsetters, and everyone else will soon have them without even realising that they’re an eco-friendly choice. Result.
TOP TIPS FOR GREEN GIRLS
Gyms and leisure centres use loads of energy for lighting and heating and powering equipment, so the greenest way to get fit is to exercise outdoors. It’s also better for your heart and soul (seriously, research has shown that exercising outdoors benefits your state of mind and your heartbeat more than doing the same thing indoors). You could try things like:
cycling (But don’t wear cycling shorts – a big fashion no-no – L
ucy.)
jogging (Get real – Nesta.)
horse-riding outdoors (That’s more like it: stylish clothes and fit stable-boys – Nesta.)
If you’re feeling blue, there’s nothing like some sunshine and fresh air to clear the cobwebs away, put a spring back into your step and a smile back onto your face. Izzie swears that getting outside into nature helps you deepen your connection to Planet Earth and become filled with a sense of peace and harmony. (That’s if your pants aren’t filled with ants first – Nesta.) There are a few easy dos and don’ts so you can be eco-friendly when you’re dog-walking, or throwing a picnic for your mates, or meandering through a meadow trying to commune with nature, or strolling through a park arm-in-arm with Mr Cutenik. (Now you’re talking – Nesta.)
Mates, Dates and Saving the Planet Page 3