In many ways “going green,” or being sensitive to the use of our natural resources, is about efficiency. Being conscious about behaviors and having monitoring efforts in place help to hold us accountable.

Here are a few tips to put those ideas into action:

Update mailing lists to avoid sending out unnecessary letters, thus saving the paper, printing, and postage.

Monitor the use of supplies.

Keeping tabs on how much is being spent and used can make us more careful about what’s being wasted.

Set a company policy that disallows the use of screen savers, and set monitors to power off after a time.

It’s that easy.

Did you know that the average U.S. office worker goes through about 10,000 sheets of paper a year? 

Reduce that number by getting into the habit of printing on both sides of the paper.  Also, use the back side of old documents for faxes, scrap paper, or drafts. Avoid color printing and print in draft mode whenever feasible.

Make it a policy to buy chlorine-free paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled content. Also consider switching to a lighter stock of paper or alternatives made from bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, or kenaf.

Recycle toner and ink cartridges and buy remanufactured ones. According to Office Depot, each remanufactured toner cartridge “keeps approximately 2.5 pounds of metal and plastic out of landfills and conserves about a half gallon of oil.”

Green Drinks is held at Duke’s Alehouse & Kitchen from 5 pm until 7 pm, 110 N Main Street in Crystal Lake.  First Wednesday of each month.

Our Green Drinks guest for February 1st is Visit McHenry County. Visit McHenry County was started in August of 2005 as the McHenry County Convention and Visitors Bureau.  In 2014 the DBA Visit McHenry County was adopted.  The Purpose of Visit McHenry County is to encourage, enhance and promote tourism related business and special events in McHenry County; to further the promotion of tourism and publicity for the area; to promote McHenry County as a tourist destination throughout the state, regionally, nationally and internationally; and to protect and preserve the quality of life valued by its citizens. The mission states that Visit McHenry County will strive to create economic growth for McHenry County through effective marketing of its tourism product and supporting the development of new physical tourism products.

Visit McHenry County staff will be sharing information about how they promote ecotourism in McHenry County.

Jaki Berggren is the Executive Director.  She was first hired in 2009 as the Sales Manager and was promoted to Executive Director in 2012.  Jaki has been a resident of Huntley for nine years.

Kristine Austin is the Sales & Marketing Manager.  She was hired in November of 2016.  Kristine is a resident of Lake in the Hills and grew up in Johnsburg.

In the United States, December has more hours of darkness than any other month, and it’s also the most overcast time of year in many places, which means we may not see much of the sun. With the winter solstice on December 21, long nights will rule. So let’s embrace the darkness and take the opportunity to appreciate the night sky.

Protect this view by learning about light pollution, which is a side affect of industrial civilization and can have serious environmental consequences.  Value the dark sky, considering that if we don’t, there may one day be children who will never see the Milky Way.  

One of the most important things you can do if you want a healthy natural world is to get out and vote for candidates that have strong environmental values and who will act on those values.

To accomplish the large goals of affecting change when it comes to industrial pollution, preservation of open space, keeping our waterways clear and clean, reducing the impact of fossil fuels, promoting clean energy, and so forth, it can’t be done without political will and strength.

To get help on who to vote for, seek out organizations such as the Sierra Club that endorse candidates with strong environmental records and values. For candidates in local races, have discussions with individuals and friends who are involved in local politics, research voting records and even simply ask the candidates about their positions.

Finally, share your opinion to support the issues and each other, and most certainly cast an informed vote in every election.

To raise the rate of what gets recycled at curbside, be careful not to contaminate the recyclables in your collection bin.

Here’s what most recycling companies will take for sure: newspapers, paper, magazines and cardboard; glass bottles and jars; plastic containers, such as from soft drinks, milk, ice-cream, margarine and yogurt; aluminum, such as soft drink cans and foil trays; and steel cans. Rinse all containers or wipe them out doing your best to make sure they are free of food.

What can be recycled or reused and but NOT into your curbside recycling bin: plastic bags; plastic wrap; shredded paper (this can go in your garden organics bin); clothes; electronics – anything that plugs in and uses energy, car parts and appliances, paint. Although these things can be recycled, they must go to a recycling center or collection drive for specific sorting and handling.

Toys, clothing, bedding, furniture and other usable stuff can be donated for another use. Don’t throw that stuff in any bin. Check out the McHenry County Green Guide and the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County for more help.

Use matches for campfires, candles, etc. over disposable plastic lighters which sit in landfills for years or get eaten by birds and animals leading to their death.

Buy boxes, not bottles of laundry detergent or other cleaners.  Cardboard can be more easily recycled and made into more products than plastic.

Reuse glass and plastic containers. Instead of throwing them away or recycling food containers, reuse them for food storage,packed lunches and restaurant leftovers.

Lastly, don’t buy juice in a plastic bottle. Instead, make your own or simply eat fresh fruit. Not only does this cut down on plastic waste, but it’s also better for you because you’ll be getting more vitamins and antioxidants and less high fructose corn syrup.

For a healthier you and a healthier earth, reduce your plastic use.