Archived EcoConsumer Columns from the Seattle Times

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More 2008 EcoConsumer Columns

January 19, 2008

Tame your paper monster (PDF, 32 K)
Paper spreads in our homes like a plague, taking over desktops, tables and drawers.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

January 5, 2008

See Spot go green (PDF, 58 K)
You don’t have to walk on two legs to go green.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

More 2007 EcoConsumer Columns

December 22, 2007

Recycling the holiday flotsam and jetsam. (PDF, 67 K)
Recycling has become a fixture of the Seattle holiday season, like the Christmas ships, the “Nutcracker” and the rain.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

December 8, 2007

Ways to cut back on holiday excess. (PDF, 47 K)
At least once during the holiday season most of us think, “You know, the Grinch had a point.”

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

November 24, 2007

Buy local, and community may reap benefits. (PDF, 51 K)
As organic products increasingly travel thousands of miles to our tables, the “buy local” movement has picked up steam.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

November 3, 2007

Getting the lead out of toys. (PDF, 110 K)
This year’s unprecedented toy recalls give new meaning to the term “educational toys”.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

October 27, 2007

Area businesses showing green leadership. (PDF, 35 K)
No matter how much we do individually to go green, we can always use a little help.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

October 13, 2007

Avalanche of calls sends a mattress message. (PDF, 30 K)
EcoConsumer responds to a few readers’ questions and comments.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

September 29, 2007

Opinions on tankless water heaters run hot and cold. (PDF, 53 K)
Compared with other “green” purchases, the stakes get a little higher when you buy a tankless water heater.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

September 15, 2007

We‘re going great guns for green homes. (PDF, 32 K)
Built Green homes now make up more than 20 percent of new residential construction in King County.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

September 8, 2007

Thinking of sending a mattress to a landfill? Sleep on it. (PDF, 41 K)
In just one day at a local landfill, more than 300 old mattresses and box springs arrive for burial.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

August 25, 2007

Bringing a little green to your deck. (PDF, 55 K)
Many of us remember when preparing for the school year simply meant picking up a few new pencils and folders at the drugstore.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

August 22, 2007

Green but stylish choices for back–to–school shopping. (PDF, 127 K)
Many of us remember when preparing for the school year simply meant picking up a few new pencils and folders at the drugstore.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

August 11, 2007

Coated pots and pans can present health hazards. (PDF, 35 K)
The good news is that most cookware will not put you at risk during normal use.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

July 28, 2007

How to stay cool and comfy when Seattle heats up. (PDF, 43 K)
Here are my top 10 EcoConsumer tips for keeping your home cool while conserving energy and saving money.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

July 14, 2007

Is food waste next on our recycle chain? (PDF, 39 K)
Food scraps and food-soiled paper make up more than 30 percent of residential solid waste in King County.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

July 14, 2007

Willises "green up" best, by putting basics to work (PDF, 42 K)
The hard part about being the judge for the "Green Me Up" reality TV show was that I had to pick a winner.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

July 7, 2007

Seattle families "green up" for a national TV audience (PDF, 205 K)
Where else but Seattle would "going green" make you a celebrity?

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

July 7, 2007

And the winner is…all of us, and our planet (PDF, 70 K)
When I was asked to be the judge for "Green Me Up," my first question was whether this was one of those mean and nasty reality TV shows.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

July 1, 2007

Does your makeup need a nontoxic makeover? (PDF, 39 K)
When your personal-care products could cause cancer, that‘s a little too personal.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

June 30, 2007

Eco–friendly answers to your consumer questions (PDF, 61 K)
Tom Watson answers a few readers‘ questions regarding earlier columns.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

June 16, 2007

The big picture (PDF, 50 K)
How those fancy new TV sets affect the environment.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

June 2, 2007

Where can we put all those plastics? (PDF, 47 K)
Plastics and recycling have a complicated relationship.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

May 19, 2007

The hazards in our plastic. (PDF, 47 K)
You don't have to be a card-carrying environmentalist to wonder about all the chemicals we're exposed to every day.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

May 5, 2007

The environmental side effects of old medicine. (PDF, 58 K)
How many bottles or vials of medication do you have in your home?

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

Arpil 21, 2007

Green resources you (and the Earth) can really use (PDF, 38 K)
If information alone could save the planet, we'd be sitting pretty right now.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

Arpil 7, 2007

Recharge, recycle, resolve to reduce battery discards (PDF, 105 K)
In a perfect "green" world, all batteries would be rechargeable.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

March 3, 2007

Now you're out of excuses - time to switch to CFL bulbs (PDF, 38 K)
Let's look at three major reasons people have not yet chosen to light up their lives with compact fluorescents.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

February 3, 2007

I vant to suck your energy (PDF, 41 K)
Slay perpetually plugged-in "power vampires" with one simple yank of the cord.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

January 6, 2007

It's a good year for eco-resolutions (PDF, 24 K)
With these green New Year's resolutions, you can make a statement as an EcoConsumer with your wallet and by making your voice heard.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

2006 EcoConsumer Columns

December 9, 2006

How to reduce food waste during this season of indulgence (PDF, 38 K)
During the holidays alone, the average household of four could save $100 to $150 by reducing food waste.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

November 4, 2006

Disposables or cloth? Environment weighs heavily on diaper decisions (PDF, 63 K)
The environmental movement has finally begun to have an impact on a very different kind of movement.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

October 7, 2006

There's something fishy about some air fresheners (PDF, 48 K)
If you define fresh air as unpolluted outdoor air, the ideal indoor "air freshener" is an open window

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

September 20, 2006

Autumn leaves are a windfall for your garden (PDF, 54 K)
You need to get those leaves off the lawn, so why not save money in the process?

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

September 2, 2006

The benefits of green carpeting, in any color (PDF, 57 K)
Here are a few things to know when considering "green" carpeting.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

August 12, 2006

Old bricks add a new layer of interest to your landscape (PDF, 42 K)
Make a creative environmental statement this summer – one brick at a time.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

July 8, 2006

Throw a green party, and throw less away (PDF, 55 K)
It used to be that the only time anyone would throw a green party was on St. Patrick's Day.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

July 5, 2006

Compost that your plants and the planet will love (PDF, 55 K)
Tips for buying compost and other products to give your garden soil a boost.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

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May 28, 2006

A call for recycling (PDF, 33 K)
Reduce the environmental impacts of your cell phone.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

May 14, 2006

Fair and square (PDF, 33 K)
How to know if a product meets fair trade guidelines.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

April 23, 2006

Get green, save green (PDF, 33 K)
Our planet, your wallet win with 5 easy ways to save.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

April 22, 2006

A "go-green" painting primer (PDF, 33 K)
Paint is the most visible thing in your home. But you should also think about what you don't see.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

April 2, 2006

Refill, don't replace (PDF, 39 K)
You can save up to 50 percent – and help reduce waste and conserve resources – by purchasing refilled or remanufactured printer cartridges.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

March 5, 2006

Even with our clouds, solar water heaters are a viable option (PDF, 42 K)
Think of it as your revenge on those endless gloomy Northwest winter days.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

Feb. 12, 2006

Clean with conscience (PDF, 35 K)
Becoming more eco-friendly with your household cleaning is one of the easiest ways to reduce toxics in your home.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

Jan. 8, 2006

If you're going to burn wood, burn it cleanly (PDF, 38 K)
When it comes to the environment, firewood has a split personality.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

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2005 EcoConsumer Columns

Dec. 11, 2005

Trim your waste (PDF, 32 K)
You'd think the holidays would be the worst time to be an EcoConsumer... But it's actually the best time.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

Nov. 13, 2005

Be fix-it friendly (PDF, 27 K)
Getting things fixed was once a way of life in America. In today's fast-paced, shopping-obsessed society, that's a distant memory.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

Oct. 9, 2005

Save energy (and money) around the house (PDF, 35 K)
Let's take a closer look at the costs and potential pitfalls of four common strategies to save energy.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

Sept. 4, 2005

Eco-clothes help you make a statement (PDF, 25 K)
As you ponder your fall and winter clothing choices, remember this: Leaves will soon turn brown, but clothing is turning green.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

July 31, 2005

Commercial car washes use less water than home (PDF, 32 K)
Home and charity car-washers need to keep soapy water out of storm drains.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

July 10, 2005

When gadgets go to the graveyard (PDF, 34 K)
It's a problem as close as your computer, your cellphone, your TV or the iPod hanging out of your teenager's ears.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

May 29, 2005

Don't be a drip (PDF, 24 K)
Rain barrels and front-loading washing machines make a splash.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

April 17, 2005

Essential/excess? (PDF, 20 K)
Transport packaging makes up bulk of waste.

Reprinted with permission from The Seattle Times.

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