by RICHARD WALKER
SAN JUAN JOURNAL EDITOR
There’s a lot of talk about “green living.” But what does “green living” mean, and what impact does one person have?
Consider this:
n Do you have an old toilet? If all pre-1994 toilets, which use 3.5 to 7 gallons of water with every flush, were replaced with newer 1.6-gallons-a-flush models, the United States could save as much as 800 billion gallons of water a year — the equivalent of 12 days of flow over Niagara Falls. (The Town of Friday Harbor gives town residents and businesses $75 for each toilet that is switched out.)
n Some 42 million U.S. homes do not have a dishwasher. If all of those households filled the sink to wash dishes rather than wash with the tap running, the United States could save as much as 100 billion gallons of water annually.
n If every American replaced five of his or her most used incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, U.S. consumers would save as much as $6.5 billion a year in electricity costs and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that from more than 8 million cars.
n Speaking of cars, check your tires. One study estimates that 50 to 80 percent of the tires rolling on U.S. roads are under-inflated. If American motorists kept their tires properly inflated, we could save up to two billion gallons of gas each year. And some 17 percent of vehicles on the road today have gas caps that are either damaged, loose or missing. If that was corrected, we would keep 147 million gallons of gas from vaporizing every year.
(Ahem … That soda you’re drinking as you read this? Recycling that aluminum can saves enough energy to run a television or operate a computer for three hours.)
That’s just the beginning of the list of ways we can make a big collective difference. And in the San Juans, at least 125 businesses are doing their part to be green or help islanders decrease their carbon footprint.
You’ll learn more in “Green Living in the San Juans,” which will be produced in spring by the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee and inserted into The Journal, The Islands’ Sounder and The Islands’ Weekly.
“Green Living in the San Juans” will introduce you to island businesses that have adopted “green” practices or are offering green services. “And it will link businesses with community resources to help them do even better work,” said Liz Illg, the MRC’s green business coordinator.
Businesses will learn how to “green” their businesses, and islanders will learn how to recognize a green business. “One goal of the insert is to showcase green businesses and build a demand for green products,” MRC Coordinator Mary Knackstedt said.
Illg added, “People in San Juan County are environmentally-conscious consumers. This insert will give them more information on how to make more good choices for the environment.”
Businesses will be highlighted in the following categories: Accommodations; Autos; Construction and Design; Energy; Local Foods; Farms; Landscaping, Nurseries and Landscape Design; Marine Recreation; Reuse; and Recycle.
Illg said about 125 businesses will be highlighted in those categories. If you haven’t been contacted by the MRC and want to be included, call Illg at 378-6104 or e-mail lizillg@rockisland.com.
The insert is one of several events planned this year to promote green living in the San Juans. “Sustainable San Juans: Greening your Home, Business and Food” is April 17-19.
On Day 1, there will be a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Whale Museum, San Juan Preservation Trust and Friends of the San Juans.
On Day 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a Stewardship Fair at Friday Harbor Middle School. The fair will include displays from local stewardship groups and “green” businesses, presentation of the 2009 Good Steward Awards, a local lunch prepared by the Experience Food Project and local chefs, and a series of workshops with practical tips for nurturing a Sustainable San Juans.
To nominate someone for an Island Steward Award, visit www.stewardshipsjc.org/summit.html.
On Day 3, there will be a variety of field trips and self-guided tours available to see sustainable techniques in action, and to get out and enjoy the beautiful San Juan Islands.
For more information about sustainable-living efforts in the San Juans, visit www.wholeislandscatalog.net.
