Although - definition of although by The Free Dictionary /although
although Also found in: , , .
al·though
(?l-thō′)conj.1.
Regardl even though: Although the room is big, it won't hold all that furniture.2.
B however: He says he has a dog, although I've never seen it.[Middle English : al, all; see
all + though, though; see
though.]Usage Note:
As conjunctions, although and though are generally interchangeable: Although (or though) she smiled, she was angry. Although usually occurs at the beginning of its clause (as in the preceding example), whereas though may occur elsewhere and is the more common term when used to link words or phrases, as in wiser though poorer. In certain constructions, however, only though is acceptable. When though introduces only a part of a clause rather than a whole clause, although is not possible: Most people in attendance applauded loudly after the performance, though (not although) not everyone. Another construction that requires though is the following: Fond though (not although) I am of sports, I'd rather not sit through another basketball game.although (?:l'???) conj (subordinating) d even though: although she was ill, she worked hard. al•though
(ɔlˈ?oʊ)
in sp though.
[;1325; Middle English al thogh
(adv.) even + ] although,
- Although and though are interchangeable as conjunctions, but to start a clause, use although.See also related terms for .although – 1. used as conjunctionsYou use although or
to introduce a subordinate clause in which you mention something that contrasts with what you are saying in the main clause. Though is not used in very formal English.I can't play the piano, although I took lessons for years.It wasn't my decision, though I think I agree with it.You can put even in front of
for emphasis.She wore a coat, even though it was a very hot day.Don't put 'even' in front of although.Be Careful!When a sentence begins with although or , don't use 'but' or 'yet' to introduce the main clause. Don't say, for example, 'Although he was late, yet he stopped to buy a sandwich'. You say 'Although he was late, he stopped to buy a sandwich'.Although he was English, he spoke fluent French.Though he hadn't stopped working all day, he wasn't tired.Be Careful!Don't use although or
in front of a noun phrase. Don't say, for example, 'Although his hard work, he failed his exam'. You say 'In spite of his hard work, he failed his exam' or 'Despite his hard work, he failed his exam'.In spite of poor health, my father was always cheerful.Despite her confidence, Cindy was uncertain what to do next.2. 'though' used as an adverbThough is sometimes an adverb. You use it when you are making a statement that contrasts with what you have just said. You usually put
after the first phrase in the sentence.Fortunately though, this is a story with a happy ending.For Ryan, though, it was a busy year.In conversation, you can also put
at the end of a sentence.I can't stay. I'll have a coffee though.Although is never an adverb.
Switch to althoughconjunction , , , , , , despite the fact that, , even supposing,
(U.S. or poetic) Although the shooting has stopped, the destruction is enormous.
??? ??? ??????????? ??? ??a?kolia?kolivp?esto?ea?selvomselv omsi bienvaikkaiakoòó a?, enda òótt???とはいえ???にもかかわらずでも...?????~?? ???norskaut ganlai arīmimo ?e?eprav?etudimada?ven om???????????????…-di?i haldem?c dùalthough [ɔːlˈðəʊ] CONJ → aunquealthough it's raining, there are 20 people here already → aunque , ya hay
20 although poor, they were honest → aunque eran , eran although [ɔːlˈðəʊ] conj →
+ subjAlthough she's tired, she stayed up late.; She stayed up late although she's tired → Elle s'est
bien qu'elle soit .although conj → obwohl, obgleich; the house, although small … → wenn das
ist …, obwohl das
ist …although [ɔːlˈðəʊ] conj → benché + sub, sebbene + subalthough (o:l'??u)
conjunction in spite of the fact that. Although he hurried, the shop was closed when he got there. hoewel
??? ??? ??????????? ??? ??
въпреки
selvom , ,
????? ???????
walaupun, meskipun
?ó a?, enda ?ótt ;
～だけれども
walaupun ,
??? ???? ?????
de?i, chiar dac? ;
fast?n, trots
...-di?i halde,
хоч; незважаючи на те, що
m?c dù although
should not be followed by but: Although he is poor, he is honest
(not Although he is poor but he is honest). although →
a?koli, p?esto?e selv om, selvom
???とはいえ, ???にもかかわらず ...???, ??~?? ???
?ven om ??????, ????????? ,
m?c dù although conj. aunque, si bien, bien que.
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Although the oldest, Jo had the least self-control, and had hard times trying to curb the fiery spirit which was continually getting her into trouble. For an hour the procession of grotesques passed before the eyes of the old man, and then, although it was a painful thing to do, he crept out of bed and began to write. Although in a state of perfect repose, and apparently disregarding, with characteristic stoicism, the excitement and bustle around him, there was a sullen fierceness mingled with the quiet of the savage, that was likely to arrest the attention of much more experienced eyes than those which now scanned him, in unconcealed amazement. We proceeded with all possible expedition until we came within fifteen miles of where Boonsborough now stands, and where we were fired upon by a party of Indians that killed two, and wound yet, although surprised and taken at a disadvantage, we stood our ground. Even the saloon was deserted, although a back door in the dim recess seemed to creak mysteriously. A natural spring of soft and pleasant water--a rare treasure on the sea-girt peninsula where the Puritan settlement was made--had early induced Matthew Maule to build a hut, shaggy with thatch, at this point, although somewhat too remote from what was then the centre of the village. These whales I have known so large, that a man could hardly carry on and sometimes, for curiosity, they are brought in hampers to L I saw one of them in a dish at the king's table, which passed for a rarity, but I did not obser for I think, indeed, the bigness disgusted him, although I have seen one somewhat larger in Greenland. Thus also, those ancient cities which, from being at first only villages, have become, in course of time, large towns, are usually but ill laid out compared with the regularity constructed towns which a professional architect has freely plan so that although the several buildings of the former may often equal or surpass in beauty those of the latter, yet when one observes their indiscriminate juxtaposition, there a large one and here a small, and the consequent crookedness and irregularity of the streets, one is disposed to allege that chance rather than any human will guided by reason must have led to such an arrangement. And although the entertainment was fixed for twelve o'clock, an hour previous to that time the balcony was filled with impatient and expectant guests, consisting of the favored part of the crew of the Pharaon, and other personal friends of the bride-groom, the whole of whom had arrayed themselves in their choicest costumes, in order to do greater honor to the occasion. Although a prince may rise from a private station in two ways, neither of which can be entirely attributed to fortune or genius, yet it is manifest to me that I must not be silent on them, although one could be more copiously treated when I discuss republics. Although you are enduring pain and insult, although you, little nestling, are in agony of spirit, you actually tell me that it grieves you to disturb me, and that you will work off your debt to me with the labour of your own hands But all of them, grown people and children, had a kind of familiarity with the Great Stone Face, although some possessed the gift of distinguishing this grand natural phenomenon more perfectly than many of their neighbors.
▲although▼
For webmasters:livingneutral - Living Neutral
Learning & Inspiration from Myanmar
I'm Lauren and this blog began as a journey to live a life with less environmental impact.& As my journey led me to Myanmar, my focus shifted from aspiration to advocacy.&
This project is an effort to provide a glimpse into my life in Myanmar&the people, places, and issues that inspire and teach me as I continue this adventure towards a more sustainable life. &&
To learn more, click "About" above, and stay tuned for updates.
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Our apartment sits at the end of a block, in a thin strip of neighborhood called Kyee Myin Daing. Kyee Myin Daing is nestled between the colonial era train tracks of San Chaung and the Yangon River.& It is a former Yangon suburb subsumed by the city as it sprawls out and up and continues to develop.&
Our apartment is the top floor of a sixth floor walkup, with windows overlooking a busy road and the river beyond.& Every morning, I wake up and look out at the river and its constant stream of traffic.& I wake to the sound of outboard loud speakers blaring morning prayers or and vendors singing out offerings of their goods.& A cacophony of local life marks the beginning of the day.
Looking down at our street from our apartment
It&s been several months since I arrived, an outsider to join a partner who although foreign, found his place in Burma long ago.& Everything remains raw, vibrant, colorful, and loud.& Despite my continued sense of wonder, and daily experience of often overwhelming newness, my wanderlust remains. I want to explore other parts of the country.& I hope to see other neighborhoods in this changing city.& I long to see what is on the other side of the never empty river.
Perhaps an equal curiosity in&our&presence allowed me to cross the river and get a glimpse into life on the other side.& One of our neighborhood trishaw drivers, Aung Lay, invited us to visit his community and family&s home, in a village across the river called Ouq Youn.& I knew little about Aung Lay before our afternoon adventure.& He is young, yet soon to be wed.& He is an excellent cane ball player.& And he greets me with a smile and a wave when I bicycle by on my way to work in the mornings.
We met at our favorite neighborhood teashop.& Saturday morning, and a break in the early rainy season showers meant blue skies washed clean of the grit of the city&s pollution.& Aung Lay led us towards the river.& We passed construction workers on a break from paving the road that passes our apartment, standing by the bamboo thatching protecting the fresh layer of cement.& Water pooled in puddles, glimmering in the morning sun.& We made our way to the river.&
Our ride awaitsSmall boats waited to ferry passengers and products.&& Vendors lined the waterway, offering produce and prepared foods.& Workers passed heavy bags up the docks and onto waiting trucks. Aung Lay and Matt chatted with a one of the boat&s owners and soon we were on our way.&& We passed the cargo ships that are daily fixtures on the river.&&
In a few short minutes, we approached a very different looking riverside: a woman bathed her baby and young son i young boys a few boats sat anchored waiting for use.& We disembarked.
At the edge of the Yangon River, in Ouq Youn
Our explorations immediately began.& Compared to the noise, to the bustling market and the stream of people in our neighborhood, Ouq Youn village is quiet.& The community appears inaccessible by car.& Instead, we walked the single, narrow pathway past small thatched homes, passing a woman walking with her small pig and chickens finding shade in shadows.& We crossed the bridge over a creek, which is now submerged in water from the seasonal rains.&
Stream crossing in Ouq Youn
Inland, a pond blanketed by lily pads sits enclosed by a chain link fence.& Villagers trickled by, carrying buckets to collect the freshwater for use.& We stopped to take in the view and admire the modest wooden shrine at the edge of the pond.&
Collecting freshwater
I love taking photos.& The act&finding the right perspective to try to capture the beauty or truth or uniqueness of the moment&can be isolating.& It can also be intrusive. &Living in a country that is not my own, and being so conspicuously a foreigner, I worry about inserting myself into new contexts. &I never want to make others feel that they are on display for me.& This is especially true of children.& Much has been written about the trend towards volunteer tourism, and the tendency to travel to developing countries and take photos with local children.& I am aware of this trend, and cautious in my camera use so that it doesn&t become a barrier to interaction or a sign of disrespect.&
But Aung Lay encouraged me to take pictures.& He is proud of his village, and wanted to share it with us ever since I moved to the neighborhood.& So I took photos.& At first, I asked for permission.& But soon I was collecting small followers.& The village children ran in front of me to pose.& They gathered, grouped, and surrounded us.& We laughed together.& We gathered a trail of local kids, interested in the new people in their village.& My photos reflect some of the happiness that greeted us.& I am grateful to Aung Lay for this small window into his world, and into life across the river.&
My discomfort taking pictures of daily life in my new home remains, and I firmly believe that it should.& I am able to take a few photos of the market now, and have been requested to document the local cane ball games by the boys who play regularly (more on this in the future : )).& People have grown used to me with my camera.
With Aung Lay on the way back homeWe returned, and I experienced my first sense of home. The loud noise of our bustling street seemed a welcome greeting.& Our old Auntie on the corner shouted at us to purchase mangos.& We happily obliged.& I am more settled, but do not want to lose the wonder I experience at my reality.& I continue to crave quiet.& I am still an outsider.& I always will be, as should be the case.& But the familiar faces grow in number, and I&ve found a new friend&Aung Lay, after seeing his home and world across the river.
My life recently shifted&away from friends and family, career, a splendid city, and the life I had built for nearly a decade to the unknown of a new country, city, and job.& With this transition came a new perspective and radical changes that are mostly welcome, sometimes challenging, and always unexpected.& These changes will soon be reflected in my postings.& However, before my departure I finished research on a topic I long avoided due to my lifelong addiction&television.
While my new life means that a television is no longer my low maintenance companion, offering entertainment and the constant hum of background noise, it does not mean that its presence is no longer felt.& Many homes in Thailand have at least one television.& In the country I left, the numbers are staggering.& The U.S. is home to almost as many televisions as people&. &
We are a culture that loves its TV.& I am no exception.& But what are the costs of our devotion to small screen entertainment?& What are the ecological impacts of our televisions and viewing habits?
The Creation, Life, and Disposal of Televisions
that create environmental impacts. These are (1) manufac (2) and (3) disposal
(1) Manufacturing and transport
Making a television is an energy intensive industrial process. This process requires fossil fuels to provide the considerable amounts of energy necessary to manufacture the highly refined glass and semiconductor components that make up modern television sets.& These components are comprised of non-renewable materials that contribute to the .&
Once a television is manufactured, it must then be packaged and transported to its point of sale.& Some large retailers have made efforts to reduce their ecological footprint vis-a-vie transport (Sony, for example, now has a
rather than truck or air to reduce its energy costs).& Others have incorporated transport concerns into the CSR or corporate social responsibility programs.& However, while some CSR programs are effective, others should be viewed with skepticism and employ more rhetoric than actual corporate accountability.&
The environmental impact of your television will vary based on the type of television you own and how often you watch it. &Old-fashioned televisions use
(CRT), which require more electricity than televisions based on newer technologies.& Yet new technology does not necessarily mean smaller carbon footprint.& Plasma televisions ionize gas to create the colors needed for its pixel cells, and this process requires significant amounts of energy to brighten the screen.&
Currently, the best choice for energy consumption is a flat-panel , or LCD.& LCDs use fluorescent backlighting, which draws less energy than traditional technologies.& LCD technology has also advanced so that the backlighting is only on for certain areas of the screen or as needed, an improvement on earlier models that required backlighting to be constantly on full.&
An emerging technology that offers further energy reductions are sets using
or OLEDs.& OLEDs use an array of small LED lights in a very thin screen, promising to double energy efficiency from the best available current technologies.&
Size also matters.& Larger screens and longer duration of use increase energy use.& Standby or vampire power further increases energy drawn from TVs (see previous livingneutral post on how to ).& Even when a television is off, it is not completely shutdown and still requires power to remain on standby.& There are ways to reduce our standby power consumption, or eliminate it entirely, which are discussed in a previous entry.&
Manufacturers are also mindful of this issue, working to improve efficiency to stay in line with
in countries like the US and Japan.& Choosing a certified energy efficiency model will ensure that these kinds of considerations went into the design of your television. &If possible, try to find a manufacturer that complies with ROHS, or the . The ROHS requires the elimination of hazardous substances like lead and mercury in electronics imported into EU member states. &Because the US does not have similar restrictions, many available electronics still contain lead-based solder, mercury, cadmium, and brominated fire retardants. &Manufacturing with these chemicals
and pollutes disposal sites.
Broadcast power further contributes to TV&s broader environmental impact.& .& Alternatively, programs downloaded via the internet require much less energy on the front end to reach your screen.
(3) Disposal
Even at the end of its life cycle, a television continues to impact the environment. &According to the EPA, approximately 20 million televisions are disposed of in the US annually, with more than 80 percent going to landfills. &Toxic chemicals from these TVs can leach into soil and groundwater, creating environmental and health hazards.&
offers a promising alternative.& However, it is important to understand where the television goes when recycled.& Often, they are resold in developing countries.& CRT tubes can also be melted down to make products like car batteries.& This often occurs in
or go unenforced.&
In summary&if you are in the market for a television, consider an energy efficient model that complies with international standards.& Letting go of your need for a massive screen will also lower your energy bill and ecological impact.& Finally, try to use a television for its full life cycle, and do not simply discard it into a landfill once its reached expiration date.&
With recent news that we&ve passed the , it is important that we begin to make changes in our lives.& These might be radical&giving up the use of a television entirely as I have&or small&using energy efficient models for the duration of their lifespan.& We owe our future selves and generations the foresight to make better decisions today.& Indeed, our choices should be obligations&to reduce our ecological impacts and encourage businesses through our behavior.
When I received a request to research the sustainability of handbags, I had two reactions.& First, I felt a surge of guilt, knowing that the leather handbags sitting in my closet are far from eco-friendly.& Second, I thought information and alternatives to traditional products would be easily found.& Nearly every woman I know owns at least one handbag.& Surely, this must mean that information on the issue would be prolific.& I assumed incorrectly.& As I&ve discovered, there is little transparency in the fashion industry.& Unlike other products, there appears to be little push for eco-friendly handbag substitutes and consumers seem content with mainstream design.& I must confess that I have been guilty of purchasing based on aesthetic whim rather than considering looks and environmental impacts.& While the impacts of individual products remains unclear, here is what I was able to learn and what will now inform my future handbag decisions:
The Impacts of Leather
Most designer handbags are made of leather.& Leather requires cows, and raising cows creates impacts due to their grazing, the land needed to raise them, and the carbon emissions they produce.& Leather manufacturing also has environmental costs, at all stages of the : preparatory stages, tanning, and crusting.&
such as sodium sulfide, sodium hydroxide, sodium hydrosulfite, arsenic sulfide, calcium hydrosulfide, dimethyl amine, and sodium sulphydrate.& This process creates air pollution ().& Chemicals are also used in traditional tanning processes, and the amount of energy required to create a usable leather hide is
than what is required to produce synthetic materials.
Leather biodegrades, albeit slowly for a natural product.& The
it takes for leather to decompose is much shorter than the 500 or more years it takes for petro-chemical derived materials. Where leather production occurs also affects its environmental impacts.& For example, India is the third-largest producer and exporter of leather.& Its lax environmental laws, however, allows tanneries to create far greater amounts of hazardous waste without repercussions.& Producers have
and wetlands.& This occurs in other countries with loose environmental regulations, and at times in those with more stringent laws.
There has been a move by local artisans to use vegetable and naturally tanned organic leather, which greatly reduces the toxicity stemming from the traditional process.& This does not eliminate the ethical and animal-cruelty arguments against leather's use, and the
refuse to incorporate it in their products.&
also uses the same energy intensive process as its traditional counterpart.
Alternatives to leather are discussed below.& Bear in mind, however, that
have vast environmental impacts.& The use of plant-derived or renewable fabrics is on the rise, which offers a promising shift in the handbag industry.&
Environmental costs of traditional production
There has also been a move to place a monetary value on environmental impacts by large corporations.& PPR, parent of upscale designers like Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, Bottega Veneta, Boucheron, Girard-Perrecaux and Sergion Rossi, .& This means that monetary costs will be associated with the environmental impact of these companies' products.& Puma, also a PPR brand, recently estimated its ecosystem costs at .& These costs cover water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and land use costs.& Half of these costs are related to raw materials.& Louis Vuitton has also implemented a carbon inventory to measure its footprint and reduce carbon emissions.& They have also agreed to donate 15% of online sales to The Climate Project, but
are not a priority in its product lines.&
What does this mean for the impact of individual products?& First, that the environmental impact of raw materials&like leather, cotton, and rubber&are not only&drastically underestimated in current production, they aren&t a factor at all.& While the promise to estimate impact by these high-end designers is admirable, these costs do not affect companies& net earnings and are currently not addressed in most corporate reporting.& This means that the impact of a product-line, much less an individual product, is often not calculated.& If it is calculated, it need not be transparent.& Little information exists about these products because such information is not required.& This also means, when selecting an individual product, material matters.& Eco-friendly handbags are made out of eco-friendly materials.& It&s that simple.
Eco-friendly Handbag Materials:
What are eco-friendly materials?& Look for organically grown fibers.& Traditional cotton, for example, requires oil for production and use of pesticides and fertilizers needed for cotton.& Alternatively, organic cotton is durable, washable and reusable and does not rely on pesticides. Bamboo is also an excellent substitute for traditional materials.&
and do not require the bevy of chemicals often used in synthetics, or traditional materials via pesticides.&
Recycled materials are also popular in handbags.& Foil wrappers, seat belts, and other recycled materials are repurposed into fashion items.& If you like the look,
makes an array of recycled handbags.& It&s worth considering, however, that even recycled materials have impacts.& Recycled vinyl, for example, will take 500 years to biodegrade in a landfill and will leach its chemical contents into the ground.& This may make naturally tanned leather preferable.&
As well as being functional, handbags are often a reflection of style, an individual statement used on a daily basis.& For those wishing to make a statement about their commitment to renewable energy, they can invest in a solar powered bag.& Others may wish to choose organic materials or plant-based bags.& In the past, solar bags have meant a sacrifice of style.& Yet the handbags made by Noon Solar are attractive and functional.& They can .& Each is made with vegetable tanned and dyed leather with an interior of organic hemp and cotton hand-dyed with natural pigments.& The hardware and panels are also removable so the bag is fully biodegradable should you ever wish to part with it.& & includes non-solar bags made out of natural materials, including organic hemp, cork and cotton.
Buy Local, Used, or Nothing at All
Before purchasing a new handbag, stop, look in your closet, and consider if you really need a new one.& If you are like me, you probably use the same one or two bags most of the time.& If you are going to get a new bag, you may want to visit a second-hand store.& You can find great vintage or well-loved bags there, and sell or trade one of your own underused bags at the same time.&& If you are looking for a unique, new bag, turn to local artisans first.& A simple internet search will turn up many, or visit local craft fairs and ask the vendor how he or she makes their products.& This is a
to a local designer I found in the Bay area.& Local purchase also reduces the impacts from manufacture and transport of large brand-named bags.& Finally, any bag you purchase should be one you intend to use.& Environmental impacts aside, finding a versatile bag will allow you to get more use out of the bag, offers to weather ever-changing trends, and prevents additional purchases and an accumulation of unused bags.&
A new year means beginnings& a fresh start for some, resolutions for many, and an opportunity to make goals and shift routines in need of change. &We often reflect on our lives and look for opportunities to grow, improve, and find gratitude for what we love.& It is also a perfect opportunity to reflect upon our relationships, with others and with the world we live in.&
Transit&our means of mobility&is an important, ubiquitous way we interact with our environment.& It is also an easy place to make small changes with big impacts.& Cutting down on car commuting, riding bikes, or increasing use of public transit can reduce our transit eco-footprint and shake up our daily transit routine.&
The Costs of Travelling by Car
of Americans drive to work (and only 0.6% bike to work).& Commuting by car has significant impacts&both environmentally and financially.& As Americans seek space and sprawl out from urban centers, the seeming financial benefits of reduced mortgages and a lower cost of living may be offset by the costs of long commutes to financial centers. &One estimate, based on IRS calculations, concluded that a two-car commute of 19 miles each way .& Add to this cost the hours spent in a car, which for many adds a full work-day onto the week (with 6 hours in a car), and the costs and time spent after 10 years may equate to .& The costs are considerable, and make city living& and the access to transit that often accompanies urban density&appealing for those who work in financial centers.
using three variables: (1) internal variable costs, which include vehicle operation, fuel and travel tim (2) internal fixed costs, or the costs of car ownership associated with insurance, f and (3) external costs such as road upkeep, which are collectively imposed.& Combined, the cost of owning and operating a car is around 40 cents per passenger-kilometer.& This estimate was made over a decade ago, meaning that with inflation and as fuel costs have risen, the current cost is much higher.&
Environmental Costs
The impacts of transportation, like all environmental impacts, fall into three categories: .& Direct impacts are the immediate consequence indirect impacts are those impacts to e and cumulative impacts are the additive, combined impacts of transport activities.&&&
Our lives have become so intertwined with transportation activities, from commuting, to freight delivery, and travel, that it has become
and environmental impact.& Transportation accounts for almost
in some states.& Yet, the environmental or external costs of transportation are often unaccounted for, and may be responsible for up to 30% of estimated automobile costs.& A failure to consider these costs results in their subsidization by society, by future generations, and by the health of the planet.&
Environmental costs include the following: climate change, air quality impacts, noise, water and soil quality impacts, biodiversity factors, and land use changes. & did a thorough analysis of the environmental implications of transportation.& Their conclusion: &better transport practices, such a fuel efficient vehicles, that reduce environmental externalities are likely to have positive economic, social and environmental consequences."
A few months ago,
to the problem of automobile impact, which included car sharing, car pooling, and reducing car use.& Car pooling could save up to , and leaving your car behind twice a week would save an average of .
Cars produce a full pound of CO2 each mile, although not all cars have the same impact.& Driving an SUV versus a hybrid will have different environmental consequences.& The EPA suggests that before buying or renting a car, consumers check EPA's Green Vehicle Guide and the EPA/DOE Fuel Economy Guide.&
provide information on the emissions and fuel economy performance of different vehicles.&
If you must drive, drive smartly.& Avoid overuse of brakes, hard accelerations, and idling.& Remove racks that are not in use, and maximize efficiency when using cruise control.& Keep your car maintenance up to date, your tire pressure correct, and remember to change your oil.&
Better yet, take a break from the car.& Use public transit, walk or bike.& 70% of car trips in the U.S. are , which translates to an easy 10-minute bike ride.& Bike commuting also has health benefits: the average person will lose 13 pounds in the first ye this saves approximately $544 in medical costs annually, and bicycles are
during rush hour. & provides a great infographics that show the benefit of cycling.&
The results of a resolution to drive less: Cutting back on our reliance on automobiles will reduce our environmental impact and lessen the cumulative and direct costs of our car culture.&
An inundation of Christmas music and gift advertisements, a series of food comas, and invitations to ugly sweater parties can only mean one thing&it&s holiday season again.& It&s a time to celebrate with family and friends, to show gratitude, and make plans for the coming year.& The holidays also mean gifts, cards, wrapping paper, lights, Christmas trees, parties and travel. These material things impact our environment.& At the risk of sounding like Scrooge, here are a few suggestions to cut down on your holiday eco-footprint.& &
Reduce Your Paper Use
1.& Holiday Greeting Cards
A staggering
are sent in the U.S. each year.& The impact of this volume of paper, combined with packaging and the transportation costs to deliver these cards, adds up quickly.& Paper waste accounts for . The paper products industry is the , behind petrochemical and cement manufacturing.
The alternative to paper cards is simple, cheaper, and more environmentally sound: email.& For those concerned with etiquette, Huffington Post's
and the Post family agree that e-cards are the greener, logical alternative to paper holiday cards.& E-cards, once a bit garish and obnoxious, now come in a number of attractive and witty forms.&
is an excellent example.& Another email option that I always enjoy receiving are holiday email updates from family and friends. This can come in the form of a recap of the year and often includes photos and other personal flourishes.&
Emails do have an eco-footprint, albeit much smaller than paper.& An email has 1/60th the carbon footprint of a traditional letter.& Still, our virtual impacts add up: internet use accounts for .&
For those who just can't let go of the tangible card option, consider purchasing recycled cards or buy form local card makers.& Miss Eco Etiquette also suggests , cards made of 100% post-consumer waste that include plantable wildflower seeds.& A recycled card that grows into a beautiful plant&what could be greener?!& If you receive greeting cards, try to reuse them.& Recycled cards make excellent gift tags, postcards, and bookmarks.&
2.& Wrapping Paper
In addition to the large amount of paper consumed through holiday cards, wrapping papers' near ubiquitous use&an
claim that they will wrap presents for the holidays&contributes to the large volume of holiday paper waste.&
makes its way into paper products, and paper requires more water than any other industrial activity in developed countries.& Between Thanksgiving and New Years, Americans dispose of .& That&s 25% more waste than the rest of the year.& Half of the paper products we consume goes towards packaging, wrapping and decorating products (with wrapping paper and shopping bags accounting for ).&
Instead of wrapping gifts in new paper, try to reuse other gift bags or paper and recycle or reuse any paper from gifts you unwrap.& Note, however that most conventional giftwrap is not recyclable.& Tape also complicates the process: .& By wrapping three gifts in recycled paper, we could save a collective .& Boxes can also be reused, and look for &tree-free& giftwrap made from .& Newspaper, fabrics, shopping bags, and even cereal boxes can also be repurposed as giftwrap.
3.&&&& Gift tags and invitations
The same suggestions apply to gift tags and party invitations. Try a DIY option, think about reusing household items (file folders, old cards, etc), send e-invites, and be creative!
Lessen Your Electricity Load
If you must decorate your house with lights, upgrade to LED lights, which use
than conventional lights.&&This can also save you $50 a month on your energy bills.& The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that if everyone replaced their conventional holiday lights with LED lights, we could save
of electricity each month.& Switching to smaller bulbs also reduces energy consumption.&
Another simple energy-saving solution is to simply turn lights off.& When you are not home or asleep, there is no need to illuminate an unseen room or space.&
Be Tree Friendly
Christmas trees are a must in many households. Of course, there are fir-free alternatives.& These, however, require energy and materials to manufacture and supply, although the one-time purchase of a fake tree can save energy.
If you, like many, want a live tree and the pine smell it brings, then at a minimum recycle your tree as soon as possible.& Fresh trees can be
rather than taking up space in a landfill.&
provides further info for tree recycling in your area.&&
And . . . a few miscellaneous things.
Consider donations in lieu of gifts or buy local.& Look for organic, sustainable foods and try to keep your portions and leftovers minimal.& Making a few changes can ensure happy holidays for generations to come.& Be well and enjoy!}