Saving Our EARTH

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Saving Our EARTH

We invite your comments and suggestions. This is not a fundraising organization.

A site created by architect/author Joel Levinson dedicated to suggesting
simple things everyone can do to preserve our planet as a hospitable environment for all life. Architect, Interior designer, Author, Photographer, Science theorist, Museum founder

01/03/2026

I'm concerned about the effects of cell phone radiation on bees, birds, insects, and humans. Here's an excerpt from one report from AI that is concerning:

Syntheses of RF‑flora/fauna research conclude that mobile‑phone‑band RF (notably 900 MHz GSM) could be a factor affecting bird ecology and reproduction under some conditions, but emphasize substantial uncertainties, inconsistent findings, and the difficulty of separating RF from other co‑stressors in the field.

As with bees, the picture is not one simple outcome: there is evidence of biological and behavioral effects in birds at mobile‑phone–type frequencies, yet mechanisms, dose–response relationships, and real‑world population impacts remain incompletely resolved and are a focus of ongoing research.

06/21/2025

STRATEGY #15
MORE BUBBLE WRAP...ugh

You get a package; you're delighted. You toss the bubble wrap (or whatever) in the trash. WAIT. Store it where you can remember the place and use it when you want to package something. Less plastic or foam floating around and a few buck in your pocket. Hopefully, this is something you already do.

02/12/2025

STRATEGY 14
Wear an apron NOT JUST WHEN YOU COOK.

There was a time I used to go to the dry cleaner once a week. Now, I almost never go. WHY? Because I wear an apron every time I eat at home and I have spares for friends when they join me for a meal. Sounds extreme?
Dry cleaning facilities are a significant source of soil and groundwater pollution. Spills, leaks from storage tanks, improper disposal, and wastewater discharges have led to widespread contamination in areas surrounding dry cleaners.
PERC and TCE are persistent chemicals that migrate through soil and groundwater, creating plumes that can spread over large areas. This contamination poses risks to drinking water supplies, affecting nearby communities.
Soil contamination disrupts ecosystems by reducing soil fertility and affecting plant growth. Additionally, VOCs contribute to atmospheric pollution, exacerbating climate change
PERC and TCE are classified as carcinogens. Long-term exposure to these chemicals through contaminated air or drinking water increases the risk of cancers such as bladder, kidney, and esophageal cancer for the general public
Even low levels of exposure to these solvents can lead to neurological damage, developmental disorders, and reproductive toxicity.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 75% of active dry cleaners in the U.S. are contaminated, with thousands of former sites also posing risks globally

Technical info courtesy of PERPLEXITY an AI research site.

Wear an apron NOT JUST WHEN YOU COOK

01/20/2025

STRATEGY 13
DON'T WASH YOUR FACE...what??

When you were a kid, your mom would ask...Did you wash your face? Why did she ask? Because kids' faces are often smeared with one thing or another. Now, switch to the fact that many people don't believe my age. I recently turned 86. "You look like you're in your sixties or early seventies." Why? Because I only infrequently wash my face with soap, and then, only when hot water isn't enough to feel clean. Soap removes the natural oils in the skin. Those natural oils keep your face looking young and mostly without the wrinkles. I do wash my face with soap in the shower but otherwise I "wash" my face with just hot water at the bathroom sink several times a day......and for me, that's all that's needed. The benefits of this routine in terms of the environment is less energy to manufacture soap and its packaging, less energy to manufacture body oils and the plastic containers they come in, less energy to dispose of the plastic, which doesn't easily and always break down. So....look younger, less wrinkled, more "au naturale", by rinsing your face with just hot water, most of the time, and using soap only when necessary. See if this works for you.

11/27/2024

STRATEGY 12
A GLASS OF....Honey Water???

More and more, lately, I question the carbon footprint associated with my having a bottle or can of soda with a meal. I have almost stopped buying beverages in plastic bottles (we know that problem!), but what about the carbon footprint associated with enjoying a small aluminum can of Coke or a glass bottle of root beer. IT'S CRAZY. All the energy to create the drink, to manufacture the little can or bottle, the energy to dispose of or recycle the aluminum or glass. But I haven't thought of an alternative except that.......TONIGHT, I poured myself a glass of filtered cold water from my fridge to which I added a few drops of honey to satisfy my sweet tooth. Almost no carbon footprint. I felt responsible. Try it. It may work for you......some of the time. Next time, I'll add a small chunk of fresh fruit for even more flavor. Now I make some weak Celestial Seasonings "Apple Spice" tea, keep it in a pitcher in the fridge and...VOILA...carbon footprint reduced dramatically and less environmental degradation.

11/19/2024

STRATEGY 11
FASHION AND WASTE

I have mixed emotions about posting this idea — mixed emotions because it's nice to dress up, nice to look good, nice to support the creativity in the fashion industry (as these buttons will attest), nice because people make money they need from designing, making, and selling clothes... BUT... there are the hidden consequences of filling our closets and bureau drawers with clothes we don't need. I'm not suggesting we become monks, but I am suggesting we think twice about buying that extra sweater or coat that is so stylish. It's worth taking a moment to consider, first, the energy and carbon footprint associated with producing a wearable, and second the environmental cost of disposing of worn clothes that someone in Ghana wouldn't even want to wear. Those unwanted garments and shoes and pocketbooks and raincoats are often burned or thrown in the ocean. AND, the amount of plastics in clothes is greater than you might imagine. Those enduring plastics clog our seas. So, I have MIXED EMOTIONS about this strategy because we all love new clothes. BUT... it is worth taking a moment to consider buying clothes we don't need or could live without.

07/20/2023

STRATEGY 10
TEA AND COFFEE

When heating your pot of cold water in a stove top kettle or electric kettle, add just enough water for your use...no more. First, I pour the cold water in my cup then in the kettle. Some people use a full cup of water then wait for the brewed cup to cool. I only use 1/3 cup of water, make my tea, and then top of the cup with cold water. It's done in a flash and saves a whole lot of energy, gas or electric. Try it...you'll like it and your brew is done in 1/3 the time.

06/07/2023

STRATEGY 9
BRILLO LONGEVITY

To increase the useful life span of your Brillo pads or any other non-stainless steel pot scrubber, squeeze out moisture after use and place the pad on a moisture-absorbing pad like this one or on a sponge. Less moisture, longer life.

09/11/2022

Feedback and suggestions are welcomed.

08/22/2022

STRATEGY 8, SCRAP PAPER

Rather than buy note paper, use the blank side of the mail you receive. I even tear a sheet in thirds (where the creases occur) and use the blank sections. This saves you money, reduces the use of chemicals, and reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gases.

08/17/2022

STRATEGY #7, AVOID A HEAVY FOOT

A light foot on your accelerator, particularly when the light turns green or after you've stopped at a Stop Sign, will save a lot of fuel ($ saved) and produce less damaging environmental exhausts. It will also add years to the life of your car.

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http://joellevinson.info/

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