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House & Yard

Below you will find different ways to reduce waste, pollution and toxic substances around your house.

Cleaning
Despoiling our water supply and harming your indoor air quality are the chemicals in cleaning supplies. You can cheaply make alternatives or look for products that are biodegradable.

Toilets
Did you know that 25-35% of your potable water is wasted using our current system of getting rid of human waste? Current solutions involve no water composting toilets.

Re-usable Shopping bags
Paper and plastic shopping bags create pollution during production. Plastic bags harm wildlife and land after production. Most places now sell bags cheaply, and if you keep them in your car, you are less likely to go to the store without them.

Water Bottles
BPA (Bisphenol A) has been banned in Europe because of its cancer producing qualities. In the U.S., however, baby bottles, cans of food and most water bottles are made or lined with this plastic. There are lots of alternatives now. Make sure whatever plastic you buy that will contain food or water is BPA free.

To Go Containers/Cups
Styrofoam - Harms workers, is linked to cancer, does not biodegrade and cannot be recycled. At restaurants, you can bring your own "to go" containers to avoid the pollution and harm this substance creates.

Starbucks and most coffee shops provide discounts for people who bring in their own cups. It's difficult to remember, but it saves the trees and reduces pollution..

Mattresses and pillows
Since 2007, mattresses and pillows (and much of our furniture/computers) are required to be made with fire retardants. Unfortunately, many companies use very harmful fire retardants because they are cheaper.

Pesticides/Weed Killers
Pesticides do not only kill insects, they harm humans and have been linked to disorders such as Parkinsons, Alzheimers and Dementia. Try green alternatives to commericial bug sprays companies and products.

We value manicured lawns. Unfortunately, the weed killer commonly used leaches down into our water supply and cannot be cleaned. Try alternatives or else, try to find the beauty in weeds.

Home Energy Use
The government, both locally and federally, now provides many tax incentives to save energy in your home. Insulation, air sealing, and newer windows/ doors/air conditioners are ways to cut back on energy use. Also look for energy star appliances. Each home can also quickly change energy consumption with compact flourscents.

Paints
Volatile Organic Compounds, that exist in paints and adhesives for cabinetry, among others, consistently stay in your house every day, even years after painting. Even paints that tout "zero VOCs" are allowed to have up to 1% so research carefully.

 

 

 
 

 

Carbon Footprint
Calculate your carbon footprint

SIUE Sustainability
Find out what's happening around SIUE Campus.

Madison County:
What's our Environmental Report Card?