8 ways to save the planet if you live in Texas
By MAGGIE GALEHOUSE
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
The song is right.
It's not easy being green. At least, not to start.
It takes effort and organization to separate recyclables. To use less gasoline. To bring your own bags to the supermarket. To create a compost pile for table and garden scraps.
But once you start, living green reaps rewards in lower gas and energy bills, a healthier body and a less-toxic environment.
Green living isn't a trend; it's a lifestyle choice that more people are feeling compelled to make. And as Texans, there are certain things we can do to help protect our little — OK, large — piece of the planet.
Our thanks to Chronicle readers, who've flooded us with earth-friendly suggestions. Some are incorporated here:
1. DOWNSIZE YOUR DRIVE: Living large doesn't have to mean driving a supersize vehicle. But according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas has one pickup truck for every seven people and about one SUV for every 12 people. From 1997 to 2002, the number of SUVs registered in the state increased an estimated 97 percent. Translation: fumes, fumes, fumes. If you don't have plans to drive a smaller vehicle, Chronicle reader Kathy Klimpel of Houston has another suggestion: minimize your gas consumption by one gallon a week. That means driving 10-30 fewer miles, which is doable if you carpool, walk or combine errands.
2. PARK IT: Instead of vacationing out of state, spend some time at a Texas state park, a sprawling system of more than 100 sites and nearly 600,000 acres. The parks welcome about 10 million guests a year who generate $793 million in sales and nearly 12,000 jobs. But members of the Texas Coalition for Conservation say the parks need hundreds of millions of dollars for deferred maintenance. So while legislators hash out park-related bills, take a hike. Somewhere in Texas.
3. CATCH SOME RAYS: Today's solar panels are more flexible and less expensive than the fragile, bulky panels of the past. Federal tax credits are available to homeowners who install solar energy systems, but Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, has introduced a bill that, if passed, would provide Texans with financial incentives to go solar. By tacking an extra 65 cents onto electric bills, Coleman says his plan would generate $500,000 over a five-year period. Texas homeowners and businesses could tap into that money via rebates designed to cover half the installation and cost of solar panels — which typically run between $18,000 and $25,000 but cut at least one-third of a consumer's energy costs. "The cost of fossil fuels is going up, and solar power is going down," Coleman says. "This is a no-brainer."
4. BLOCK SOME RAYS: Planting native shade trees near your home will keep your house cooler in summer and provide oxygen to all living things in the area. Experts suggest a Shumard oak, Drummond red maple or maybe a river birch for lighter shade. If you want, tie your tree-planting to a significant family event: a new tree for every new baby, another for every loved one lost.
5. GET LECTURED: LaVerne Williams describes himself as an architect, lecturer, building ecologist and "bioneer." At Tuesday's annual meeting of the Citizens' Environmental Coalition, open to the public, he will lecture on "Global Climate Change and Its Effects Upon Houston." Barry Lefer, an atmospheric scientist and University of Houston professor, will also speak. Karl Pepper, director of environmental programming in the mayor's office, will moderate. The meeting is at 3015 Richmond in the Upper Kirby Reading Room. Doors open at 6 p.m.; the lecture begins at 7:30. Seating is limited; e-mail ella@cechouston.org to reserve a spot.
6. CLEAN GREEN: There are a host of green cleaning products out there, but for those who don't have time to clean their own homes, there are also green cleaning services. Healthy Homes was founded two years ago by Karen Ironkwe, who combined her clinical microbiology background with a business designed to keep homes green and healthy. "We have OSHA looking out for buildings, but nobody looks out for homes," Ironkwe says. Healthy Homes (713-907-6460) charges $40 per hour for a two-person team and uses soy- and citrus-based products. In part, the company caters to people with asthma and dust allergies. But more and more, Ironkwe says, she's hearing from people who are simply concerned about protecting the environment.
7. FEED LOCALLY: One way to save the planet is to save your body. When food is grown to be shipped thousands of miles away, the focus is on preservation rather than flavor, says Bob Randall, executive director of Urban Harvest. Food grown close to home is fresher and better-tasting, he says, and doesn't require adding salt, sugar or fat to augment the flavor. Urban Harvest, a Houston nonprofit that grew out of a community gardening program, has spent more than a decade educating communities about the benefits of locally grown food. The nonprofit operates the Bayou City Farmers Market in the 3000 Richmond parking lot 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays and 4-7 p.m. Wednesdays. The food is grown within 150 miles of Houston. Other markets: The Houston Farmers Market, Rice University entrance 9 (south side of stadium), operates 3:30-7 p.m. Tuesdays; and behind Onion Creek Cafe, 3106 White Oak in the Heights 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays. Midtown Farmers Market, at t'afia restaurant, 3701 Travis, is open 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays.
8. BYOB: Bring your own bag when you go shopping. "I've used cloth bags for groceries for over 15 years," says Chronicle reader Lou Ann Newman of Sugar Land. "The bags hold much more than plastic or paper and have handles so they're easier to handle." The biggest players in the bag debate are supermarkets, although IKEA has started charging customers a few cents per plastic bag. Randalls sells a 99-cent bag made of recycled plastic. H-E-B and Whole Foods sell reusable canvas bags for groceries, and Whole Foods rewards BYOB shoppers with 10 cents off for every reusable bag.
maggie.galehouse@chron.com
Brad Hem contributed to this story.
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