If achieving the nirvana level of being green is what’s stressing you, relax
\nfirst—perhaps through some sort of meditative or spiritual practice—and then
\nmake some goals for yourself. Sit down and write out the highest hopes you have
\nfor your personal environmental impact on everything from your home to your
\nneighborhood to the earth. Look carefully at those hopes, and from them select
\nthe realistic goals for what you might be able to achieve in your lifetime. And
\nthen set reasonable, human timelines for achieving these goals. Get the full Ask Umbra answer<\/a>.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Light my fire.<\/strong> <\/p>\n Just say om.<\/strong> <\/p>\n Such a tea-se.<\/strong> <\/p>\n Tranquilly, Related Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n Ask Umbra on birth control, single-serve coffee, and sanitizing countertops<\/a><\/p>\n Ask Umbra on Ronald McDonald’s retirement, card games, and a coffee stirring stir<\/a><\/p>\n
A little candlelight can be totally soothing. Worried about candles making you
\nill? Easy: Burn fewer candles. Like any burning object, candles give off
\nparticles and vapors that can enter your lungs and irritate your respiratory
\nsystem. Most of these irritants are present only in negligible amounts, with
\nthe exception of lead, which is used to keep wicks stiff. U.S. candle
\nmanufacturers voluntarily ceased using lead wicks in recent years, but
\ncompanies in other countries continue the practice. If you don’t know the
\ncandle’s country of origin, you can test for lead in the wick by cutting off a
\nsection, stripping the outer cotton sleeve, and rubbing the core on a piece of
\npaper. If it contains lead, it will leave a pencil-like mark. Also, avoid
\nscented candles (which contain chemical additives), paraffin candles (which are
\nmade from petroleum), and smoky flames (which produce more soot). Get the full Ask Umbra answer<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Downward dogging can be good for working out the kinks, but the vinyl and
\nphthalates in conventional yoga mats? Not so much. Vinyl is toxic to the
\nenvironment during production and disposal, through creation and release of
\ndioxin—among other issues, including that it is made from a nonrenewable
\nresource. Phthalates are “plasticizers” often found in soft vinyl
\nmaterials, which do leach out during a product’s lifetime. Exposure to
\nphthalates has been linked to negative reproductive health
\neffects<\/a> in both men and women. However, many manufacturers are offering
\nPVC-free options, usually made of jute and rubber. Get the full Ask Umbra answer<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Nothing like a hot cup of tea to soothe the nerves. Ah, but how to heat the
\nwater: gas stove, microwave, or electric tea kettle? A review of the literature
\n(various governmental energy-efficiency advisories, like this one from Canada<\/a>) indicates that the electric kettle is
\nNo. 1 in efficiency. So pop a reusable tea filter full of organic leaves into a
\nreusable mug, and take a chill pill. Get the full Ask Umbra answer<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Umbra<\/p>\n