NW Island Green Values

Green Values focus on taking Personal Responsibility for our own impacts on our environment. This is about developing a new way of THINKING, one that embraces positive, rewarding social and environmental changes. And ultimately, it is about the future of human life on this unique planet.

Green Values include compassion, caring, responsibility, collaborative work, moderation in consumption, and creative problem solving.

Working from a foundation of these values, Green Living encourages choices and actions that are cornerstones of sustainable living:

BECOMING cognizant of our individual levels of consumption compared to what the earth can support given our current population (this is our ecological footprint)

WORKING to lower the impact of the polluting outputs that result from our individual consumption and transportation (this is our carbon footprint)

PROTECTING our water, air, and soil from contaminants that harm our health and harm the environment’s wellbeing and/or ability to continue to support human life (we can measure our water footprint, impact on air quality, adopt organic agriculture, etc.)

LEARNING to live with a new wealth – the richness of abundance that comes from a healthier, more enriching, simpler lifestyle (where our individual happiness stems from healthy relationships to one another and to the natural environment – not sought through chasing an unsupportable, over-consuming lifestyle).

THINKING ahead to consider our impact on future generations. What wildlife will there be in three generations? Which national treasures, forests, and wilderness will remain in seven generations? Will there be food and housing to support our grandchildren in just a few decades? Can we make decisions and take actions today that offer them a viable chance for safety and happiness?

GREEN LIVING is a verb ~ actions that enrich and empower our lives today and open the door to a promising future.

Twelve Easy Steps

Every change we make towards a green lifestyle is a step towards sustainable living. The easiest steps are often a change in behavior, at no monetary cost. When you do vote with your dollar, learn more about the manufacturers you support and select those who are walking the talk of sustainable business practices.

Here are some quick and simple things that may cost little or nothing, and can save you money and protect our island environment :

1. Replace regular incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs
2. Heat selected areas/improve insulation and passive solar collection
3. Shorten showers, Fix leaky faucets and Flush less often
4. Eat Local and BUY Local to Support Agriculture in your Community and Region
5. Wash clothes in cold water and Sun/air dry clothes on clothes lines
6. Eliminate Ghost Loads (phantom load)for appliances that use electricity when not even ‘on’ – and turn power strips off at night.
7. Greener Kitchen Use – Hand wash and air dry dishes and No Peeking in refrigerator/freezer/oven to conserve energy 
8. Drive Less / Fly Less – and support tree planting projects to offset carbon impacts of the travel you do make
9. Vote with your Dollars – Choose Recycled Paper Products, Non Polluting Cleaning Products, and Bring Your Own Bags

    10.  Learn about the Real Environmental Impacts of What you Eat –            Meatless Mondays, Organic Produce, Transportation Impacts

     11.  Do your own home energy audit and Use ENERGY STAR  appliances

     12.  Reduce / Re-use / Recycle – Be sure you’re recycling at home       and work to improve the Island’s recycling system