"There's a choice we're making. We're saving our own lives. It's true we'll make a better day. Just you and me..."
- We Are The World
Jack Cares!
Here at JACK, we care about our planet and believe one person, one Friend of Jack, can make a difference. There was a time when "doing something for the environment" was left to the hippie folk. But now, more and more people are going green and doing their part to help the environment. The Jack Cares page provides you with ways to live an earth-friendly life, provides tips on saving natural resources, lists ways to reduce waste and more. This information and details on local charities, fundraising efforts and social events will be updated frequently, so bookmark the Jack Cares page and visit often! Thanks!
- TIPS ON LIVING GREEN
Buy a Battery Charger
-
Batteries are made with certain metals that won't break down over time, so they certainly shouldn't be sitting in a landfill for years. Use rechargeable batteries and over time, you'll see that the charger will pay for itself.
Don't Use Paper Towels and Napkins
-
Use dishtowels, cloth napkins and sponges instead. The number one industrial cause of deforestation is said to be due to the paper industry. They are also the number one consumer of fresh water. And by using cloth products in the kitchen and for cleaning purposes, you will be reducing waste.
Check Your Tires
-
Make sure your tires are always properly inflated. Your car will run more efficiently, use less gas and in turn emit fewer pollutants if your tires have the correct amount of air in them.
Shop Locally
-
Get your groceries from local places like farmers markets and food co-ops. When you shop at these type of places you are supporting establishments that don't waste natural resources by hauling their goods across the country. Plus you're helping the local economy!
Use Refillable Drink Containers
-
Instead of using disposable drinking glasses or water bottles, buy a sturdy water bottle that you can refill throughout the day. Another suggestion, bring your own coffee mug to work rather than using the paper cups that usually just go in the trashcan. Juice boxes that you buy for your children's lunches are no-nos too.
Be Pesticide Free
-
Don't use pesticides on your lawn or any of your landscaping. Pesticides have been linked to water pollution and even damaging health effects, especially in children. Recent studies have shown that homes with pesticide-treated lawns are more likely to have an incident of child leukemia. These chances are of course increased if pesticides are used inside the home as well. There are ways to keep your lawn healthy without using dangerous chemicals.
Be A Thrifty Shopper
-
When shopping at thrift stores for either clothing, appliances, furniture, etc. the demand for brand new products goes down, and in turn we save on the manufacturing costs- financially and environmentally. If we have these alternate resources available, we should be using them and not letting them go to waste.
Take More Efficient Showers
-
You can install low-flow showerheads into your shower. They don't produce as much water as regular showerheads, therefore saving resources. They perform just as well, and it might even save you some money on your utilities bill each month.
Use More of Your Paper
-
Using more paper? That probably doesn't sound like the rest of the advice we've been giving here, but this is what we mean: Make double-sided copies and print on the back of paper. Doing this will make that one ream of paper go so much further. And it will reduce the garbage pile. After all, of all the garbage we produce, one-third of it is paper..
Use Your Feet
-
Most are accustomed to just hopping in the car to get to destinations. But how many of these places you're going to are just down the road? More often than not, it would be easier to get on a bike or simply walking. Statistics show that 25 percent of all car trips are less than a mile- that's an easy bike ride or pleasant stroll! You can slim down gas costs, car emissions and your pant size!
The Recycling Symbol
- Check your paper products for the recycling symbol. If paper products such as toilet paper and tissues are made from other paper products rather than made directly from the trees, it is less wasteful. For example, the name brand Kleenex makes their products from 100 percent virgin trees instead of post-consumer recycled paper.
-
RESOURCES
EARTH 8 - CBS8.COM
Earth 8 is a partnership of CBS 8, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD. Our mission is to promote a healthy, sustainable Earth through education and action, and to inspire the next generation of San Diegans to continue to preserve our planet. Read More »
THE 20 GALLON CHALLENGE
The 20-Gallon Challenge is a call for San Diego residents and businesses to reduce our region's water use on average by 20 gallons per person, per day. Read More »
BE WATER WISE
Metropolitan Water District and The Family of Southern California Water Agencies. Read More »
CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY CALIFORNIA
CCSE fosters public policies and provides programs, services, information and forums that facilitate the adoption of clean, reliable, renewable, sustainable, and efficient energy technologies and practices. Read More »
BOTTLES AND CANS RECYCLING
Have a question about bottle and can recycling? Check out the bottlesandcans.com website Go There »
TREEHUGGER.COM
TreeHugger is the leading media outlet dedicated to driving sustainability mainstream. They strive to be a one-stop shop for green news, solutions, and product information. Go There »
"The Greatest Save" emphasizes the importance of education in preventing the abduction and exploitation of our children - because "The Greatest Save" is the one we never have to make. Members of The Greatest Save team include organizations, individuals, and companies that are committed to disseminating this critical safety information to protect children of all ages from predators. Read More »