Make every day Earth Day

By Stephanie Tavares (contact), In Business reporter

Fri, May 1, 2009 (2 a.m.)

April 22 was Earth Day.

I’m a bit of a cynic, and Earth Day always brings out the worst in me.

For one day a year people across the country put on their “I sincerely care about the planet” face, recycle some magazines, maybe plant a tree or shrub and pat themselves on the back before returning to their normal, everyday lives.

I’m sure it makes them feel better.

Me? I’m seething mad. You should be doing this every day!

So instead of moaning to my whined-out co-workers who get this rant annually, I’m going to try to make a difference. Because it occurs to me that maybe people really do care, they just need the tools.

So let’s start simple: light bulbs.

You know about compact florescent light bulbs — the swirly whirlys. You probably even know the greenie lingo: CFLs. And by now, most of us have them in our homes and maybe even our offices.

If you don’t, now is the time to start using them. NV Energy subsidizes the bulbs, so you don’t have to pay full price. You can even get them at the 99 Cents Only store.

This is a great deal. You’ll save money on a superefficient (if weird looking) light bulb, it will last four to seven times longer than a traditional bulb, and you will use less electricity, which would likely lower your bill.

It’s like free money.

Of course, eventually that bulb is going to need to be replaced. For a long time there was no place to recycle them in Nevada. That’s no longer the case.

Home Depots across the nation accept nonbroken, used CFL bulbs for recycling. According the company’s Web site, there should be recycling stations near the front of every store, including packaging for the used bulbs.

If the bulb is broken, it can’t be recycled.

Broken bulbs are toxic and potentially dangerous, so be very careful how you handle them.

A nontoxic alternative to CFL bulbs are light-emitting diode (LED) lights. They last even longer than CFLs and come in more colors and shapes, but they’re pricey.

Along with all our nifty new life-improving gadgets, we’re also using more batteries. And they’re toxic for the planet, too.

Now might be a good time to invest in rechargeable batteries for more than just the cell phone. The next generation of rechargeable batteries is supposed to last longer and charge faster than the one we used 10 years ago, and the cost difference between traditional alkaline batteries and rechargeable batteries is reduced.

And not only can you use them again and again, but most are often recyclable.

Many office supply chains, big box hardware stores and cell phone retailers will collect rechargeable batteries to recycle for free.

You can search for local companies that will accept recyclable batteries at www.ehso.com/ehshome/batteries.php.

There are myriad other ways you can make your life or your business more sustainable. Many of them can also save you money.

Ripping out your lawn would be a good start. Check out the Q&A with Pat Mulroy in this issue and online to see how this can save you money and potential heartache as the water supply dries up.

At home, you could install a more energy-efficient pool pump or use more sustainable pool and spa chemicals. Look for more ways to “green” your pool sans algae in this issue as well.

Let’s make a fresh start. From here on out, Earth Day is every day.

Stephanie Tavares covers utilities and law for In Business Las Vegas and its sister publication, the Las Vegas Sun. She can be reached at 259-4059 or at tavares@lasvegassun.com.