Not all energy is created equally. Taylor and Deanne discuss ways you can balance your demand for energy to make it more efficient. They also discuss the future of renewable energy and some current roadblocks in the way of making solar, biomass, geothermal, wind, and hydropower the majority energy source. 

Easy Being Green

Balancing the Demand For Energy

The California wildfires are sweeping the state and displacing a massive population. Homes are being lost, evacuation centers are at capacity, pets need fostering, and people need your help. Deanne and Taylor discuss various funds to support fire victims. If you want to hear more about the impact of climate change on forest fires and vice versa, listen to our previous episode.  

How you can help those affected by the raging California wildfires

As more greenhouse gas emissions enter our atmosphere, climate change takes effect. Drier regions become drier, making wildfires more prevalent. Wildfires not only devastate the area of the fire, but also contribute to the high carbon levels in our air, further instigating climate change. It is a negative feedback loop that Taylor and Deanne discuss and share thoughts on we can slow it down. 

Climate Change and the Rise of Wildfires

We constantly hear about rising sea level and the threats to our planet, but what does it actually mean? Deanne and Taylor dive into the topic of melting ice caps, CO2 emissions, and how rising sea levels will impact (and already are) our lives. 

The Real Effect of Rising Sea Level

The speech that Greta Thunberg delivered at the UN Climate Summit has sparked an out pour of responses regarding the state of our planet and the lack of ambition from world leaders to make real change. Deanne and Taylor recap the Climate Summit, discuss Greta's emotional delivery and discuss activism in general and how you can make a difference. It's a heavy episode, but hope is not lost.

The UN Climate Summit, Greta Thunberg, and You

Traveling makes up 8% of global carbon emissions annually! Taylor and Deanne discuss ways to get that number lower without reducing how often you take vacation. Think about where you stay, how you get there, where you shop and much more. It's these choices we make that can add up to create change. The travel industry is not slowing down, and neither is climate change, so travel smart: travel green.

Sustainable Travel is Smart Travel

It can be daunting to feel confident when recycling something that you're unsure of. Is this recyclable? Will it contaminate other recyclables? Does my recycling facility accept this? Should I just hold onto it until I know hoe to recycle it properly? There are so many rules when it comes to recycling so Deanne and Taylor break it down. The main rule: Check which MRF you are assigned and read their rules; you'll feel a lot more confident!

Navigating The Recycling Maze: Plastic Waste

The Great Barrier Reef is home to more than 1,500 species of fish, 411 types of hard coral, one-third of the world's soft corals, 134 species of sharks and rays, six of the world's seven species of threatened marine turtles, and more than 30 species of marine mammals. As Global Warming heats up our planet and the temperature of the water changes, the reef is put under great stress and cannot recover if it doesn't have enough time to heal before another stressful event. The reef is dying at a terrifying rate and faces great peril in the future if another heat wave strikes. The only cure is to reverse global warming and remove greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.

What's Actually Happening To The Great Barrier Reef

Habits are the easiest way to live a greener life, and the best time to start those habits to make them long lasting? As a kid! Teach your kids the importance of recycling, eating plant based, reducing energy and water usage, shopping local and more. Taylor and Deanne dive into many topics that your kids should be green experts on, because they are the future of this planet.

Teaching Kids How To Live A Greener Life

Wildfires, Logging, Agriculture, Urbanization are just a few of the ways in which our forests are being destroyed. Not only do trees reduce carbon from the environment, when they die, they release carbon into the atmosphere. As forests die the air we breath becomes more toxic, the homes to more than half of the animal, insect, and plant species are lost in addition to the homes of indigenous people. Climate change is occurring at an almost unstoppable rate, and the destruction of these forests is a massive accelerator. Deanne and Taylor talk about ways in which you can decrease your contribution to deforestation. 

Deforestation: How The Earth's Lungs Are Dying

Farming, of any type, takes up land which contributes to deforestation. Cows release methane, a major Greenhouse Gas. Transportation of food takes gas, which releases emissions into the air. Packaging of food contributes to landfill as well as food waste. the list goes on. Deanne and Taylor talk about the steps they have taken to have a more sustainable relationship with food and what goals they have to improve upon it.

How The Food We Eat Impacts Climate Change

Our homes are where we spend a good chunk of our time, and in turn, end up using a lot of energy. There are tons of changes that you can make today to make your home more efficient. Switching to LED light bulbs, changing your hot water temperature and unplugging appliances are just a few. Taylor and Deanne also explore more long term changes and their effects plus some additional benefits (saving money). Listen in on what steps Taylor and Deanne are making to make their homes more efficient and how you can too.

How To Make Your Home More Efficient

Everyone has a different awareness level of Climate Change and how we as individuals fit in to it. Deanne and Taylor share their stories of how they became aware and inspired to make changes to their own lives and to share with others in hopes of changing more behaviors. Listen as their varying turning points in life woke them up to see the reality of what is happening to our planet and how we can make a difference.

Why We Care: Deanne and Taylor's Green Living Inspiration

We all know that cars in general are bad for the environment. From oil drilling to gas emissions, the planet suffers from these convenient transportation devices. Fortunately, there are plenty of other options that aren't quite as bad. With Buses, trolleys, and trains populating every big city and most smaller ones, a convenient and greener option is always just steps away. Speaking of steps, walking is another fantastic alternative as is biking! Now, this being said, neither of us are perfect; we both drive our cars frequently, but we consciously try to take some of these alternative transportation options and are doing so more frequently. Little strides lead to big strides.

A Greener Route: Transportation Options

Everyone knows the big ones: water bottles, coffee mugs, and grocery bags. If those are the only ones you reuse, it's still something. And if you don't at least partake in the big three, try it out! Taylor and Deanne dive into the other things they reuse including clothes (thrift shopping), bulk food shopping, to-go food containers, food and leftover reuse, and many more. 

Reuse, Reuse, Reuse!

Climate change on our planet is occurring at a rate never seen before by scientists, and it is proven that we as humans are the accelerator. Easy Being Green, hosted by Taylor Powers and Deanne Tetzl, a dynamic duo from different generations and upbringings, discusses how they are trying to make changes in their own lives and how you can too. There is still time to slow the rate of climate change and work together to make earth healthy again. Join them to learn and engage in how you can do your part for the environment.

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Easy Being Green

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