Month: January 2014

These days, "going green" is more of a tagline than an action plan. To put your money where your mouth is, you can take a look at one of the biggest personal factors that directly affects the environment: the car you drive. 

Car pollution is one of the leading threats to a green environment. More than 1 billion people worldwide drive cars, which contributes to fuel emissions and air pollution. Besides utilizing public transportation, we can direct our focus on more fuel-efficient vehicles that get us to our destination with a much smaller carbon tire print. 

The "greenest" and "meanest" cars of 2014 were announced this month by GreenerCars.org. At No. 1, Mercedes-Benz Smart Electric Drive Convertible was ranked the most environmentally friendly. This car is fully electric, emissions-free that offers a battery rental program, making it the most affordable electric car in the U.S. It also has a government 4-star safety rating.

The second cleanest car is the Toyota Prius C, which features the Hybrid Synergy Drive. This is combination of gasoline and electric engines, either working independently or simultaneously, which ever is the most efficient way possible. These wheels crank out a whopping 53 miles per gallon – talk about cutting down on gas money!

On the other hand, the dirtiest, or most fuel-guzzling, cars and trucks were also released. The Ram 2500 (Class 2B) came in dead last, or first, depending on how you look at it. In the city, this truck has 13 miles per gallon. The Bugatti Veyron, a mid-sized sports car, fell in second place, ranking the lowest of all vehicles for MPG in the city with a total of 8. 

Encouraging a sustainable word is one of Ilchi Lee's main principles. Lee, an advocate for greener technology, points out the perks of more fuel-efficient cars – money-saver, environmentally responsible and ahead of the curve. 

It's no surprise that recycling is good for the environment. Yet, many of us don't do it. According to DoSomething.org, more than 75 percent of waste is recyclable, but we only recycle about 30 percent of it. We all say we want to hand down a cleaner planet to our children, the generation that will inherit our struggles and successes, but ask yourself: What am I doing to help?

Recycling is one of the most effective ways to benefit the environment. Whether it's at work or home, we should get in the habit of throwing glass, aluminum, steel (known as tin cans), paper and plastics in the green bin. Check out some of these fascinating facts:

1. Recycling creates millions of green jobs, even in your community. As a matter of fact, in 2010, green goods and services amounted to 3.1 million jobs in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most people don't realize it, but cardboard is a valuable commodity. After you go grocery shopping, reuse that bag!

2. Recycling one soda can save enough energy to power a television for two hours. Sip and recycle!

3. About 4 percent of the total energy consumption in the U.S. is used in the production of all plastic products. We can cut down on this energy waste by recycling plastic products after their useful lives has ended.

4. Manufacturing recycled paper uses 60 percent of the energy need to create paper from trees, according to the Benefits of Recycling. 

As a dedicated advocate of a peaceful and sustainable world, Ilchi Lee strongly believes that we should take steps to truly go green. Today is the time to plan for the world of tomorrow.