Get answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Paint the District Green!
So you guys want to "paint the district green," huh? What does "green" mean?
"Green" refers to making choices which generally help protect, conserve and better distribute resources, prevent further polluting of our bodies and planet and ensure fair treatment of humans and animals. These choices range from small to large, from free to expensive. Check out the "DC Dreams In Green" section of our videos page to see what happened when we asked people around DC: "What does 'going green' mean to you?"Why bother to make green choices?
There are so many reasons. Green choices improve the health of you and your loved ones. They make air quality, water, food and products safer. They reduce the risk of extreme climate change. They make your surroundings more pleasing and natural. Availability of food around the world can increase and animal cruelty can decrease. You can enjoy a clearer conscience about respecting your body, fellow humans, the environment and animals. Green choices help make both the inner ecosystems of our bodies and the larger ecosystem of our shared earth safer, healthier, prettier and more positive. There are many benefits (both subtle and tangible) from living more in tune with nature.What are some of the main problems which make green choices so important?
1) Greenhouse gas emissions: Climate change is a hugely controversial global crisis. How quickly effects will take place and how much the crisis can be averted is unclear. What is clear is that greenhouse gas emissions from sources like fossil fuels used for energy (such as coal), vehicles, factories, meat and waste are definitely threatening the health of people, the planet and animals. Effects are already including severe drought (meaning hunger and starvation), more and faster spread of disease, compromised living situations, financial burdens, social and cultural disruptions, the extinction of many plants and animals, less snow and sea ice (which is causing polar bear deaths), more rain (impacting agriculture and food supply), rising sea levels (displacing agriculture, beaches and homes) and hotter water.2) Unsafe, earth-unfriendly food: Non-organic, genetically-modified, artificialized foods are full of pesticides, hormones and other chemicals which poison the earth and our bodies. Unless sold locally, food is typically transported long distances which hugely contributes to greenhouse gases. Soil and ocean pollution effects our water supply. The meat, poultry, dairy and seafood industries use precious land, forests, water, energy and grain in seriously wasteful ways and create even more greenhouse gas emissions than transportation. Extremely cruel animal lives and deaths (read about DC metro area animal rights advocacy nonprofit Compassion Over Killing's investigations) are also the norm for these industries - negative energy which enters us when we consume animal products, along with major health risks.
3) Toxic products: Fewer than 20% of the industrial chemicals registered for use in products we eat, touch, wear and use in our homes here in the US have been tested for their impact on human health and the environment. This means purchases from paint to carpet to candles to toys pose a constant threat of toxins which can result in horrors like migraines, asthma and cancer. Non-organic textiles and products also pollute soil, air and water and can irritate skin.
4) Waste: Over-consumption and waste is a huge reality. There are so, so much more non-biodegradable materials and packagings out there than necessary. Solid waste pollution such as littering, illegal dumping and leaching seriously compromise environmental and personal safety - not to mention how ugly trash is. Biodegradable waste not dealt with in a sustainable manner can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Plus wasting poses a moral issue considering all the global poverty, hunger and shortages. Have a look at photographer Chris Jordan's powerful exhibit, Intolerable Beauty: Portraits of American Mass Consumption.
5) Abuse of natural resources: Oceans and ocean-life face threats like toxic dumping, whale-killing and bottom-trawling (a form of fishing which rips up unexplored, football-sized sections of plants and animals). Miles of climate-regulating, scientifically-important ancient forests are being clearcut. Mountain-top removal mining for coal is a major health hazard. Soil is polluted from unorganic farming. Our air, climate, plantlife and animals are of course threatened by greenhouse gas emissions.
6) Human mistreatment: Human mistreatment/suffering: Helping the needy can be considered "green" even though it doesn't always directly help the environment. It's a natural extension of the respect for the earth and concern with health which green choices are all about. There are countless issues - widespread human trafficking, discrimination, crime, homelessness, hunger and so on. Some are very controversial like war and the death penalty. One problem is the unfair worker treatment - like sweatshops and forced child labor - involved in many of the products we buy, which goes hand-in-hand with the often-involved toxins and environmental hazards. Read how workers suffer abuse just so prices can be slightly lowered for companies and consumers on DC green nonprofit Co-op America's website
7) Nuclear power plants: Nuclear power plants produce waste which will remain toxic to humans for over 100,000 years, pose the hugely dangerous risks of national disaster, cancer and nuclear weapons proliferation, deplete uranium and can contribute to climate change - plus they are neither practical nor cost-effective. Read Co-op America's Ten Strikes Against Nuclear Power.
Is green action popular?
Books, websites, newspapers, magazines, documentaries, TV programs, events, activists and businesses are bringing green awareness into the limelight more than ever! Find lots of examples in our list of green resources. Many celebrities are using their power and wealth to take green action (like Al Gore and the 15 in this article by green media leader Grist). Green choices go hand-in-hand with many popular modern topics such as personal health, environmentalism, conservation, social justice, animal rights and veganism.Is green action popular in the DC metro area?
Yes, despite Al Gore and Leonardo D.'s noble efforts. We're frustrated it isn't more popular here. Washington, DC, is a smart, passionate hub of politics, nonprofits, activism and international networking. Why isn't a city with so much focus on action and so much global attention more eager to set a precedent for the US - and beyond? There seem to be some common obstacles:1) Lack of awareness: Despite Al Gore and Leonardo D.'s noble efforts
2) Lack of incentive: "What reward do I get for being green?"
3) Too expensive: "I can't afford a Hybrid car or solar panels or organic food."
4) Too much of a hassle: "I don't feel like making time to recycle or research green businesses."
5) Other priorities: "My Hummer is intricately woven into my self-image," or "Yeah, coal power is not so environmentally sound - but there's such big money in it."
On the bright side, we have been observing that, despite these obstacles, many are working to make the DC metro area greener. Green businesses are cropping up all over - like Co-op America, Greenpeace, Center for a New American Dream, Compassion Over Killing, Eco-Green Living, Live Green, the Mt. Rainier Bike Co-op and others we've listed in our DC metro area green business directory. The public and local media seem more aware and concerned than ever before. Take NBC4's Going Green series and Discovery Channel's Planet Green for example.
Like Moses' blog entry "Sustainability in the District" points out, DC is currently ranked the 12th most sustainable city in the nation - which could be alot worse. Then again, we could be #1!
We conducted some interesting interviews to get a very general reading on how DC locals and tourists feel about green issues and the unique importance of going green in DC. (In the future, we plan to better represent the DC metro area as a whole by capturing a broader spectrum of people and locations.)
Wait - isn't all this "green" stuff just for hippies or something?
Green choices and the problems they strive to solve effect us all. They shouldn't just be of interest to certain groups like businesses trying to modernize their image and "hippies" and they shouldn't be accessible by only the middle- to upper-classes. In fact, climate change poses a larger threat to low-income folks than to the wealthier.Okay. So how can we make the DC metro area greener?
At Paint the District Green, we envision a DC metro area that is better-informed about the importance of green choices and is taking more steps to make them convenient, affordable and appealing enough for people from all walks of life. We can make this a reality by supporting what is currently green in DC (look through these green photos, businesses, jobs and events in the DC metro area and other green resources) and taking steps to incorporate more green choices in our homes, jobs and lives.Yes! I'd like to incorporate more green choices in my home, job and life. Do you have a list of, say, 10 ideas to start me off?
1) Use less energy: Unplug or at least turn off what you don't need. Use less heat, A.C. and water. Consider buying energy-efficient lightbulbs, low-flow shower heads, low-volume toilets and water-efficent washers. Choose natural light over artificial. Air-dry clothes and dishes. Find other ways to use major appliances like washing machines, driers, dishwashers, hairdriers, TVs, computers and microwaves less often.2) Use renewable, non-fossil-fuel energy sources (such as wind or solar power): These sources are much better for the environment and are becoming cheaper.
3) Choose locally-grown, organic, unprocessed food or grow your own: Find local food co-ops, farmers markets and natural food stores in our DC metro area green business directory.Farmers markets are particularly fun as they're outdoors, involve meeting and supporting local farmers and sell only seasonal produce (in-season food offers top flavor, freshness and nutrition)
4) Avoid meat, dairy, eggs, seafood and other animal products: If you just can't live without them, choose versions which are organic and cruelty-free as possible. It is difficult to know which labels to believe; the safest bet is to just avoid animal products and explore the many delicious, healthier alternatives. (Read about vegetarianism/veganism and get free recipes and a starter guide from DC metro area nonprofit Compassion Over Killing's website TryVeg.com)
5) Reduce, recycle and reuse: Consume less in the first place. Then recycle and reuse everything - trash, rainwater, food, clothes, paper, batteries, furniture, you name it! Look up which recyclables your county collects and whether they need to be separated then get in the habit of putting them correctly in your recycling bin. Set up recycling containers at your work or wherever they're needed. Research and invent ways to recycle, reuse or donate things recycling pickup services won't take. How about a clothing exchange, thrift store shopping or even "dumpster-diving" for free, used goodies? Mix uncooked fruit and veggie scraps with plenty of dry materials like straw, woodchips, hair, paper, cardboard, cotton and yard waste to create organic compost for gardening. Choose washable, reusable clean-up rags, cloth diapers, dishes, utensils, cloth grocery bags, tupperware (instead of plastic wrap or foil; this is also a way to reuse food containers) and thermoses (instead of buying lots of beverage bottles). Read Co-op America resolves your Recycling Quandaries and this very useful page by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
6) Choose earth-friendly transportation options: Walk, bicycle, skate or use other non-polluting options when possible (great exercise by the way). Public transportation is your next best bet as it runs whether you're on it or not and is a form of mass carpool. When you must use vehicles, use earth-friendly versions and use fewer by carpooling. Here are more ideas from Green the Capitol Green "Transportation" Expo 2007 exhibitors.
7) Choose nontoxic, biodegradable, organic, recycled, local and used versions: Look at your options when purchasing cleaning products, paint, building materials, body care products, furniture, flooring, household items, toys and anything else. Get more info on avoiding toxins from DC-based nonprofit Co-op America's fantastic Heal Your Home Center.
8) Support green businesses, especially local ones: That means businesses which understand the importance of being Fair Trade, sweatshop-free, union-made, child-labor-free, organic, sustainable, socially just, cruelty-free and environmentally responsible. U.S. businesses which meet strict "green" standards are listed in Co-op America's National Green Pages. Buying local cuts down on energy and boosts the local economy, so we have listed DC metro area businesses from the National Green Pages and others we have found to be quite green in our DC metro area green business directory. Some DC metro area green job openings get posted on our jobs page. Co-op America also provides info about the practices of many corporations and brands so you know which ones to avoid. Plus you can research businesses yourself. By the way, you can download Co-op America's Guide to Ending Sweatshops for free.
9) Be a green activist: The other steps in this list can help protect humans, animals and natural resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But there are also more direct ways to help. You can start by supporting some of the great campaigns out there like Cool Capitol Challenge and those of local nonprofits Co-op America and Greenpeace and get more creative from there. Host a film screening and discussion, coordinate a bike or garden or recycling or energy project, start a blog, make a film, create art, help your workplace adopt green practices or otherwise use your skills and interests to help spread green knowledge!
10) Develop a relationship with nature: The natural world is an amazing gift we all get for free. Accept the gift - breathe it in, climb, swim, camp, enjoy it. This will make green choices more relevant. They'll start coming naturally to you.
What will I find on the Paint the District Green website?
Well, you've already found our FAQ page. Our videos page has videos we make about DC metro area green interviews, businesses, events and more. Our photos page displays both green and not-so-green DC metro area citings. Our blog page offers green news, info, tips and thoughts with a DC metro area focus. Businesses offers our directory of DC metro area green businesses for you to shop at, work or volunteer for or otherwise support. Jobs shows some local green job openings. Events has a continuously updated database of DC metro area green events. Resources has more green resources from all over such as groups, books, films, discounts and green businesses outside the DC metro area. You can also read about our team and contact us.This project is awesome! How can I help?
So glad you asked, my friend! You can:1) Make green choices!!! That's the point of all this.
2) Contact us with your comments, questions, ideas and to share more green businesses, events, resources and info!
3) Connect with us on Connect with us on Facebook, Myspace, emPivot and YouTube!
4) Let us film you! We like filming action and discussions relating to green issues in the DC metro area. You can appear alone or, better yet, with your family, friends, business or other group in one or more video. Passionate green activists and events make great topics - but it's also okay if you're lukewarm or uninformed about green stuff or even adamantly anti-green; we want to represent all sides of the green debate. Show off your green roof, community garden, home, Hybrid car, recycling plant or a day in the life of your green business or project - or whatever else you can think of. The more unique the better!
5) Volunteer! If you feel drawn to offer your skills we surely can find you a spot on our team. You could help edit or film videos, write a guest blog entry, donate photos to our gallery, provide music for us to work into the site or videos, contribute a powerful green animation clip, program us an interactive tool, or do something else you or we dream up. We will thank you on our team page.
6) Post DC metro area green jobs on our jobs page!
7) Tell everyone you know about this site!
How can I learn more about being green beyond what I find on this website?
Utilize the post-modern genius that is the internet. Keep an eye out for green resources we missed - books, magazines, lectures, films, events (and while you're at it tell us about them, especially if they're based in the DC metro area). Talk to your fellow eco-conscious humans.Who's behind this green goodness?
Paint The District Green is a collaborative effort between Moses McCall, Jocelyn Allen, various volunteers and - if you want - you! Meet our team. Work began in August 2007. For now it is a project, but in the future we may become an official nonprofit.Questions? Comments? Send those to
