Endangered Earth Update U.S. Agenda Consumers It's Not Easy Being Green "Waste

By GLENN GARELIK

"Think Globally, Act Locally" was the watchword of environmental activism from its beginning in the '60s. That advice is as appropriate now as it was then. Just as the Green movement started more than two decades ago not with governments but at the grass roots, so today it is individuals who must occupy the front lines in protecting the environment. Over the years, droughts, energy crunches and garbage strikes have stimulated common-sense approaches to conserving resources and minimizing waste. It is time to begin applying these lessons in ordinary times as well as in emergencies.

The easiest, most direct way for people to make a difference is to watch what they throw away. Every year more than 220 million trees are cut down just to make U.S. newspapers, the majority of which are tossed into the trash. Americans discard enough aluminum cans each year to rebuild the entire U.S. commercial airline fleet four times over. Quite obviously, says Earth Day 1990 chairman Denis Hayes, "the answer to the solid-waste problem is not figuring out some way to compact it or to incinerate it; the answer is to reduce it."

Environmentalists can suggest a multitude of ways to do that: recycle paper, aluminum, tin, glass, motor oil and car batteries. Reuse bottles, containers and shopping bags, or at least choose paper bags over plastic at the supermarket. And do not be fooled by the BIODEGRADABLE label on some new plastic products. They may not in fact break down, and those that do may take as long as 500 years. When something tears, wears or breaks, repair it instead of replacing it.

While the contents of the trash can are easy to see, the all-but-invisible fumes that pour out of automobile tail pipes are just as damaging to the environment. Every time Americans climb behind the wheel, they make their own personal contribution to the global-warming threat. Here again, a gradual modification of life-style can make a dramatic difference. When possible, use mass transit and support its development and expansion. For short distances, consider using a bicycle; it is excellent aerobic exercise. And, as in the energy-short 1970s, buy more fuel-efficient autos and carpool to work.

People also put carbon into the air when they heat homes with oil or natural gas, or use electricity that comes from burning fossil fuels. Household conservation tips should be familiar: close off unused rooms, seal up cracks and openings, and insulate roofs. Look at the energy-efficiency rating when buying appliances. And one more idea that few people know about: replace ordinary incandescent light bulbs with "compact-fluorescent" models sold by major light-bulb manufacturers. They can give off the light of a 60-watt bulb while using only 15 watts of electricity. These fluorescent bulbs cost at least $10, but they last ten times as long as conventional models and will pay for themselves by lowering electricity bills.

Conserving water is just as important as saving energy. Only 3% of the world's water is fresh, and 75% of that is locked away in glaciers and the polar ice caps. The scramble for what is left is growing ever more intense, as the water table falls and toxic chemicals make some supplies undrinkable. Saving the precious liquid can be simple: use a water-conserving shower head, which can reduce consumption by more than half. For older-model toilets, put a brick or two in the tank, since they use 7 gal. of water per flush. Better yet, install a new ultra-low-flush toilet that can cut water use as much as 80%.

And do not think that the toxic-waste mess is all the work of big bad industry. The average homeowner uses more pesticide and chemical fertilizer per acre of lawn than farmers do on the same amount of land. Cut back on these potent pollutants as well as nonbiodegradable detergents, cleansers and solvents. An attractive alternative to buying chemical fertilizer is to compost fallen leaves and lawn clippings, which now constitute 18% of all municipal solid waste.

People may think they can change only their own life-styles, but their influence extends far beyond their homes, cars and offices. Americans can put their money where their ideals are by investing in companies that respect Mother Nature. Several mutual funds have been set up to buy shares only in corporations judged to follow the Valdez Principles, a set of guidelines for environmentally sound practices. Most important of all, Americans, like the citizens of all democracies, have the ultimate political power to enforce their will. If they are anxious to have a cleaner, safer, healthier environment for themselves and their children, they can vote for political candidates who seem to share that sense of urgency.