We're all trying to do the right thing and a new book from the Union of Concerned Scientists makes our daily environmental decision-making easier. These are the types of issues the book examines in detail as it shows us how to focus our efforts on the consumer decisions that really matter. The answers surprised even us diehard eco-warriors. Driving less and buying a cleaner car are the best things people can do for the environment. Because cars cause so much harm, even modest changes matter.
Food is second only to transportation as a source of consumer-related environmental problems.
Red meat causes especially high amounts of environmental damage for the nutrition it delivers. People can stop worrying about choices that involve alternatives whose differences are insignificant. Take cloth diapers versus disposables. According to the book, there's no material positive environmental impact created by choosing one kind of diaper over the other. Similarly, no one should feel guilty about modest use of such things as spray cans, paper napkins, and polystyrene cups.