Page 77 - iPhone Life Magazine - Spring 2020

HOW I USED MY IPHONE TO

REDUCE MY CARBON FOOTPRINT

BY HALLEI HALTER

C limate change is a trending topic there’s a premium subscription option for access to more reci-

worldwide, as each day brings more
pes and nutritional value tracking.
information about ways we’re affect-
ing the environment. Considering
such as Amazon, Walmart, and Apple, TIP #2: RENT OR
the large-scale impact of companies

it’s easy to feel unsure of what one
ence. But there are multiple everyday BORROW
person can do that could make a differ-

choices we can make to lessen our consumption and kickstart
change on a small scale. One of my favorite quotes is from Another way to be less wasteful is to rent or borrow items
activist and musician Henry Rollins’ talk on global citizenship, you only have an occasional need for. Thanks to Facebook
Critical Conversations: “Pick a spot. You pick a spot, and you and Craigslist, I can make a quick post to see if a neighbor
clean that spot.” So, whether the spot is my home, my eating can lend me something short-term. I’ve used this method to
habits, or something else, I can go as small as I like and com- track down things like ladders, snow shovels, and, during my
mit to it. At fi rst, I didn’t know where to start, but I was able week-long Angel Food Cake Craving of 2016, a cake pan. My
to fi nd resources and ideas by using my iPhone. local public library also has what I need on rare occasions.
That’s right; libraries lend more than just books! You can
usually see all the services and implements your local library
TIP #1: USE WHAT offers on their website or app if they have one. Some libraries

even lend their members power tools and cooking appliances.
For example, my local library rents out audio equipment and
YOU HAVE maintains a seed savers exchange program, so I could grow

my own veggies and fl owers to cut down on gas used to go
to the grocery store (and add some homegrown ingredients
A great way to reduce consumption is to use what you al- to my Plant Jammer meals). Check to see if your local library
ready have. I recently moved in with my boyfriend, and while has an app or website; you might be able to make an online
packing, I was confronted with multiples of spices and canned reservation to borrow something you would have had to buy
goods I don’t remember buying. As we combined our kitchen otherwise.
stuff, my boyfriend realized he had multiple bags of rice and
. . . peanuts. So many peanuts. Currently, he’s favoring ca-
shews, so I downloaded the free Plant Jammer app to fi gure TIP #3: TAKE UP
out what dishes we can make with our cache of peanuts,
rice, and more than a few bottles of teriyaki sauce (those are
select ingredients we already have and create unique dishes THRIFTING
mine—there was a sale). With the Plant Jammer app, we can

or follow recipes for classics like soup and pasta. Plant Jam-
mer is vegetarian by default, but we add meat to any of the Thrift stores are also a great option when I need to make
recipes when we want it. Each recipe has short and easy-to- a purchase. I’ve bought clothes, decor, tools, books, and just
follow instructions to keep me from panicking as I venture out about anything else you can think of. Purchasing used items
of my default frozen pizza snacking and into marinating many keeps them from immediately going to the landfi ll and cuts
pounds of chicken in teriyaki sauce. While the app is free, down on the production of new merchandise. Lightbulbs

iPhone Life Spring 2020 75