By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Ask some folks to adopt a sustainable lifestyle, and they’ll freeze in their tracks.
But becoming sustainable is not as hard as it seems, according to Ralph Copleman, executive director of Sustainable Lawrence.
In fact, it’s as easy as switching from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs, buying food that has been locally grown and increasing the amount of items one recycles, Mr. Copleman said.
At a special seminar held Feb. 5 at the Lawrence Library, Mr. Copleman asked the dozen or so audience members about the importance of a $275,000 grant Lawrence Township received to pay for a new footbridge across the Five-Mile Run.
“What does that have to do with sustainability? It’s part of a (bicycle and pedestrian) path,” he said.
The path will link southern Lawrence Township with the central part of the township.
Mr. Copleman also pointed to the link between the economy and ecology. The Dow Jones industrial average may shoot up to 15,000 points, “but we can all die” if the food and air “have gone bad,” he said.
When Mr. Copleman asked the audience for some suggestions to become more sustainable, one person suggested taking fewer showers and using laundry equipment less frequently. Someone else suggested buying a high-efficiency washing machine while others called for composting food scraps.
Debbie Schaeffer, the owner and operator of Mrs. G’s Appliances who was invited to speak at the seminar, told the audience members some new appliances are more energy efficient than older ones. It’s easy to find out by checking the federal government’s Web site www.energystar.gov, she said.
Ms. Schaeffer said kitchen appliances could consume more than 40 percent of a household’s electricity use. Refrigerators consume about 14 percent of that portion of the bill.
An Energy Star-rated dishwasher could save 5,000 gallons of water annually compared to one that is not, for example, she said. A front-load clothes washer would save 7,000 gallons of water annually as compared to a top-load clothes washer — enough water to fill three swimming pools, she said.
Ms. Schaeffer also pointed out although a manufacturer may have a foreign-sounding name — such as Bosch, which makes many appliances — some are made in the United States.
And although some new appliances may be more expensive than others, Mr. Copleman said, it’s important to consider “the long haul.” One can save money on the initial purchase, but it’s important to think long term, he said.
Mr. Copleman also suggested calling the state Board of Public Utilities to conduct a household energy audit. It costs about $250, but the auditor “will find things you don’t know about” that waste energy, he said.
Turning to food, Mr. Copleman outlined a hierarchy of what to eat. It’s best to eat organic food that is grown locally, but if that’s not possible, it’s good to eat food that is grown locally. If that’s not even possible, then it’s OK to eat organic food that has not been grown locally, he said.
Buying food locally means a trip to the local farmers’ market, he said. Locally grown food could be defined as food that has been grown within 100 miles of home, “but you can set your own standard,” he said.
Saving water also is important, Mr. Copleman said. The demand for water has tripled in 50 years, and a lack of water could create a food problem as water is a necessity for agriculture, he said.
It is possible to maintain a lawn without using water, Mr. Copleman said, but if it’s necessary, one could use rain barrels to capture rainwater for that purpose.
He also encouraged the audience to recycle more and throw out less into the garbage. The more garbage the hauler picks up, the more money it costs the township because the hauler charges by the ton, he said. The recycling hauler works off a flat fee.
“We are foot soldiers in the process,” Mr. Copleman said. “No one knows how to do it. It’s a paradigm shift in human consciousness. Hang in there, with all of the ambiguity. (Sustainability) is not black and white.”

