Charleston Waterkeeper has kicked off the Water the Future campaign.They’re asking lowcountry residents to share images of local waterways, give a little to support the cause, become a member, and spread the word about the Charleston Water keeper mission.

I also feel that while the drop sites give motivated recyclers an option, they are only part of the solution. I see scenes like the one above on every trash day, and sometimes the cardboard is actually broken down and stacked in a pile – they’re doing everything but driving it to the drop site! I know there is an issue with the trucks/equipment, but Charleston County needs to figure this out. If you feel like I do, and think cardboard recycling rates would soar if it was picked up curbside, then let the Charleston County Environmental Management team know — Call: 843.720.1111 Email: publicinfo@charlestoncounty.org Write: 13 Romney Street Charleston, SC 29403 —

The Sustainability Institute

The Coastal Conservation League, who is celebrating their 20 year anniversary, is working hard every day to preserve our beautiful Lowcountry coast. They have a wide range of programs that are making a lasting impact on our community. The Coastal Conservation League is fighting bridges to small marsh islands, protecting freshwater wetlands, fighting port expansion, and watching out for our rivers just to name a few. With all of these active programs, plus a major effort to get local residents involved, their legacy can been seen throughout the Lowcountry.

Be sure to check them out online, get involved, and make a donation!

In conjunction with Charleston Waterkeeper and Ashley Cooper Stormwater Education Consortium, The Sustainability Institute is offering a bunch of water-related workshops this week. These workshops include Water Wise(r), Rainwater Catchment Systems, Green Roof Systems, Green Boat Maintenance, and more – good stuff!

In honor of Charleston Water Week, each day we’ll be featuring a different local nonprofit or business that is focused on water conservation and sustainability. After the jump, check out our list of local water orgs and businesses, as well as links to previous posts about water conservation.

Water-related Organizations and Businesses

• Charleston Waterkeeper
• Coastal Conservation League
• South Carolina Aquarium
• Carolina AlgaeControl
• Solar Hot Water Works
• Mount Pleasant Seafood

Water-related Posts on Go Green Charleston

• MESSA 8K for H20 :: A Run to Support Local Clean Water Initiatives
• Green Water Tips from Mount P Water Works
• Bottled Water Isn’t Safe from Drugs Either
• Conserving Water When It’s Dry
• A Chance to Help our Beaches and Rivers
• Water Saving Tips from Mount Pleasant
• Many South Carolina Rivers Unsafe for Recreation
• Bottled Water Labeled “From the Tap”
• Still Avoiding Bottled Water
• Mt. Pleasant to Monitor Stormwater Pollutants
• Avoiding the Bottled Water

Happy Water Week everyone!

When I visit places like San Francisco, Portland, Vancouver, and Montreal, I always notice how progressive the airports and hotels seem (I’ve blogged about this here and here). The hotels I stay in always have programs promoting the reuse of towels, recycling bins rooms, and CFLs in all the lights.

That got me thinking about Charleston’s hotels, and what sustainable practices they are using. I decided to call around and ask the major Charleston hotels five simple questions – the results are in the Hotel Scorecard below.

I asked the hotels if they were doing these five simple things…things that cost relatively little money. Sure it would be nice if hotels were using solar energy, collecting rainwater, and composting, but those things are difficult and expensive to implement. I wanted to see if Charleston hotels were doing any of these simple things, because I see other hotels doing them when I travel.

As you can see, the Charleston hotels aren’t doing much at all. I gotta hand it to the Francis Marion Hotel and Embassy Suites for at least using CFLs and encouraging the reuse of towels, but there’s room for improvement across the board. I mean, two of these hotel chains have web pages bragging about their sustainability efforts (see below). I’d like to see the rest of the hotels adopt a couple of these practices, even if it’s just to save money instead of the planet – I’ll take it.

I’d also like to note that the Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn refused to participate in my survey, citing corporate regulations on discussing these things (OK?) If you have connections at any of these hotels, please pass along this information and ask that they green up their hotels. Look for this report to come out again in one year with updated scores.

What do you all think about this?  Should hotels green up their practices, or is it our responsibility when we travel to do it ourselves?

Let the Hotels Know What You Think

Help us tell these hotels that Charleston deserves greener digs, and that they should be doing a better job as hosts to thousands of tourists each year. Two of these hotels have sustainability sections on their websites talking about all the amazing things they are doing – we call that greenwashing, and it’s not enough. Let them know what you think:

Embassy Suites: phone | email | website | sustainability
Charleston Marriott: phone | email | website | sustainability
Charleston Place Hotel: phone | email | website
Francis Marion Hotel: phone | email | website
The Mills House: phone | email | website
The Market Pavilion: phone | email | website

Homerooms in the Ladson school have been collecting recyclable materials all year — over 60,000 pounds so far — in an effort to win a field trip on the Spirit of South Carolina. Students have also been making recycled paper, donating reusable bags, and creating PSAs for younger kids.

The more our kids learn about reducing our impact, the closer we’ll be to a sustainable future. Cheers to the school, kids, and local business for collaborating in such a positive way. Visit www.RaceToEndWaste.com for more info.

Most artificial Christmas trees are full of bad things like PVC, so getting a real tree might be the greener option. But if you want to take it up a notch this year, Down to Earth is offering a Living Christmas Tree Program that will let your holiday conifer live on!

Down to Earth will deliver your live tree the week of December 15, which range in size, price, and species. After the holidays, you can put it on your deck or plant it in your backyard. You can also donate the tree to the East Cooper Habitat for Humanity, a service Down to Earth will arrange. Double good!

You can check out their store to see examples, but you must order your tree by December 13!

1. Vinegar is as old as dirt. Not really, but vinegar has been a part of human life for 10,000 years.
2. Hippocrates used apple cider vinegar for its many healing properties.
3. 1 cup of vinegar, 1 cup of water, and a squeeze of a lemon equals the best household cleaner I use.
4. Vinegar is a great antibacterial agent, with a pH lower than 3 – organisms don’t stand a chance.
5. Vinegar is incredibly versatile.
6. Vinegar is cheap – about $1.25 for two liters.
7. I can purchase vinegar just about anywhere.
8. Vinegar has its own institute and its own book.
9. I love a good fresh salad topped with a balsamic vinaigrette.
10. The volcanic action of vinegar plus baking soda is simply a childhood classic.

Currently, there is an old Seventh Generation spray bottle filled with 1 part vinegar, 1 part water, and a little lemon waiting for use everywhere in this house! Vinegar is one easy answer for ways to make one’s home a little more green.

It still irks me that every residence and business gets not one, but ?TWO metro area phone books each year. In today’s digital age, do we really need this paper relic? Here are some ways you can reduce your dependency on these pulpy dinosaurs:

• Use the Yellow Pages online – I bet they update it more than once each year (unlike your phone book)
• You can discontinue delivery of your Talking Phone Book by emailing distribution@talkingphonebook.com.
• You can discontinue delivery of your Yellow Pages by visiting their online portal at yellowpagesgoesgreen.org.
• Work to develop local ordinances that encourage responsible printing and distribution of phone books. Here are some ideas.

So remember, when you are deciding what to do with your old phone books, let your fingers do the walking straight to the reycling bin.

Launched in 2008 by the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) Regional Land Planning Committee, Our Region, Our Plan is a 24-month planning process designed to create a shared vision of the tri-county region for the year 2040.

This is a great opportunity for greenies like us to get out there and have our voices heard. It appears that there is still time to sign up. The event is this Saturday, July 26, from 8:30am – 3:30 pm at the Charleston Area Convention Center.