Are You Really Environmentally Friendly?

Four simple tests to find out if you know and care about what is happening to our earth:

The Car Test: Do you drive a car that is bigger or more powerful than you need? That likely means you don't worry much about greenhouse gases or pollution. And if you own a SUV, you're not a friend of the environment. It's doubtful that anybody who cares about the health of the earth would buy one of these gas guzzlers. And few people need to: Statistics show that most SUVs do not go off-road or even leave the city.

The Lawn Test: Do you have a large, green, weedless lawn? If you do, you are probably not environmentally friendly. Lawns are usually mowed with polluting machines, and are often heavily watered and doused with poisonous chemicals that are dangerous to both children and the environment.

The Fish Test: Do you eat over-harvested Chilean sea bass or swordfish? If not, you are likely both fish-savvy and responsible. To discover the environmentally best and worst fish to eat, see mbayaq.org and click on "Seafood Watch."

The Clothing Test: Do you wear a sweater at home to keep warm in winter, and in the summer do you wear your lightest clothes? If so, you are probably conscientious about energy use, and greenhouse gas and smog emissions.

Adapted from: Vancouver Environmental Guide 2002.