Happy Earth Day 2009!

Earth Day is always a special day in my home. It was 3 years ago today that my husband and I were married. We always find it funny that a meteorologist and a nature lover were forever joined on Earth Day (which was actually a coincidence, we didn't realize it was Earth Day until shortly before the wedding).


My love of nature began at birth I'm told. I recently came across some old photos from my childhood, and I don't believe there was a single photo of me without an animal of some sort. Yup, I was- and still am- a tom boy. (In the above photo is a famous Texas 'horned toad'- I was told recently that they are now endangered, which just breaks my heart.)

That's why no one is more thrilled than me to see how 'Being Green' is becoming more the norm. It's easier and easier to make environmentally conscious choices that will benefit generations to come.

Two years ago I wrote a blog about how we, as voice actors, can make 'green' choices with our business. I know when I relocated my studio recently, re-using and re-purposing was top of mind. I re-used all the same Auralex and sound dampening materials in my new studio. I also re-purposed several of my furniture pieces to make them work in the new studio. When I had to buy new equipment, I turned to Ebay for many items (and saved money too!).

For those that are new to my blog, I thought you might enjoy reading my 'Voice Actors Are Green People Too' list from 2007.

Several items on this list came from the book "1001 Little Ways to Save Our Planet" by Esme Floyd.

1. Add a potted plant to your studio for each piece of electric equipment you own. It will help counter the negative effects of radiation while freshening the air you breathe.

2. Use a fan. Our equipment is hot, so add an energy conserving fan to your studio to avoid having to crank up the AC.

3. Add a fresh bowl of warm water to your studio each morning...this will help maintain humidity that is depleted by electronic equipment.

3. Set up near a window if possible. This way you can use natural light during the day instead of turning on a light. It is good for your eyes and your spirits to look outside!

4. Power down. Turn off your mic and pre-amp when not in use. Shut down your computer at night. If possible, unplug as well. Even when items are turned off, 5% of electricity is still being consumed.

5. Use envelopes from junk mail as scrap paper for your notes. Conserve paper.

6. Dust and vacuum! Keeping your equipment and vents clean will increase their overall efficiency.

7. When possible, buy used equipment. Just make sure it is in proper working condition!

8. Don't throw out old equipment. Sell it or find a place that will recycle it.

9. Did you know it can take hundreds of years for a compact disc to degrade? By sending audio through e-mail, you are saving our planet!

There you go, a few simple steps to help better this beautiful planet we call home! Thank you for reading, and feel free to leave a comment about the many ways you help the environment every day at work!

Happy Earth Day! (And to my husband, Happy Anniversary!)