Wicked-ly Green

   Flying monkeys still terrify me, but I was happy to catch the last performance of “Wicked” in Des Moines on Sunday night. Green is good in the musical and that even extends to Wicked merchandise, bagged in paper sacks that are recyclable. If you want to know what “Wicked” witch Elphaba would do for a greener lifestyle, the bag tells you that, too. So, for those of us looking to live like the Wicked Witch of the West, or just practice an eco-friendly life, these are some of the tips from Wicked.

 What Would Elphaba Do?

 -          Buy local, organic food to reduce pesticides use, support local farmers and decrease CO2 emissions from flying produce around the world.

-          Replace one beef meal each week to save 40k gallons of water and 300 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere.

-          Compost food leftovers.

-          Carry groceries in reusable bags and/or return plastic bags at grocery store.

-          Turn appliances off when not in use, especially televisions and computers to avoid “phantom” energy.

-          Use eco-friendly cleaning products that degrade naturally and reduce water pollution.

-          Turn off water while brushing teeth.

-          Bike or walk to work one or more days a week.

-          Remove yourself from mailing lists; request e-mail notifications.