QUIZ – PICK THE GREEN

It's Easy Being Green: Which Is Greener?
November 4, 2009 (Center for American Progress)

[Washington think tank The Center for American Progress asked readers to pick the greener choice between:]
1 of 10: "Washing your car at home or going to a car wash?"
2 of 10: "Hand washing or using a dishwasher?"
3 of 10: "Dryer sheets or fabric softener?"
4 of 10: "A gas stove or oven, or an electric one?"
5 of 10: "Trains or airplanes?"
6 of 10: "Canned vegetables or frozen vegetables?"
7 of 10: "Wine in a bottle or wine in a box?"
8 of 10: "Reading a book in print or on an e-reader?"
9 of 10: "Plastic bags or paper bags?"
10 of 10: "Shopping locally or shopping online?"

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[Answers:]
1- "The car wash is likely to use less water—some only use 30 gallons, which is as much as a hose will pump out in four minutes. But just make sure you don’t have to drive too far to get there!"
2- "Even less efficient dishwashers generally use only half the energy, one-sixth of the water, and less soap than if you’re washing by hand. But Energy Star-rated dishwashers are always best."
3- "It’s a trick question. Both contain chemicals known to be toxic with sustained exposure. Baking soda or white vinegar can be a clean, green alternative."
4- "Gas ovens and stoves are generally more efficient because they turn on and off instantly; electric ovens and stoves take longer to heat up and cool down."
5- "Even when you consider the train cars, tracks, stations, and all other infrastructure, trains still use less energy and emit fewer greenhouse gasses."
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[More answers:]
6- "The packaging for frozen vegetables requires less energy to make, but the canning process is less energy intensive than the freezing process, and canned vegetables do not take energy to store like frozen ones do."
7- "The packaging for wine in a box requires less energy to produce and the process emits less greenhouse gas. But fewer people recycle their wine boxes."
8- "E-readers surpass printed books once you download approximately 23 books instead of buying them in print."
9- "Neither are good—a reusable bag is always the best option. But a plastic bag actually takes less energy to produce than a paper one."
10- "Over half of the emissions from shopping come from driving to and from the store—even if it’s not that far. So as long as you have to drive to get to a store, its better to shop online."