A More Environmentally Friendly World And You
Posted by admin in environment on 07 27th, 2010Perhaps you have thought about what it would be if you were a little more environmentally sound with your electricity selections? If you have not yet, ask yourself why that is. Did you know that the amount of greenhouse gases created by typical power corporations is sending nature into a death spiral? You’ll find that process for standard energy are also increasing. The same goes for electrical power rates.
If you would like to trim down on your power costs, it is important that you set out exploring new ways to deal with electricity. The process will not only be much better for the environment, it may also help save cash in the long term.
Start considering your alternatives if you are serious about becoming more environmentally sound with your choices. To help decide, consider some green energy products. Check out a review like Free Energy Options Product Review to aid you get an idea if these systems are for you. You should also look at a review like that of Green DIY Energy Review. It would also be a capital idea to read a review like Home Made Energy Review.
As said, being environmentally sound will help you out save money in the long-run. This, however, does not keep you from having to spend money on starting costs. Setting up a system can cost up to thousands of dollars. You may also need to hire a specialist. You will even have to spend money on raw materials. With the support of the products reviewed above, you can go green while saving money in the process. Once your green system is up, you can even be in a position to save money on your future electricity consumption costs.
Small businesses can also benefit from being environmentally sound - it doesn’t only go for residential areas. A lot more people are becoming knowledgeable of the importance of being environmentally sounder. Everywhere green buildings and green organizations and businesses are popping up everywhere. These business owners tend to do well because of ever-increasing public interest.
read comments (0)Green Clean Made Easy
Posted by admin in environment on 01 17th, 2010Many cleaning tasks that we take for granted, such as washing the dishes, doing the laundry, cleaning the windows or polishing the furniture often involve harsh chemicals. These are bad for both the environment as a whole and for your personal environment - your home.
Toxic chemicals can cause health problems for humans and pets. When you wash them down the drain or throw them outside, they become part of our land and water. Here are some green cleaning tips to help make your cleaning jobs more eco-friendly.
** Baking soda makes a great natural and inexpensive cleaning product. You can
clean floors, walls, refrigerators and counter tops with a warm, damp rag and
some baking soda.
** Want to make your house smell nicer without harsh air fresheners? Try
aromatherapy. Essential oils can be diffused into a room. The great thing about
this is that you have a vast selection of scents to choose from. Each has its own
particular effects on mood. Of course, you don’t have to follow an aromatherapy
guide, you can simply follow your nose and use what pleases you. You can try
rose, various citrus blends, peppermint, lavender, and eucalyptus for starters.
** Another good household cleaning product is borax. This is very effective for
cleaning carpets. You can mix it with essential oils to create a nicely scented,
natural carpet cleaner that you can apply to the rug before vacuuming.
** For a natural window cleaner, mix two tablespoons of white vinegar with a gallon
of water and clean your windows using newspapers. This simple and cheap
solution works at least as well as your typical commercial mix that has strong
chemicals in it.
** To clean wood floors, you can use another common household item –tea! Just
boil up two teabags in hot water and mop up the floor.
Other effective household cleaners used for home cleaning tasks are lemon juice and club soda. Both of these remove stains from most surfaces.
Of course, in addition to these suggestions you can go to your health food store and find a wide variety of organic and natural cleaning product for every purpose. These tend to be more expensive than commercial brands, but many are also highly concentrated.
You can do just as well with the DIY (do it yourself) type green cleaning tips included above. Either way, remember that you can always make a greener choice when you have something that needs cleaning!
The Environmental Impact of Natural Stone Drink Coasters
Posted by admin in environment on 10 9th, 2009David Artsmith - Green cars, solar panels, bamboo plates and green furniture. The world is going green with almost everything. You can also go green with your drink coasters. Coasters made from degradable materials such as sandstone are as durable, beautiful and useful as the synthetic ones. These materials are recyclable and will not damage the environment. Another benefit is the feeling that you will get inside, knowing that you are doing something to help out the world around you.
The truth is that the use of natural products in our homes can greatly reduce the amount of waste that we contribute to the world. The great thing about natural stone coasters is that the factory doesnt ahve to expend energy developing the material, the earth already did it for them. Stone can't ever be garbage, its part of the world? Stone is the material the earth is formed on.
You can use them in your kitchen, mini bar, patio or in the garden. Wherever used, they serve the same function as their wood, paper or plastic versions.
Coasters protect your furniture from damage in an environmentally responsible way. You will be able to shield your tables, desk or coffee tables from stains, discoloration and warps. This way you can make them last longer, preserve their shine and maintain their beauty.
Sandstone coasters come in various shapes and sizes. They can have customized logos or have themed graphics. If you have a bar, you can have your slogan or logo neatly printed on the sandstone coasters. You can also have these types of coasters in your restaurant where you have pieces of advertising messages on them. Stull further, you can use these green coasters as giveaways, gifts, or souvenirs for patrons at your eatery. If you had an environmentalist friend, the sandstone coasters will serve as a perfect gift for them.
Choosing eco friendly coasters demonstrates your commitment to the protection of the world’s resources. Using them to protect your furniture will complement conservation efforts.
Are Energy Saver Bulbs Hurting the Planet?
Posted by admin in environment on 09 17th, 2009Maybe you are saving the world a little bit every time that you purchase one of those energy saver bulbs. They do use less energy, and they last longer, which means that there is less trash from throwing out old bulbs. But there is a hidden secret, a toxic killer which lurks within many of these bulbs. Mercury, 5 milligrams of it, about as much as the tip of a pencil, and it is killing the world.
Well, not really. But it doesn’t help. Every time you throw out one of those bulbs you are adding a toxic element to the environment, however it’s not very much. In fact many household items, such as old time thermostats and thermometers, use much higher amounts of the substance and we have been throwing them out for years. Also, by the very nature of electricity itself, power plants that burn fossil fuels release tons of mercury into the environment each year, so using less electricity can actually offset the mercury in the bulbs.
However the best thing you can do is to just recycle those bulbs and make sure that they never release their toxic innards into environment. The way to do this is to find a CFL recycling center in your neighborhood. Ace Hardware, Home Depot, and Ikea all accept these bulbs for recycling at any of their locations. Additionally, you can search for CFL recycling centers at earth911.org, which will list them by location and proximity to you.
However many people live in houses which are located too far from a recycling center to make this method of disposal efficient. They would end up using so much gas fueling the car to get to the center, that much of the energy saving, and especially the money saving value would be lost. These people have two options, find a for profit company that will accept CFL’s via mail, or save up your bulbs and take them back in bulk.
If your local community doesn’t offer CFL recycling services, then you may want to get creative. If you call your local garbage service, you can find out about CFL recycling guidelines. Call you local government, and write letters, asking that they institute some sort of program or reform. If you are truly passionate, contacting local news agencies will get some attention for your cause.
Honestly, all of this is a pain in the butt. People buy these spiral bulbs because it is an easy way to feel like your saving the environment, and it is a way to save money. Most people don;t care nearly enough to take the cause to the next level. I’m not sure that I will necessarily do any of these things. However your level of involvement is directly connected to your commitment to the cause, and those who do go to the next level are to be commended.
What Are The Best Green Power Options?
Posted by admin in environment on 07 13th, 2009Everybody wants green energy. What is the best way to achieve being able to get the power we need without damaging the environment, which is our obvious goal? Should we be opting for wind farms, hydroelectricity, or solar energy as alternative power? This guide to green living will help us decide
Resources that are regenerative, meaning they cannot be depleted are considered renewable energy. Resources like these produce energy without emissions from fossil fuels and harmful pollutants and are safe for our environment.
Wind farms often receive a bad press, especially when they’re situated near homes or in popular hiking areas. They can make a lot of noise and because they have to be placed on skylines for maximum efficiency they often spoil views. Offshore wind farms are less problematic in this way and can take advantage of fierce sea winds, increasing their output, but they rely on a nation having a lot of suitable coastline.
While the Netherlands does very well with its wind farms, the US is, considering the comparative size of its population, at a distinct disadvantage. For the home-owner, small wind-powered generators are available, but they’re not very efficient and often result in complaints from neighbors.
A much more effective way of generating power is using hydroelectricity that uses tidal forces and the natural energy of rivers. However, there are a limited number of suitable locations for hydroelectric generators, and often these are in areas which already provide fertile farmland, so a lot of people have to be displaced and lose their land in order for them to be built. The impact on local wildlife can also be damaging.
Of these three major options, only solar energy as alternative power passes the test of being truly non-polluting, practical and easy to access. Modern solar panels can still function effectively even in areas where it’s frequently cloudy. Once installed, they require little maintenance and don’t get in anyones way. For these reasons, the greenest way to generate the power we need is by harnessing the power of the sun.
Tips to Save Energy to Go Green and Save the Earth
Posted by admin in environment on 05 17th, 20091. Cooking requires heat and energy, so conserve it to save money. Cover the cooking pan with a lid so that the heat doesn’t escape. Water will boil around 5% faster in pans with a lid on, thereby saving time, energy and your money, as well as giving the environment a break.
2. While cooking in a Oven, keep the door closed. Most modern Ovens have a glass door so as to let you see what’s happening
inside. Use it appropriately. Around 15% of all oven heat is lost every time the door is opened. If you’re trying to bake a Pizza, for example, and you keep opening the door to see how it’s cooking, then you are cooking at 85% of the efficiency, at the sametime wasting energy and money!
3. STOP using commercial cleaning products in your kitchen or anywhere in your house. They are expensive to buy and expensive to produce. Their production is also harmful to the environment. The waste you release after cleaning is also harmful to the environment.
You can make your own cleaner from a mixture of vinegar, salt and baking soda. It will clean perfectly the same way as a commercial product, and it contains no toxic chemicals, thereby helping the environment. It will cost a great deal less too.
To put this into perspective. We dump some 35 million pounds of toxins down our drains every year, just from household and kitchen cleaning products alone. What kind of damage do you think that is doing to the environment? Well, you don’t have to do it anymore.
Here’s another simple recipe for an all-purpose cleaner, courtesy of
Greenpeace:
½ cup pure liquid soap
1 gallon hot water
¼ cup lemon juice
It’s safe and effective, and costs very little.
4. You don’t have to pre-heat your oven for every time your cook, unless you are baking bread and cake. Just put the dish into the oven and switch on, setting it to the right temperature. That way you are not wasting energy which is lost between the time it is pre-heated and you put in the preparation.
5. Cook once in a day instead of twice. This is a great way to save all round. If your oven can hold two chicken pieces, then why not cook two instead of one. Two chickens will cook in about the same amount of time that one will. Now, do the math… You will cut your cooking time in half, thereby saving electricity - and guess what happens to all the money saved! Yep, it stays right in your pocket. This way you have more time for other activities. The time saved on cooking the second time can be used better elsewhere. Remember, it doesn’t have to be just chickens. It can turkeys, beef, etc. And I surely don’t have to mention the environmental benefits.
Independent writer and Internet Marketeer. My website : http://www.make-my-home-green.com
Living Green and Thereby Reducing Our Carbon Footprint and Saving the Earth
Posted by admin in environment on 05 11th, 2009Recycling is the simplest and most effective ways that we can help save the environment. There are plenty of different steps that we can take at home where you can separate trash for this purpose. It is convenient if you can buy plastic trash cans and label them for each individual product.
You can have one for glass products, one for plastic items, and one for cardboard and paper products. You can have one for aluminium cans (soda cans) too . Check out from your local representative, if there is any recycling place near your place of residence. There should be centers for them locally around town. You will often find bins that allow you to place these items into at collection spots. They are just huge containers that will get emptied out on a regular basis. This is perfect when the community doesn’t have any other method
for taking in the items to be recycled.
If your community doesn’t offer recycling, then you need to take charge and can contact your local representative in person or in writing asking them to consider offering them. Explain your concerns that without such bins in place people won’t be encouraged to recycle in your Community.
The concept of recycling can be extended to schools and businesses in your Community as well. Take the initiative and do what you can. In many instances people just need to be educated and then reminded about the benefits of recycling for saving our environment.
Your information and initiative can motivate others in your Community to take part and do their bit. Don’t overlook the importance of letting children in your Community take part. They are often very excited and find it to be thrilling. They can often help and be your Ambassador and encourage their parents to take part in such efforts. Buying products that have been recycled such as paper products is a great way to show your support for these efforts. Even supplies such as napkins used in fast food restaurants can be made from recycled paper. Make it a practice to use only recycled paper and paper products.
Buy a big cloth bag for your shopping needs rather than getting a paper or plastic bag from the shops. Look for one that is durable so it you can reused over and over again. These are just some of the things which we as responsible citizens can do to reduce our Carbon Footprint and thereby save our beloved Planet Earth.
Independent writer and Internet Marketeer. My website : http://www.make-my-home-green.com
