Looking for some easy ways to green your kitchen?
1. Give up disposable paper napkins by switching to cloth napkins.
2. Whenever possible, use your microwave to save energy.
3. Become a label reader and educate yourself about different certifications like organic and Fair Trade.
4. When buying dishes, bakeware, and pots look for eco-friendly products.
5. Opt for a bamboo or natural wood cutting board.
6. Use your dishwasher instead of handwashing dishes. As strange as it sounds, dishwashers use less energy and water than handwashing.
7. Fill your pantry with products with minimal packaging and recycle as much packaging as possible.
8. Make your own natural cleaners from items found in your pantry like baking soda, vinegar, and lemons.
9. Instead of paper towels, use reusable cloths for cleaning up spills.
10. Relax with a glass of biodynamic wine with a cork closure. Cork is recyclable and earth-friendly since cork is sustainably harvested from living trees.
Showing posts with label 10 simple green tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 10 simple green tips. Show all posts
Monday, June 1, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
10 Easy Ways to Save Energy
Looking to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your electric bill? Here are 10 simple tips to help you out:
1. Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.
2. Monitor your thermostat - as the summer heats up set it up a few degrees and use ceiling fans to help you feel cooler.
3. Schedule a free home energy audit with your electric company.
4. Seal air leaks with caulking, sealing, or weather stripping to help keep your air conditioning inside.
5. Be aware of your lighting usage, during the day opt to open curtains to allow daylight in instead of turning on a light.
6. Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
7. Make sure you aren't keeping your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40°F for the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer.
8. Turn off your computer when it is not in use.
9. Whenever possible, use your microwave for cooking. It uses two-thirds less energy than the stove and will keep the house cooler.
10. Looking for a fun way to save energy? Plan an Earth Hour celebration one evening each week where you turn off the lights and eat dinner and play board games by candlelight.
1. Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.
2. Monitor your thermostat - as the summer heats up set it up a few degrees and use ceiling fans to help you feel cooler.
3. Schedule a free home energy audit with your electric company.
4. Seal air leaks with caulking, sealing, or weather stripping to help keep your air conditioning inside.
5. Be aware of your lighting usage, during the day opt to open curtains to allow daylight in instead of turning on a light.
6. Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
7. Make sure you aren't keeping your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40°F for the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer.
8. Turn off your computer when it is not in use.
9. Whenever possible, use your microwave for cooking. It uses two-thirds less energy than the stove and will keep the house cooler.
10. Looking for a fun way to save energy? Plan an Earth Hour celebration one evening each week where you turn off the lights and eat dinner and play board games by candlelight.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Simple Steps to Greener Living
Ready to start living a greener lifestyle, but feeling a little overwhelmed? Not sure where to start? Here are ten simple things you can do this weekend and still have time left over to nap in the hammock.
1. Switch your conventional lightbulbs to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs).
2. It's spring - open up the windows and let some fresh air in instead of running the air conditioner.
3. Clean or replace your air conditioning filter and put reminders on your calendar to complete this task monthly.
4. Hang your sheets on the clothesline to dry. What a blissful way to fall asleep - under fresh, clean sheets dried in the sun.
5. Buy and install a low-flow shower head.
6. Check to make sure your car's tires are properly inflated to save on gas.
7. Make up a batch of homemade earth-friendly cleaners with items found in your pantry. Check my archives for some easy recipes.
8. Tackle some of your weekend errands on your bike.
9. Go meatless this Sunday.
10. Shop your local farmer’s market. You will enjoy fresher fruits and veggies while supporting local growers.
1. Switch your conventional lightbulbs to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs).
2. It's spring - open up the windows and let some fresh air in instead of running the air conditioner.
3. Clean or replace your air conditioning filter and put reminders on your calendar to complete this task monthly.
4. Hang your sheets on the clothesline to dry. What a blissful way to fall asleep - under fresh, clean sheets dried in the sun.
5. Buy and install a low-flow shower head.
6. Check to make sure your car's tires are properly inflated to save on gas.
7. Make up a batch of homemade earth-friendly cleaners with items found in your pantry. Check my archives for some easy recipes.
8. Tackle some of your weekend errands on your bike.
9. Go meatless this Sunday.
10. Shop your local farmer’s market. You will enjoy fresher fruits and veggies while supporting local growers.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Earth Hour 2009 Update
On Saturday night, lights went out in 4,085 cities in 88 countries in what is being described as the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change in history. How did you spend your Earth Hour? We enjoyed a candlelight meal of eggplant, tomatoes, and garlic fresh from the farmers market. After dinner we played some rummy by candlelight while enjoying some organic wine. I noticed a few of our neighbors had also turned off their lights for the hour. Earth Hour was a message for world leaders to address climate, however you are responsible for doing your part to battle climate change. Here are some easy earth friendly changes you can make:
1. Switch to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs)and remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room.
2. Replace your air conditioner filters monthly.
3. Be aware of phantom loads - unplug appliances and electronics when they are not in use.
4. Go vegetarian at least once a week.
5. Drive smarter - keep your car tuned up, your tires properly inflated, and plan your errands to avoid unnecessary trips.
6. Shop your local farmers market.
7. Line dry your laundry whenever possible.
8. Install a low flow showerhead and strive to take 5 minute showers.
9. Reduce the packaging that comes into your house by buying fresh produce and bulk items.
10. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
1. Switch to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs)and remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room.
2. Replace your air conditioner filters monthly.
3. Be aware of phantom loads - unplug appliances and electronics when they are not in use.
4. Go vegetarian at least once a week.
5. Drive smarter - keep your car tuned up, your tires properly inflated, and plan your errands to avoid unnecessary trips.
6. Shop your local farmers market.
7. Line dry your laundry whenever possible.
8. Install a low flow showerhead and strive to take 5 minute showers.
9. Reduce the packaging that comes into your house by buying fresh produce and bulk items.
10. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Delaney's Green Tips
Delaney is my 9 year old daughter and she is writing today's post about her favorite living green tips:
1. Always remember to turn off the lights when you aren't in the room.
2. Recycle cans, bottles, paper, and cardboard.
3. Buy food with less packaging.
4. When you get rid of stuff, donate what you can instead of throwing it away.
5. If you need items for craft projects, go to your local recycling center or reuse stuff you already have.
6. When you have parties don't use paper or plastic, use real silverware and plates.
7. Properly dispose of trash.
8. When you go to the beach, bring an extra bag to put trash you collect in.
9. Try using natural cleaners instead of chemical cleaners.
10. Adopt pets from animal shelters instead of purchasing them from pet shops.
1. Always remember to turn off the lights when you aren't in the room.
2. Recycle cans, bottles, paper, and cardboard.
3. Buy food with less packaging.
4. When you get rid of stuff, donate what you can instead of throwing it away.
5. If you need items for craft projects, go to your local recycling center or reuse stuff you already have.
6. When you have parties don't use paper or plastic, use real silverware and plates.
7. Properly dispose of trash.
8. When you go to the beach, bring an extra bag to put trash you collect in.
9. Try using natural cleaners instead of chemical cleaners.
10. Adopt pets from animal shelters instead of purchasing them from pet shops.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Free & Green
One of the main complaints I hear about trying to be greener is the cost. Many items that are eco-friendly are more expensive than their conventional counterparts. So here are some green tips that will cost you nothing and may even save you money!
1. Reuse your towel - after showering, hang your towel up so it can be reused
2. Turn off lights, televisions, etc. when you leave a room.
3. Use natural daylight as much as possible, open blinds or curtains during the day to limit the number of lights you need to turn on.
4. Use your library for books, movies & magazines
5. Recycle!
6. Freecycle - check out this great movement at www.freecycle.org
7. Use cloths to clean up spills instead of paper towels
8. Stop using disposable items - paper plates & cups, paper napkins, etc.
9. Reduce your shower time - by keeping your shower time under five minutes, you can save as many as 1,000 gallons per month.
10. Go paperless with your bills and use the internet instead.
1. Reuse your towel - after showering, hang your towel up so it can be reused
2. Turn off lights, televisions, etc. when you leave a room.
3. Use natural daylight as much as possible, open blinds or curtains during the day to limit the number of lights you need to turn on.
4. Use your library for books, movies & magazines
5. Recycle!
6. Freecycle - check out this great movement at www.freecycle.org
7. Use cloths to clean up spills instead of paper towels
8. Stop using disposable items - paper plates & cups, paper napkins, etc.
9. Reduce your shower time - by keeping your shower time under five minutes, you can save as many as 1,000 gallons per month.
10. Go paperless with your bills and use the internet instead.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
10 Simple Green Tips
1. Save paper - remove your name from junk mail lists. Contact the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and register with their Mail Preference Service online at www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist or download a mail-in form.
2. Save electricity - when the sun is out, turn off lights and open blinds
3. Save water by fixing leaks. Leaking faucets, toilets, showerheads, and hoses can waste hundreds of gallons of water each day.
4. Do a little Spring cleaning – properly dispose of hazardous materials found in your home and garage. Go to www.earth911.org to find locations to drop off your hazardous products.
5. Recycle - check with your town to see what items can be recycled curbside - you might be surprised how much you can recycle.
6. Change your light bulbs - CFLs last longer and save energy.
7. Support local farmers and crafters - buying local supports your community and reduces the amount of gas consumed in this country.
8. Ride your bike for one errand this week to reduce the CO2 you generate and to save money.
9. Use a reusable bag when you go shopping.
10. Change your cup - stop using styrofoam single use cups for your morning tea or coffee and bring your own china mug to work.
2. Save electricity - when the sun is out, turn off lights and open blinds
3. Save water by fixing leaks. Leaking faucets, toilets, showerheads, and hoses can waste hundreds of gallons of water each day.
4. Do a little Spring cleaning – properly dispose of hazardous materials found in your home and garage. Go to www.earth911.org to find locations to drop off your hazardous products.
5. Recycle - check with your town to see what items can be recycled curbside - you might be surprised how much you can recycle.
6. Change your light bulbs - CFLs last longer and save energy.
7. Support local farmers and crafters - buying local supports your community and reduces the amount of gas consumed in this country.
8. Ride your bike for one errand this week to reduce the CO2 you generate and to save money.
9. Use a reusable bag when you go shopping.
10. Change your cup - stop using styrofoam single use cups for your morning tea or coffee and bring your own china mug to work.
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