Daylighting

What is daylighting? Daylighting is the use of natural light instead of electricity to illuminate buildings and homes. Daylighting will save you money while reducing your carbon footprint. New buildings are being designed to take advantage of natural light - check out www.daylighting.org for more information.

Our house was not specifically designed to take advantage of natural light, but we are fortunate that it gets great daylight in most of the rooms. We are able to get great natural light all day and only need to turn on lights after the sun sets or on cloudy days. See if you can take advantage of daylight by opening the curtains instead of turning on a light.

Carbon Rally

I stumbled across a great eco-networking site - www.carbonrally.com which has great earth-friendly challenges for everyone looking to live greener.

The site puts up new a easy to handle challenge every few weeks and keeps track of how much carbon you save. The current challenge is Cold Then Fold - use only cold water to wash and rinse all of your laundry this month. Previous challenges include biking one day a week, line drying laundry, recycling your old cell phone, and reducing the amount of meat you eat.

If you've got a competitive streak, Carbon Rally has challenges that you can do as a team. So compete as a group, family, or workplace and the planet will win.

Greening Your Kitchen

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.

Tips from Green America

Here are some great living green tips from Green America...

1. Grow Your Own

"The biggest thing I'm doing this year is growing my own vegetable garden. It will be organic, and it doesn't get any more local than my own back yard. Plus, it's one heck of a money saver. It will even help me build community, because I will surely have extra fruits and vegetables to share with my neighbors."
— Jessica S., Littleton, CO

2. One Less Car

"I don't own a car. Even in the cold Minnesota winters you'll find me biking. Riding a bicycle obviously saves money and resources, but I believe it also builds community. When I am on a bicycle, I feel more connected to my surroundings, and I'm more approachable. I'm always saying hello to people as I ride past, whereas in a car, that interaction would be lost."
— Sarah P., Minneapolis, MN

3. One Less Car, Part Two

"Although I get 48 miles per gallon with my hybrid car, I still make every effort to plan my trips to avoid needless driving, to carpool, and to take public transportation and telecommute, as often as possible. I write and call my political leaders in support of laws and funding for mass transit, and for greener cars."
— Jeanne T., Springfield, VA

4. Reuse, Reuse, Reuse

"One way I have discovered to keep items out of landfills and save a bunch of money in the process is FreeCycle – an online group where members post things they are looking for, and what they have to get rid of. I have received a dining room set (complete with six chairs, buffet, and hutch), bunk beds for my kids, a set of night stands, and a really good juicer for no cost. And I've used FreeCycle to give away all the clothes that my kids have outgrown."
— Lea P-W., Painesville, OH

5. Stop the Leaks

"I'm unplugging the toaster, lamps, cell phone chargers, laptops, and other electronic devices when I'm not using them. These things leak energy needlessly when they are plugged in all the time. It's the quickest way to save energy and it saves me money on the electric bill too."
— Rachelle N., Nashville, TN

6. Harness the Sun

"We installed solar panels on our townhome in March along with another family in our homeowners' association. Several others had expressed interest before the economic meltdown and then backed off, but we hope that with our example others will see that in the long-run it's a money-saver, and they will understand the benefit for both the planet and their bottom lines."
— Ellen S., Boulder, CO

7. Waste Not, Want Not

"I compost. I keep my garbage creation to a minimum. I refuse packaging and bags whenever possible (bringing my own cloth bag). I explain to the checkout person why I am refusing the bag or giving back the packaging. Also, steel is 100-percent recyclable. The recycled steel isn't downgraded or 'downcycled.' I recycle every unusable nail, every screw, every wire, etc., at my local transfer station. Even my steel roof will be recycled when it is done being my roof."
— Ruth O., White Salmon, WA

8. Dispense With Disposables

"This may seem like a minor thing, but it really helps on my limited budget. I have ceased purchasing paper towels and instead use old rags for cleaning and wiping up spills. I wash the dirty rags and reuse them until they wear out. I didn't realize how many paper towels I used to go through before I started this new system."
— Sarah F., Tullahoma, TN

9. Reallocate Your Resources

"Our path toward sustainability began when we realized the value of doing things for ourselves. I began by making our own laundry detergent. It is all-natural and costs less than a penny per ounce to make! We used the money we were saving to take bigger steps: buying our meat in bulk from local farmers who raise their animals on pasture and sustainably, and buying Energy-Star appliances for our house."
— Carrie C., Salem, VA

10. Examine Your Diet

"By becoming vegan I cut my carbon footprint to at least 60 percent and the amount of money that each meal costs me by an average of 78 percent. Beans and legumes are so inexpensive compared to meat! I cut costs even more by growing herbs and vegetables for myself, and I earn fruits by offering to do the picking for friends with fruit trees, in exchange for keeping the surplus. I preserve them in glass jars and make pickled fruits and vegetables to extend them even further ."
— Sarah F., Tullahoma, TN

11. Green celebrations!

"On June 20, I am getting married green style. Oh, green wedding, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
1) Used wedding dress from eBay, $10!,
2) Organic, Fair Trade apparel for the wedding party that they can use afterwards,
3) Asking guests to carpool to save gas, money, and the environment,
4) Sending plantable wedding invitations [That's right, you bury the invitations and wildflowers spring forth, just like love blooms…],
5) Using leftover supplies from my cousin's wedding,
6) Buying organic flowers from the farmer's market … and more.
My fiancé Mark and I will be celebrating our day free from wedding-induced debt and the weight of a heavy carbon footprint!"
— Michelle B., Oshkosh, WI

12. Invest Wisely
(and Needs vs. Wants)

"We're always asking ourselves whether this next purchase is a 'need' or a 'want.' When we actually stop to think about it, there are precious few needs. People say things like 'I need cable TV,' but that's probably not true. Calling such things 'needs' cheapens the meaning of the word. We've also begun investing some savings with a community bank. Interestingly, in our experience, the smaller community bank with the social mission has been reliably beating the pants off of the mega-banks in terms of rate of return. We know that we're saving more by getting the higher rate of return, but we are also proud that our money is doing good in the community as well!"
— Steve O., Mamaroneck, NY

13. What Really Matters?

"I'm trying to stay focused on people and relationships rather than stuff. This helps me consider who is affected by what I do buy and from whom I buy it. I save by buying only thrift store clothes, but splurge on Fair Trade chocolate. I support locally owned businesses. I volunteer my time. And with some of the money I save, I use it to support organizations that help people help themselves. I do without stuff; that isn't what matters anyway!"
— Kelly G., Charlotte, NC

14. Get everyone you know involved in going green and saving green.

For more great green living ideas visit Green America at http://www.coopamerica.org

Tips to Improve Your Fuel Efficiency

As fuel prices start to climb again, be sure your car is running efficiently as possible.

1. Be sure to perform your car's scheduled oil changes and tune-ups.

2. Check to see if you need to replace a clogged air filter.

3. Keep your tires properly inflated.

4. Drive smartly - use your cruise control on the highway, avoid quick accelerations and excessive braking.

5. Avoid idling, turn off your car in bank lines and school carlines.

6. Reduce drag by removing roof racks and avoiding excess weight in trunk.

One step at a time...

Looking to make greener purchases, but feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start? You don't have to make drastic changes, start small. Change your actions one step at a time by choosing one product you buy often and commit to looking for a greener alternative. Once that change has become habit, look for another item to start buying green. Need suggestions:

1. Instead of reaching for a regular candy bar, choose a fair-trade certified bar. Fair-trade certification means the farmer is fairly paid and the cocoa beans are grown sustainably.

2. Purchase an eco-friendly laundry detergent like Seventh Generation which can now be found at your local grocery store.

3. Purchase toilet paper made from recycled paper. Publix's Greenwise products are earth-friendly and inexpensive.

4. Trade your paper napkins in for cloth napkins. Paper napkins are used for a minute and then are tossed, cloth napkins can be washed and used over and over.

5. Buy items with minimal packaging. Buy bulk items if possible, choose fresh fruits & veggies instead of canned or frozen which will eliminate packaging, and look for cereals sold in bags instead of a bag inside of a box.

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.

Disposing of CFLs

While compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are great when it comes to saving energy, they do contain a small amount of mercury and need to be disposed of safely. Here's some tips for disposing of CFLs without trashing the environment:

1. Check to see if your current garbage service recycles CFLs.
2. Retail stores like IKEA and Home Depot offer a free CFL take-back program.
3. Check to find local recycling at Earth911.org

If you want to avoid the mercury in CFLs check out LED light bulbs. LED light bulbs are shatterproof, run cool to the touch, and contain no mercury or hazardous substances and while they will last longer than CFLs they are currently much more expensive starting at $25 a bulb. Hopefully as the technology improves on LEDs the price will decrease.

Greener Kitty Litter

Traditional clay kitty litter is not very earth friendly as the clay is strip-mined from the Earth destroying animal habitats. Not only is clay litter bad for the planet, it can be dangerous for your cat as it contains silica dust which is a known carcinogen.

I have tried several alternative, earth-friendly kitty litter options - ground corncobs, wheat, recycled newspaper pellets. However my absolute favorite is pine pellets. Pine pellets are a by-product from sawmills in which sawdust that would normally end up in landfills is formed into pellets. The pellets have a fresh woody smell, are low tracking, and are very absorbent. I find that the pine pellets absorb odor better than clay litters and last longer. My cat made the switch to pine pellets very easily and since he loves to dig around in his litter I'm glad he is not exposed to the silica dust found in regular litter. I personally use Publix's Greenwise Pine Pellets which performs the same as brand name pine litters but is more reasonably priced.

5 great reasons to give up bottled water

There are a million reasons why we need to break our country's addiction to bottled water - it's ridicously expensive, bad for the environment, totally unnessary, - the list goes on and on. Here's 5 reasons why you need to kick the bottled water habit:

1. Save $500 a year by breaking a bottle a day water habit.

2. According to earthpolicy.org, you could run 100,000 cars for a year on the amount of oil used to make plastic water bottles.

3. Nine out of 10 single use water bottles are thrown away insead of recycled.

4. If you drank the recommended 8 cups of water per day by drinking single serving Aquafina bottles, you would spend $2,500 a year! Kinda crazy in this current economic crisis to spend money on something you can get for free.

5. In most taste tests, people can't taste the difference between bottled or tap water. In fact the top selling bottled waters - Aquafina and Dasani - come from municipal water supplies.

Make the switch to reusable stainless steel water bottles, your pocketbook and the planet will thank you. Check out the great bottles available at www.earthlust.com

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.

Greening the yellow pages

Here's a startling statistic - about 540 million unsolicited phonebooks arrive at American doors annually. Phonebooks account for about 660,000 tons of trash every year. With the internet, when was the last time you looked up a number in the yellow pages? Want to help save some trees and clutter around your house - remove yourself from the phone directory list at www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org. If you like receiving the yellow pages and use them, be sure to recycle your old book when you get a new one, many cities accept them in their curbside paper recycling bins. Not sure if your city recycles phone books - check www.earth911.com

Finding green...

Have you been finding more green in your wallet lately in the form of extra dollars? With gas prices plummeting to the $1.90 range, you have a great opportunity to save some green while living green. Almost everyone I know limited their driving when gas prices were hovering near the $4 mark, stick with your lifestyle changes and you can save money and the planet. For example, I limited my driving so I only filled up my gas tank once a week. My tank is around 12.5 gallons, so with gas prices dropping over $2 a gallon I can pocket at least an extra $25.00 a week if I stick with my reduced driving plan!! With the holidays approaching that will make buying all the great sustainable gifts on my shopping list that much easier. Do the math - how much could you be earning without changing a thing?

More Green Money Saving Tips

During the current economic crisis, you probably won't be looking at many large scale green changes such as buying a hybrid car, installing solar panels, or replacing all your old appliances with Energy Star ones. However you can make significant green changes that will actually save you money.

1. Bring your lunch in reusable packaging. Packing a lunch at home is always cheaper than eating out. You will also reduce the amount of waste you generate in the form of Styrofoam containers, plastic cutlery, paper napkins, etc. By packing your lunch in a reusable container you also save the money you would spend on sandwich baggies while reducing your waste.

2. Plan your week's meals before going shopping. By planning ahead you can research what's on sale, check for coupons, plan meals that will use up items in your pantry, and avoid waste from items that you buy and don't use up by planning multiple meals that will use the ingredients. You will also spend less at the store if you make a list and only buy items on the list to avoid impulse buys.

3. Become a smart shopper. Shopping online will save you money on gas and may help you stick to your gift list better. Buying in bulk will save you money and reduce the amount of packaging you dispose of, just make sure not to overbuy or buy an item just because it seems like a good deal. Buying items used from thrift stores, ebay, or craigslist keeps items out of landfills and reduces the production of new items while saving you money in the process.

4. Over the past few months when gas prices were at an all time high, many people changed their driving habits in order to save money. As frustrating as high gas prices are, they are actually good for the environment as people reduce their driving. Now that gas prices are thankfully lower, keep in place the changes you made and save even more money.

Go Green & Save Some Green

While the economy is in such a slump, there are many earth friendly choices that can save you money while saving the planet.

1. Hang your laundry out to dry as your dryer is the second largest energy user in your house.

2. Go vegetarian. Fruits and veggies are good for your health and bank account. Fruits and veggies average out to about 70 cents a pound whereas beef averages $4 a pound.

3. Bike to do one errand a week.

4. Make your own cleaners.

5. Think before you print - do you really need to print everything you receive on your computer? Save it electronically and save money on paper and ink.

6. Use cloth napkins and replace paper towels with cloths you can wash and reuse.

7. Carpool.

8. Support your community and shop the local farmers market, the prices are better than the local grocery store and the freshness can't be beat.

Green Your Weekend

If you are like most people, your weekend is full of household projects and chores. This weekend tackle those chores with an earth friendly approach.

1. When you wash your car, avoid letting your dirty, soapy water head for the storm drains. The water that enters the storm drain is deposited directly into our lakes, rivers and streams, untreated. If you must wash your car at home, park it on the lawn so that the water can be cleaned by the grass. If your car just needs a light cleaning, a better alternative would be using a spray-on “waterless” car wash - you just spray the eco-friendly formula onto the car, and wipe off with no wasted water. For a really dirty car your best bet is a commericial car wash. Although it seems like they use a lot of water, they actually use less than you will at home and most of the water they use is recycled. Any runoff is sent to the sewage system for treatment, keeping the suds out of our waterways.

2. Laundry time! Remember wash only full loads in cold water with an eco-friendly detergent and hang your clothes to dry on the clothesline.

3. When working in the yard, be sure to use earth friendly methods - natural pest control, hand weedin instead of toxic sprays, and composting. To really minimize your impact on the enviroment consider a push reel mower - no gas needed and zero emissions.

4. Consider cooking meals in bulk for the upcoming week which will save you money.
Head to the nearby farmer’s market for the freshest ingredients available, reducing the distance your food travels cuts the energy used for shipping. If possible, buy organic, you will reducing the pesticides you ingest and will reduce your foods impact on the Earth. Go vegetarian or at least eat less meat, especially corn-fed beef, which takes a lot of water to produce. At the store, buy in bulk to reduce the amount of packaging. Once you've cooked up all your delicious food, remember to bring your lunch to school or work in an earth friendly container.

5. After all this hard work, be sure to relax in the hammock with a good book from the library - a great green & free resource!

5 Minute Earth-Friendly Changes

There is so much info out there about going green, at times it can be a little overwhelming. Start small with some simple changes that will make a difference for the environment and your bank account.

1. Lower your thermostat in the winter and raise it in the summer.

2.Turn off lights when you leave the room.

3.Unplug appliances, cell phone chargers, DVD players and other "phantom loads" when you are not using them. Phantom loads are items that use energy while in the instant-on mode - if it has a clock or a glowing light it is using energy. It is estimated that, 75% of the electricity used to run home electronics is consumed while the products are off.

4. Switch your old incandescent bulbs to compact flourescent lamps (CFLs). CFLs last 10 times longer, use a quarter less energy, and give off 90% less heat.

5. Improve your indoor air quality - the EPA states that indoor air quality can be more polluted than outdoor air. Furniture, flooring, paints, and adhesives offgas VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Look for low or no VOC choices which are now widely available.

6. Weatherproof your home - attach rubber sweeps to the bottom of doors, apply low-VOC caulk to cracks in window and doorframes, insulate outlets and light switches with inexpensive foam gaskets.

7. Conserve water. Install a low-flow showerhead and shorten your shower time. Check toilets for leaks, only run the dishwasher and washing machine when they are full, install aerators on your faucets.

8. Replace your air conditioner or furnace filter monthly. Also look for reusable filters that can be cleaned which reduces waste.

9. Lower the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees and insulate your hot-water storage tank.

10. Switch from using hot water in your washing machine to cold water and use half the energy.

Water Saving Tips

Looking for some ways to reduce your family's water usage? Here are some easy ways to save on your water bill and to reduce your family's environmental impact.

1. Reduce your current shower time by one minute. The average shower head has a flow rate of 5 to 8 gallons per minute. Time your shower for a few days, then subtract a minute to come up with your goal time. If you shower every day, you’ll easily save a thousand gallons a year by cutting the time you run the water by just 60 seconds.

2. Locate and repair silent toilet leaks. Worn hardware can easily leak several gallons per day. Put some dark food coloring in your tank, if you notice color in the bowl within 15 minutes, you have a leak.

3. Water lawns on demand, not on schedule. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 30 percent of all household water consumption is used outdoors. Of this, up to 50 percent is simply wasted due to wind, evaporation, broken irrigation systems — and overwatering. Check your lawn instead of automatically watering it. Here’s a quick test: step on a patch of grass. If it springs back, it doesn’t need watering. Planting with native grasses and plants will reduce your need to water.

4. Turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth. Running water while you brush, sends 5 to 8 gallons of fresh water straight down the drain.

5. When washing dishes use an Energy star rated machine and make sure you only run it when it is full. If you wash dishes by hand don't let the water run while rinsing.

Want more great water saving tips? Check out - www.WaterUseItWisely.com

Party For the Planet

Usually hosting a party means generating a lot of waste. Next time you have friends over, be sure to entertain with the earth in mind. Some simple steps can reduce waste and may even save you money!

1. Shop local - hit your farmers market for fresh ingredients with a low carbon footprint.

2. Instead of fresh cut flowers, decorate with native potted plants that can be planted after the event.

3. Send E-vites or use recycled-paper invites.

4. Opt for products with minimal packaging - reducing the amount of processed foods you buy helps the environment and saves you money.

5. Don't waste food - be creative with leftover food or talk to a local shelter ahead of time to see if they accept food donations.

6. Avoid using paper products, by using reusable dinnerware and cloth napkins you are being kind to the planet and your wallet.

7. Recycle - be sure to make it easy for your guests to recycle cans and bottles by setting a recycling bin near the trash can.

8. When attending a party bring a hostess gift that shows your commitment to helping the earth like a plant, or an organic wine in a reusable fabric gift bag.

Easy Green Tips

Going green can seem overwhelming to some, but there are some simple steps you can take to go green and save some green.

1.Buy less stuff - by buying less you reduce the materials and resources used to manufacture, package, and ship items and reduce the amount of items that end up in the landfill

2. Save water - fix leaks in your home, take shorter showers, turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth, water your lawn in the morning to reduce evaporation.

3. Conserve electricity - turn off the lights when you leave a room, switch to compact fluorescent bulbs, shut down computers and printers at night, replace your air conditioner filter monthly, hang clothes on a clothesline to dry.

4. Save oil - drive less, switch to non-petroleum based cleaners and paints, choose products with less packaging, give up bottled water.

5. Recycle your belongings - use Freecycle or Craig's List to get rid unwanted items, donate to thrift stores, host a clothes swap with friends, donate books to the library or local nursing home.