Saving the planet one bulb at a time...

Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL) are great: they use very little energy, give off very little waste heat, and last for years. Compared to a standard incandescent bulb, a CFL uses 60% less energy, saves on the production of 150-300 lbs. of carbon dioxide a year, cuts lighting costs by 75% and lasts at least 8x longer per bulb. With incandescent bulbs, 95% of the power used to light them is wasted as heat. If every US family switched to CFL bulbs we would reduce the carbon dioxide produced by more than 90 billion pounds. Unlike when CFLs first appeared on the scene, they are now widely available and are reasonably priced. A lot of concerns have come up recently regarding the mercury found in CFLs. Like all fluorescents, CFLs contain mercury and shouldn't be tossed in the trash when their day is done. Some stores, such as IKEA have recycling programs. Need to find out where in your community you can recycle your used CFLs check out www.earth911.org

Upcycling

What is upcycling? Upcycling is the use of waste materials to provide useful products. Which basically means using items that would end up in the garbage to produce "new" usable items. My daughter loves to visit our local recycling center which accepts items from companies and individuals which it then sells by the bag to local families and schools. We have found items for our Girl Scout troop's projects, we made a craft at her birthday party out of recycled items, we have made books out of mat board and paper we found at the center, as well as great containers we use to store craft items. All it takes to successfully upcycle is to be creative and look for new uses for recycled items. Here are some companies which sell upcycled products:

www.ecoist.com
www.terracycle.net
www.etsy.com - an online community for sellers of all things handmade

Or you can get creative and make your own upcycled projects. :)

What's your LILI?

A LILI is a Low Impact Living Index and it rates your household’s environmental impact. The Low Impact Living Environmental Impact Calculator calculates the environmental impact of your household. You input information about your home and habits, and it calculates your energy usage, the amount of carbon you emit, your water usage, your trash production, etc. You can see your household's impact on the environment relative to the average household in your area - an average LILI is 100. My favorite part however, is that based on your answers it will also recommend green projects to you to help reduce your environmental impact. The projects show the estimated cost of completing each project, each project's impact on the environment, and best of all there are resource links to help you find products and companies to help you complete your projects. My household's LILI is 57, considered low, but the real goal is to get as close to zero as you can. Check out this great tool at: www.lowimpactliving.com

Green your pet

Now that you are looking to live a greener life yourself, don't forget about your best friend. Help your pet live a greener, happier life.

1. Looking for a new pet? Check the local shelter. This will help keep unwanted animals alive and will hopefully end the horrible abuse found in puppy mills.

2. Spay or neuter your pet. Not only will you cut down on the number of homeless animals out there but you will improve your pet's health - spaying and neutering helps dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by eliminating the possibility of uterine, ovarian, and testicular cancer, and decreasing the incidence of prostate disease.

3. Feed your pet organic, FDA-certified food-grade meals. Many pet foods contain meat from diseased and dying animals - would you want to eat that?

4. Looking for great products for your pet? Check these out:

www.Earthdog.com - collars, leashes, beds, and toys made from hemp

www.planetdog.com - RecycleBALL and RecycleBONE made from recycled materials

www.onlynaturalpet.com - natural and holistic products for pets