Will you need to replace your television soon - or is it just hype? The switch from analog to digital broadcasts could needlessly send millions of analog sets with toxic lead-filled cathode-ray tubes to landfills. If you currently subscribe to cable or satellite service you will be fine. If you are using an antennae now to get a signal you could have a problem come February 18, 2009. If your TV was built after 2003 it may have a built-in digital tuner that will allow you to receive a signal. If your TV doesn't have a digital tuner you can purchase a converter box to receive a signal. Every household is eligible to receive two $40 coupons from the government to purchase a converter www.dtv.gov
When your old tv finally dies, avoid energy wasting plasma tvs which use more energy a year than the refrigerator - which is the largest energy user for most households. The most efficient model would be an LCD TV less than 42 inches with the Energy Star symbol. Be sure to safely recycle your old television to keep all those toxins out of the landfill, check www.earth911.com to find a local recycling center. Remember to plug your new television into a Smart Strip which will shut down your home theater components when the television is turned off.
Friday, December 12, 2008
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.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Green Gift Ideas Under $35
Give a great earth friendly gift without breaking the bank. Check out my great finds for under $35:
1. Tees For Change tees - these fabulous tees are incredibly soft and sport great 2 word messages on them like breathe deeply, live simply, etc. For every shirt sold the company plants a tree. The organic cotton or bamboo tees are $32 and the tanks are $28 www.teesforchange.com
2. Prepare a gift basket of eco-friendly and healthy beauty products. Include some wonderful all natural soaps from Sustenance Soaps www.sustenanceskincare.com some silky lotion from Pangea Organics www.pangeaorganics.com and some terrific cosmetics from Peacekeeper Cause-metics the first cosmetics line to give all of its after-tax distributable profits to women’s health advocacy and urgent human rights issues www.iamapeacekeeper.com
3. Give the gift of green knowledge in the form of a magazine subscription. Check out Positively Green a great new magazine with wonderful tips for going green. A one year subscription is only $16.00 www.positivelygreen.com or for those on your gift list with kids, Kiwi magazine is great for parents trying to raise their kids a little greener and you can't beat the price of $11.95 for a year's subscription! www.kiwimagonline.com
4. Want to give the gift of a little scandal? Check out Scent of Scandal's awesome candle line with it's great vegan soy candles with naughty little names like - Tighty Whities, Santa's Pole, and One Night Stand you are sure to find the perfect scent for everyone on your list. The company even has two candles that support organizations that work for animal rights - Farm Sanctuary and Sea Shepherd - the star of Animal Planet's new series Whale Wars.
5. Make a gift basket of little indulgences such as organic fair trade chocolate, locally grown wines, fair trade coffee, and fresh fruits from the farmer's market.
1. Tees For Change tees - these fabulous tees are incredibly soft and sport great 2 word messages on them like breathe deeply, live simply, etc. For every shirt sold the company plants a tree. The organic cotton or bamboo tees are $32 and the tanks are $28 www.teesforchange.com
2. Prepare a gift basket of eco-friendly and healthy beauty products. Include some wonderful all natural soaps from Sustenance Soaps www.sustenanceskincare.com some silky lotion from Pangea Organics www.pangeaorganics.com and some terrific cosmetics from Peacekeeper Cause-metics the first cosmetics line to give all of its after-tax distributable profits to women’s health advocacy and urgent human rights issues www.iamapeacekeeper.com
3. Give the gift of green knowledge in the form of a magazine subscription. Check out Positively Green a great new magazine with wonderful tips for going green. A one year subscription is only $16.00 www.positivelygreen.com or for those on your gift list with kids, Kiwi magazine is great for parents trying to raise their kids a little greener and you can't beat the price of $11.95 for a year's subscription! www.kiwimagonline.com
4. Want to give the gift of a little scandal? Check out Scent of Scandal's awesome candle line with it's great vegan soy candles with naughty little names like - Tighty Whities, Santa's Pole, and One Night Stand you are sure to find the perfect scent for everyone on your list. The company even has two candles that support organizations that work for animal rights - Farm Sanctuary and Sea Shepherd - the star of Animal Planet's new series Whale Wars.
5. Make a gift basket of little indulgences such as organic fair trade chocolate, locally grown wines, fair trade coffee, and fresh fruits from the farmer's market.
Monday, December 8, 2008
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
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