Make Green Come True

If you regularly grab a cup of coffee or tea on the way to work or school, you can use the time to help make our world a cleaner place by taking these small steps.

1.  Stop by a coffee shop along your normal route to work.

2.  Bring your own thermos or mug.  Often coffee shops will even give you a discount for bringing your own mug.

3.  Check out your coffee’s history.  Your coffee shop can let you know whether the coffee beans they use were grown and harvested in a socially responsible and sustainable manner.

A few easy steps you can take while planning your next party or family gathering can make a big impact on the environment.  Be green while saving time and money by following these tips:

1.   Do not send paper inviitations, use social networking sites, email lists or phone calls to invite your guests.

2.  Make sure recycling areas in the kitchen are clearly labeled so guests can help with your recycling efforts.

3.  When baking, plan your dishes so items can cook together and always bake in serial so you don’t waste preheating energy.  A little planning with baking times and oven temperatures can save a lot of time and energy.

4.  Turn off all lights in areas of the house that your guests won’t be in.

5.  Plan games and activities that are energy efficient.  If you do incorporate your television/video games into entertainment for the party, make sure everything is turned off as soon as guests finish watching/playing.

6.  Use glass or reusable plastic dishes and drinkware to reduce waste.

7.  Use organic fruits and veggies in your party dishes.

1.  Look around your thermostat and move any electronics, large furniture, and lamps.   These can block airflow or warm the area and make the air run longer.

2.   If possible, arrange furniture, awnings, gazebos and plants in your backyard so that your air conditioner/heat pump is shaded.   Be sure to allow ample space around for airflow.  This will enable the unit to work more efficiently.

3.  Whenever possible, use ceiling or stand fans to circulate air while cooling your house.  They are generally more energy efficient and a breeze will allow you to feel cooler faster.

Make your home energy efficient and lower your heating bill with these three tips:

1.   Replace the filters in your heating/air conditioning unit every three to six months.  This will reduce allergens in your home, make your unit run more efficiently, and prolong the life of your heating/air conditioning.

2.  Weatherstrip and caulk around your windows and doors each fall.  Your heating bills will drop and your home will be less drafty (even homes with newer windows).

3.  Turn down your water heater to 120°Fahrenheit.  Less energy will be used and you will probably not notice a difference.

While this mower is not exactly a new technological breakthrough, it does have the potential solve may pressing environmental issues with lawn care. The mower does an excellent job of trimming grass and weeds, especially if you do not let your yard become overgrown.

Pros:

1. No more gasoline. You will not have to bring gasoline home to power your mower. You won’t have to smell the fumes.

2. Quiet – I can hear the birds chip, let my neighbors sleep (or stare as the case may be – it does draw attention by merit of being different).

3. Safe – There are no mechanical blades.

4. Lightweight and portable – it can fit into a compact car in most cases and is very light.

5. No carbon footprint – no emissions.

6. Wide footprint – cuts a wide path and is more efficient.

Cons:

1. Becomes difficult to push if your yard is overgrown (but is fine if you mow weekly).

2. Wide footprint – you may still need to weedeat depending on the layout of your yard.

3. Requires effort – on a sweltering summer day, you may glance over at your neighbor on his ultra power riding mower with a twinge of envy, but remember you’re the one who is saving the earth!

Purchase:

Scotts 20-Inch Classic Push Reel Lawn Mower #2000-20

Swiss Engineers working to develop the Solar Impulse, a solar-powered airplane that creates no emissions. Testing is slated for next year, and a round the world journey is slated for 2011.

Launch Video

Solar Impulse Website

Avoid the use of pesticides in your garden and on your lawn. These can seep into the ground and contaminate ground water sources. Look for organic alternatives next time you shop.  For example, the following organic alternative has received excellent reviews:

Orange Guard Water Based Home Pest Control – 1 Gallon Bottle #101

Bamboo’s natural beauty adds elegance and an earthy quality to kitchen decor. It grows quickly, while countering greenhouse gases and producing oxygen. As bamboo grows, it provides 35% more oxygen than trees of the same stature. As a household material, bamboo is strong and provides durable, lasting items without harming the environment. Below are a few selected (reasonably-priced) items that can help make your kitchen green!

1. Joyce Chen Burnished Bamboo 5-Piece Utensil Set ($11.95)

2. Helen’s Asian Kitchen Bamboo Sushi Mat with Paddle ($2.39)

5. Joyce Chen 12-Inch Bamboo Steamer ($28.95)

Keep a recycling bin by the door and recycle unwanted mail as soon as it arrives. If you receive catalogs and mailings from companies you are no longer interested in, contact them and ask them to remove you from your mailing list. You can also check out one of the free services that unsubscribes you from mailing lists such as CatalogChoice http://www.catalogchoice.org/

If you are traveling this holiday weekend, here are a few ways to be more green:

1. Save time in the ticket line. When flying, always print tickets at home. Printing at home will ensure that your tickets are printed on recyclable paper and at home printers use far less energy and ink than it takes to create glossy airline tickets. Some airlines will even give a discount if you print your tickets at home.

2. Drive safely to save gas. If you are traveling by car, try to maintain an even speed. Taking off slowly and slowing down at lights by taking your foot off the gas instead of abruptly hitting the brake will not only make your passengers have a more smooth ride, it will also save gas. As a rule of thumb, never hit the gas if you expect to be stopping soon and try to use the least pressure possible on the gas pedal when you do accelerate.

3. Pack lightly. The more luggage you take, the more gas and energy your trip will take. Even a few pounds makes a difference.