It's Easy Eating Green

We heard we should try to live a greener lifestyle by reducing , reusing and recycling. But what our diets? Making environmentally conscious choices can be better for our waistlines, our wallets and our planet.

Buy local. When you purchase locally produced fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs and dairy products, you're supporting area farmers and cutting back on the fuel it takes to truck food across the country.

Go organic. Treating produce with pesticides can pollute soil, groundwater and possibly you. If you're budget-conscious, at least aim for organic when buying produce with thin, edible skins such as berries, grapes and bell peppers.

Eat lower on the food chain. Producing a pound of meat takes much more water and energy than producing a pound of grain or vegetables.

Ditch the drive-through. Idling in line at a fast-food restaurant wastes gas. Park the car and order inside. Better yet, whip up a quick meal at home. You'll save packaging waste and money, too.

Banish bottles water. Even if you recycle those plastic bottles, it still takes energy to produce, transport and recycle them.

Take baby steps. You don't have to go cold turkey on cheeseburgers. Even small changes, such as eating one meatless meal a week, can make a big difference over time.


 make your own solar panels


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The Three R's

The Three R's and I don't mean  Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic.

I am talking about The Three R's of the Environment.


Every year, Americans throw away 50 billion food and drink cans, 27 billion glass bottles and jars, and 65 million plastic and metal jar and can covers. More than 30% of our waste is packaging materials.

Where does it all go? Some 85% of our garbage is sent to a dump, or landfill, where it can take from 100 to 400 years for things like cloth and aluminum to decompose. Glass has been found in perfect condition after 4,000 years in the earth!


We are quickly running out of space. It's time to learn the three R's of the environment: reduce, reuse, recycle. Then practice what you preach: don't buy things you don't need or items that come in wasteful packaging or that cannot be recycled. Reuse and recycle whatever you can.


Do you know what reduce, reuse, and recycle stands for or what even it is suppose to do for the environment? Some people think that it is just a simple thing that you do when you bring in the aluminum cans and plastic bottles to recycling centers but you have to do a little more than that if you want to truly understand what this phrase really means. The three R's can bring some money to your household and peace of mind because you are helping out the environment. There are some other things that you can do in order to reduce, reuse, and recycle that will benefit you and your surroundings.

When you think of the phrase reduce, reuse, and recycle, it brings many thoughts to your head because there are so many things that you can do to use these three little words to make an impact on the environment.

Fortunately, going green also goes hand-in-hand with saving money.  Here is some advice for doing your part for the environment - and your pocketbook year-round: 


The word reduce means to cut down or slowdown on the material or items that you use in everyday life that could be harmful to the environment. If you think of things that you can cut back on in everyday life you will be doing what the phrase says.

Reduce

Reducing the amount of waste you produce is the best way to help the environment. There are lots of ways to do this. For example:

• Buy products that don't have a lot of packaging. Some products are wrapped in many layers of plastic and paperboard even though they don't need to be. You can also look for things that are packed in materials that don't require a lot of energy or resources to produce. Some products will put that information right on their labels.
• Instead of buying something you're not going to use very often, see if you can borrow it from someone you know.
• Cars use up energy and cause pollution. Some ways to reduce the environmental damage caused by cars include carpooling with friends, walking, taking the bus, or riding your bike instead of driving.
• Start a compost bin. Some people set aside a place in their yard where they can dispose of certain food and plant materials. Over time, the materials will break down through a natural process called decomposition. The compost is good for the soil in your yard and means that less garbage will go to the landfill.
• You can reduce waste by using a computer! Many newspapers and magazines are online now. Instead of buying the paper versions, you can find them on the Internet. Also remember that you should print out only what you need. Everything you print that you don't really need is a waste of paper.
• Save energy by turning off lights that you are not using.
• Save water by turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth.

 * Save money and reduce the eco-impact of your housework by creating and using your own furniture polish. Mix 1 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon each of orange and lemon essential oils in a measuring cup and pour the polish into a small squirt bottle. You can reuse an old shampoo or conditioner bottle with a flip top.



Now let us take the second word in the phrase reuse. In order to reuse as something you must have a container that you can use over and over again. This means you do not throw it away just because you used what was contained inside the container. If people can start reusing things on a regular basis, it will cut down on the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. This will be a good thing for all the parties involved and the earth because it would be cutting down on the amount of waste along the roadsides and in people's homes.

Reuse

Instead of throwing things away, try to find ways to use them again! For example:

• Bring cloth sacks to the store with you instead of taking home new paper or plastic bags. You can use these sacks again and again. You'll be saving some trees!
• Plastic containers and reusable lunch bags are great ways to take your lunch to school without creating waste.
• Coffee cans, shoe boxes, margarine containers, and other types of containers people throw away can be used to store things or can become fun arts and crafts projects. Use your imagination!
• Don't throw out clothes, toys, furniture, and other things that you don't want anymore. Somebody else can probably use them. You can bring them to a center that collects donations, give them to friends, or even have a yard sale.
• Use all writing paper on both sides.
• Use paper grocery bags to make book covers rather than buying new ones.
• Use silverware and dishes instead of disposable plastic utensils and plates.
• Store food in reusable plastic containers.

Now the last word in that phrase is recycle. Recycling materials can be the best thing because it can cut down on the amount of garbage that ends up in the world's landfills; it can also mean that it can cut down on the amount of money you spend in your home. If you are a person that does recycle then you know the benefits that come along with recycling.

Recycle

Many of the things we use every day, like paper bags, soda cans, and milk cartons, are made out of materials that can be recycled. Recycled items are put through a process that makes it possible to create new products out of the materials from the old ones.

In addition to recycling the things you buy, you can help the environment by buying products that contain recycled materials. Many brands of paper towels, garbage bags, greeting cards, and toilet paper, to name a few examples, will tell you on their labels if they are made from recycled materials.

In some towns you can leave your recyclables in bins outside your home, and a truck will come and collect them regularly. Other towns have recycling centers where you can drop off the materials you've collected. Things like paper and plastic grocery bags, and plastic and aluminum cans and bottles can often be brought to the grocery store for recycling. Whatever your system is, it's important to remember to rinse out and sort your recyclables!

Get creative with your recycling. Find new ways to use items that you might otherwise throw out. For example, instead of disposing of the cardboard tube once the roll of paper towels is done, why not use it to store and protect your child's homework assignments or artwork? Simply roll up the papers, slip them inside the tube, and label the tube according to subject.

 

If you put all three of these words together you get the phrase reduce, reuse and recycle that can save you money as well as a real good feeling because you are doing something for the environment.


Recycling helps to protect the environment
to say it different:
Recycling helps to protect all of us!





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Going Green and Being Eco-Friendly to Cut Your Home Expenses

Everyone wants to cut costs these days and trim their household budgets. And recent events such as the oil spill in the Gulf Coast also remind us of the importance of protecting the environment.

Fortunately, these two goals are not mutually exclusively. There are numerous simple, yet environmentally-sound, things you can do at home which will also save money.

Become More Energy Efficient

The average U.S. home spends about $1,900 a year on energy costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Heating and cooling our homes and apartments often is the single largest expense on Americans' energy bills. Yet, plenty of energy can be wasted around the house - costing hundreds of dollars per year. To shave your energy costs, try these strategies:

* Lower your thermostat one degree (This simple step can save as much as 10% of your heating bill)
* Take shorter showers (This will cut your water and heating bills).
* Install a low-flow showerhead (These are cheap to buy and the energy and water savings you'll reap will quickly outmatch what you paid for the showerhead).
* Put a faucet aerator on each faucet (These are inexpensive to buy, yet do a great job of conserving heat and water, while simultaneously keeping water pressure high).
* Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (These often last longer and use less wattage than incandescent bulbs)
* Unplug appliances that aren't in use (Most people don't realize that just because you turn an appliance off, doesn't mean it's not still using power)

Use the 3 R's: Recycle, Reduce, Reuse

If you want to go green and save green, one way to accomplish both objectives is by remembering
                                          "The 3 R's: Recycle, Reduce, Reuse."

This concept is all about diminishing our consumption of things we don't truly need - by using these we already have or finding alternative methods to satisfy our needs.

The point of "recycle, reduce, reuse" is to get all of us - individuals, businesses, municipalities and others - to use goods that are already manufactured rather than to keep using up the world's limited raw materials to make new or replacement goods.

So if I asked you whether you recycle, chances are those newspapers or plastic bottles in your home might spring to mind. But think beyond that. Consider also anything you might buy and bring home - from books to power tools - and then, consider borrowing instead of buying to reduce your consumption.

For instance, borrow reading materials from the library instead of buying books will not only save you money, it will also cut down on the ink and paper needed to print new books.

Also, instead of spending hundreds of dollars on big-ticket power tools, think about sharing these items or borrowing them from a neighbor, or perhaps renting such tools as needed from a local hardware store.

Speaking of power tools, let's say you cut your grass or you happen to be a gardener. You probably already know that composting helps improve soil so it holds more water and encourages plants to thrive.

But did you also know you could easily save big bucks on fertilizers and other additives? Just try this simple trick: Instead of throwing out food scraps and kitchen waste, toss them into a heap of compost - along with those grass clippings you cut. Just be careful to avoid composting things that can attract unwanted pests, such as meat, raw rice, bread or milk products, and cooking oil.


Limit Greenhouse Gas Emissions

It's not just big businesses that should be concerned about greenhouse gas emissions. So should individuals and families.

Sure, your household isn't some manufacturing plant that may be letting off gobs of emissions, but you may be unwittingly releasing more toxins into the environment than you realize - and costing yourself money in the process.

According to Columbia University, just tightening your windows you can tighten up your budget too. Experts from Columbia say that by having energy efficient windows, the average household would save $150 annually, and would reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by about 4,300 pounds per year.

Can't afford to replace those old drafty windows? A cheaper, easier tactic is to simply insulate your windows during the colder months using transparent film that keeps the heat in and the cold out.

Additionally, what about those heating ducts in your house? Experts estimate that if just one in 10 households used current technology to upgrade their inefficient heating systems, we could keep 17 billions pounds of pollution out of the air.

Another low-cost alternative here can provide a quick fix: Just get your heating vents and ducts cleaned regularly - and that will save you money and do your part for the environment too.

Whether you take small steps or big ones, realize that each one of us can help benefit the environment on a day-to-day basis. Doing so will not only make things better for future generations, it will also help your bank account today.  Source






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Living a Sustainable Lifestyle

 As back to school begins young students are looking to go to a school where they can spend four years living a sustainable lifestyle.
 
With its Georgian architecture and Old Virginia bricks, South Hall looks a lot like other buildings on the Wake Forest University campus.

But the new residence hall, which will open to freshmen on Aug. 19, is a showpiece that was built using modern ideas on sustainability.

And it's been outfitted with the latest in green technology, from energy-efficient appliances to flat-screen TVs that will show students how much water and electricity is being consumed on each of the building's four floors.

The 67,000-square-foot building on the southern tip of campus reflects the university's mission to become more sustainable, said Donna McGalliard, the dean of residence life and housing.

"The university's philosophy has really been focused on sustainability," McGalliard said. "And that it's not just a fad or a trend."

For the past few years, the university has added things such as more efficient washers and recycling centers at its residence halls, but South Hall is the first building that was planned, designed and constructed with LEED-certification in mind. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a certification system used for green building.

Wake Forest will not know whether South Hall meets LEED certification for several months.

Jim Alty, the associate vice president for facilities and campus services, said the university has started a number of programs to get faculty, staff and students to recycle, reuse food trays and share cars.

"This is the first time that Wake has had a chance to demonstrate in a physical way our commitment to sustainability," he said.

A new welcome center also is being built following green-building standards.

South Hall, one of six freshmen residence halls that form a cluster on the south end of campus, was built to accommodate the growing number of freshmen attending Wake. It will house 201 students, most of whom will live in a double room that averages about 220 square feet. Freshmen will be randomly chosen to live there.

The residence hall is the first to be built at Wake since 1998, when an apartment-style hall was built on the north end of campus. The new dorm cost $18 million to build. The green features did not add to the price, Alty said.

The building's environmentally friendly features will be a draw for this generation of college students, McGalliard said. "I would not say the same thing of students five years ago. This follows naturally with what they've been learning." Green dorms are showing up all over the country, said Alexandra Adler, the assistant director of Sustainable Endowments Institute, which promotes sustainability on college campuses. About 44 percent of 332 colleges surveyed have either a "green" residence hall or one that is devoted to sustainable living, according to a report the institute issued last year.

A recent report that looked at sustainability at 332 universities showed that about 44 percent have either a "green" residence hall or one that is devoted to sustainable living.

"Young students are looking to go to a school where they can spend four years living a sustainable lifestyle," Adler said. "When you're in a dorm, you don't have control over how much water is being used, so to live in a dorm with those kinds of facilities would be attractive."

One of South Hall's features is the amount of natural light that filters through its many windows. The windows, which are double-pane and framed in aluminum, not only bring in natural light but offer good views of the campus and the surrounding green space.

Ryan Swanson, the university architect, said the connection to the outside world is part of sustainable design. "Part of being sustainable is satisfying the occupant," he said.

Those occupants can study in rooms with individual thermostats, lean back in chairs made of recycled seat belts, and fix popcorn in a microwave-refrigerator-freezer combo that uses just one plug.

"This is going to help students understand what it means to live in a sustainable environment," McGalliard said.   See Full Story




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Green Back To School Tips

The summer is half way over and many kids will be returning to school in the next few weeks, so I thought it would be a good time to share some Green Back To School Tips.
 

Back to school is the perfect time not only for digging out that alarm clock, but also for adopting some greener habits you and your whole family can practice all year long.

Below are some tips worthy of a green star.

1. Take Inventory and Avoid Duplicates

It might be exciting to enter the back-to-school section of your local retailer—so many shiny things and bright colors! But don’t be tempted to buy more than you need. First, check what you already have in stock.
Did your child really use all 500 sheets of paper you bought last year? Is every single pencil worn down to the nub?   Do you really need a new ruler (the measurements haven't changed over the summer, you know) or a package of 68 pens?
Make a list of what you absolutely know you need, what you think you might need, and what you want, and carefully consider which items go in which section of the list. Once your list is complete only buy what you really need for the year and the amount of “stuff” you don’t bring home will be astonishing.

2. Purchase Recycled

It’s unavoidable: You will have to buy some things for the upcoming school year. Many retailers  offer recycled products.  Instead of a regular pencil case, how about one from TerraCycle made out of juice drink pouches.
Just be sure to check your recycled school supplies for durability and minimal packaging.

3. Go the Used Route

Nothing signals the back-to-school season more than a mountain of shiny new books, right?  Not necessarily. If you’re looking to reduce your waste—and the total at the bottom of your receipts—seriously consider buying used, opting for online or renting.
Used textbooks are often available for half off or more in campus bookstores, and Web sites. Amazon carries a broad selection of used titles. Some schools are even experimenting with online textbooks, reducing both your costs and strain on your backpack. Renting textbooks is also another growing option.

4. Swap and Sell

 Somehow in the last year those shorts got way too short. Every school year demands a new wardrobe, but this doesn’t automatically have to mean a shopping spree at the mall. Organize a clothing swap among your friends; you can pass on those tiny shorts to another grateful parent and your child could end up with a Spider-Man T-shirt.

Hand-me-downs are a great place to get started. Thrift stores and second hand stores can be  fun and  a cheap way to send your kiddies back to school in low-impact duds. Style-conscious teens can find gently used but still ultra-hip clothes at  second hand stores. 


Even if your school requires uniforms, everyone will be just as happy to trade in their old for “new.” Same goes for flea markets, consignment shops and thrift stores. Someone’s old skinny jeans could become your daughter’s new favorite fashion statement.

5. Walking, Biking, Busing: Green Transportation to School

Going green while getting back and forth to school offers a familiar refrain: human power -- walking or biking -- is best; riding the bus is next; driving alone is last.  If walking, biking, or busing aren't in the cards, be sure to divide the ride and start a parent carpool.
 You could even arrange a "walkpool,” chaperoning a group on foot to and from school. You’ll save on gas, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, get some exercise and maybe make some new friends in the process.

 6. Think Outside the Lunch-Box
 Don't brown bag it; instead opt for a washable, reusable container to tote your lunch too and from. Just make sure to avoid vinyl lunch boxes which have been shown to contain harmful levels of lead. Instead, invest in a PVC-free, thermally insulated lunch bag. Instead of using baggies and plastic wrap for sandwiches and snacks, use reusable plastic containers.  The Laptop Lunch box system is also a solid choice for reusable lunch-packing, and includes individual containers and beverage holders.
 
Just by eliminating all that daily wasted plastic and paper, your child could save 67 pounds of garbage a year.

7. Do Your Part

Even if you’ve forgotten how to do long division, you can still teach your kids to recycle when you’re not around. Inquire if your school has a recycling program, and if the answer is yes, explain to your children how to use it.

8. Monitor Electronics

Computers, calculators, printers—it seems like a lot of school supplies nowadays plug in or run on batteries. Even if your child has mastered turning the lights out when they leave a room, there are two more ways to conserve energy even when their gadgets are off. Purchase rechargeable batteries instead of new, and invest in a Smart Power Strip.
At $30 to $40, it’s a bit pricier than a typical power strip, but it’s completely worth it. This strip stops drawing electricity from appliances that are turned off, meaning you don’t have to remember to switch the strip on and off every time. Sounds like something that could be useful all over the house, doesn’t it?


 Do This Stuff All Year
Greening your back to school experience is a great way to start the year, and a great way to make progress toward a sustainable lifestyle, but there's no reason to stop after the year has just started. Apply the lessons you've learned preparing to go back to school to other parts of your non-scholastic life, and, when it comes time to re-supply, follow the tips to stay prepared, organized, and green.

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On another note  I must say its good to be back. My blog was disabled , I was told it was S**M, I don't even want to use that word on here. Thankfully everything has been straightened out and I hope I haven't lost many followers in past the 19 days.  Anyway, good to be back........

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Being Green Helps Save The Environment

Everyone knows "being green" helps save the environment. However, many still have a misconception that it's impossible to protect the planet and save money, too.

Whether it's turning off the water while brushing your teeth, unplugging electronics when they're not in use or turning off the lights when you leave the room, adopting an environmentally-friendly lifestyle on a budget is easier than you think.


Below are a few simple ideas to make green living a part of your lifestyle.

•  Consider buying locally grown food to reduce the carbon emissions produced by long-distance transport.

•  Install water filters on your tap-water faucets. This reduces plastic bottle waste and may save you money in the long run.

•  Use rechargeable batteries and recycle your disposable ones to keep them out of landfills.

•  Pack lunches to cut down on takeout containers. Taking lunch rather than buying takeout at work or school will also save your family money.

•  Drive Less,  Drive Smart, Car Pool......Every time you leave your car at home you reduce air pollution, lower greenhouse gas emissions, improve your health and save money. 

•  Pay Your Bills Online......Many banks, utilities and other businesses  offer their customers the option of paying bills online, eliminating the need to write and mail paper checks or to keep paper records. By paying your bills online you can save time and money, lower the administrative costs of companies with which you do business, and reduce global warming by helping to prevent deforestation. 

• Switch to Reusable Shopping Bags

• Stop junk mail

There are many more ways to be green and help the environment.
These 8 tips can help you get started.
How many more can you think of?






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The Red White and "Green" , an Eco-Friendly 4th of July

 With July 4th just around the corner what better time to get this message out to everyone that caring about the environment is patriotic.

Independence Day, one of the highlights of the summer in the United States, brings to mind flags, parades, fireworks, and of course barbeques.


The 4th of July BBQ is a time-honored tradition, one that in addition to food, fun and fireworks can have negative impacts on the environment.

Fortunately, there many things we can do to help minimize these environmental impacts, while still honoring our nation’s independence.

Here are some tips for greening your 4th of July BBQ, or any other outdoor gathering.

1. Bring a cup: Many of us break out plastic and paper cups at BBQ's to cut down on cleanup and ensure there are enough cups for all the guests. Instead of relying on one-time-use materials that end up taking up space in landfills,  – have your guests bring their favorite cup to use for the duration of the party. You cut down on waste, and everyone knows which cup belongs to them.

2. Buy local: You can have a more environmentally friendly barbeque simply by buying locally-grown foods. In addition to supporting the local economy, you avoid contributing to the carbon emissions that are generated by trucks, trains, and boats that bring food from far-off places.

3. Living decorations: If you like to display flowers on the tables at your events, consider using live, potted plants instead. When the party is over, you can keep the plants at home, and they in turn help the planet by filtering carbon dioxide and producing oxygen for us to breathe.

4. Use recycled paper products: Let’s face it, paper plates and napkins are a lot easier to use for an outdoor event. However, we can still be green by looking for plates made from recycled paper products. In addition to reducing the amount of waste in landfills, recycled products typically take a lot less energy to produce than new products.

5. Encourage volunteerism: Since everyone’s outside enjoying the day anyway, why not do something that will make you feel better about yourself. Encourage your friends and family to spend part of your time together volunteering. For example, get together with your friends and neighbors to clean up a local park or other area – a little light work on a hot summer’s day makes the burgers and beer taste that much better!

6. Buy in bulk: When stocking up for your BBQ bash, consider buying items in bulk if possible. Things like large boxes of utensils and large bottles of soda actually use less packaging materials than smaller, individually packaged items.

7. Don’t sweat it: There’s no need to bake your guests or spend money and energy cramming people into an air-conditioned house. Try scheduling your BBQ for a cooler, more comfortable time of day such as dusk.

8. Carpooling isn’t just for work: If you have a lot of people coming, encourage them to carpool when possible. It’s especially easy for guests that live near each other to share a ride and save gas and emissions in the process.


Using Eco-friendly Forest Stewardship Council certified charcoals means that no trees in endangered woodlands are cut to produce the charcoal for your 4th of July BBQ.  It also means that fewer greenhouse gases  are emitted when your charcoal burns and that no unhealthy additives are released into the air or onto your food during your Fourth of July grilling.

Look for brands of charcoal that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
Cowboy Charcoal, a natural lump charcoal,  is FSC certified. 

Cowboy Charcoal produces a cleaner-tasting food with out a petroleum after taste. It also produces fewer ashes so clean up is easier too.

Don't Forget:  If you're serving bottled or canned beverages, be sure to put out clearly marked recycling bins.

So use these Eco-Friendly Fourth of July ideas to make your red, white and blue cook out a little greener.





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Paper Vs. Plastic? How About Bring Your Own

How many times have you left to go shopping and have forgotten to bring along your own reusable shopping bags? I know I have many times.

Though we have the best intentions, we often forget to bring our reusable shopping bags with us when we're out. If that sounds familiar, you'll love these!
 
They compactly fold into their own tiny sewn-in pouch (about the size of a cell phone) to stay - on call - in purses, packs or pockets or on keychains. Featherweight nylon fabric means you'll never know they're there yet each holds a lot of weight and lots of items. They hold a LOT more than you would expect. 

There is an estimated 100 billion plastic shopping bags consumed each year in the USA, according to the Wall-Street Journal. 
Most plastic bags end up in landfills and the rest often end up in rivers, ponds, lakes, streams or in the sea, where animals can ingest or become entangled in them.


Adopting a Bring Your Own Bag strategy in our individual shopping habits is a simple way to do just that. If we can raise awareness at this time, the positive impact for the environment is incalculable for now and well into the future. Several cities have already made gradual but significant progress in promoting the use of eco-friendly non woven reusable grocery bags in recent years. Motivating consumers with plastic and paper bag bans, discounts at the register for reusable bag usage and tax motivations are a few to speak of.

Ten US cities have banned plastic bags so far, five within the past year.  California could become the first State to issue such a ban. Even Mexico City enacted a ban recently on plastic shopping bags.  The city of 20 million now faces the realities of effective enforcement, which is not easy when the Mexico City Chamber of Commerce estimates there are 35,000 vendors in Mexico City’s downtown area alone.     Via Tech with Us

The time is now to spread the word about the positive benefits of eco-friendly reusable shopping bags to influence our families, friends and communities.





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Turning Green Into Green

Everyone knows the familiar “reduce, reuse, and recycle” concept by now, but most people still have not moved past this most basic “greening” of their home and life onto other methods to help the planet.              Turn Green into Green.
We have compiled a short list of other easy ways to live more sustainably, as well as save you some “green” in your wallet. We hope you will try out one or more of these community based strategies to benefit the environment and keep you on budget in this struggling economy. 




Bartering
Bartering is the age old practice of trading something you already have for something else you don’t have. It is what you can do to get what you want without any money. Some people trade items, such as fish for apples for example, but others trade for less tangible things, such as time spent gardening for time spent babysitting, which is referred to as time dollar credits. Barter exchange is another way you can recycle your old belongings that you no longer use to get something that you do need without being wasteful. It helps save you money since you aren’t spending your cash on something new.


Carpooling
Everyone knows what carpooling is, but it seemed like the practice had tapered off in the past decade until the current economic downturn. Now ride-shares are coming back in popularity both in part to help combat global warming by reducing carbon emissions and to save money on gas. You can usually find a coworker to carpool with at your place of employment, but you can also look on local community boards or forums. Splitting the cost of gas and taking extra cars off the road will help everyone breathe easier. If you can’t find someone to carpool with, leave your car at home and take your local public transportation. There are usually many opportunities for carpooling and ride-shares in larger cities if you look for them.

Rain Barrels
Rain barrels are what they sound like: barrels that catch and store rainwater. With the demands on the world’s fresh water supply increasing every day, you might wonder what you can do to help conserve water in your own home. Installing a rain barrel is just one thing you could do that makes sense and would cut down on your water bill. Initially, it will cost you money for the supplies (and possibly installation), but it is something you will use for years. Rainwater is diverted from the downspout of your gutter into a plastic or wooden barrel and then used to water your garden or lawn during the summer. It makes the most sense to install one right before the spring rains come so you will have a full barrel to use over the summer when droughts can cause water utilities to raise their rates.

Meal Exchange
With some planning and coordination, you can create a meal exchange with a group of friends, coworkers or neighbors. In a meal exchange, each family only cooks one large meal a week for everyone in the group, and then portions off and trades meals with the other families. This means your family gets to eat a different meal cooked by each family every night. The end result is that you save time by only having to cook one meal a week, you save money by buying in bulk and not having to buy groceries for multiple meals, and you build community with the other families in the exchange. It is good for the environment as well because you end up going out to eat less when you already have food prepared at home, which saves on carbon emissions from driving and food packaging from going into a landfill.

Community Tool Sheds
A community tool shed is exactly that – people in the neighborhood share their tools in a central location for other neighbors to borrow and use. It allows you to borrow a tool you need for a project instead of having to go out and buy a new power tool that will just collect dust after you complete the work. You will save money on tools and help save resources. A community tool shed also provides the opportunity to organize a neighborhood home improvement team where a group of neighbors help one another do repair work on each other’s homes. By working together, the projects will get finished sooner, everyone will save money by not hiring workers, and the neighborhood overall benefits by becoming a closer community and raising home values.

We hope these suggestions have been useful in helping the “green” in your bank grow along with expanding your knowledge of other creative ways to help the environment and build community.

…And please remember that every little thing each of you does will help!
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Dim Bulbs, Old Clothes, and Hairballs

Three questions .......... 

Do I save electricity when I use a dimmer switch on my lights? Or am I using the same amount of electricity no matter where I have it set?

Unless your dimmer dates to the 1970s, it will save some energy. The more you lower the lights, the less power they use—although the savings won't be as large as the reduction in brightness. (At a light level of 50 percent, you'll be using more than half the electricity.) If you're using incandescent lights, a dimmer switch can also extend the life of your bulbs. According to Francis Rubinstein, a lighting researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, an incandescent bulb that's kept at 50 percent brightness should last roughly 10 times longer than one burning at full capacity.

Things are a little different with compact fluorescent bulbs. In the first place, not all of these work with dimmers. Among those that do, the energy savings are a little better, but you won't get any extension in bulb life. At the lowest dimmer settings, an incandescent bulb will cast an especially warm glow, but the quality of light from a CFL remains the same no matter how it's set. There may also be some flickering with the fluorescents. However, if saving energy is your main concern, ditch the old-fashioned bulbs: An incandescent will always be less efficient than a CFL, no matter what kind of light switch you're using.


Can you recycle clothes?
Yup. Textiles that are still relatively intact can be cut up into wiping rags, which are sold to gas stations and paint shops. Ratty clothes are shredded, and the resulting fibers can be used in things like carpet padding or soundproofing insulation. Some fibers, like wool, can be re-spun, re-dyed, and re-woven into brand-new clothes.

Unless you live in one of the handful of counties that has curbside textile recycling, it may be tricky to get your closet cast-offs to the people who recycle them. Many organizations that collect used clothing, like the Salvation Army and Goodwill, have relationships with textile recyclers, which take anything the charities can't sell in their stores. But it's not always a good idea to drop a bag of single socks or tattered gym clothes at your local charity shop. For one thing, not all of them have agreements with recyclers—which means your discarded duds could end up in the trash—and second, overtaxed workers might not appreciate being asked to sort through your detritus, only to discover that they can't sell any of it. (Stained or unstylish clothing is usually OK, but a sweater your dog mauled probably isn't.)

If you can't find ways to reuse the clothes in your own home, the Lantern recommends calling the shops in your area to see which ones recycle their unwanted donations and whether they'd be willing to take what you have. Sometimes you can send your stuff directly to a recycler by using their 24-hour drop-off bins in parking lots and other central locations. You can find local listings for both charity shops and drop-off bins on Earth911.com. (Meanwhile, if you have old, hole-y athletic shoes of any brand, Nike will take them off your hands.) Just make sure your clothes aren't moldy, smelly, or wet—even recyclers will toss those in the trash.

What's the most environmentally friendly way to get rid of the hair from my brush or comb? In lieu of trashing it, I've been flushing it down the toilet, but something tells me that can't be right.
Trust your instinct: The toilet is not the proper place for hairballs. First of all, it could lead to
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5 Ways To Reduce Your Environmental Impact This Summer

Don’t give up on your green goals just because it’s hot and you might be traveling. Summer is a great time to recommit to a healthier, planet-conscience lifestyle.

Summer is usually a time of family get-togethers and outdoor fun. But with all that hot weather and togetherness also comes the desire to make everything as easy and carefree as possible. But you don’t have to lose your sense of eco-responsibility. Just follow these easy summer tips to keep you and your family on track all summer long.
Rethink - and reduce - your consumer choices.
By becoming more mindful about the amount of plastic, paper, glass and aluminum you’re consuming, you automatically reduce the amount of trash you’re creating.  This is good year-round advice, but with summer heating up, you might need to rethink things like the standard paper plates you use at your yearly BBQ. Use traditional plates, or at least choose one of the newer, more eco-friendly disposable dinnerware types like LeafWare for serving. You might also want to rethink the number of glass bottles of beer and cans of soda you haul to the lake or beach on weekends.  Can you bring homemade iced tea or lemonade, served in reusable cups? Can you switch all those bottles of beer for a small keg instead? If you have the room, a keg - which will not only save you money per serving - will last a lot longer that a six-pack.
Reuse and Recycle.
By making a conscience effort to recycle everything you can (and reuse what you can’t recycle) you lessen your impact on the environment. Get into the mindset of stretching the use of everything you buy, whether it’s a pair of jeans or a garden pot. Reuse those worn out jeans for summer decorating projects like a neat beach tote or pillows for your patio. And any garden pot that has seen better days can easily become useful drainage material for the bottom of another pot. Or break that old pot apart and use the pieces to make an artsy tabletop design. Think durable, not disposable.
Just say no -- to plastic grocery bags....... Read More  

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