Green flooring
November 28, 2008
Thinking about replacing your flooring when you re-model? Why not go green? It’s not as expensive as it used to be and it’s better for your health as well as the health of the planet. It’s good to get some advice first and learn about your options. For example, not all Bamboo flooring is as green as you might think. Sure, bamboo is renewable but if the flooring you choose uses toxic glues to hold it together it could actually be worse for you and your family. Check out this article from Karen Negrete on green alternatives for your floors to learn more.
Good guide makes buying smart easy
November 21, 2008
Do you really know much about the products that you buy at the grocery store or the mega store? Besides cost, packaging and marketing spiel I mean. Good guide lets you enter product information and find out how it rates against other products, what the ingredients are and what those ingredients do.
The guide ranks products for health, environmental and social performance, and even gives you background on the company that makes it. Find out how the company ranks for labor and human rights issues, whether the company has been responsible for toxic or hazardous waste spills, even how the company is run and the investments they make.
It’s convenient to use on the website, or you can use it by SMS or download a free iPhone App and check on products as you shop!
Get somebody started green for the holidaze
November 20, 2008
Do you know somebody who isthinking about making their lifestyle greener yet they don’t know where to start? Here’s a thought. Get them an Eco Starter Kit from eco hatchery. The kit comes complete with an energy monitor so you can see how much you various appliances are using, water quality test kit and water saving devices, weatherstripping tools and information and an “eco roadmap” to help map out a strategy for getting greener. Pretty good deal for under $100.
Green counters in your kitchen
November 15, 2008
With all the noise about granite counter tops and radon levels lately you might want to think twice about what surface you roll out your pie dough on. There are a lot of options for low-impact green alternatives and they are not all expensive either. Kirei Board is made of sorghum straw. It’s beautiful, durable, inexpensive ($15/sq foot) and very green.
Other options to look into are Paperstone, made from re-cycled paper and non-petroleum phenolic resin derived in part from the hulls of cashews (how exotic is that?) which is a bit more expensive at $40/ sq foot. Squak Mountain Stone is hand cast slabs made of cement mixed with recycled paper, re-cycled glass and coal fly-ash. It comes in around $50/sq foot.
Winterize and save money
November 9, 2008
It’s fairly easy to add insulation to your attic and the cost can quickly be returned in energy savings and comfort (reducing drafts). The Department of Energy (DOE) suggests a minimum attic insulation level of R-38 (R rating is a measure of resistance to heat flow), equivalent to 12 to 15 inches of insulation. The DOE provides a map on its website listing recommended insulation levels for various U.S. climates.
Seal up those leaky windows and doors. Weather stripping, door sweeps, even window shrink wrap can be found at your local hardware store for $50 or less, and save you as much as 10 percent in energy costs.
Don’t forget to check the seals on your heating ducts. Leaky ducts from forced-air or heat pump systems can let warm air escape. Look over the ducts you can see, and around the air vents and check the seals for warm air leaks with inexpensive duct tape. The DOE estimates that sealing leaky ducts can save you up to $140 annually.
Lower your heating costs this winter
November 7, 2008
Word is you can lower your heating bill by as much as 30% by simply replacing your old thermostat with a programmable one. Then of course you have to set it at reasonable temperatures and resist the urge to crank up the heat when you get a little chilly.
Set the temperature to 5 or 10 degrees lower when you’re away during the day, on the weekends if you’re out of the house a lot and set the temperature to 65 at night when you’re sleeping and you may find you sleep more soundly too. Technorati Tags: green tips
The No Plastic Holiday Challenge
November 7, 2008
Plastic bags are laying waste to our oceans, contaminating our soil and filling our landfills with non-biodegradable waste that really never goes away. We produce over 20 Million tons of plastic every year, and that number has been steadily increasing. It’s not all bad news, more stores stopped using plastic bags at the checkout and offer alternatives. Why, because consumers made their voices heard, and because it’s an economically intelligent thing to do.
How can you help? Take the No Plastic Challenge this year for the holidays. When shopping for gifts this holiday season try to find alternatives to plastic and say no to plastic packaging.
Want to learn more about how you can avoid plastic? Visit www.plasticbagfree.com.
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