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Posts Tagged ‘go green’

Green Living: you can make a difference to the environment. Something is better than nothing, so making some changes to help the planet, especially when they also help you directly, is a good move. These are just some of the green living strategies that you can use in your home. Green living is a lifestyle choice to lessen our environmental footprint.

A green living lifestyle aims to reduce the release of carbon, which is contributing to global warming, but also reduces waste, toxins in the air and water and over-use of natural resources. Save money and become more healthy by implementing these green strategies.

A reduction in carbon emissions from fossil fuels is essential if we are to save the planet and you can help. Limit the use of your car, especially for short trips. Take public transport or car pool to work. Get some exercise and improve your fitness by leaving the car at home and walking. You are saving the planet and improving your health at the same time.

Help to save the environment by swapping the incandescent light bulbs in your home for compact fluorescent ones that need less power to light. These reduce your energy consumption by up to 70% and last several times longer than the old bulbs. Your power bills will be dramatically reduced when you replace all your incandescent light bulbs; replacing just five will save you about $50? Switch all appliances off at the socket when they are not being used.

Because plants remove carbon from the air and store it in the soil, having a garden and eating more vegetables will help the environment. This is another another measure that helps the planet and improves your own health at the same time. Cattle compact the soil and produce large amounts of methane which is a harmful greenhouse gas. Eat red meat only twice a week and have a piece just the size of your palm; for the other meals eat fish and poultry meats.

Reduce your environmental footprint by putting the three Rs into place – reduce, reuse and recycle. Reducing your dependence on plastics in the home helps the environment by reducing the toxins that are produced by their manufacture. Find new ways to reuse the plastic supermarket bags before you have to throw them out. Limit your use of paper products in your home and office home. Think creatively to find additional uses for plastic containers, packaging and bottles.

Reduce your water usage at home and at work. Shorten the length of your shower by only two minutes and save gallons of water as well as money off your water bill. When using water, only turn the faucet a little to prevent wasting water. Reuse washing machine water on the garden. Try alternative ways to heat and cool your home like solar power, blinds that regulate the temperature and plants around the house to control temperatures.

These few strategies will get you started on making changes that will benefit the environment. You can learn about many other ways you can help both the environment and your own well-being and health. Have your children contribute to reducing the family’s environmental footprint.

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So many things are now going green and it looks like the mobile phone is set to hit the market too.

All electrical appliances with the energy star are already deemed to be green and of course you have the option of going green when it comes to the car thanks to the hybrid. However, when purchasing your next mobile, will there be an option for somebody who is passionate about saving the world?

Well since the teaming up of Sprint and Samsung there now is. This new phone is actually made from corn and is made up from 80% recyclable materials. The real query is why this hasn’t been done before? With nearly everyone in the developed world owning at least one mobile phone it seems crazy why this sort of thing wasn’t released sooner!

To try and make you a greener person, the phone charger itself has the energy star on it and some of the applications for the phones are now put on there beforehand. Pre-loaded apps from the Discovery Channel are placed on there to help turn you into a greener person. They have even put a glossary on there to help explain things on climate changes.

This isn’t it for this phone, it is also a smartphone that has GPS, Web browsing and speech recognition. What this shows is that technology seems to be jumping ahead at a very alarming rate.

Of course it doesn’t just have to stop on the phone, you can buy so many different things for the home that are green and eco-friendly now whether that is kitchen accessories as well as bathroom accessories So whatever home furnishings you are looking to change there is always something out there for you to choose.It makes you wonder what they will think of next. Wonderful as technology is, we wonder where it might all end?

Being environmentally friendly is the way forward and goverments are promoting this more and more every year.” Homes are traditionally known as energy cows. By wasting electricity or water will in turn wast money and reserves. Going green can help not only the world but the homeowner as well. Insulation comes standard with most of all new build homes, always make sure this has been set up correctly by the builders.

If you have an older home this may not be the case. Insulation was not generally added to homes built before the 1940′s. Homeowners with an older home should check to see if their home is insulated.

Cavity wall insulation is normally the most common type of insulation. In the case of most homes insulation can easily be injected into the cavity between the two outside walls. Insulation will stop the conduction of heat into or out of your home and save the power you have traditionally used to heat or cool your home. Sometimes heat insulation in countries such as Japan,

America, and the UK is funded by local power companies, so homeowners are urged to contact their power provider before installing insulation. Turning Out the Lights Another simple way to save the environment and homeowners’ money is buy turning out the lights. More and more people are turning to the option of solar panels to help them save the planet and money.

Homeowners have been told for years that turning out lights when they leave a room will greatly reduce their power bills. But how many homeowners follow this advice? According to many studies only a small percentage of homeowners turn out lights when they leave the room. It is unfortunate as turning out the lights is easy to do and will save energy and money. Always research the information you require as there are thousands of energy reviews, home energy review may be the one you need to look at.

It is a fact that a high number of familieshardly use all the rooms in their house. If the lights are switched off when you leave a room it could save you a very considerable amount of money. Turning On the Lights Of course, you cannot live in the dark and you must have your lights on sometime.

Companies have recognized this need to balance the use of electricity and the need to preserve the environment and are now producing environmentally friendly light bulbs. These bulbs use a smaller percentage of electricity every time they are on in the home. They also last longer therefore producing less waste.

Don’t forget to Flush Water bills rank right up there with power bills when it comes to both homeowners’ expenses and protecting the environment. Bathrooms are notorious for wasting water.

Along with things homeowners and their families can do to save water, like not running water while brushing teeth, there are devices on the market to help save water in the bathroom.

Several companies are making low flow shower heads that reduce the amount to water that comes from the shower every time it is turned on. These shower heads are inexpensive and easy for the homeowner to install. Toilets also waste water and devices can be purchased and installed that lower the flow and fill level in all toilets. Having these products installed will reduce the wastage of water.

You will be very suprised at the various options available to start going green. Why now start by recycling. Check out the recycling facts you will be suprised.

Someone whispers “organic” or “natural” in mainstream media as the healthy and smart choice and suddenly it is everywhere and the solar power generation is here  Organic that, natural this, but is it all just a big scheme to get people to continue to buy their products?

Green Washing. The problem is most products you buy are not all natural or organic and so these companies have a huge problem. Consumer demand started to shift towards healthier “natural and organic” alternatives to the typical non-natural or organic products on the market today. Instead of coming up with a new formula or a new product that actually IS all natural or organic they have simply ADDED a harmless organic ingredient to their products. Why would they do this? That is easy, with this miniscule amount of natural product they can now slap “Made With Organic blah” or “Includes Natural blah” and people will jump all over it, even though nothing has really changed.

So, as a consumer, what can you do to avoid the “fake” go green stuff and get real natural or organic products? It will take a little more than a stop at the super market for starters. Before you go out do some research online and try to find products that actually are all natural and where they are sold so you know where to go. But what if you are at the store already or are not sure what kind of product you want in the first place? Well it gets a little harder but there are some things you can do. Look at the label and see if all the ingredients are organic or natural. If only one is, and it is very small compared to the others on the list then you found a faker, move on.

If it is some kind of skin care product reading the label is the best way to go. The ingredients amount and weight are listed top to bottom. So if an all natural ingredient is the first on you see your probably safe. If it is the last, think again. This does apply to household products that so try to do some research before hand. There are lots of companies now that provide natural alternatives and with a little looking you can probably find some really good deals.

The biggest tattletale is that natural products have nothing to hide. So if it is all natural it will say so on the ingredients and will contain little to nothing of any other ingredient. If you see a huge list of words you can’t pronounce chances are it is not as natural or organic as the huge sticker on the front of it wants you to believe.
Living a Greener Live: What Can You Do?

1. Cooking requires heat and energy, so conserve it to save money. Cover the cooking pan with a lid so that the heat doesn’t escape. Water will boil around 5% faster in pans with a lid on, thereby saving time, energy and your money, as well as giving the environment a break.

2. While cooking in a Oven, keep the door closed. Most modern Ovens have a glass door so as to  let you see what’s happening

inside. Use it appropriately. Around 15% of all oven heat is lost every time the door is opened. If you’re trying to bake a Pizza, for example, and you keep opening the door to see how it’s cooking, then you are cooking at 85% of the efficiency, at the sametime wasting energy and money!

3. STOP using commercial cleaning products in your kitchen or anywhere in your house.  They are expensive to buy and expensive to produce. Their production is also harmful to the environment. The waste you release after cleaning is also harmful to the environment.

You can make your own cleaner from a mixture of vinegar, salt and baking soda. It will clean perfectly the same way as a commercial product, and it  contains no toxic chemicals, thereby helping the environment. It will cost a great deal  less too.

To put this into perspective. We dump some 35 million pounds of  toxins down our drains every year, just from household and kitchen cleaning products alone. What kind of damage do you think that is doing to the environment? Well, you don’t have to do it anymore.

Here’s another simple recipe for an all-purpose cleaner, courtesy of

Greenpeace:

½ cup pure liquid soap

1 gallon hot water

¼ cup lemon juice

It’s safe and effective, and costs very little.

4. You don’t have to pre-heat your oven for every time your cook, unless you are baking bread and cake. Just put the dish into the oven and switch on, setting it to the right temperature. That way you are not wasting energy which is lost between the time it is pre-heated and you put in the preparation.

5. Cook once in a day instead of twice. This is a great way to save all round. If your oven can hold two chicken pieces, then why not cook two instead of one. Two chickens will cook in about the same amount of time that one will. Now, do the math… You will cut your cooking time in half, thereby saving electricity  – and guess what happens to all the money saved! Yep, it stays right in your pocket. This way you have more time for other activities. The time saved on cooking the second time can be used better elsewhere. Remember, it doesn’t have to be just chickens. It can turkeys, beef, etc. And I surely don’t have to mention the environmental benefits.

Independent writer and Internet Marketeer. My website : http://www.make-my-home-green.com

The Green Effect

During this economic crisis and continued global warming, the need for sustainable development has become a today issue instead of a tomorrow issue. Both private and government entities (including the EPA) have come up with programs and products that promote “green” production and consumption. These environment-friendly practices are now being used in numerous firms and industries.

But what about our homes? Are our households as environmentally friendly as they should be? Continued efforts to sustain the environment should first and foremost be undertaken under our own roof. These can be done with the use of products that consume less power and other valuable resources. Over time, the use of these products can result not only in savings but also in the reduction of waste and materials harmful to our homes and the environment.

Here’s a quick list of 10 items I’ve discovered that can make a world of a difference.

1. Heat-energy recovery system

· Sensible Heat Energy Recovery System (SHERS) uses heat generated from an air-conditioner or refrigerator to heat water. Payback period is anywhere from six months to two years

2.The Eco Bio Block

· Made of volcanic stones and beneficial bacteria, is used to purify water in home aquariums, water tanks and big bodies of water such as ponds, lakes and marshes. When used in home aquariums, there is no need to filter, clean and change water for a period of one to three years.

3. Biowash ball

· Washing clothes without using a detergent may seem strange. Introducing the Anabess biowash ball, it’s made of natural ceramics & alters the chemical composition of the water so it can wash clothes more effectively without liquid detergent. It should last 3 years. Think of the peace of mind you'll have by not ever running to the store for more detergent at the last minute again.

4. Air-con with inverter technology

· The Panasonic Envio series of air-conditioners makes use of an “inverter technology” that changes compressor operation speed to match a changing room temperature and adjust power output accordingly, which leads to reduced energy consumption of up to 50 percent, while product only costs about 14% more than the average AC. The payback period may be expected in about seven months..

5.Low Flow faucets

· Moen has heeded the call for water conservation by coming up with WaterSense-certified bathroom faucets. With the help of new aerator technology these Moen faucets use 30% less water than other models but still feel just as powerful on your hands.

6. Compact fluorescent lamp

· Much has been said about the efficiency of compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs. They have a lifespan 5x longer than incandescent lamps and consume 80% less energy with the same level of lumens. Companies such as Purely Products even carry CFLs that double as ionizers for the room, eliminating the need for an unsightly ionizer on the floor.

7.Reusable shopping bags

· The impact of just one person changing to reusable bags over a two-year period is significant. Used twice a week for two years a consumer would save 832 plastic bags from going in a landfill.

8.Biodegradable Cellulose Sandwich bags

· Typical plastic bags are derived from petroleum and take well over a lifespan to decompose. These biodegrade in 30-90 days in soil BUT actually keep food lasting longer, unlike plastic, they don't release gases which spoil food taste.

9.Smart Surge Protector

· Green Home introduced a smart surge protector. The power strip can 'sense' the movement of electrical current through the strip's control outlet. This patent pending option enables the Smart Strip to fully power off selected items when it’s not in use saving you money and time!

A small electronic device inside the Smart Strip monitors the current on a single outlet. Let’s say the computer is plugged into that single outlet. When your computer is finished shutting down, the current draw from the computer drops to its idle current -- and the Smart Strip monitors the current change, automatically shutting off all of the computer peripherals.

The Smart Strip Power Strip is the only surge protector on the market today with energy saving electronics. The 10 outlet surge protector version has 1 Control Outlet, 3 Constant Hot Outlets, and 6 Switched Outlets.

10.Compostable Trash Bags

· These BioBags are made from GMO free starch and are 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable.

Now that you know about these products start using them. We each can do our part by changing our purhase habits.