August 2008

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Home Building Recycling Tips

August 31, 2008 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

If you’re building or remodeling your house, there are plenty of ways to practice smart recycling practices as you build…

Buy from material suppliers who commit to zero (or at least less) packaging – do pipes really need packaging?

Use materials from recycled sources first, before moving on to buying new building products. You can find plenty of reclaimed or salvaged home building materials. Wood is a biggie resource that you can often find recycled.

Always return new, unused materials to your supplier.

Buy local – this is a big issue if you’re going to need to return an item. One, shipping equals gas use. Two, some people find the cost of sending an item back long distance cost prohibitive.

Make sure to specify that your site is a recycling site. Set up recycling bins that are clearly marked. If you are remodeling, set up reclaimed material bins as well. Use smaller bins for items like nails and screws.

If you’re using materials and products that can’t be returned to the supplier, say a 1/2 used package, or you’ve got some reclaimed materials that aren’t going to be used, be sure to donate them to a reuse center. Someone else may be able to use your recycled or unused materials.

Also read: Eleven Recycled Houses

Quick Green Yard Tip – Push Mowers

August 30, 2008 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

Push lawn mowers are better for the planet and your waistline than gas guzzling mowers. Some people think push mowers are more work, and they are somewhat, but not THAT much more anymore.

Most modern push lawn mowers have stronger blades, and work better, so it’s not like you see in those old movies, where some poor kid can barely move the mower. You’ll also need to rake, but that’s another good workout, plus you can gather up the clippings and compost them.

Is Hand Washing Your Dishes A Good Green Choice?

August 29, 2008 in Green Cleaning, Save Energy, Water by Jennifer | 1 comment

There’s usually a pretty large debate about hand washing vs. dish washing between green living folks. Each side has pros and cons that they feel strongly about.

I’m on the side of dish washing being the best green choice. Dishwashers approved as energy efficient by the EPA can use a lot less water then conventional hand washing – in some cases, depending on how you wash, hand washing can waste up to 20 gallons more water than a dishwasher.

There are some other points to consider though.

Are you scrapping or rinsing your dishes? If you scrap then place your dishes in the dishwasher, it clears some food. A new dishwasher is powerful enough to get the rest of the food off. An older model dishwasher may require that you rinse dishes first, which of course wastes water.

If you use a soap that sucks (different dish washing soaps do work differently in different dishwashers) you may need to run your dishes twice – another water waste.

If you have hard water, you’ll need to use a rinse agent (vinegar can be substituted), or you’ll have to possibly run an extra rinse cycle to clear off soap residue.

If you live alone, and use maybe three dishes a day, hand washing responsibly is a better choice, because your dishwasher really should be full to be an efficient use of water.

For people on the side of hand washing is better, it can be, if you wash smart. Many people run water the entire time they wash, and that’s what wastes those 20 gallons. If you hand wash, use an easy rinse soap, run one sink full (or bin-full) of hot soapy water, and one sink (or bin-full) of warm or cool rinse water. Don’t just run the water like crazy.

What do you think – is hand washing or machine washing a better use of energy?

How To Choose Earth-Friendly Bedding

August 28, 2008 in Green Your Home, Organics by Jennifer | No comments

Choosing earth-friendly bedding can be a pain. Currently, there are many green and natural options available when it comes to bedding – and while choice is good, it can also be confusing.

Here are some tips:

Choose organic: Many products say “Organic” but not all organic labels can be trusted. If you want to be 100% positive that you’re choosing real organic bedding, look for the USDA Organic label. This is not to say that all other organic labels are worthless, it’s just that the USDA label is regulated. If you see sheets in organic, and no USDA label, you can also go online and research the background of the company selling them. Their principles and practices can help you figure out how organic the company is.

Choose natural dyes: Many bedding companies use harsh treatments and colored dyes on their fabrics. You don’t need to sleep with that junk. Look for bedding that’s been dyed with natural means, such as veggie or mineral dyes or go with a plain and sophisticated unbleached colored bedding set. Also note that there are plenty of brightly naturally dyed options available. Natural dyes don’t mean you have to go with bland bedding.

Choose easy: Some natural bedding options are easier to care for than others. Yes you want non-toxic, but you also want long-lasting and easy to wash. Bedding that requires extra special care can waste your time, and it can cost more in the long run. Easy care natural bedding materials include choices like basic organic cotton, bamboo (when in an organic cotton blend), hemp (only special care is air drying), some wool (wool is not vegan and not all can be machine washed, but others can – check the label).

Always research your options before purchasing.

A few places to find natural bedding:

[Bedding image via Loop Bedding collection]

Green Carpet for Your Home

August 27, 2008 in Green Your Home by Jennifer | 1 comment

Technically green carpet is almost an unfair play on words. Carpet, by nature, is not so green. Having worked with people who install it, tear it out, and live with it, I know that carpet tends to be a pretty icky floor choice. There are things that you drag into your home, things that live in your carpet, that no one and no high powered vacuum can get rid of.

Wooden, earthen, stone, and other harder floor coverings are better green choices when it comes to health and how green you can clean it. Still, some people really want carpet. Carpet is a comfort issue for some people, and others just like how it looks. I figured I’d discuss one better carpet choice; because if you want it, you may as well keep it as green as possible.

Nature’s Carpet takes the hard out of choosing a level of green carpet for your home. Because “Green” is so variable, Nature’s Carpet divides their carpet products into three categories:

Dark Green
Medium Green
Light Green

This allows consumers to easily see what’s offered in the different levels of green carpeting, plus see how prices compare.

There are some beautiful options offered in the Dark Green category (that would be the greenest carpet they offer)…

Elymus – Flint: 100% New Zealand Wool, cut pile, Jute backing, and Natural Rubber

natural carpet

Limestone: 100% Wool, cut & loop, meets cri green label requirements

Urban Ridge: 100% Wool, multi level loop

Visit Nature’s Carpet to see all their green carpet choices.

Fix A Slow Drain Naturally

August 26, 2008 in Green Cleaning, Green Your Home by Jennifer | 1 comment

Drain cleaner is noted as being one of the most toxic items found in the home. Traditional drain cleaners are full of chemicals that can burn your skin and eyes, not to mention the fumes your lungs are being exposed to.

Try a better solution:

Pour 1/2 cup baking soda into your drain. Pour 1/2 cup white vinegar over the baking soda. Allow it to sit for a half hour. Rinse with a couple of quarts of boiling water.

NOTE: I’ve used this solution, and it seems to work better as a preventative solution, not a fast cure. Once your drain is clogged badly, you may need something stronger, or you might have to pay for a plumber. Also, it helps if you first unscrew the plug, and remove any visible hair. The baking soda and vinegar will bubble up and dislodge some items, but not all. Try using this idea as a weekly cleaning routine for best results.

As with most home care items, prevention is better than fighting a full blown problem, like a completely stopped up drain.

Quick & Natural Household Cleaning Tips

August 25, 2008 in Green Cleaning by Jennifer | 3 comments

Instead of toxic, chemical heavy home cleaning supplies, try these ideas…

Sparkling windows: Lightly spray windows (both interior and exterior) with a solution of 1/2 gallon cold water, and 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar. Wipe windows with recycled newspaper. If you hate the smell of vinegar (I HATE the smell), burn a candle or some essential oil in a diffuser nearby. You shouldn’t add essential oils to the solution to cut the vinegar scent (I tried once), because it’ll streak.

A whiter toilet: Spray the inside of your toilet bowl with warm water – lightly, not dripping wet. Sprinkle with plain old baking soda. Let this sit for ten minutes, and then scrub with a toilet brush.

Mold-free home: Once mold arrives, it’s almost too late. The best plan of attack is to prevent, not cure mold. Spray areas where mold might develop (window sills, door frames, floor bases, etc.) with a solution of 1 cup water, 1 drop lavender essential oil, and two drops tea tree essential oil.

Tip: When looking for essential oils for home cleaning, go organic if you can, and make sure you’re buying pure essential oils which actually have cleansing and disinfectant properties. Plain old perfume scents are not the same as pure essential oils.

Earthworms for Your Home Organic Garden

August 24, 2008 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

If you’d like to have an organic garden at your house, the first thing you need to do is get your soil in tip-top organic shape.

Earthworms are key – there are other organic soil issues of course, but earthworms cost little and it takes almost no time to implement a good earthworm plan into your garden. Earthworms scurry about (ok crawl) and loosen up plus condition soil. They also leave earthworm droppings all over the place (yuck), but the droppings have some characteristics of fertilizer, so it’s a good thing.

If you already have earthworms in your soil (look around after a rain), then you’re in good shape. The presence of earthworms means one, you don’t have to purchase any, and two that your soil is likely in good shape. If you have no worms you can pick some up at a garden center. Add them to your soil and keep watch. Earthworms that don’t survive means your soil is probably lacking a vital component (i.e. organic soil amendments).

Stay tuned for more organic home gardening tips.

How To Live Small

August 23, 2008 in Green Building by Jennifer | 2 comments

Small homes are better for the environment than large homes. Why?

Fewer materials are needed to build.
Less resources are usually used – in terms of energy, time, etc.
A small house leaves a smaller footprint on the planet.
Small homes allow for larger green spaces to be left intact.
If you live in a small house, you might be likely to bring in less material goods – and owning less stuff is better for the earth.
It takes less energy, water, and other resources to run a small house (in most cases).

How to live smaller and still live large:

Make one room your focal point – do you really need a living room, family room, and den? Most likely no.
Create an open floor plan. This makes a home look and feel larger than it is.
Have tall walls. Tall walls and vaulted ceilings open up a home creating a more spacious feeling.
Use natural light. Natural light via windows (even toward the top of walls) counters that normally darker feeling small homes can have. Skylights also work well to open up a small space.
Stick with light colored interior paints – sometimes darker colors work, but in a smaller space dark can make small look smaller and less inviting.
Open up your plan to include outdoor living. You may only have one living space, but using large wide opening doors leading to a patio space, can create a second, outside living room. Also consider adding large french doors, or pretty sliding doors with a balcony to bedrooms. A balcony takes less space and resources than a whole other room, but really opens up your home plan.

[image via stock.xchng]

Beat Summer Heat Forever

August 18, 2008 in Green Your Home, Save Energy by Jennifer | No comments

Maybe not forever, but long-term solutions sure beat here and now solutions. You can make some changes to your actual home that will save you energy, cut heat inside the house, and keep costs lower in the long run.

Buy window awnings: Awnings block more sun than you might think, without compromising too much incoming window light. If you go with awnings, choose opaque or light colored material, that’s tightly woven.

Make your landscaping work for you: Just like you can block cold winter wind with trees and bushes, you can also block the summer heat. Tall trees, big shrubs, and even well-placed vines can block quite a bit of sun and heat. To learn about green landscaping visit the EPA.

Curtain the outside of your home: Drapes inside cut heat, but there are also woven mesh screens that you can hang outside to block sun. Visit North Solar Screen to learn more.

Paint your home right: There are no clear studies but it stands to reason that lighter colors reflect the sun, and thus heat, so painting your home a dark color is not the best choice for hot climates.

Try some film: Window films are a little weird to use, but do block heat well.

Quick Green Home Office Tip

August 18, 2008 in Home Office, Quick Green Home & Garden Tips, Save Energy by Jennifer | No comments

If you’re looking to green your home office experience, you can start with the energy factor. Even when your computer, printer, and lamp are plugged in, they’re draining energy. That costs you money and resources.

Unplugging is a possibility, but also a pain if you’ve got a ton of office equipment. Charges, lamps, electronics, and a radio; it’s a lot to remember.

What to do: Invest in one simple power strip, like the ecostrip. Once you’re ready to leave your office, you can simply turn off the powerstrip, rather than unplug each and every cord. This is a simple green tip that can save you money, time, and resources.

Buy A Greener Broom

August 17, 2008 in Alternative Energy, Green Cleaning by Jennifer | 1 comment

The O-Cedar broom it greener than some of the conventional brooms you’ll find out there. If you need a new broom consider the benefits of the O-Cedar broom, such as bristles made from recycled plastic bottles, and a long, long warranty, which tells me these brooms are built to last. Built to last is always more green than built to toss.

Visit the O-Cedar website to learn more.

Quick Tip for Water Savings

August 16, 2008 in Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle, Save Energy, Water by Jennifer | No comments

Showers and baths use an insane amount of water. To conserve more water, cut five minutes off your daily shower. To double your efforts, try placing a small plastic bin in the tub as you shower. Use that water to water plants, wash the car, or mop the floors. The two easy steps above can save upwards of 375 gallons of water a month!

Past Green Building Resources & Green Living Tips

August 15, 2008 in Alternative Energy, Green Building, Green Cleaning, Green Your Home, Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | No comments

In the post, Green Building Resources & Green Living Tips I noted that Best Green Home Tips used to be located in a different spot, at the RiverWired network. Over there, we looked at many a green building and remodeling tip. I thought that if you missed these posts, it would be cool to catch you up to speed. We looked at about half of these posts in the first recap, and here’s the rest…

Green building:

Green home interiors:

Save energy & resources:

Fun:

Quick Tip for A Green & Beautiful Yard

August 14, 2008 in Organic Gardening, Quick Green Home & Garden Tips by Jennifer | No comments

If you pull up weeds every time you see one pop up, you’ll save your yard, cut down on the need for harmful chemicals and pesticide use, and get some arm exercise. If weeds are already out of control, take one day, get rid of all that you see, and make a goal to pull right when you see them from now on.

10 Tips for Greening Your Bedroom

August 14, 2008 in Decor, Furniture & Appliances, Green Your Home by Jennifer | No comments

This week we’re looking at easy and effective ways to green your living spaces. So far we’ve looked at how to green up both your living room and the baby nursery. Today, we’ll look at the bedroom.

Use compact fluorescent light bulbs rather than typical incandescent bulbs in lamps and overhead. You can even use LED lighting if you only need to light a small space. It’s the bedroom – you could just go with some soothing organic candles.
If you charge items in your bedroom, unplug them when they’re not charging. In fact, it’ll save even more energy if you unplug lamps and stereos as well.
Use a non-toxic, chemical and pesticide free organic mattress.
Be sure to invest in soft organic pillows, blankets, curtains and other natural bedding accessories.
Choose sustainable bedroom furniture that’s non-toxic.
Use natural flooring options or choose natural safe carpet.
Instead of mothballs in your closets and drawers use natural cedar blocks, dried lavender, or make a mix of dried orange peels, cinnamon, cloves, and essential oils.
To remove stains from bedding try a natural method: sprinkle the stain with table salt and lemon juice; leave your linens sitting in the sun for a few hours; brush off salt and wash on gentle.
To keep your bedroom clean aim for all natural green cleaning methods. Green cleaning is important, but you really want to avoid chemicals in the bedroom.
Choose environmentally friendly paints for your bedroom walls.

Quick Green Laundry Tip – Skip the Bleach

August 13, 2008 in Green Cleaning, Sustainable Building by Jennifer | 4 comments

Bleach is toxic, bad for humans and pets, and pollutes our water supplies and soil. Skip the bleach when doing laundry.

If you want a safer way to whiten whites, use anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1 cup of borax per wash-load (experiment). Borax can also be used as a color brightener as well. If you can’t get past not using bleach, try a chlorine free bleach.

Get Your Kids Involved With Greening the House

August 11, 2008 in Children & Babies, Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 1 comment

Kids can be a valuable asset when it comes to going green. Where your home is concerned, kids can be really helpful because teaching them green steps early on means they’ll be more vigilant than you even.

My son always reminds me to turn off lights, and asks about recycling, so I know first hand that teaching your kids to be eco-friendly at home works.

Here are some easy green steps your kids can take at home:

Gardening: There’s no better way to learn about conserving than actually working with resources related to gardening. Your kids can learn about growth, organics, solar topics, seed saving (instead of buying new), composting, water use and conservation, and more. If you don’t have the yard space for a garden plot, these topics can easily be taught with a container garden.

Bathroom use: Lots of green opportunities occur in the bathroom. Even little kids can learn about turning the water off while brushing their teeth, not flushing everything yellow, and reusing a towel before washing.

Recycling: Get the kids involved in your home recycling. Kids can tell the difference between the recycling bins and the garbage can. Allow them to sort recycling and if they’re confused about bins, try this trick.

Clutter: Clutter and cleaning up said clutter is actually a cool way to teach eco-friendly objectives at home. Kids can learn that broken toys can be fixed, used toys and clothing can be given away vs. tossed, and more. As you clean the house make a point of talking to kids about these landfill reducing topics.

How do you get your kids involved with greening the house?

10 Tips for Greening Your Nursery

August 6, 2008 in Children & Babies, Decor, Furniture & Appliances, Green Cleaning, Organics, Save Energy by Jennifer | No comments

This week we’re going room by room, looking at how we can green up all the spaces of your home. It’s really important to keep your little one’s sleeping space free from chemicals, toxins, and other icky things. Babies, with their smaller bodies and immune systems are more sensitive to everything. Following are ten tips that can help you green your nursery.

Get rid of smelly baby odors (think diaper pail) with natural methods.
Install energy saving lights and light bulbs. You can also set up lighting on a timer or sensor – for example, a night light on a sensor can save a ton of energy.
Use non toxic paints and finishes on the walls and furniture.
look for refurbished or recycled furniture. If you refinish it yourself, remember to use healthy non lead, non-toxic laminate or paint. Avoid materials like plywood and particleboard, because it usually contains formaldehyde.
Be sure to buy a safer, greener, baby mattresses. These used to be spendy, but you can find great deals on green mattresses and it’s worth it. While you’re at it, make sure to invest in organic baby bedding as well.
Look for flame-retardant and sustainable floor coverings and rugs.
Invest in toys made from sustainable wood, non-toxic materials, and made with Fair Trade practices. These type of toys cost more, but it’s better to buy fewer toys that are safe than a bunch of plastic toys chock full of chemicals. You can even consider what you have around the house as toys. Babies still love to bang on pots, play with cups, and dance with you – try to have fun with fewer toys overall.
Invest in greener diaper choices.
Keep your baby clean with natural soap and care options.
Stock up your baby’s closets with natural and organic clothing finds. For some ideas visit the following stores:

10 Tips for Greening Your Living Room

August 5, 2008 in Alternative Energy, Furniture & Appliances, Green Cleaning, Green Your Home by Jennifer | No comments

This week I thought it might be cool to go room by room and offer some tips that are both easy and will make your rooms greener and healthier.

Let’s kick it off with a high traffic area – the living room:

If you have a fireplace or woodstove, make sure that you close the damper when you don’t have a fire going. You can save a lot on your energy use and electric bill by containing the air or heat you keep inside your house.
Buy furniture made from sustainable woods or recycled materials.
Try to buy soft furniture and fixtures, like sofas, carpet, chairs, and blankets in organics or natural, renewable fabrics and materials.
You can also go for alternative non-carpet flooring choices.
Turn off the television at least two nights a week (more if you can). It’s summer so you can head out for an evening game of Frisbee with the family, or simply have a family game or quiet-time night.
Unplug equipment when not in use. Your stereo does not need to be plugged in 24/7 and it drains electricity.
Choose the best air conditioner for your space.
Buy plants that actually help to improve air quality – your whole family will feel better.
Use LED lighting to light small reading areas, and use long lasting eco-friendly light bulbs in other lighting accessories. Once in a while try lighting organic soy candles instead of turning on the lights.
Clean and dust your living room without the use of toxic chemicals.