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How To Recycle Everything Wrong

December 1, 2009 in Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | 1 comment

Recycling is not all that tricky, but some people waste a lot of time doing stuff they shouldn’t. For example below are some surefire ways to recycle incorrectly…

recycle wrong

  • Crush all cans carefully – waste o’ time. Nowadays you don’t need to do this step. Recycling centers take un-crushed cans happily.
  • Toss greasy and food ridden cardboard into the recycling bin. Sadly, this can mess up an entire load of recyclables. Recycling center machines are fit to take on grease and grime. If you’ve got sticky, messy, greasy paper you need to toss it not recycle it.
  • Don’t sort the recycling – some recycling centers will sort if you don’t but others will just toss bins full of mixed goods which does no one any good. Set up a home recycling center and sort your recyclables.
  • Be a perfectionist about food in jars – the machinery at the recycling center will zap that excess mayo or peanut butter out of a jar. In fact, if a lemon is stuck in a beer bottle or you can’t remove food from inside a narrow container you can still recycle it.
  • Fail to recycle glossy paper – most recycling facilities do take old magazines and other glossy paper now. Check to be sure, but don’t just assume you can’t recycle it.
  • Recycle before you re-purpose – recycling actually uses a fair amount of energy. IF you can re-purpose an item first, you should.
  • Toss anything into the bins – many items need to be recycled in a different manner than your recycling center can deal with. For example, toys and dishes and the like should go to the thrift store, CFLs need to go to a CFL specific center, hazardous waste is a whole other issue, and food can be composted. Don’t recycle willy nilly.

And the number one best way to recycle wrong – don’t bother at all – who cares if you trash the planet?

Cleaning a little more green

December 1, 2009 in Green Cleaning by Jennifer | No comments

I know it’s the holiday season and you’re hyper busy so you may not want to swear off conventional cleaners entirely. Of course in a perfect world you should swear off them and make homemade non-toxic cleaners because most conventional cleaners are really toxic and not safe. However, if you’re too bogged down to contemplate going 100% green, you can make some subtle changes that can help keep your home clean while limiting your family’s exposure to chemicals.

green cleaning quick

You can choose store bought green cleaners. You’ll pay a little more but it’s worth it to avoid the toxins. Just make sure you choose actual, not fake green store bought cleaners. Some good brands include:

Just about anything from Earth Friendly Products or Biokleen. I personally like…

You can adjust your cleaning routine. For example, don’t clean areas your child can get to with toxic cleaners. For surfaces your little one may touch substitute a less toxic all purpose cleaner such as one of the above or make your own easy cleaner. Mix a few drops of natural soap, 2 cups water, and 15 drops each of tea tree and lavender essential oil. You can spray this on all surfaces, like cutting boards, counters, toilets, walls, (except it will streak glass). For glass simply use straight up lemon juice or club soda or if you don’t mind the smell use 1/2 cup vinegar mixed with one gallon water.

You can clean more often. A major reason people turn to harsh cleaners is because they’re not keeping up on their cleaning and when they finally get around to it, gunk is super stuck on everything. Wiping down your home frequently means it’s cleaner obviously, but also you can use just plain old natural soap and water on a cloth vs. harsh chemicals on a scrubber.

Recycling old magazines

November 30, 2009 in Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | No comments

Magazines are one of those items that confuse folks when it comes to recycling. I think it’s their glossy quality. However, take heart because most recycling centers do accept glossy magazines for recycling. Check with your local recycling center to be sure.

recycle old magazines

That said, if you’ve got a surplus, recycling at a center is not your only option. There are plenty of ways to creatively use those old magazines…

With the holidays right here upon us you can make some killer recycled gift bows with magazines OR simply choose the most colorful and festive pages to wrap gifts with.

Organiz an excellent full color cookbook on the cheap.

Hand them over to your kids for a cool recycled dollhouse.

Make stylish furniture. If teens can do it so can you.

Crumple it up and use it to ship holiday gifts with.

Make the coolest garbage can ever! I love this ironic plan because you’re keeping magazines out of the trash by making a trash holder with them!

Stylish made from paper furniture

November 30, 2009 in Furniture & Appliances by Jennifer | No comments

So if you could make eco-friendly furniture using nothing but recycled paper, why not? Cost effective, green, and even stylish. Check this video out…

Wow right. Visit Debbie Wijskamp to see more of the finished product.

Cool Green Homes for Sale

November 29, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

Sometimes it’s fun to browse the available green homes for sale and one of the coolest places to do this is at Green Homes for Sale. The downside is that Green Homes for Sale homes tend to be on the more expensive side. On the positive side, it’s nice to get ideas about what’s out there, and even if you’re not looking to buy this site is great inspiration for your own green home – i.e. if you’re building or remodeling green. I browse around Green Homes for Sale often, and I’m always seeing homes I adore. Below are a few of my current obsessions.

portland oregon green home
I usually look in Oregon first, being that I live there, and today I found an awesome custom built timber-framed green home and guesthouse right near Portland! This home features all natural wood for the timber frame, framing, decks, siding, hardwood Oregon white oak floors cabinets and trim is FSC certified or salvaged. Natural products were used for wood sealing and there’s low/zero VOC paints on the walls. The house also has a passive solar design, wool carpets, marmoleum kitchen floor and all the appliances are Energy Star. Plus landscaping contains all native vegetation and there is a rainwater catchment system. Nice. Personally I love all the tree views. It pretty much screams PDX.

Next up a New Mexico beauty! Read the rest of this entry »

Get Ready for the Greenest Holiday Ever!

November 29, 2009 in Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide by Jennifer | No comments

No matter what winter holidays you celebrate it’s easy to green them up. Before we kick off the 2009 winter holiday season this December I thought we’d look back at some of the best green home holiday tips from last year. Then stay tuned for brand new holiday tips over the next couple of weeks.

greenest holiday ever

GREEN HOLIDAY BASICS

TREATS & GIFTS!

SPICE UP YOUR HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

PLAN AHEAD

Also as you start thinking about the new year consider a Ban on Paper Calendars.

Greener and Less Expensive Christmas Gifts Under the Tree

November 28, 2009 in Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide by Jennifer | 1 comment

According to the Seattle Times, “A fifth of U.S. consumers plan to buy more environmentally safe gifts this holiday season.” That’s about as many green shoppers as last year, although Seattle locals were a little more green with about 24% of consumers noting that eco-friendly gifts are on their list this year AND astoundingly 55% of Seattle respondents say they’ll pay more for greener gifts.

Luckily, although most people think green gifts cost more, they don’t have to. You can find greener holiday gifts for about the same price, sometimes even less than conventional gifts. Since December is right around the corner, below are some green gift ideas to get you started. None will break the bank but all will please the eco-conscious folks on your list.

Are greener gifts on your list this holiday season?

The Most Useless Energy-Related Home Products

November 27, 2009 in Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | No comments

There’s an interesting list up over at Green Building Advisor about the most useless energy related products around. The list is pretty cool but I don’t agree with all of it. Of course I’m not an official green building advisor or anything.

Blogger and advisor Martin notes the following as a waste of money and not great energy savers to boot…

  • Tyvek ThermaWrap
  • Fafco plastic solar collectors
  • Passive fresh air inlets
  • Vinyl siding laminated to rigid foam
  • Powered attic ventilators
  • Programmable thermostats
  • Inexpensive LED lamps
  • Foil-faced bubble wrap
  • Power factor correction devices
  • Vent-free gas space heaters

I’m not so sure I agree with the whole programmable thermostats being useless argument. Martin notes that they’re not totally useless — “they’re just unnecessary and insufficient.” He also notes that “Study after study has shown that installing programmable thermostats makes no difference in energy use.” Mainly because homeowner behavior is far more important than the hardware. However on the flip side I’ve known people who have used them and note that they have saved money. I had one in a previous home and while I didn’t feel it saved as much money or resources as the programmable water heating thermostat I also had, it still did save money on my energy bill. It may depend on how you use the device along with your normal habits surrounding electricity use.

I also think that powered attic ventilators can work to reduce costs in a newer home. My pal installed one and his energy costs are lower than before BUT he has a newer and soundly built home. Martin notes that most aren’t as efficient because  most U.S. homes have leaky ceilings so instead of helping the ventilators commonly draw conditioned indoor air into the attic through ceiling cracks which of course will increase not decrease costs. He also notes that canned foam to seal leaks in your ceiling or additional insulation for your attic floor will be more useful.

In any case, if you disagree or not it’s a good read. He makes some excellent points and it’s lame to waste money on what won’t work for your home.

The Four Energy Saving Areas in Your Home

November 24, 2009 in Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | No comments

Basically, you’ve got four major energy saving opportunities in your home…

  1. Lighting
  2. Appliances and electronics
  3. Heating & cooling
  4. Water heating

save more energy

You could, of course, break it down even more. Each of us has hundreds of ways we could be saving more energy, but the above four are major and a good place to start.

For lighting you can save more by incorporating day lighting into your home with energy efficient windows, skylights, and light tunnels. You can buy energy efficient bulbs and keep the lighting to a minimum or as needed basis. You can also remind family members to simply turn off the lights.

Appliances and electronic equipment makes up about 20% of your home energy usage and costs so it’s smart to purchase energy efficient versions of things like televisions, microwaves, refrigerators, washers and dryers, audio equipment and anything else you plug in. You may be able to get rebates on many of the items you buy. To further use these items efficiently, use them sparingly – i.e. hang dry many clothes instead of using the dryer each time. Plug all items in one space into one power strip then turn the whole darn strip off when you leave the room. Also, cook wisely – you don’t need the stove for everything.

For heating and cooling think ahead of time. Make sure you build or buy a home that’s got energy saving features such as good orientation, evergreen windbreaks, try passive solar design, and weatherize properly for winter. Also little adjustments such as turning the heat down a few notches adds up over time.

Heating your water can actually account for as much as 25% of your energy use. Try a solar water heater or the next time you upgrade, upgrade to the most efficient model you can. Insulate your hot water pipes and heater, install a water timer, and do the little things like taking shorter showers.

If you do all of the above it will not only save you energy but it will put money directly in your pocket – good timing with the holidays here.

Be a savvy organic food shopper

November 20, 2009 in Food & Drink, Holiday, Organics by Jennifer | No comments

Organic foods are a big part of keeping it green. Organics keep pesticides out of our air, water and soil, and more importantly keep harmful chemicals out of your body and your family’s body. However, not all organics are the same, keep check on the following tips to get the most bang for your organic buck.

buy the best organic food

Look for the USDA seal. The USDA organic seal is not foolproof, but right now it’s the best guarantee you’ve got that your food is actually organic. The Certified Organic label is regulated by the USDA and all foods wearing this label must be grown without chemicals, synthetic fertilizers, hormones, and other genetically altered baddies. If a food item says stuff like “natural”, “from nature”, “chemical free” or anything else, it could be sure, but right now those labels technically mean nothing. Why shop for possible fake organics? Learn more about food labels.

Look for the code. Those little stickers affixed to fruits and veggies do actually mean something. At my store the conventional pears do sometimes roll into the organic bin, so if you want real organics look for the sticker. Real organics have a little sticker that carry a five digit code that starts with the number nine.

Look for essentials. You can buy organic cookies, cakes, chips, and other prepackaged foods, but since organic is more costly, why not spend the money on foods closer to the earth. Whole fruits and veggies, bread, milk, and so fourth vs. all the little extras.

Look for the big bads. There are some foods that are safer than others in conventional form. Personally, I think that as much organic as you can afford is a good idea, because organics are about more than personal health. It’s also about chemicals and pesticides in the atmosphere – it’s about keeping growers healthy – and it’s about showing the government that you do want your dollars going toward organics. BUT if you have to make a choice you should know that some organic foods are far more important than others.

If you’re looking for tips about how to save money on organic food for the holidays check out the Celebrate Green podcast on exploring organics for the holidays – I was a guest on the Celebrate Green radio show, and that’s just what we talked about.

Ten easy ways to green Christmas

November 19, 2009 in Holiday by Jennifer | No comments

Christmas is one of those holidays that’s actually pretty darn easy to green up. Simple choices can lead to a green Christmas and a more meaningful holiday celebration. Following are some ideas…

green your christmas

1. Green your Christmas tree: There are so many choices when it comes to the tree that it can seem hard not simple, but it all comes down to a few bits of info…

  • Reusable plastic tree = not so green.
  • Cut trees from a conventional farm = ok, but still not too green.
  • Cut tree from an organic farm = greener.
  • A living tree = green!
  • Alternatives like a wreath, small tree, plant, or other recyclable option = green.

To get an in-depth look read the most eco-friendly Christmas tree.

2. Green your lights: No matter where you like to place holiday lights, LEDS save you energy and look beautiful as well.

3. Green your wrap: Reuse last year’s Christmas wrap; use the comics; use a reusable container; use wrap made with recycled paper.

4. Green your greetings: Don’t send cards this year, call your loved ones instead or send an e-card. Make cards with recycled craft supplies. IF you really want to send a paper card, send one made of tree-free paper, plantable paper, or choose from the many recycled Christmas card options available.

5. Green your holiday baking: Use organic ingredients and eco-safe bake ware. No time to bake? Find the most Amazing Organic Holiday Cookies.

6. Green your shopping: Don’t shop like mad. Make a small list of meaningful gifts you’d like to get and stick to it. OR make crafty homemade holiday gifts. You can also give many gifts that actually give back.

7. Green the toys: If you’ve got kids, Christmas toys are likely on your list. Make sure you get safe, lead-free, non-toxic toys this year.

8. Green your Christmas stocking: This year use an eco-friendly Christmas stocking AND stuff it with safe fun green treats.

9. Green your holiday supplies: Plan on using goods for the holidays that are made with recycled materials or that can easily be recycled. You’d be surprised at how many options there are for a nice recyclable holiday season.

10. Green your Christmas mindset: The biggest challenge surrounding getting green for Christmas is simply wrapping your mind around a new way to celebrate. Read I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas and/or Celebrate Green for ideas about how you can celebrate in a fun way while keeping it green and meaningful.

How are you greening your Christmas this year?

Safe Cooking Pots for Your Health and the Planet

November 17, 2009 in Eco Kitchen, Food & Drink by Jennifer | No comments

Perfluorooctanoic acid PFOA is a big bad used in many cooking pots. PFOA is a chemical used during the manufacturing process when making traditional non-stick pans; or their coating I should say. PFOA can cause harm to the environment and also cause harm to the people making these pots.

eco-friendly pots

Scanpan makes safer pots. With a still non-stick surface made with ceramic-titanium technology and these pots and pans require little to no fat for stick-free cooking. Plus pots and pans have a cooking surface that stands up to metal utensils and still allows for browning, searing and deglazing. All Scanpan cookware is oven safe to 500°F (ceramic coatings can take more heat safely than traditional non-stick coatings) and cleans up easily in the dishwasher.

Plus these pots and pans look great and have ergonomic hollow handles which are more lightweight and stay cooler while cooking along with see-through lids.

Available at Sur la table.

Vinyl Flooring vs. Linoleum Flooring

November 16, 2009 in Air Quality, Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

Old school linoleum is a building material I’m sure you’re familiar with. It’s really older than most people think, having been invented in the mid-1800s, and was basically just a mixture of linseed oil, sawdust, and pigment. After being pressed, cured, and placed you had your linoleum flooring.

However, in the 1960s vinyl flooring hit the world in a big way. It was flashier, a little easier to install and supposedly had a better manufacturing process. Creating vinyl is not so easy on the environment though. Not only is it made with non-renewable petroleum products but when burned it creates toxic gasses and unlike the more natural linoleum, vinyl is not naturally dust repelling and may cause more indoor home air quality issues and allergies than linoleum.

While there are a few pros of vinyl over linoleum, such as it repels moisture and won’t fade as much, it’s likely healthier for you and the planet to choose linoleum if you’re looking for an easy care, colorful flooring solution like this.

eco friendly flooring

Eco-Friendly Flooring offers a biodegradable linoleum material (some color choices shown above) made with all natural ingredients that stays warm and quiet. The floors are also hypoallergenic and antistatic, resilient to rolling furniture and equipment wheels, and available in 25 different colors to coordinate with any interior design. Wco-friendly Flooring linoleum can be used over radiant floor heat systems and cleaned with a plain old damp mop and vinegar water, plus can be refreshed with caranuba wax.

Other places to look for linoleum:

Greenfloors

US Floors (a cork linoleum mix)

Armstrong

Eco-Friendly Christmas Stockings

November 11, 2009 in Holiday by Jennifer | 4 comments

It’s never too soon to start thinking about a green Christmas. Once fall hits Christmas can sneak up on you quickly and the more prepared you are the less stressful the holidays will be. Also, if you need special gear, like stockings, it’s good to have a chance to look around. It’s not easy to just walk into any store and find eco-friendly stocking options.

Following are some great choices for eco-friendly Christmas stockings:

Use what you’ve got: If you’ve been using the same old stockings for years, that’s actually a very nice tradition. You don’t need to buy new each year. I used the same stocking from the time I was born until my teens – my mom made it. Using family stockings is one of the best ways to keep it green.

Make your own: It’s easy to find a free stocking pattern online. Then simply use an eco-friendly fabric like organic cotton, felt, or bamboo to make it. See more cute DIY stocking ideas.

Buy one: If you’re buying an eco-friendly stocking it can pay to check out local crafty Fair Trade or eco shops. If you can’t find one locally there are some good options online.

eco-friendly holiday stockings

  1. ChunkiChilli Christmas stockings hand-knitted and hand embroidered in pure merino wool. MANY pretty styles to choose from.
  2. Adorable Recycled Sweater Personalized Christmas Stockings!
  3. Beautiful wool felt stockings hand made in Hungary by a womens’ cooperative that uses traditional appliqué techniques from Hable Construction – so many cool colors and designs to choose from too.
  4. Eco-friendly felt stockings from rikrak – lots of color and design choices.
  5. Amenity holiday stockings made with 55% hemp 45% certified organic cotton, and printed with non-toxic, water-based dyes.

Green flea prevention and treatment

November 10, 2009 in Eco-Pets, Healthy Green Home by Jennifer | 1 comment

If you’ve got a furry friend then more than likely you’ve dealt with fleas. Fleas are little trouble makers for sure, but before you resort to toxic treatments that can get all over your green home, try some natural prevention and treatment.

Prevention first: Don’t wait until you’ve got fleas to treat the issue. You can minimize or kill off flea problems with the following tactics…

Your pet’s diet and exercise routine – a healthy pet is far less likely to be flea affected. Feed your pet like you feed yourself, healthy whole food based meals that are pesticide-free. Try pet food like Natura Pet or Newman’s Own pet food. Give your pet plenty of exercise as well and play often.

Healthy supplements – Talk with a holistic vet about healthy supplements for your pet. You can also try giving your pet dog garlic which has a scent that repels fleas – grate fresh garlic into his food. Brewers yeast is noted as being a good flea repellent supplement for kitties.

Groom tactics – frequently brush and bath your dog – frequently brush your cat as well, although slipping your kitty into a bath could prove more trouble than it’s worth. When brushing pay more attention to areas that get flea infested first like under the legs, on the belly, and around the head and tail.

After prevention comes treatment:

If your prevention tactics didn’t work you may need a flea repelling product. Aim for the least toxic first and move up the treatment ladder. Basic tea tree oil can kill off fleas on dogs (NOT cats) but needs to be diluted in water before you use it. It’s best to speak with a professional aromatherapist or a holistic vet before using. Herbal flea treatments are another option.

To rid your home of fleas clean like mad. You need to vacuum all the floors and upholstered furniture then get rid of the vacuum bag asap. Wash all washables well and send other items to a green dry cleaner.

Washing your pet’s bedding is something you should do regularly even when there’s no fleas around. Also you can sprinkle crushed lavender near the bed to keep fleas away.

See more green flea prevention and treatment tips.

Organic Thanksgiving Beverages

November 9, 2009 in Food & Drink, Holiday, Organics by Jennifer | No comments

When planning your green Thanksgiving menu, don’t forget about the drinks! It’s easy to keep it green nowadays because there’s a wide array of yummy organic beverages, perfectly suited to Thanksgiving. Here are some ideas.

Organic wine: Many companies offer great organic wines nowadays, and for less money then you might think. Some choices include…

Organic sparkles: Santa Cruz Organics TeaZer sparking teas – I LOVE these sparkling teas and so does my eight year old. They’re made with organic juice and Fair Trade tea and are a fun switch from the typical sparkling cider.

Organic apple: Organic apple juice or organic apple cider is a must have. Adults can even make their own organic hard cider.

Organic fizz: If you must have soda on Thanksgiving, make it organic soda.

Organic beer: Your best bet for organic brew is local. Read Green America’s guide to greener brew.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu

November 9, 2009 in Holiday by Jennifer | 2 comments

We recently looked at why you should go vegetarian more often – meat = bad eco-footprint. Thanksgiving is actually a really easy meal to go vegetarian with and that means a super green Thanksgiving. Families tend to serve more veggie dishes on Thanksgiving already so losing the turkey is the big challenge. But you can do it. If you’re considering a vegetarian or even vegan Thanksgiving below are some helpful links…

Is this your idea of a veggie Thanksgiving? Think again!

Is this your idea of a veggie Thanksgiving? Think again!

Extras:

Are Pay-As-You-Throw trash programs fair?

November 6, 2009 in Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | No comments

As of 2006, the last time the EPA took down stats, about 7,095 communities were participating in Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) programs. PAYT programs are unit pricing or variable-rate pricing programs for trash disposal. Basically, residents are charged for the collection of their solid waste, i.e. what ends up in their trash can instead of a flat rate. For one thing this creates an economic incentive to recycle and so far programs like this result in communities that recycle more and trash less.

However, one common argument I’ve heard is, “Are these programs really fair?” In my opinion they are, because if we don’t charge people for larger amounts of trash, someone has to pay for it, which means even if you recycle diligently, you may still be subsidizing your neighbor’s trash by means of taxes. IF your community has a good recycling program in place, that’s easy to manage, it seems fair to me.

Plus of course excess trash harms the planet, so it’s tough to argue that programs like this suck – they do encourage recycling.

Problems that may make the program unfair:

Communities that have bad recycling programs in place. It’s impossible to get people on board with recycling when it’s nearly impossible to manage. For example, in New Mexico I had to make special trips, in my car, simply to recycle. Here in Oregon, it’s terribly easy with curbside pickup weekly.

Rural communities where the cost of curbside is prohibitive. The EPA notes that this is an issue in some communities but some have changed to monthly vs. weekly recycling pick-up which has worked well.

Too little education: Recycling, like any task is a learned task. People aren’t born knowing how to discard of their recyclables properly and plenty of communities don’t make this easily accessible public knowledge. I mean, when was the last time you saw a good deal of how-to-recycle commercials on television, or got some mail about it? Rarely. In fact, I live in one of the so-called greenest places in the U.S. and I meet people all the time who have no clue about recycling. I think that of all the unfair arguments, this one is the most valid. As a country, we really need to push for greener education initiates that are also accessible to everyone.

What do you think? Are PAYT programs a great way to encourage recycling or just a way to get more money out of a community?

Fight Off Three Home Toxins

November 3, 2009 in Air Quality, Healthy Green Home by Jennifer | 1 comment

There are so many toxins out there nowadays – from auto emissions to mercury in the water to pesticides in city parks and more. You can’t stop your exposure to all things toxic, but what you can do is limit your home exposure. Following are three home toxins that are easy to wage war on…

Carbon monoxide (CO): An odorless but highly toxic gas that can come from all sorts of places; wood stoves, furnaces, leaky chimneys, badly ventilated gas stoves, and indoor grilling products.

Health effects: CO at high levels can result in death but it’s still no fun at lower levels which can result in fatigue, nausea, headaches, confusion, impaired coordination and vision and more.

Fight CO: Your home should have a CO detector installed and you need to do a battery check at least every other month.

Mold: Mold while naturally occurring is just as toxic as any other baddie toxin. It’s caused by little spores in the air that settle down and multiply on damp or wet surfaces. Mold is common in basements, at baseboards, in kitchen, near windows, and under sinks.

Health effects: Mold can produce general allergies, but also may cause rash, asthma, and other more serious issues.

Fight mold Make a homemade mold and mildew remover and use it. Once mold sets up camp for a while, it’s much harder to get rid of so prevention before mold invades is key. IF it’s too late and mold is rampant, you can try to get rid of it using more chemicals (which sucks, but you don’t want mold). Check out the CDC guide to mold for more ideas.

VOCs: We’ve talked at length about what VOCs are here before – it’s a lengthy topic. They’re not good at all though and they’re in an insane amount of products.

Health effects: VOCs can irritate your whole body – your skin, muscles, head, eyes, and so on. They can cause coughing, headache, and a ton of other very serious health problems.

Fight VOCs: There are many ways to keep VOCs out of your home which improves both your indoor air quality and health. Read the following for more info:

Eco-rate Your Green Home Products

November 2, 2009 in Green Building, Green Your Home by Jennifer | 1 comment

There’s a newer green consumer site in town. Ok, not THAT new. Eco-rate launched last May and aims to make green living a little easier with reviews of green home products that weigh “The environmental and economic costs of product ownership, providing a unique platform for meaningful product comparison.” Eco-rate offers this little click-friendly house you see below. Simply click on a room, and get information on technology and products related to that space, plus product buying guides.

According to site owners Brycelaine Self and Colby Self, “The site is an evolving project aimed to inform and inspire. We update the site daily based on our continued research and your feedback.” The owners credentials are as follows…

Brycelaine is a Principal of Eco-innovations, along with expertise in economics, sustainable product innovation and environmental stewardship program management. She is a LEED Accredited Professional and an ENERGY STAR partner and home verifier. Colby is also a Principal of Eco-innovations and has experience in environmental policy and socio-economics. He’s also an ENERGY STAR partner and home verifier, and EPEAT and WaterSense partner liaison.

I checked out the site and they have an extensive area dedicated to how they rate and product criteria, which is nice. It’s shocking how many green sites who review products fail to offer this basic info. There’s a news and forum section (not too busy yet), along with a nice eco-dictionary. The reviews vary in length, but some are very in-depth and there’s enough reviews posted that it’d be easy to visit Eco-rate and choose some products. To give you an idea review areas look like the image below…

I like that they show how far away the product is made – that’s cool and makes you think about how big a footprint you really want. Plus consumers can leave their own reviews too.

If you’re looking to buy some green products for your home, I’d check out Eco-rate and see if you can learn more before buying.

Wellness Water Filters – Clean and Enhanced Home Water

November 1, 2009 in Healthy Green Home, Water by Jennifer | 1 comment

Wellness Enterprises makes water filters for the home kitchen, bathroom, and even products for on the go. Of course we talk about water all the time here, and I usually go with drinking tap. However, since not everyone is down with tap water, and some people do actually need a filter to make their water safe to drink, a wellness filter might be a good choice.

All in all the company offers, filtered water bottles (great for plastic landfill reduction), shower heads, kitchen units, and a newly launched Wellness home device that filters and enhances water from the source (i.e. all sinks, hoses, shower heads etc).

According to the company, Wellness filters are not like regular filters. They filter 99% of all water containment, bacteria and viruses plus enhance the water by adding minerals and antioxidants that are proven to aid the skin in healing, aging, and increasing skin hydration by 115%. Additionally these cartridges last an extremely long time – about a year for a family of four (1,200 gallons).

The company tells me that they offer a recycling program for the Wellness Kitchen cartridge – although note, I looked around the site and couldn’t find info on any recycling program, so hopefully they can answer specific recycling questions if you contact them. In addition, each cartridge filters and enhances 1,200 gallons of water which is equivalent to more than 9,000 of the standard 500mL plastic bottles which of course saves landfill space (no plastic bottles) and saves you money.

The Wellness MG-III Home system does not use cartridges and provides filtering for an extended life of 7 – 10 years of life before the filtration media need to be replaced.

Visit Wellness Filter to learn more about all their home water filtering products.

Reduce the lead in your home water supply

October 31, 2009 in Healthy Green Home, Water by Jennifer | No comments

There could be lead in your water supply and that’s not a good thing. Lead can cause delays in physical and mental development plus deficits in attention span and learning abilities in children. Adults may experience increased in blood pressure and kidney problems when exposed to lead.

The stories you hear about lead in your hot water are true. If you’re used to filling up pots with hot water from the sink, make the switch to cold. Cold water, unlike hot won’t cause lead to leach from your pipes. According to the EPA houses built before 1986 are most likely to have pipes with lead. However, note that even “lead-safe” pipes can contain some lead – cool water is simply a better choice.

Cold water or not you should run water for 15 to 30 seconds before drinking it, especially if you have not used your water for a few hours, this allows any possible lead to drain out before you get to it.

Most tap water is pretty safe. However, if you’re concerned, it’s easy to find out if your water is safe or not. If not you may want to consider a water filter.

Put your water in a safe pitcher – it’s silly to get lead-free water from the sink only to put it in a pitcher that can add lead to the water.

Sustainable & Stylish Home Pet Gear

October 29, 2009 in Eco-Pets by Jennifer | No comments

Plastic dishes and boring cotton sleeping spaces for your pets are not only NOT eco-friendly, but typically look way out out of place in a stylish home. Not to mention, if you want a green space for you why not treat your pets to the same non-toxic gear?

If you’re looking for some eco-pet gear that’s green and great looking take a look at these options in the gallery below… (see below gallery for links to products).

Doca Pet makes beautiful sustainable pet food bowls. From their SquareMeal sets to their Dogled Diner, their sets are functional, awesome to look at and the bowls are stainless steel.

Organic Pad Dog Bed – very cute and the cover can be removed and washed. 100% organically grown cotton and stuffed with organic kapok.

Marmalade Pet Care Wall Flower Scratcher – the Wall Flower Cardboard Cat Scratcher is made with high quality recycled materials, (35% minimum post-consumer), has an extra long use period and is 100% recyclable at the end of its lifecycle. Plus looks fab.

Eco Slumber Bed – mod and awesome sleeping area for your furry pal. Eco Slumber bed combines eco fabric, made with 85% recycled IntelliLoft fibers and then filled with 100% recycled IntelliLoft fiber fill.

Elizabeth Paige Smith Prrrounge Chaise Lounge- made with corrugated cardboard that’s anything but plain. The perfect cat nesting place.

Roebuck Studio Cat Bowls – made with Baltic birch and parts come flat packed for shipping and are easily assembled with simple fasteners. All edges are rounded for safety and a waterproof non-toxic finish is applied. Many color choices available as well as a clear finish.

How safe is your drink pitcher?

October 24, 2009 in Healthy Green Home by Jennifer | 1 comment

Instead of plastic drink containers, many folks are now using a more sustainable pitcher for water and juice in the fridge, which is smart, but can expose your family to lead if you’ve got a shady pitcher.

Ceramic pitchers are usually safe if they’ve been sealed properly, but it’s tough to know for sure if handmade products have been sealed well, and in some cases company made products. The FDA placed limits on lead in dishes back in the 80s, but one, not all companies followed through, and two, if you buy your pitcher used, it could be older than the 80s. To make sure your ceramic pitcher is safe check with the manufacturing company or run a quick home lead test.

If you’re using a glass pitcher, make sure the glass is lead-free. Many manufacturers are now making awesome lead-free recycled glass products, including pitchers.

You can also go with stainless steel, which is colder to the touch than other materials, but will keep drinks icy cold without leeching chemicals, lead, or weird flavors into your water or juice. Some ideas below…

Why buy a PVC free shower curtain?

October 23, 2009 in Green Your Home by Jennifer | No comments

You know that icky plastic smell that fills the bathroom when you get a new shower curtain liner or basic curtain? That’s PVC. Polyvinyl chloride or PVC is very hard to recycle and most products made with bunches of it end up in the landfills. However, finding a recycling center to take PVC products off your hands should be the least of your concerns.

PVC leeches like mad from products containing it. The soil and water near factories who make this stuff are terribly polluted, but it’s further reaching then this. If your child chews on a toy with PVC phthalates can jump right into in his system. If you have a shower curtain made with PVC, it’s in your home. PVC contains many more harmful chemicals then phthalates though including lead, cadmium, and/or organotins, which can be toxic to your health.

Dioxins are another baddie of PVC; given off when you make or burn PVC products. Dioxins are an environmental pollutant linked to skin lesions, such as chloracne and patchy darkening of the skin, and altered liver function. Long-term exposure is linked to impairment of the immune system, the developing nervous system, the endocrine system and reproductive functions. Fun!

Worse, PVC is very hard to escape. It’s in all sorts of products you use each day. That’s why starting with your shower curtain is a good plan. It’s easy and a good way to NOT support PVC products.

Find a PVC free shower curtain:

Three bad habits to ditch that cost you big time

October 19, 2009 in Save Money by Jennifer | 1 comment

If you’re going to ditch bad living habits, you may as well get rid of the ones that cost you the most money first. Following are three bad habits that cost the planet and you a lot over time.

Ditch water bottles and buy a filter: You can buy a recyclable water filter along with a nice stainless steel reusable water bottle for pennies of what bottled water will cost you over a lifetime and you eliminate a major landfill contributor – the plastic water bottle. Not to mention, you’ll have fewer toxins in your body because stainless steel, unlike plastic won’t leach chemicals. Triple play! Annual savings, even if you buy the world’s best water bottle and a basic filter is about $300 if you drink one bottle worth of water a day, but if you drink as much water as you should (eight 8oz glasses 64 oz a day) you’d be saving about $700 per year and that’s factoring in bulk bottled water.

Ditch paper towels: Cloth napkins, old cloths to clean with, and actual hand towels can save you scads over daily paper towel use. Annual savings of switching to cloth about $83, but over ten years you’d save about $800.

Ditch toxic cleaners: Making your own green cleaning products will cost you very little. You’ll need some essential oils, baking soda, and lemons. Not a lot of money. Maybe about $40 per year. If you buy the following monthly (general household spray, toilet cleaner, kitchen cleaner, tub + tile cleaner, and glass cleaner) if these are cheap $3 each you’d still be paying about $180 a year, and that’s fairly conservative compared to what research says people spend on cleaners. For example, The U.S. market for natural household cleaning products sells about $100 million annually, but this represents just one percent of the total household cleaners market. So you likely spend more than $180 annually. Still, if we go with a conservative figure, annual savings are about $140.

Above are totally rough but fair estimates of what you can save by ditching just three bad habits. Annual savings if you ditch these three bad habits – about $900, in ten years that’s a savings of about $9,000. What could you do with an extra $9,000?

Clean your drains without toxins

October 16, 2009 in Green Cleaning by Jennifer | No comments

Bathroom and kitchen drains can easily become clogged with hair, food, and other gunk. But you don’t have to always use toxic drain cleaners to manage said clogs. In fact toxic cleaners and plumbers should be your last option. First try the following…

Prevention: This is the best way to avoid clogs, prevention first. Don’t put stuff down the drain that shouldn’t be going down there. You can compost food instead of grinding it in the disposal (even great disposals can clog at times) and you can make sure your hair doesn’t clog the shower drain with a simple, low-cost mesh screen drain cover.

Plunging: When you first see a clog, try plunging it to see if that can unblock the blockage.

Ah la natural: Put about 4 tablespoons of baking powder into your drain, follow that with a half cup of white distilled vinegar. Allow that to sit for an hour, then pour a kettle of boiling water into the drain.

Better cleaners: Try a natural drain cleaner first, before a more toxic one, like Earthworm Drain Cleaner.

Find an Environmental Job

October 14, 2009 in Community by Jennifer | No comments

Environmental jobs are becoming more and more popular and that’s a good thing. Cleaner jobs mean a cleaner environment overall, plus it allows people to really submerge themselves in a career that matters. If you’re looking for a green job though, the newspaper and typical job boards aren’t the best place to start. You’ll usually need to do some targeted job searches with organizations who frequently share environmental job opportunities. Although, it’s smart to note that job boards are not the only way to find work.

First of all, think outside the typical job board. For general green jobs you can check out green companies on a one-by-one basis. For example, Gaiam, Origins, The Arbor Day Foundation and Whole Foods all have career pages that update fairly frequently, as do many other green companies. You can also walk into a green company and talk with the staff and owners.

Secondly, network with others interested in green living and green careers. Choose a thriving green forum or interactive green social networking site and make pals. You may learn about companies you never even knew existed.

Thirdly take a look at those job boards I mentioned above. Some good environmental job boards include… Read the rest of this entry »

Organic Halloween Treats!

October 13, 2009 in Holiday by Jennifer | No comments

Today, with Halloween fast approaching, I figured we’d take a look at some nice organic treats. Some you can make, and some you can easily purchase. All of them super yummy – even kid approved.

Beautiful fall colored organic cookies from the all organic Beautiful Sweets! Yum.

What appears to be a very cool Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe from Earthbound Farms. Oddly they didn’t list all organic ingredients, but you can mix that up :)

Make homemade Halloween Popcorn Balls! Just be sure to use organic ingredients.

Organic Trick or Treat Candy Mix

55% Dark Chocolate Bites – Organic & Fair-Trade

Organic Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe – totally awesome!

Halloween Pumpkin Smoothie… This is a cool (no pun intended) recipe that I’ve had forever. I found it at  Fitness Magazine and mixed it up some to make an organic version.

  • 1 cup organic canned pumpkin
  • 1 cup organic milk (you can use soy, or another milk as well, it works fine)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/3 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2/3 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup ice
  • Whipped cream, cinnamon, or shaved Fair Trade chocolate for toppings (optional)

To make:

Blend everything except the ice until smooth. Add ice. Blend more, until thick and creamy. Garnish with your choice of toppings.

Eco-dinner party place cards and invitations

October 12, 2009 in Holiday by Jennifer | No comments

With the holidays coming up fast you may be planning a dinner party or two. Two considerations for larger events include invitations and place cards. The good news is that you can go green with both.

Twisted Limb Paperworks is a carbon-neutral production art studio and your one-stop-shop for all your green paper needs if you’re throwing down. You can pick up some awesome round handmade recycled paper (see above) with invitation printed on vellum overlay (or 100% recycled cardstock if you prefer) and attached with a hole punch and brad. A 100% recycled reply postcard and matching 5 ½ inch square envelope are included, available in frost or sand.

Read the rest of this entry »

Plants that naturally detox your air – natural healthy air quality

October 10, 2009 in Green Cleaning, Healthy Green Home by Jennifer | No comments

House plants not only brighten your home but also improve your air quality without having to purchase a bulky plastic humidifier or air purifier. Plants do more than simple freshen the air too, they can actually remove some toxins, for example, in studies, specific plants have been found to do very well at removing formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is an icky substance that the EPA calls a possible carcinogen found in things like carpet, plastics, synthetic fabrics, and more. You can naturally reduce the amount of formaldehyde in your home with the following plants…

Most of the above bloom even in medium light, so they’re ideal for indoors. The exception is the Corn Plant which does need bright light, but not full sun so choose a sunny window sill.

For more air cleaning plants take a look at an excellent plant chart from Good Magazine.

The Hidden Hazards in Air Fresheners

October 7, 2009 in Green Cleaning, Green Your Home by Jennifer | 1 comment

We’ve all heard that traditional, conventional air fresheners can be toxic, but keep in mind that air fresheners listed as “natural” or “unscented” can contain hazardous chemicals. In a recent study, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found hormone-disrupting chemicals known as phthalates in 12 air freshener products; some marketed as “all-natural” and “unscented” and none said that they contained phthalates. Additionally conventional air fresheners are a household source of VOCs. Not cool.

See the list of air fresheners (pdf) that NRDC rated.

What is safer?

Well, for one thing making your own scented products with non-toxic ingredients such as flowers, herbs, spices, citrus, essential oils, and so fourth is a safe as you can get because you know what’s in them. Following are some ideas for non-toxic homemade air fresheners.

Four ways to go super green in under a minute

October 4, 2009 in Quick Green Home & Garden Tips by Jennifer | No comments

In less than one minute you can make major green changes, such as…

Buy recycled toilet paper. It takes less than 10 seconds to pick up a recycled package of TP at the store vs. new and choosing recycled toilet paper is a major green choice. Recycled toilet paper helps save water, trees, oil and landfill space, plus prevents pollution. For example, according to NRDC, if all households in the U.S. alone bought one 4 pack of recycled TP vs. new, it would save a million trees and eliminate 60,600 pounds of pollution.

Fill that reusable water bottle: 8 out of ten bottles, or over 38 million water bottles end up in landfills annually, so if you take 30 seconds to fill up a reusable water bottle with good ol’ tap water, it’s a very smart way to get green in a big way in no time at all.

Hit the sleep mode: Your computer uses 90% less energy while in sleep mode (then when running) and it only takes seconds to make the switch. This can save you a ton of energy and even some cash on your electric bill.

Cancel your catalogs: Amazingly, the average person in the U.S. use 700 pounds of paper products a year. If you’re still getting paper catalogs in the mail, that’s a major contributor to your 700 pounds. It only takes a moment to cancel your catalogs but you’ll save plenty of trees over time by doing so.

For even more green steps you can take in record time, check out NRDC Simple Steps Deck of Eco-Tips.

Save energy with a toaster oven

October 2, 2009 in Eco Kitchen, Save Energy by Jennifer | 1 comment

Say the word toaster oven and most people think of those old burning hot machines sitting on top of grandma’s counter when they were a kid (or is that only me?). In any case, a new toaster oven is a great way to save energy in the kitchen.

Black & Decker Toaster Oven

The newer toaster oven models are not the machines of the past either. New toaster ovens have all sorts of settings, come in various sizes (some even fit whole pizzas!), and overall are more eco-friendly than oven cooking because they use less energy, have shorter preheating times, and keeps your home cooler in the summer than a traditional heat ridden oven. Newer toaster ovens even look better than the ones from years past so you won’t feel the need to cover it up when guests come over.

Note if you only want one other appliance – i.e. an energy saving microwave or a toaster oven check out Treehugger’s guide to which is the better and greener choice for your needs.

Clothes Dryer Alternatives

September 28, 2009 in Furniture & Appliances, Save Energy by Jennifer | No comments

Clothes dryers can use a ton of energy in your home, zapping resources and raising your bill. Luckily, there are plenty of options that will allow you to go dryer free most of the time.

The basic clothesline: Obviously people have been using the basic clothes line for hundreds of years. It’s simple to set one up too. You don’t need two properly placed trees either. Mother Earth News has an easy tutorial about how to make your very own sturdy clothesline. There are also retractable clotheslines you can invest in as well that can be inside.

Drying racks: Drying racks are nice because they can be used both indoors and out, and usually fold up nice and tidy and out of the way when not in use. There are many drying rack options like the Expandable Wall Rack (shown above), an Over-Bath Drying Rack, or a basic folding drying rack.

Hangers: You have to hang your clothes anyhow, so why not simply take them from the washer, put them on hangers, and hang them on the shower rack for a day. THEN move directly to your closet. This is pretty much what I do all year round. Living in rainy Oregon makes it difficult to hang clothes outside year round, so this is easier. Inside clothes dry super fast too, so it’s not as if your bathroom will always be clothes covered. There are even eco-friendly hanger options, such as…

  • Save the ones your clothes come on. Seriously folks; according to a Readers Digest story last year, about 3.5 billion hangers end up in the landfill annually. What the!? Use the ones you’ve got.You can also check thrift stores for used hangers.
  • B Green Bamboo Hangers
  • Compost friendly Wheatware Hangers

Green Your Home Office in Three Easy Steps

September 28, 2009 in Home Office by Jennifer | No comments

There are plenty of important steps to a greener home office, here are three of the biggies.

1. PAPER USE:

The Worldwatch Institute notes that about 42% of all trees harvested are used to make paper. Making paper not only uses precious resources like water, energy, and trees, but cutting down those trees can ruin entire wildlife habitats in the process. Instead of virgin paper use recycled paper – which is readily available nowadays. You can also plan for a paper-free, or less paper used office.

2. ENERGY USE:

Computer use is a big drag on your home energy bill, especially when you get a few users per home. Make sure you’re using eco-savvy, energy saving computer tactics. You can also adjust your office lighting using CFLs or CFL alternatives. In some cases you may be able to use LED lighting (if you have a smaller office space. Also, be sure to unplug items like your printer and fax machine when not in use.

3. GREENER OFFICE SUPPLIES:

First off think reusable, refillable, and long-lasting green office supplies. For example refillable pencils, refillable ink cartridges, recycled notebooks and binders, recycled clipboards, and so on. You’ll also want to look for sustainably made office products and only buy what you actually need. For office furniture you can go with used pieces or sustainable pieces. Also see: Fun Green Home Office Supplies.

Clean Earth Eco-Friendly Drain & Septic Solutions

September 24, 2009 in Green Cleaning, Product Review by Jennifer | 1 comment

Clean Earth offers various products that take the place of what are normally some of the most toxic household products; septic system treatments and drain cleaners, although they also carry a line of basic eco-friendly household cleaners as well. Pretty soon I’ll be posting a review of both Clean Earth’s Earthworm Family-Safe Drain Cleaner and their Earthworm Family-Safe Septic System Treatment & Cesspool Cleaner. Before I get into these product specifics though, I figured we’d look at the company as a whole.

As noted above, Clean Earth offers a more family-friendly brand of drain and septic solutions. Their drain cleaner is a unique blend of natural enzymes that liquefy grease, fats and other organic waste to keep your drains fresh and clean. It also helps prevent clogs before they start and removes odor-causing bacteria.

Their septic treatment uses billions of natural, highly-active, beneficial bacterial cultures and special enzymes to help restore balance to your septic system by digesting household waste and neutralizing their odors. The natural enzymes include:

  • Lipase: Effective on fats, oils and greases commonly used in your home.
  • Protease: Effective on protein matter such as meats.
  • Amylase: Effective on starches and carbohydrates.
  • Cellulase: Effective in degrading toilet paper and tissues, vegetable matter, and certain foodstuffs.

The eco-benefits of Earthworm septic and drain cleaner over most conventional include:

  • Non-polluting to the planet or your home
  • Biodegradable (maybe see below)
  • Sustainable ingredients (maybe see below)
  • Free of harsh fumes and harmful vapors
  • Neutral pH is gentle on hands and skin
  • Free of caustics, chlorine, phosphates, acids and petroleum-based ingredients
  • The septic cleaner is septic tank, cesspool and greywater system safe
  • Product packaging is made with 100% recycled paper and is recyclable

Any eco-negatives?

  • Products note that they’re not tested on animals, but they’re not aligned with the Leaping Bunny so… it could be called a questionable claim.
  • There is only ONE item on the entire Clean Earth website that lists any sort of ingredients. What the heck is in these products? From the website, you’d never know.
  • The packaging I got listed ingredients, but it’s unclear. For example, the septic treatment simply says, “Natural bacteria and enzymes, micronutrients, and inert ingredients.” The drain cleaner notes, “Water, natural enzyme blend, plant derived surfactant, fragrance, preservatives.” I like a little more info with my green cleaners. NOTE: Neither of the products smell chemical like or caustic, so I’m guessing they’re fairly natural, but fragrance for example is seriously vague.

Coming up, some reviews of these products – which do have some eco-cons noted above BUT be aware that their cons are no where near as bad as typically extremely harmful cleaners like Drano.

Visit Clean Earth to learn more.

Newspaper as far as the eye can see

September 20, 2009 in Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | No comments

Many homes have the newspaper delivered daily without thinking twice. However, you should think twice. On the plus side the Newspaper Association of America (NAA), the average newspaper contains 35% recycled fiber content and they also note that 73% of all old newspapers in the U.S. are recovered and recycled. However, other sources note that only 55% of ALL paper in the U.S. is recycled, so it seems overambitious to say 73% of newspapers are recycled.

Whatever the numbers newspapers also take energy to make and  use up gas and create plenty of emissions to transport. Your first green task is to consider how much you read the paper. If you’re not really reading it, cancel your subscription to save cash and paper. Secondly, see if you can subscribe online. Many local and national papers are available with the click of a mouse. Lastly, if you still want to get the paper make sure you create a home recycling center for old papers OR put those old papers to use. Recycled newspaper can be used for the following household tasks…

  • Remove odor: Place it in a trunk or chest when you store clothing, or crumple it into an unused suitcase to avoid that musty smell. Scents are absorbed by newspaper which keeps the smell off your stuff.
  • Wash windows: Streak-free cleaning! PLUS no paper towels used.
  • Wrap it: With the holidays coming up, now is the time to save that paper to use for gifts.
  • Burn it: You can make newspaper logs that work really well for fires.
  • Mulch it: You can use newspaper in the garden as mulch; it’s not the optimal choice, but does work.
  • Shape it: Use crumpled newspaper inside of shoes or hats to help them hold their shape.

Of course there are tons of uses for old newspaper. What uses can you come up with?

Green Book Review: Renewable Energies for Your Home

September 16, 2009 in Books, Home Projects, Product Review by Jennifer | No comments

I recently reviewed a new McGraw-Hill green home book – Renewable Energies for Your Home: Real-World Solutions for Green Conversions by Russel Gehrke; and overall I think it’s a good book for folks looking to create a more sustainable home that won’t cost you a fortune.

Basics:

From the publishers, “Renewable Energies for Your Home offers authoritative, practical, and fun do-it-yourself projects and tips for greening your home and car. Gehrke covers biodiesel, ethanol, CNG, hydrogen, electricity, waste vegetable oil, and biomass, and provides the following information for each fuel: how it works; its carbon footprint; efficiency; strengths; drawbacks; source; applications; a dabbler’s guide; and tips.”

Renewable Energies for Your Home covers:

  • Energy savings and environmental benefits
  • Biomass fuels, including biodiesel, ethanol, used fryer oil, and wood
  • Producing your own biodiesel without titration
  • Assembling a biolight grill and fire starter
  • Making bioburn-a firewood substitute
  • Wind turbines
  • Solar lighting, heating, water heating, and electric generation
  • Building a solar heat collector
  • Creating a wind/solar hybrid electric system

What I thought: Read the rest of this entry »

Recycle Your CFLs Safely

September 15, 2009 in Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | No comments

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL) may be better for the earth than standard bulbs, but there are some dangers to be aware of when handling your bulbs. These safety issues can make recycling your bulbs a problem and you should note that CFLs are considered a hazardous household item.

The first thing you should do is buy Energy Star CFLs – ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs have a two-year warranty so if the bulb fails within the warranty period you can return it to your retailer.

Secondly you’ll want to make an effort to recycle your bulbs safely. Earth 911 or Lamp recycle will have local recycling centers who take old bulbs – which means no mailing. When you take your CFLs in, just be sure to place it in a box or bag before carrying your bulb to the center.

Other places that accept CFLs include:

  • IKEA offers recycling stations for CFLs.
  • True Value – some for sure, not sure about all (call your local store)
  • You can take CFL bulbs to the Home Depot for recycling.
  • If you’d like to get a CFL recycling option set up, contact The Green Action Project. This organization is a program that allows non-profits, schools or community organizations to offer environmentally safe compact fluorescent recycling at no charge to the community, event attendees or students.

Save and reuse your water

September 14, 2009 in Water by Jennifer | No comments

Conserving and reusing water is essential. Water is not a never ending resource, even though it may seem like it. In reality, water is not technically becoming more scarce, but we are using more and more of it than ever before. As the demand goes up, there’s always a chance supplies could dwindle. For example, now when various areas experience a drought, the effects are more easily felt than when a drought occurred in the past.

You can save water easily by…

  • Pouring your cooking water into a jar – say you steam veggies – save that water.
  • Installing a rain barrel.
  • Placing a tub into the shower with you and letting it fill as you wash. Just don’t trip on the tub!

You can reuse water for all sorts of things such as…

  • Watering the garden or houseplants or lawn.
  • Washing a car.
  • Mopping the floors.
  • Cleaning windows.
  • Filling the kiddie pool – use the shower water for this one.
  • Cleaning off tools in the garage or muddy boots in the fall.
  • And more.

Green Product Review: Seventh Generation Emerald Cypress & Fir Toilet Bowl Cleaner

September 14, 2009 in Green Cleaning, Product Review by Jennifer | No comments

Product: Emerald Cypress & Fir Toilet Bowl Cleaner from Seventh Generation

Uses: As you might guess this is for cleaning your toilet but cleans and deodorizes without the harsh fumes, harmful chemicals, or dyes that are found in most other toilet cleaners.

Cost:$4.99 for 32 oz. at the Seventh Generation shop, but I’ve seen it for less at my local grocery store. It’s also a product that goes on sale.

Ingredients: Aqua (water), lactic acid (plant-derived demineralizer), polyglucose, coceth-7, coceth-4 and deceth-5 (plant-derived cleaning agents), xanthan gum (natural thickener), peg-15 cocomonium chloride (plant-containing cleaning agent)*, essential oils and botanical extracts** (citrus aurantifolia (lime), abies balsamea (balsam fir), calilistris columellaris (emerald cypress).

Eco-perks: Read the rest of this entry »

Save energy with a pressure cooker

September 13, 2009 in Eco Kitchen, Food & Drink, Furniture & Appliances by Jennifer | 2 comments

There are all sorts of ways to save energy in the kitchen – but cooking with a pressure cooker is one of the best. Using a pressure cooker is a green kitchen move that not only saves energy, but allows you to creatively use leftovers and minimize food waste, and bonus – you’ll save money.


5 Qt Pressure Cooker

Using a pressure cookers can cut up 60-70% of your energy costs, which isn’t bad when you consider that overall, cooking typically makes up about 10% of your home’s energy use. You can’t use a pressure cooker for every single dish you make but they’re totally appropriate for tons of food items such as rice and other grains, soup, potatoes, beans, pasta, meat, and more.

Basic pressure cookers range from 4-6 quart sizes and come in various materials – but stainless steel is your best green bet for safety and recyclable qualities. A pressure cooker works by trapping steam inside the sealed cooker which saves energy from escaping and maintains a faster heating temperature, which allows food to cook much faster than say in a traditional pot.

Pressure cookers also allow you to cook with less fat and oil and dishes retain more nutrients. Plus pressure cooking helps to retains and intensifies flavors and can even tenderize tough cuts of meat. When choosing a pressure cooker look for a heavy bottom stainless steel cooker with heat resistant handles and an easy to manage lid.

To find a pressure cooker visit:

Learn more about using a pressure cooker or find great pressure cooker recipes.

Remodel with Eco-Friendly Cabinets

September 8, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | 2 comments

If you need new kitchen or bathroom cabinets, and want eco-friendly, and aren’t sure where to start, here are some options.

Cabinets by AlterECO above

What to avoid: Pressed fiberboard (MDF) and particleboard. Both contain around 80% virgin tree content, not to mention these boards are held together with formaldehyde which can release toxins into your home. Likewise avoid any cabinets that aren’t noted as being formaldehyde free. Some cabinets do have trace amounts of formaldehyde which is better than stocked full, but it’s still not great.

Look for safe wood: Strawboard and wheatboard sound like particleboard products, and they are kind of, but they’re safer and more eco-friendly because they’re made with compressed wheat or rice straw and made without formaldehyde. Choose a company who sells cabinets made with wood that’s sustainably sourced or choose bamboo wood. You can also go with cabinet companies who use wood that’s reclaimed although then you may be dealing with formaldehyde, so ask.

Look for alternatives: There are some recycled alternatives out there like the super cool vintage washboard cabinets from antiQues 2 uniQues. You can even build pie safe like cabinets with reclaimed tin.

Places to find sustainable cabinets:

Green Books on Sale – One Day Only!

September 8, 2009 in Books by Jennifer | No comments

In celebration of International Literacy Day, Better World Books is discounting all their used books in their warehouse 15% – which is an excellent deal and a great excuse to pick up some of those green living books you’ve been considering.

Note this deal includes books books from Better World Books’ warehouse, not from the Marketplace.

Better World Books is a super keen bookstore to support because one, they sell used books as well as new which saves books from the landfill. Secondly they works with literacy partners such as the National Center for Family Literacy, Books for Africa, and Room to Read, and every purchase at BetterWorldBooks.com supports global literacy initiatives around the world. I found some great green reads in their used collection. For example…

  • It’s Easy Being Green : A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living
  • Living Green (Earth in Danger)
  • The Lazy Environmentalist : Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living
  • Ed Begley, Jr. : Living Green (Voices for Green Choices)
  • Greenopia, Los Angeles :The Urban Dweller’s Guide to Green Living (Greenopia series)
  • The Real Goods Solar Living Sourcebook
  • And more!

To score your deal, just use this code at checkout:

4LITERACY
Use this code for 15% off your used book orders

Hurry though, this offer for 15% savings is only good for today; September 8, 2009.

Note: Better World Books is also holding a major sale on their used books – 5 used books from their bargain bin for just $15. Visit Better World Books.

Autumn Organic Flowers

September 4, 2009 in Green Your Home, Seasonal Green Living by Jennifer | No comments

We’re still about 2 weeks or so away from the official start of Autumn, but it’s not too soon to make your home look autumn ready with some amazing organic fall flowers. If you haven’t been growing your own fall garden, there are still some cool places to snag fall colors.

  1. First try your local Farmers Market and co-ops – they both likely carry organic flowers, but they’ll be grown locally so no emissions. Plus they’ll be fresher. Another perk is that you can arrange your own bouquet which is fun and creative.
  2. A second option is a local natural grocer or local organic flower shop. Some flower shops do carry organic flowers and plants, even if they’re not selling that point. Ask.
  3. If all else fails look online. It’s not as good, because there’s delivery involved, but it’s an awesome time of year to perk up the house with flowers, so if you gotta go online, you gotta. Following are some online Autumn bouquet picks that I adore.

Why that steak on your table is lowering your green home score

September 3, 2009 in Food & Drink by Jennifer | 1 comment

You may be cleaning with all natural cleaners, sleeping on organic sheets, gardening with organic methods and more, but if you’re not limiting the meat you eat, you’re not living as green as you could be.

Meat is an eco-baddie:

  • According to Sustainable Table, and plenty of other sources, meat production causes some major distress to the environment. Such as…
  • Animal waste produced by industrial farms release greenhouse gasses into the air.
  • Trucks that carry that meat and animals to and from stores also cost the world significant amounts of fossil fuels to power the trucks.
  • Animals, such as cows, are often fed low doses of antibiotics which can contribute to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in humans. Learn more about additives in meat such as hormones and antibiotics.
  • Destruction of rural communities throughout the country happen due to animal farming.
  • Animals on farms eat a huge amount of grains; in fact according to Environmental Nutrition it takes 7 tons of grains to produce just one ton of beef, and most of those grains aren’t grown organically so that’s a whole other pesticide issue.

I’m not even going to get into how animals on these farms are treated, because that’s a whole other level of badness.

So if you’re eating lots o’ meat, your footprint isn’t all that small. Cut out a few meat meals a week. Go nuts, cut most of them even. If you must eat meat go organic and read about meats that are somewhat more eco-friendly.

Learn more:

LEED Platinum-certified Prefab House by New World Home

September 2, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

New World Home, designer and builder of green prefab homes, just achieved a cool feat in green homes; a recent Georgia home by New World Home attained LEED Platinum-certification but without the use renewable energy sources. Devices that monitor energy consumption, an insulated moisture resistant foundation, a tankless water heater, low-flow toilets, great insulation, programmable thermostats, and more helped New World Home create a green home without the use of solar panels, wind turbines, or other renewable energy source.

One notable aspect of New World Home is the design of the homes. Take the Georgia home; while prefab, the home is old fashioned looking, and fits right into the neighborhood. Most prefabs are a little (to a lot) more modern in their design approach, which works for some people but not everyone.

According to New World Home, “A New Old Green Modular home is a newly produced home based upon historically inspired designs that are constructed with environmentally sanctioned products and practices, and are factory-built in a state-of-the-art, highly efficient manufacturing facility.”

Other perks of New World’s houses include:

  • Half the energy costs.
  • Reduced water consumption by thousands of gallons a year.
  • A savings of thousands of dollars annually in maintenance costs.
  • Homes can be erected and in move-in condition in less than 90 days.
  • All NOGM New World Home designs are LEED certifiable at base level – USGBC LEED for Home certifiable (Silver, Gold or Platinum).
  • Optimal Value Engineering – reduces lumber usage by 15-20%.
  • 90%+ of all lumber sourced from sustainably harvested forests and 3rd party verified.
  • Zero-VOC (volatile organic compound) adhesives, paints and finishes.
  • Ultra-efficient HVAC systems.
  • Optional alternative energy systems including solar and wind turbine.
  • Recycled content products utilized throughout the structure.
  • 20-50 year product warranties on many structural elements as specified by manufacturer.

See a gallery of the beautiful Georgia home below: Read the rest of this entry »

The Best Eco-Books for Kids

August 27, 2009 in Books, Children & Babies by Jennifer | No comments

Books are a common part of most households. If you’ve got kiddos, they probably have their very own bookshelves too. If you’re looking to beef those bookshelves up with some smart, eco-friendly reads, visit Planetpals.

Planetpals is not just a book site but a full on kids activity site with a green slant. There are facts about the earth, craft projects, free e-cards, educational materials for parents or teachers and so much more, including the Best Ever Planetpals Earth book list. And trust me, this really is the best earth-friendly book list ever for kids. It’s jam packed top to bottom with all sorts of carefully selected eco-books.

You can browse the list then head to your library or buy special books that your kids would like to own and read again and again.

If you’re an adult looking for some great green books check out the following:

How to green your books

15 of the best green home books

Are dryer sheets toxic?

August 27, 2009 in Green Cleaning by Jennifer | 2 comments

Why yes, in fact many traditional dryer sheets can be toxic. The EPA even notes that there are tons of toxic chemical goodies in normal old dryer sheets. They’re also totally unnecessary. Think about it. First off, if you hang dry (which is an eco-solution) you don’t need them anyhow. If you do use your dryer, why do you actually need dryer sheets? In most cases dryer sheets supposedly reduce cling, make clothes smell fresher, and make fabrics softer.

If you buy naturally made fiber clothing it’ll be softer naturally. As for the cling – well, how hard is it to shake out your clothes? Not much. And, once you wash your laundry it should smell fresh via that soap you used.

Still some folks love their fabric softener for that extra pump of fresh or what have you, so to mimic this sans dryer sheets, grab one reusable washcloth, sprinkle a few drops of essential oil on it and toss it in the dryer with your load. Your clothes will smell great and there’s nothing to toss. You can reuse the washcloth over and over.

Still if you insist on dryer sheets at least buy ones that are natural, biodegradable, and not full of chemicals, like…

Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Basil Dryer Sheets – made with a vegetable-derived softening agent and natural essential oils on a new biodegradable paper sheet.

Sun & Earth dryer sheets are hypoallergenic, non-toxic, biodegradable and safe to use. Available in scented “Fresh Citrus Scent” and “unscented”.

Do you use dryer sheets? Why or why not?

Got Boredom? Or Feel Ill? Try a Little Help!

August 26, 2009 in Fun by Jennifer | No comments

I thought that this hump day we’d take a break from helpful tips to have some… wait, some helpful tips. Ok, helpful tips that are more fun than usual. Help is this awesome fun site selling useful remedies with a side of funny.

What sort of shenanigans are you pulling? This is a green blog?:

Well, on the green side Help’s remedies are packaged in packaging made of molded paper pulp and a bio plastic made primarily of corn. These materials are recyclable under the right circumstances and will compost down faster in the landfill than other materials. Most health care remedies are packaged in plastics made from non-renewable oil so it’s a step in the right direction. Lastly, their products are sourced and manufactured locally. Also if you want to grasp at smaller straws, by supporting Help, you’re not supporting the “Man”. If you want to go there.

BUT the real joy is how much fun you can have at one flipping website. Think about it. You’re not using excess electricity or paper or driving around in a car. You can have fun surfing = eco-bonus.

What does Help sell?:

Frill free help for headaches, cuts, allergies, and more.

How are they fun?:

I like that they have clever wordsmiths writing their site. They’re straight up and funny without being mean (nice). However, for the truly bored they also have their awesome “Help, I’m Bored” area. It’s the simplest fun you’ll have online, but trust me you’ll like it. I’d say more but you sort of have to experience it for yourself.

Check out Help and beat the mid-week blahs.

Time for new eco-friendly throw pillows

August 25, 2009 in Green Your Home by Jennifer | No comments

Eco-friendly throw pillows are one easy way to amp up your decor without having to pay a lot or make huge time intensive changes. You can toss fresh throw pillows on beds, the sofa, a big chair, or even pile them on the ground near a bright window. Some eco-friendly throw pillows I like include:

Amenity – Organic Cove Pillows are a 55% Hemp, 45% Organic cotton blend fabric. They’re hand silk-screened and filled with Kapok or recycled polyester eco fill, plus have an organic cotton cover. Comes in rectangle or square and is available in tons of color choices.

K studio makes some extra adorable throw pillows in your choice of hemp, recycled wool, or organic cotton and all sorts of various color choices. Some I like include; all over branch pillow – bird pillow – neighborhood pillow.

Decorative organic cotton Eco-Art Pillows pillows are hand printed with modern designs using environmentally safe water-based inks and can be filled with organic kapok fiber sustainably harvested from the rain forest or soft ecofiber.

Lucky Earth: Wash your car with ZERO water

August 23, 2009 in Green Your Home, Healthy Green Home, On-the-Go by Jennifer | 2 comments

Each year people waste tons of excess water washing their car. As a home owner this not only raises your water costs but also runoff caused by the hose can allow chemicals from your car into your yard, driveway, and if you walk in that water, into your home via your shoes. One option that can keep your car clean without the negatives above is a waterless car wash. There are lots of waterless car wash brands on the market, but they’re not all the same. I recently tried Lucky Earth Waterless Car Wash and here’s the inside scoop…

Lucky Earth “Waterless” Car Wash is Lucky Earth’s signature car care product. It’s made with just water, natural surfactants (the cleaner) derived from coconut, and silicone. According to Lucky Earth, “The surfactants break up and lift the dirt from the vehicle’s surface, while the silicone allows the dirt to be easily whisked away without scratching.  The silicone leaves a smooth feel and glossy shine on automobiles, boats, and all types of motorsports and watercraft.” View the MSDS product sheet (pdf) which notes no toxic ingredients.

I reviewed the 32 oz. spray bottle of “Waterless” Car Wash which provides enough product to wash your car about 7-10 times. The wash doubles as an interior car cleaner, and can be used on the dashboard, leather seats, doors, and any other non-fabric surfaces. This product must be used with microfiber towels and I also got a set of those to review along with the wash.

What I think: Read the rest of this entry »

SIGG Bottle Liners Do Contain BPA!

August 22, 2009 in Uncategorized by Jennifer | No comments

Being that this is green home blog, we don’t often discuss things like reusable water bottles, which are a more on the go green topic vs. home topic. BUT since this is big news, eco-health news, and most of all a HUGE green consumer issue I wanted to post about all the SIGG water bottle drama going down.

In case you haven’t heard, SIGG’s CEO, Steve Wasik recently posted a letter to consumers at the SIGG website which states, in part, “SIGG bottles manufactured prior to August 2008 have the former water-based epoxy liner which contains trace amounts of BPA.” Well super.

In the past, SIGG has gotten pretty darn cranky when folks ask them about their liners. People and organizations in the past accused SIGG of having BPA in their liners and SIGG denied it in an offhanded way claiming, “SIGG bottles have been thoroughly tested in Europe to ensure 0% leaching of any substance – no trace of BPA, BPB or any phthalates…” Which yes may be true, but a lot of what SIGG has said and how they say it made it seem as if SIGG + BPA was the most absurd thing ever.  Now we find out it was not so absurd at all.

In any case, if you have a SIGG bottle that you purchased before 2008 or purchased an older bottle recently, there’s a super good chance that your liner does contain BPA. If that’s not cool with you I’d contact the company and let them know. For more posts and facts on this topic read:

Don’t slack on green cleaning when back-to-school schedules heat up

August 21, 2009 in Green Cleaning by Jennifer | No comments

Once back-to-school time gets going (soon!) it’s easy to run out of time quickly. Everyone in your family is busier and it’s oh so easy to buy a package of conventional cleaners to quickly wipe up spilled juice or dust. However, just because you’re busy you shouldn’t slack on green cleaning. This is one area you shouldn’t compromise on.

Some safer store bought cleaners!

Some safer store bought cleaners!

Let’s recap some of the major downsides of conventional cleaners:

  • They are toxic. If you listen to major cleaning companies you’ll see that they try and promote family health and safety, but why would you need gloves, open windows for ventilation when using them if they’re so darn safe. Why would you need to diligently keep the cleaners out of your child’s reach if these products were really safe? You wouldn’t. These conventional products will make you sick if you ingest them, can make you sick if you inhale their fumes, and if your little one gets a hold of them and ingests them he could become ill or even die.
  • They are tested on animals.
  • They are extremely over-packaged in most cases.
  • They don’t clean any better than eco-friendly cleaners.
  • They may be helping us to breed super awesome evolved germs – yay!

All that said, I know that it’s busy, and while overall I recommend making your own chemical free green household cleaners because it’s not a waste of packaging and it’s cheaper, I also get that people are on a tight schedule. With that in mind here are some store bought green cleaners I like (and a couple my pals like) that work and work fast but don’t sacrifice your eco-ethics.

Hyper Caffeinated Organic Yard Care

August 18, 2009 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 2 comments

You may LOVE coffee but you know who else does? Ok, yeah it’s me, but your yard also adores caffeine, or at least the grounds left over from your morning brew.

Why amp up your yard with coffee grounds?

  • Plants REALLY love nitrogen. Nitrogen is part of what makes your plants ultra healthy and coffee grounds release a ton of it along with other substances that promote healthy plant growth.
  • Coffee grounds are trouble free. You don’t have to compost the ground before you use them; although you can if you like – the grounds will just distribute through your compost mixture. However, if you don’t compost you can simply spread the grounds around evenly among your plants or til your grounds into the soil pre-planting.
  • Coffee grounds can detour pests from your garden. Slugs, snails and cats are just some of the garden pests who hate coffee grounds.
  • Coffee grounds, especially organic grounds don’t contain the same toxic stuff as many commercial plant foods.
  • If you drink coffee it’s a free bonus!
  • Bonus tip – if you’ve got some old beans that you don’t want to drink, keep them ungrounded and use them as mulch. You can sprinkle them among plants and the effect is pretty cool – like small glossy and fragrant pebbles.

Not a coffee drinker?

Visit your local coffee shop and see if you can score some used grounds. Ask your friends who may be willing to save some for you. If you can’t find used grounds it may be worth it to your tomatoes to buy some beans and brew some coffee anyhow. You can use the coffee (cooled) to water your plants then use the grounds in the garden.

Extending Your Organic Garden Into Autumn

August 13, 2009 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | No comments

Although summer is winding down, your organic garden can still remain strong and offer lots of food choices for an Autumn harvest.

Before planting your fall garden, make sure you do some basic maintenance of your current summer garden, such as…

  • Deadhead any flowers and remove old stems.
  • Remove any summer crops that aren’t producing decent plants anymore and remove any dead or weak plants.
  • Re-fertilize with a good organic fertilizer to give end of summer plants a boost and to make sure your soil is ready for fall planting.
  • Keep on weeding now. Once it starts raining in the fall weeds can pop up sooner. Weed as an ongoing task so the job doesn’t get too big.
  • Repair broken garden decor and tools and remove any summer recyclables like old mossy garden post, rusty tools, and so on.

Good Autumn organic vegetable seeds to pick up and plant soon include:

  • Arugula
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Carrots
  • Collards
  • Kale
  • Lettuce
  • Mustard
  • Shallots
  • Swiss Chard
  • Beets
  • Broccoli Raab
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Garlic
  • Kohlrabi
  • Mesclun
  • Radishes
  • Spinach

If food isn’t your deal there are some pretty fall perennials to plant too, like…

  • Echinacea
  • Blue lavender
  • Rudbeckia
  • Hydrangea

Are you keeping your garden going this fall?

Locate Special Offers and Rebates from ENERGY STAR Partners

August 11, 2009 in Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | 1 comment

Just an FYI, ENERGY STAR makes it pretty darn easy to save energy and money at the same time. At the ENERGY STAR website they’ve got a deep search function that’s built to help encourage customers to buy energy efficient products. The benefit to you – the customer is that you might score a killer deal.

Some of the current price reductions you can search for include sales tax exemptions or credits, or rebates on qualified products via ENERGY STAR and their partners. Sometimes you’ll also be able to find partner sponsored recycling incentives for the proper disposal of old products.

How to get a deal:

  1. Head to the ENERGY STAR special offers page of their website.
  2. Enter your zip-code (many rebates depend on where you live) and click to see if there are any special offers or rebates currently available on ENERGY STAR qualified products in your area.
  3. You can also drill the search down by choosing specific products, such as a washer or a refrigerator.

We all want to buy the best and most energy efficient products to save money and to support a healthy planet, and this ENERGY STAR feature just offers a little help and incentive in doing so.

Are Hairy Legs Green?

August 8, 2009 in Healthy Green Home, Water by Jennifer | No comments

Actually yeah they are. If you don’t mind going leg commando, hairy legs have smooth legs beat, at least on the eco-front. Some research notes that as many as 2 billion razors get tossed into the landfill yearly. Since, by now we all know that plastic razors won’t biodegrade, that sort of sucks a lot. Secondly, plenty of those shaving creams and gels contain icky chemicals and come in plastic bottles which some of us need to be better about recycling.

Still, I know some of us like to shave (even me). I went through a eco-feminist deal where I didn’t shave for years, but when I moved to New Mexico it was so damn hot I had to shave – I mean, as in so hot you want to shave not only your legs but maybe your head too. At that point I looked for eco-shaving options like…

  • Shaving less – you can shave, but the fewer times you shave the less resources you use.
  • Shave with the water off. Soak your legs as you scrub then turn the water off and shave.
  • Use an electric razor. Eco-destruction caused by plastic is far worse than the tiny amount of energy you’ll use with an electric razor
  • For the very brave, use an old school razor – you know, the type with a longer lasting metal and replaceable blade.
  • Buy recycled razors. Sadly there aren’t so many around. I LOVE the Preserve company. However, in my smack down, Eco vs. Conventional: the Preserve Razor faces the Gillette Razor, Gillette won for function. I’m still looking and considering giving Preserve another shot though.

Shaving cream:

There are so many good good natural, organic, non-toxic, and non aerosol shaving creams on the market today that it’s silly to use anything else. My favorite hands down is vedaDUDE Glide Organic Shave Gel. But you can also try checking Skin Deep for some excellent non-toxic shaving cream and gel choices. Your local natural foods store, co-op, or organic section of the grocery store will have lots more options as well.

Do you shave your legs? What products are your faves?

Sneaky bathroom water saving tips

August 7, 2009 in Water by Jennifer | 1 comment

The saving more water issue really isn’t all that complicated. In fact, you can sum it up in three little words – use less water. Wow. Right? However, for those of you who might like more substantial tips, here ya go…

  • Don’t assume showers save water: Yeah you may have heard this in the past, but know that there are major variables. For example,  according to the Environment Agency, “A 5-minute shower uses about a third of the water of a bath. But remember that power showers can use more water than a bath in less than 5 minutes.“  Now, if my son takes a shower he messes around, takes forever and wastes a lot more water than he might in the bath. But a person who just jumps in and out may save more in the shower. It all depends. If you’re fast a shower is likely your best bet. If you lag, a bath could be more efficient.
  • Shower with a buddy: I couldn’t shower with my son when he was little because he was a hot water hog, but if you’ve got easy going kids or a willing partner, showering together may be more efficient.
  • Lower your time in the shower: You don’t need a daily shower. If you’re not working construction, how dirty are you really getting? Try taking a shower every other day or only washing your hair a couple of times a week.
  • When shaving your legs, scrubbing up, or applying hair treatments turn the water off.
  • Put all your kids in the tub at once.
  • I hate using timers for showers, but I don’t take long ones anyhow. If you do, a timer can really help you to save water.
  • Hot water is bad for your skin; it can dry your skin out. Plus cold water makes your hair shiny. With this in mind, turn the water temp down, which one, saves energy, and two, being that it’s cold you may get out sooner.
  • Place a reusable bin in the tub with you as you shower – be careful not to trip over it!). Collect shower water and use it to water house plants or outside plants or wash the car or mop the floor.

New small home plans that are realistic for families

August 5, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

Most small home plans you encounter are perfect if you happen to be a single person or couple, but many are completely inappropriate for families with kids. 5 Elements Design is looking to change that. The company, centrally located in California, offers full building assistance to residents in most of California, Oregon and Washington when needed and small home plans to anyone in the country.

5 Elements Design new three semi-custom stock home plans are small in size, designed to be eco-friendly, made to lower energy costs, and allow families to benefit from a custom house plan without the cost of an architect. However, according to partner and co-founder Misty Weaver, “Clients really want to live smaller, but they aren’t interested in giving up their family rooms, or storage. We are focusing on designs that feel bigger than they are, and incorporating built-ins and other design features that make room for realistic family living.”

The homes:

The MOD consists of three different modules, the living, sleeping and bedroom suite, which can be combined in many different configurations to meet the needs of a growing family.
Read the rest of this entry »

7 Ways To Conserve Water and Energy in the Bathroom

August 4, 2009 in Save Energy, Save Money, Water by Jennifer | 1 comment

Keep it green from the get-go. If you’re building or remodeling, invest in an earth-friendly tub. Diamond Spas and Durat both have eco-friendly options. Durat is especially cool making tubs of solid material with recycled plastics (see Durat tub example above). Check for water leaks: You can do this by checking your water meter say, at 8am. Wait two or three hours but run no water during that time. Re-check your meter and if it’s changed, there’s a leak.

Insulate hot water pipes for hotter water even after changing your heat to a lower setting.

Insulate the water heater tank: It only takes about a year to get back the money you save on this investment and you’ll conserve energy.

Water softeners may cost you: Only use if seriously necessary. According to American Water & Energy Savers, you can “Save water and salt by running the minimum amount of regenerations necessary to maintain water softness. Turn softeners off while on vacation.”

Install water-saving low-flow shower heads.

Take shorter showers – technically you should wash up and get out not linger.

Buy an inexpensive tank bank or float booster for your toilet. This alone could save you ten or more gallons of water per day.

How To Cut Heat Loss and Conserve Energy with Evergreen Tree Windbreaks

August 3, 2009 in Green Your Home, Organic Gardening, Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | No comments

The following is a special report from Fast Growing Trees Nursery about how to effectively lower your energy costs, improve your landscaping, and save money all due to trees!

According to The Department of Environmental Protection, evergreen windbreaks are the most effective component in cutting winter heat loss. Research indicates that heat energy savings of up to 40 percent are possible resulting from diminished wind velocity and reduced air infiltration into your home. Considering the U.S. average, that could mean a savings of as much as $400 per winter!

Location is the most important factor in effectively planting a windbreak. The evergreens should be planted north and northwest of your home. That will place them perpendicular to the strongest and coldest winter winds. Plant the trees in a “U” or “L” shape to block the wind most effectively. The best zone of wind protection occurs from 2 to 7 times the height of the trees you plant. For example, if the mature height of the evergreens you’re planting is 20 feet, then the zone of maximum protection will occur 40 to 140 feet downwind. Keep this zone in mind when figuring out how close to a structure you’ll need to plant your trees for the greatest effect. Finally, decide how far apart to plant your trees. Plant them more closely to have them grow together quickly. Or plant them farther apart to save money but wait a little longer for them to fill in.

Keep a few things in mind as you plant your evergreen trees. Evergreens like full to partial sun and just about any soil conditions. Dig a hole slightly shallower and about twice the diameter of the root system. Use your shovel to scrape the walls of the planting hole so the roots can easily penetrate the soil as they grow. Then, set each tree in the planting hole and spread out the roots. The bottom of the hole should be firm enough to keep the tree from sinking after it’s planted. The top of the root ball should be about an inch above the surrounding soil. Then make sure the tree is straight up and down in the hole. A level is very helpful for accuracy.

Finally, apply water as you backfill the hole with soil to remove any air pockets. Break up dirt clods and remove any grass, stones or other debris. After the transplant is complete, water each tree again well. To keep the soil moist, it is recommended that you mulch around the tree. Use enough mulch to reach a depth of 2 to 3 inches. This will keep the moisture in and slow down the growth of weeds and grass.

For more detailed info on how to plant evergreen trees, visit Fast-Growing-Trees.com and check out their planting information.

Green your books – eco-reading tips

August 2, 2009 in Books by Jennifer | 1 comment

There are a ton of green home and green living books out there, and you know the funny part; few are printed on recycled paper and while many are helpful, many of these books end up tossed away. If you’re looking for eco-books, or any books for that matter make sure you green your reading.

  • Look for e-books (electronic versions of your favorite books).
  • Get books from the library.
  • Share books with friends (or strangers) or bad books with people you don’t like ;) hey, it’s recycling!
  • Visit used book stores to close the loop and save some cash.
  • Look for books printed on recycled paper.
  • Write publishers and tell them to publish on recycled paper and to print with recycled ink.
  • Donate books to schools, non-profits, or community centers
  • Offset your book footprint.
  • Read less – get out into nature more (you can do it!)
  • Recycle old books.

What else can you think of that will help green your reading experience?

Low-cost help for the poorly weatherized home

August 1, 2009 in Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | No comments

I know it’s hot as blazes, (it’s been around 100 in Oregon) but this is actually a good time to think about your home’s energy use during the winter. Right now there are programs available for low-income families that can help to weatherize your home so that once fall and winter come your home will stay warmer and your wallet fuller as you save energy.

Saving home energy and conserving resources can be expensive if you need to make changes to your home. However, The U.S Department of Energy (DOE) offers a Weatherization Assistance Program that, in the last 32 years has provided assistance to more than 6.2 million families. The Weatherization Assistance Program enables low-income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. How the program works is, “Weatherization service providers install energy efficiency measures in the homes of qualifying homeowners free of charge. These are not expensive upgrades—the average expenditure limit is $2,826 per home—but they are effective, and energy savings pay for the upgrades within a few years.”

Savings to you: On average, weatherization of your home reduces your heating bills by 32% and overall energy bills by about $350 per year at current prices.

Are you eligible?

The DOE estimates that around 20 to 30 million U.S. families are eligible for services. Home owners and renters may qualify and if you get Supplemental Security Income or Aid to Families with Dependent Children than you are automatically eligible. Preference is given to those 60 years or older, families who have one or more members with disabilities, and families with children. Mainly they’ll go by your income to see if you qualify. If you are eligible you may get things like a microwave for low energy cooking, a wrapped water heater and more.

Contact your local state weatherization program to see if you are eligible and to learn how to apply.

If you can’t get assistance through the DOE you might qualify for:

  • Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  • Many local energy suppliers offer assistance programs. Programs vary greatly though so contact your local provider and ask about consumer assistance in paying your bill.

Five simple ways to care for the planet

August 1, 2009 in Green Your Home by Jennifer | No comments

You can do so many things to go green but sometimes the best things are little things that you do over and over without fail. These small changes add up. Here are some great ideas…

Buy recycled and recyclable packaging only: Choose one item; toys, home goods, food, or so on. Food is an easy one. Every time you buy packaged food make sure the packaging is both recycled and/ or recyclable. It’s super easy to locate this sort of packaging. First off, many products will be labeled with the words, “100% recycled packaging” or sometimes a lower content. If there is no label look at the underside of the package. If it’s bright white it’s likely made from new, not recycled materials. If it’s brown or gray, it’s usually made from recycled content.

Boycott a conventional product: Be sure that this is a product you might actually use and or like, but boycott it on account of an eco-unfriendly quality. For example, your favorite shampoo if it’s tested on animals. Boycott and write the company to let them know why you refuse to buy it anymore.

Buy three new reusable items this month: Cloth napkins, a water bottle, a stainless steel food container instead of plastic baggies, a reusable coffee filter, and so on. You’ll get a cool eco-product and cut your consumption of disposables.

Fix something: Broken appliances, gear, clothing, and toys litter the landfills. Can you fix something instead of tossing it out? Why not fix two things? It’ll become a habit.

Turn out the lights once a week: Light candles, play board games, go outside for an evening walk, or read stories on the patio at dusk. You don’t need electricity to have fun.

What simple steps are you taking to go green?

What’s in an eco-friendly pantry?

July 29, 2009 in Eco Kitchen, Food & Drink by Jennifer | No comments

Eco-friendly kitchen pantries have some common themes…

  • Bulk food items in reusable bulk bags and containers. Bulk food cuts down on packaging considerably and most eco grocers and co-ops have fab bulk sections with everything from spices to flour to cereal to dried fruit to pasta. In fact you can usually get natural peanut butter in bulk even at most decent co-ops.
  • Large size of stuff you use all the time. The larger the package the better the eco-deal. I.e. a huge jar of tomatoes for sauce vs. a tiny can.
  • Food items that are free from double and triple packaging. It’s totally unnecessary to buy a box of food that’s sitting in a tray, wrapped in plastic, then placed in a box.
  • No individually wrapped items. Fruit snacks, granola bars, seasoning, crackers for kids, and candy can all be found in bulk or in larger loose packaging.
  • Bottles and jars that come with safety caps that pop – much better than shrink wrapped caps.
  • Glass bottles of condiments and juice vs. plastic.
  • Local and organic food items. At least a decent bulk of your food items should be organic, bulk and in season.
  • Simple food items such as brown rice or plain noodles rice mixes and noodle mixes for instance.The former food items use more package than necessary and often contain lots of chemicals and preservatives.

What’s in your pantry – have you looked lately to see what you might be able to make greener?

ECOlunchbox Kit – Gorgeous Waste Free Lunches

July 28, 2009 in On-the-Go, Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | 1 comment

I tend to stick to home topics here, but since back-to-school time is rapidly approaching, and because I know some of you must take a lunch to work, we’re going to be looking at some cool waste-free lunch kits over the next couple weeks.

Why bother?

Waste-Free Lunches estimates that the average kid’s lunch creates 67 pounds of waste per school year (that’s about 19,000 lbs of waste per each average elementary school). It’s not just kids either. How many adults carry a lunch to work each day? How many college students. When you get thinking about the numbers it’s insane. Bagged lunches are full of all sorts of waste that end up in the landfill. Some typical waste…

  • Paper bags
  • Plastic bags
  • Plastic containers
  • Cracker and cookie snack packs
  • Yogurt tubes and cups
  • Drink bottles
  • Juice boxes
  • Plastic baggies, foil, and plastic wrap for all sorts of foods.
  • Lunchables and other building lunch kits.
  • Paper napkins
  • Plastic silverware.

It’s not pretty and it’s a huge waste. Many people won’t or can’t take the time to recycle either. That said, you can still take a lunch anywhere but make it waste-free. There are plenty of safe and reusable lunch kits on the market right now.

I wanted to start of with something extra yummy so we’ll kick off our look at waste free lunches with ECOlunchbox Kits. These lovely lunch kits come with almost everything you need to pack the perfect waste-free lunch.

This lunchbox kit is 100% plastic-free, waste-free, lead-free, BPA-free, PVC-free and vinyl-free. It includes:

  • A handmade ECOlunchbag that’s machine washable and 100% cotton. Sewn from fabrics that are hand block printed by artisans in India, and oh so pretty. Many color and style choices available. The bag is fully reversible and adjustable to fit children and adults. It converts to a backpack, sling bag, shoulder bag and hip bag. I just wish it was organic – but it’s still pretty cool.
  • A two-tier stainless steel food container that’s dishwasher safe. Comes with closures that are kid-tested and will not snap little fingers. The container is designed to fit three different foods. The bottom layer is 1 inch deep and fits a small whole sandwich while the top layer is 1 1/2 inches deep and fits cut fruit, dry snacks, pasta or salad. There is also a small inner box, which contains 1/2 cup, and is good for thick yogurt, thick applesauce or cut fruit. They didn’t use any plastic or gaskets so the lids are not 100% leak-proof.
  • Three cloth napkins designed for use as placemats or napkins.
  • A spork is made of sustainably grown bamboo.

The only thing bad about this set is since it’s cloth a typical ice pack will sweat in there and make a mess. However, you can get a very nice non-toxic ice pak and sweat free cover to remedy that situation. It also doesn’t come with a water bottle, but there are plenty of good ones on the market.

Learn more at ECOlunchboxes.

How to make recycling easier for your kids

July 26, 2009 in Children & Babies, Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | No comments

Recycling should be a family affair but to kids, especially young ones, it can seem super complicated. Which recyclables go in which bin, which stuff is actually recyclable vs. trash, and which items can be reused or donated before you recycle.

How to help:

  • First crank up a dialogue with the kids – talk about recycling objectives for the home. They may not get all of it in one sitting, but eventually small conversations start to add up in their thirsty little brains.
  • Make a poster – set up a handy poster with visuals of typical items your home uses – i.e. cans, glass jars, paper, and so on. Have the kids help with this project. You can search old magazines for images to use on your poster.
  • Label your bins – once you have your home recycling center set up, make sure to label to bins with text for older kids and pictures for younger kids.
  • Make it meaningful – plan a trip to your local recycling plant so your kids can see their actions in well, action.
  • Make sure they understand reuse vs. recycling. For example, their old toys and book would go into a reuse/donate bin but an old used up piece of art paper should be recycled.

Are you involving your kids in the recycling process?

Homemade Non-Toxic Citrus Creamy Cleaner

July 26, 2009 in Green Cleaning by Jennifer | No comments

Traditional, conventional creamy cleansers clean ok, but often contain chemicals, fake fragrances, and preservatives plus other junk that’s not healthy for your home or health. In fact, many creamy cleansers on the market tell you to wear gloves before using them. IF you have to wear gloves to clean it doesn’t say much for the safety of a product. You can also look into some eco-creamy cleaners on the market, but so far I haven’t found any I love.

Here’s a recipe for one creamy soft citrus scrubber…

TO MAKE:

Grab 1/2 cup to one cup baking soda and slowly mix in some natural liquid soap until the consistency is like cake frosting. If you’re using it all at once you can add some squeezed citrus juice of your choice – i.e juice of a lime, lemon, or orange. If you’re not using it all at once, don’t use real citrus juice but instead use 5-10 drops of orange or lemon essential oil.

TO USE:

Pour or scoop the mixture onto a reusable cleaning cloth, scrub brush, or eco-friendly sponge and scrub down the surface. Rinse well when you’re done scrubbing or wipe down again with a wet cloth. This recipe rinses clean and won’t leave grit or scratch most surfaces. You can use it on tubs, sinks, counters, and more. If you’re not sure if a surface is too delicate, do a test scrub on one little spot.

TO STORE:

Put the remaining mixture into a sealed container, I like using old glass jars. Add a tsp or two of vegetable glycerin (which will keep the cleanser moist).

Water Saving Laundry Tips

July 24, 2009 in Water by Jennifer | No comments

Laundry with kids is a pain – it’s never ending! Am I wrong? And I just have the one child; all you parents with 2, 3, and 4 + kiddos amaze me. Do you ever stop washing clothes? There are still ways to conserve water though, i.e. lessen the loads besides simply buying a more efficient washer…

Separating laundry is overrated: I’m not saying toss a red shirt into a load of white towels, but everyone is so darn picky about separating clothing, from bedding, from baby items, and so fourth. MOST of your stuff can be washed together with fine results. I know plenty of folks who will wash a half load or a not quite full load because they don’t have enough of one sort of item to fill the load. When you don’t fill the washer it wastes water and energy. Around here we have two sorts of loads – delicate and not delicate. That’s it. Mix it up – I swear the world won’t end. NOTE: on the rare occasions that I do have a red item, or some other maybe leaky color item, I wash it with the old cleaning rags – who cares what color they are.

Buy washable stuff: This sort of goes along with the above tip. If you buy hard to wash items, or items that do absolutely need to be washed alone, it’s going to waste water. When purchasing clothing, bedding, and other textiles, base part of your decision on ease o’ care.

Babies aren’t that sensitive: When Cedar was a babe, his pediatrician said we could wash his baby stuff with our adult stuff no problem. We used an eco-friendly, dye-free, fragrance-free detergent, but we used it for everything. The only time you actually need to wash your baby’s clothing in a separate load is if he happens to have seriously sensitive skin and you need to use more expensive baby wash, or if he’s a preemie, which may make him more sensitive (ask your pediatrician).

Hand washing can save water on super dedicates… but: Only if you fill a basin, or the sink, then turn the water off. Lots of folks tend to wash as the water runs, but it’s unnecessary.

Don’t be so fresh: Towels can be used a lot. Most clothing can be worn more than once. Cloth napkins in a fairly tidy meal environment can be used for the next meal too.

What else can you think of?

WIN $100.00 Worth of Earth Friendly Products for the Home

July 24, 2009 in Contests & Giveaways, Green Cleaning by Jennifer | No comments

You may remember that we’ve looked at Earth Friendly Products here before, such as their Orange Plus Surface Cleaner and their All-Natural Ice Melt.

I really like most of the Earth Friendly Products I’ve tried and right now you can win some! They’re giving away $100.00 worth of their award-winning eco-friendly products on Facebook to 10 lucky winners – product they’re giving away include…

  • ECOS laundry detergent – the #1 selling green laundry detergent in the US and Canada (I love their detergent BTW)
  • Wave Auto Dishwashing Gel
  • Oxo-Brite Non-chlorine bleach
  • Eco Breeze fabric refreshener
  • Dishmate Hand Dishwashing Detergent
  • And more…

To enter to win all you have to do is become a fan of Earth Friendly Products on Facebook then, on their fan page, tell them why you should win. The winners will be picked on August 1, 2009.

If you enter and win let me know!

What is low-impact living?

July 23, 2009 in Green Your Home, Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | No comments

Low-impact living, in basic terms, is living lightly, or as lightly as you can on the planet. Everything we do, from the day we’re born, affects the planet. Your goal as someone who wants to live green and protect the planet is to lower your impact when you can. You can’t have a zero impact – it’s impossible, but you can take small and major steps to green all aspects of your life.

First of all, if you don’t know you’re impact you’re stumbling around in the dark. Calculate your own eco-impact using the new and improved Low Impact Living Environmental Impact Calculator. Once you enter your zipcode this powerful calculator will show you your personal carbon footprint along with the energy, water, wastewater, trash, and stormwater runoff footprints of your home and lifestyle. Additionally, it recommends projects based on your specific inputs that can save you money, reduce your environmental impact, or in many cases both at the same time.

Once you have your score the next step is decisions and research. It’s hard to lower all your impacts at once so you can choose a couple to work on, and once you get those impacts parred down, choose some more. You can make decisions based on a few factors:

  • Choose an impact that will save you money – i.e work on energy savings for the home.
  • Choose an impact you believe in – i.e. if you’re passionate about ocean life work on buying sustainable seafood and doing some beach clean-ups.
  • Choose an impact that affects many aspects of sustainability – i.e. choosing to work on your transport impact can save you money, help halt the effects of global warming, and make air quality better in your direct area.

Here are five common impacts we make on the planet and some tips for lowering your impact…

NEW Eco-Performance Kitchen Faucets from Moen

July 21, 2009 in Save Energy, Save Money, Water by Jennifer | No comments

Moen has just introduced a new line of green kitchen faucets. They’ve already been carrying other green faucets for a while but their new eco-performance line of kitchen faucets is being touted as the first real green water saving faucets for the kitchen. The new Lindley Eco-Performance kitchen faucet offers beautiful, traditional styling, consumer-preferred high-arc pulldown spout – and a multi-function spray wand featuring water-saving settings.

Kevin Campbell, director of retail marketing for Moen notes, “While homeowners are concerned about saving water, the thought of waiting at the kitchen sink to fill a pot or pitcher is not very appealing… We are so excited to be the first in the kitchen category to offer homeowners a water-saving kitchen faucet that still provides the exceptional performance they have come to expect from Moen.”

What makes these faucets eco-friendly?

Faucets offer three unique water-flow settings. For everyday tasks that require constant, yet low-water flow, such as washing dishes or preparing foods, homeowners can choose new eco-performance standard stream or aerated spray modes. These special setting help you save water and money by providing a reduced flow rate of 1.75 gallons per minute (gpm), which translates to a 32 percent water savings. For tasks that require a set amount of water, such as filling a pot or pitcher – you can switch your faucet to the fast-fill mode, which flows at the standard 2.2 gpm rate.

Other perks:

  • The pulldown wand offers an ergonomic design with a fiber hose and a ball joint at the end of the wand.
  • Lindley faucets offer Moen’s patented Hydrolock installation system which connects the faucet and supply lines together with a telltale “click” for a quick, easy and secure connection.
  • Lindley faucets are available in LifeShine Classic Stainless or in Moen’s new Mediterranean Bronze finish.

The faucets are available at Home Depot or through the Moen website.

How long will my junk sit in a landfill?

July 18, 2009 in Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | 1 comment

I hope you are recycling. Many items we use often will never biodegrade OR will take tons of years to do so. In fact, many items if tossed will take longer than your lifespan to decompose. That won’t do. Worldwise used to have this cool chart at their website about how long things take to recycle. The chart is gone, but I had the facts saved so here you go…

If you fail to recycle an item then how long will said item sit in the landfill?

Cotton rags
1-5 months

Paper
2-5 months

Rope
3-14 months

Orange peels
6 months

Wool socks
1 to 5 years

Cigarette butts
1 to 12 years

Plastic coated paper milk cartons
5 years

Leather shoes
25 to 40 years

Nylon fabric
30 to 40 years

Tin cans
50 to 100 years

Aluminum cans
80 to 100 years

Plastic 6-pack holder rings
450 years

Glass bottles
1 million years

Plastic bottles
Forever

In other words, WAY too long. If you don’t have your recycling plan organized, read What You Can’t Recycle and learn about how to do a trash audit. Then get your home recycling center organized with some Attractive Recycling Bins for Your Home.

Are you recycling as much as you can? What could you be doing better?

Dress up your home with recycled glass tiles

July 17, 2009 in Green Building, Green Your Home by Jennifer | 2 comments

Tiles are an excellent home application because they can be used for so many things – back splashes in bathrooms or kitchens, counters, you can tile a whole darn wall, surface a swimming pool, use glass tiles in mosaics in the garden or on a fountain, used to highlight an outside walkway, and more. Tiles are also easy to clean and look great. You can get tiles that add a pop of color or tiles that brighten a room.

What kind of tiles to get:

If you want your home to be green, look for recycled glass tiles. Various manufactures use varied percentages of recycled glass in their tiles and also each company will have different eco-policies and ethics in place. One cool place for recycled tiles is Stardust Glass.

Stardust is nice because they offer their tiles at a number of stores but will also work with consumers directly. Stardust Glass creates sustainable, handmade decorative glass tiles made from 87-97% recycled glass; pre-consumer scrap glass, that’s typically headed for the landfill. They also use recyclable materials for product packing and shipping. Plus they use a kiln to fuse their glass tiles, rather than a furnace. A furnace uses more energy and produces more harmful emissions than a kiln.

Additionally their tiles come in a wide range of styles and colors. Click on a gallery picture below to see their work up close…

Evening Breeze Air Conditioned Canopy Bed for Energy Savings

July 15, 2009 in Furniture & Appliances, Save Energy by Jennifer | No comments

The Evening Breeze Bed is a tease if you aren’t traveling to an exotic location; but so cool we have to see it anyhow. The Evening Breeze Bed is a stylish air conditioned canopy bed, designed to provide cool air plus the desired temperature and humidity in a bedroom. There’s a mosquito net (the canopy) which also protects you from unwanted biting intruders. Bed temperature levels range from a gentle breeze to extra cooling for hot nights.

Air conditioners, according to Evening Breeze, are the number one energy consumers in tropical households and holiday homes. The average energy use for the Evening Breeze bed is only 400 Watt, which means a typical energy use decline of 60% per room in a tropical (hot, muggy) setting. This implies a yearly saving of 4 MWh, equaling 1.000 USD or 2,5 tons of CO2 pollution.

Evening Breeze also has a triple filter system process to make sure that the air you are breathing is 99,97% free of airborne particles. You can keep your windows and doors open since the air is concentrated around the bed vs. room, so you don’t lose air. This means you get freshly circulating air all night long.

Where can you get one?

Right now it looks like this bed is a commercial deal. Got a hotel or holiday home and you’re good to go. Residential use, I’m less clear on. The team over at Evening Breeze notes, “We are currently developing our sales and service network in the Caribbean and Africa. If you are interested in an Evening Breeze bed, please let us know. We will tell you when and where our beds are available in your region.” Contact them here.

I think cooling just a sleeping area makes a lot of sense even if you’re not in the tropics. You save money, save energy, and get a pretty canopy bed to boot. Hopefully we see this available on a wider scale soon.

What do you think – does the Evening Breeze Bed look good to you? Learn more at Evening Breeze.

Elegant Organic Berries and Zabaglione for Dessert

July 14, 2009 in Food & Drink by Jennifer | 1 comment

We’re always talking about saving electricity, organic soil, indoor air quality, and greener building practices here at Best Green Home Tips. While I’ll admit, it’s fun for me to talk about, it’s not totally cool summerlicious fun, now is it? Thus today I thought we’d divert from home help to home elegance and fun with a cool dessert you can whip up for one of those late evening meals on the patio I hope you’re having during these warm months.

Berries and Zabaglione dessert…

This classic twist on an Italian dessert comes courtesy of Driscoll’s Berries, who offers a wide selection of organic berries in various stores around the country. You can whip this up and serve it in wine glasses as shown above for an elegant display. You can garnish with organic mint or organic edible flowers from your garden too.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Makes 4 servings

  • 2 packages (6 ounces each) Driscoll’s Organic Raspberries, Organic Blackberries or Organic Blueberries or 3 cups sliced hulled Organic Strawberries.
  • 4 large organic egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
  1. Divide berries between four 8-ounce dessert dishes or stemmed glasses.
  2. Fill the bottom of a double boiler (or a saucepan with a metal bowl fitted snugly on top) with 1-2 inches of water or just below bowl. Bring water to a simmer.
  3. Beat egg yolks and sugar in top of double boiler or bowl with an electric mixer or wire whisk until fluffy and light in color, about 5 minutes. Maintain water at a low simmer while beating.
  4. Add Marsala 1 tablespoon at a time, continuously beating until mixture forms very soft peaks, about 8 minutes.
  5. Pour Zabaglione over berries and serve immediately.

Nutrition Per Serving: 238 calories, 4.79g total fat, 1.64g saturated fat, 3.39g protein, 37.47g carbohydrate, 209.78mg cholesterol, 2.04g fiber, 192mg sodium

If this looks good you might also want to check out Driscoll’s Berries Homemade Organic Blackberry Chocolate Frozen Yogurt recipe too.

Seven Ideas for Extra Home Energy Savings

July 12, 2009 in Save Energy, Save Money by Jennifer | 1 comment

There are so many ideas for energy savings that there are solutions for almost any home out there. Even if you’re already doing the basics; turning off lights, using energy efficient appliances, you can always try to save more energy and money. Here are ten ideas recommended by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy that we haven’t looked at here before.

  1. Replace any older windows with energy efficient windows OR at the very least caulk leaky windows.
  2. If you’ve got a waterbed, make sure you make the bed daily. Simply covering a waterbed up can save you one-third of the energy it typically uses.
  3. Insulate any hot water pipes and ducts that run through unheated areas.
  4. When buying a new dishwasher look for a no-heat drying feature which uses fans powered by room air vs. electricity.
  5. You should routinely look at your energy and utility bills to see which areas you could be doing better in. Some homes are energy guzzlers, but do ok with water conservation. You won’t know how your home is doing if you always pay the bill without stopping to think.
  6. Your heating and cooling systems need to be tuned up twice a year to keep them running at maximum performance.
  7. All those little cracks in your house can add up to the energy lost through, say a door kept open 24/7. Go through the house and check for all those tiny cracks. Seal up the largest air leaks in your home first (i.e. you can hear them leaking on windy days). The largest cracks are usually found near utility cut-throughs for pipes (”plumbing penetrations”), gaps around chimneys, recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and in unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets.

Testing your home air quality

July 8, 2009 in Air Quality, Healthy Green Home by Jennifer | No comments

Poor air quality is rampant in many homes. It’s smart to test your home air quality, plus not even that expensive. Most homes don’t need fancy testing solutions. Two kits you can pick up at your local hardware / home & garden shop include a basic carbon monoxide detector and a radon testing kit.

Talking Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm

A carbon monoxide detector will sound an alarm if gas levels in your home rise to an unsafe level. Carbon monoxide can leak from any poorly maintained fuel burning appliance and an appliance can go wacky without you knowing. Other places carbon monoxide can come from include, kerosene and gas space heaters; leaking chimneys and furnaces; back-drafting from furnaces, gas water heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces; gas stoves; generators and other gasoline powered equipment; automobile exhaust from attached garages; and tobacco smoke, worn or poorly adjusted and maintained combustion devices (e.g., boilers, furnaces) or nearby auto, truck, or bus exhaust.

If you’re exposed to carbon monoxide at low levels you may feel fatigue or chest pain. At high concentrations, carbon monoxide can cause impaired vision and coordination; headaches; dizziness; confusion; nausea, flu-like symptoms, angina, impaired vision, and reduced brain function. CO exposure can be fatal. A carbon monoxide detector can actually save your life and all homes should have at least one.

The U.S. Surgeon General and EPA recommend that all homes be tested for radon. Radon, a radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste, can pose a danger to your family’s health. Radon is the most common cause of lung cancer (after smoking) and claims about 20,000 lives annually. Studies show that it’s found in all 50 states and that one out of every 15 homes has an elevated radon level.

According to the EPA, radon can creep into your home through…

  1. Cracks in solid floors
  2. Construction joints
  3. Cracks in walls
  4. Gaps in suspended floors
  5. Gaps around service pipes
  6. Cavities inside walls
  7. The water supply

Luckily testing for radon only takes minutes and is easy to do. Learn how to test for radon.

Testing your home air quality is just one part of the puzzle. You need to also keep mold in check, keep icky chemicals out of your home, and take daily steps to improve your indoor air quality.

Ideas for green and healthy teeth

July 7, 2009 in Healthy Green Home by Jennifer | 1 comment

Yesterday we looked at eco-friendly toothpaste options, but greener teeth care doesn’t end there. There are lots of other issues involved with keeping your teeth care habits green and healthy.

Source Toothbrush shown above

Green your toothbrush:

When it comes to toothbrushes, plenty end up in the landfill. Right now there are about 306,856,031 people in the U.S. alone. Since most experts advise changing your toothbrush every 3-4 months, not to mention after an illness, that’s an astounding number of brushes used, most of which are plastic. Some better choices for an eco-friendly toothbrush include…

Preserve toothbrushes: The handle is made from 100% recycled plastic and when it’s time for a new toothbrush you can send the toothbrush and case back to Preserve using their postage-paid label and your old toothbrush will be re-processed into plastic lumber for picnic tables, boardwalks and decks. Preserve also makes BPA-free recycled toothbrushes for kids.

Source Toothbrush from Radius: Made with 93% recycled material and 47% renewable resource material. Handles are molded from recycled US dollar bills/recycled flax and recycled wood all blended with recycled polypropylene resulting in a bio-plastic that is 100% renewable or recycled. The head can be changed so you can keep the handle forever.

Acca Kappa Bioceta Toothbrush: Made with biodegradable resin, non-toxic, natural bristles.

Monte Bianco: Resource-efficient toothbrushes (read more at Treehugger)

Green your mouthwash: Read the rest of this entry »

Brush Your Teeth Green: Eco-toothpaste

July 6, 2009 in Healthy Green Home by Jennifer | 1 comment

Technically you want to brush your teeth white AND be as green as possible while doing it. Here are some tips about greener toothpaste:

First a fluoride health note:

Because homemade toothpaste or homemade mouthwash won’t have fluoride, you should choose either a homemade paste or rinse but not both so you get your fluoride. OR you can try fluoride drops. Too much fluoride can cause fluoride toxicity or enamel fluorosis in people but too little can be bad for your teeth. Whether or not fluoride is too toxic or even healthy for people is a personal issue for folks that we won’t get into here, but you can read more about this cons of fluoride side of the debate at the Fluoride Action Network. For pros visit the ADA.

Clean & Gentle Care SLS-Free Anticavity plus Dry Mouth Soother Fluoride Toothpaste

Greener toothpaste:

The greenest toothpaste is homemade. You don’t waste as much packaging or hard to squeeze out product, plus it costs less. Learn to make homemade toothpaste.

Most toothpaste comes in tubes or pumps. If you’re going to buy store bought toothpaste your best bet is to purchase the largest tube possible in a non-toxic brand and from an ethical company. THEN recycle the tube when you’re done.

Greener brands of toothpaste: Read the rest of this entry »

Why Gas-powered Lawn Mowers Suck and Other Options

July 6, 2009 in Air Quality, Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 1 comment

According to the EPA, even though landscaping machines may be small, people own a lot of them and emissions from gas-powered lawn mowers and similar outdoor power equipment are a significant source of pollution, emitting high levels of carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas into the air and community. In fact the EPA further notes that 5% of U.S. air pollution is generated by lawn mowers alone and another 5% by all other gas-powered yard equipment.

Brill Razorcut 38 push reel mower

One thing you can do is look into other lawn mower options, some of which include…

Until you get your alternative to gas-powered lawn mower, the EPA suggests you do the following:

  • Prevent spills and overfills of gas because even small gasoline spills evaporate and pollute the
    air. Use a funnel, or a spout with an automatic stop device when pouring gasoline into your mower, keep the cap twisted on tight, and keep your mower in a cool and dry area.
  • Change your oil and clean or replace air filters regularly plus keep up with other lawn mower maintenance to make sure your mower is running as efficiently as possible.
  • Reduce the amount of mowing time by having less grass and / or having low-maintenance turf grasses or grass/flower seed mixtures that grow slowly and require less mowing.

More resources:

Lawn Mower Exchange Program Calculator – use this calculator to see how exchanging your gas-powered mower for an electric or reel mower can improve air quality and save you money.

Learn where you can recycle your old gas-powered mower.

Postgreen’s 100k house party

July 5, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

To celebrate the launch of their new website, Postgreen is throwing down at the end of July in Philadelphia. If you’re in the area, this would be a cool event to be at. Postgreen, in case you haven’t heard are the folks behind the 100k sustainable house. Their goal, at the start was to build a green LEED Platinum home for $100,000 in hard construction costs.

They’ve been updating the process at their blog for a good long while now, and back in May actually posted some cool images of the home. The completed home is seen above and you can see Render to Reality for a shot of the initial project image.

What’s green about the 100k house:

  • certification – LEED Platinum
  • energy star – certified
  • solar – solar thermal hot water
  • water – rainwater collection, low-flow, dual-flush
  • heating – radiant in floor
  • air conditioning – radiant, passive & ERV
  • lighting – CFLs
  • insulation – SIPs
  • finishes – low or no VOC
  • landscaping – ivy “green wall,” drought tolerant & 100% permeable

The 100k house is a great example of how you can build a greener home at an affordable cost. Right now Postgreen has launched a yet to be completed website, that includes an application that will allow folks to customize their own green home. The party at the end of July will include more announcements plus plenty of green home activities to go around (i.e. computers set up so that anyone can test out the new site, new models and at least one new facade design).

To learn more about attending the Postgreen celebration visit – Postgreen Homes Web Launch Party.

Cons of building with bamboo

July 4, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

The other day we looked at some of the pros of building with Bamboo. Before I jump into the cons, I wanted to point out what someone commented on – the fact that Bamboo is not a wood, but a grass, which is true. However to simple things up I tend to talk about it like a wood, because when used in building its applications are wood-like. If you want to learn more about the true background of bamboo species I’d check out the book Bamboo Rediscovered or Building with Bamboo – which doesn’t go as much into the background of bamboo, but does cover harvesting and building techniques.

That said, let’s look at some bamboo building cons…

Most bamboo is hollow. Although some species are not, the ones that are can be harder to join, than say normal wood planks.

Bamboo is not fire resistant and can be quite combustible.

Bamboo pieces are not all the same, even when cut to the same size. If you think about how easy it is to stack bricks together because of their same size, you can also imagine how hard it would be to build a symmetrical structure with pieces of bamboo that vary.

If bamboo comes into contact with wet soil it deteriorates fairly quickly. Obviously because bamboo doesn’t fare well when exposed to wetness, this makes it problematic in wet weather unless it’s been properly treated (usually with chemicals).

Learn more about bamboo homes. Later we’ll look at some of the home construction companies who build with bamboo.

Pros of Bamboo Homes

July 2, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | 7 comments

Lately I’ve seen more bamboo home builders popping up. However, just because these homes are available doesn’t mean they’re right for you. There are pros and cons of bamboo houses. We’ll look at some pros first and later discuss some cons. Tomorrow I’ll post some bamboo home builders for you to browse as well.

Bamboo house by home builders Bamboo Living

The benefits of bamboo dwellings:

  • Bamboo is better than other woods due to it’s extremely fast growth. According to The Natural House, some bamboo species have been noted as growing as much as three feet in one day. Wow right?
  • Bamboo is lovely – depending on the cut, it’s a great wood visually.
  • There are no knots in bamboo which makes it an easier wood to work with and you don’t need special tools to cut it.
  • Bamboo is sheathed naturally in silica, which makes it durable.
  • Bamboo looks delicate but it’s actually a strong wood. A bamboo home when built well can even stand up to natural disasters like tornado.
  • Termite proof!
  • Bamboo is an easy plant to grow – and it grows well in various climates.

Something cool about bamboo is that it has other benefits beyond building. This wood serves more purposes making it a smart choice for structures because there doesn’t have to be waste involved. Bamboo shoots are edible. Because these trees grow fast they’re a good choice for planting as home privacy screens or wind blockers. Some species can be used to help control soil erosion. Lastly, small pieces can be used to build just about anything – cutting boards, dishes, art, and more. The waste not aspects of this wood are pretty nice.

Learn more about bamboo homes.

Stay tuned for some bamboo home cons.

Are wood burning stoves and fireplaces green?

July 1, 2009 in Furniture & Appliances by Jennifer | 1 comment

Wood burning may seem like a weird summer topic, but plenty of folks burn fires at night in the summer, and it’s been on my mind, so let’s take a look at the greenness (or not) of wood for heat.

In Humboldt my family lived in a little house near the beach, in a super small ex-logging town. The homes hadn’t been updated since their initial building, and all the heat we had was a wood stove. While living there, I always wondered if wood heat was green or not. Of course the perk is you’re not using non-renewable energy to heat with – trees will obviously grow again. After some research I found that it’s sort of a two-way street. Wood for heat can be green but it depends on some various factors…

The type of stove or fireplace you burn in. For example, a basic old wood burning open masonry fireplace is just 10 to 20% efficient while a circulating wood stove burns at 40-50% efficient. Basically, a wood stove is going to burn more efficient than a fireplace. See a list of EPA certified wood stoves (pdf).

Where the wood stove is located. You want the stove located in a central area in your home. Wherever the family hangs out most is the best place for a stove.

Size of the stove in relation to your home. If you have a house with many small rooms, one large wood stove is a bad idea. The stove will overheat the room it’s in, but not necessarily spread heat well to other rooms. You’d be better off with two smaller stoves.

What sort of wood you use. Sometimes you’re at the mercy of wood suppliers in your area but if you have a choice choose a wood that burns hotter to conserve. Black birch, hickory, locust, northern red oak, rock elm, and sugar maple are some of the woods that burn well. Cedar, alder, balsam fir, hemlock, and spruce are some woods that burn less hot.

How clean you keep it. You have to keep your wood stove clean or it’s not only a safety hazard, but less eco-friendly.

If you rarely have a fire at home, the greenest log is one of those commercial quick start fireplace logs. They burn cleaner than real wood and are made with waste products (sawdust).

See a huge guide to choosing and using a wood stove.

What is off-grid living?

June 27, 2009 in Green Building, Green Your Home by Jennifer | No comments

Off-grid living is a fairly basic premise. Off-grid indicates that your home is self sufficient. vs. dependent, as in you’ve set your home up to be energy producing vs. paying the energy company for power or having your own well vs. paying the water company. Sometimes an off-grid home is referred to as a homestead, although homestead doesn’t exactly mean you’re not dependent on other sources of energy or water.

If you’re living in an off-grid home (or living an off-grid life) you may be doing all or some of the following…

  • Gardening vs. buying produce at the store.
  • Living in a green, or sustainably built home.
  • Composting.
  • Producing energy via alternative methods.
  • Making your own bio-fuel.
  • Cutting out extras (four TVs for example).
  • Making homemade cleaners.
  • Collecting water via a rain barrel.
  • Raising your own food – i.e. chickens.

The list above is super short. To gain more off-grid living ideas and tips visit Off-Grid.

Off-grid living comes in different shades. While most shades of off-grid life are greener than conventional living, not all off-grid homes are 100% self sufficient. Following is great example of an urban off-grid home and their owners. This family is almost entirely self-sufficient, but does rely on public companies for some things (like water). What this video will help you realize is that even more off-grid than not holds both money saving perks and eco-perks.

Bonus link: If you’re interested in off-grid living you’ll love the book Off the Grid.

Green 4th of July Planning Guide

June 26, 2009 in Holiday by Jennifer | No comments

If you celebrate 4th of July, and you’re here at this blog, there’s a good chance you’d like your celebration to be green. The 4th is a tough one because the mainstay of this holiday, fireworks, have yet to be made eco-friendly, at least not to the general public. Some movies and major events do use a more eco-friendly firework method, but that’s not going to help you at home.

If you want to tackle the firework issue, talk to city officials about shortening the display, which cuts down on some of the air pollution created. You can also skip the home fireworks. Sparklers, poppers, and other home fireworks are not only NOT made green, but come in loads of packaging. You’re better off not lighting any at home.

Fireworks aside, you can green up the holiday in other ways. Here’s how…

Green your barbecue. We’ve already seen many tips about this here before. Read up on the topic at the following posts:

Use eco-friendly bug spray to ward off nighttime critters. In the early evening, while you’re sitting there watching the fireworks, bugs can attack. Be prepared with some safer, non-toxic bug repellent.

Green your drinks. Water in reusable bottles, real cups at picnics, organic juices, and even organic beer are all ways to drink a little greener on the 4th.

Clean up! The 4th of July creates a trash situation unlike any other. The day after the holiday volunteer to help clean up the community. Pick up wrappers, junk, and water bottles (that the less eco-savvy people left behind), and make sure your community looks like it did before the 4th arrived.

Maison IDEKIT Container Home

June 25, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

Canadian architect, Bernard Morin and his wife Joyce Labelle have the most luscious container homes I’ve seen in a while. The house, Maison Idekit Home was a quick build, with the containers being installed into the foundation in just half a day and the rest of the home was completed in 10 months.

Amazingly, this 3,000-square-foot dream home cost just $175,000. According to a piece in the CTV, this home is the first of its kind in Quebec.

The house is comprised of shipping containers (as you may have gleamed from the post title). The steel containers are six meters high and 2.5 meters wide and are arranged in a super unconventional design that takes advantage of the natural sloping plot of land the house sits on. It’s awesome to see because most shipping container structures around are cube-like or rectangular in design.

You can learn more about this beautiful house at CVT or at the Mason IDEKIT website.

Summer Sprucing with Eco-hardware

June 24, 2009 in Green Building, Green Your Home by Jennifer | No comments

One of the easiest home spruce-ups is to change your hardware. Benefits?…

  • Fast – it doesn’t take long to change some knobs and handles.
  • Easy – almost everyone is going to be able to successful tackle this project on their own without any extreme tools.
  • Impact – changing the knobs and handles throughout your kitchen or bath, or adding some cool knobs to bedroom furniture can make a huge impact and update your home.
  • Inexpensive – some hardware can be costly, but for the most part, it’s not like the costs involved with say, adding a deck or repainting the entire house.
  • Eco-friendly – nowadays there are a number of sustainable and recycled hardware options for you to choose from.

ECO-FRIENDLY HARDWARE OPTIONS:

Spectra Decor (shown above) carries some of the most lovely recycled glass and aluminum, cork, eco-resin, fused glass, lead-free pewter and stainless steel hardware you’ll find. Read the rest of this entry »

New one-of-a-kind Living Green House

June 22, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

There’s a brand new beautiful Living Green House just opened this last week at the Virginia Living Museum. The home was constructed as a permanent eco-showcase, in order to show people various designs, techniques and materials used in earth-friendly building. According the Baltimore Sun, “The demonstration house is one of the first anywhere in the United States — and the only one of its kind in Virginia.”

[image via Virginia Living Museum]

This gorgeous, 650 sq ft home is an amazing example of green building. Features include the following:

  • A small size (and thus small footprint).
  • Recycled building materials, including salvaged lumber and wood-like siding made from recycled paper.
  • PVC piping alternatives.
  • Green roofs.
  • Solar aspects a plenty, like solar photovoltaic panels, a solar water heater, passive solar heating and more.
  • Rain barrels and cisterns.
  • Geothermal heat pump and cooling unit.
  • And more…

The Baltimore Sun has an amazing image gallery and article about the house. My favorite image from the Sun is the killer solar-powered water pump below. Read the rest of this entry »

Steam Mop to Cut Water and Chemical Use

June 22, 2009 in Green Cleaning by Jennifer | 1 comment

Regular mopping can waste a lot of water and because it’s hard to get a bucket of mop water hot enough to be super efficient, you may be inclined to use harsh cleaners in your mop water. An option beyond a typical mop is a steam cleaning mop. However, there are pros and cons.

Pros of steam cleaning mops:

  • Use less water than traditional mops.
  • Because the steamy water cleans well, you won’t need chemical cleaners. Just your mop and H2O.
  • No messy wringing out.
  • Can be used to clean tiles, wood, marble, slate, and more.

Cons of steam cleaning mops:

  • Take more resources to make than a small traditional mop.
  • Very few are made with recycled materials.
  • Most have ongoing costs – such as the replaceable pads that go on the mop’s end.

How to choose a more eco-friendly steam mop:

  1. Look for the lightest model you can without sacrificing strength (fewer materials). The steam mop should heat water in 60 seconds or less and have a good warranty.
  2. If you can, look for a steam mop made with eco-friendly or recycled materials and one that’s made by a company with eco-ethics. There are a few like this, see below.
  3. Skip the pads that most companies sell and use a reusable, washable microfiber cloth or other washable towel as the mop instead.

Steam mops to consider:

Green your mobile phone use

June 21, 2009 in Furniture & Appliances by Jennifer | No comments

We’ve already discussed the eco pros and cons of landlines vs. mobile phones here, and mobiles clearly come out ahead. However, mobile phones do have some eco-downsides as well, and we could green our use of them even more. Here’s how:

Always unplug your charger when you’re not actually charging your phone. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, anything left plugged in is drinking down energy (slower than an item in use, but it’s still using energy). Better yet, skip electricity use and snag a cool HyMini Wind + Solar Hybrid Charger for cell phones, iPod, iPhone.

Buy the greenest phone possible. Right now there are very few eco-minded mobiles on the market, but if consumers buy them and ask mobile phone makers for them, more eco-minded cells will launch to meet demand. Right now some better green phone options include:

Only buy a new phone when you actually need one. You don’t need a new one, with new gadets each year. Use it up and then recycle it when it’s life span is over. If you do buy a new one before your old one’s prime, donate your phone to a local non-profit or recycle it.

Try an eco-friendly mobile carrier – like the phones, there are few, but Credo and Earth Tones are two to consider.

Get some cool green applications for your phone. There are plenty of apps out now that can help you go or stay green. See the best green mobile apps.

How are you greening your mobile use?

Six Ways to Re-purpose Common Household Items

June 20, 2009 in Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle by Jennifer | No comments

One of the greenest things you can do is purchase long-lasting products and then find ways to re-purpose them once they’ve served their usefulness. After re-purposing, there’s recycling. However, if you’re creative, you can first find new uses for almost anything before recycling. Here are ten ideas…

[image via Sprig]

Re-purpose coffee cans: Use old larger cans to make amazingly lovely planters. See how! See even more Recycled Garden Containers at Mother Earth’s Garden.

Re-purpose that old spice rack: You know those sit-on-the-counter spinning spice racks? Most folks don’t want those anymore because they take up valuable kitchen real estate. I know that many folks have switched to in-cupboard or wall mounted spice storage which means there’s a ton of these spinning spice racks hanging around. You can re-purpose yours to hold beads, sewing odds and ends, stickers for the kiddos, rock collections, little kid hair supplies (barrettes, rubber bands), and more.

Re-purpose bubble wrap: Obviously, you can reuse bubble wrap to send new packages, but you can also use it in your fridge veggie and fruit drawers as a liner to prevent tossed in produce from becoming bruised.

Re-purpose a tablecloth: Vinyl or oilcloth tablecloths aren’t so eco-friendly, but if you’ve moved to cloth tablecloths, how do you re-purpose your old ones? By making a lunch bag of course. Or make three or four for the whole family – also makes a great gift.

Re-purpose a leaky old garden hose: Into a much better, more eco-friendly, soaker hose.

Re-purpose old bedsheets: I like the idea of making a body pillow, because they’re cozy, but you can also use them to save energy in the summer if you live in a humid area. Take your old sheet, dip the whole thing in water, wring out so it’s not drippy, and hang across your window in the early morning. The air coming through the cool, damp sheet will take the sting out of summer heat and maybe allow you to turn down the AC. See 20 more ways to use old bedsheets.

You also might like… How to reuse toilet paper tubes – handy reuse tips for kids, criminals, and more – not completely a household item, but I bet you’ve got lots.

What are some of your best ideas for re-purposing household items?

Throw a green summer picnic

June 19, 2009 in Holiday, Outdoor Living by Jennifer | 2 comments

With the 4th of July coming up, and summer already in full swing, you may be thinking picnic! There are some easy steps you can take to green any picnic event.

Start with some green grilling:

  • Make sure you’re grilling as green as you can on an eco-friendly barbecue.
  • Grill veggies over meat (I know crazy) but vegetarian dishes are far more eco-friendly. At the very least cut out half the meat. Grilled corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and more are just as tasty, better for the earth, and better for your health.
  • Put that fire out. It’s really not earth-friendly to burn down the forest, or even your backyard.

Pack an eco-friendly picnic basket. Make sure you pack non-disposable dishes, cloth napkins, and real silverware. If you must go with disposables at least snag some biodegradable disposable dishes.

Carpool to the picnic area if a lot of folks are going.

Take eco-friendly picnic activities along for the kiddos (and you). You can grab an earth-friendly Frisbee or a kid friendly outdoor eco-toy.

Block the sun with eco friendly sunglasses, non-toxic safe bug spray and healthy natural sunscreen.

Don’t feed the animals – it can cause more problems than you think.

If there’s a lake take along some eco-friendly swimwear.

If you need to mark the picnic spot, say for a family reunion picnic, don’t use balloons which can be set free and harm animals out in nature. Use paper streamers or brightly colored cloth. Be sure to take these items with you when you leave.

Are you planing a green picnic soon? Are you doing anything else (besides what’s noted above) to keep it green.

Six green home changes you can make this weekend

June 19, 2009 in Green Your Home, Healthy Green Home by Jennifer | No comments

If you’ve got the weekend, you’ve got enough time to green your home.

Small changes you can make in just one weekend include:

Eco-window care: Wash all curtains in eco-friendly detergent or wipe down blinds with an earth-friendly all-purpose cleaner. Wash windows with a non-toxic homemade cleaner – either mix 1/2 cup vinegar with one gallon water and spray and wipe or use straight up club soda and wipe down with recycled newspaper. After cleaning open up all the windows wide to let some fresh air in which cuts indoor air pollution more than any other tactic.

Clean your refrigerator coils: Your fridge coils may be costing you in both energy and money. Dirty coils have to work harder to cool your fridge which pumps up your electricity use, and in turn your bill. You can easily clean off the dust and grime with a long brush and your fridge will run better. Note; fridge coils are usually under or behind your fridge (check your fridge manual).

Hang a clothesline: With warm summer air here, you’ve got no excuse not to hang a clothesline. This will save energy and money plus is a super cheap fix to start with. It’ll only cost you about $10 for a decent clothesline and about 50 clothespins either online or at your local hardware store.

Clear out some plastics: Go through your kitchen cupboards and clear out some toxic plastic dishes and containers. Aim to ditch plastics #3, 6, or 7 first as these are the most toxic. Cleaning out toxic plastics leaves you space to stock up on some eco-friendly food storage options and less toxic dishes.

What are your green weekend plans?

[image via stock.xchng]

Eco-friendly bathroom bling

June 17, 2009 in Furniture & Appliances, Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

If you’re looking to remodel or are building a new green home, you should check out the following droll worthy eco-bathroom ideas. First up, Rapsel, a company who makes some of the most unique and beautiful bathroom systems and other bathroom products I’ve seen. Their products are modern and fresh and anything but ordinary and many have sustainable attributes. A sampling is below…

My favorite Rapsel bath system is One, an invisible and functional look that allows pipes and drains of the loo, sink, and shower to vanish, seemingly into thin air. Made with sustainable larch wood.
Read the rest of this entry »

Last Minute Green Father’s Day Gifts

June 17, 2009 in Holiday, Holiday Gift Guide by Jennifer | 1 comment

If you’ve got a green papa, and no gift for Father’s Day yet, you’re behind schedule. You’ve still got a few days to round something cool up though (although that means if you order online – order today!). Here are some green gifts that any green dad will enjoy…

Hemp Gardening Apron – for an organic gardening dad, made with sustainable hemp this apron is guy friendly, durable, and full of pockets.

Green Home Improvement: 65 Projects That Will Cut Utility Bills, Protect Your Health & Help the the Environment by Daniel D. Chiras or The Carbon-Free Home: 36 Remodeling Projects to Help Kick the Fossil -Fuel Habit by Stephen & Rebekah Hren – both will help a green dad to make smart home improvement decisions and both offer project ideas.

Black & Decker Thermal Leak Detector – awesome gift for an energy conscious dad who also likes to play detective. This handy detector helps to reduce energy costs by finding energy leaks in your home. You can instantly identify problem areas around drafty windows and doors, and uncover hidden leaks and insulation “soft spots” around electrical outlets, recessed lights, and along floor molding.

Give dad the gift of organic brew – your dad can learn to make his own homemade organic beer with the help of Seven Bridges Cooperative, a full on organic brewing company with everything you need to home brew organic beer. If your dad is new on the scene, the Starter Kits for Beginners are a good place to start.

MORE IDEAS!

If you want to look outside the home and go with a gift that’s less handy and more fun check out the HIP FATHER’S DAY GREEN GIFT GUIDE, grab something green and cool for his car, or take a look at Ten Random Green Father’s Day Gifts.

Safe non-toxic adhesives for home improvements

June 15, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

If you’re doing any home improvements this summer, you should make sure that you use safe and non-toxic adhesives for wood, paper, and so on. Most traditional adhesives, sealants, and glues contain super toxic stuff and result in hydrocarbon emissions.

What to look for:

Look for glues and adhesives that are free from formaldehyde, hydrocarbons, synthetic chemicals, petrochemicals and if possible go with water-based.

Eco-friendly adhesive choices:

  • Gorilla PVC Glue – eco-friendly, low VOC, one-step adhesive for PVC. Buy here.
  • Elmer’s Glue makes plenty of safe, water-based, and recyclable glues that will work for various home projects. Go to their glue guide, and choose a project type for help finding a glue.
  • Sobo Glue – non-toxic all purpose glue for porous and semi-porous surfaces such as paper, wood, ceramics, ribbon, dried or silk flowers and beads.
  • EcoTimber Healthy Bond MS Adhesive – a non-toxic, solvent-free, low VOC adhesive for wood and engineered floors.
  • Chemlink Sealants & Adhesives – many commercial grade, non-toxic sealants and adhesives for interior or exterior projects.

For more home improvements of the earth-friendly sort, read about…

Do you have any green home improvement projects going on this summer?

Eco-friendly car wash options and waterless car washing

June 14, 2009 in Water by Jennifer | 2 comments

While your car is not technically residing in your home, how you wash your car does affect your home costs related to water. Plus, if you use toxic chemicals to wash your car, those chemicals can run off into your yard.

How to wash your car at home:

If you wash at home, the biggest issue is water. According to the Washington Post, if you spend just 10 minutes spraying down your car with a typical five-eighths-inch garden hose you can easily use as much water as you would running seven loads in a dishwasher. Yikes. A better option is to do the following:

  1. Spray your car once (fast).
  2. Use a bucket and some soap plus elbow grease and soap up the car completely.
  3. Rinse fast.

It’s that continuous spraying that will drive up your water bill.

Take your car to a car wash:

Another option is to locate an eco-friendly car wash in your neighborhood. Not all areas have them, but they are popping up more and more. Look for a car wash place that uses non-toxic soaps and phosphate-free, biodegradable detergents cleaners plus one that recycles its wash water.

Go waterless:

Some companies have come out with waterless car wash cleaners. The biggest issue with these is the time involved. You’ll spend more time going over your car with a cloth and a waterless cleaner, but you will save water, and these cleaners are typically earth-friendly, although not all, so read the fine print. Some waterless car wash products include:

Sustainable Barns for Green Horse Owners

June 9, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | 2 comments

If you own horses and want to keep it green, Blackburn Architects might be just who you need. Blackburn Architects have built horse farm and ranch projects all over the United States, and they can do this in a green manner if the owner chooses.

Blackburn Architects creates their green barns with three major design practices in mind:

  1. Through sustainable principles of passive design.
  2. Through design services and green system additions such as solar panels and greywater systems.
  3. Through sustainable building materials such as recycled-content materials, light-colored roofing choices with highly reflective finishes, low VOC stains/sealants, FSC certified wood products, high-efficiency translucent panels, sustainably harvested western red cedar, low-toxicity, low maintenance cement board, and more.

Green barns are a great idea. In most cases your horses are going to cost more than your barn so why not house them in a healthy environment. They also offer many different barn styles and sizes. PLUS – bonus, all their barns are seriously beautiful to look at.

Learn more at Blackburn Architects.

Can $1000 Build You A Green Home?

June 9, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

According to FirstCoast, a home building company who primarily build starter homes, pumping up your budget by just a mere $1000 CAN get you a green home. In a long piece at Ecohome, the idea that green doesn’t have to cost more is illustrated by FirstCoast’s five big green and inexpensive ideas.

Two of the ideas include:

The home’s seal: A smart home sealing plan can go a long way toward greening your home without involving too much extra cost. FirstCoast notes that they use a specific combination of sealing techniques to achieve maximum energy savings. “Typically a combination of foam sealing and caulking throughout the exterior of the building envelope… foam to seal the wire and plumbing penetrations through the OSB sheathing, caulk at the base plate and corners, and low-expansion foam around the doors and the windows.”

Strategic cost savings: FirstCoast says that savings from strategic moves like cutting out a couple windows and using smarter design techniques saves costs overall which leaves room in the budget for greener options. This is a great point. Your choices can make a huge impact on both the costs of and the greenness of your home. For example, if you build smaller you can afford the better, but more expensive green appliances. If you focus on issues that will save you energy costs in the long run, like the sealing noted above, you may be able to spend more on little extras like installing a rain barrel, using only zero VOC paints, and maybe paying for custom landscaping help for a water saving rain garden.

Read the entire article to learn about all the money saving ideas for a green home: 5 Ways to Build Affordable, Energy Star-Rated Houses.

53 of the Best Green Building Products

June 8, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

Each year Building Products assembles an annual Top 100 list, which ranks products that the most readers of Building Products, Custom Home, Builder, and Remodeling requested more information about via the reader service cards found in each issue. This year was extra cool because of the top 100 products, over half were green. The list includes top picks for items like solar panels, tankless water heaters, and other resource-efficient materials.

Some of the specific cool picks include:

  • Ready Solar. A prefab, modular solar electric system with frame mounting, that’s a good alternative to custom (and expensive) photovoltaic systems. Plus this pre-assembled solar system can be customized and is compatible with any roof surface.
  • Lighting Science Group. Edison-based LED lamps that fit into traditional recessed cans and other sockets, plus come in various shades of white, and last longer than incandescents, halogens, and CFLs.
  • GE tankless water heater. Tankless gas water heaters that are smaller than most making them ideal for small spaces, such as attics and closets. Two flow rates and up to 25% savings on water-heating costs annually.
  • IceStone. IceStone indoor and outdoor surfaces, made with 100% recycled glass in a cement matrix, and come in twenty-seven standard colors.
  • Universal Forest Products. A white, wireless, sun-powered light that can be used to accent deck posts and fence posts with ambient lighting.

This list is a great way to catch up on what’s hot in green building and green home additions. See the entire list of 53 top green building products at Ecohome.

Green Lawn Watering for Summer

June 5, 2009 in Organic Gardening, Water by Jennifer | 2 comments

The other day I was at a friend’s apartment and all the ground sprinklers were running. It was bad news city. For one thing it was midday and secondly, almost all the sprinklers were running water not only in the grass but all over the sidewalks and street. Wow, what a good use of water! Not.

In any case, if you live in an apartment complex, let your manager know if this is an issue. There’s no reason to water the street – trust me, it’s not growing any faster. If you live in a house, make sure you follow these rules for eco-minded summer lawn watering:

  • Many lawns only need about one inch of water per week to thrive and in areas that see more rain (i.e. the Pacific NW) your lawn may need even less. Check with your local nursery or your local Cooperative Extension Office to learn about lawn water requirements in your area.
  • To make sure you are only watering your lawns as much as they need and not more, place a can or bowl in your yard, with an inch (or other level) marked off with a waterproof pen. Turn the sprinklers on, and see how long it takes to fill the can or bowl to the line. Now you know how long to water per session.
  • Timed sprinklers can help you water less and more efficiently.
  • Water in the morning, late afternoon, or in the evening. If you water midday, most of the water is evaporated by the hot sun, and can’t actually do its job. You’ll need more water for a healthy lawn.
  • Don’t water the streets and sidewalks. Set your sprinklers up to cover actual vegetation areas.
  • Use recycled water – easy if you have a rain barrel.
  • Use a hose or watering can for smaller areas vs. a sprinkler. When doing this water slowly which helps the roots to get the water they need.
  • Create an earth-friendly rain garden.
  • Water less by planting native plants and by eliminating lawn areas where possible.

Alternatives to Plastic Wrap, Wax Paper and Foil

June 4, 2009 in Eco Kitchen by Jennifer | No comments

We still use foil sometimes at my house, but we haven’t bought plastic wrap or wax paper in years. There are better, more eco-friendly options you can use to wrap with and cook with.

  • Cook directly on a pan instead of covering it with foil first. Rinse right away after cooking to cut down on the water needed to wash the pan.
  • Cover cooking food with a lid vs. foil.
  • Cover pie crusts with a Silicone Pie Crust Shield or a lightweight shield instead of foil.

  • Store food in eco-friendly food containers, reusable snack bags and food baggies, or reusable food wraps (as shown above).
  • If you must buy foil, buy 100% recycled foil. It’s not perfect but it takes less energy to make than traditional. Still make sure you use it more than once when possible and then recycle it when you’re done.
  • When rolling out sticky cookie dough, use a silicone cookie sheet vs. wax paper. In fact, a silicone sheet can be used for all the things you’d use wax paper for.

With the options above it’s possible to get all the non-reusable food wrapping items out of your home for good. What other alternatives can you think of?

NatureMills Plus Composter

June 3, 2009 in Furniture & Appliances, Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 1 comment

Composting is one of the best things you can do for a healthy planet and garden. Not only do you eliminate landfill waste when you compost, but it’s free organic soil, and you save money on your garbage bills.

One comprehensive composter is the NatureMills Plus Composter. (shown above). Benefits of this composter include…

  • Mixes automatically – hands-off mixing ability.
  • No trash odors when kept inside. Continuous air flow and a powerful carbon filter remove odors.
  • Can be used indoors or outdoors or even under the cupboard. Outside use works even in cold weather, rain, or snow.
  • You can add food and other waste any time, any day, up to 120 lbs per month. Waste items are processed continuously, mixing every 4 hours, until they are completely ground down to small particles.
  • NatureMill is made from recycled and recyclable materials.
  • Energy use is just 5 kwh / month, or about $0.50/month – less than a garbage truck would burn in diesel fuel to haul the same waste.
  • New compost is ready every 2 weeks. A red light will tell you when to empty the machine. Just open the door and remove the compost and place it in your garden.
  • All NatureMill models can handle pet waste, kitty litter, and cage beddings.
  • You only have to replace the filter every 5 years.

Watch this video about it…

NatureMills makes other composters as well. Visit NatureMills to learn more.

Inexpensive and beautiful way to cut energy costs

June 1, 2009 in Organic Gardening, Save Energy by Jennifer | No comments

One inexpensive and beautiful way to cut energy costs is to simply plant deciduous trees on the south, east, and west sides of your dwelling. If you plant some trees today, you can expect long-term rewards in about 5-6 years (I know seems like forever) but, if you know you’ll be in your home long-term, this is a smart and pretty investment.

By lining trees up on the sides of your home you can create enough shade to cut cooling costs by as much as 30-40% once the trees mature. Trees can also act as windbreakers in cooler weather and combat Beyond shading your property, trees also help lessen the effects of Urban Heat Islands (which make your area warmer than it should be.

You can get deciduous trees for around $10 per tree (give or take) which is a great deal. Before you choose a tree check out the post Tree Planting Where You Live, which can help you make smarter decisions about which trees are best to plant for your area.

Learn more about tree planting for energy savings.

Create an earth-friendly first aid kit

June 1, 2009 in Healthy Green Home by Jennifer | 2 comments

To be safe at home you should have a first aid kit, one that’s not ravaged whenever your little one gets a minor cut. Your first aid kit is for emergencies only and it’s easy to make an eco-friendly version. In fact, you should really make one for your home and one for each vehicle you own as well.

What’s in a typical first aid kit?:

  • Bandages of varying sizes – if you have a little one under the age of five, make sure some are tiny for baby-sized cuts
  • Gauze pads
  • First aid tape
  • A pair of fine gauge tweezers
  • Rubbing alcohol or antiseptic
  • Some hand wipes in packages – good for cleaning off a cut in a pinch
  • Reusable gel packs – cold and warm
  • First aid booklet – one that covers how to do CPR.  You can usually pick up a booklet like this from your local red cross

You’ll also need some medications such as…

  • Hydrocortisone cream
  • Antibiotic cream
  • Acetaminophen – both for baby and adult
  • Ibuprofen – both baby and adult
  • Aspirin – ONLY for adults – if you have a baby know that babies CANNOT have aspirin
  • Antihistamine

How to green up your first aid kit: Read the rest of this entry »

Six Tips for Creating A Green Bathroom

May 30, 2009 in Uncategorized by Jennifer | No comments

1. Start with the loo: Or as we Americans like to say, the toilet. If you live in an older home, or have not remodeled your bathroom in a good long while, your toilet is most likely the major water waster in your house. Since most of going green in the bathroom has to do with conserving water, this is the perfect place to start. Also, new water efficient toilets aren’t that costly anymore; not when compared to the money and water you’ll save in the long run ($90 per year in reduced water utility bills, and $2,000 over the lifetime of the toilet – according to the EPA). You may even be able to get a tax credit or rebate for your new toilet. Find a WaterSense labeled toilet.

2. Go organic: Use organic bath towels, bath robes, floor mats and more to keep pesticides off your body and out of your home. Organic textiles of all sorts are far better for your health and the planet. Read the rest of this entry »

Eleek 100% recycled cast aluminum products

May 30, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

Eleek is a sustainable company right here in my hometown of Portland, Oregon. They design and manufacture custom decorative lighting, sinks, hardware, architectural details, POP display components and lots of other things. They use 100% recycled cast aluminum for a number of green home applications – which is cool to see, because really when you think recycled aluminum, you may be thinking about only soup and soda cans, but there’s actually a lot you can do with recycled aluminum.

Pendant & Chandelier examples shown above

Eleek 100% recycled cast aluminum (pdf) is at least 70% post-consumer recycled content and completely recyclable with an awesome unique, organic look. Eleek uses a signature finishing process that reveals a natural River Rock surface that’s smooth, lightly speckled and pewter grey in color. The finished product made from their recycled aluminum can be coated with a clear powercoat finish for durability and formed into almost any shape which makes the applications nearly endless.

Eleek uses their recycled aluminum material for things like light fixtures, tiles, hardware, and some amazing counter tops. They also offer custom design and manufacturing services, including in-house patternmaking.

Eleek is also a green company to the core. They have oodles of green perks, but to name a few…

  • Their shop and office operate on 100% habitat-safe green electricity from Pacific Power.
  • They print on recycled paper using soy-based inks whenever possible and offer their catelogs online in pdf format.
  • They use and reuse their silicone molds then recycle them when done.
  • Eleek patterns are made from a combination of discarded lumber, salvaged wood and new wood, depending on availability (at least 70% discarded and/or salvaged).
  • They have company goals of reducing garbage output, reusing materials when possible, and recycling what they can.
  • They use minimal packaging and take back shipping containers.
  • And WAY more.

FYI – you can shop with Eleek even if you’re not an Oregon local and there are Eleek retailers all over the USA.

Michelle Kaufmann Designs Closes Up Shop

May 29, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

In the saddest green news to emerge this week, green prefab favorite Michelle Kaufmann announced that her company, Michelle Kaufmann Designs is closing its doors. This was a huge blow to the green building community and fans of green prefab. It was a huge blow to me for sure. As a long time fan of Kaufmann, I for one was totally stunned, and two, hoped the news I heard was incorrect.

mkLotus shown above

But sadly, the news was real. Kaufmann posted the news at her personal blog yesterday, in the post, The end of one dream and beginning of another.

Kaufmann notes in her post, “Despite our best efforts, the financial meltdown and plunging home values have caught up with us. The recent closing of a factory partner as well as the gridlocked lending faced by homeowners, has proved more than our small company can bear.”

Very sad. But on the positive side, Kaufmann herself sounds hopeful and still is, of course, in line with the overall concept of green building, saying, “The mission cannot go away. We have built something important here that is not to be lost. The underlying concept works. Healthy, efficient and well-designed homes need to be accessible for all. We simply cannot give up on it... We are talking to a few larger players in the homebuilding world about potentially having them continue with our preconfigured designs like the Glidehouse®, mkLotus®, and mkSolaire®. We are discussing different methods for making this happen.”

So things change and the market affects us all, but I’m betting that Kaufmann’s designs are sure to come out ahead of the game eventually in some shape and form.

Read some past posts about Kaufmann:

Ten eco-friendly green building tips

May 28, 2009 in Green Building by Jennifer | No comments

Building a green home is a huge step in a healthy direction. If you’re considering this option for your family consider these ten important green building tips. Each of these tips should be part of your green building plan.

  1. Small is best: The best green homes have just enough space and no more. If you can’t build small, at the very least build smaller by optimizing the space you have and by building up when possible, not spread out.
  2. Figure in renewable energy: Make sure your home is designed to utilize passive solar, daylighting, and other renewable energy techniques.
  3. Plan for recycling and nature: Plan your home so that recycling and composting spaces are already incorporated. Make sure to include outdoor living spaces. Have large windows that bring nature inside.
  4. Design strong: Durability is one of the greenest impacts. A home with a long life is a green home naturally. Talk to different architects and contractors and make sure they have a durability plan.
  5. Choose materials that are easily recycled and / or reused: It’s fine to assume you’ll live in your home forever, but if remodeling or deconstruction are ever an issue, it’s best to have recycled and recyclable materials in place in the first place.
  6. Build your home where it will benefit from the site: I.e. if you’ve got shade trees already in place, why build far away on the plot? Hedges are great for blocking cold, so build near, not away from them. Take a look at the existing vegetation, then make your home plans around it.
  7. Choose eco-friendly and local materials that actually work in your area: Not all earth-friendly materials work the same or as well for different sites. Do you homework before choosing your building material.
  8. Have a recycling plan in place for the building process: There’s no reason to waste any building materials you use.
  9. Pay attention to the roof: You roofing choices do have a large impact on the energy efficiency of your home. Take a look at Three Eco Roof Additions and green roof options.
  10. Look for responsible wood: Lots of people build with wood, which might seem bad due to all those tree, but you can go with wood, so long as you look for sustainable wood companies.

Learn more about green home building.

Creollus Sustainable Home Lighting

May 27, 2009 in Decor, Furniture & Appliances by Jennifer | No comments

Creollus (pronounced kré/ol/lus) was established in 2001 and currently offers a wide selection of sustainable and unique lamps.

Recently, Creollus sent me some info about the design and production process that’s really cool so I thought I’d share. The raw materials used for the creation Creollus lamps include banana fibers (raw materials discarded at harvesting), recycled kraft paper (from cement bags) and natural pigments extracted from the ground/soil making these lamps a beautiful and green choice for your home. See the banana fibers below:

The fibers don’t look like they’ll become a lamp huh? And yet…

Creollus carries three unique product lines: Housewares, Fashion Accessories, and Fine Art. Visit Creollus to see all their goods which include many various lamp designs. Or learn where to purchase Creollus products for your home.

Create an earth-friendly rain garden

May 26, 2009 in Organic Gardening by Jennifer | 3 comments

First of all a rain garden is not that much different from a traditional garden, it’s just a far more efficient garden. Rain gardens use rain and stormwater runoff to their advantage and contain smart plant selections.

Other key rain garden tips:

  • Rain gardens fare better when small rather than large.
  • Garden sites are usually located close to runoff sources.
  • Rain gardens are designed to withstand moisture extremes and can hold up even when exposed to nitrogen (found in runoff water). See a cool pdf poster that explains rain garden design.
  • There are two basic rain gardens – under-drained and self-contained.
  • Rain gardens are slightly depressed into the earth so that rain water may be better soaked up when it rains or storms.
  • Water-friendly plants, or at least plants that can stand a bit more water tend to be used.
  • Water in a rain garden is stored via design. I.e. your rain garden will save water from a storm and use it over a few days.
  • It helps to have slope to your land/yard for a proper rain garden, but it’s not a necessity. You can also make changes to your land plot.

To learn more about rain gardens see the following links:

Read an excellent FREE rain garden how-to guide and booklet. The previous guide is very good, but your local community extension office may have a booklet on rain gardens especially for your area, so I’d check.

Buying a new green refrigerator

May 25, 2009 in Furniture & Appliances by Jennifer | 3 comments

In recent news it’s been noted that some people are going sans refrigerators. This is a bold green move, however, it’s not for everyone. If your old fridge needs to be replaced and going commando fridge style is not for you, here are some tips for purchasing the best green refrigerator…

As always with appliances, an Energy Star-qualified appliance will save you energy, money, and keep your home a little greener. Energy Star refrigerators are required to use at least 20 percent less energy than current federal standards. Also, just because your fridge is from this decade, it still may be using more energy than necessary. New Energy Star fridges are 40% more efficient than models built before 2001. Find out if you should