Seasonal Tips

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All-Natural Ice Melt for Green Snowy Winters

December 17, 2008 in Green Your Home, Seasonal Tips by Jennifer | No comments

We’ve been snowed in for days here in Oregon. It’s wet, icy, and slick. If you’re having these same issues, you might want to consider an earth-friendly method of melting the ice on your front walk, steps, or patio.

Earth Friendly Products, has one such product available; Ice Melt – an all-natural, non-corrosive product that melts ice quickly.

Ice is one major danger of winter. Earth Friendly Products sent me some stats and According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Injuries such as broken bones or severe bruising are not uncommon in falls, and up to 13,000 older Americans die from falls each year.” Applying an ice melt to a slippery walk or patio surface before stepping on it is the best way to prevent this.

Rock salt may not always be the best ice melting option. Ice Melt, contains small amounts of salt plus and additional salt, magnesium chloride, which can help to speed up the melting process without corroding surfaces.

Earth Friendly Products are all biodegradable. I haven’t used their ice melt, but I have used their laundry products and liked them. Ice Melt is nice because it’s mild and safe for pets and vegetation. It works up to -13 degrees Fahrenheit. You can read the full Ice Melt safety sheet here (will open in pdf).

Learn more about Ice Melt or purchase.

Cuddling & Other Tips for Saving Energy in Winter

December 14, 2008 in Save Energy, Seasonal Tips by Jennifer | 2 comments

Today we got snow here in Oregon, and trust me it’s freezing. This led me to think a little about winter and energy saving. Cuddling is of course an effective way to stay warm in winter but in case you’re not feeling all that cuddly, here are some other energy saving options.

  • Seal gaps or cracked seams in exposed ducts.
  • Clean or replace your furnace filters monthly.
  • Place window shrink wrap on non-energy efficient windows. You can also hang heavy blankets up with strong nails and this will block quite a lot of the chill.
  • Keep everyone gathered in a few rooms. Heat those rooms and shut the doors on rooms that no one is in.
  • If you leave turn off the heat! Once you return, your heater will quickly heat back up. There’s no need to heat an empty house – NOTE unless you have pets – don’t leave them freezing.
  • Lower your water heater. If you lower it to 120 F you can save money. Typically, a 10 F reduction on your water heater can save up to 5% on your heating, and no one needs their water set above 120.
  • Insulate any hot water pipes that lead from your water heater.
  • Install low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators – which is not a direct heat energy saving, but the less hot water used, the more you save.
  • Don’t underestimate clothing – a nice cozy sweater means you can keep the heat down. It’s not tank top weather!

Need more winter energy tips?

Quick Energy Saving Tip – DIY Energy Audit

Green Your Home On the Cheap

Quick Green Home Tip: Turn Down the Thermostat

Green Action for Autumn – Sealing Your Home for Winter

Is it snowing and chilly where you are?

Quick Green Home Tip: Turn Down the Thermostat

September 28, 2008 in Green Your Home, Save Energy, Seasonal Tips by Jennifer | No comments

It’s getting cold, and you’ll probably be reaching for the thermostat. However, before you crank that sucker up, try the following…

  • More clothing – a sweater inside is ok.
  • Extra blankets at night.
  • Exercising indoors – although I’d draw the line at jump rope and jumping jacks if you live above someone.
  • Open the window shades during the day to let some sunshine in.
  • Co-sleep with another family member.

Once you do decide that it’s cold enough for your heater to be on, try setting it 3-5 degrees lower than you think it should be set at. For example, if you always blindly turn your thermostat to 68, see if you can set it at 64 and still stay warm enough. Experiment with how low is just fine vs. too low.

This tip can save you money as you save resources. The Department of Energy notes that you can save $40+ a year just by turning your thermostat down by 1 degree. Wow – you do the math.

Green Action for Autumn – Sealing Your Home for Winter

September 27, 2008 in Green Your Home, Save Energy, Seasonal Tips by Jennifer | 1 comment

Once the weather starts to cool down, it’s time to take some green actions at home to make sure your house can handle the upcoming chilly weather without a huge drain on resources or your wallet.

One action step you can take is to make sure your home is properly sealed up. If you built an energy efficient home to start with (or moved into one), then sealing is a chore you can probably avoid. Newer, and well-built energy efficient homes already take heating and cooling needs into account. However, if you live in an older home, apartment, or other dwelling that has yet to be properly remodeled for efficiency, then sealing is a must.

Sealing can save you hundreds of dollars a year on your energy bill, and sealing helps to reduce the amount of CO2 that emits into our environment each year as well.

Sealing basics:

Sealing is cool, because it’s fast and easy for most people – even if you’re non-handy. Basically you’ll be checking the spaces around windows, doors, crawl spaces, the attic, basement, and even lighting fixtures for incoming air or cracks. Sealing is also a super inexpensive fix. Every general hardware store carries materials like caulk, weather stripping, window plastic, and more for a song. Sealing will pay for itself very quickly, and your family will be more comfortable in your home.

If you need a quick primer about sealing your home for winter, take a look at Weekend Project: Air seal your home from the ever helpful Lifehacker. Another good guide is Getting Energy Ready for Winter from the California Energy Commission.