Weekly Green Tips:
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7/7/08
Keep your car well-tuned
To get better gas mileage and create less pollution, take these steps:
Properly inflate your tires. Ask your mechanic or check your owner’s manual to find out what your tire pressure should be, and buy an accurate gauge to check your tire pressure every two weeks. If your tires are even a few pounds off, they can cause drag that eats up gas and creates more pollution.
Change your air filter every six months. A dirty air filter can cause your engine to work harder and use more gas.
Change your oil filter every time you change your oil. This should typically be done every 5,000 miles.
Have your spark plugs checked and replaced as needed. When spark plugs begin misfiring, they no longer burn gas efficiently and cause pollution and poor gas mileage.
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6/30/08
Remove excess items from your trunk
Less weight means better mileage. Every pound counts, so get rid of that case of water you've been toting around with you.
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6/23/08
Look for food packaging that is high in recycled content
Avoid over-packaged food products in general, and know what methods of food packaging are best: Food packaging made from glass, metal or paper is the easiest to recycle. Shop for foods packaged in materials that have been recycled once (look for the recycling label) and are made to be easily recycled again. Avoid polystyrene packaging since there are virtually no places in the country that recycle it, despite the recycling logo. Finally, know what types of plastics (1 – 7) are recycled in your area, and try not to buy products packaged in anything else.
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6/16/08
Familiarize yourself with GMO foods and how to avoid them
GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are foods that have had their genetic makeup directly altered by humans. Studies have not been conducted on the long-term effects of GMOs, and the Food and Drug Administration does not require food labels to divulge when GMOs are used. Corn, rapeseed, cotton and soy are among the most popular GMO crops, with as many as 35% of all corn-based products sold in America coming from GMO seeds. The best way to avoid GMO foods in your diet is to buy organically grown food. To find out what foods contain GMO ingredients, research brands online at TrueFoodNow.org.
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6/9/08
Shut off your engine instead of idling
Idling causes lots of air pollution and wastes gas. Besides, your car does not typically need to be warmed up for more than 15 seconds before driving and—contrary to popular belief—it doesn't wear down the starter to turn the car on and off when you're waiting for longer than a minute or so. Think of all the air pollution that’s created by parents and buses waiting for kids to get out of school, and save those little lungs and a little gas at the same time.
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6/2/08
Replace plastic baby bottles with glass or safe plastics
The chemical used in most polycarbonate plastic baby bottles is called bisphenol A, or BPA, and it has been linked to possible health problems in babies. BPA is most often found in hard clear plastics with the number 7 on the bottle. The best alternatives are tempered glass bottles and sippy cups, or softer, opaque plastic bottles, which are made from polyethylene or polypropylene (look for recycling symbols 1, 2 or 5; "good plastic" brands include Medela, Born Free and Evenflo). It's also wise to heat up milk or formula before pouring it into the bottle: Heating the filled bottle in a pan or microwave also heats the plastic, which can cause the chemicals into the bottle’s contents to transfer to the liquid.
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5/26/08
With gas prices reaching $4/gallon, there is an easy way for you to save money at the pump if you simply must drive. The San Francisco Chronicle did some research and concluded that "how much you stand to save depends on a lot of factors. With gas at $4 a gallon, a driver with a long commute - 400 miles a week - and a gas-guzzling vehicle getting only 20 mpg would save $18.74 a week by slowing down dramatically from 75 to 55 mph, extrapolating from the government's most recent figures on the subject. Even a more moderate deceleration - from 70 to 60 mph - would save that driver $11.74 a week." |
5/19/08
Oil Change Changeup: Quicky oil-change shops may urge us to change the oil in our vehicles every 3,000 miles. But most cars nowadays don’t need changing that often. In fact, most manufacturers say you can go 7,000 miles without a problem. Ditto for that SUV—unless you really are starring in one of those TV ads and driving it hard and long over dusty roads. What difference does it make? Consider this: each year California alone generates about 153 million gallons of used oil. Change less often and it really can save your engine and the planet. |
5/12/08
Now You're Cookin': They say a watched pot never boils, but a covered one boils extra quickly, saving cooking time--and energy. Using smaller appliances, like a microwave, toaster oven, rice cooker, or crock pot when appropriate to the task; choosing the right size pan and burner for meals prepared on the stove; and keeping the oven door closed while baking are other great ways to conserve energy in the kitchen. It also doesn't take as much energy to reheat food as it does to cook it in the first place, so make enough for leftovers! |
5/5/08
Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible - You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.
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4/28/08
Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer - Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has more tips for saving energy on heating and cooling.
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4/21/08
Make compost from kitchen scraps. Compost like a champ by throwing in your vegetable waste <http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/03/for_the_domesti.php> , instead of allowing it to be trucked off to the landfill. Known as "gardener's gold," compost enriches soil fertility by giving it a shot of high-powered, plant-loving nutrients. Aside from stimulating healthy root development, the addition of rich and earthy compost also improves soil texture, aeration, and water retention. Why waste your hard-earned cash on commercial products when the real deal is free for the taking? Speed up the process with the help of earthworms <http://truths.treehugger.com/video/contest_entry_worm_poop_the_ot.php> or go wriggle-free (if you're the squeamish sort).
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4/14/08
Buy local honey at your farmer's market or www.honeylocator.com <http://www.honeylocator.com> . All around the country large and small beekeeping operations are registering staggering losses of honeybees, with some farmers reporting population drops of 99 percent. While there is no obvious single cause, pesticides, parasitic mites and loss of woodland habitat are all considered culprits. Vital to agriculture, honeybees are responsible for pollinating $14 billion dollars worth of U.S. crops and, according to the American Beekeeping Federation, a third of the food Americans eat.
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4/7/08
Rather than writing checks and stuffing envelopes each month, switch to tree-free billing and pay everything from your credit card to your cell phone bills online. Forests not only remove CO2 from the air but are richly complex ecosystems, providing habitat for mammals, birds, plants, insects and mushrooms and other fungi to thrive. Approximately one billion trees worth of paper are thrown away every year in the U.S. For the paper products you do have to use, like tissues and toilet paper. |
| 3/31/08
Cell Phone Preservation
1. Stop charging overnight! The longer a battery is charging, the longer it's exposed to heat, which can wear it down. Most cell phone batteries fully charge in under two hours, so as soon as all bars have been restored, unplug your phone. And while you're at it, unplug the charger, which constantly drains power even when it's not juicing up your phone (see"Carbon Pincher <http://www.thegreenguide.com/blog/lighten-up/1126> ").
2. All heat sources--not just the charger--can damage the battery, so whenever possible, keep your phone out of the heat. Put it in your pocket instead of on the picnic table on hot days. Avoid parking it on the dashboard of your vehicle.
3. Adjust to power-saving settings. Lighting the screen drains the most battery power, so cut the LCD brightness down as far as you can without causing eye strain, and, if your eyes can take it, turn down the backlight setting so that it dims in just a few seconds.
4. During periods when you'd rather not be bothered, like in the movie theater or while sleeping, turn the phone off completely.
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| 3/24/08
Instead of shopping for software at the store, simply download what you need directly from those clever folks on the Internet. You'll save resources, as well as time and fuel.
CDs are made out of nonrenewable petroleum products, and are difficult to recycle. They are placed in plastic jewel cases, stuffed into boxes with manuals, and wrapped in more plastic. Around the world, more than a billion unwanted computer disks are tossed out each year, reports ElectronicsRecycling.org <http://electronicsrecycling.org/> .
So purchase and download software from the Internet. You won't have to drive, the manufacturers won't have to ship to the stores, and you can relax.
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| 3/17/08
Save a bundle of money and cut down on use of energy and chemicals by steam cleaning your clothes at home. A number of modern appliances are now available to make it easier.
Contrary to what some people think, dry cleaning does not extend the life of any garment. As with any other type of cleaning, the process still introduces wear and tear on your fabrics. So if you have woolens, fine suits or other items that are marked “dry cleaning only,” you should consider your options.
If you go to a traditional neighborhood dry cleaner, they will likely use PERC (perchloroethylene), a volatile organic compound that can cause dizziness, headaches, nausea and irritation. It has been linked to groundwater contamination and cancer at high doses.
Still, save the expense, and the need to leave the house, with a steam cleaner. LG’s steam wash and dry system uses less water than even a front-loading laundry machine. These types of cleaners are great for pressing slacks and other items you want looking their best.
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| 3/10/08
Though it isn't necessary to back five feet away from a running microwave to avoid radiation, there are safer ways to nuke your food. Here are a few tips:
- The greenest, and safest, way to cover your food for microwave heating and cooking is to use oven-safe glass cookware, which eliminates waste and the potential for chemicals leaching from plastic wrap.
- "Microwave-safe" and "microwavable" labels on a plastic container or on plastic wrap packaging only means that the plastic won't melt or crack in the microwave, but doesn't guarantee that it won't leach chemicals into your leftovers.
- If you do use plastic, only loosely cover food, allowing steam to escape, and never let plastic wrap touch food directly.
- Only use ink-free paper towels in the microwave. Most printed paper towels use non-food-grade inks.
- Never cover food with plastic bags, aluminum foil, grocery bags, or newspapers.
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3/3/08
If you are in the market for a new washing machine, make sure you get a front-loading model, which uses a third less water, heat energy and detergent than standard top-loading designs.
Make sure your new machine is certified by the EPA's Energy Star program, which signifies high energy efficiency. According to GE, the average family will save enough on energy bills with the company's Energy Star washer and dryer to pay for the appliances in just 12 years.
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2/25/08
Donate your old, but still-usable building materials by bringing them to a Habitat ReStore run by Habitat for Humanity, the nonprofit responsible for building 225,000 homes around the world for low-income families. Across the country, Habitat ReStore retailers sell donated, good-quality used and surplus building materials at a fraction of retail prices.
Proceeds from ReStores help local affiliates fund the construction of Habitat houses within the community. You'll receive a tax-deductible receipt. Plus, it helps put less pressure on our landfills. Locate a ReStore near you with this online directory.
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2/19/08
Improve your home's indoor air quality with a true HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter. You'll cut down on allergens as well as dust. Ordinary disposable fiberglass filters were designed to remove the largest particles from the air, with the goal of protecting your heating equipment, not your lungs. They trap only 10 to 40% of the debris passing through them. A HEPA filter, on the other hand, can remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles. They are made of randomly arranged fibers and are based on Department of Energy standards.In terms of value and effectiveness, installing a filter on your central heating and cooling system is definitely the best way to go. You can also get portable filter units for individual rooms.
Do beware of so-called "HEPA type" or "high efficiency" filters, which are widely advertised (especially on TV). These products can actually be up to 55 percent lower in efficiency than true HEPAs.
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2/11/2008
Chances are you can turn down the thermostat on your home’s water heater a few degrees, and still have plenty of hot water for everyone’s daily shower, not to mention the dishes and laundry.
Installers and builders often think they’re doing homeowners a favor by jacking up a water heater’s temperature (commonly to 140 degrees F). But it’s not necessary for most households to keep the appliance set to anything over 120 degrees F.
Lowering the temperature from 140 to 120 would reduce your water heating costs by 6 to 10%. Give it a try. Many people find that tweaking the dial can be addictive, and it’s easy to reduce the temperature further to 115 or even lower. |
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