After watching the Earth Day specials I started looking around to find a lot more about landfills and things. I found this and I thought I would pass it along. I know we have to have trash, but wow we really need to think about what goes in to our landfills.
Check this our The Low Down On Landfills
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Eco-Friendly Weed Killers
It is important to remember when you are working in your yard the chemicals are inhaled and also are washed away by rain and run into our drinking water in some places. We hear a lot about pest asides and there are some great alternatives out there for them but one we don't think about a lot are weed killers. Here is a great alternative for the over the counter weed killers that is non toxic. I haven't tried it myself but will be ordering it now for the spring time yard work.
It's called Deadeye click here vinegar-based spray formula ($8/32 ounces)
For those who want their own do it yourself method you can actually take boiling water and throw it on those weeds. Be careful though, to me that seems a little scary. I am bound to trip on something along my way:) You can also take newspapers or old fabric and cover any area that you want to permanently get rid of areas that can create problems for you, but remember it will kill the grass too.
I hope that helps you in your spring yard work!
It's called Deadeye click here vinegar-based spray formula ($8/32 ounces)
For those who want their own do it yourself method you can actually take boiling water and throw it on those weeds. Be careful though, to me that seems a little scary. I am bound to trip on something along my way:) You can also take newspapers or old fabric and cover any area that you want to permanently get rid of areas that can create problems for you, but remember it will kill the grass too.
I hope that helps you in your spring yard work!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Top Myths Of About Going Green
Since it's April fools I thought it would be a great idea to go over some of the myths of going green. There are a lot of places out there that will try to tell you things that sometimes just simply aren't true and some that are open for debate. I thought it would something good for you to take and think about. So happy April!
1) You should recycle all paper
That is not always true. Though of course you want to recycle not everything you think can be recycled can be. There is a myth that you can use a paper plate, napkin, or even pizza box and throw in the recycle bin...and guess making you feel better that you are using paper vs regular plates and paper napkins vs cloth. If there is something on the paper such as oil it can actually cause more harm than good. In the paper recycling process it's different than plastic or glass, paper is broken down using water and as I am sure you have heard before oil and water don't mix. It can cause as much as 700 million dollars in contamination each year. Paper is put in huge vats and recycling plants can only catch so much. If paper is put in there it can contaminate huge batch.
Truth: Many papers can be recycled just be sure you know what you are throwing in there and check your local recycling rules.
2) Throw It Away It's Biodegradable
You have heard many companies switching to biodegradable packaging and that is great! You want to encourage that as much as possible but just because it's biodegradable doesn't make it disappear. That package still sits in a landfill while is breaking down. Also many people think food is the most bio gradable thing out there and that is not true either. In a study done by the University of Arizona found some very interesting things in landfills. They found hundreds of hot dogs, corn start and lettuce dating back to the 1960s. How did they know it was from the 1960s? Because it was mixed with newspapers that were still readable that were dated.
Truth: Recycle if it is possible, use that trash can as little as possible. Those bottles I was talking about most of those are recycle able. Compost if it is possible for you. It's a commitment but it's something that is becoming much more commercial and easier to do. Many places offer compost bins for a decent price and you can use what you compost to fertilize your garden next year.
3) The label says it's Eco friendly
When something becomes popular companies jump on the bandwagon to try to profit from it. While you can't blame them you also don't want to be suckered by them. A lot of people don't know their seals well enough to know if a company is telling you the truth or not. And even then you need to put some thought in to it. Here are some seals to watch for on products to know if it's really Eco friendly. There are pictures
Green Seal
With the Green Seal certification not only is the product safe and eco friendly the company that produces the product is too.
Energy Star
With the Energy Star seal of approval means that the product has been tested and is energy efficient compared to its counterparts.
Also coming soon:
We all remember the other Good Housekeeping seal, well now later this year there will be a green Good Housekeeping seal coming our way.
Truth: Think twice before you guy that cleaner that says Eco friendly or uses the work Green in the name. There could be a good chance there is nothing green about it.
4) Adjusting Your Thermostat Wastes Energy
Many people believe that if they power down your thermostat that it spends more energy to power it back up.
Truth: Actually according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy that is not true. It uses less energy to set your thermostat at a lower temperature than it does to have it set on one temperature. So if you are out of the house adjust the thermostat. If you can you can get a programable thermostat in your house also very reasonable now days.
5) Going Green Costs A Lot Of Money
While some products that are "green" do seem to be more expensive right now it's because the competition is low. As the consumer demand goes up the prices will drop. Companies charge what they can get away with. Think about how much the price of a hybrid used to cost. I'm not saying we can all go out and buy one tomorrow, but the cost has dropped a considerable amount than it was just a couple of years ago.
Truth: The truth is most green alternatives can be the same price or comparable and some even less...which is what my blog is about:). There are many ways you can go green and save money. Many experts have said some things you need to buy in bulk to save money..the green truth is some items you can buy in bulk and save the amount of packaging you use and the gas you would save! Anymore with the price of gas saving gas is just about going green, it's saving money too!
So I hope that gave you a fun turn on your April Fools day and some things to think about too. Don't be fooled by going green. There are many people and companies that have the best intentions, but others...not so much. Read between the lines and make sure you are getting the truth. You always have to wait for the federal regulations to catch up to the trends. Sometimes that can take a long time.
Friday, March 20, 2009
The Old Saying Save A Tree
Remember how we always used to talk about saving a tree. Now that so many people recycle you will notice there is a them to this blog.....reduce, just recycling is not enough.
So here is an idea for ya. Stop the notes! I am a horrible list maker, I leave a list laying around for everything so this one is soo hard for me. But take advantage of the digital alternatives you have. One your computer or laptop you can take notes there, or make your lists and the good thing is you problbuly won't loose them!
Most any cell phone has a preloaded note system on it. Even if you don't have a fancy phone it's usually still on there. Take advantage of that when your on the go or at home.
A great site I like is called www.jott.com . I like it because you keep all your to do lists, notes everything in one place. You can even call from your home or cell phone and add notes to your calender or lists. Best of all it's free and they even call you with reminders if you set it to do that.
So try it, no more post its, scratch paper. Try the digital transition:). Even though those sticky notes are so small did you know the average person uses the equivilant of a tree 100 ft high and 18 inches diameter every year.
Something to think about. Reduce, Reduce!
So here is an idea for ya. Stop the notes! I am a horrible list maker, I leave a list laying around for everything so this one is soo hard for me. But take advantage of the digital alternatives you have. One your computer or laptop you can take notes there, or make your lists and the good thing is you problbuly won't loose them!
Most any cell phone has a preloaded note system on it. Even if you don't have a fancy phone it's usually still on there. Take advantage of that when your on the go or at home.
A great site I like is called www.jott.com . I like it because you keep all your to do lists, notes everything in one place. You can even call from your home or cell phone and add notes to your calender or lists. Best of all it's free and they even call you with reminders if you set it to do that.
So try it, no more post its, scratch paper. Try the digital transition:). Even though those sticky notes are so small did you know the average person uses the equivilant of a tree 100 ft high and 18 inches diameter every year.
Something to think about. Reduce, Reduce!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Happy St Patrick's Day
In honor of this green day I thought it was the perfect time to send you a quick little note and remind us all there are easy ways to go green! So here is a little list of 10 simple ways to go green.
1) Switch to a CFL bulb instead of a regular light bulb.
2) Watch your home energy. Monitor your thermostat, if it's in your budget for about $70 purchase a pre-set thermostat where you can set the temperature for the week, month season or however long you would like.
3) Unplug things you are not using. Get rid of phantom power. It can take up up to 20% of your utility bill.
4) Recycle. Most cities offer curb side recycling if you city does not there are many community areas to take your recycling. I have a link here on my blog to www.earth911.org and they have a list of community recycling areas. Check all boxes and bottles when you are cooking you would be surprised what can be recycled.
5) Recycle electronics. One person's trash is another person's treasure...remember that. There are many places that will take your old broken printer, cell phone, monitor. Whatever it may be and give you credit towards a new one. You can also visit http://www.electronicsrecycling.org for more information.
6) Stop using plastic bags!! Switch to whatever type of reusable plastic bags. There are cute ones now, practical ones, heck cheap ones. Here are my favorite Click Here because it's my favorite company of course and because of the size and I shop for a family of 4 so I would rather carry 6 bags vs 20 cute little ones.
7) Reduce-- cut down packaging by buying food in larger containers vs small 1 serving containers. That is less that needs to be put in the trash....which sometimes we forget leads to a landfill.
8) Stop buying water bottles!! Most of them end up in landfills and even if you recycle there is no reason you can't use a water bottle to refill. We all know that tap water is safer than bottled water anyway. So there isn't a health factor there.
9) Shop smart at the grocery store (source: Green Daily). One way to do this is to look for the USDA Organic label, which certifies food hasn’t been exposed to things such as pesticides or synthetic fertilizers or growth hormones and that the soil where they were grown is free of these, as well. They may be more expensive but they are much healthier. So you have to decide what is more important.
10) Use less water. Shorten showers if possible. Even if it's one a week every little bit helps. A lot of people have started collecting rain water also for use in their lawns throughout the summer.
Now these may all seem overwhelming but don't get discouraged! Take them a little bit at a time. Maybe switch one bulb at a time, or pick one things you know you can do full time and most of these actually save you money. And in these tough economic times, who can't use that.
Happy St Patty's Day,
Karen
www.KarenPore.com
1) Switch to a CFL bulb instead of a regular light bulb.
2) Watch your home energy. Monitor your thermostat, if it's in your budget for about $70 purchase a pre-set thermostat where you can set the temperature for the week, month season or however long you would like.
3) Unplug things you are not using. Get rid of phantom power. It can take up up to 20% of your utility bill.
4) Recycle. Most cities offer curb side recycling if you city does not there are many community areas to take your recycling. I have a link here on my blog to www.earth911.org and they have a list of community recycling areas. Check all boxes and bottles when you are cooking you would be surprised what can be recycled.
5) Recycle electronics. One person's trash is another person's treasure...remember that. There are many places that will take your old broken printer, cell phone, monitor. Whatever it may be and give you credit towards a new one. You can also visit http://www.electronicsrecycling.org for more information.
6) Stop using plastic bags!! Switch to whatever type of reusable plastic bags. There are cute ones now, practical ones, heck cheap ones. Here are my favorite Click Here because it's my favorite company of course and because of the size and I shop for a family of 4 so I would rather carry 6 bags vs 20 cute little ones.
7) Reduce-- cut down packaging by buying food in larger containers vs small 1 serving containers. That is less that needs to be put in the trash....which sometimes we forget leads to a landfill.
8) Stop buying water bottles!! Most of them end up in landfills and even if you recycle there is no reason you can't use a water bottle to refill. We all know that tap water is safer than bottled water anyway. So there isn't a health factor there.
9) Shop smart at the grocery store (source: Green Daily). One way to do this is to look for the USDA Organic label, which certifies food hasn’t been exposed to things such as pesticides or synthetic fertilizers or growth hormones and that the soil where they were grown is free of these, as well. They may be more expensive but they are much healthier. So you have to decide what is more important.
10) Use less water. Shorten showers if possible. Even if it's one a week every little bit helps. A lot of people have started collecting rain water also for use in their lawns throughout the summer.
Now these may all seem overwhelming but don't get discouraged! Take them a little bit at a time. Maybe switch one bulb at a time, or pick one things you know you can do full time and most of these actually save you money. And in these tough economic times, who can't use that.
Happy St Patty's Day,
Karen
www.KarenPore.com
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Are You Having A Party Soon??
Do you have any parties coming up at your home? Try something different this time. If your party is a manageable size don't use plastic or paper plates. Break out the real stuff. Use regular plates and cups in place of those plastic ones. If you are having a child's birthday party and you really want to go with a theme they will want you can carry that theme with the cake or some decorations.
Yes, it may take you some extra time to wash those dishes (FYI you use less water with a dishwasher than with hand washing dishes) but you will save some trash along the way. You will also save yourself a little cash.
Talk with you soon,
Karen
http://www.SwitchYourHouse.com
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Green Tax Savings
I have been doing some research while preparing my taxes and found some information I thought was worth passing along.
Here is a great article I found about tax savings on green upgrades to your home. Some of them are a little costly, but I know home improvement comes around sometimes whether we want it to or not and there are some interesting things to keep in mind.
Green Tax Savings: $500 Energy Tax Credits for Upgrade to Your Primary Residence
Certain eco-friendly upgrades to your home can qualify for federal tax credits through the end of this year. A credit is much more valuable to you than a standard tax deduction. A credit is a dollar for dollar reduction in your tax bill. A deduction’s value is based on your marginal tax bracket. For example, a $500 tax credit reduces your taxable income by $500. A $500 tax deduction for someone in the highest income tax bracket of 35% is only worth $175 ($500 x .35)
The maximum lifetime energy credit you can claim for upgrades to your primary residence is $500 total. Among the energy-efficient upgrades that qualify for the credit are:
New windows, storm windows, sky lights: credit on 10% of the cost up to $200 total for all windows.
New Exterior doors: credit on 10% of the cost up to $500.
Metal roofs: 10% of the cost up to $500.
Insulation. Credit on 10% of the cost up to $500.
Central air/heating: $300 credit.
New Furnace: $150.
Geo-Thermal Heat Pump: $300.
New Water Heater: $300
So keep these things in mind while doing home upgrades.
Have a great day,
Karen Pore
http://www.green4yourfamily.com/
Here is a great article I found about tax savings on green upgrades to your home. Some of them are a little costly, but I know home improvement comes around sometimes whether we want it to or not and there are some interesting things to keep in mind.
Green Tax Savings: $500 Energy Tax Credits for Upgrade to Your Primary Residence
Certain eco-friendly upgrades to your home can qualify for federal tax credits through the end of this year. A credit is much more valuable to you than a standard tax deduction. A credit is a dollar for dollar reduction in your tax bill. A deduction’s value is based on your marginal tax bracket. For example, a $500 tax credit reduces your taxable income by $500. A $500 tax deduction for someone in the highest income tax bracket of 35% is only worth $175 ($500 x .35)
The maximum lifetime energy credit you can claim for upgrades to your primary residence is $500 total. Among the energy-efficient upgrades that qualify for the credit are:
New windows, storm windows, sky lights: credit on 10% of the cost up to $200 total for all windows.
New Exterior doors: credit on 10% of the cost up to $500.
Metal roofs: 10% of the cost up to $500.
Insulation. Credit on 10% of the cost up to $500.
Central air/heating: $300 credit.
New Furnace: $150.
Geo-Thermal Heat Pump: $300.
New Water Heater: $300
So keep these things in mind while doing home upgrades.
Have a great day,
Karen Pore
http://www.green4yourfamily.com/
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