Turn On a Greener Light to Save Money

Switch your light bulbs to compact fluorescents (CFL) and you will see clearly that you are saving money and helping the environment. Experts agree that if every American home replaced just one traditional light bulb with a CFL, the country would save more than $600 million dollars a year on energy costs. Compact fluorescents have been in use for many years and the results have been astounding. CFLs use 75% less energy, last up to 10x longer, and produce less heat. Additionally, CFLs can save you $30-$60 over the life of each bulb you install and help reduce the demand for electricity, thereby delaying the need for new power plants. Visit www.energystar.gov/cfls for more information.

Green Gardening

Gardening is a fun hobby for enthusiasts and novices alike who enjoy the planting, nurturing and harvesting of the fruits of their labors. Imagine a beautiful work of nature that starts from a tiny seed and grows into a beautiful, natural work of art that can provide nutrition for your family and oxygen back into our atmosphere. You can even involve your kids to help you with watering and harvesting for fun family time.

To ensure your gardening efforts are environmentally safe, there are a few factors to consider.

1. Plan – stick to what will grow in the climate and soil you have to work with
2. Care – use rainwater when possible to water your plants and in areas facing drought consider planting things that don’t need a lot of water. Use organic fertilizers instead of manure (pasteurized chicken manure has less odor or a liquid made from fish and seaweed by-products)
3. Control – most of the bugs in your garden are harmless and some are more beneficial than the pesticides you might use to control them. Hang bird feeders or nesting gardens near your garden to have the birds consume the bugs. If necessary, use an insecticidal soap which is hearty enough to kill pests but safe.
4. Share – excess fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers are great to share with friends, family and neighbors. You won’t have wasted a moment of your time or your harvest and others will enjoy your efforts.
5. Recycle – leftover plant waste can be put into a composting bin in your yard to use as fertilizer or mulch for next season’s crop rather than taking up space in a landfill.

Composting

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), yard and food waste together constitute 24 percent of the U.S. municipal solid waste that loads up landfills when it could become useful and environmentally beneficial compost. Composting is very easy and the resulting organic material can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow outdoor plants.

Natural composting is basically biological decomposition, and began with the first plants on earth and continues to this day. When vegetation falls to the ground and slowly decays, it provides minerals and nutrients needed for plants, animals, and microorganisms. Modern composting technology includes heat to destroy pathogens and weeds.

Composting is not only easy and a great way to keep our landfill space to a minimum, it can also suppress plant diseases and pests and reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers. Composting has been shown to promote higher yields of crops and in nature, is a cost-effective means to facilitate reforestation, wetlands restoration, and habitat revitalization efforts. It can also be used to remove solids, oil, grease, and heavy metals from stormwater runoff and capture and destroy 99.6 percent of industrial volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in contaminated air.

Things You Should Compost

• Animal manure
• Cardboard rolls
• Clean paper
• Coffee grounds and filters
• Cotton rags
• Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
• Eggshells
• Fireplace ashes
• Fruits and vegetables
• Grass clippings
• Hair and fur
• Hay and straw
• Houseplants
• Leaves
• Nut shells
• Sawdust
• Shredded newspaper
• Tea bags
• Wood chips
• Wool rags
• Yard trimmings

Things You Should Not Compost

• Black walnut tree leaves or twigs
• Coal or charcoal ash
• Dairy products
• Diseased or insect-ridden plants
• Fats, grease, lard, or oils
• Meat or fish bones and scraps
• Pet wastes
• Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides

For more information about composting, visit the EPA’s website www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/rrr/composting.

Go Green for Earth Day and Every Day

This Earth Day, April 22, 2009 will be the 39th celebration of green living and will be the beginning of The Green Generation Campaign™ to get billions to celebrate Earth Day not just on April 22, but every day. Their three core goals focus on finding renewable energy, responsible and sustainable consumption and the creation of millions of jobs.

How will they accomplish their goals and what does this mean for you? It means by starting now, becoming educated about living green and doing your part, even a little at a time, we can all save money, stop using so much valuable land for trash, and learn to use alternative energy sources that are safer for the environment and may be less expensive.

Going green can ultimately use less energy, is less toxic, and often products are made from recycled materials which can continue to be recycled and reduce landfill space around the world. Green products may cost more up front, but are typically better for our health which can reduce our medical costs, they are proven to reduce our energy costs, and are often made from materials that reduce landfill waste, saving you money on the rising cost of trash pickup and land. That said, it pays to find ways to go green and set a good example for others while feeling good knowing you are doing your part. Here are a few ways to get started:

1. Use the recycling bins from your trash removal service for all recycleable goods
2. Buy energy star compliant electronics and appliances
3. Replace light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (not currently for use with a dimmer switch)
4. Buy recycled paper products, rechargeable batteries, refillable pens, toner cartridges, and inks

Join the masses in big cities and small towns to celebrate Earth day 2009 this week. Enjoy some time outdoors with your friends and family and discover the many easy ways you can reduce, reuse, and recycle in your home, office, yard, while shopping and traveling. Start today and you can make the world a better place for all of us and generations to come.

Vinegar Makes a Great Household Cleaner

Try using natural products like white vinegar to clean and sanitize your home and you’ll get your home sparkling clean, while saving money and doing your part to save the environment and your family, including pets, from harsh chemicals. Be sure to use high quality white vinegar since some lower priced brands are made with petroleum which is hazardous. Here are a few suggestions for using white vinegar to cut grease and remove mildew, odors, and stains in your home…

• All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix ½ cup vinegar and ¼ cup baking soda into ½ gallon water. Store and keep. Use for removal of water deposit stains on shower stall panels, bathroom chrome fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors, etc.
• Remove coffee stains on mugs and coffee pots by wiping white vinegar over the spot and rinse clean.
• Remove labels or sticky glue reside by wiping with white vinegar.
• Grind white vinegar ice cubes in your garbage disposal to deodorize and sharpen blades.
• Pour white vinegar into your toilet bowl, let sit for 10 minutes and flush to remove stains and bacteria.
• Boil white vinegar and pour down clogged drains to unstop pipes.
• Prevent cooking odors by simmering 1 tbsp vinegar in 1 cup water on the stove while cooking. To get smells like fish and onion off utensils and cutting boards, wipe them with vinegar and wash in soapy water.
• Carpet stains: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on stain, let sit for several minutes, and clean with a brush or sponge using warm soapy water. For a heavy duty carpet cleaner, mix ¼ cup each of salt, borax and vinegar. Rub paste into carpet and leave for a few hours. Vacuum.
• To clean a teakettle or coffee maker, add 2 cups water and ¼ cup white vinegar; bring to a boil. Let cool, wipe with a clean cloth and rinse thoroughly with water.
• Add vinegar when washing towels rather than bleach to clean and sanitize.
• Clean vinyl and linoleum floors: mix 1 cup vinegar and a few drops of baby oil in 1 gallon warm water. For tough jobs, add ¼ cup borox. Use sparingly on linoleum. For wood, apply a thin coat of 1:1 vegetable oil and vinegar and rub in well. For brick and stone tiles: mix 1 cup white vinegar in 1 gallon (4L) water; rinse with clear water. Most floor surfaces can be easily cleaned using a solution of vinegar and water. For damp-mopping wood floors: mix equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and water. Add 15 drops of pure peppermint oil; shake to mix.
• Reduce lime deposits in your teakettle by putting in ½ cup white vinegar and 2 cups water, and gently boiling for a few minutes. Rinse well with fresh water while kettle is still warm.
• Clean metals such as: 
  • Brass or Bronze: polish with a soft cloth dipped in a vinegar and salt solution. 
  • Chrome: polish with vinegar, copper, with a cotton rag soaked in a pot of boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup white vinegar. 
  • Copper: apply to copper while hot; let cool, then wipe clean. 
  • Gold: clean with toothpaste, or a paste of salt, vinegar, and flour. 
  • Stainless Steel: clean with a cloth dampened with undiluted white vinegar.

Baking Soda isn't Just for Baking

Try using natural products like baking soda usually kept in your kitchen for cooking to clean your home and you’ll not only save money over expensive cleaners, you’ll get your home sparkling clean while doing your part to save the environment and your family — including pets — from harsh chemicals. You can even feel good about having your kids help with these chores, knowing they are not exposed to dangerous chemicals and can have some fun helping you. Here are a few suggestions for using baking soda in your home…

• Lightly sprinkle baking soda on your carpets and let sit for 10 minutes before vacuuming to deodorize and absorb dampness and odors
• Remove scuff marks on tile and vinyl by wiping a damp sponge dipped in baking soda over the spots
• Remove crayon, pencil or scuff marks from walls by gently rubbing over spots with a dampened rag lightly sprinkled with baking soda
• Put a fresh opened box of baking soda in your fridge, freezer, and closets every few months to absorb odors and keep things smelling fresh
• Soak sponges overnight in baking soda and water to refresh
• Rub a paste of baking soda and warm water onto stained clothing before laundering. Be sure to check for colorfastness first. If you don’t want to spread the stain, absorb by pouring baking soda on the stain to absorb and then run warm water over it to get it out. Add baking soda to your wash load to help eliminate odors
• Refresh your garbage disposal by pouring baking soda down the drain and running the disposal with warm water
• Clean grease and grime as well as deodorize by making a solution of ¼ cup of baking soda, ½ cup of vinegar, and 1 gallon of hot water
• Clean and remove yellowing of white appliances including the microwave oven by mixing ¼ cup of baking soda with a few cups of warm water and wash down the outside of white appliances. Allow it to stand for 15 minutes before rinsing clean and it will restore the whiteness
• clean stained pots by boiling baking soda and water for 10 minutes to clean the outside and scrubbing the pots inside with a baking soda and water paste. Sprinkle baking soda on your copper-bottomed pots and pans. Pour vinegar over the pan and use half a lemon as your “scrub brush”. Rinse thoroughly and your pots will be shiny as new again. Non-stick frying pans can benefit from a mixture of baking soda and water to remove lingering food smells and tastes from your pans. Use baking soda to remove stains in non-stick frying pans, by boiling the pan in a solution of 4 tablespoons baking soda and ½ cups of water. Rinse thoroughly. Clean any roasting pan by sprinkle the surface well with baking soda. Combine 1 cup of hot water and 1/3 cup of vinegar, poured onto the baking soda. The fizzing action will remove the roasted food particles