What can you do to help the environment?
Environmentally-friendly lifestyle tips and tricks are the main topic of many publications and web sites created in the last years. Though being a professional realtor gives me plenty of opportunities to talk about the many ways of eco-friendly living with my clients, my topic today will be a bit more specific. My aim today is not to cover the whole topic of environmentally conscious living, giving all the advice you’ve probably heard already. Instead, I would like to contemplate on groceries, water and electric current – as the three fundamental resources that we, who live in developed countries, tend to use without further thinking.
Groceries
Since the majority of people (I hope!) regularly recycle paper, glass and tins, most of your common waste is probably composted of food. The bulk of the food that we throw out is in most cases in flawless condition and in some cases even in the original wrapper or box. We can find out that out of all the groceries that Canadian families pick out and pay for in stores, 20 to 30% eventually ends up in the dustbin. Together with the food thrown away in stores and restaurants, it makes between 7 and 14 billion tonnes of food dumped annually. That is worth $3 to 5 billion Canadian dollars every year.
Now you are probably shocked by these figures, aren’t you? The main paradox is that we throw away so much food every day and at the same time so many charity societies are working hard, trying to help people who don’t have enough to eat. While it wouldn’t be too smart to pack unused foods and send it to countries hit by famine, there are other ways to avoid food being thrown out in vain. 1. Do you have any food left from yesterday? Try to use it for today’s lunch. For instance you can stuff some peppers with some remaining rice. 2. In your larder or food cabinet, try to stick to a simple rule: the food closest to the expiration date is always stocked in front of the fresher ones. 3. It may happen that you know beforehand that there is some food you are not going to be able to consume before its expiration date. Instead of throwing it away, try to find a local charity or soup kitchen and bring your food there when it’s still serviceable. Let some people eat it – hunger isn’t only to Africa. 4. If you have some leftovers anyway, try mulching it instead of just throwing it away. Always try to think in the way that food just shouldn’t be dumped. If you don’t own a garden yourself, try to find someone who does and can do the mulching.
Water
There are plenty of ways to avoid wasting water and you can probably name many of them yourself. But there is one interesting side of home water saving – toilets, as places we use to get rid of our faeces. Nowadays, toilets are absolutely fundamental – when they are working alright, we don’t even need to pay any attention to them. But try to find out the amount of water your family uses every month just for flushing the toilet. You might be amazed by the big number you get out of this. And has it ever occurred to you that this quantity is not essential, that flushing your toilet can be done using less water? You can try these two tips to using less water for flushing: 1. Substitute your old lavatory by a new model that has been designed to use as little water as possible. You might think that there is not much to choose from when buying a new lavatory, but just stop by at your nearest shop and see for yourself, you might be surprised! 2. If you place a couple of plastic bottles full of water into the tank of your lavatory, it will help you to save some water for flushing too. Keep testing to discover how little water is enough for the lavatory to function properly.
Electric energy
Just like with water, many tips on electricity waste prevention are accessible only and elsewhere. But one of the appliances that uses up great amounts of energy is one that you might be using daily: a tumble dryer. We got used to having anything we like or need immediately, that we no longer care how much superfluous resources are wasted just because we don’t want to wait. Of course we no more want or have the time to wash our clothing by hand, and it is true that by using dishwashers we can waste less water. However, think about tumble dryers. Would it be such a great problem if we just waited 1 – 2 days for our laundry to get dry? For people who are trying hard to make their lives less of an ecological burden, using a tumble dryer is acceptable only in acute cases. Even a better solution is to dispose of the dryer at all, or sell it. Apart from the environment, you will save some money on your electricity bills as well.
Do you get ever get confused when buying the fluorescent light bulbs?
Environment-friendliness and economy are the two main arguments in favor of fluorescent light bulbs as opposed to the traditional bulbs. The environmental bulbs don’t have to be replaced as often as the traditional ones, because they last up to ten times longer than the traditional bulbs. They also produce less heat, which means you can save even more money on air conditioning (valid mostly for bigger office spaces). Furthermore, the environmental bulbs need three times less energy than the “old” ones, which helps to save both the Earth and your pocket.
Except for running a MLS GTA agency, I’m always looking for ways to help my client’s lifestyle a bit more Earth-friendly. Most customers are not experts and may feel that the selection of environmental light bulbs is very wide, making it very difficult to choose the right one. In order to help you choose while shopping for light bulbs, we have summed up some easy tips for you.
The perfect light bulb for you
These bulbs are produced in all shapes and sizes so the best idea is to bring the traditional bulb you wish to replace to the store and match it with the available environmental bulbs. When using the fluorescent bulbs, check the wattage – the new bulbs use up only one quarter of the energy needed by the traditional ones (60 watt traditional bulb = 15 watt fluorescent bulb). If you need a bulb for a dimmer light, make sure your new bulb works in these – it should be mentioned on the packaging.
The perfect spot for your new bulb
These fluorescent bulbs are not suitable for use in hot places with little air flow (recessed ceiling fixture). The environmental bulb is not lit up instantly as the traditional one. It usually takes something between one and three minutes for it to give proper light, so it may be damaged if it is lit up and then switched off again in a short time. So the environmental bulbs are best to be used in rooms where the light usually stays on for at least 15 minutes, otherwise the bulb could get destroyed too early.
How to dispose of fluorescent bulbs
Always recycle your bulbs at appointed places. Among other materials, fluorescent bulbs are made of mercury, which is a dangerous heavy-metal. If you smash a light bulb in your home, the mercury cannot be vacuumed. Do not touch with bare hand and first remove bigger pieces with a cardboard. Then apply some sticky tape to remove the remaining tiny bits and wipe the place with a wet cloth. It is also a good idea to open the window in the room for at least 15 minutes so that you prevent mercury poisoning.
Environmentally Responsible Lifestyle
If you want to a more environmentally conservative or green home to help protect the planet, it mightn’t be as expensive or difficult as you think. With just a couple of small changes to your daily routines, you can easily make a positive environmental impact. One of the best places to begin is your own home. Try to get your hands on an efficient shower head. Unfortunately, old shower head use twice the amount of water than newer efficient ones. Another excellent idea is to get a dishwasher or washing machine with a four or five star energy rating. This rating means the machine is a world leader in minimizing water and energy use.
Anyone who wants to become more environmentally and ‘go green’ only needs to follow a few simple steps. The first thing to do is look at improving the efficiency of your household appliances. If you are able to get a more efficient shower head then you should definitely do so. New shower heads use less than half the amount of water as old ones, and this is a great saving. Also it is a good idea to purchase energy efficient whitegoods like dishwashers and washing machines. There is a star rating in most countries that will tell you how energy efficient an appliance is.
Trying to go green and improve your environmental footprint really is not too hard. All you have to do is look around your house and change a few simple everyday appliances. The first thing that needs to be changed in most houses is the shower head. In the old days shower heads wasted a lot of water, but their modern equivalents have the amount lost. This is a great saving and the first thing you should do. Next, you should try to upgrade your washing machine and dishwasher to the most energy efficient models on the market. You can normally judge the efficiency of a model by a star rating on the side of the unit, five stars being the most efficient.
Eco-friendly Casinos
Visitors of the beautiful Atlantic City casinos have noticed a few changes in the making. The Green Initiative has taken off in the right direction by improving the eco-friendliness of this high traffic area. Some of the current projects include the Solar Project, Energy Conservation, ways of tracking wind power, and Operations Green Products. Each initiative plays a significant role in reducing the dependency on goods which cause pollution.
The Atlantic City Conservation Center is one of the main points aside from the Atlantic City casino hotels and resorts throughout the region. ‘Going Green’ has reached a high point by a few impressive factors including the elimination of paper cups used in offices, recycling goods such as paper and ink cartridges, introducing hand vacuums, foam soap, and more. The energy conservation project is meant to encourage Atlantic City casino resorts to implement some changes in their building structures to help the environment.
Eco-conscious consumers can accelerate the process of these Green Initiatives by advising their favorite Atlantic City hotel and casino to practice the eco-friendly ideas as well. As you know, the gaming industry is close to hitting a $10 billion mark for 2009. What could be done if they reinvested these profits into improving their casinos to save the environment? More casinos are taking these motives into account because 1) it saves money and protects the environment, 2) currently a tax deduction for eco-friendly buildings, and 3) it gives back the community.
The consequences of such improvements are offering a better outlook for Atlantic City resorts casinos because of the principals. Newer improvements including the Solar Project which was awarded to Pepco Energy Services to build and maintain the largest single rooftop composed of solar rooftop of the Conservation Center. It’s a 20-year contract and everyone is dying to see what happens from these improvements. The vision of a healthier planet is only years away. More Atlantic City casino hotels are investing stock into these proceedings while making small improvements themselves.
Although the construction of the Conservation Center can raise eyebrows for investors, Atlantic City casino resorts are recycling goods. Paper goods are only one big contribution to the recycling efforts of Atlantic City leaders – the new ideas are to recycle carpet, office equipment, computers, and more. Pounds of recyclable materials are finding their way into the homes of others and away from the landfills. Some look at Atlantic City as a place of fun and carelessness, but these new eco-friendly initiatives are making a statement to the world – these professionals care about the outcome of their actions.
Go Green And Save Money
Everywhere you look today it appears the main message is, “go green and save money.” This is an appealing message for the general public as we are constantly warned of the dire results of global temperature rises beyond control. Folks need to do their bit to help save the planet, and if they can save cash at the same time, then it just manifestly makes sense all round. You can go green and save money just about anywhere. Your house is doubtless the most visible starting point, but you may also do wonders with your vehicle, in the office, out shopping, traveling on holiday, and much more. The opportunities are virtually perpetual ; going green does not need to be more expensive, you can definitely go green and save money at the same time. Your house likely leaks heat out in the winter and leaks heat in in the summer. For that reason many of us have winter heaters and summer air-con units. This should be the 1st place you analyze of the way to go green and save money. Are all your windows tight? Are the doorway seals tight too? This is where heat can leak out and make your electricity bills soar. If your place does not have good house insulation heat will pour out in winter and pour in in the summer. Insulation is an example of the best methods to go green and save money. Your walls can have their cavities crammed with insulating froth as well, all keeping the heat within in winter and outside in summer for more comfortable living. The water you use in the home is maybe the best “go green and save money” source you have.
Look for leaks first. Leaking taps, even just the occasional drip, accounts for lots of money wasted over time.
You might waste as much as 140 gallons in a week! Are your hot water pipes insulated? They’ll be if you try to go green and save money.
Insulated pipes let the hot water reach the taps quicker, so saving water, whilst you go green and save money too. Low flow toilets are an alternate way to save water. You do not want to flush gallons of water away each time, just what you want. Edison was a genius, but his light bulb invention has been superceded by the new compact fluorescent light bulbs. These are bulbs that employ a mere 25% of the energy a normal light bulb uses. They also last ten times longer. Replace all your standard bulbs for compact fluorescent light bulbs and immediately go green and save money!
Why Go Green?
Until recently, being an environmentalist or “green person” was considered pretty extreme, and associated with hippies, tree huggers, or people who wanted to drop out of society and live on a co-op. Today, however, with growing awareness of global warming, pollution, and other environmental problems, more and more people are realizing that there is no shortage of answers to the question, “Why should I go green?” Here are a few you should consider.
1. Think About Our Future Generations
If you have kids, nephews, nieces or any young people who mean something to you, don’t you want them to grow up in a world that is green, healthy and sustainable? One of the reasons we have problems today is that for a long time, people were imprudent and careless and didn’t think about the future.
2. Ponder Your Own Future
The fact is, many people alive today may have to face the ramifications of climate change, pollution, global warming deforestation and other environmental issues. You should be concerned for more than jus your children, you should be worried about yourself. Many of these factors are not a far away and are affecting the world right now. If you need evidence for this, just look at the increasing frequency and severity of storms, hurricanes, tsunamis and other devastating weather events.
3. Green Can Be Healthier
Many green activities, from using non-toxic household cleaners, to eating more naturally, to organic gardening will improve your health. You can reduce your exposure to damaging chemicals by going green.
4. Save More Money
You can save money by driving your car less, using less heat and air conditioning, and conserving on electricity by turning the lights off. These activities conserve energy and can reduce your bills at the same time.
5. Reduce Your Clutter
By reducing the amount of paper you use, you are helping to conserve trees and reduce paper waste, but a side benefit is that it can significantly reduce clutter in your home. Paper clutter can make you feel overwhelmed and disorganized, so recycle those bills and do as much of it as you can online. Activities like banking, and viewing statements on a computer will save you time and money, as well as using less paper.
6. Allocate More Outdoor Time
Many green tasks, such as composting, gardening and biking or walking as an alternative mode of transportation, involve spending healthy outdoor time. This can help you stay healthy and also spend more time with friends and family.
7. Get Educated
Going green involves learning more about the world, how things grow, ecology, the climate and other paramount issues. As you learn what makes each issue important, you will also be getting an education.
Why should you go green? In short, it’s healthy for your body, your wallet, and the planet! www.SquidGoneGreen.com can help you along with your journey to go green.
How to Help make the Environment Green
Instead of waiting around for this day to come, you can take a proactive approach to stop, or prolong the change of the earth. You have a responsibility to protect this earth for your own sake, and the sake of the planet itself. This isn’t such a bad thing to do. Changing the course of the planet is important for the health of the earth. It’s not bad for your own wallet either.
The solution is simple enough—reduce emissions to reduce the speed of climate change. So, how can you, as an individual, play a role in accomplishing this task? It is as easy as turning off a light switch. People really can make a difference by taking the climate change situation seriously.
Easy Changes You Can Make In Your Everyday Living
Turning off the lights and television when leaving a room can make a big difference. Switching the air conditioner up a couple of degrees can bring substantial savings. A fan uses much less electricity, so try to rely on those more than the air conditioner. Again, remember to turn the fan off when leaving. Computers and other electronics should be turned off when not in use.
These simple energy conserving tips are the easiest and most cost effective methods to reducing your dependence upon energyrfyrgy. All that is required is the memory and mindset to turn off switches. The minimal effort required will yield great results in both helping the environment, and in decreasing your electric bill. There is no reason to leave lights, fans and televisions on when leaving a room. Turn them off regularly, and watch as your power bill shrinks.
All of these little changes can save tens of dollars on ones monthly electric bill, and in turn, add up to hundreds of dollars per year in savings. At the same time, you're reducing your dependence upon oil and electricity, and lowering emissions.
Buying and using fewer disposable goods is another great way to reduce your impact on the environment without drastically changing your life or power source. This is as easy as using hand towels instead of paper towels. Bottling your own water from water machines is another way to reduce waste as well as save money. Instead of buying individual bottles of water, simply buy a few reusable hard plastic bottles that can be washed and refilled. Taking simple steps like these can greatly reduce the amount of waste which your household produces. Reducing waste lowers your overall footprint on the environment.
Many private households are choosing to go green. You can help your environment, while at the same time cut your energy costs. It really is a win-win situation. So, how else can you save the environment? There are plenty of ways to help.
• recycling
• alternative energy
• landscaping
• composting
• organic foods
• fuel efficiency
These are just a few of the ways that regular Americans can easily contribute toward the green movement.
visit www.SquidGoneGreen.com for more articles and tips on going green.
Live Green And Save Money
We all need to live green and save money at the same time, and we will too. Kermit the Frog was mistaken when he revealed, “It ain’t easy being green.” It’s truly easy, and very efficient too, if you know how. This article will supply you with five essential steps you can start taking today to live green and save money.
1. Turn your heater thermostats down 1 or 2 degrees in winter, and turn your air-con thermostats up 1 or 2 degrees in summer. If we all did this, the mixed difference would be unusual. We’d still feel warm in winter and cool in summer, so find out how to live green and save money with your heating and cooling appliances.
2. The other appliance that desires your attention is your washing machine. Start washing your garments in cold water. Modern powders work just as efficiently in cold water as hot. The majority of the energy that goes into a garments wash is in warming the water, so you will save on electricity, live green and save money too.
3. When your garments are nice and clean, don’t throw them into the dryer. Unless it’s pouring rain, hang them out to air dry. It’s what your grandmama did, and she managed just fine. She might have liked having a dryer, but they were never around back then, so she just had to live green and save money. You can too!
4. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are a dream occur for anyone that wants to live green and save money. They burn only twenty five percent of the electricity a standard light bulb burns, and they can last as long as ten times longer. Change your old bulbs today!
5. Attempt to consume less of everything, from electricity, to gas in the auto, to the food you eat. Take some time to write out a shopping list, and stick to it. If you are feeling the impulse to get something you do not really need, get into the practice of waiting twenty-four hours, then review it. The likelihood is that you either will not need it any more, or you’ll have forgotten about it.
It’s simple to live green and save money. You just have to give it some thought. Get into a routine that works and before you know it, you may end up in the situation where you live green and save money each day.
Solar Energy – New Discoveries
The day might not be far off when the application of solar energy becomes a norm. There’s now a deep conviction among professionals that given some years time, solar electricity will be in high demand the cost will go down, cheap sufficient to undercut the costs of oil-generated electricity. Prior prophecies that it’ll still occur in 10 years may not be true. The fury generated by the contemporary costs in oil and its weakness to market forces and other events could have already been sufficient to polarized folk, govts and systematic communities into seriously considering a trustworthy solar energy source. You cannot get a source more trustworthy than the sun.
Even today houses that uses its power does not only benefit from the silent, energy generating, inexhaustible power of the sun, it also spikes up the costs of their houses. Those that have solar powered houses are even reimbursed for the surplus power that they supply to the power grid. Presently, heliostats, photovoltaic cells and plate collectors are being employed to collect the solar energy by targeting these panels towards the sun or building and installing the panel’s on spots where the sun shines most. Development in technology as everyone knows frequently has a snowball effect. It never stops rediscovering and reinventing the speed of development could frequently be incredibly fast. Today, a polymer foil, thin as a sheet of paper and lighter by 2 hundred times compared to the regular glass picking up plates, are being developed.
Probabilities are, these new inventions and new discoveries could well have a great potential for mass production. Formerly , the glass-based materials used for heat collection need pricey substrates and need further support for mounting due to its weight.
The polymer foil, being awfully light could now be attached even to the walls of a structure. So assured are scientists in the development of this technology that whilst the polymer foil is being developed, a plastic solar cell, based mostly on nano technology is gaining advances. This plastic material can collect the power of the sun even on a cloudy day thru harnessing the infrared rays is said to be 5 times better than this technology. Whilst plastic materials for harnessing the power of the sun are not new, it is just recently this plastic composite could crop the infrared portion. Formerly , only the obvious rays are generated, the infrared part, which is twelve the power of the sun, is invisible. Now , the best plastic solar cells could only harness 6% of the suns energy, with further study and development, this new plastic solar cells are expected to harness 30 percent of the suns solar energy. Scientists and analysts alike agree that at last, solar farms will be harnessing all our energy wants and costs of power will drop. Today the cost of solar powered energy is about three to four times per kilo watt hour compared to typical electricity. That might change dramatically though the development of the current technology and new discoveries. The roller pressed flexible plastic materials and the polymer foil are only a couple of the best hopes coming at a cleaner, greener and safer environment that might eventually free the planet from its dependency on the exhausting supply of oil.
10 steps to achieving "The Green Effect"
During this economic crisis and continued global warming, the need for sustainable development has become a now issue instead of a later issue. Both private and government entities (including the EPA) have come up with programs and products that promote “green” production and consumption. These environment-friendly practices are now being used in numerous firms and industries.
But what about our homes? Are our homes as "sustainable" as they should be? Continued efforts to sustain the environment should first and foremost be undertaken under our own roof. These can be done with the use of products that consume less power and other valuable resources. Over time, the use of these products can result not only in savings but also in the reduction of waste and materials harmful to our homes and the environment.
Here’s a quick list of 10 items I’ve discovered that can make a world of a difference.
1. Heat-energy recovery system
· Sensible Heat Energy Recovery System (SHERS) uses heat generated from an air-conditioner or refrigerator to heat water. Payback period is anywhere from six months to two years
2.The Eco Bio Block
· Made of volcanic stones and beneficial bacteria, is used to purify water in home aquariums, water tanks and big bodies of water such as ponds, lakes and marshes. When used in home aquariums, there is no need to filter, clean or change water for a period of one to three years.
3. Biowash ball
· Washing clothes without using a detergent may seem strange. Introducing the Anabess biowash ball, it’s made of natural ceramics & alters the chemical composition of the water so it can wash clothes more effectively without liquid detergent. It should last 3 years. Think of the savings in wear & tear on the car from running to the store for more detergent.
4. Air-con with inverter technology
· The Panasonic Envio series of air-conditioners makes use of an “inverter technology” that changes compressor operation speed to match a changing room temperature and adjust power output accordingly, which leads to reduced energy consumption of up to 50 percent, while product only costs about 14% more than the average AC. The payback period may be expected in about seven months..
5.Low Flow faucets
· Moen has heeded the call for water conservation by coming up with WaterSense-certified bathroom faucets. With the help of new aerator technology these Moen faucets use 30% less water than other models but still feel just as powerful on your hands.
6. Compact fluorescent lamp
· Much has been said about the efficiency of compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs. They last about five times as long as incandescent lamps and consume 80 percent less energy with the same level of brightness. Companies such as Purely Products even carry CFLs that double as ionizers for the room, eliminating the need for an unsightly ionizer on the floor.
7.Reusable shopping bags
· The impact of just one person changing to reusable bags over a two-year period is significant. Used twice a week for two years a consumer would save 832 plastic bags from going in a landfill.
8.Biodegradable Cellulose Sandwich bags
· Typical plastic bags are derived from petroleum and take well over a lifespan to decompose. These biodegrade in 30-90 days in soil BUT actually keep food lasting longer, unlike plastic, they don't release gases which spoil food taste.
9.Smart Surge Protector
· Green Home introduced a smart surge protector. The power strip can 'sense' the flow of electrical current through the strip's control outlet. This unique option enables the Smart Strip to turn off selected equipment when it’s not in use saving you time & greenbacks!
A small electronic device inside the Smart Strip monitors the current on a single outlet. Let’s say the computer is plugged into that single outlet. When your PC is finished powering off, the current draw from the computer drops to its idle current -- and the Smart Strip monitors the current change, automatically powering down all of the computer peripherals.
The Smart Strip Power Strip is the only surge protector on the market today with energy saving electronics. The 10 outlet version has 1 Control Outlet, 3 Constant Hot Outlets, and 6 Switched Outlets.
10.Compostable Trash Bags
· These BioBags are made from GMO free starch and are 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable.
Now that you know about these products start using them. By changing just a few things we routinely use, we each can do our part.
