An Environmentally Friendly Blog|Information on Going Green and Eco-Friendly Products
Mar
09
Filed Under (Home Improvement) by Go Green Advisor
Muna wa Wanjiru asked:
Gas fireplaces are affordable and practical solutions for today’s hectic lifestyle. As they have been designed with safety in mind they provide city houses with an easy way to enjoy all the advantages of a fireplace minus any hassle. They also offer owners of large houses and country farms an attractive, convenient alternative to the back breaking and time consuming task of chopping and hauling in wood to start a fire.
Historically, a traditional log burning fireplace has always played an important part in a family home. This wood fireplace serves as a place that provides heat, cooks food and provides a family or neighbourhood a meeting place. People can be found here exchanging daily events or discussing important matters.
Nowadays, with all the advantages of modern technology, difficulties in obtaining logs and time limitations, many families find conventional fireplaces unsuitable to their daily lives. Easier solutions like gas fireplaces are more preferred.
Natural gas fireplaces can often heat up to 1,000 square feet of space (depending on the model) at a very low cost. They can be installed in virtually any traditional fireplace. They come in a range of different colours, sizes and styles. This allows you to choose the model that suits your home the best.
Many gas fireplaces have additional features, warranties and accessories. These enhance the appeal of gas fireplaces to prospective buyers.
Remote controls, fans that distribute heat around the room and thermostats that turn the fireplace on or off at room temperature are features that people like to have. You will even ‘logs’ that contribute to the natural appearance of the fireplace. These have been added for practicality and efficiency. The owner’s enjoyment of their gas fireplace is enhanced in this manner.
Gas fireplaces are clean, environmentally friendly creations that run on electricity. Though most models can be turned on with the flick of a switch, manufacturers also offer models that have to be lighted manually with a match. This feature can be very useful during a power crisis.
Small, safe and immensely popular, gas fireplaces can now be found in previously unthought-of places like mobile homes, log cabins and even the odd basement or two.
This is possible primarily due to the introduction of the ‘vented’ and ‘ventless’ gas fireplaces. Vented models use a small chimney, flue or pipe for ventilation and emissions, while the ventless units (used in apartments and places with limited space and ventilation) have no chimneys or vents for emissions and generate more heat because of it.
Gas fireplaces can be easily installed by the owners themselves, if they have prior experience in installing appliances of this sort. However, it is always advisable to get a professional installer or certified retailer to install gas fireplaces as they would have the additional advantage of being able to spot problems with a gas fireplace.
COLTON
Gas fireplaces are affordable and practical solutions for today’s hectic lifestyle. As they have been designed with safety in mind they provide city houses with an easy way to enjoy all the advantages of a fireplace minus any hassle. They also offer owners of large houses and country farms an attractive, convenient alternative to the back breaking and time consuming task of chopping and hauling in wood to start a fire.
Historically, a traditional log burning fireplace has always played an important part in a family home. This wood fireplace serves as a place that provides heat, cooks food and provides a family or neighbourhood a meeting place. People can be found here exchanging daily events or discussing important matters.
Nowadays, with all the advantages of modern technology, difficulties in obtaining logs and time limitations, many families find conventional fireplaces unsuitable to their daily lives. Easier solutions like gas fireplaces are more preferred.
Natural gas fireplaces can often heat up to 1,000 square feet of space (depending on the model) at a very low cost. They can be installed in virtually any traditional fireplace. They come in a range of different colours, sizes and styles. This allows you to choose the model that suits your home the best.
Many gas fireplaces have additional features, warranties and accessories. These enhance the appeal of gas fireplaces to prospective buyers.
Remote controls, fans that distribute heat around the room and thermostats that turn the fireplace on or off at room temperature are features that people like to have. You will even ‘logs’ that contribute to the natural appearance of the fireplace. These have been added for practicality and efficiency. The owner’s enjoyment of their gas fireplace is enhanced in this manner.
Gas fireplaces are clean, environmentally friendly creations that run on electricity. Though most models can be turned on with the flick of a switch, manufacturers also offer models that have to be lighted manually with a match. This feature can be very useful during a power crisis.
Small, safe and immensely popular, gas fireplaces can now be found in previously unthought-of places like mobile homes, log cabins and even the odd basement or two.
This is possible primarily due to the introduction of the ‘vented’ and ‘ventless’ gas fireplaces. Vented models use a small chimney, flue or pipe for ventilation and emissions, while the ventless units (used in apartments and places with limited space and ventilation) have no chimneys or vents for emissions and generate more heat because of it.
Gas fireplaces can be easily installed by the owners themselves, if they have prior experience in installing appliances of this sort. However, it is always advisable to get a professional installer or certified retailer to install gas fireplaces as they would have the additional advantage of being able to spot problems with a gas fireplace.
COLTON
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Mar
08
Filed Under (Green Products) by Go Green Advisor
Joey Lee asked:
You keep hearing the term Hybrid Cars lately and been wondering what they are. Here is a list of selected Hybrid car facts that hopefully explains what hybrid cars are:
They are not Sci-fi Sounding cars of Hollywood, but some Celebrities do own them. In light of the ever-rising gasoline fuel cost, car manufacturers have started innovating on Hybrid Cars. And No, hybrid cars are certainly not cars which spring from Sci-Fi movies, but in real life where consumers like you and me have started to be become more aware of.
Even A-List Hollywood Celebrities with the likes of Bard Pitt, Leonardo Di Caprio, Tom Hanks, Jack Nicholson, Cameron Diaz, Alicia Silverstone own at least one of Hybrid car in their garages..
Less Power But Much More Miles Per Gallon Hybrid cars are believed to typically produce less power. To compensate for this, they are designed and made very light weight. This is also why their aerodynamic characteristics are more prevalent, intended to cut down on drag and wind resistance as well as noise.
Achieves Average of 50 mpg. Hybrid Cars enjoy excellent fuel economy with the 2009 models promising an average of 50 mpg or miles per gallon. Thanks to the constant development of the Hybrid car technology, the mpg achievement has begun to raise eyebrows amongst the most staunch owners of conventional cars.
So What is the Parallel hybrid? Simply put, a parallel hybrid car is one which uses both a fuel tank with gasoline and a set of batteries. Both the engine and the electric motor can turn the transmission simultaneously. The fuel tank and the gas engine connect to the transmission and the batteries and electric motor connect to the transmission separately.
And What is the Series Hybrids? The series Hybrid car has a gasoline engine turns a generator, and the generator either charges the batteries or powers the electric motor that is used to turn the transmission. The gasoline engine is not used to power the vehicle directly. However, all the components eventually connect with the transmission to run the Hybrid engine. Lower Fuel Emissions help to curb the infamous “Greenhouse Effect”, saves the ozone and atmosphere, giving us cleaner air and better environment for our children to breathe and live in.
Truly, The Clever, Cleaner, Comfy Car – The Hybrid. Hybrid Cars are eco-smart, as comfortable as a conventional one and environmentally friendly, in a class of its own, achieving fuel economy, Reduced emissions and hence less pollution, slower depreciation, great savings and more tax rebates, and ultimately causing less reliance on fossil fuels in the future.
And for more reads on Environmentally Friendly Hybrid cars, visit my site.
EDUARDO
You keep hearing the term Hybrid Cars lately and been wondering what they are. Here is a list of selected Hybrid car facts that hopefully explains what hybrid cars are:
They are not Sci-fi Sounding cars of Hollywood, but some Celebrities do own them. In light of the ever-rising gasoline fuel cost, car manufacturers have started innovating on Hybrid Cars. And No, hybrid cars are certainly not cars which spring from Sci-Fi movies, but in real life where consumers like you and me have started to be become more aware of.
Even A-List Hollywood Celebrities with the likes of Bard Pitt, Leonardo Di Caprio, Tom Hanks, Jack Nicholson, Cameron Diaz, Alicia Silverstone own at least one of Hybrid car in their garages..
Less Power But Much More Miles Per Gallon Hybrid cars are believed to typically produce less power. To compensate for this, they are designed and made very light weight. This is also why their aerodynamic characteristics are more prevalent, intended to cut down on drag and wind resistance as well as noise.
Achieves Average of 50 mpg. Hybrid Cars enjoy excellent fuel economy with the 2009 models promising an average of 50 mpg or miles per gallon. Thanks to the constant development of the Hybrid car technology, the mpg achievement has begun to raise eyebrows amongst the most staunch owners of conventional cars.
So What is the Parallel hybrid? Simply put, a parallel hybrid car is one which uses both a fuel tank with gasoline and a set of batteries. Both the engine and the electric motor can turn the transmission simultaneously. The fuel tank and the gas engine connect to the transmission and the batteries and electric motor connect to the transmission separately.
And What is the Series Hybrids? The series Hybrid car has a gasoline engine turns a generator, and the generator either charges the batteries or powers the electric motor that is used to turn the transmission. The gasoline engine is not used to power the vehicle directly. However, all the components eventually connect with the transmission to run the Hybrid engine. Lower Fuel Emissions help to curb the infamous “Greenhouse Effect”, saves the ozone and atmosphere, giving us cleaner air and better environment for our children to breathe and live in.
Truly, The Clever, Cleaner, Comfy Car – The Hybrid. Hybrid Cars are eco-smart, as comfortable as a conventional one and environmentally friendly, in a class of its own, achieving fuel economy, Reduced emissions and hence less pollution, slower depreciation, great savings and more tax rebates, and ultimately causing less reliance on fossil fuels in the future.
And for more reads on Environmentally Friendly Hybrid cars, visit my site.
EDUARDO
Comments Off
Mar
08
Filed Under (Cars) by Go Green Advisor
Joey Lee asked:
Following the rapid advancements of the gasoline engine, the hybrid car has become extremely popular due to its environmentally friendly proposition. A hybrid car is a means of transportation using two power sources; it uses a rechargeable energy storage system found on board and a fuelled power source as the vehicle’s driving force. The hybrid car pollutes less and uses less fuel.
Tracking the Hybrid Footprints of the Future Road Warrior As early as 1899, Ferdinand Porsche have developed and led the way to the very first working hybrid-electric vehicle. Other people followed suit in Ferdinand Porsche’s invention. Many people who became interested in the hybrid-vehicle concept and experimented with it. The late twentieth century saw rampant environmental pollution issues which drove car manufacturers back to the drawing boards on Hybrid Cars. The hybrid technology was mainly utilized in developing diesel-electric submarines during this interim period. The diesel-electric submarines mainly operate very much the same as a hybrid car. However, the submarines main goal was to conserve oxygen rather than spend less fuel and submarines eventually evolved to using nuclear power as a substitute for diesel.
The Hybrid Car – The Actual Account of An American First An idealistic inventor, Victor Wouk, manufactured a hybrid electric and gas motor vehicle that siphoned fuel at half the amount as practically all the other cars being built then. He built the hybrid car 30 years before the Toyota Prius! The account about the hybrid car and its inventor, who died in May, 2005, at age 86, is unfamiliar among even the most avid fans of the growing hybrid car association. In terms of hybrid car knowledge, it is in fact America that should have led all other countries. Wouk said that the government program that he developed about hybrids was unknown to everyone.
The father of the world’s first Hybrid Car, Victor Wouk founded and sold two successful electric industrialized companies in the late 1940s and 50s and in 1962 he was approach by Russell Feldman, one of the founders of Motorola, who recognized the pollution from the automobile as one of the biggest problem of the environment and he wanted to discover the possible solutions with regards to this problem. But his experiment did not work much for the possible solution. Nurturing an idea, Wouk pondered the problem throughout the 60s and ultimately reached a clever and clean solution (no pun intended). He combined the low-emission benefits of an electric car with the power of a gasoline engine to produce a hybrid vehicle.
Unfortunately, Wouk did not get any response to his ideas for creating a hybrid car; and instead became heavily criticized for not believing in a full-electric system. Charlie Rosen, who shared his belief about hybrid cars, gave him the chance to prove his ideas of creating the hybrid car as one of the solution to the rapid health cost of automobile pollution.
And hence, we see the impressive capabilities of the invention of Wouk - the Hybrid Cars, is now in the mainstream role of helping to generate less fuel consumption and air pollution.
BRENT
Following the rapid advancements of the gasoline engine, the hybrid car has become extremely popular due to its environmentally friendly proposition. A hybrid car is a means of transportation using two power sources; it uses a rechargeable energy storage system found on board and a fuelled power source as the vehicle’s driving force. The hybrid car pollutes less and uses less fuel.
Tracking the Hybrid Footprints of the Future Road Warrior As early as 1899, Ferdinand Porsche have developed and led the way to the very first working hybrid-electric vehicle. Other people followed suit in Ferdinand Porsche’s invention. Many people who became interested in the hybrid-vehicle concept and experimented with it. The late twentieth century saw rampant environmental pollution issues which drove car manufacturers back to the drawing boards on Hybrid Cars. The hybrid technology was mainly utilized in developing diesel-electric submarines during this interim period. The diesel-electric submarines mainly operate very much the same as a hybrid car. However, the submarines main goal was to conserve oxygen rather than spend less fuel and submarines eventually evolved to using nuclear power as a substitute for diesel.
The Hybrid Car – The Actual Account of An American First An idealistic inventor, Victor Wouk, manufactured a hybrid electric and gas motor vehicle that siphoned fuel at half the amount as practically all the other cars being built then. He built the hybrid car 30 years before the Toyota Prius! The account about the hybrid car and its inventor, who died in May, 2005, at age 86, is unfamiliar among even the most avid fans of the growing hybrid car association. In terms of hybrid car knowledge, it is in fact America that should have led all other countries. Wouk said that the government program that he developed about hybrids was unknown to everyone.
The father of the world’s first Hybrid Car, Victor Wouk founded and sold two successful electric industrialized companies in the late 1940s and 50s and in 1962 he was approach by Russell Feldman, one of the founders of Motorola, who recognized the pollution from the automobile as one of the biggest problem of the environment and he wanted to discover the possible solutions with regards to this problem. But his experiment did not work much for the possible solution. Nurturing an idea, Wouk pondered the problem throughout the 60s and ultimately reached a clever and clean solution (no pun intended). He combined the low-emission benefits of an electric car with the power of a gasoline engine to produce a hybrid vehicle.
Unfortunately, Wouk did not get any response to his ideas for creating a hybrid car; and instead became heavily criticized for not believing in a full-electric system. Charlie Rosen, who shared his belief about hybrid cars, gave him the chance to prove his ideas of creating the hybrid car as one of the solution to the rapid health cost of automobile pollution.
And hence, we see the impressive capabilities of the invention of Wouk - the Hybrid Cars, is now in the mainstream role of helping to generate less fuel consumption and air pollution.
BRENT
Comments Off
Mar
08
Filed Under (Real Estate) by Go Green Advisor
Jake Marsh asked:
1. Bicycle or Walk
I realize that in North American culture, the car reigns supreme. Unfortunately, so do the gas prices. If you can do something without driving, do it! Cycling and walking are much lower-cost and healthy ways of traveling short distances. If you outfit your bike with baskets or panniers and reusable shopping bags, you will be able to do small shopping trips. The same goes if you get a decent backpack (or bribe your kids to come along to carry grocery bags). The money you save can be put back into your home by purchasing energy-efficient appliances and equipment.
2. Buy ENERGY STAR approved appliances and equipment.
ENERGY STAR is a program sponsored by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Act and the U.S. Department of Energy, which identifies energy-efficient products and encourages energy-efficient practices and buildings. You not only help reduce the demand for resources, you will also save money. Go to www.energystar.gov for more information.
3. Choose the simplest solution first for cleaning.
For cleaning up stains and spills, often plain water will do the trick. Saturate the area with water and place a towel or newspaper over it with a heavy object on top to draw stains out of carpets. For tougher stains, try a combination of baking soda and water. Baking soda is also an excellent scouring product. For drains, a combination of 4 tablespoons of baking soda and hot water every week will keep them from getting clogged.
4. Put a coat on your hot water heater
Insulating your hot water heater can make it heat water easier and faster. Not only will you be able to have a hot shower sooner, your money won’t be going to fund the extra energy your heater will otherwise need to get water to the right temperature. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations before you go shopping for a cover.
5. Put on a sweater, already!
Many heating bills can be saved by lowering the temperature on the thermostat and shrugging on an extra layer or two. Also, turning off the heat and opening windows can bring in fresh air, which is better for you. An interesting fact: A cooler room is easier for you to fall asleep in, because it allows your temperature to drop, which is a natural part of sleep.
6. You see all that free sunlight out there? Use it!
Solar energy is getting more attention than ever these days and a lot of people are reaping the benefits of installing solar panels on their roofs. The initial cost is returned relatively quickly, as solar energy can take a significant chunk out of the electric and/or heating bills. An added bonus is that you can look into the U.S. Energy Policy Act, which allows homeowners a 30% tax credit for installing solar water heating systems.
7. Try repairing first.
In this day and age, many people automatically throw things out instead of trying to fix them. Try repairing tools and toys and equipment before you buy something new. It is often cheaper and doesn’t consign a usable item to the landfill. If you do have to throw something out, check to see if you can give it to an organization that can get some use out of it instead of automatically tossing it in the trash.
8. Garden!
Gardening can give you fresh, non-pesticide in-season fruits and vegetables for pennies and you don’t even need a patch of ground to do it in. Many plants are happy living in pots out on your windowsill or balcony. If you like cooking, keep in mind that many herbs are best used fresh and are attractive window decorations.
9. Eat healthy.
No, this doesn’t mean that you can never have another milkshake; it just means that you should refrain from having milkshakes for breakfast 5 out of every 7 days. There are a lot of resources on healthy eating and portion sizes; a study of this will help keep you healthy and avoid medical bills. Feed your kids more home-cooked, healthy meals than not and stay away from the Lunchables.
10. Encourage active habits in your family.
When families and children are accustomed to looking outdoors for their entertainment, such as bicycling, walking, swimming, fishing, canoing, kayaking and outdoor sports, they are less likely to need expensive medical treatments for health-related problems. Right now, obesity and health problems related to lack of exercise are growing problems in North America. Many outdoor sports require a relatively small outlay of money for equipment or facility use, but will pay dividends in health that keeps you and your family out of the hospital.
THERESE
1. Bicycle or Walk
I realize that in North American culture, the car reigns supreme. Unfortunately, so do the gas prices. If you can do something without driving, do it! Cycling and walking are much lower-cost and healthy ways of traveling short distances. If you outfit your bike with baskets or panniers and reusable shopping bags, you will be able to do small shopping trips. The same goes if you get a decent backpack (or bribe your kids to come along to carry grocery bags). The money you save can be put back into your home by purchasing energy-efficient appliances and equipment.
2. Buy ENERGY STAR approved appliances and equipment.
ENERGY STAR is a program sponsored by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Act and the U.S. Department of Energy, which identifies energy-efficient products and encourages energy-efficient practices and buildings. You not only help reduce the demand for resources, you will also save money. Go to www.energystar.gov for more information.
3. Choose the simplest solution first for cleaning.
For cleaning up stains and spills, often plain water will do the trick. Saturate the area with water and place a towel or newspaper over it with a heavy object on top to draw stains out of carpets. For tougher stains, try a combination of baking soda and water. Baking soda is also an excellent scouring product. For drains, a combination of 4 tablespoons of baking soda and hot water every week will keep them from getting clogged.
4. Put a coat on your hot water heater
Insulating your hot water heater can make it heat water easier and faster. Not only will you be able to have a hot shower sooner, your money won’t be going to fund the extra energy your heater will otherwise need to get water to the right temperature. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations before you go shopping for a cover.
5. Put on a sweater, already!
Many heating bills can be saved by lowering the temperature on the thermostat and shrugging on an extra layer or two. Also, turning off the heat and opening windows can bring in fresh air, which is better for you. An interesting fact: A cooler room is easier for you to fall asleep in, because it allows your temperature to drop, which is a natural part of sleep.
6. You see all that free sunlight out there? Use it!
Solar energy is getting more attention than ever these days and a lot of people are reaping the benefits of installing solar panels on their roofs. The initial cost is returned relatively quickly, as solar energy can take a significant chunk out of the electric and/or heating bills. An added bonus is that you can look into the U.S. Energy Policy Act, which allows homeowners a 30% tax credit for installing solar water heating systems.
7. Try repairing first.
In this day and age, many people automatically throw things out instead of trying to fix them. Try repairing tools and toys and equipment before you buy something new. It is often cheaper and doesn’t consign a usable item to the landfill. If you do have to throw something out, check to see if you can give it to an organization that can get some use out of it instead of automatically tossing it in the trash.
8. Garden!
Gardening can give you fresh, non-pesticide in-season fruits and vegetables for pennies and you don’t even need a patch of ground to do it in. Many plants are happy living in pots out on your windowsill or balcony. If you like cooking, keep in mind that many herbs are best used fresh and are attractive window decorations.
9. Eat healthy.
No, this doesn’t mean that you can never have another milkshake; it just means that you should refrain from having milkshakes for breakfast 5 out of every 7 days. There are a lot of resources on healthy eating and portion sizes; a study of this will help keep you healthy and avoid medical bills. Feed your kids more home-cooked, healthy meals than not and stay away from the Lunchables.
10. Encourage active habits in your family.
When families and children are accustomed to looking outdoors for their entertainment, such as bicycling, walking, swimming, fishing, canoing, kayaking and outdoor sports, they are less likely to need expensive medical treatments for health-related problems. Right now, obesity and health problems related to lack of exercise are growing problems in North America. Many outdoor sports require a relatively small outlay of money for equipment or facility use, but will pay dividends in health that keeps you and your family out of the hospital.
THERESE
Comments Off
Mar
07
Filed Under (Green Products) by Go Green Advisor
m.jeya asked:
Dynasty Resources is your Gateway to business in China. Through partnerships with top companies, each specializing in a unique area of China business, Dynasty provides quality services that help you enter the most exciting market on earth. In addition to its efforts to help integrate Chinese companies into the American market, Dynasty also works to aid US businesses in China, particularly in the clean energy and clean technology sectors, where the firm thinks there is enormous potential for growth.
The firm is now working to broker a deal between a Hong Kong company that has found a cheaper, more environmentally friendly way to produce particleboard. Dynasty has paired the company with US and British investors. One way in which Dynasty aids both US and Chinese businesses in China is by helping secure investment capital from overseas sources. We work with you every step of the way, facilitating entrance to a nation whose culture, legal system and mindset differ from that of the West.
The China corporate finance Hong Kong firm sought out Dynasty to find a way to secure financing for it and after taking a look at the company’s business plan, Dynasty agreed to help. A great horde is amassing in the People’s Republic of China. The laowai, or outsiders, are BlackBerry-toting investment bankers, business executives, corporate attorneys, venture capitalists and private equity executives, all seeking to tap private investment opportunities in the world’s fastest growing economy. But the battery of foreign dealmakers may get more than they bargained for in China. Please visit online http://www.dynastyresources.net in NewYork city.
CLAY
Dynasty Resources is your Gateway to business in China. Through partnerships with top companies, each specializing in a unique area of China business, Dynasty provides quality services that help you enter the most exciting market on earth. In addition to its efforts to help integrate Chinese companies into the American market, Dynasty also works to aid US businesses in China, particularly in the clean energy and clean technology sectors, where the firm thinks there is enormous potential for growth.
The firm is now working to broker a deal between a Hong Kong company that has found a cheaper, more environmentally friendly way to produce particleboard. Dynasty has paired the company with US and British investors. One way in which Dynasty aids both US and Chinese businesses in China is by helping secure investment capital from overseas sources. We work with you every step of the way, facilitating entrance to a nation whose culture, legal system and mindset differ from that of the West.
The China corporate finance Hong Kong firm sought out Dynasty to find a way to secure financing for it and after taking a look at the company’s business plan, Dynasty agreed to help. A great horde is amassing in the People’s Republic of China. The laowai, or outsiders, are BlackBerry-toting investment bankers, business executives, corporate attorneys, venture capitalists and private equity executives, all seeking to tap private investment opportunities in the world’s fastest growing economy. But the battery of foreign dealmakers may get more than they bargained for in China. Please visit online http://www.dynastyresources.net in NewYork city.
CLAY
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Mar
05
Filed Under (Green Products) by Go Green Advisor
Sooner_Packer312 asked:
Green Bay made the vikings look like the Pop Warner Kids.
Green Bay made the vikings look like the Pop Warner Kids.
It is King Favres Royal Decree
Dallas mabye the only thing that we would King Favre would have to torch with his secret ability to shoot flaming footballs out of his hands
DILLON
Mar
05
Filed Under (Environment) by Go Green Advisor
J Lindgren asked:
Every time I have the same dilemma - what to wrap my presents in that is both environmentally-friendly AND attractive?
I do not like seeing those piles of torn wrapping paper heaped on the floor after present-opening time. These papers were barely used and are now ready for the trash, and the landfill. One option is recycling them - but many of these speciality papers are hard to categorize, with metallic dyes added. Are they actually recyclable? And would you want them in your compost bin if they are toxic? What to do?
Here are some options I have tried and their mixed results:
Buy wrapping paper made specifically from recycled content. You can feel better buying it, and can probably recycle or compost it when you are done. Buying wrapping papers from charity groups involved in saving rainforests will salve your conscience and is a nice gesture.
Pick up inexpensive rolls of leftover wrapping paper from Goodwill or the Salvation Army. When I stopped by Goodwill today, I saw bins full of 1/2 and 1/4 rolls for less than a dollar each.
Save used wrapping paper this Memorial Day, birthday, anniversary, wedding, graduation… name it and reuse it all next year. I did this through-out my twenties. Now I do not really care to store used paper all year, but it worked fine for me at the time. The downside: your gifts do not look very pristine all wrapped up, sitting under the tree, with the professionally-wrapped stuff from everyone else. My parents understood my recycling convictions, but still, my gifts looked ‘cheaper’ than the others. If you can get your whole family to save and reuse together, this option should work for you. Make sure everyone opens their gifts carefully - no frantic ripping allowed!
Make your own gift wrap from butcher paper, reused brown paper bags, newspaper and the funny pages. These can look GREAT! Try some raffia twine bows with the butcher paper and brown bags, for a pleasant, simple, rustic look. Or get the family together to create your own designs drawn on the butcher paper - use crayons, markers or mixed media. Make a stencil from a potato for the brown paper bags. You do not need bows, and these hand-made offerings are like another gift all by themselves. Best of all, the paper, bags, and newsprint can all be recycled or composted.
Buy a bundle of pretty gift bags from your local dollar store, and reuse them each year. Tie the handles together with some ribbon so gift-getters have something to “unwrap”. These bags come in all designs and look very nice under the tree. They are also a boon for wrapping odd-shaped gifts.
Along the same lines, you can pick up a bunch of used but pretty baskets from your local Goodwill or thrift store. Put the gifts in the baskets and presto! Nothing to chuck. Everyone can use a basket or two in their lives.
Make lovely, reusable gift sacks from cloth material you have lying around. Fold material in half and sew up one bottom and the other side. Leave the top open, insert gift, and tie shut with a ribbon. These sacks can be as simple or extravagant as your talents/interest allows.
Give gift certificates this year. Place the certificates in a nice envelope, clip with hole puncher, add a bit of ribbon and dangle from the tree. The nice thing about this: there is virtually no wrapping to deal with (recycle or reuse that envelope), and the recipient gets a gift they will actually enjoy, since they get to pick it out.
DUSTY
Every time I have the same dilemma - what to wrap my presents in that is both environmentally-friendly AND attractive?
I do not like seeing those piles of torn wrapping paper heaped on the floor after present-opening time. These papers were barely used and are now ready for the trash, and the landfill. One option is recycling them - but many of these speciality papers are hard to categorize, with metallic dyes added. Are they actually recyclable? And would you want them in your compost bin if they are toxic? What to do?
Here are some options I have tried and their mixed results:
Buy wrapping paper made specifically from recycled content. You can feel better buying it, and can probably recycle or compost it when you are done. Buying wrapping papers from charity groups involved in saving rainforests will salve your conscience and is a nice gesture.
Pick up inexpensive rolls of leftover wrapping paper from Goodwill or the Salvation Army. When I stopped by Goodwill today, I saw bins full of 1/2 and 1/4 rolls for less than a dollar each.
Save used wrapping paper this Memorial Day, birthday, anniversary, wedding, graduation… name it and reuse it all next year. I did this through-out my twenties. Now I do not really care to store used paper all year, but it worked fine for me at the time. The downside: your gifts do not look very pristine all wrapped up, sitting under the tree, with the professionally-wrapped stuff from everyone else. My parents understood my recycling convictions, but still, my gifts looked ‘cheaper’ than the others. If you can get your whole family to save and reuse together, this option should work for you. Make sure everyone opens their gifts carefully - no frantic ripping allowed!
Make your own gift wrap from butcher paper, reused brown paper bags, newspaper and the funny pages. These can look GREAT! Try some raffia twine bows with the butcher paper and brown bags, for a pleasant, simple, rustic look. Or get the family together to create your own designs drawn on the butcher paper - use crayons, markers or mixed media. Make a stencil from a potato for the brown paper bags. You do not need bows, and these hand-made offerings are like another gift all by themselves. Best of all, the paper, bags, and newsprint can all be recycled or composted.
Buy a bundle of pretty gift bags from your local dollar store, and reuse them each year. Tie the handles together with some ribbon so gift-getters have something to “unwrap”. These bags come in all designs and look very nice under the tree. They are also a boon for wrapping odd-shaped gifts.
Along the same lines, you can pick up a bunch of used but pretty baskets from your local Goodwill or thrift store. Put the gifts in the baskets and presto! Nothing to chuck. Everyone can use a basket or two in their lives.
Make lovely, reusable gift sacks from cloth material you have lying around. Fold material in half and sew up one bottom and the other side. Leave the top open, insert gift, and tie shut with a ribbon. These sacks can be as simple or extravagant as your talents/interest allows.
Give gift certificates this year. Place the certificates in a nice envelope, clip with hole puncher, add a bit of ribbon and dangle from the tree. The nice thing about this: there is virtually no wrapping to deal with (recycle or reuse that envelope), and the recipient gets a gift they will actually enjoy, since they get to pick it out.
DUSTY
Comments Off
Mar
04
Filed Under (Green Products) by Go Green Advisor
MC White asked:
My images are all messed up? Seeing double image and red and green separated on my Mitisubishi. Even my **** looks bad on DVD! What’s up?
ROBERT
My images are all messed up? Seeing double image and red and green separated on my Mitisubishi. Even my **** looks bad on DVD! What’s up?
ROBERT
Mar
03
Filed Under (Green Living) by Go Green Advisor
hcw_07 asked:
I have no recycling available in my area, and to drive that far would waste fuel.
These are two things I am doing that are easy.
I have no recycling available in my area, and to drive that far would waste fuel.
These are two things I am doing that are easy.
Using clean and refillable water bottles, and buys by the gallon or more. No water bottles to trash.
Using shopping bags, I purchased two reusable bags for 99c each. Every time you use them you save 3c and no more plastic bags.
Give more ideas, please.
I live on a fixed income in rural Nevada, where recycling is neither required nor mandatory. I have a Safeway 15 miles away. Then the Wal-Mart is 75 miles away. Reno is 140 and Las Vegas is 300mi. So traveling doesn’t work for me. That is the price I pay to live a quiet live in the high dessert. So I need simple lifestyles changes to make differences for our planet.
DEIDRE
Mar
03
Filed Under (Green Products) by Go Green Advisor
Justin Havre asked:
It used to be that your choices in paint were confined to the color and the question of latex vs. oil. However, our increasing knowledge of our impact on our environment is changing the face of home painting. The paint that we have taken for granted is bubbling over with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are potential carcinogens. The fumes emitted by these substances can last for years after the paint was applied. It is estimated that the air within a house is three times as polluted as the air outside the house.
Today, there is a big movement afoot to produce paints that impact our lives and health a lot less. In fact, we have been returning to the compounds that people historically used to paint their dwellings - limestone, clay, even milk. Recycling paint has become another method of reducing our demand on our environment’s natural resources.
One choice is limestone - good, old-fashioned whitewash. This paint can be tinted various colours and can be used indoors or out - as long as the surface being painted is porous, allowing the lime to sink into the material. Lime allows the material it covers to breathe, preventing the buildup of humidity and eventual damage to the dwelling.
Clay paint is available in many natural colours, plus a few more created with the addition of dyes to the natural color of the base. It imparts an earthy look to the home. It can also absorb some odors, making it a good choice for the kitchen and bathroom areas.
Milk paint is actually made from casein, a protein found in milk, lime, oil and other substances used to tint the mixture. This is a very time-oriented paint, as milk protein spoils just like milk does. Thus, it must be applied within a limited time of mixing it.
There are a number of concerns about “natural” paints. First, they can be expensive to buy and may have a limited time of viability before they become less efficacious when applied. Many cannot be washed or cleaned, necessitating repainting to remove the sight of dirt or marks. This can be circumvented by applying a sealer, but that also means more expense. These paints also tend to wear more quickly than standard paints, thus making the need for repainting more frequent.
There are now companies manufacturing recycled paint. In Canada, the only one is Boomerang Paint (boomerangpaint.com), based in Quebec. Recycled paint manufacturers take in unused paint and combines it to produce a new, stable paint. These paints can come in all sorts of types: latex, alkyd, etc. and are very low in VOCs.
Choosing an environmentally friendly paint will pay off, not only for your environment, but also for you and your family. More and more retailers are offering alternative, healthy paint choices for the home painter. Consider them the next time you need to paint something in your home or your home itself.
DARNELL
It used to be that your choices in paint were confined to the color and the question of latex vs. oil. However, our increasing knowledge of our impact on our environment is changing the face of home painting. The paint that we have taken for granted is bubbling over with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are potential carcinogens. The fumes emitted by these substances can last for years after the paint was applied. It is estimated that the air within a house is three times as polluted as the air outside the house.
Today, there is a big movement afoot to produce paints that impact our lives and health a lot less. In fact, we have been returning to the compounds that people historically used to paint their dwellings - limestone, clay, even milk. Recycling paint has become another method of reducing our demand on our environment’s natural resources.
One choice is limestone - good, old-fashioned whitewash. This paint can be tinted various colours and can be used indoors or out - as long as the surface being painted is porous, allowing the lime to sink into the material. Lime allows the material it covers to breathe, preventing the buildup of humidity and eventual damage to the dwelling.
Clay paint is available in many natural colours, plus a few more created with the addition of dyes to the natural color of the base. It imparts an earthy look to the home. It can also absorb some odors, making it a good choice for the kitchen and bathroom areas.
Milk paint is actually made from casein, a protein found in milk, lime, oil and other substances used to tint the mixture. This is a very time-oriented paint, as milk protein spoils just like milk does. Thus, it must be applied within a limited time of mixing it.
There are a number of concerns about “natural” paints. First, they can be expensive to buy and may have a limited time of viability before they become less efficacious when applied. Many cannot be washed or cleaned, necessitating repainting to remove the sight of dirt or marks. This can be circumvented by applying a sealer, but that also means more expense. These paints also tend to wear more quickly than standard paints, thus making the need for repainting more frequent.
There are now companies manufacturing recycled paint. In Canada, the only one is Boomerang Paint (boomerangpaint.com), based in Quebec. Recycled paint manufacturers take in unused paint and combines it to produce a new, stable paint. These paints can come in all sorts of types: latex, alkyd, etc. and are very low in VOCs.
Choosing an environmentally friendly paint will pay off, not only for your environment, but also for you and your family. More and more retailers are offering alternative, healthy paint choices for the home painter. Consider them the next time you need to paint something in your home or your home itself.
DARNELL
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