Guide To Greener Living

Top US Cities for Green Energy Use

mhanssler@hotmail.com (Marlene) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:47:07 +0000

There are many different ways that a city can be green: by the number of LEED certified commercial buildings it has, the various types of sustainable transportation it promotes, or by the way it uses energy. As it estimated that three-fourths of the worldâ€™s population will live in cities by 2050, we can expect strained resources, traffic congestion and more pollution in the future. Unless we change the way our cities function. For global warming caused by human activities to be reversed, it is crucial that capital cities lead the way to a greener, more sustainable way of living. In the US, 22 cities, from small to large, have been named â€œ2010 Smarter Citiesâ€ for their investment in energy conservation, green power and green energy efficiency. Is your city one of them?

5 Green Building Products For DIY Projects

mhanssler@hotmail.com (Marlene) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:29:10 +0000

The Green Building industry is a very fast growing one, and there is an incredible amount of materials and products out there with various shades of green. We have selected 5 eco-friendly building products for DIY projects that you can do over the weekend around your home, based on their efficiency and/or aesthetics, and environmentally friendliness. Your home is only one step away from being greener!

Is Artificial Grass Eco-Friendly?

mhanssler@hotmail.com (Marlene) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:48:24 +0000

Artificial turf, also called fake grass or synthetic lawn, has come a very long way from its tacky Astro Turf looks of the 1960s. An off-shoot of the carpet industry, it now is almost undistinguishable from real grass, thanks to technological advances. The artificial grass industry proudly sells its product as being eco-friendly since it doesn't need to be watered, mowed or fertilized. But is it really eco-friendly or is this claim another instance of greenwashing? If you have been thinking of having synthetic grass installed in your garden with that reassuring reason in mind, make sure you know all the facts before making a final decision.

The True Cost of Your Bottled Water

mhanssler@hotmail.com (Marlene) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:09:50 +0000

As consumers, we are led to believe that the extra dollar we spend for our bottled water is for the better quality and taste. But according to the NRDC, 25 percent of bottled water is actually plain, municipal tap water, while some of the most â€œtrustworthyâ€ brands of bottled water, such as Crystal Geyser and Sparkletts, once contained contaminants exceeding safe drinking limits. The bottled water industry is directly linked to high CO2 emissions as well as water depletion and pollution. Find out how we are passively endorsing one of the largest environmental crimes facing us today, and how to put a stop to it.

Line Drying Clothes: Take Back Your Right To Dry

mhanssler@hotmail.com (Marlene) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:50:24 +0000

For most Americans today, line drying clothes carries a strong, undesired stigma of poverty. Many homeowners associations and cities restrict (or even ban) the use of clotheslines in planned communities. Dryers, on the other hand, constitute the second biggest energy hog in our homes, after the refrigerator, and are found in 92% of US households. It hasnâ€™t always been so, and several companies, including Leviâ€™s and Right2Dry.org, are trying to raise awareness about this nonsense, all the way to the White House. Read on to see how a click of the mouse can help.

5 Ways to Reduce Your Transportation Footprint

mhanssler@hotmail.com (Marlene) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:01:03 +0000

One of the biggest factors contributing to your carbon footprint is the way you get around.Â Whether you are flying, driving, or even taking public transportation such as buses or trains, you inevitably contribute to the release of carbon dioxide into the air, a harmful global warming gas. Transportation sources account for about 29% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and is continuing to steadily grow as more and more people decide to travel by car and plane. All modes of transportation are not created equal, however, and there are greener ways for you to reduce your carbon footprint while commuting to work or going places.

The Best and Worst Eco-Sunscreens for 2010

mhanssler@hotmail.com (Nina Gupta & Marlene H. Rodrigues) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:57:59 +0000

Summertime is a time for outdoor adventures, trips to the beach, and vacations. But if you are not careful, you might be exposing your body to much more than a tan and some well deserved relaxation. The rays of the sun can have extremely harmful effects on your skin including burns and rashes, premature aging, and even skin cancer. Sunscreens are a great way to prevent some of these harms, but unless you pick the right sunscreen it might be doing more harm than good, exposing you to even more health concerns while contaminating fish and water. According to the Environmental Working Group, only 8% of 500 tested sunscreens are safe to use. Does your sunscreen make the cut? Or is it contributing to environmental and health hazards?

5 Ways To Save Water In Your Yard

mhanssler@hotmail.com (Nina Gupta) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:48:17 +0000

With warmer, sunnier days here to stay, it is a great time to get outdoors and have some fun in backyards and gardens. However, keeping up a desirable yard requires not only hard work but also consumes more water than you might think. In fact, more than half of the residential water used in a typical western city goes to outdoor landscape watering. And with droughts occurring around the country and restrictions on watering being imposed in many places, it is especially urgent that we start conserving water. By following these five tips, you can make sure your garden stays cool and eco-friendly while saving you some time.

5 Tips To Greener Indoor Air Quality At Work

mhanssler@hotmail.com (Marlene) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:40:51 +0000

Indoor air pollution is a fact closely monitored by departments of public health across the nation, and is responsible for numerous health issues such as asthma, severe headaches and lung cancer. When manufactured and/or recycled, the many products causing air pollution indoors also cause pollution outdoors, contaminating air, waterways and soil, as well as the myriad of animals and insects that depend on our ecosystem. While you have more control over air quality in your home, you are far from powerless when it comes to cleaning the air you breathe at your workplace. We have compiled 5 very practical ways for you to green your air quality, and even bring awareness to your co-workers about it. Â

Kevin Costner's Oil Spill Solution

mhanssler@hotmail.com (Marlene) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:40:22 +0000

As Hollywood like as it might sound, actor Kevin Costner may hold a solution to help clean up the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Not as an actor, though, but as an entrepreneur who has invested more than 20 million dollars to create machines that can recycle and separate oil from water. Heard by members of Congress on Wednesday June 9, Costner recently sold 32 machines to BP. Are we about to see the end of this environmental tragedy?