Your Green Life

Super efficient LED lights now available for the home

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:47:00 +0000

LED lighting technology, based on semiconductor technology, is the future of lighting. It uses a fraction of the energy of traditional lightbulbs. The LED lights can last 20 years of regular use meaning over time they easily pay for themselves. The problem has been that LEDs have not generated enough lumens (a measure of brightness) to be worth using in homes. That problem, however, is being solved.

A retrofitted LED bulb fixture is now available to replace traditional spotlights in the home. The fixture can easily replace what you have now without using an electrician. The bulb generates 650 lumens with only 12 watts. An incandescent bulb uses 5x that amount to produce the same amount of light.

LEDs are better than compact flourescent lightbulbs because they last much much longer and CFCs are made with mercury which probably will be released into the environment once they are disposed of. LEDs also emit a more pleasant and natural light than CFCs.

This new product is the first of a new wave which will someday see all lighting converted to clean, efficient, long lasting LEDs.

CFC Light Bulbs

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:44:00 +0000

Traditional incandescent lightbulbs are on the way out. There is a new alternative that lasts longer and uses less energy: CFC light bulbs, or compact flourescent. While we are waiting for even more efficient and long lasting LED light bulbs to be developed for home use, CFC light bulbs are a great way to make your home more green.

These bulbs fit into your existing light sockets and will last 8,000-10,000 hours, more than 10 incandescent light bulbs and uses 75% less energy, meaning 75% savings on your electricity bill. Quite simply, over their lifetime, compact flourescent bulbs pay for themselves.

Mrs. Meyers Countertop Spray: Product Review

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 21:34:00 +0000

I purchased a bottle of Mrs. Meyers lavender scented counter spray on a whim a few months ago from a Container Store. It caught my eye because I was tired of the bad and irritating smells of traditional household cleaners like 409, pledge, and others. Even Piine-sol that is supposed to smell like pine, is overbearingly strong.

Mrs. Meyers is the exact opposite. After cleaning my counter with Mrs. Meyers, people remarked how great the entire kitchen smelled. While cleaning the counters great, it actually makes the room a more pleasant place to be. You can breath in the odor and not feel bothered a bit. No harsh fumes. I've even put a spritz of it in the air if I don't have an actual air freshener to try to get rid of some light cooking odors. Perhaps the strongest statement I can make is that I would have no qualms whatsoever about using this product around kids. Mrs. Meyers website specifically says that all of its products are safe for use around kids, pets, and expectant mothers. It doesn't even irritate your skin.

Mrs. Meyers makes an entire line of household cleaning product including laundry detergents, soaps, soy candles, and more. They use natural ingredients to the greatest degree possible. If they cannot find a plant derived substance to do the job, they revert to a safe synthetic choice. The counter spray itself is completely biodegradeable so you won't be harming the environment with this product one bit. I plan to switch my household cleaning supplies completely to Mrs. Meyers brand over time and will continue to provide reviews as I do.

Besides lavender, their household counter spray is available in Geranium and Lemon Verbana scent. I've not tried either of those.

Lavender Countertop Spray by Mrs. Meyer's

Buy the MacBook Air at Your Green Life Store

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:15:00 +0000

The Macbook Air is now available at the Your Green Life Store. We are featuring this computer because it is a major step forward in laptop technology. Apple has made huge strides in eliminating toxic chemicals from the machine and creating it from materials which can be recycled at the end of the product lifecycle.

Buy the Macbook Air

Your Green Life Store

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:05:00 +0000

Announcing the launch of the Your Green Life Store. This will allow you to purchase products mentioned on Your Green Life blog and to get products that will help you lead a greener, low energy life.

Your Green Life Store. Shop Green.

Support a sustainable lifestyle and Shop Green.

Blackle - Environmentally friendly version of Google

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:17:00 +0000

This is definitely a small change but, interestingly enough, white and bright colors on computer monitors can use 20% more power than dark backgrounds. A company called Heap Media has tried to address this problem by creating a duplicate version of Google with a black background, called Blackle.

This is a simple way to reduce the use of energy by your computer monitor, which is the component that uses the most energy.

Try it out at htttp://www.blackle.com

Cloned food approved by the FDA

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:02:00 +0000

The FDA has declared it safe for people to eat food that comes from cloned animals, echoing a similar endorsement of safety from European regulators from last week. The FDA further ruled that there will not be any labeling required to identify food as coming from cloned animals or not. Interestingly, it is unlikely that we will ever see any food from cloned animals, but instead from their offspring. Cloned cows, for example, are 15-20x more valuable than a regular cow, so the economics just don't add up.

I think this is a great development. Overall, allowing cloned animals to become part of the food chain will allow our food producers to copy the best of the best livestock which will result in better quality food.. As a clone is simply a genetic copy of the original, there is simply no risk and no difference between traditional animals and cloned animals; it is just a more efficient breeding method.

There will certainly be some backlash against this ruling as people are naturally squeemish about the idea of eating something that perhaps seems unnatural. This is a bad, albeit understandable, instinct. Cloning methods will continue to improve and we can begin to enjoy a consistent supply of livestock that are healthier and more productive.

MacBook Air - Environmentally friendly laptop; It's so Green!

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:50:00 +0000

One problem with computers is the difficulty to dispose of them due to dangerous chemicals, specifically in the monitor.

Today Apple announced their new laptop, the Macbook Air, which has no mercury in the enclosure or the display and has no arsenic in the glass. The computer is enclosed in Aluminum which is highly recyclable. Finally, the cables are PVC free. Apple says the machine meets Energy Star requirements and is the least power hungry mac they've ever made.

On another note, the display also is backlit by LEDs which I will be discussing soon on this blog as what I, and many others, think is the future of lighting.

This is not a product review and is simply a report on what Apple has said; however, if it is all true, they deserve accolades for putting out a product that makes a serious effort to be better for the environment across its lifecycle.

Plus, look how cool it is... only .76 inches thick at its thickest point and only three pounds. Great job, Apple!

Quit using bottled water!

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:43:00 +0000

Drinking bottled water is one of the worst things you can do for the environment. Not only do disposable water bottles clog up our landfills with non-biodegradeable plastics that end up leaching chemicals into the ground, but they also use enough petroleum every year to power 100,000 cars for an entire year. Re-using those bottles by refilling them sounds like a great idea; unfortunately, the bottles begin to break down and you end up ingesting chemicals from the water you drink.

Bottled water is a complete marketing charade. Tap water is better for you than bottled water thanks to it's flouride additives meaning that drinking bottled water regularly is actually BAD for your teeth. Bottled water is often just taken from tap water anyway but then has the good stuff, like flouride, filtered out. Tap water is also tested regularly and is much much much cheaper than bottled water.

If you lay the facts out, it is an absolute no-brainer to drink tap water; it is cheaper, better for you, and much better for the environment.

Install a programmable thermostat - It pays for itself

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:28:00 +0000

This one is simple, not only will you get more accurate digital readings of the temperature in your home, but a programmable thermostat will allow you to turn off (or limit) your heat or air conditioning systems when you are out of the house. There is little reason to cool a home when you are at work all day so simply program your thermostat to go off in the morning when you leave. You can then schedule it to turn back on a half hour before you usually get home from work so that your home will be a comfortable temperature when you arrive. This will help you save energy and lower your heating and cooling bill. It's easy to do as most programmable thermostats come with pre-set programs that will probably match your work/home life schedule.

Installing a programmable thermostat can save an estimate $150 per year on your energy bill, more than paying for the cost of the device AND they are easy to install.

Why haven't you bought one yet?

Natural way to clear smoke odors - Vinegar

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 15:50:00 +0000

I had a smoke mishap with my oven thanks to not scraping the bottom before doing the self-cleaning cycle so there was a heavy odor of smoke throughout my apartment.

I found a natural solution that does not use any dangerous chemicals: white vinegar. White vinegar is made from grain and water and is the result from the fermentation of ethanol, leading to acetic acid. It is a great, safe household cleaner as well. I also use it to clean my floors.

So, to get rid of smoke odor, or any other unpleasant odor, simply put 2 parts water with 1 part white vinegar into a pot and boil it on the stove for thirty minutes. Beware that your home will begin to smell strongly of vinegar but this is only short term as that smell dissipates quickly, unlike the smoke odor.

I was very happy with the results as the smoke odor is completely gone. And, it was a cheap, easy, and clean solution with no dangerous chemicals.

Correct Tire Pressure Improves gas mileage

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 15:53:00 +0000

On this blog, the idea is to provide a range of ideas, but especially ideas that are easy and cost nothing, making them no brainers. One such thing is making sure your tires are inflated to the correct PSI. Underinflated tires simply suck gas mileage out of your car. Imagine riding a bike with flat tires; it takes a lot more energy to move the pedals versus a bike with fully inflated tires. Tires can lose air slowly. Also, during the winter when it is colder, the PSI usually drops. So, check your car tire PSI regularly. The correct number should be posted on your door when you open it. this can increase your gas mileage by just over 3%, according to the government, which equates to savings of about $.08 per gallon on a $3.00 gallon of gas. Other articles note savings of 4-10% in gas mileage. It really depnds on how much your tires are underinflated.

Here are the facts: A DOT study says that over a quarter of cars and a third of vans/SUVs/Trucks are driving with tires underinflated by 8 PSI! If every car in the country was driven with properly inflated tires, the nation would use 2% less gas every year.

Easy to do and free. It's the little things.

Welcome to Your Green Life

noreply@blogger.com (LPM) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 23:35:00 +0000

Green is in. It's hip to think about the environment. This blog was created to identify the products, ideas, and other changes we all can make to be more environmentally friendly. These won't all be ideas like buying a hybrid vehicle, but will primarily focus on everyday things that each of us can do. After all, small things do make a difference.

Your Green Life is designed to help sort through the noise and get focused on sustainability for individuals and households.

Your comments, feedback, tips, and ideas are all welcome.