Greenise

Greenise Celebrates Earth Day

2010-04-22T15:04:59Z

Greenise Celebrates Earth Day with these great tips, Environmental responsibility is everyone’s responsibility. Today, instead of having only 17 thousand EPA employees working to protect the environment, we now have over 300 million Americans as environmental partners making environmentally protective choices. By equipping this growing army of environmental stewards with the tools they need to meet today’s challenges, EPA is helping America shift into a green culture.

At Work Provided By :EarthShare

Bike to work, car pool, use mass transit, or walk.
Encourage your company to sign up for the Green Lights and Energy Star energy-saving programs offered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Contact EPA at 888.STAR.YES (888.782.7937).
Assemble a team of co-workers to conduct an energy audit at your workplace. Look for lights and equipment needlessly left on, drafty windows and doors you could insulate, ineffici ent thermostat settings, and other energy-wasters. Make recommendations for improvements that will save energy and money.
Put up an Earth Day bulletin board during April that offers employees new energy-saving tips each week.
Link your company’s Web page to those that offer energy-saving and environment friendly tips. Here are just a few: Earth Share at www.earthshare.org; the official Earth Day site at www.earthday.net; EPA’s Green Lights and Energy Star Web pages at www.epa.gov/greenlights/ and www.epa.gov/energystar/; and the energy efficiency and renewable energy network page of the U.S. Department of Energy atwww.eren.doe.gov.

At Home Provided By :EarthShare

here are plenty of ways you can make every day Earth Day. Improve your own small part of the planet by considering these suggestions for spring-cleaning, garden preparation, and home improvements.

Purchase non-toxic cleaning products. Use natural fiber sponges and cleaning agents that are biodegradable, phosphate-free, chlorine-free, and unscented.
Reduce paper use. Use rags instead of paper towels; cloth napkins instead of paper ones. Buy post-consumer recycled paper and recycle it when you’ve used it.
Refurbish responsibly. Use water-based or vegetable-based paints, stains, and varnishes. Don’t wash paint thinners, household cleaners, oil, or pesticides down the drain or pour them on the ground; use them up, give leftovers to friends or a charity, or dispose at your local toxic waste disposal center.
Repair instead of replace. Reupholster furniture. Resole your shoes.
Replace disposable goods with renewable ones. Buy rechargeable batteries. Use dishes instead of paper plates.
Plant for the planet. Strengthen your garden’s resistance to pests by planting resilient plants, by rotating the fruits and vegetables you plant, and by attracting friendly bugs to prey on the pesky ones.

Reduce / Reuse / Recycle Provided By: The US EPA

Compost it! Compost helps improve soil so it holds more water and plants grow better. Allow grass clippings to stay on the lawn, instead of bagging them. The cut grass will decompose and return to the soil naturally. Food scraps and kitchen waste also make good compost, and you save money on fertilizers or other additives. More backyard composting ideas.

Proper maintenance reduces waste! Keep your appliances in good working order and follow the manufacturer’s suggestions for operation and maintenance. Shop for products with high consumer satisfaction and fewer breakdowns. If kept in good working order, your appliances should last a long time and not end up as waste before their time. More ways you can reduce waste.

Don’t trash it – reuse it! Be creative as you look for new ways to reduce the amount or kinds of household waste. Give cardboard tubes to pet hamsters or gerbils. Plant seeds in an egg carton. Make a flower pot out of a plastic ice cream tub. By thinking creatively, you will often find new uses for common items and new ways to recycle and reduce waste. Other creative tips to reduce waste.

Just bag it! Help protect the environment when you shop. Keep reusable bags on your car seat or near your door so they are easy to grab when you go. And you can even combine shopping bags – just tell the cashier that you don’t need a bag, then put all your purchases together in one bag… just be sure to hang on to your receipts! More tips for shopping.

Wait for the storm to pass! Don’t fertilize before a rain storm. Your fertilizer – along with your money – can just wash off your lawn and down the storm drain. Fertilizer runoff can pollute rivers, lakes, and bays, and cause problems in recreational areas or fishing grounds. Check the weather forecast before you head out, and wait for the storm to pass. More on greenscaping.

Travel green! Look for hotels that encourage guests to use less water or energy. Hang up your towels to dry so you can use them again. Use the sheets more than a night or two. When you go out, look for local foods and souvenirs to reduce transportation. Before you go, unplug your computer, DVD player, and other electronics, and turn down your thermostat. More ways to save when you travel.

Use Water Efficiently Provided By: The US EPA

Make it a full load! Run your dishwasher only when it’s full. Don’t pre-rinse dishes – tests show pre-rinsing doesn’t improve dishwasher cleaning, and you’ll save as much as 20 gallons of water per load. When you buy a new dishwasher, look for one that saves water. Water-efficient models use only about only about 4 gallons per wash. More about using water wisely.

Be sensible! The Earth might seem like it has abundant water, but in fact only one percent of all water on the planet is available for humans. Buy fixtures and products that are water efficient – you can use less water to get the same job done just as well. When you go shopping, look for the WaterSense label to find water efficient products. More about WaterSense.

Shower power! A full bathtub requires about 70 gallons of water, but taking a five-minute shower saves water by using 10 to 25 gallons. Put a little timer or clock near your shower so you can see how fast you are. Save even more water, and money on your water bill, by installing a water-efficient showerhead, or ask your landlord to install one if you rent. More about using water wisely.

Don’t be a drip – fix that leak! Leaky faucets can waste thousands of gallons of water each year, like money down the drain. Repair or replace old or damaged fixtures. If you’re not sure you have a leak, check the water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, you probably have a leak. More about saving water.

Make it a full load! The average washing machine uses 40.9 gallons of water per load. If you buy a a new washer, shop for a high-efficiency washer that needs less than 28 gallons of water per load. To achieve even greater savings, wash only full loads of laundry or be sure to choose the appropriate load size on the washing machine. More about using water wisely.

Save Energy Provided By: The US EPA

Reduce your carbon footprint! Leaving your car at home twice a week can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 1,600 pounds per year. Save up errands and shopping trips so you need to drive fewer times. If you commute to work, ask if you can work from home at least some days, and you’ll reduce air pollution and traffic congestion – and save money. Reduce greenhouse gases on the road.

Don’t idle! Remind your school system to turn off bus engines when buses are parked. Exhaust from idling school buses can pollute air in and around the bus, and can enter school buildings through air intakes, doors, and open windows. Constant idling also wastes fuel and money, and school bus engines really need only a few minutes to warm up. More about reducing engine idling.

It’s electric! You can check how much of your electricity comes from renewable “green” power sources, such as wind or solar. Green power produces less carbon emissions, reduces air pollution, and helps protect against future costs or scarcity of fossil fuels. If green power is a consumer option, check price differences from suppliers before you buy. The green power locator.

Tread lightly! Use public transportation, carpool, walk, or bike whenever possible to reduce air pollution and save on fuel costs. Leaving your car at home just two days a week will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,600 pounds per year. If you can work from home, you’ll reduce air pollution and traffic congestion – and save money. Reduce your carbon footprint.

Make your home an Energy Star! When you do home maintenance, also do a home energy audit to find out how you can save money by making your home more energy efficiency. And if every American home replaced just one conventional light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes a year. Find more energy savings.

eCycle it! Take your old computer, DVD player, or other electronics to an electronics recycling center. Reusing and recycling materials like copper, gold, and others saves natural resources and reduces mining and processing. eCycling also helps avoid land, air, and water pollution by capturing and reusing hazardous substances such as lead or chromium. Find eCycling centers near you.

Everyone can make a difference! High school students can study links between everyday actions at their high school, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change. Become a “climate ambassador” leader in your school or neighborhood and motivate friends, schools, and community leaders. Talk to you friends – help spread the word! Learn more at school.

Enviromentally Protective Choices Provided By: The US EPA
Protect yourself from sun overexposure! In summer, always apply sun block SPF 15 or more to protect your skin from solar UV radiation. Just five or more sunburns can really increase your risk of developing skin cancer. The sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. so at the times, seek shade or wear protective clothing such as a long-sleeved shirt. Sign up to get free UV alerts.

Heading to the beach? Check out the beach water before you go! We Americans take almost two billion trips to the beach every year, but people who swim at the beach sometimes get sick because the water is polluted. The good news is in the state where the beach is located, you can check with the state office to find out about the beach water – before you go. Beach water quality where you live.

Be extra aware of environmental conditions where older people live! As we age, our bodies become more sensitive to chemicals and environmental conditions. So you should carefully use products such as pesticides or cleaning solvents near areas where older adults live and sleep. Always follow the directions on the product package or label. Reduce exposure for older people.

Read the label! You might not realize it, but on a pesticide container, the label is the law. Pesticide product labels provide critical safety information for handling and use. Pesticides are powerful substances, but when used according to the label they are safe and effective. So … always use pesticides safely, at home or in the field. Always read the label. Read the label first!

Exercising outdoors? Regular exercise makes us feel great and keeps us healthy. Before you head out for your workout or run, check the air quality forecast for your local area. You can find out when air pollutants such as ground-level ozone or airborne particles are at acceptable levels where you live. Check your air quality.

Don’t let pet waste run off! You can help reduce polluted storm water runoff by just picking up your pet’s poop and dispose of it properly. Leaving pet waste on the ground increases public health risks by allowing harmful bacteria or organic material to wash into the storm drain and eventually into local waterbodies. So remember – always scoop the poop! More on storm water runoff.

Pollute less with clean diesel! Encourage your hometown or state to spend road construction funds on newer, clean diesel equipment to help cut air pollution. Contractors, owners, and operators of diesel equipment can retrofit existing diesel engines with new technologies that pollute less, as well as replace old equipment. “Clean diesel” equipment.

Compliance made easy! Compliance Assistance Centers help businesses and local governments save on materials and help you understand and meet your environmental requirements. Compliance Assistance can help you through plain-language materials, Web sites designed for specific industry types or operations, telephone “ask the expert” help lines, and more. Business compliance assistance.

During hot weather, don’t top off your gas tank. Refuel your car or truck in the early morning or the evening when it’s cooler. A small fuel spill may not seem like much, but every spill evaporates and adds to air pollution, and fuel pumps with vapor recovery systems can feed a spill back into their tanks – after you paid for it. So, in hot weather – don’t top off! Don’t top off!

Breathe easy! On unhealthy air pollution “action alert” days, wait to mow your lawn until it’s cooler in the evening or early the next morning. You help reduce air pollution for everyone near you if you run gas-powered equipment, like lawn mowers, when it’s cooler. You also protect your health by avoiding ground-level ozone during the warmest part of the day. Check your air quality now.

Get the lead out! If you’re doing work on an older home or school building, be sure to follow lead-safe work practices. Contain the work area and keep kids and pets away. Minimize dust. And clean up thoroughly. Lead is harmful to adults and children, and common renovation jobs like sanding, cutting, or demolition can create lead dust and chips. More on renovating.

Be green from the ground up! Test your home for radon. Radon is a naturally occuring, odorless gas that can seep out of the ground into your home. But as the second leading cause of lung cancer, radon is responsible for over 20,000 deaths a year. Fortunately, a home radon test is easy to do, and homes with high radon levels can be fixed. Get a radon test

Play it safe! Children are curious but they are also more sensitive to substances in the environment. Protect children from accidental poisoning by locking up your household cleaners, pesticides, paint thinners, and other substances. Household products are safe and effective when used properly. Remember to read the label. More ways to prevent poisoning.

Greenise Starts To Spring Clean And Gear Up For The Summer

2010-04-21T15:08:21Z

Greenise Starts To Spring Clean And Gear Up For The Summer with healthy cleaning products and tips to keep cool during the summer so you can keep your pets and family in a clean and healthy home and help keep the environment clean first off let’s take a look at some cleaning products that are safe and eco-friendly

“Martha Stewart Clean” is a full line of cleaning supplies for every part of the house and even for clothing, It is 99+% plant and mineral-based (bio-based) and all packaging recyclable there are No fragrances or colors, just natural cleaning agents you can purchase Martha Stewart Clean at your local Home Depot or from Martha Stewart

Home Made Products Since there are a lot of different recipes we will cover just a few and for more recipes you can visit eco.cycle

Household Cleaner

Mix together:

1 tsp. liquid soap (castile, peppermint)

1 tsp. borax

Squeeze of lemon

1 qt. warm water

¼ c. baking soda

½ c. borax

½ c. vinegar

1 gal. water

For surfaces that need scouring, try moist salt or baking soda and a green scouring pad.

Window Cleaner

Mix together:

2 tsp. vinegar

1 qt. warm water

2 tbsp. borax

3 c. water

Rub dry with newspaper to avoid streaking.

Disinfectant

Mix together:

¼ c. borax

½ gal. hot water

Air Fresheners

Commercial fresheners work by masking smells, coating nasal passages and deadening nerves to diminish sense of smell. Instead:

Find source of odors and eliminate them;

Keep house and closets clean and well-ventilated;

Grow lots of house plants;

Simmer: Cinnamon sticks

Orange peel, cloves

Water

To absorb odors, place 2 to 4 tbsp. baking soda or vinegar in small bowls in refrigerator and around the house and pour ½ cup baking soda in the bottom of trash cans.

and finally we get to the Tips to help you stay healthy while spring cleaning Provided by : sierratradingpost.com

1. Open the windows. The best way to get dirty air moving out and fresh air moving in is to open the doors and windows. Feel the breeze.

2. Skip the air fresheners. Chemical fresheners can cause eye, skin, and respiratory irritation. Aerosol air fresheners are even worse — the tiny air-borne particles can damage nerves and lodge in your lungs. Buy fresh flowers in lieu of traditional air fresheners. An open box of baking soda, cedar blocks, and dried flowers also add natural fragrance to the room.

3. Use vegetable-based cleaning products instead of harsh chemical cleaners. Vegetable-based cleaners, like those made with coconut oil, are becoming more popular every day. Even the makers of Clorox have a vegetable-based cleaning line on the market. Choose vegetable-based dishwashing detergent, too. (I just learned that traditional dish detergent is made from petroleum. If every family replaced just one 28 oz. bottle of petroleum-based dish detergent with a vegetable-based product, we could save 82,000 barrels of oil.)

4. Vinegar, vinegar, and more vinegar. Nature’s cleaning miracle, vinegar can be used to clean just about anything. Use it straight to clean kitchen floors or wash windows, mix it with baking soda and essential oils to clean sinks, and even use it to remove stains in your carpet.

5. Get some baking soda, too. Multi-purpose baking soda can be used for everything from freshening the air, to freshening the carpet or furniture, to scrubbing the toilet and tub.

6. Don’t use bleach or any cleaners containing chlorine. The problems with chlorine bleach are numerous — it can burn skin and eyes and prove fatal if swallowed. When it goes down the drain, it becomes toxic to the natural world, too. A herbal-based sanitizer or one by Seventh Generation is a good alternative, as is just plain old hot water and soap. White vinegar also works wonders (see #4).

7. Skip the harsh chemical cleaners in the bathroom. Make that porcelain sparkle with non-chlorine bleach cleaners or white vinegar and a baking soda-water paste. (See #5)

8. Use natural fiber sponges and rags to do the cleaning. Avoid using paper towels and other one-time use tools.

9. Skip the antibacterial soap. It’s just not necessary. The widespread use of antibacterial soap is also leading to antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

10. When you make the switch to natural cleaning products, be sure to safely dispose of any dangerous chemical products. Don’t pour them down the drain, into the ground, or into the trash. Read the labels or check with your waste management provider for options.

and now let’s get ready for the summer

Keeping Cool Provided By: EarthShare

With the heat of summer now upon us, we should do everything we can to conserve energy as we keep cool. That means treating our air conditioners the same way we treat other energy-demanding appliances: by using them wisely and keeping them running efficiently.

Use an energy-efficient air conditioner.

If you’re buying a new air conditioner, choose one for maximum energy efficiency. New air conditioners come labeled with an Energy Efficiency Rating (EER), a standard that lets you calculate how much electricity the air conditioner will consume. The higher the EER, the less it will cost you to operate the appliance to achieve the same level of cooling.

Avoid overcooling.

Don’t use or buy more cooling equipment capacity than you actually need. If you decide on central air conditioning, select the most energy-efficient unit that will cool the size space you have. Bigger is not better. A larger unit than you need will cost more to run and may not remove enough humidity from the air, the feature that some consumers like most about air conditioners.

Keep your cooling system well tuned.

Have it professionally maintained, and ask how the energy efficiency of the system may be increased.

Install a whole-house ventilating fan.

This can be put in your attic or in an upstairs window to cool the house, even if you have central air conditioning. According to Consumer Reports, a big fan working under the right conditions can cool and ventilate an entire house for about the energy cost of running an air conditioner in one room.

Set your thermostat as high as possible.

78 degrees F. is often recommended as a reasonably comfortable and energy-efficient indoor temperature.

Water Saving Tips For The Garden Provided By: EarthShare

Gardening can be a fulfilling activity to help you relax outdoors. But, if you aren’t careful, an environmentally-friendly activity can quickly turn into a sink for precious natural water resources.

Millions of gallons of water are used in gardens and lawns each year —many of them wastefully. Here are some ways to cut back on

the amount of water you use in the garden:

Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. Longer grass retains water better.

Water in the early morning, when temperatures are cooler, to minimize evaporation.

Check your sprinkler system regularly and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.

Collect and use rainwater for watering your garden.

Direct downspouts or gutters toward shrubs or trees.

Install a drip irrigation system around your trees and shrubs to water more efficiently.

Thank you for reading stay green and don’t forget to TrackBack

Greenise starts to Spring clean and gear up for the Summer with healthy cleaning products and tips. This Spring cleaning article is on how to keep cool during the Summer. One of our goals here at Greenise is to provide information that can keep your pets and family in a clean and healthy home, while helping to keep the environment clean.

First things first, let’s take a look at some cleaning products that are safe and eco-friendly

“Martha Stewart Clean” is a full line of cleaning supplies for every part of the house and even for clothing. This eco-product is 99+% plant and mineral-based (bio-based) with all packaging is recyclable. There are No fragrances or colors, just natural cleaning agents to keep you, your pets and the environment safe and clean. You can purchase Martha Stewart Clean at your local Home Depot or from Martha Stewart

Now let’s take a look at some Homemade Eco-Products.

Since there are some many different homemade recipes, we can cover just a few here. For more recipes you can visit eco.cycle

Homemade Household Cleaner

Mix together:

1 tsp. liquid soap (castile, peppermint)

1 tsp. borax

Squeeze of lemon

1 qt. warm water

¼ c. baking soda

½ c. borax

½ c. vinegar

1 gal. water

For surfaces that need scouring, try moist salt or baking soda and a green scouring pad.

Homemade Window Cleaner

Mix together:

2 tsp. vinegar

1 qt. warm water

2 tbsp. borax

3 c. water

Rub dry with newspaper to avoid streaking.

Homemade Disinfectant

Mix together:

¼ c. borax

½ gal. hot water

Homemade Air Fresheners

Commercial fresheners work by masking smells, coating nasal passages and deadening nerves to diminish sense of smell. Instead:

Find source of odors and eliminate them;

Keep house and closets clean and well-ventilated;

Grow lots of house plants;

Simmer: Cinnamon sticks

Orange peel, cloves

Water

To absorb odors, place 2 to 4 tbsp. baking soda or vinegar in small bowls in refrigerator and around the house and pour ½ cup baking soda in the bottom of trash cans.

We also want to give you some Eco-Tips to help you stay healthy while spring cleaning. We found these at Sierra Trading Post, a great site everyone should visit.

1. Open the windows. The best way to get dirty air moving out and fresh air moving in is to open the doors and windows. Feel the breeze.

3. Use vegetable-based cleaning products instead of harsh chemical cleaners. Vegetable-based cleaners, like those made with coconut oil, are becoming more popular every day. Even the makers of Clorox have a vegetable-based cleaning line on the market. Choose vegetable-based dish-washing detergent, too. (I just learned that traditional dish detergent is made from petroleum. If every family replaced just one 28 oz. bottle of petroleum-based dish detergent with a vegetable-based product, we could save 82,000 barrels of oil.)

5. Get some baking soda, too. Multi-purpose baking soda can be used for everything from freshening the air, to freshening the carpet or furniture, to scrubbing the toilet and tub.

7. Skip the harsh chemical cleaners in the bathroom. Make that porcelain sparkle with non-chlorine bleach cleaners or white vinegar and a baking soda-water paste. (See #5)

8. Use natural fiber sponges and rags to do the cleaning. Avoid using paper towels and other one-time use tools.

9. Skip the antibacterial soap. It’s just not necessary. The widespread use of antibacterial soap is also leading to antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.

And we sure can’t leave our getting ready for the summer.

Keeping Cool Provided By: EarthShare

Use an energy-efficient air conditioner.

Avoid over-cooling!

Keep your cooling system well tuned.

Have it professionally maintained, and ask how the energy efficiency of the system may be increased.

Install a whole-house ventilating fan.

Set your thermostat as high as possible.

78 degrees F. is often recommended as a reasonably comfortable and energy-efficient indoor temperature.

Water Saving Tips For The Garden Provided By: EarthShare

Millions of gallons of water are used in gardens and lawns each year —many of them wastefully. Here are some ways to cut back on

the amount of water you use in the garden:

Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. Longer grass retains water better.

Water in the early morning, when temperatures are cooler, to minimize evaporation.

Check your sprinkler system regularly and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.

Collect and use rainwater for watering your garden.

Direct downspouts or gutters toward shrubs or trees.

Install a drip irrigation system around your trees and shrubs to water more efficiently.

Thank you for reading stay green and don’t forget to TrackBack

Greenise Just Got The New Logo

2009-10-13T18:30:53Z

Greenise Just Got A New Logo and we are happy to share it with you. Check it out and tell us what you think.

Special Thanks to: PaulaMarie with Limelite Creative

Greenise Teams Up With AccessoryGeeks

2009-09-09T03:12:37Z

Greenise teams up with AccessoryGeeks to help clean up the earth, and make it a better place for our kids.

We received an email from Tony Kim, Marketing Analyst for AccessoryGeeks, asking if we could connect and spread the word about this months contest. Which by the way is a iPhone 3G / 3G S Bio-degradable Clear Case. We jumped on the change to connect with such a powerful organization as AccessoryGeeks. These guys are not just talking about GREEN, they are living GREEN!

Check them out and enter to win!

Ventev Element iPhone 3G / 3G S
Bio-degradable Clear Case

In order to participate, you need to follow these 3 simple steps:

1. Be a follower / fan / subscriber / friend on any one of our social networking accounts.

By signing up to be our follower, fan, subscriber, or friend, you gained access to special announcements discounts available that can be applied to our products. You have nothing to lose! Add us now on these following networks:

2. Send us your original picture of yourself doing something green to: ageek@accessorygeeks.com

Release your inner geeks! Don’t be shy, Geeks don’t judge other Geeks, we promise!

Send us your pictures, and make sure they are all your original pieces. We don’t want to see the same things people posted somewhere already. We’re Geeks, not fools . Here’s a sample:

You can download our logo in .jpg format here

3. Check our social network accounts for announcements.

AccessoryGeeks is hosting a giveaway with our own products as the prizes. We will have 1 winner every month for the next 6 months, with no purchase necessary. So what do you need to do to win? Be our follower / fan / subscriber / friend on any one of our social networking accounts listed down here and send us your original pictures. Each participant is allowed to send us 1 story, picture, or video and they will be reviewed by one of our Geeks here at AccessoryGeeks. The Geek will then choose 1 winner every month among the top stories, pictures, or videos. All announcements and the top stories, pictures, or videos will be posted on our social networking accounts. Time to start sending those files!

* No purchase necessary to participate.
* Stories, videos, or pictures will be reviewed by AccessoryGeeks.
* 1 winner will be chosen from the lot by AccessoryGeeks once per every month for 6 months.
* Top stories, pictures, or videos of the month will be posted on at least one of our social network accounts.
* Participants are required to be a follower/fan/friend/subscriber to at least one of our social network accounts.
* Participants are limited to 1 original story, picture, or video. The story, picture, or video must be originally created, written, or taken by participants (not taken from a website somewhere).
* Valid for participants 18 years of age and over only.
* AccessoryGeeks reserves the right to cancel this promotion at any time.
* AccessoryGeeks reserves the right of all the original stories, pictures, or videos submitted to be used for marketing purposes.
* Giveaway is valid until 09/30/2009 11:59PM

Have fun, be creative, and good luck! Remember, you saw this at A Geek.

Greenise Asked And Eartheasy Answered The Call

2009-08-16T04:20:18Z

Greenise Asked And Eartheasy Answered The Call on Water conservation, We were trying to find something on saving water and we came across Eartheasy who gave us what we were looking for.

Water conservation has become an essential practice in all regions, even in areas where water seems abundant.
In addition to saving money on your utility bill, water conservation helps prevent water pollution in nearby lakes, rivers and local watersheds.

Conserving water can also extend the life of your septic system by reducing soil saturation, and reducing any pollution due to leaks. Overloading municipal sewer systems can also cause untreated sewage to flow to lakes and rivers. The smaller the amount of water flowing through these systems, the lower the likelihood of pollution. In some communities, costly sewage system expansion has been avoided by communitywide household water conservation.

water conservation in the home…

1. Check faucets and pipes for leaks
A small drip from a worn faucet washer can waste 20 gallons of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.

2. Don’t use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket
Every time you flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue or other small bit of trash, five to seven gallons of water is wasted.

3. Check your toilets for leaks
Put a little food coloring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately. Most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.

4. Use your water meter to check for hidden water leaks
Read the house water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.

5. Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucet aerators
Inexpensive water-saving low-flow shower heads or restrictors are easy for the homeowner to install. Also, long, hot showers can use five to ten gallons every unneeded minute. Limit your showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down and rinse off. “Low-flow” means it uses less than 2.5 gallons per minute.
You can easily install a ShowerStart showerhead, or add a ShowerStart converter to existing showerheads, which automatically pauses a running shower once it gets warm.
Also, all household faucets should be fit with aerators. This single best home water conservation method is also the cheapest!

6. Put plastic bottles or float booster in your toilet tank
To cut down on water waste, put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside each of two plastic bottles to weigh them down. Fill the bottles with water, screw the lids on, and put them in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanisms. Or, buy an inexpensive tank bank or float booster. This may save ten or more gallons of water per day. Be sure at least 3 gallons of water remain in the tank so it will flush properly.
For new installations, consider buying “low flush” toilets, which use 1 to 2 gallons per flush instead of the usual 3 to 5 gallons.

Replacing an 18 liter per flush toilet with an ultra-low volume (ULV) 6 liter flush model represents a 70% savings in water flushed and will cut indoor water use by about 30%.

7. Insulate your water pipes.
It’s easy and inexpensive to insulate your water pipes with pre-slit foam pipe insulation. You’ll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.

8. Take shorter showers.
One way to cut down on water use is to turn off the shower after soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse. A four-minute shower uses approximately 20 to 40 gallons of water.

9. Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush
There is no need to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Just wet your brush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.

10. Rinse your razor in the sink
Fill the sink with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water, with far less waste of water.

11. Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for only full loads
Automatic dishwashers and clothes washers should be fully loaded for optimum water conservation. Most makers of dishwashing soap recomend not pre-rinsing dishes which is a big water savings.
With clothes washers, avoid the permanent press cycle, which uses an added 20 liters (5 gallons) for the extra rinse. For partial loads, adjust water levels to match the size of the load. Replace old clothes washers. New Energy Star rated washers use 35 – 50% less water and 50% less energy per load. If you’re in the market for a new clothes washer, consider buying a water-saving frontload washer.

12. Minimize use of kitchen sink garbage disposal units
In-sink ‘garburators’ require lots of water to operate properly, and also add considerably to the volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to maintenance problems. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste.

There are a total of 25 tips you can read the full article on the Eartheasy website check them out HERE

Greenise Goes Head to Head With Inhabitat About LifeSaver

2009-08-09T00:54:03Z

Spending some time on the web and Stumbling we came across a great site Inhabitat and found a few articles one we couldn’t pass up this chance to blog about it. we have posted a small blurb from the site and also put in the award that was given to the creators LIFESAVER, Please take the time to read and also check out the Inhabitat site

This article was gathered from the Inhabitat blog.

Over the years, Milan has evolved from merely hosting a furniture fair every spring to having almost every street taken over by all types of innovative design every April. This year, sustainable design joined in the fray more than ever, with many exciting exhibits highlighting socially conscious design, including the Well-Tech Awards. At this inspirational show we discovered the Lifesaver bottle – a beautifully simple concept for portable water filtration, and one that could make a real difference to a world increasingly threatened by shortages of clean, drinkable water.

The Lifesaver was developed in response to natural disasters such as 2004’s tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. The concept is relatively simple, based upon the fact that the smallest virus is 25 nanometers across, so by using a filter with holes 15 nanometers across, all “nasties” can be trapped without the need for chemicals. The term ‘nasties’ is actually quite an understatement. Lifesaver can filter out bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi and all other microbiological waterborne pathogens. And in the real world, of course, the bottle was much harder to realize than we’ve described it. The bottle is the world’s first ultra filtration water bottle, and the inventor put all of his life savings into developing it.

Please read the full article

LIFESAVER: World’s First Ultra Filtration Water Bottle

by Cate Trotter

This also was gathered from the LIFESAVER site.

winner - best technological development for future soldier system enhancement

LIFESAVER bottle was recently voted ‘Best Technological Development for Future Soldier System Enhancement’ at Soldier Technology 2007, the world’s premier soldier modernisation forum (www.soldiertechnology.com). LIFESAVER bottle will revolutionise the battle space, reduce carried weight for the soldier, and lessen the traditional logistic demands of drinking water faced by militaries around the world.

“The Lifesaver bottle is an innovative water purification device that can remove debris, bacteria and viruses from water utilizing a unique membrane filtration system. With a 15 nanometre diameter filtration, it effectively creates fresh water instantly and safely for a soldier or marine. Water is weight! The LIFESAVER bottle provides water scavenging capability and fulfils a critical need of sustainability on the battlefield.”

Greenise Hacks Calfinder To See What They Are Hiding

2009-08-08T23:38:41Z

After the week I’ve had seeing a email from Taylen Peterson an employee with CalFinder was a great way to end the week off, I decided to dig deeper and see what they are all about.

CalFinder, is a free service connecting homeowners to prescreened home improvement professionals. They’re dedicated to making the process of finding a high-quality, reliable contractor as simple as possible.

Drawing on vast industry expertise and superb online capabilities, CalFinder adds the personal touch of skillfully matching homeowners with first-rate contractors. A CalFinder expert uses information gleaned from a personal interview with the homeowner to match the homeowner’s needs with top-notch contractors whose qualifications match the homeowner’s specific needs. CalFinder provides excellent design guidance throughout the process.

The company follows up with each project to ensure complete customer satisfaction and to assure its referrals go only to contractors who provide high-quality work.

CalFinder was developed by homeowners for homeowners.

For some you might not understand why we have posted on this company, some might ask “Is this site Green?” or “can they help the environment?” the answer is yes the blog shows great tips on Green Remodeling and to go further here is what we found…

Cheap Greens: 50 Quick-fixes to Your Home to Save Energy (and Money!)

OK, maybe some lights warrant mentioning. Replacing outdoor bulbs with motion sensor lights can help you make it to the door in the dark without wasting much energy at all. Mom and dad aren’t waiting up, why should your light fixtures?
Nearly every home has multiple computers. When it’s time to buy a new one, consider switching to a laptop – they use only one-sixth the amount of power.

Photo Credit: Arbron

Install low-flow showerheads – all it takes is a screwdriver.
Use power strips. Plug in multiple devices, and then turn off the entire strip when you’re done. This can save you energy by the boatload.
Install a programmable thermostat and let it do the thinking for you. It’ll automatically increase & decrease temperatures during peak and off-peak hours.
A/C is the single most expensive energy drain, even though you only use it for a few months. This summer, run the A/C as little as possible and turn on some ceiling and standalone fans. (Hint: even one fan in every room in the house won’t use as much power as the A/C).
Don’t pop when you read this, but using bubble wrap to cover the glass in your windows in the winter can reduce your heat loss by up to 50 percent.
Another source of heat loss is your attic. When the space is semi-empty because holiday decorations are out, install another layer of insulation in the attic (this can be done at any time of year, depending on how lazy you were about taking down the holiday lights last year).
After you’re done hugging your trees, plant some around the house – the shade they provide can help you cut your summer energy bills by up to 40 percent.

Photo Credit: alexindigo

Using space heaters in the winter is actually cheaper than using the HVAC (of course, if you‘re willing, cuddling is free!).

These are just a few things gathered from the post we found, to read the full article follow the link
CalFinder-Green-Remodeling

Greenise Starts Slaying Vampires

2009-08-06T02:58:01Z

Greenise Starts Slaying Vampires and here’s how to hunt down the watt-suckers in your home.

After spending time In Mobile AL over the weekend, I had the chance to do some research and reading and found a great article on “Slaying Energy Vampires”.

In most American households, 8% to 9% of energy dollars are spent powering devices that are turned off. Even after you shut down everything and leave the house, many appliances and gadgets continue to draw power.

These so-called energy vampires (aka phantom loads or wall warts) can be quite inconspicuous. But if a device can be switched on by remote control, features a continuous display (like the small red LED light on your TV or the clock on your DVD player), or has a transformer at the plug (the cumbersome box that makes it hard to use the other outlet), you can bet the appliance is drawing power even when you’re not using it.

Even though most electronics draw only a few watts, they add up fast. Conservative estimates show that American homes consume 440 kilowatt hours (kWh) of standby power every year. At an average of 10.4cents per kWh, that amounts to about $45 annually. Altogether, U.S. households spend about $3 billion a year buying unnecessary electricity.

Alan Meier at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory cites even higher numbers. “In California, the average home has greater than 40 devices drawing power even when they’re turned off,” say Meier, whose estimate amounts to just over 1000kwh per household, per year. at 10.4cents per kWh, that’s $104 a year.

To make matters worse, the number of appliances that consume standby power is increasing rapidly. By 2030 standby power is estimated to reach 30% of residential electrical consumption in the United States. The solutions to this problem are mostly in the hands of electronics manufacturers, but you can reduce your own standby power consumption with two simple steps: First, pinpoint unnecessary power consumption, and then find the best way to kill power to the offending appliances when they’re not being used.

STEP 1: FIND THE PHANTOM LOADS

There are a few ways to gauge how much standby power your home consumes. The simplest is to turn off everything in the house and observe the electric meter. If you use this approach, don’t forget to unplug the appliances like your refrigerator that draw constant power and to compensate for appliances that you might not be able to turn off completely, such as a hardwired dishwasher.

A more accurate approach is to use an energy monitor such as a Kill a Watt (www.p3international.com) or Watts Up? meter (www.wattsupmeters.com) to determine the energy use.

Just plug a household appliance into the meter and plug the meter into a wall socket. The meter tells you how much power is being consumed not only when the appliance is on, but also when it is switched off. Once you know which devices draw the most standby power, you can prioritize the list of equipment that you will tackle in Step 2.

Below is a table of common electronic equipment and the average energy used in each mode and per year (in order from most energy-intensive to least)

Product	Passive Standby or Off (watts)	Active Standby (watts)	Active (watts)	Average Annual Energy Use (kWh)
*Home Entertainment*
Plasma TV (<40″)	3	-	246	441
DVR/TiVo	37	37	37	363
Digital Cable	26	26	26	239
Satellite Cable	12	11	16	124
CRT TV (<40″)	1	-	73	123
LCD TV (<40″)	3	-	70	77
Video Game Console	1	-	24	16
DVD	1	5	11	13
*Home Office*
Desktop Computer	4	17	68	255
Laptop Computer	1	3	22	83
CRT Monitor	2	3	70	82
LCD Monitor	1	2	27	70
Computer Speakers	2	-	7	20
Modem	5	-	6	50
Wireless Router	2	-	6	48
USB Hub	1	-	3	18
Printer	2	3	9	15
Fax	4	4	4	26
Mutli-Function Printer/Scanner/Copier	6	9	15	55
*Rechargeable Devices*
Power Tool	4	-	34	37
Hand-Held Vacuum	3	-	3	29
Cordless Phone	2	3	5	26
Electric Toothbrush	2	-	4	14
Shaver	1	-	1	11
MP3 Player	1	-	1	6
Cell Phone	0	1	3	3
Digital Camera	0	-	2	3

Source: ECOS Consulting, 2006: Final Field Research Report for the California Energy Commission

STEP 2: CURE THE WALL WARTS

The most obvious way to reduce unnecessary electrical consumption is to unplug appliances that draw standby power. This solution is fine for devices that are seldom used—the television in a guest room, for example—but unplugging electronics day in and day out is neither convenient nor particularly good for the plug, instead, consider using a switched power strips that allow you to plug various electronics into one strip and easily cut power to an entire cluster of equipment.

This approach is an especially idea for home-office equipment, some of the worst offenders of standby-power use. Keep in mind that you’ll be more likely to switch of the strip if you locate it in a convenient spot. So-called “smart” power strips from Watt Stopper (wattstopper.com) and Bits Limited (www.bitsltd.net) offer features that detect and cut power to unused electronics as well as surge protection to keep them safe.

You could also install switched outlets that let you turn off power to specific outlets. If you use your computer throughout the day, make sure that both the computer and the monitor have their energy-saving settings turned on. You can also adjust the length of inactivity time before the computer converts to “hibernate” or “sleep” mode; the shorter the time, the less power you’ll use. Keep in mind, screen savers do not reduce the energy load on your computer, and a hibernating computer still uses considerably more power than one in standby mode or one whose power has been killed altogether.

It’s worth noting that unplugging most household appliances causes no trouble at all, but some devices, such as digital-cable boxes, have to reboot or be reprogrammed after power is cut. You probably don’t want to shut off their power strip or unplug them every day, but it’s a good idea to do so if you’ll be away from home for a while.

Article from: Fine Home Building’s – Green@Home, By Matthew Teague.

Greenise Exposes The Truth About KozyToez

2009-08-02T17:40:14Z

Greenise exposes the truth about KozyToez, Giving you the pros and cons and everything Eco related on this product.

To start off here is a video provided by: KozyToez

A Kozytoez blanket, measures 40″x70″, and is made from 100% anti-pill polar fleece. The edges are blanket stitched and the foot pocket is reinforced. You can Machine wash and tumble dry using your favorite “Green Eco-Friendly All Natural” laundry detergent for long lasting koziness!!

We found KozyToez to be a Semi-Eco friendly product, using Polar fleece, which can be made from recycled plastic PET(Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottles.

Now the reason we say Semi-Eco is because its made from a non-renewable natural resource: petroleum.

Here is a break down on our thoughts

PROS

Folds up nicely into a pillow for storage
Great colors to choose from

Allows customization of any sort
Semi-Eco friendly
Great size for anyone
Long lasting and machine washable

CONS

Made with petroleum
when folded in the pillow it is very flat
Not everyone has one yet

On a personal note, we have never used a product like this before. KozyToez is amazing and not bulky like other products we have seen (IE The Snuggie.) Now please understand, we are not saying anything negative about the Snuggie, since we have not used it nor do we own one. However, in reading some reviews and watching some of the YouTube videos it just seems bulky. But it does look great for just relaxing on the couch.

But for a Blogging community that requires constant arm movement and typing the sleeves seem like they would get in the way that’s our opinion!

So with that said, we say overall KozyToez is a Greenise Must buy!

Get your KozyToez through Greenise and save, use coupon code: GREEN
BUY NOW!

Breaking Greenise News Green Lies Exposed About Disposable Diapers

2009-07-26T00:49:00Z

Breaking Greenise News: Green lies exposed about Disposable Diapers. Do I have your attention?

Seventh Generation’s Big Green Lies TV Show may be one of the best shows in history for those of us who are striving to live a Green Life.

In the above episode Big green Lies exposed the real story behind the raging debate… Cloth Diapers .vs Disposable and which is Greener.

In the detailed report Big Green Lies investigative reports uncovered the following facts:

Sometimes Cloth Beats Disposables…

* Cloth diapers are made from cotton, a renewable resource.

* Manufacturing disposable diapers in the U.S. uses 250,000 trees and 1.3 million tons of wood pulp.

* According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, some 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown away each year. They’re the third most common item in the average landfill behind newspapers and food and beverage containers.

* The EPA says disposables account for about 3.4 million tons of annual waste.

And Sometimes Disposables Beat Cloth

* That 3.4 million tons, however, represents only about 2% of all the trash sent to landfills each year. Why? Because disposables are less bulky than they used to be and weigh about 1/3 less than they did 20 years ago thanks to new, more efficient absorption technologies.

* Water usage was at least two times greater for cloth diapers depending on whether they were washed at home or by a service.

* Washing cloth diapers at home uses anywhere from 50 to 70 gallons of water every three days.

* Cloth diapers generally require the use of chlorine bleach for sanitizing purposes. Once rinsed down a drain, chlorine can combine with organic material naturally present in ground and surface waters to create toxins like chloroform. Read the full Report Here…

Never Give Up,

Troy Dooly