You Can Go Green

Is Your House Right for Solar Energy?

2012-01-28T19:05:00.000-08:00

There are a few questions that must be answered if you decide to put solar on your house. The main question you might have is this, "Is my house right for solar?" Let's take a look at some of the answers.

1. Your house should have a south facing roof and be free of shade for the solar panels. The structural integrity of the roof needs to be checked too.

2. The amount of roof space you need for the solar panels is important. For every kilowatt(KW) installed on a residential home, you need about 100 square feet of roof space. The average residential KW need is 3 to 6 so you need around 300 to 600 square feet of roof space.

3. The solar panels can be installed on most types of roof types but slate and clay tile roofs do not work. Wood shake roofs, flat roofs, and concrete tiles are a bit more difficult to install and could drive the expense up a little.

4. If your roof is not optimal for installation of solar panels, you might want to consider ground mount panels.

5. You really need to make sure your roof is new or that it has many years of life left in it before installing solar panels. Panels will last about 25 to 35 years so it is nice to have a roof that will last accordingly because of the difficulty of replacing a roof after the panels are up.

6. Solar panels are pretty much maintenance free since there are no moving parts. Dust and debris can drop solar production from 5% to 15% so it is important to keep the panels clean. Of course, typical wind and rain will take care of that for you.

Solar energy on your home can help you cut your electric costs and can pay for the unit in a few years. Since most solar panels will last anywhere from 25 to 35 years, so you should see significant savings over the life of your system.

The Bottled Water Controversy

2012-01-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

Bottled water has long been accepted as a healthy thing to consume. The bottled water industry would like for us to believe that our tap water is close to the most dangerous thing you can ingest while forgetting to mention that millions of barrels of oil is used to produce the huge number of bottles that are seldom recycled. It has been estimated by green proponents that 90% of all bottled waters actually end up in landfills. The bottled water industry says that the number should be more like 30% that are recycled, leaving 70% of them destined for the landfill, which is still a large number.

According to CBS News in 2009, they claim that 40% of all bottled water comes from a tap just like the one in your home. Bottlers do not like to disclose where their water comes from and some tests on bottled water and tap water seems to suggest that there really is no difference. If this is the case there are two issues that need to be looked at.

First, if tap water and bottled water are the same why would you want to pay up to $2 for a bottle of water that you can get for free from your tap. Second, just buy one of the really cool aluminum refillable water bottles and fill it with tap water to help save our landfills from the millions of empty water bottles placed there every year.

What do you say? Do you agree or disagree. Please let me know.

Top Environmentally Friendly Companies

2012-01-14T18:50:00.000-08:00

It seems like companies across the world do not care about the environment because they are too focused on profits, but there are some companies who really do care. Here is an article that describes what some of those companies are doing to help our environment. The link is just below.

Top Environmentally Friendly Companies

Saving Our Water Supply One Person At a Time

2012-01-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

This is a good article about how one person can save a lot of water that would otherwise be wasted by draining down the sewer. If only 1 out of every 100 people did what the article suggests, then we could save 100 billion gallons of water a year. This is one article you need to see.

Saving Our Water Supply One Person At a Time

Going Green - The Sequel

2012-01-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

We are all implored to do the simple things to go green. The media and blogs, like this one, tell us it is quite simple to go green. Just put in new CFL bulbs, don't run the water when you brush your teeth, take shorter showers, do not water your yard when the sun is up, and on and on and one.

What can we do to go to the next level? Are there things we can do that take a little more effort? Let's take a look at some of these things.

1. Paint with low or no VOC paints which will put less harmful irritants into the environment.

2. Buy a push mower or an electric mower. Of course, this is probably a better option for people who have smaller yards. Even better, go to a xeriscape yard and cut out the need to mow or water.

3. Buy energy star rated appliances. Did you know that purchasing an energy star rated washer will pay for the accompanying dryer in short time?

4. Buy produce from a farmer's market to help cut down on transportation costs in delivering produce from far away markets.

5. Build a rain catchment system so that you can recycle all that free rain water that would otherwise drain away. This is a great way to provide needed water for your yard, flowers, or gardens.

6. Replace your energy hogging windows with energy saving ones.

7. Only use non-toxic pest control.

8. Finally, take a shower with someone else. This one is fun and saves a lot of money so you can't get better than this one.

Tell me some of your green efforts.

Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, Third Edition

2011-12-05T16:19:00.001-08:00

I found a really cool book that many people rave about and I checked it out. The book is called

Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills, Third Edition And It Is In Hardcover Format. If You Are Into This Kind Of Thing, And You Probably Are If You Are Reading This, Then You Might Want To Get A Copy Of This Book.

Here is the description that Amazon gives about the book: Anyone who wants to learn basic living skills—the kind employed by our forefathers—and adapt them for a better life in the twenty-first century need look no further than this eminently useful, full-color guide. Countless readers have turned to Back to Basics for inspiration and instruction, escaping to an era before power saws and fast food restaurants and rediscovering the pleasures and challenges of a healthier, greener, and more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Now newly updated, the hundreds of projects, step-by-step sequences, photographs, charts, and illustrations in Back to Basics will help you dye your own wool with plant pigments, graft trees, raise chickens, craft a hutch table with hand tools, and make treats such as blueberry peach jam and cheddar cheese. The truly ambitious will find instructions on how to build a log cabin or an adobe brick homestead.

More than just practical advice, this is also a book for dreamers—even if you live in a city apartment you will find your imagination sparked, and there's no reason why you can't, for example, make a loom and weave a rag rug. Complete with tips for old-fashioned fun (square dancing calls, homemade toys, and kayaking tips), this may be the most thorough book on voluntary simplicity available. 2,000 color photos and 200 black-and-white illustrations.

Of the 95 reviews that the book has received on Amazon, 92 of them are 4 or 5 stars. That is an amazing review record so you know it is a good book.

If you want to read more or find out more information about this really cool book, then click the link below. You will really find out what the book can do for you by reading all of the reviews.

What Are The Top Green Cars in America?

2011-11-04T17:15:00.000-07:00

2012 Ford Focus Electric

Going green is big in America right now. One of the most visible ways of demonstrating that you are green is your car. Manufacturers are pushing the greenness of their cars more than ever before. We did a little look into the cars that are considered the greenest in America. There are a number of different sites claiming to know which cars are the greenest. They almost all come up with the following list of 5 cars:

Toyota Prius - This car has been chosen the greenest car in America 7 years in a row by Consumer Reports. It gets over 50 mph.

Ford Fusion Hybrid - This is the most expensive Fusion of all and USA Today says it is the best hybrid built in America.

Honda Insight - The Honda Insight is not as fuel efficient as the Prius but is less expensive.

Honda Civic Hybrid - This car looks like the regular Civic and gets about 42 mph. It is routinely rated as the safest car on the road.

Ford Focus Electric - The Ford focus Electric is a 2012 car and it is in limited production but it takes no gas and that is pretty green.

Green Electricity Guide for Beginners

2011-10-24T20:28:00.000-07:00

Green Living Article Directory | Green Electricity – A Guide For Beginners

Thanks to our friend Big Green Web for this wonderful explanation of green electricity and the way it can be delivered through hydroelectricity, geothermal, solar, and wind power. This will give you a nice brief explanation of these green ways to deliver electricity to the masses.

Green Electricity – A Guide For Beginners

By: BigGreenWeb

Green electricity can be delivered in a number of ways. First, let’s take a look at one of the most widely used sources of green electricity in the world.

Hydroelectricity has an advantage over many kinds of green electricity for being the longest-running source of green electricity. There are hydroelectric plants around the world that have been operating for more than 100 years. Hydroelectric power is currently experiencing a resurgence of growth in areas of the world like Asia, with China currently taking the lead in development.

Hydroelectricity is the conversion of water energy into electricity. In the simplest of terms, hydroelectricity works by utilizing the gravitational flow of water to meet and turn turbine blades. The turbine drives a rotor in a generator that produces electricity. Many hydroelectric plants are associated in the public mind with huge hydroelectric dams, although plants using straight river flow also generate hydroelectricity. Hydroelectric power is commonly believed to be one of the cleanest methods of producing green electricity.

Geothermal power is another source used to generate green electricity. Geothermal power uses the natural heat from below the planet’s surface to create and capture steam. There are several ways of achieving this. One is to simply pipe out the natural steam from under the earth’s surface and use it to run steam generators that generate electrical power in much the same way as hydroelectric generators. Another process is to run water through pipes under hot magma rock. The magma super heats the water in the pipes into steam and the steam is used to drive electric generators.

The most widely subscribed source of green electricity is solar power. In using solar power, photons are collected by the sun. The photons generate DC electricity. In most solar energy systems, the DC electricity is converted into AC electricity through the use of a device called an inverter. The electricity generated through solar energy can be stored in batteries. In residential applications there are usually two kinds of solar power options available. One is called bill reduction, and is used to supply electricity back to your grid. Your electric company then discounts your bill according to how much electricity you generate with your solar panels. The other residential option is blackout protection, wherein your green electricity is stored in batteries and used in case of a power failure.

Another kind of green electricity is produced by wind power. Wind is air in motion created by the sun’s uneven heating of the earth. Wind turbines use blades to collect the energy of the wind. Similar to hydroelectric power and geothermal energy, the wind is used to turn a rotor that drives an electric generator.

Green electricity is constantly evolving and there are other ways of generating electrical power from green sources. One of these is wave technology, in which the ocean is used as a source of electrical power generation.

Certainly, green electricity is the trend of the future, as more and more consumers are turning away from the environmentally degrading use of fossil fuels to clean energy driven electricity.

To learn more about ways to go green, save money and help the planet, go here to receive a FREE green living tip delivered to your email inbox daily: Green Living Tips
Article Courtesy of Green Living Article Directory

A Checklist for Buying or Renting a Green Home

2011-10-23T13:20:00.000-07:00

This is a great article by our friend Paige Green that details a little bit of information on buying or renting a green home. It is a great start if you are interested in making your home make a difference.

A Checklist for Buying or Renting a Green Home

Author: Paige Green

Looking to buy or rent a green home? These days, lots of green homes are going on the market as sellers and landlords recognise they're in demand. But how is one to know which homes are truly green?

Here's a checklist of features to look out for and questions to ask to determine the green quality of your next home:

Eco Home Tip #1- Location Location Location - pick a location that's convenient and easy to get to. Close to shops, amenities and public transport will reduce the amount of emissions that come from getting around. Inquire about the council's recycling program.

Eco Home Tip #2 - Orient yourself with the right orientation - If a house is to have good eco principles, it will designed with the right orientation. This means that the living areas will face due north, to make the most of the winter sun while allowing the hotter summer sun to pass overhead. Sleeping rooms, meanwhile, will be oriented towards to the South to capture cool summer breezes.

Eco Home tip #3- Cosy is not a four letter word - Consider how the space is used as much as the size of it. Oversized houses utilises more resources in both construction and maintenance, while smaller dwellings are cleverly conceived can feel quite spacious.

Eco Home Tip #4 - Inquire about insulation - Ask about the insulation. Higher R values means the house will better protected against extreme weather elements. See if the windows are double glazed. While you're at it, ask about other green home features such as solar panels and solar hot water. Make your message loud and clear!

Eco Home Tip #5 - Good green help - There are a few green realtors who specialise in green listings. Check the Green Pages green directory for real estate agents who will help you find the perfect green home.
The important thing is to ask before you buy. Even if the real estate agent can't tell you upfront, it's important to let the market know that buyers and renters are looking for this bit of information. While no single home will have all of the sustainable features listed, at least you can get a clear picture of what the potential home has to offer.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/checklist-for-your-next-green-home-855569.html
About the Author
Visit your leading sustainability directory and news source at www.thegreenpages.com.au

Green Bible Controversy - Will It Just Confuse?

2011-09-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

There is a new Bible out and it is a Green Bible. The passages of the Bible that deal with God's instructions on treating the world with respect are highlighted. On the surface, that does not really sound all that bad, but when you really think about it, isn't that just going to confuse many people?

What I worry about is those people who do not really want to read or use the Bible in a religious manner, but who use it, or hide behind it, as a tool to force their beliefs on others in the name of religion. I do worry that the extreme faction of green people who are not afraid to use force or violence to further their green beliefs will use this Bible and that will bring more bad press to organized religion.

What do you think? I would really like to hear what you think. Please leave comments below or email me at bruce@bruzzbuzz.com.

If you want to buy a Green Bible, visit the link below:

Green Man? I Don't Think So!

2011-09-06T22:20:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who decided to train and go to work as a technician for a windmill company. He says he wants to make a difference in the world and working in a green field is making his dream comes true. He even has a t-shirt that proclaims that he is "Green Man."

He drives a huge gas guzzling heavy duty pick up truck to work each day. He has modified the truck to burn even more gas. One day, he told me he would give me a tour if I would drop by. I called him and told him I would be over in a few minutes. He said he would wait for me outside the first big windmill closest to the street.

When I drove up to the windmill, he was sitting on the steps smoking a cigarette. Now, I don't know about you but driving a gas guzzler and smoking do into seem like making a difference in the world. Maybe I am making too much of it all. I figure he looks on it like the huge corporations who rape the environment but feel good about the environment by buying carbon credits.

What do you say? I would like to know.

Tea Party Goes After the EPA

2011-08-02T09:37:00.001-07:00

Here is a good article describing how the Tea Party is going after the EPA as well as other environmentally friendly measures. Now that the Tea Party has had a major hand in shaping a debt ceiling bill that will surely hurt the economy, they now will attempt to go after our environment.

The GOP's Hidden Debt-Deal Agenda: Gut the EPA - TIME

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How to Go Back to School In a Green Way

2011-07-18T15:46:00.001-07:00

This is an excellent article on how to go green while buying back to school items. Did you know people spend about $600 per year on back to school supplies and much of it ends up as unneeded landfill refuse. Read how to be more environmentally responsible during back to school time.

How to Go Green: Back to School : TreeHugger

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Giving to Charity is a Good Way to Go Green

2011-06-28T10:46:00.000-07:00

One of the very best ways to go green without a great deal of effort is to give away your old clothes, furniture, books, etc to charity. Anything you give away will likely stay out of landfills, therefore putting less of a strain on the environment.

Giving away clothing that you no longer wear can help others who may not be able to purchase clothing new and it keeps a large bulky item out of the landfills. There is the added benefit of feeling good about your green action, plus you also can get a tax break from giving away these items.

Books often take up a great deal of space on the book shelves, but they are often found in boxes out in the storehouse or garage. Give your books away to Goodwill, get a tax break, and put those books back into the readership instead of in a box.

Give away bigger items too. This is the best way to keep items out of the landfill. There are people who make a living by refurbishing old computers or reupholstering furniture. You can also give away old eye glasses, cellphones, cars, etc.

Giving to charity is such a great way to go green and to feel good doing it too. The added benefit of having my room in your house or storage area just makes it that much better.

Renewable Energy - What Can be Done to Create More of It?

2011-06-22T07:40:00.000-07:00

Photo is from consumerenergyreport.com

Renewable energy is energy that comes from natural resources that can replenish themselves, such as wind, sunlight, rain, tides, and geothermal. Just around 20% of all energy usage worldwide comes from renewable resources. It is no surprise that wind energy is at the top of the renewable energy list.

What can be done to improve that percentage from 20% to a higher number? Wind energy is growing rapidly. In fact, it is growing at a rate of about 30% yearly. Sadly, the only impetus for change so far has been the steady increase in the price of oil. It seems that when energy hits consumers in the pocketbook, that is when they decide that something must be done. It would be more helpful if that action came before the increase in prices, but that is a human reaction that will probably never change.

The number one impetus for change to more renewable resources must come from one place mainly. That is government. It is seen in places like China that when the government becomes interested in renewable energy, that companies jump on the bandwagon (in other words, grab a share of that government money handout). What will it take for the United States government to really enact change toward a more diverse and plentiful use of renewable energy? Let's face it. Until our leaders get out of bed with all of the special interest groups, such as big oil, we will never see real growth toward renewable energy. I suppose it will only happen when big oil runs out of oil and has to turn to renewable energy. Sad but true.

In the meantime, individuals can make lasting and important change. The green efforts of individuals across the world is making a difference. We must continue to display that we care and that we will vote for leaders who care too. Along the way, the world will be a better and a cleaner place. Let's hope we are not too late.

Wasted Water! Are You Tired of it?

2011-06-16T13:55:00.000-07:00

Every day, I ride my bicycle quite a few miles. Along the way, I will see people watering their yards and a great many of them are watering so much that the water runs off the grass and into the gutter and washes along down the street until it reaches the sewer. That water is completely wasted. Is there any reason to water your yard so much that the water runs off down the street? No! I wish more people would wake up to the fact that water is a precious resource that needs to be conserved as much as possible.

I know people who claim that they will turn off the water when they brush their teeth so that water can be conserved, but if those same people allow water to run down the street, what good are they really doing?

I know this is just a rant, but it one I wish others would rant about too until this practice of wasting water gets the attention it needs to get so that people will stop doing it. What do you think? Let me know.

West Texas Farmers Wasting Water?

2011-06-02T13:21:00.001-07:00

I live in Lubbock, Texas. I had to drive to Carlsbad, New Mexico, which is 180 miles southwest of Lubbock. The landscape between the two cities is littered with farms the whole way. I drove the trip in the heat of the afternoon. It was in the mid nineties and the wind was pretty stiff. I was shocked to see the huge number of farmers who were watering their crops in this heat.

In fact, I am hoping someone who is reading this can explain to me why farmers would be watering their crops when a great deal of the water would be wasted because of the heat and high winds. It just appears to me that these farmers do not have much thought about water conservation. There is no telling how much water was wasted due to this practice.

If you know of a reason that farmers water at the worst time of the year, please email me at bruce@bruzzbuzz.com and I will let others know.

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Using Grey Water in Your Garden - Is It Safe?

2011-05-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

Grey water is water that is from your house, such as water from the washing machine, bath, or shower. It does not include water from a toilet. Many people have hooked up systems that divert grey water away from the sewer and out into the yard or garden. This is an outstanding way to save resources since the water is used twice instead of just once, but is it safe? Exactly, is it safe for a garden?

Not all grey water is safe to use on a garden. For instance, grey water containing any kind of bleach or baron compounds should never be used on a garden. Baron compounds are found in most dishwasher waste water. In fact, it is best to avoid using grey water for edible crops in a garden but if you do, it would be best to use it on the soil of crops which have only the edible part above ground.

You should never use grey water with a sprinkler or in drip sprinkler systems. The reason for this is because impurities could clog the sprinklers and it is best to not get grey water on edible plants above ground. Furthermore, it is best to rotate the use of fresh water and grey water to avoid building up a high sodium soil content.

If you have the desire to really become green, using grey water is a real "green" thing to do. Give it a try.

Is Oakland, California Really Greener Than Eugene, Oregon?

2011-04-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

The popular website, Popsci.com, has created a list of the 50 greenest cities using a complicated formula that I will not go into here. You can see the formula here. One of the surprises for me is that Oakland, California is in the #4 spot and Eugene, Oregon is #5. I would have never thought that Oakland, California would beat out Eugene, Oregon on any green list, would you? Let's take a look at how Oakland actually got so high on the list.

The centerpiece of Oakland's move into becoming a green community is their Zero Emission Bus System. The bus line has a few completely hydrogen powered buses. The buses may be large, but they drive down the street silently. If you have your back turned to the street, you may miss the bus as it passes. The buses are more expensive than diesel powered buses, but as the country continues to move toward a greener consciousness, it is hoped that the cost will drop as more cities jump on the green bandwagon, thus making it possible to build the buses on a larger scale.

Corvallis, Oregon is Truly an Eco-Friendly Town

2011-04-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

The Corvallis Farmers Market

There are a few eco-friendly, or green, town in the United States. One of them almost always comes out around the top of any list. It is Corvallis, Oregon. Corvallis is home to Oregon State University. That is the Beavers, not the Ducks. Corvallis is about 80 miles south of Portland and has a population of around 51,000. What makes Corvallis such a green place to live? Let me explain.

Oregon State University already has three LEED certified buildings on campus and six more meet LEED criteria. All new construction must be built to at least LEED Silver standards and major renovations must be built to LEED Certified standards. There are 20 sustainability and environment oreiented student groups on campus that all collaborate through the Sustainability Coalition. The campus runs a bicycle repair service available to all students at no cost. The campus is restricted to service and transit vehicles and students, faculty, and staff are provided passes for all four transit systems on campus.

According to OregonLive.com, Corvallis won a $492,000 grant to educate residents and businesses on the finer points of reducing energy use and carbon emissions. Corvallis has been known as a great place to grow grass but now there is a trend to go toward growing organic red wheat, oats, legumes, and flax. There is a large Framers Market that opened on April 16th and is open every Saturday through November 19th from 9 AM to 1 PM where you can buy the local produce. There is a Wednesday market too. By the way, OSU purchases 35% of the food they use from local sources too.

In 2008, residents of Corvallis participated in the Corvallis Energy Challenge where they learned to boost energy efficiency and control energy costs. The US Environmental Protection Agency awarded Corvallis the 2010 Green Power Leadership Award in recognition of its efforts to helping advance the development of the nation's voluntary green power market. Green power is electricity that is generated from renewable resources. Those resources are wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and hydro. It is important to know that these resources generate electricity with a net zero increase in carbon dioxide emissions while being better than traditional power generation sources.

If you want to see a truly green town, Corvallis is the place to visit.

Cool Green Gadgets

2011-04-23T08:11:00.000-07:00

As the green living movement grows there will be some really cool green gadgets. Here are just a few of some of the coolest ones:

1. The Bedol Eco-Friendly Clock - This clock only requires water and lemon juice to run. There are no need for batteries or any kind of electricity.

2. Mud Bricks - These bricks make it possible to build houses even in disaster struck areas. The Hydraulic Compressor by MecoConcept creates a solid compact brick from mud in about 30 seconds and looks a bit like a Lego brick. That makes them easy to build quickly.

3. Solar Camcorder - This solar camcorder has rechargeable batteries and has a solar back up. The batteries give up to 5 hours of recording and the solar back up provides an additional 12 minutes per hour of sunlight. That should save the day if your batteries run out.

4. Solar/Wind Power Supply for Cell Phones, iPods, PDAs, etc. - This cool gadget from HYmini contains a small lithium-ion rechargeable battery that will store power after you charged it to use later. It works sort of like a hybrid car in that it uses several sources, two of which are electricity free. Those are wind power and solar. It can also be plugged in to the wall. If you are somewhere that does not have electricity, use the solar or wind power to charge you up.

5. Water Powered Calculator - This calculator uses water or any other fluid to power up. It can run for about a month on less than a cup of water. No batteries mean no waste and that is cool.

How Did Chicago Get on the 50 Greenest Cities in the US List?

2011-04-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have been to Chicago a couple of times. It is a big city and I enjoyed my visits, but I never would have figured it for being one of the 50 greenest cities in the United States. More surprising to me is the fact that it was chosen as the 9th greenest city. How did it get that high on the list?

Read what Popsci.com says about how Chicago made it to number 9: "In addition to the 12,000 acres Chicago has devoted to public parks and waterfront space, the U.S. Green Building Council has awarded four city projects with a “Platinum” rating, its highest award. Also, Chicago's power plants produce twice the power with only a third of the carbon."

I think that if Chicago can get that high on the list that any other city can get there too. Now I am going to see why my city is nowhere to be found on the list and then I am going to City Hall to raise hell about it.

How to Green Your Kid's Toys

2011-04-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

Maybe you have decided to go green. You turn off the water when you brush your teeth, you recycle, and you might even have a hybrid car but have you given thought to your kids toys? You might want to go green with the toys too. Here is a short primer on how to green your kids' toys.

1. Only buy toys that are polyvinyl chloride free(PVC -Free). So many toys today are made of PVC materials that are cheap but highly toxic to the environment. Many of these toys contain phthalates too. These are chemical compounds that make the PVC plastic more flexible. Surely you don't want your child putting these in their mouth. Many phthalates have been linked to cancer and hormonal disruption.

2. Buy wood toys when possible because FSC-certified wood will last generations without harming the environment, a life, or a landfill. These are the types of toys that can be passed down to younger children or even to future generations. If you do not want to do that, you might want to sell them on Ebay and recoup some of your initial investment.

3. Get toys that do not contain batteries. Batteries are never good for the environment, but if your child absolutely has to have a toy that runs on battery power, get the rechargeable ones. Did you know Americans buy 5 billion batteries each year and that 146,000 tons of those batteries go to landfills.

4. There are many toys out there that have had a kid play with them, but are in great shape. Buying a second hand toy is one of the finest things you can do to help the environment. You can find great toys that are like new on Ebay, Craigslist, thrift stores, garage sales, just about anywhere.

5. Here is one you might not have been aware of. Many of the fibers in toys such as stuffed animals are full of pesticides and fertilizers. When looking for toys that contain material, look for organic and naturally dyed cotton. There are also bamboo and wool choices too.

6. Watch out for the paint on your child's toys. That toy might have VOCs which are volatile organic compounds and they are bad. New toys will be labeled if they use water based or low-VOC or no-VOC paints.

Here are some good reasons for going green. I hope this is helpful. If you have some other tips, please leave me comments so others can see them. Remember to subscribe so that you can get updates whenever I post a new article.

The Green Schools Program

2011-04-17T20:46:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Green Building Council(USGBC) developed a LEED rating system for schools in 2007. A young lady by the name of Rachel Gutter joined the USGBC at that time. Since then, she has expanded on the original intent of the USGBC and created a green schools program. Let's take a look at what this important woman's vision is for the green schools program.

Gutter says that the green schools program does a lot of work on policy the local, state, and federal levels. She talks a lot about identifying people and empowering people to go out and educate other people about how schools can actually save money for a district. The the program works with a group of legislatures in about 35 states and out of those 35 states 12 of them plus the District of Columbia have stated that they will never build another school that is not green.

A great many schools are having budget problems. Gutter says that schools can still be built green and end up saving over $100,000. She claims that liberals and conservatives both have proposed legislative bills and the Green initiative is slowly growing.

Gutter is an enthusiastic leader and seems to be the type of leader who allows the changes that our schools need to grow at their own rate instead of trying to force it on everyone. She claims that a school can start out by empowering the students to remember to close the outside doors, or to make sure that the water in the restroom is shut off. That might grow to an eventual curriculum built around sustainability and then maybe it will grow from there.

Let's hope that Rachel Gutter can continue to take the green schools program to higher heights and continue to make a difference in the lives of our children.

Earth Day Events in Los Angeles

2011-04-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

There are a number of Earth Day celebrations and events in Los Angeles. I am posting these because of the increased traffic I have noticed on the blog asking for this information.

1. Earth Day on the Promenade - April 17th - The City of Santa Monica and Earth Day LA are putting on a day long festival that fills three blocks of the Third Street Promenade. Highlights will include Earth friendly exhibitors featuring energy efficient and all natural products, delicious organic treats, music from a solar powered stage and more.

2. Earth Day Celebration at Descano Gardens during the month of April 2011 - Descano Gardens will have Green displays all month that feature compost tea making, seed preservation, a variety of entertainment and fresh local organic foods.

3. Aquarium of the Pacific's 10th Annual Earth Day Celebration will be on April 9th and 10th. This is a weekend of fun celebrating Earth Day while learning simple tips on how to protect our environment. Booths from various earth friendly companies and organizations will be there plus you can participate in hands on learning demonstrations for people of all ages.

4. Earth Day Expo at the L.A. Zoo on April 9th and 10th - The LA Zoo and K-EARTH are celebrating California Wildlife with education, conservation and recycling information in interactive and fun Earth friendly environment. There will be information booths, fun crafts and the chance to meet K-EARTH DJs.

5. Children's Earth Day will be April 17th. This is billed as the biggest and best Earth Day for families at STAR Ecostation. Live performances, celebrity guests, crafts, food, games, and much more.

If you are in the Los Angeles area, check out one or more of these great celebrations.