Archive for the ‘Go Green’ Category

Green Shopping can be fun and  eBay is a great source of Eco-Friendly products. Whether you are looking for a gift for your environmentally conscious friend or just something for around the house.

By using Vintage or Used products you are giving those products a new lease on life and at the same time reducing the use of new raw materials and the energy needed to produce them.

Look for items made from recycled, organic or sustainable materials like hemp, soy or bamboo. If you are feeling adventurous look for items that artists have given a second life to, like bags made from candy wrappers or soda can pop tops.

Don’t forget to look for items that can help us reduce our use of resources like solar powered phone chargers, or hybrid energy efficient computers.

Don’t overlook refurbished electronics, if you are not a slave to the “latest” fashion in electronics, you can often find great deals in refurbished electronic and at the same time keeping those materials out of the landfill.

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Raising Cattle is becoming a Green Business. Ranchers are adapting greener measures to leave less of a footprint while conserving water, protecting endangered species of animals, plants and the land from overgrazing. Check it out…

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Here are some great tips to greening your home and saving money at the same time… Green a home, by using drinking water filters instead of bottled water, shower filters and bath balls to reduce water consumption and chlorine intake, furnace filters, green cleaning products, organic sheets to reduce allergens. All for under $250 dollars.

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If you happen to be in Atlanta the next week, The American Craft Council  will be holding it’s annual American Craft Council Show for the second year in a row. It will feature artists who use the concept of “Going Green” as a method of artistic expression.

The show will be held in Atlanta March 13-15th at the Cobb Galeria Center. (directions here) Friday and Saturday, March 13-14: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday, March 15: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Regular admission is $12 for one day, $18 for a two-day pass and all three days’ admission for $20. Children 12 and under are admitted free. American Craft Council members and those who join the non-profit organization at the show ($25 annual membership fee) are admitted free all weekend.

A preview Party on Thursday, March 12 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Tickets for the Preview Party are $75 each and can be purchased at www.craftcouncil.org/atlanta. Proceeds from the Preview Party jointly benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta/Youth Art Connection and the American Craft Council.

The craft show will include over 200 artists, one quarter of which meet the Green Craft Standard by creating collectible treasures from cast-offs and reducing pollution and landfill use. The collection will include fine art pottery to metal works to distinctive wearable items to mixed media pieces. Some of the recycled materials used include exotic hardwoods and metals, stained glass, metal, fabric, buttons, stainless steel and granite.

The artist list includes the likes of Jewelry Artists Mayra Orama Muñiz and Erica Millner from MIO Studios, Paul Pearman, with his mosaic belt buckles, Clay Artist Kirsten Stingle, and Sculptor Dave Caudill.

To preview the show and to purchase tickets online, please visit: www.craftcouncil.org/atlanta.

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If your in Atlanta the weekend of November 14/15 go check out the Broadcast Atlanta ENVIRO EXPO USA. It will be held at AmericasMart Convention Center. This environmental event is free.
Enjoy…

BroadcastAtlanta ENVIRO EXPO USA
Nov. 14-15, 2008
AmericasMart
240 Peachtree Street N.W. Building 3
Atlanta, GA 30303

Attend the region’s most diverse display of eco-friendly products and services, and hear experts share how to live a green lifestyle. Experience eco-friendly food, apparel, cosmetics, household, furniture and lawn and garden products. Indulge in organic food and home products, including olive oil, baby food, chocolate, honey, fresh herbs, seasonal vegetables, granola, and organic soap at the region’s most diverse display ofeco-friendly food, apparel, cosmetics, furniture, and lawn and garden products. Learn about green businesses in the water, energy, transportation, remodeling, recreation, and green-financing industries.

Attend University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service gardening demonstrations.

The Broadcast Atlanta ENVIRO EXPO USA will also feature:

• Green Hall Meeting- Learn how to Green It Up with community sustainability leaders, a town hall-style discussion with sustainability experts from the Environmental Protection Agency, local government agencies and area environmental organizations on Saturday, November 15^th from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
• More than 20 expert speakers discussing topics ranging from eco-conscious landscaping to everyday water conservation.
• Activities for kids including, an appearance by the Radio Disney Street Team from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Also, children can participate in a bicycle-recycle relay, a Nike shoe throw and learn how Nike turns recycled shoes into basketball and tennis courts.

The Green Hall Meeting- Learn how to Green It Up with community sustainability leaders, is being held in conjunction with the Broadcast Atlanta ENVIRO EXPO USA on Saturday, November 15, from 1:30-3:00 p.m. in the atrium of the AmericasMart facility. This town hall-style discussion gives attendees an opportunity to ask questions of and learn from sustainability experts from the Environmental Protection Agency, local government agencies and area environmental organizations. The Green Hall Meeting will focus on identifying the issues that Atlantans face on local, state, and national levels in terms of creating a more sustainable environment and identifying the key resources that can solve those issues. Lynette Young of Sustainable Atlanta will moderate the discussion, which will include:

· Joe Bassista, City of Atlanta,

· Randy Hartmann, Georgia Department of Community Affairs

· Shana Udvarsky, Atlanta Water Department.

Join in the family fun and activities. Children can participate in a
bicycle-recycle relay and a Nike shoe throw, and they can see how Nike
turns recycled shoes into basketball and tennis courts. They also can
watch UGA Coop Extension Service gardening demonstrations to learn how to  make compost.
Free and open to the public. Visit www.enviroexpousa.org or call 770-517-0447

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If your in Atlanta the week of Oct 7th stop by the GreenBusiness Works Expo. It is being held Oct 7th and 8th. at the Cobb Galeria Center in Atlanta Georgia. It is a comprehensive environmental EXPO designed to educate corporations and municipalities about sustainability programs, services and products available to support their environmental stewardship efforts.

If you are in any of these professions or positions then you should attend or send someone from your company to represent.

• Corporate Sustainability Officers and Environmental Managers
• US Mayors and other Elected Officials
• Facility Managers, Supervisors and Building Service Contractors
• Hospitality Industry Leaders including Hotel, Restaurant and Entertainment District Managers
• Development Community
  • Developers, Builders, and Contractors Architects and Engineers
  • Commercial and Residential Interior Designers

• Facility Managers, Supervisors and Building Service Contractors
• Hospitality Industry Leaders including Hotel, Restaurant and Entertainment District Managers
• Meeting and Event Planners
• Bankers and Environmental Financiers and Real Estate Brokers
• Warehouse, Plant and Project Managers
• Fleet Directors and Managers
• Marketing and Communication Officers
• Human Resource Managers

Available at the expo will be Speakers, Roundtable Experts, and the trade show exhibition.

Keynote speakers will be:

Scott Seydel
President, The Seydel Companies
Board of Directors Chairperson, Global Green USA

and

Andy Savitz
Sr. Consultant, Sustainable Business Strategies

Attend and get your business involved to learn from leading experts who have already practiced sustainability successfully through exclusive educational programs, networking opportunities, best practices, leading case studies, and products and services that support corporate and community environmental stewardship efforts and positively impact ROI.

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Calling all restauranteurs!!!

Yep, you heard right. There is a company in Colorado called FoodServiceWarehouse.com started by an avid group of environmentalists whose mission is to help the restaurant industry to become more environmentally responsible. They have created an industry leading certification program aimed at helping commercial kitchens cope with the costs and complexities of going green. The program features educational resources, rewards and the industry’s only free certification process, modeled after, and fulfilling credits for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.

In order to show their dedication in helping commercial kitchens slash energy costs, conserve water and reduce their environmental impact, they are giving away a green commercial kitchen worth up to $40,000 to one qualifying kitchen.
Here is where you can go to sign up for the Green Commercial Kitchen Giveaway…

Good Luck…

commercial kitchen giveaway leed certification

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Finally we are getting some rain. Oh, I know some parts of the country are getting way more than they need but for those of us in parts of the country where rain is scarce, we welcome every drop.

It’s time to think about how to capture this precious water any way we can, so that we can reuse it and disperse it in our gardens when the rain is not so forthcoming. The best way to do this I found is to use a Rain Barrel. I found this really attractive one over at the Garden Supermart, it has a Crown Planter that allows you to put a plant on top for a more attractive look than an average planter, it comes in two versions a 50 gal one and a 65 gallon one, with a spigot at the bottom, a connector with shut-off valve and a 6′ garden hose. Many more tips on Living Green can be found at the Garden Supermart.

Another way to save water during the rainy season is to have a rain sensor on your sprinkler system. So many times do I see sprinklers going on in the middle of a rain shower, what a waste. If you are not home to monitor when your sprinklers go off, a rain sensor will do that for you, so you don’t have to watch water and money go down the drain.

Collected rain water can not only be used for watering plants but also for washing driveways, cars, walkways, dogs, gardening tools. Use your imagination and I am sure you can come up with many other uses recycling rain water.

gardensupermart.com rain barrel recycling rain water water conservation

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If you are planning a trip to Europe or any other place in the world and would like to make it a green vacation, why not consider biking through your destination. Many countries are bicycle friendly but especially Europe and there are hundreds of tours that can be taken, from seaside rides to mountain top climbs. You can arrange tours that provide you with the rented bicycles. There are self-guided tours or completely guided tours depending on your budget and preference. Just Google “European Bike tours” for example and you’ll find many tour companies that will provide many choices.

Contact a travel agent that can hook you up with some cheap hotels, and one of the hundreds of bike tours available throughout Europe. Just imagine yourself on a bike through Venice, or the beauty of the Tuscan hills and vineyards. Landscapes that can only truly be appreciated on two feet or two wheels. And at the end of a fruitful ride ending up in one of the beautiful Roma hotels.

There is no better way to enjoy the sights than doing it up close and personal. There is so much that we miss while touring in a car. But I realize that we cannot possibly get everywhere we want to go on foot or on a bike. So a drive and bike plan can work when we are considering long distances. Nowadays they even make bikes that you can fold up and stick in the trunk for just that kind of situation.

Being green on vacation can be a fun adventure, it can be a healthy way of seeing the world, and it’s environmentally friendly. What better way to go.

bike tours green vacations

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Next time you think about remodeling any part of your home or maybe even building your new home, Think Green first. Whether you will be putting down a new foundation or changing the Blinds in your home there is always a Green alternative. Here’s a checklist that can help jog your imagination.

• In the Bathrooms, use high performing shower heads which use 1-1.5 gallons per minute/ 60% less than traditional shower heads.
• Thinking of repainting the house? Think No-VOC Paints. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds which are toxic.
• Keep your attic cool by installing a radiant barrier to keep the heat out.
• If you are building new or gutting rooms, remember proper Insulation is key to energy savings.
• Taking into consideration your window coverings is often overlooked, but good Blinds or room darkening curtains can help keep the heat out and keep you cooling bills down.
• Remodeling the kitchen? How about a recycling center in the kitchen making it easy and a good habit for everyone to learn. These can usually be installed right in the cabinets. And if you want to get fancy there are even Kitchen Composters out there.
• Changing your flooring? Consider engineered wood, especially ones that use recycled materials.
• Redoing the landscape? Think water conservation in your new garden. Use indigenous plants whenever possible, and consider a drip system to compliment your sprinkler system for those areas that don’t need quite that much water. Check out Xeriscaping and also remember to capture and reuse rainwater.
• Consider a Tankless Water Heater. They heat water on demand rather keeping the whole tank of water hot constantly. A lot of savings there.
• Use Solar Energy where you can, even for heating the pool.

Please leave any other suggestions in the comments…Thanks…

energy efficient green building

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In honor of Earth Day: Take a few Green Steps…

Give the Earth Some Love…

Walk to work or play. With the price of gas these days, taking this step won’t be as difficult as it seemed before. Take a walk on the wild side, walk to work, the grocery store, the library, the kids school. Who knows maybe you will like it, and will continue the trend, it’s not only good for the environment, but also good for your health.

Earth Day Footprint : Want to know what kind of a footprint you are leaving on this earth? Check out the Ecological Footprint Quiz over at Earthday.net, and here is a version of a Ecological Footprint Quiz for Kids over at Kidsfootprint.org

Buy Local but watching what you buy is just as important: If your food comes from afar, you can be sure that energy was spent to get it to you, but also the type of food you eat can make a difference… Check out this article over at GreensSAHM.com ” it’s not so much where your food comes from, it’s what you’re eating.”

Read Green and Make Some Money while your at it: Intriguing book by author David Bach discussed over at TheGoodeLife.com covers 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth (and Get Rich Trying)!

Save Gas: Don’t Turn Left: Huh????? Groovy Green has a story on how UPS saves gas…UPS-No Left Turns Allowed

It’s not all about “Good Energy Policy” : Follow the reasoning of the “No Impact Man” for whether Individual Lifestyle Changes will make a difference.

Get rid of those water bottles: give up convenience for the environment. Here are 5 good reasons to give them up on Earth Day… from LighterFootstep.com

Lose those Hazardous Chemicals : Learn to identify hazardous chemicals and replace them with greener, healthier ones that do the job just as well. Clean Green to Stay Healthy and Save Money

Earthday is the perfect day to start a garden, an Organic Garden at that. Here are some great tips for doing just that.

Put the Three R’s to work: How about Reduce,Reuse, and Recycle. Salvage Yard finds are a great place to start putting some Green Style in your home…

Noise Pollution: Imagine a world without noise. GreenLivingTips.com makes some great points on the effects of Noise on the Environment. Make Earth Day your No Noise Day…

Anything you and I can do, will help…

earth day environment green day

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In case you haven’t heard yet, Lights Out America and Earth Hour are events that started last year where many cities throughout the U.S. and the world turned off their lights simultaneously for one hour. It was a great success and a trend has begun.This year the event will be happening on the same day, March 29th world wide…If you would like to join the Global Lights Out Movement, all you have to do is turn your lights off for one hour on March 29th, from 8-9pm, wherever you are.

Check out all the cities involved: Is your City Involved?

Sponsor a candlelight dinner at home or better yet your favorite restaurant, invite your family and friends. Make it fun… Make it every year, make it more often…

If you’d like to get more involved in this and other projects, Sign up at Earth Hour, Join the world…

Tell your friends…send them this link: Join Lights Out Movement.

Earth Hour Lights Out America Lights out movement

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Composting is not only a great way to fertilize your garden, save money by making your own natural fertilizer, but most importantly you are keeping all this stuff out of the landfills, which is becoming a problem in cities all over. It is in our best interest to learn how to composts, it’s part of the Three R’s of recycling.

If you are an avid gardener you understand the value of composting. But most of us regular folks who just dabble in gardening once a week, haven’t taken the time to fully understand what composting can add to the environment and keep away from the landfills.

Here are some of the benefits of composting:

• Using composting helps improve the structure, texture and aeration of soil, and helps in improving water retention in the soil.
  • Clay Soil : If you have Clay soil you know very well how hard it is to handle. It’s is extremely hard soil composting can help break up clay soil.
  • Sandy Soil: With sandy soil you know that the water just slips through, composting can help retain some of that water.
• Composting provides food for the microorganisms which help keep soil healthy and balanced.
• Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are produced by composting which eliminates the need to be adding other amendments to the soil, especially keeping out chemicals.
• Almost any organic material is food for the compost pile.
• Easy, just takes a little time investment.

For more information on how to start your own composting bin check out these resources:

• Compost Guide: A complete guide to composting
• U.S. EPA- Basic Information on Composting

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And the winner is Reusable Bags… Have you ever put any thought into the implications of your answer? Now you may say to yourself, what’s the big deal, its just a couple of bags. But the big deal is that millions of bags, paper and worst yet, plastic bags end up in the landfill and rivers and oceans . Not to mention the natural resources that are being wasted in order to make these bags that will more than likely be used only once. Let’s look at the statistic: (source WallStreet Journal/ SFGate)

• A family of four in the US goes through 1500 plastic bags a year
• All together we discard 100 Billion plastic shopping bags in a year
• Less than 1% being recycled
• Plastic bags can take up to 1000 years to decompose
• 490,000 gallons of oil to produce 100 million non-degradable plastic bags
• 4-5 trillion Plastic Bags used Worldwide
• Making paper bags consumes millions of trees and it actually takes more energy to make paper bags than plastic.

Now some cities have started to do something about this problem, by just simply banning the use of plastic bags altogether. San Francisco and Oakland in California, were the first cities in the US to do this, and now a dozen other cities are planning the same. Internationally, Taiwan has banned both the use of plastic bags and plastic utensils. Here’s a list of cities and countries that have already banned the use of plastic bags or are planning a ban. (source: cbsnews.com)

• IN THE UNITED STATES

Cities that have adopted a plastic bag ban:

• Oakland
• San Francisco

Cities Considering action on plastic bags:

• Annapolis, Md.
• Austin, Texas
• Baltimore
• Berkeley, Calif.
• Boston
• Fairfax, Calif.
• Maui, Hawaii
• Malibu, Calif.
• New Haven, Conn.
• Portland, Ore.
• Phoenix
• San Jose, Calif.
• Santa Cruz, Calif.
• Santa Monica, Calif.
• Seattle

• INTERNATIONALLY

Countries that have adopted a plastic bag ban:

• Bangladesh
• China
• Rwanda
• Taiwan
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Zanzibar

Cities or countries considering action on plastic ban:

• Australia
• Singapore
• London

What about “Reusable Bags” as the first option?

No it’s not a new idea, it’s an old idea, we just went away from it because we became a society of convenience. But it is still a very practical, and a very “good for the environment” idea.

If you pay attention, all the business are jumping on the bandwagon of selling reusable shopping bags. Everybody has them, from your local supermarket, to Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ikea, and other smaller companies that have taken off with the idea of reusable shopping bags and put a twist on it like Chico Bag, who makes them small enough to fit in your purse or glove compartment. Or people like Cyndi at MyRecycledBags.com who takes the time and effort to recycle those plastic bags and turn them into something beautiful and useful. On her site she also teaches people the Craft of making Bags out of recycled materials.

Plastic bags have been around for about 25 years. Which means that our mothers and grandmothers can still remember going shopping, with their own Reusable Bags. If they could do it, I think so can we…

paper bags paper or plastic? plastic bags recycle reusable bags

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If your considering going to the Beijing Summer Olympics starting 08/24/08, you may want to invest in a gas mask. Air quality concerns are still a high priority for Beijing’s Summer Olympics. According to CNN, the Mayor of Beijing was quoted last Sunday as saying that “Beijing will use the strictest standards to control emissions and curb pollution for the Summer Olympics but it will be an uphill task”.

In order to address the Olympics Air Quality concerns, Beijing will have to deal with gridlock and rampant pollution throughout the city. Part of the plan is to shut down blast furnaces in the city’s biggest steel company, convert some coal burning factories to gas, and some factories have been relocated outside the city. Already 78 miles of trees have been planted in a ring around the city, to hopefully take up some of the pollution, and 1/3 of Beijing’s 3.3 million cars will be banned from the city during the Olympics.

It is a tall order, but Beijing is committed to being ready by August.

The President of the International Olympic Committee, Jaques Rogge, said in an interview with CNN in 2007, that the Olympic Committee will put the health of the athletes first. If the Air Quality is poor for a particular event, that event would be postponed or canceled.

air quality beijing gas mask Olympics pollution

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What happens to all this High Tech Trash? Or as it is now known, E-Waste.

According to an article in Nat Geo, in the US the estimate is that 70-80% of Computers, Monitors and TV’s end up in the landfill every year. According to the the EPA 30-40 million PC’s will be ready for the dumpster in each of the next few years, and 98 million US Cell Phones were discarded out in 2005 and the trend will probably continue.

The main problem with this is not that we are running out of room in our landfills but that these products carry “Not Healthy ” amounts of Heavy Metals such as: Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, and Beryllium, and when they end up in the ground, they leech into the ground water, then back to us through the drinking water or our food.

Makes you wonder why Cancer has become the epidemic it is…

The following is a list of the long term effects of exposure to these metals:

• ARSENIC: Long term exposure to arsenic and its compounds can cause cancer. Inhalation can result in lung cancer. If swallowed, cancer is likely to develop in the bladder, kidneys, liver, and lungs. In large doses, arsenic and its compounds can cause death.
• CADMIUM: The effects of extensive cadmium exposure is not known, but are thought to include heart and kidney disease, high blood pressure, and cancer.
• LEAD: The lead in a person’s body can build up. This kind of lead poisoning can lead to nerve damage and problems with the gastrointestinal system (stomach and intestines). Over a long period of time, these children often suffer brain damage.
• MERCURY: Problems can include inflammation of the mouth and gums; loosening of the teeth; damage to the kidneys and muscles; shaking of the arms and legs; and depression, nervousness, and personality changes.
• BERYLLIUM: Chronic effects include diseases of the respiratory system (throat and lungs), such as bronchitis and lung cancer.

RECYCLE YOUR ELECTRONICS:

• There’s an easy way to recycle we just need to get on board. Collect your no longer used electronics, and make a drop off every six months. Make it a recycling project with friends or the whole neighborhood.
• The Consumer Electronics Assoc. created, mygreenelectronics.co to help you find a recycling resource in your area. It also provides a list of Eco-friendly electronics.

When you find the company that takes care of E-Waste in your area, ask them what they do with it. Taking it to a Recycler doesn’t guaranty that they will safely dispose of the E-Waste. Often times they sell the lots to E-waste Exporters that send the waste to developing countries where the labor is cheaper and the laws on disposal are not as strict. But that’s for another story. Make sure your Recycler is a responsible Recycler, if you’re not sure take it somewhere else.

electronics environment ewaste high tech trash recycle

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I came across a post on Ecoble.com, titled the World’s Coolest Solar Collecting Building, so I had to take a peak. Unbelievable, the building is spectacular. Take a look at the other pictures on the Ecoble.com.

Leave it to the Japanese to come up with a Solar Powered Building that not only gathers it’s power from the sun but, acts as an enormous Billboard, is an awesome architectural design, and includes a Solar Lab.

Built by Sanyo in Japan this beauty is built on a steel frame and solid trusses, with an overall length of 315m (945feet) and heights reaching 37.1m (111feet) on the ends. Earthquake resistant to a level 7 on the Japanese Scale.

But the most important point of this building is the power it can yield, solar power that is. It uses 5,046 panels made of Single-Crystal Silicon Solar Cells, capable of producing a Max load of 630Kw, that’s an annual electrical output of 530,000 KWh. This is a Fossil Fuel savings equivalent to 7,145 kerosene cans (128,610 liters) per year and a CO₂ reduction 95 t-C/year.

That’s pretty cool in itself.

ecoble.com environment Solar Ark solar power

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Can you imagine a world without offices, a world where people don’t have to commute, where paper and plastics are not so readily consumed, where people did all their shopping from home. Well, there are studies going on to determine how that can come to be in the near future. Broadband, the Internet and Telecommunications will be a big part of a comprehensive energy policy, and may get us there sooner than you think. There is a worldwide push in the direction of expanding Broadband capabilities and other related technologies, to help countries throughout the world reach that lofty goal of lowering the greenhouse emissions before the point of no return.

Here’s a list of how the widespread use of broadband can help the environment:

• Business to Business and Business to Consumer E-Commerce: less energy use
• Telecommuting: less people driving, less construction, less energy use.
• Teleconferencing:less airline travel.
• Reduction in Mail Services: less energy use, less paper.
• Downloading of Music and Videos :Less Plastic consumption.
• Electronic Documents & E-mail: Reduction of Office Paper.
• Shifting of Newspaper & Magazine subscriptions to Online Media: reduction in paper consumption.

This list is only the beginning of the benefits that broadband can bring to the environment. We are lucky here in the U.S. that broadband is so widely available, and yet only 1 out of 2 homes have broadband. When we look into ways on how to reduce our carbon footprint, whether we are an individual, business or governmental entity, let’s not overlook the benefits that broadband can have on energy use and the environment.

Two very interesting articles on this subject :

Broadband Services: Economic and Environmental Benefits

Towards a High Bandwidth-Low carbon Future

 

Broadband carbon footprint environment greenhouse emmissions telecommuting teleconferencing

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Keep Warm This Winter Adding a sweater and keeping your thermostat set a couple degrees cooler are smart ways to save some energy. But there are many ways to save energy that will conserve energy resources and save you money. Install a programmable thermostat. Being able to turn down the heat for large chunks of time, such as at night or while at work, can make a difference in your overall energy consumption. Consider turning off the heat to rooms that are not heavily used.

Perform regular maintenance. If you have a forced air furnace, make sure to clean or change the furnace filter about once a month. Most furnaces will need to be professionally cleaned and tuned once a year. Insulate your home. The best way to quickly save energy is by installing good insulation. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends an R-49 rating for attics. Visit www.energy.gov to learn more about these ratings. Plug leaks and holes. In addition to insulating your attic and walls, another easy energy saving step is to add caulking and weather stripping. Feel for cool air around windows, electrical receptacles and pipe and wire entry points.

Cold Facts About Fireplaces

When you light a blazing fire on a cold winter day it looks and feels wonderful, but it can be an expensive and inefficient endeavor. A fireplace sends most of the heat in your house straight up the chimney. A fireplace can exhaust as much as 24,000 cubic feet of air per hour to the outside! But, there are ways you can limit the loss of heat when enjoying a quiet evening by the fire. * Reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window slightly - only about an inch - and close doors leading into the room. * Install tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room. * Check the seal on the flue damper and make it as snug as possible. * Use grates made of C-shaped metal tubes to draw cool room air into the fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room. * When you aren’t using your fireplace, keep its damper closed! *If you are planning to install a new fireplace, consider a gas fireplace. These provide the enjoyment of looking at flames but can be 70% more efficient than regular fireplaces.Earth Share, a nationwide network of America’s leading nonprofit environmental and conservation charities, promotes environmental education and charitable giving in employee workplace giving campaigns. Click here to find out why hosting an Earth Share campaign is a good idea for your workplace and the world.

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Buy Less with More Heart
	Did you know? The amount of household garbage in the United States generally increases by 25 percent during the holiday months, from 4 million to 5 million tons per week. Buying over-packaged items is a big part of this increase. Keep your celebration green and still warm the hearts of your friends and families by following these handy gift-giving tips.

Give a gift card.This year, more than half of consumers want to receive a gift card as a holiday gift. You can ensure that your present is memorable (and isn’t used for everyday items) by giving a gift card for a life experience, such as going to a restaurant, theater, movie, sporting event, museums, or an art lesson.		Plan a family outing as your gift. If you want to be especially earth-savvy, scrap the card altogether and just plan the experience yourself. Research shows that your loved ones will remember it more than that CD you bought them last year. And tagging along will cut down on your own holiday blues because you’ll be spending more time with them and less time stressing out about what to buy.
Make something. Lots of people groan at the suggestion of a hand made present. But, there are many almost-home-made ways to make classy gifts that are good for the environment. Decorate a potted plant with pictures or paint, make a picture frame out of your favorite magazines. Try to re-create your favorite items using your own materials!			Look for local waste-free holiday incentives. Many local businesses offer discounted rates for shoppers who want to help save the environment!
* “Buy Less with More Heart” inspired by article, Holiday Depression can be Beaten in The Daily Vanguard by Susan Captein, a therapist at Counseling and Psychological Services at Portland State University.

Green Celebrations

		Earth-savvy is in! And there are a few easy ways to entertain in style and reduce your carbon footprint. Use soy candles in your menorah or wreath this year. Soy candles are made from a renewable resource, and are completely biodegradable. They emit no carcinogens, and burn much cleaner than paraffin-based candles. And soy products support farmers!
	Consider buying a live holiday tree with intact roots. 50 million Christmas trees are purchased in the U.S. Of those, 30-plus million get carted to the landfill every year. A live tree will survive inside for about a week with ample watering and somewhat cool air temperatures. When you’re ready, transplant it outside to a spot you have already prepared, or donate it to a school or community center.

Replace your old string of decorative lights with LED lights. LED lights may initially cost more, but you’ll save money on electricity costs because LEDs reduce energy use by 90%. And you’ll never have to replace burnt-out light bulbs again!

Spice Up Your Season with a Mama Mia Red Hot Wreath
			Spice up your decorations and holiday meals this season with this cheerful organic wreath, made from a blend of Mexican and Greek oregano and sizzling red peppers!Earth Share will receive 10% of the purchase price when you use this link: www.organicbouquet.com/earthsharewreath

	Earth Share Eco-gift Checklist 2007
	If you prefer giving a wrapped present or are searching for unusual stocking stuffers, why not look for gifts that are earth-friendly and can also benefit the environmental community? Consider items like clothing made from organic cotton and alternative materials, energy-saving devices, and recycled, reusable or sustainably produced products. Here are a few of our favorites:
	Bamboo clothing is softer than cotton, naturally anti-microbial, and is made from one of the most sustainable resources in the world! Bamboo clothing is becoming increasingly main-stream, so it isn’t hard to find fashionable clothing made out of bamboo. Search for bamboo items on the internet, or visit www.shirtsofbamboo.com
				Earth Share Coffee would make a delicious stocking stuffer for the coffee lover in your life! Earth Share’s fair trade blend is organically grown, sustainably produced and sourced from independent farmer cooperatives. A portion from every sale goes back to Earth Share to help support more than 400 local, national, and international environmental and conservation organizations. To order: http://www.earthshare.org/marketplace.html
	Organic bath and shower products are ideal for pampering the sensitive-skinned friends and family in your life. For a line of body washes and soaps made with organic herbs, essential oils and pure minerals, try www.terressentials.com/. Their promise: all ingredients are USDA certified organic.
		ChicoBags can help your loved ones adopt a planet-friendly reusable bag habit that will serve to reduce waste and pollution. ChicoBags are sleek and handy — each folds into its own small attached pouch that you can slip into your pocket or purse so they’re accessible for any shopping trip. Plus, 10% of the sale price of each bag will benefit Earth Share when you make your purchase through this link: http://chicobag.com/earthShare.php.
	A bike chain bracelet would make a cool, funky recycled gift for the young trendsetter or avid cyclist. It is made from real used chain that’s been cleaned and is ready to wear! Perfect for both boys and girls. www.greenfeet.com
	Water powered alarm clocks use no electricity or batteries! Fill up the fuel cell with water to enjoy four modes of water-powered usage: clock, alarm, countdown timer, and thermometer! www.thinkgeek.com
	For more green gift ideas, visit Earth Share’s online marketplace: www.earthshare.org/marketplace.html Looking for more consumer-conscious tips? Visit Earth Share member group, The Center for the New American Dream www.newdream.org

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Earth Share, a nationwide network of America’s leading nonprofit environmental and conservation charities, promotes environmental education and charitable giving in employee workplace giving campaigns. Click here to find out why hosting an Earth Share campaign is a good idea for your workplace and the world.

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