It’s a shame, isn’t it – some technological advances that make our lives easier are often harmful to the environment and to our well-being. Most people dread the thought of raking leaves. Leaf blowers do the job many times quicker and without the back pain, but these convenient machines also annually pollute as much as … Continue reading
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Earth Month: Eco-tip #15 Stop buying bottled water
It’s widely thought that bottled water is worth the cost because it’s cleaner, safer and tastes better than local tap water. Sometimes that may be true, but think of what you’re buying: wasteful, nonreusable plastic bottles filled with water you could easily filter yourself at home for a huge markup. In 2005, The New York … Continue reading
Earth Month: Eco-tip #14 Recycle batteries
Often the essential component in keeping our electronics on and working, batteries have been winding up in landfills for decades. Even rechargeable batteries are trashed after they’ve expended their use or lost their ability to retain a charge. Thankfully, battery recycling options are increasing, helping us prevent corrosive batteries from ending up in our landfills or contaminating … Continue reading
Earth Month: Eco-tip #13 Avoid ‘energy vampires’
It seems logical yet not everyone knows that most electronics use electricity even when they’re not in use. Your microwave, TV, stereo, garage door openers and cell phone chargers all use energy while plugged in – even if they’re not turned on. These “phantom loads” are sometimes dubbed “energy vampires” by irritated electronics users, among … Continue reading
Earth Month: Eco-tip #11 Green plants equal fresh air
We all want to breathe clean air. It makes us feel less stressed, fresher and more perceptive. Plants look great, too. Sure, we could buy an air purifier, but why spend money on a manufactured product that requires electricity to operate when you could let Mother Nature do all the work for you — free … Continue reading
Earth Month: Eco-tip #10 Make your refrigerator more efficient
Other than keeping the door closed as much as possible, there are some easy ways to save money and keep your fridge/freezer from becoming an energy hog: Leave some room around the fridge. Often, we forget to think about the air circulation around our refrigerators. Proper air circulation requires about 2 inches of space on … Continue reading
Earth Month: Eco-tip #8: Go electronic with greeting cards
It’s long been predicted that the end of paper greeting cards was near. According to the Greeting Card Association, Americans purchase seven billion greeting cards each year. The average household purchases 30 individual cards in a year. If that typical card costs $3, that’s $90 per year on greeting cards (plus postage). Undeniably, we’re living … Continue reading
Earth Month: Eco-tip #7 Lower the temperature on hot water heater
Sometimes there doesn’t seem to be anything better than a hot shower to help us relax, clear our heads and clean up. But the satisfaction of a having a long, hot shower comes at an environmental and economic cost. Our water heaters – working hard to provide the warm H2O spraying from our shower heads … Continue reading
Earth Month: Eco-tip #6 Conduct a do-it-yourself home energy assessment
Doing a quick, analytical walk-through of your home is a great way to identify problem areas that may be less energy efficient than they could be otherwise. These energy inefficiencies could cost you money. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates energy savings of up to 30 percent so fix those pesky air drafts. It’s simple. Check … Continue reading
Earth Month: Eco-tip #5 Use less plastic bags
We have an attachment to plastic bags, boosting the price of oil and contributing to needless waste and pollution around the country, though making the transportation of goods from store-to-car very convenient. And while countries in Europe and Asia have either completely banned the use of plastic bags in stores, or placed taxes on them greatly … Continue reading
