With Americans on track to spend an average of $854 for gifts this holiday season (up from $646 last year), it’s no wonder that we generate on-average an additional one million tons of waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. That’s 25 percent more waste generation than a typical period of time. And for what? … Continue reading
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
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
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
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
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
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
If you have the luxury of regular access to a washer and dryer, you’re likely to use it often. Who could possibly forgo that convenience? But washing and drying our clothes via machine is an energy intensive process that pulls money from our wallets and pushes carbon emissions into our atmosphere. Surely, we can green … Continue reading
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
Why spend so much money on harmful, expensive chemical cleaning products when vinegar – which you probably already have somewhere in your kitchen – will do the job? The uses of vinegar are endless: Clean and disinfect countertops Clean carpet stains Keep those pesky ants away Clean windows and wood paneling Remove strong odors Vinegar … Continue reading
