There is no Better time than Today to Make a Difference

There is no Better time than Today to Make a Difference

Today is almost over, can I give you a list of eco-friendly ideas tomorrow? If I get busy tomorrow, can I just give it to you next week? Wait, my mother-in-law is coming to town, how about next month? Sadly, that is the attitude many people have when it comes to going green, or at least “greener.” Well, no more procrastinating, here is a long list of things you can do right now to help the environment.

Buy Eco-Products – There is just no excuse not to any longer. There are environmentally-friendly and cool earrings, platters, cars, purses, shoes, etc. If it exists, then there is bound to be an eco-version of it.

Recycle Electronics – Keep items like computers, CD players, DVD players and electronic toys out of the landfill.

Build a Garden – Plant some native vegetable or plants.

Fight Garden Pests – Help your garden by using pest control services. 

Bulk Up – Instead of making three trips to the grocery store each week, save gas and money by buying in bulk at a warehouse store.

Avoid Plastic Bags – When you do make a trip to the market, bring your own reusable grocery bags.

Avoid Driving – If possible, walk or ride a bicycle to work or to run errands.

Become more Aware – Take a break from the horror movies and enjoy a few environmentally-themed flicks. Sacred Planet is a great place to start.

Styrofoam is Out – Many coffee shops and diners offer a reusable mug that you can buy and refill each time you come in. Take advantage of this wherever possible.

Copy Paper – Buy copier paper that is made from only recycled material.

Toner Cartridges – Buying remanufactures cartridges is better for both your wallet and the environment. Come to think of it, all your office products should be made of recycled content.

Never Stop Learning – There are new ways to help Mother Earth being discovered every day. Continue to find ways to help and share them with your family.

Unplug – Don’t just turn items off when they are not in use; unplug them. Electrical products are still using power as long as they are plugged in, whether they are on or not.

Ditch Paper – Who says you even need paper? Try a dry erase board as an alternative.

Go Solar – There aren’t many products that don’t come with a solar-powered alternative nowadays. Take advantage of any many as you can and use natural sunlight to save money.

Doodle-time – Do you find yourself scrambling for a piece of paper to jot notes down on? Do you like to doodle during the day? Do you find yourself grabbing a fresh piece of paper to do this on every time? Stop this wasteful trend by saving used paper and using the back of each as a scratch pad.

Tom is a green blogger, writing on a variety of topics including solar power. 

Green Forums

Green Forums Are the Place to Start For the Environmentally Conscious Consumer

Author: Hugo Green

When it comes to making a change in your life, and deciding that you want to 'go green', then a green forum is an excellent place to begin.

It is difficult to know where to start. We all know that we should be making a concerted effort to save energy, and eat food produced in a fashion that protects the environment. The question is where is all the information to start to make a positive change? Well, over the last few years there has been a large increase in the number of 'go green' focused websites. These sites are portals for consumers to leave information about any experiences they have had in becoming more friendly to the environment.

So called 'Green Forums' are usually free to join, and they can have thousands of useful tips for local and global issues. Making a change in our life means starting the change from home, and these forums give us all a chance to find out what we would maybe never have learned otherwise. Tips on the house and home and how to saving energy is a very big subject, and there is plenty of information to be found.

Other areas to help the environment include new fuels and fuel technology, including how and where to fill up a car running on a hydrogen cell, or how to get information on running and electric vehicle.

Solar panels for the home are quite a new trend, and there are many unanswered questions about this topic. Using a green forum lets you see the experiences of others in the same situation, and see any pitfalls and advantages before you decide on how to proceed.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/green-forums-are-the-place-to-start-for-the-environmentally-conscious-consumer-909180.html

About the Author:

Hugo Green has worked in the green industry for over 10 years. He runs a website and promotes all major brands. He specializes in running a Green Forum and helping people be more aware of green options for their lifestyle.

Top Ten Reasons I Hand Wash Dishes

In my attempts to "go green," I've decided to hand wash my dishes, just like my grandmother once did.

I'm doing that despite the fact that there have been studies of the efficiency and energy saving of using a dishwasher vs. hand washing the dishes. According to the Bonn Institute in Germany, a dishwasher uses about one sixth of the water and half the energy it takes to hand wash dishes. In a typical family, I believe that's probably true, and if you have a large family I think the dishwasher is the best solution. But I don't think that research would fly at my house.

I think that I can actually save money and reduce the damage I do to the environment by washing dishes. I'm also finding other reasons to hand wash.

Here are the Top Ten Reasons I Hand Wash Dishes:

1. My dishwasher is an older model, and does not have an Energy Star rating. It's more likely that my dishwasher uses 6 gallons of water per load rather than the 4 gallons that a newer appliance would use. I don't use that much water hand washing the dishes, and we can't afford to replace the dishwasher right now!
2. Because it's not a newer model, I can't put my dishes from the table into the dishwasher without rinsing them first. If I did put them in the machine covered in gunk, when the load was washed I'd find plates with food stuck to them. Have you ever tried to get dried food off of a plate that has gone through the dishwasher? It's like chipping at cement! So, why not go ahead and wash them while I'm at it?
3. There are only two of us, and we don't generate many dishes per each meal. In order to be most efficient with the energy savings of a dishwasher, one should fill that machine at least 3/4 full. I'd run out of dishes if I did that!
4. Most of the pots and pans I use can't be washed in the dishwasher. I have to hand wash them anyway, so if I'm going to be hand washing I can do them all and be done with it.
5. It actually takes me less time to hand wash the dishes than to load the dishwasher. That's right, remember, I have to rinse everything first. I can put the dishes back in the cupboard and have everything tidy before I leave the kitchen. That process takes much less time than rinsing, loading, and then waiting for the machine to wash the dishes before I can put everything away.
6. An Energy Star dishwasher uses 4 gallons of water (and all that water goes down the drain). I use about four gallons, but I use plastic tubs in my sink. When I'm finished washing the dishes, I tote that water out to my yard to nourish my garden. My flowers thank me for it.
7. I'm getting muscles from toting that water! Before you know it, my arms will be as well-toned as Michelle Obama's arms without having to go to the gym!
8. The hot water from washing dishes is soothing to my arthritis.
9. Because I know that I will be hand washing every dish and utensil, I'm a little more conscious about how many dishes I use in making a meal!
10. If my husband jumps in to help me, which he often does, then washing dishes is a "bonding experience." If he doesn't help me, then I consider it a time to meditate as I perform a simple mindless task. Either way, it's good for me.

There are a couple of things I had to teach Mr. Tucker about washing dishes, because he didn't do that chore often as a child. Though they might seem obvious, if you've never had to wash dishes you might forget:

• Wash the cleanest dishes first.
• Wipe all the excess food off of the plate before putting it in the dishwater.
• Save the greasy pots for last.

Because of my attempts to be more friendly to the environment, I now wash the dishes by hand. I will admit, however, that I still use the dishwasher on busy weekends or if company comes for supper.

Although I want to go green, I am trying to be practical about it and I'm certainly not going to make my company feel guilty about helping me wash dishes. I'll use the dishwasher when it is necessary, but most days my dishwasher has become a very expensive drying rack.

© Shelly Tucker, 2009