Tips on Going Green within the Home and hence Save Some Money

Why all this discussion about going green first of all you may be asking? Well simply put, more and more people these days are very concerned about doing what they can to lower their fuel bills, use energy more wisely and trying to reduce the amount of garbage that ends up in the landfill. The whole point of going green is to find some best practices, whether they are at home, at your place of business or simply in our everyday lives that will help us to achieve this goal. So here are a few random tips looking at cars and the home to get the reader started.

With respect to cars you can:

1. Keep the air filter clean:

o Just like humans, cars and vehicles need to breathe properly also. The dirtier the air filter the harder the vehicle will have to work thus burning more gas and hurting your wallet even more.

2. Car pooling with people who you like:

o Obviously if there is another passenger in your car, that is one less car off the road if he or she is accustomed to driving. Remember though to let your passengers know that they have to respect your vehicle, do not let them slam your car doors or let your doors slam against a wall, other cars or stationary objects. You might end up spending more money fixing the damages than what you might be trying to save by going green.

Also remember that with more people in your car, you will have higher gas expenses but considerably less gas will be used compared to having your passenger drive their own car. Ask your car pooling buddies if they will pitch in for gas, since gas seems to be going up all over the world and probably will not return to levels which we are used to.

3. Hand wash your own car:

o Many of us love our cars and some but not all, wash our cars at home. It is true there are car washes at your local garage or gas station but there are still many countries where it is not the custom to go to a car wash. So for those who still wash their own car by hand, try using a bucket and water instead of the hose.

In other words, fill the bucket with some water and get a sponge and wash the car yourself. You can use a scrub brush for the tires since that surface is tougher. You will be amazed at how far a bucket of water can go and you will not constantly have the water running when the hose is not in use.

In your home there are many possibilities but a few are as follows:

1. Recycle your glass and plastic bottles:

o Even if you are the one who does not go to the recycling center, there is nothing wrong with putting your bottles into separate bags and placing them by the trash. In many cities around the world, the less fortunate collect bottles and return them to the recycling center themselves to collect the few cents per dollar.

Help do your part by separating the bottles into their own bags, instead of having such people go through your garbage looking for bottles and causing a mess on the sidewalk or around your garbage collecting area.

2. Find creative ways to use items:

o Think of a way to reuse items before throwing them out. If you ship things frequently, maybe hold onto clean items such as egg boxes, cartons that are washed out or simply boxes that you may receive. These can be reused for shipping and packaging purposes.

3. Solar heating:

o Use a solar heating system for your water, if available in your country. In many developing countries such as certain islands in the Caribbean, they have been using solar heating for decades now. You basically have a tank of water on your roof, with solar panels connected to it and the heat from the sun heats the water which is stored in the tank.

True that in countries which have the winter season or where it is not hot all year around, some sort of backup system will have to be used. But the point is, for those few months of spring, summer and fall where it is possible to have the warmth of the sun to heat your water; this is a viable and cheap alternative.

Obviously, there are many other areas which you can look at whether it be with your electronics, personal self with respect to walking instead of driving, you can look at generating your electricity at home with the use of home based wind wills and even with the food you feed your pets.

I hope this article has allowed people to realize that it is the simple things which can allow all of us to get started on going green within the home and our businesses and that we can help create or leave behind a better Earth for future generations.

White House aims to halve fuel use within 20 years

Obama Calls for Expanded Fuel Efficiency Rules
President Obama called for first-ever mileage and emissions standards for big rig and work trucks Friday, seeking to limit pollution from the large vehicles that contribute a big share of it. 

Read more on Fox News

President Obama wants higher fuel standards for cars
President Obama wants higher fuel efficiency and better greenhouse gas emission standards for cars and trucks, beginning with the 2017 model year.

Read more on The Christian Science Monitor

Naval Air Station Fort Worth deploying ‘green’ initiatives
The base is adding alternative energy sources and reducing power consumption.

Read more on Fort Worth Star-Telegram

AB SCIEX Launches Groundbreaking Mass Spectrometry System to Fuel Scientific Discovery
FOSTER CITY, Calif.—-AB SCIEX, a global leader in life science analytical technologies, today announced the launch of the AB SCIEX TripleTOF™ 5600 System, a groundbreaking mass spectrometry technology that is the fastest and most sensitive high-resolution mass spectrometer for high-performance qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Read more on Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance

White House aims to halve fuel use within 20 years
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama kicked off plans for new fuel economy standards for 2017 through 2025 on Friday, setting a goal of cutting fuel use and pollution from vehicles by half in 20 years.

Read more on Detroit Free Press

Does anyone know if there are any hydrogen refueling stations within New York State, PA or even Toronto, Ont.?

Honda now has that FCX Clarity automobile that runs on Hydrogen. I do know that there are hydrogen refueling stations in California but does anyone know whether there are any located or soon to be located within New York state, specifically in western New York, such as the Buffalo area for example? But also intereted in knowing if there are any in the Toronto, Ontario Canada area? Thanks.

Energy Saving Tips: Green Living Within Your Means

With high gas prices and global warming on many people’s minds, consumers are looking for ways they can participate in energy conservation and reduce their carbon footprint. And while you may not be ready to buy a Toyota Prius or install solar panels in your home, there a number of everyday things you can do to adopt a green living lifestyle and contribute to energy conservation.

Learn how to be eco friendly and protect the environment without breaking the bank with these 10 Energy Saving Tips..

? Think green and plant trees [link to: NW Am. Forests page]. If you’re wondering how to be eco-friendly, one of the best – and greenest – ways is to plant trees around your yard or office. Trees are inexpensive, require little maintenance and act as filters by constantly removing air pollution from the atmosphere.

? Recycle. Recycling is still one of the most effective ways to reduce waste and lessen demand for the use of new natural resources. A growing number of communities now offer the service for free or little charge and have recycling drop-off centers that are easy to access.

? Compost your fruit/vegetable scraps. Scraps like melon rinds, banana peels, carrot scrapings, apple cores and tea bags are wonderful for composting. The average kitchen produces over 200 pounds of waste annually, and by composting, you’ll reduce waste and create wonderfully nitrogen-rich soil for your garden

? Shop at a farmers market instead of a chain grocery store. Buying locally helps energy conservation because it uses less fuel to get food to market. Added green living benefits include fewer pesticides used due to shorter time from farm to table, all while supporting the local economy.

? Fly less. Airline flights account for an estimated 10 percent of all greenhouse gases. Encourage energy saving methods at your work by taking advantage of videoconferencing or telecommuting if the business situation permits.

? Take advantage of public transportation or carpooling. The fuel you’ll conserve will add less CO2 to the environment and keep more dollars in your wallet.

? Become an energy efficient home. Install energy saving light bulbs and low flow shower heads in your home. You’ll save energy and your energy conservation efforts will results will be reflected in your bill.

? Learn how to be eco-friendly in your home. Use eco-friendly cleaning products around the house and yard. The price difference is minimal and many of the eco-friendly products have been shown to clean just as well as their less-green counterparts. Instead of cleaning with paper towels, get into the routine of using old towels, t-shirts or rags to save on additional waste.

? Buy reusable shopping bags. Considering your energy saving efforts, you should no longer ask yourself the question of “paper or plastic.” Canvas totes are now widely available at most grocery stores and are cheap, sturdy alternatives to traditional shopping bags.

? Green living and green entertaining. When the next opportunity to entertain presents itself, whether it be a family function, backyard BBQ or dinner party, use real plates, cups and silverware. You’ll reduce waste and create a more hospitable environment for your guests.

Regardless of your current green living status, these helpful tips on how to be eco friendly can help protect the environment without breaking the bank and can be easily applied to your daily routine. Start slow and try adopting a new energy saving method each month and the results will be gratifying.