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| Haven't you heard? Green is the new black. More than ever, people are finally becoming concerned with how the products they buy and the lifestyles they live affect the environment. Nearly every product has an eco-friendly alternative. From office supplies |
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Editor's Picks: Appliances |
Black & Decker PHV1800CB Cordless Handheld Vacuum Cleaner |
Panasonic FV 08WQ1 WhisperWall 70 CFM Wall-Mounted Fan |
DeLonghi PAC Portable Air Conditioner |
Energizer XP4001 Universal Rechargeable Power Pack |
ALZO Digital Full Spectrum Light Bulb |
Around the HouseFirst of all, you can look for the Energy Star sticker when you're shopping for appliances or small electronics. Here are some common products that have energy-efficient alternatives.
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Solar Products
Here is where the real energy saving kicks in! What better way to operate everyday products than through the power of sunlight?
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Tips of the Week
People are creatures of habit. We are so accustomed to a lifestyle of consumption that sometimes we miss opportunities to save resources. Here are some tips to live a little greener on a daily basis.
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There's no place like home to start saving the environment. Check out these tips to cut down on harming planet earth.
| Green Appliances | |
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Refrigerators Buying a newer model is once again more energy-efficient. Look for refrigerators with the freezer on top of the fridge rather than a side-by-side model (models with a top freezer save 7-15% more energy). Try to buy a model without a water or ice maker installed. Most people hardly use them, and by sacrificing the ice maker you save about 20% more energy! Make sure that your refrigerator |
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Dishwashers If your dishwasher is more than ten years old, it probably uses between eight and ten gallons of water per cycle (when set on the normal mode). The average new Energy Star qualified dishwasher |
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Air Conditioners Whether it's a window air conditioner or a central system, if it's over eight years old, it's time for a new one. Newer models are more energy-efficient. During the summer, a newer AC will cut about $65 off your bill and prevent several hundred pounds of carbon dioxide from being emitted. |
Vacuum Cleaners Bagless vacuum cleaners cut down on the amount of vacuum bags sitting in landfills. If you have severe allergies or asthma, however, you should look for a vacuum cleaner |
Washing Machines Energy Star rated models are your best bet: they are at least 37% more energy-efficient and use 7,000 gallons less water. Look for a washing machine that loads from the front rather than the top. Front-loading machines |
| Green Bed and Bath | ||
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Bath Towels and Washcloths Look for eco-friendly materials such as cotton, bamboo, or wood pulp, and towels that are either unbleached or bleached with hydrogen peroxide. Whenever possible, buy towels |
Bedding Whenever possible, choose bedding made from organic cotton |
Cosmetics Buying organic or vegan makeup and makeup brushes can certainly help the environment. However, make sure that the packaging can be recycled or composted, or that it's made from recycled material. Also, organic makeup should always have a label that reads "USDA Certified Organic" or has a similar seal. |
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Toilets If your toilet was installed prior to 1992, it's time for an update. Newer models use much less water than older toilets, and replacing an old toilet will save about 14,000-25,000 gallons of water annually (for a family of four). There are now dual-flush toilets, which cut down on the amount of water used: they have a lower water flush for liquids and a full flush option for solids. Also, try to minimize the amount toilet paper you use. Cardboard rolls, while biodegradable, add to the debris sitting in landfills. |
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Lighting Opt for compact fluorescent bulbs |
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| Guides on Going Green at Home | ||||
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What are Energy Star Ratings?
The Environmental Protection Agency awards an "energy star" to appliances that are at least 10-15% more energy-efficient than the minimum federal standard. Look for the Energy Star logo when shopping for appliances for your home.
| General Energy Saving Guides | |||
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| Green Guides on Lighting | |||
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If you're in the middle of a drought and your neighbors are complaining about the amount of water you use on your plants, there's a green solution. There are now domestic systems that allow you to harvest your rainwater so that it can be used again without wasting precious resources. In doing this, you can save money on water bills and eliminate strain on wells and water systems. On a larger scale, harvested rainwater can feed livestock, replenish ground water, increase soil moisture levels, and mitigate flooding. Check out the rain barrel below to begin the process of collecting rainwater in your home.
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Deluxe Rain Barrel with Gutter Diverter Water Collection System
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One way to be green is to store food and buy reusable kitchenware. Things like food containers and bags,
| You Can Eat Green Food Without Mom's Broccoli! | ||
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Beer and Wine Try to buy from a local organic brewery. The act of buying beer locally cuts down on the amount of carbon emitted by shipping products. If there are no breweries nearby, look for American ales: they use less carbon when shipped. If you live on the East Coast, however, a study found that buying beer and wine from Western Europe emitted less fossil fuels during the shipping process than beer or wine shipped from California. |
Milk The organic label is the only guarantee that the milk is not produced from cows injected with hormones or antibiotics. Sheep or goat's milk does not have the rBGH hormone because these animals cannot be treated with this harmful chemical. However, if sheep and goat's milk is not labeled as organic, it could come from livestock treated with other harmful hormones or antibiotics. |
Tea Tea is the second most popular beverage in the world, just losing to water. However, tea production can cause harm to the environment. How do you make sure your cup is as eco-friendly as possible? Choose Certified Organic and Certified Fair Trade teas. An alternative is to switch to organic coffee |
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Meat and Poultry Look for meat and poultry that are labeled organic. Organic meat and poultry means that the animals were given organic feed and no antibiotics were used. This also means that if an animal gets sick, it is supposed to be removed from the farm rather than treated with antibiotics. Organic meat and eggs are produced with strict restrictions against the chemicals used. Animals cannot be genetically modified and safe composting for animal waste must be maintained. Remember, natural does not mean organic! |
Chocolate Who knew that this delicious treat could be harmful to the environment? Conventional cocoa is produced with many dangerous pesticides under conditions that threaten biodiversity. There are, however, a few key terms that can be found on the labels of eco-friendly eco-friendly chocolate |
| Guides on Eco-Friendly Diets | ||||
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For this resource in your home country, please see:
DE: Bio Ratgeber
ES: Guías verdes
Everything from the car you drive to the watch on your wrist probably has a greener option these days. It might be a bit confusing figuring out where to start making some changes, but no, you do not have to light your rooms with candles or live in a house made of hemp! There are lots of ways to be green: it could mean changing the car you drive, switching to locally grown foods, cutting back on the meat in your diet, buying different home appliances, choosing a different home computer, etc. Making a lot of these little changes around your house is easy, and you probably won't even notice a difference once they are made.
