There is a lot of focus on saving the environment and manufacturers of various products are now using green technology to preserve the environment. For consumers, there is even an added advantage to using the eco-friendly appliances. They are designed to use less energy which means that the electricity bills are lower when you use them. When you are buying household appliances, look for those that have an “Energy Saving Recommended” mark. Those appliances that have an A rating will save you the greatest amount of energy. Apart from saving on energy, these appliances will save water. Manufacturing companies also save on the raw materials that are used to produce these products if they are recyclable.
A washing machine is one of the appliances that use a lot of energy in the home. Choose a machine that is A-rated and has a 40C wash to save on electricity. A washing machine that is front-loading saves more energy compared to a top-loading one.
Refrigerators that are eco-friendly should be rated A+ or higher. The refrigerants that are used in the foaming agents that help to insulate and those in the circuit used in refrigerating should only have an ozone depleting potential of zero. The potential for global warming in these parts should not be more than 15. After the end of the lifecycle of the appliance, the manufacturer should take it back for recycling. Select a refrigerator that has a top and bottom instead of a side by side one. Avoid using ice makers, defrosters and heaters as they use a lot of electricity.
All the information that is necessary to determine how eco-friendly the appliance is should be clearly shown on it. When it comes to these products, even the material that is used to package them should be made of 80% recyclable material.
A majority of homes use dishwashers and having the wrong one can cost you twice the amount of electricity you should be paying. An energy saving dishwasher uses less water, produces less noise, has free take –back to allow recycling of water and does not use flame retardants that are harmful. Look for one that has a booster heater.
A hybrid solar oven is a better choice compared to electricity one since it heats up to about 400 degrees without any need for electricity. It also comes with an electricity backup for the times when there is no solar power available.
The size of the appliance that you buy will also determine how much energy will be used. Buy the appropriate size depending on the needs you have. The amount of energy that is consumed by an appliance is measured using Watts and not the voltage. This means that an appliance with low voltage will still use more energy. When you leave appliances on stand-by, they use about a quarter of the energy used to run them. It is advisable to switch of appliances and even plug them off when they are not in use.
Trying to reduce your carbon footprint or the four little footprints from your pet can be difficult, especially during tough economic times. But it is times like these where you have to be a little more creative and do a little extra research to discover there are plenty of ways to be eco-friendly when it comes to taking care of your pet. Here are a few simple ways to do this:
Adopt- Adopting is cost-effective and may even save the life of a pet. The animals can come in a variety of breeds and most are healthy vet-approved pets. Along with this, get your pets spayed or neutered. Over 70,000 pets are born each day in the U.S. alone and there just aren’t enough pet lovers out there to take care of all of them.
Be Inventive - Make your pet’s toys for instead of buying them. Many pet toys contain chemicals that are not intended to be ingested. Small amounts of these chemicals over time can be damaging to your pet. Use durable organic materials from old clothes and a sewing machine to transform something old into something inexpensive, safe and fun for your pet.
No More Lint Rollers - Instead use Fur-Zoff. Fur-Zoff is an eco-friendly product that removes pet hair from all types of fabrics at http://www.FurZoff.net. It’s made of 90% recycled materials and a lifetime guarantee. So you pretty much get the bang for your buck with this one for $10 and you’re not being wasteful going through all of those sticky sheets.
Change That Litter – Switch to using a biodegradable cat litter or baggies for dog. You’ll reduce the amount of waste in landfills or you can even use it as compost for your garden. It doesn’t sound very pleasant but it sure does make the flowers bloom!
Green for Dinner – Try natural and organic pet foods. They are hormone free, contain vitamins, and spell out how each ingredient is processed right on the packaging. If organic food isn’t in the budget these days there are dozens of easy recipes you can make for your pet with ingredients you would find in your own kitchen. A good website would be http://www.simplypets.com/pet-recipes/.
Each and every effort you can make towards becoming “green” is not only healthy for the environment but extremely healthy for your pet. You’re little, or big, guy will feel better, live longer, and be more then appreciate of the effort you’re making. It’s not difficult to become a “green” pet owner; you just have to start somewhere!
When it comes to gardening, there are some additional benefits to just having your own fruits and vegetables. Not only can you be a “green” thumb, but you can be a contributor to the “green” living movement by recycling common household “garbage” items into useful, and helpful, garden utensils.
Take the common soup can. By removing the top AND bottom lids, this cylinder becomes a useful starting pot. Removing the top and bottom lids will help aid in the removal of your plant start with greater ease. Now, don’t throw away those lids! The lids can be placed at the base of light loving plants, such as tomatoes! The lids will reflect sunlight, thus providing extra light. In addition, the reflected light has been shown to repel plant eating insects and aphids. To deter birds from your fruits trees, punch holes in the lids and hang them from tree branches. Apparently the reflected light and movement scares these rascals away.
Another “green” idea for recycled starting pots are used, washed, individual jello or pudding containers! They are just the perfect size to start individual plants! It is also wise and frugal to wash and reuse any and all previously purchased vegetable or plant containers. It is important to wash the containers out, and even use a mild bleach solution, to kill any bacteria or pest that may have hitched a ride with the previous “owner”.
Styrofoam or plastic trays from pre-packaged meats make excellent holders for peat pots or pellets. They are also practical holders for your individual plant starts and help prevent water from getting on your window sill or potting bench. Pre-packaged dinners, such as lasagna, come in perfect containers in which you can convert to a medium for starting various herbs or vegetables.
One gallon plastic milk jugs have a variety of uses. The milk jug can be either used as an individual miniature green house, or, by just using the top 2/3rds of the jug, you can make your own “hot” caps for tomatoes or peppers. I have also used the extra plastic to make plant markers. With a “sharpie” and a plastic marker, I have a winning combination…all water resistant so I don’t forget what I planted and where!
Popsicle sticks are another excellent choice for garden stakes or plant markers. I even keep the plant markers from the previous garden season. I just simply reuse them if it is the same type of plant or I turn the marker over and write on the back the new vegetable I am growing!
Instead of going to the land fill, raked leaves, lawn clippings, spoiled hay, etc., can and should be used for mulching around individual plants and on garden pathways. Please see my article, “Have The Most Successful and Productive Backyard Garden Ever! Plant These Mulching Tips”, for a much more detailed description of the benefits and advantages of mulching.
As you can see, there are many practical, useful, and helpful applications that can be employed in your backyard garden from “recycled” items. By employing these “green” tips in your garden, you will not only improve the environment, but you will greatly enhance your “green” thumb!