Here you'll find a wide variety of how to's all about sustainable living. Jump in to learn more, contribute your knowledge, or create a how to of your own!
What to do in winter Savings Keep your thermostat a bit lower (and wear a sweater). Lowering your thermostat by 1º F can reduce your energy consumption by 2%. $40 Get a humidifier. Air with some moisture feels warmer. Even if your thermostat is set lower, this will help you feel warmer. (For example, if you set your thermostat at 69º F with a 35% relative humidity, it will feel just as warm as 72º at 19% relative humidity and will save... read more
The average American will drink 37.5 gallons of soda every year. That's right, 37.5 gallons. That works out to be about 8 sodas per week. Green Your Soda Drinking Cut back! This is a pretty obvious one, but if you replace just one soda with a glass of water, you'll reduce your annual consumption by 5 gallons a year. That will help conserve somewhere from 208 to 520 gallons of water and it'll keep nearly 5 pounds of sugar out of your body. Drink natural or organic soda. If you're going to drink soda, choose something that's a little bit healthier for... read more
Moving can not only be a hassle but increase your ecological footprint as well. From the boxes to the gas you are going to use, the resources necessary for a move can easily add up. So how can you make your move less wasteful? It is possible to make your move greener if you are a bit organized and think ahead. You might need a few boxes. But chances are, you are going to need loads of them! It's a shame to use new resources for something that is going to be used once and then tossed. There are a few alternatives to using new boxes from the movers.... read more
Cell Phones You can try to get a solar cell phone or convince Siemens to make their concept EcoPhone. Services and Carriers Use a service provider which donates money to environmental causes, like Credo Mobile or Earth Tones. Disposal 426,000 cell phones are retired every day (according to Chris Jordan). Instead of sending yours to the landfill, recycle it. read more
Your carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases that are produced by all of your everyday activities, and it is measured in units of carbon dioxide. Your activities can include everything from driving a car to brushing your teeth, so just by reducing the amount of greenhouse gas-producing activities you do every day, you can help preserve the environment. So what can you do as a college student to be more green and eco-conscious? Here are 11 steps you can take: Wash, Don’t Throw: It’s always a good idea to keep some form of kitchenware in... read more
The kitchen is one room in a house where people spend a majority of their time. Why? People love to eat, and there’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal. Small Changes For Green and Clean Use your dishwasher You may think that using a dishwasher will waste a lot of water, but if you wait to run it when it’s completely full you’ll actually save more water. Think about it: when you hand wash your dishes you have a continuous stream of water going. That can add up, especially if you do it every time you have dishes. But if you run your dishwasher... read more
One of the things I have always disliked about laundry is the expense and the waste of time. I'm fortunate to have a washer and dryer in my current apartment -- though the dryer is electric and I only use it as a last resort in the winter to dry sheets and blankets (everything else is hung on hangers around the apartment). Most of the year, I hang my clothing to dry on the line. Detergent is always expensive - liquid detergent is a waste because you're basically buying water - powdered detergent comes with its own issues. I read about making your own laundry... read more
Looking for something more environmentally friendly than your typical dinner and a movie date? Surprise your date by picking him or her up with something other than a car. Tandem bicycles or rollerblades are a fun green way to get around. For bikes- check if there is a rental place in your area, but be sure to pick the bike up on your way home from work! For rollerblades - pick them up at a second hand shop. Be sure to bring a backpack with to carry spare shoes! If you feel like bringing your date a token of affection, skip the store bought cut... read more
Go Green And Save Green: Beginner's Guide In this guide, you’ll find out how to spend less than $1,200 to save over $8,000 over the course of 5 years. Here are suggestions of free and low cost things you can do to help you go green and save green. Do this… Conserves this… Costs… Saves... Saves in 5 years… ROI over 5 years Love your car, love the planet Keep up with car... read more
Go Green And Save Green: Intermediate's Guide In this guide, you’ll find out how to spend about $1,200 to save over $7,000 in 5 years. Here are suggestions of medium-cost things you can do to help you go green and save green. Do this… Conserves this… Costs… Saves... Saves in 5 years… ROI over 5 years It's not fat, it's insulation Check for air gaps and fix leaky... read more
