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
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
Go Green And Save Green: Expert's Guide These days there's a lot of talk about "going green." Some things are easy to do and don't cost anything. Other things are easy to do....if you're filthy rich. In this guide, you’ll find out how to spend an arm and a leg...err.....about $55,000 on sustainable improvements which will save you about $18,000 over 5 years (and should recoup the full cost over the lifespan of each improvement). Now if only we were all rolling in money! Do this… Conserves... read more
THE FOOD Start with food that is in season, local, and organic when possible. Check out your local Farmer’s Market. Sometimes local farmers may be growing organically without paying to be certified- ask around. When you buy food at the grocery store, check the labels and avoid palm oil. Don’t forget to bring your own bags when grocery shopping! COOKING When it comes to energy consumption, a gas stove requires less energy for stove top cooking. Gas stoves with an electric ignition (piezo) will use 40% less gas than one with a continuous pilot... read more
An Introduction to Daylighting According to Wikipedia, daylighting is "is the practice of placing windows, or other transparent media, and reflective surfaces so that, during the day, natural light provides effective internal illumination." Today's highly energy-efficient windows, as well as advances in lighting design, allow efficient use of windows to reduce the need for artificial lighting during daylight hours without causing heating or cooling problems. Techniques Windows The best way to incorporate daylighting in your home depends on... read more
10+ Ways to Be Greener and Happier at Work Enjoying an eco-lifestyle means living greener in all areas of your life. You may be taking environmentally friendly steps at home, but are you also doing it at work? People spend almost 90% of their lives indoors, and for those people who work inside that equates to about 40 or more hours at your desk, office or cubicle. Whether you're a student interning at a major corporation, a marketing associate making phone calls all day or an office assistant handling paperwork, you're going to spend a majority of your... read more
From shutting down the electronics and picking up a book (gasp!) to closing your curtains at the right time, here are 22 simple things you can do to save energy, and save cash in your home. Institute periodic Pioneer Days in your house. Lower your thermostat a few degrees in the winter. An ideal temperature for a home is 68 degrees. If you leave the house for a prolonged period of time in the winter, turn the thermostat down more. This can save you between $10 and $30 per month on your heating bill. By turning your thermostat down 10 to 15... read more
Unless you're the No Impact Man, you probably get an electric bill every month. Here's a cheat sheet to see how you're doing in terms of your own consumption. If you're doing better than the average single person or family, you'll be spending less than the average for your region. The cost per kilowatt hour is based on 2007 data from the Energy Information Administration. See how you measure up and refine the data if you have a better source. Don't like what you see? See How to Conserve Electricity Around the House to get some... read more
Buy green. Some companies (and therefore their products) are greener than others. Look for systems that have reduced levels of lead, cadmium, and mercury. Look for companies that are compliant with the EU directive called Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS). Before you go with something brand new, check out if someone's junk could be your treasure! Try buying high quality, functional used electronics. Check out your local yard sales or flea markets. Online, try Craigslist, eBay, and Freecycle. In 2006, Nokia and Dell were ranked as the most... read more
