Winter is coming, and due to the economy and growing environmental awareness, many of us are pretty energy-conscious this year. Nonetheless, the prospect of winter-proofing your home can seem daunting – but there are easy and simple steps you can take to make your home more winter-proof without a complete overhaul. It does not have to be a big, expensive project. Here are some easy ways to keep out the cold out and keep in the heat.

1. Caulk: it’s not just for the bathroom
Caulk is an excellent and inexpensive way to seal air leaks around your home. It can be used in the attic, around non-moving window panes (particularly between the window frame and the wall), in cracks in your home’s siding, around door jambs (where they meet the wall), and even at the base of the siding where it meets the foundation.

2. Install a programmable thermostat
This is a simple way to ensure that your furnace will not be working to heat your home when you don’t need it. It also covers for you in case you leave the house or go to bed and forget to turn down the thermostat.

3. Get your furnace serviced
Keeping your furnace in top working order is important for energy saving. Make sure it is running properly before winter begins to avoid repairs in the winter, when going without central heat while awaiting repairs can be uncomfortable or even dangerous.

4. Put a hat on your home
Insulating your attic is like putting a winter hat on your house. It keeps heat from escaping through the roof – remember, heat rises. While you are focusing on the top of your house, check your gutters and see that they are clean and free of debris, and check your chimney for air leaks. Such leaks can be sealed easily with caulk.

5. Consider storm windows
Interior storm windows are an inexpensive way to keep heat from escaping, and they can be taken down when winter is over. They even come in plastic sheets which are the least expensive option.

6. Insulate your water pipes
One of the concerns with turning the thermostat down is freezing pipes. Pipe insulation, though, is a relatively easy way to ensure against this occurring. Pipe sleeves or tubes made of foam can be purchased at most hardware stores, and are cut so that they fit right over the pipes.

7. Apply weather stripping to doors and windows
Weather stripping is inexpensive and easy to apply – it should be put along the edges of windows and doors, including basement and attic windows and the garage.

8. Weather-proof the front door
You may want to replace your existing front door with a more energy-efficient one, or add a storm door to your current one. The most important thing is to be sure the edges of the door are tightly sealed and square, which may mean a new door and frame are necessary.

Hopefully, these ideas and tips will enable you to enjoy the winter weather without worry. Maybe you’ll save some cash too!

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No, this is not the new car.

My wife and I came to the conclusion that we needed a new car for traveling when we retire. Being we try to live our lives to lesson our impact on the environment, we of course were looking at environmentally friendly options. We believe that you do not have to go overboard going green. We just make reasonable, common sense decisions that makes sense for us financially and within our means.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that even compared to 2 years ago that there are many more affordable options available. That, of course means you need to shop around for what fits into your life.

In 2009 my wife purchases a car specifically for her 120 mile round trip to and from work. She ended up buying a little red Honda Fit. It has been a great little car, but really too small for long distant travel and for my larger size. We took it back and forth across the country on our vacations and got extremely good fuel mileage. The car was rated at 33 highway and I don’t think we ever got less than 37 mpg the whole time we owned it. On trips through the mountains and everywhere driving we always got over 40 mpg.

So figuring in when we  were going to retire, how many miles we ran up on the fit, what we were going to do in retirement (traveling), wanting more room, and not wanting to break the bank we began the investigation. After several days on the internet and then checking out our local dealers we finally came up with a few we wanted to test drive.

Last week we went down to purchase our choice vehicle. We wanted a hybrid if we could afford it (check), within our budget (check), room to be comfortable and not get stiff and sore from riding (check) and got even better mileage than the Fit (check).

We bought a brand new Honda, Civic 4 door Sedan Hybrid with ECO control. It has a bunch of bells and whistles but was very affordable for $24,500. Rides like a dream. Estimated 44 mpg City and 44 mpg Highway, we now have right at one thousand miles and for the entire miles since we have owned it we are averaging 48.5 mpg.

We plan to keep this car for a while, so we matched the 100,000 mile ECO/MIS warranty for the entire car bumper to bumper.

We are looking forward to taking a cross country trip to see if we can break the 50 mpg threshold. We’re pretty sure that will be a reality.

So if you are needing a new car in the near future, start investigating your choices out there and find the perfect fit for your lifestyle and for the environment.

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If you want to lead a green lifestyle, don’t forget to go green with your grocery shopping. Here are some tips and suggestions for making your supermarket experience as green as possible.

1. Cloth bags

Most grocery stores sell these for a low price. If not, simply use your own cloth totes or re-use those brown paper shopping bags with handles. You can even make your own shopping bag from old clothes, blankets, or other materials. Using your own totes reduces the use of plastic grocery bags, which endanger sea life when dumped in oceans and do not biodegrade in landfills.

2. Choose your grocery store wisely

Look for a grocery store that sells local produce, or, if possible, shop at a locally owned grocery. Food that is grown locally does not require a lot of gasoline or jet fuel to get from the farm across the globe to your store. Check with the policies of your grocery store regarding recycling as well. Do they have a recycling bin for customers to put their used plastic bags in? Choose stores that sell organic produce, too. Organically grown produce is far better for the environment, as it does not involve the use of dangerous agri-chemicals.

3. Only pay for what’s necessary

This is an important aspect in green shopping, and it is one of the most neglected. We often pay for unnecessary things without thinking, but everything from packaging to preservatives are not necessary for a healthy diet and can generate a lot of waste when packaging is thrown away. Here are some things to keep in mind when trying to make your dollar go as far as possible and reduce waste.

-Buy in bulk. Bulk foods sold in bins do not have packaging, so you are paying for the food only. Bulk buying can also include large containers of canned goods or cereal that can be divided up into individual serving containers at home (re-usable containers of course). Not buying individualized portions reduces your consumption of packaging materials such as plastic, metal and paper.

-Whole foods are foods in their most basic form, with no additives or unwanted ingredients to deal with. When you buy whole foods, you are not paying for the preparation and packaging.

-Read labels – don’t pay for ingredients you don’t need or that are bad for the environment.

4. Plan your meals and make a list

Meal planning can reduce your waste quite a bit. When you plan meals, make a list according to what you’ll need for those meals and nothing more. This prevents impulsive spending and over-buying, and generates less waste than simply buying whatever looks good.

5. Sales and stocking up

Although sticking to your list has many advantages, keep an eye out for sales and stock up when you can. While you are shopping for your meals you have planned for the week, you can do a bit of the reverse – plan your next week’s meals based on what was on sale! The more you can buy in one trip, the less gas you will use making multiple trips to the grocery store.

Whether you are just getting started with your green shopping commitment or are looking for ways to improve your green lifestyle, keeping the above tips in mind should help.

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• Eco-Friendly New Year’s Resolutions

1. Eat organic food

You may already be doing this. But if not, this is a relatively easy eco-conscious resolution. Your can buy organic food, which will in turn make you healthier. You could combine this with commitments to eat out less often, or to buy locally grown, seasonal food whenever possible.
 
2. Creative recycling

You probably already recycle your plastic, glass, metal, and paper items by taking them to the recycling center or having them picked up. There is another way to re-use “disposable” items – make things out of them. You could commit yourself to a twice-monthly creative project that involves making something out of recyclable materials. There are entire magazines dedicated to this, so it should not be difficult to find ideas.   

3. Commit to less waste

Get the kids on board with this one. You might commit to using stainless steel, using refillable water bottles instead of disposable plastic ones, or packing your child’s lunch in a reusable bag.

4. Resolve to lower your carbon emissions

This could take the form of walking to more destinations, carpooling with friends, taking public transportation, or simply staying home a bit more. This can be integrated into a resolution to spend more time with your family – instead of going out, you could have a family game night. You’ll save fuel and spend more time with your family.

5. Eco-friendly cleaning for a less toxic New Year

Properly dispose of the chemical cleaners you use to clean your house and opt for home-made, simple cleaning recipes. Baking soda and vinegar can be used in various to clean just about anything. This will change the way your family does things, but isn’t that the point?

It can be difficult to stick with your New Year’s resolutions. But with the whole family participating, it can be an enjoyable experience that actually changes your lifestyle for the better.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

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If you take a shower, you use a lot less water than taking a bath, but showers can still use substantial amounts of water. If the weather is cold, a long, hot shower feels great, and if you have teenagers living in your house, long showers can be daily occurrences! There is a way to cut water usage without cutting time in the shower or at the sink, through – low-flow faucets.

Low-flow faucets use “restrictors” to lessen the flow of water, and they also aerate the water. Basically, they work by replacing water with air. Low-flow faucets distribute the water efficiently and evenly over your hands or body so that it feels like more water is being used. In other words, low-flow faucets distribute less water over a greater area.

Some sources say you can save $100 a year using low-flow faucets, and that you can cut your water usage by half at the site of installation. This is because you save:

1. Electricity or gas
Your hot water heater will not have to work so hard to heat water if you are using less. Therefore, you save energy.

2. Sewer fees
If you are part of a municipal water system, your sewer fees go up when your water usage does.

3. Water bill
Obviously, the less water you use, the less you pay per month.

You can replace your sink and shower faucets with low-flow ones for very little – such faucets start at only $15-$20. And this is a great DIY project for the average homeowner, so you won’t have to pay for professional installation. There are also online tutorials to help.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to replace your existing faucets with low-flow ones.

* Check the gallons per minute (gpm) on your existing faucets
The average water flow for a shower is between 2.5-5 gpm. Low-flow faucets can use a little as .5 gpm, although the average is between 1 and 1.5 gpm. Remember, low-flow faucets mix air in with the water so you will not notice a difference in water pressure. (Low-flow does not equal “trickle.”)

* Check your existing sink faucet aerators
You may not have to replace your entire sink faucet – just replacing the existing aerator with a low-flow one may do the trick. At about $3, this is a very affordable way to decrease your water usage.

Saving water is also a consideration for those who are concerned about the environment. Less water usage means less energy usage as noted above, and water is the most precious resource on our planet. Saving as much as possible makes sense, both for your budget and the earth.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

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Depending on your line of work and the layout of your home, you may be exposing yourself and your family to all sorts of toxic elements inherent in adhesives. Also, many adhesive products such as package tape are made from non-biodegradable plastic. Let’s take a look at some of the eco-friendly types of sealing products, and why they are better for your health and the environment than chemical adhesives.

- Package tape
Using brown paper tape rather than plastic package tape is better for the environment. It can be recycled or made from recycled paper, and it is as strong as its plastic counterpart.

- Carpet glue
There are significant health concerns surrounding the “off gassing” of carpet glue. Individuals with chemical sensitivities and allergies may find that they suffer attacks even when the carpet is “clean” because of the odorless fumes. In fact, carpet glue is implicated in “sick building syndrome,” an odd mix of symptoms that some people experience in office buildings or even in their own homes due to chemicals used in the construction of the building. There are eco-friendly alternatives to carpet glue, thankfully. Some homeowners simply tack their carpeting down without using adhesives at all.

- Glue
Wood glues, epoxies, and other adhesives can contain a significant amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are implicated in health problems that range from kidney and liver damage to cancer. However, there are water-based glues now on the market that contain very low amounts of VOCs, and some adhesives that contain no VOCs at all.

We all want our homes to be safe. Usually, that entails making sure the windows and doors are closed and locked, or that our alarm systems are set. But there are other ways to ensure our family’s safety, too, and that is by making informed decisions about eco-friendly products and conventional ones.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

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One of the first things that you will want to look at is your vehicle.  Do you need a new car? If so, you might want to examine hybrids, electric or other fuel efficient vehicles. These cars are affordable and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save you money in the long run. Make sure that your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated and check the tire pressure monthly. This will ensure that you get the best gas mileage from your vehicle. It will also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that your vehicle emits.

You will also need to look at the way you use your vehicle. Do you need to use your car as much as you do? If you use your car to go to work or run errands, can you use public transportation, carpool, walk or bicycle.

One way to stop global warming in your home is to use as little electricity as possible. Make sure that all lights and appliances are turned off when not in use. If you need new appliances make sure that you buy those with Energy Star labels. Energy Star appliances use less electricity which can save you money. Set your water heater to 120 degrees or lower. You can also save money and electricity by putting a hot water heater blanket over the hot water heater. You can also replace your light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.

The above mentioned ways are all easy ways that you can help stop global warming and its affect on the environment. Everyone should do their part to help limit the amount of carbon dioxide that enters the earth’s atmosphere. Every step that you take to help in the fight against global warming, no matter how large or small, will help.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

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Global warming, is defines as the rise in the earth’s temperature, due to the increase in the emission of greenhouse gases. The vehicles on the road do contribute to global warming, but they are not the only cause. If just one car is taken off the road, it can reduce carbon emissions by as much as seven to eight hundred pounds!

There is irrefutable proof that cars have a negative impact on the environment, but we still keep on driving, as if there were nothing wrong.  Why is this so?  Many people feel that they have to completely give up their vehicles or buy a new, gas efficient one.  Of course, these methods are the best ways to go about reducing the amount of carbon dioxide that enters into the earth’s atmosphere, but it is important to remember that these options are not your only. 

You do not have to completely give up your vehicle to help in the fight against global warming.  You just need to limit its use.  You can limit your vehicles use by carpooling or using public transportation.  If you work close to where you live, you can walk or bike to work.

If you have to use your vehicle, make sure that it is properly maintained.  If the air filter is dirty, it will need to be replaced. You also need to make sure that your tires are properly inflated. If you do these two simple things, you can save money and help stop global warming. If you keep your tires properly inflated, you will get better gas mileage, as well as lessen the amount of pollutants that come from your vehicle.

Everyone should do their part to help limit the amount of carbon dioxide that enters the earth’s atmosphere from your vehicle.  Every step that you take to help in the fight against global warming, no matter how large or small, will help.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

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Green investing means your money is earning you an investment return while you’re helping to back the companies who are doing the right thing by the environment and by the community. With green investing you could be making money while you’re helping the environment. An example of green investing could be to invest your money into companies researching and developing alternative energy sources or by investing into companies that make a positive impact on the environment.

Socially responsible investing began by appealing to investors who preferred not to have their money funding companies involved with things like tobacco, gambling or alcohol.

In more recent times green investing now screens out companies who are abusive or irresponsible toward the environment or their communities, companies who might practice poor labor relations or lack corporate integrity. This also means their green investments advocate companies that are making a positive impact on the environment or the community.

So how do you get started in Green Investing?

The simplest way to put your money to work in green investing is to invest it into an SRI mutual fund. A Socially Responsible Investment mutual fund does all the management of choosing green companies with decent returns for you.

A side effect of green investing is that over time as more people pour money into socially responsible companies, this action is sending a message to those companies who are guilty of extreme environmental pollution or poor labor practices that the community has become less tolerant of their corporate practices.

Are Green Companies a Good Investment?

Many governments around the world have begun legislating greener practices relating to a lot of industries in response to public feedback and concerns for environmental damage. As more companies scramble to find ways to comply with legislations and also find ways to meet public approval, green research and environmentally friendly products are on the rise.

This means many green companies are increasing their market share over time, but it may not necessarily make it a good green investment. As with any other investment, it’s wise to check the individual company for how they generate revenue and whether the company is performing well in terms of available cash flow and overall profitability.

For example, a new green start-up company specializing in green energy research might be funded by government loans, grants and investor money, but may not be producing any revenue of its own, so trying to calculate investment returns on a green investment like this would be difficult at best.

Overall, green investing is a great way to have your investment money aligned to your personal preferences but it’s still important to consider the total investment package and how your money would be put to work before jumping in.

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

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Pick appropriate plants. Not all plants are appropriate for the area you live in. While you might be able to control the temperature, humidity, and rain conditions inside your house, you can’t do it out in the garden. If you pick appropriate plants for your area, you may be able to avoid using fertilizers and saving on water too. Research, what plants are native to your surrounding areas and try planting them in your own garden. Wildflowers, are just that, they can pretty much be left alone and will thrive in most areas.

Pick natural repelling plants. You don’t need to rely on poisons to keep away garden ruining pests. Many plants produce chemicals that repel these animals naturally. By putting them in or around you garden, you can keep your garden safe with little effort and no chemicals. Plus, you can pick parts of these plants and use them to make products to keep them away from you too.

If you don’t want to plant natural repellents in your garden, you can use them to spray your plants without harming them or adding artificial chemicals to your garden. Many herbs like hot pepper, vanilla, and lavender can help repel insects from your garden.

Pull weeds. We’re all looking for a quick and easy way to safely get rid of weeds without chemicals, but the good old fashioned way is still very effective.  It you take time every day to pull the weeds you can find, you’ll only take a few minutes so it doesn’t seem like a lot of work.  You can even get the kids involved, just be sure to do it properly so you don’t spread the seeds around.  There are even some common weeds that are edible, just make sure there are no pesticides that could have gotten on them.

Crop rotation. Farmers all over the world use crop rotation to naturally fertilize plants. The concept is to change what crop you’re putting in a certain field each year. Plants use different nutrients and put other nutrients back into the soil. If you rotate crops that replace the nutrients the other plants use, you will have to fertilize the soil less. 

You can use this same concept in your garden by planting different plants every year, or just rotating where you put specific plants in the garden. 

Keep Going Green!
Lynne

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