3R’s Goes a Long Way!

3R’s …

Reduce.  Reuse.  Recycle.

You may have seen this before when it comes to things all around you in your everyday life.  Have you ever gotten tired of the bedroom, kitchen or dining set because you’ve thought … it’s looking a bit dated, old and just plain “tired?”  I know the feeling.  I recently had that same feeling about our dining set which we bought it when we first got married – that was almost 20 years ago!  Back then, white-washed (or pickled) finish was “in” at the time.  I didn’t want to just toss the old set (I actually didn’t want to spend over $3000 for a new set).  The style is fine, just the color was bothering me … so, over the next few weeks, I sanded it down, picked a dark espresso color stain and voila!  updated dining set.  As you can see, I Reduced my consumption, Reused something I already had and basically recycled a would-be destined perfectly good dining set to the landfill.

It was much easier than I thought it was going to be.

So, the next time you’re looking to buy something, give it the 3R Test and ask yourself … is there a way that I can reduce my consumption of “it,” can I reuse it in another way … if not, how can I recycle it?  At all cost (at the very least), re-purposing it is much better than simple trashing it and sending it to the landfill.

need a summer distraction?

Summer is upon us, and that means people are planning ways to enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Below are some ideas that you can involve yourself and feel good about it be “green” at the same time!

Whether you’re looking to get in shape, planning a day for the family, or creating a romantic night out, Carlson has a variety of reasonably priced or free activities that are both recession-proof and green friendly.

FITNESS

Go Hiking - It’s good exercise for the body, and getting out in nature is a terrific stress reliever. As long as you follow the rule of “leave no trace.” The only footprint you’ll leave behind is a harmless one.

Take a Bike Ride – Bicycling has obvious leg and cardio benefits, but it is also a petro and emissions free way to see some new sights. Remember to wear a helmet and follow traffic rules.

Green Golf – Traditional golf courses are maintained with toxic chemicals, polluting mowers and use lots of water to keep the grass green. Some courses are switching to more environmentally preferable techniques, including narrower fairways with less turf and less toxic weed and feed. Opt for those! Check out this link for eco-friendly golf courses across the U.S.www.golfandenvironment.org/ecofriendlygolf.htm

Take the Plunge - A good old fashioned swim builds up your endurance and is less jolting to your body than running. Find a saltwater swimming pool, or go to the beach for a chlorine free afternoon—but remember the chemical-free sun block.

Grow Your Own – Organic gardening will bring you back to nature by giving you some mild exercise by bending, kneeling and digging. It is also a non-toxic way to raise your own veggies, herbs and flowers.

FAMILY & KID-FRIENDLY

Go to the Park – Take a child to the city, state or national park near you. It is not only free (or low-cost), but a great nature-teaching opportunity.

Jump Rope, Play Hopscotch or Red Rover - Oldies but goodies for entertaining the school-age troops and helping them get some outdoor exercise.

Kick Ball - It’s more than a movie and easier than baseball. Kids of all ages (yes, even middle aged kids) can play. Plus, it’s low impact.

Sponsor a Scavenger Hunt - Make it a green hunt by hiding earth-friendly prizes. It will help teach kids about the fun of being outside and give them an idea of what green means.

DATING & ROMANCE

Enjoy Music or Movies in the Park - There is nothing more romantic than being outdoors on a warm summer evening with your other. Remember the non-toxic bug spray.

Green Drinks – Visit a rooftop bar that serves organic cocktails – you may have less of a hang-over with all the toxins removed!

Go Local - Go to a restaurant that serves locally raised ingredients. Reduce your carbon footprint further by walking, biking, or taking public transit to dinner.

next gen lighting?

We all know that replacing old incandescent light bulbs with Compact Fluorescent (CFL) bulbs saves energy and cuts lighting costs. As big of an improvement as CFLs are, new breakthroughs in Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology may soon put these bulbs in more homes, giving CFLs a run for their money.

Lemnis Lighting, a Dutch company, has developed a consumer-ready bulb that they believe is the future of lighting and is available now.

The new Pharox is a 6 watt LED bulb that matches the light output of a 60 watt incandescent bulb and contains no mercury. The bulbs are designed to last an astonishing 25 years with normal use and are fully dimmable.

While the price, just under $50, is steep for a single bulb, its super low energy use means a payback of just 3.5 years. Like any new technology there are some problems that need to be worked out. The bulbs may generate too much heat in enclosed fixtures like ceiling fans, and testing has shown lower light output than advertised. Despite this, the new bulb is important because it shows what is possible in the next generation of consumer lighting and the price is sure to fall as more companies produce these type of bulbs.

By  A. Galbraith

Wise Water Usage.

a precious resource

In the SF Bay Area, we enjoy clean, potable, good tasting tap water and often take it for granted that it’ll always be there.  As you know, this resource isgetting more and more scarce for a number reasons. I’ll first start off by identifying areas of waste, you can think of ways to stop this waste on your own …

• Dreading dripping faucet, could lose up to 6 gal/day (replace/fix it)
• Old toilet, uses 3.5 – 6 gal/flush (replace it)
• Running H2O while washing dishes, 20 gal/wash (stop it. fill one side for rinsing)
• Leaky toilet, could lose up to 40 gal/day (replace the stopper)
• Running H2O while brushing your teeth, @ 2x/day, 3.5 gal/day (use a cup)
• Washing machine loads, ~41 gal/load (get new one and/or use full loads only)

Go Low-flow. Use low flow shower heads (1.5 gal/min) and faucet aerators – can save up to 40% … you’ll never feel the difference!

Low Commode. Newer ones use as little as 1.3 gal/flush

Catch it. Consider install water catchment systems to be used in watering your landscape. This is the easiest way to conserve water for the landscape. Or, if you really want to go for it, consider a gray-water system that’ll take your shower water & sink (not food waste portion) and filter it through a system is used to water your landscape.  City permits and professional installation/advice is highly recommended for installing this type of system.

you’re in hot water …

smart ideas for home improvement, part iv

the other beast … the hot water heater.  Here are some ideas to help lower your overall energy consumption concerning your hot water.

Insulate it. Wrap it around the entire tank – don’t forget the hot water pipes (if exposed) too!

Lower it.  Turn the dial down to a comfortable level.

… when all else fails …

Replace it. Newer ones are more energy efficient and rebates from PG&E may be had.

Demand it. Heated tanks can lose up to 15% due to heat transfer so … Go tankless with a hot water on-demand system, they work much like those on-demand hot water dispenser near faucets and coffee makers.

Create it. Another good alternative is to install a solar hot water system.  Use something that is had for free … the sun!

Next week … Wise Water Usage.

the beast!

smart ideas for home improvement, part iii

If you add up your consumption of lighting & appliances, you will quickly see that they consume just as much as your heating and cooling system! Roughly 9% of your total usage is the beast in the kitchen … yes, your beloved refrig!  Here are some things to consider …

Replace it. Newer units use up to 50% less energy – remember PG&E may have a rebate waiting for you too.

Lower it.  The setting that is.  Experiment with the temperature settings by 1 or 2 degrees at a time to see what’s except-able.

Fill it. Keep the refrig and freezer sides full as cold/frozen food retains cold better and longer than air – make sure not to over-stuff your space as this decreases air circulation.

Next week … You’re  in Hot Water.

smart ideas for home improvement, part ii

lighting & appliances

The second largest energy consumer in your home is lighting and appliances …  33% of your overall energy consumption.

older appliances

If you’ve had yours for more than 10 years, it is likely that it’s not as efficient as a newer one that’s Energy Star rated.  Energy Star rated appliances basically use much less energy than your older one, just read the yellow sticker and choose which one best suits you.  Bonus:  PG&E may get you a rebate!

change that bulb!

Did you know that the standard (incandescent) light bulb uses 2/3 more energy than a Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL)?  I know what you’re thinking … those fluorescent ones are dim and they buzz, right?  I saw 3 types the other day at Home Depot: Bright White, Daylight & Soft White.  Bonus:  they last 7 – 10 years and made of much less Mercury than before.  Disposing of them is similar to used batteries. Go to your local hardware store and try one!

off hours usage

Try to use appliances such as dishwasher, clothes washer/dryer at night (after 7pm) where energy is cheaper and overall usage is down.

Next week … Refrigerator

nba green week?!?

green nba

Through their NBA Cares program, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has recognized April 2 – 10, 2009 as NBA Green Week.  If you’ve watched any NBA basketball this week, you’ve probably noticed the players (on the bench) wearing a t-shirt with this logo …The program is designed to both create awareness about forward progress regarding ecological concerns as well as help raise money for the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC) – a national and worldwide non-profit organization committed to bettering the world’s environment www.nrdc.com.

I think it’s great when organizations like this help to create awareness within the communities in which they operate in.  I also believe the NBA does a lot more for their surrounding communities than the MLB or NFL – I could be wrong, but it seems that the NBA is out there in the public eye … when you have time, click on the links above to learn about what they’re doing this week …

energy efficiency

smart ideas for home improvement

This is the first of a four part series that talks about energy efficiency and what you can do to increase your comfort in the home, cut down on energy bills, and staying green at the same time.

heating & cooling

We’ll start off by the highest energy consumer in the entire house … your heating & cooling system. As you can see, almost 50% of your total energy usage comes from this system; the first thing to note is the orientation of your home – obviously, this is something that cannot easily be changed but is worth pointing out a few things.

South facing: preferable orientation for windows w/a roof eave or awning. During winter, the sun is

nests are best

I came across this in Natural Home Magazine and thought to post this as a point of interest in the way of what homes should be.

We could all learn a thing or two from the way birds build their homes.

• These builders sing while they work
• They build sturdy nests with the nontoxic materials at hand
• They never build more than they need to keep their families sheltered
• Each nest is a perfect climatic response
• The nest owners know how to maintain and repair their structures
• When the nest’s useful life is complete, it returns to nature, to become the fertile ground for the growth of the next building cycle.

Isn’t this the way we should all be building our homes? Why have we strayed from this home building model?