Saving energy at home

November 10, 2009
 | by sh3lly
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There are many ways to improve your home’s energy and save money. Here are flash suggestions from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Action Guide.

What to Do:

• Replace flash lights or light bulbs with ones that carry the Energy
Star label.

• Buy appliances and electronics that carry the Energy Star label.

• Improve heating and cooling system performance.

• Improve your home instillation.

• Spread the word about using energy efficiently.

*Green Living Tip:  Have you given any thought to the shampoo you use on your head? Most shampoos contain man-made ingredients that have been chemically altered. They also contain an ingredient that should be banded; it is called Sodium Laureth Sulfate. Check your shampoos and body washes and even your soaps to see if the products your use contain this. If they do, throw them out and find a more earth-friendly brand. My personal favorite is A billion Energy Star-qualified products have already been purchased. Their combined use, in one year alone, saves equivalent of taking …

Natural herbs that heal

November 5, 2009
 | by sh3lly
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Instead of popping the first over-the-counter medication for stress, etc. give these natural herbs a go.

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•ELM: For those who are overwhelmed by responsibility, Elm puts problems into perspective and restores the ability to prioritize.

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•BEECH: When in-laws are driving you crazy, take a few drops of Beech to enhance your compassion and increase your tolerance.

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•HONEYSUCKLE: Eases homesickness and nostalgia, which will help you appreciate the present.

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•OLIVE: When you get exhausted and stressed out, Olive raises your self-awareness as it rejuvenates your body and mind.

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•MIMULUS: Can alleviate worries over money, which enables you to gain control of your finances at any given time.

 

*The Earth and Me, Go Green: Is your brain drained? Are you feeling stressed and overwhelmed? Try these activities that relieve the mental and emotional strain and restore yourself to new.


°Go Green:Spending time outside in “a green setting” is a potentially valuable component of treatment. Like a hike through a forest or even visiting a healing …

Empowered by the battery

November 3, 2009
 | by sh3lly
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As needed as they are to our wireless world, batteries don’t last forever. Tossed into landfills and incinerators, the mercury and other toxic metals batteries contain, leak into the environment and move up the chain of food supply, posing health risks to everyone. Cutting down on contamination of these is the only way, but here are ways to help:

•Buy mercury-free, heavy-duty, or carbon zinc single-use batteries.

•Reduce battery waste by choosing rechargeable options.

•Recycle or safely dispose of your batteries. Drop off sites include retail chains like Staples® and Radio Shack®. Even Eco-Cell collects used cell phone and sells them to businesses that refurbish them. Parts of their proceeds go to conservation programs like the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.

•To find out more on ways you can help visit Earth 911.

 

* The Earth and Me, Go Green!: 

Medication beach style? That’s right, seaweed might not be your fav- veggie, but eating it could reduce …

8 Ways To Live A Higher-Quality Life

October 28, 2009
 | by sh3lly
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1. FOOD: Eat the healthiest, freshest, most colorful foods, organically grown when possible. And remeber that “best” also includes what you have a hankering for right now.

2. MORNINGS: What you do in the first hour of your day sets the tone for the remaining 23. If you fit in some spirital practice (prayer, meditation, journal writing), a little yoga, and a good breakfast, you’ll feel terrific about yourself when you leave the house.

3. SELF-CARE: Choose products that align with your goals, practices that nurture your body and soul, and a health-and-grooming regimen you’ll stick with no matter what.

4. SUPPORT TEAM: You want the top doctor, therapist, trainer, coach, lawyer, or accountant-not necessarily the most expensive, but someone you can relate to, respect, and trust.

5. FRIENDSHIPS: Every person is valuable, but not everyone is ideal company. Favor those whose energy enlivens you and whose personality complements yours. You’re the most important person in your life and you deserve to be with great people. Cut ties with those who don’t bring out the best YOU.

6. TOOLS OF YOUR TRADE: If you’re an …

Save the planet by pulling the plug

October 28, 2009
 | by sh3lly
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Lower your bills, save your wallet and reduce pollution by disconnecting energy drainers.

Intermittently using electronics like your TV, laptop computer, and washer/dryer uses watss even in standby mode. That’s energy that can account for up to one-fourth of your electric bill, and the cost tp tje environment is even greater.

Electrical Outlet

Production of electricity is the single largest cause of global warming.

Just to produce all the standby power in the U.S. takes about 26 power plants, and it’s getting worse. American households consume about 25 percent more electricity than they did 25 years ago, and are expected to use an additional 25 percent over the next two decades.

Unplugging your unused electronic devices not only reduces pollution, it also makes a big dent in your utility bill.

Here are some ways to help you and the environment power down:

•Plug electronics into a power strips instead of wall sockets. After hitting the “off” button on the devices, switch off the power strip to prevent standby consumption.

•Power up seldom-used appliances only when necessary. Like using a second …

10 Ways To Make Your Air Cleaner

October 27, 2009
 | by sh3lly
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There is plenty we can do to improve air quality. Every time we use electricity, we require power plants to work harder, meaning more toxic emissions are released into the air. And every time we drive our cars, we are adding to the noxious mix of air pollutants. If we take some simple steps each and every day in our own lives, we can all have healthier, cleaner, fresher air around us.

1. PARK IN THE SHADE: Heat makes fumes from gasoline vent into the air even when your car isn’t running. The results of parking in the shade lowers the temperature of gas tanks by four to seven degrees. That’s enough to lower emissions by two percent over all.

2. PLANT TREES IN YOUR YARD: They’ll shade your house so you will use less of the air conditioner. Not only that but their leaves will absorb ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and other pollutants from the air.

3. AVOID IONIZING AIR CLEANERS: These machines use an electric charge to extract dirty particles from the air, but they also create levels of ozone well above …

Tips to help your going green life

June 20, 2009
 | by sh3lly
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There have been several articles published about going green in your own home as well as your own life. The main thing all these articles have in common is the fact that going green has never been easier, it’s the people involved that want to make the change in themselves and the people around them. You can start in your own home, as I have said many times, and it’s so quick and easy.

WHEN AT HOME:
1. Unplug the charger for your cellphone. The charger will continue to use electricity, even when there isn’t a phone hooked to the cord.

2. Use an old-fashioned draft stopper. By blocking the crack between an exterior door and the floor, your won’t need to use as much heat or air conditioning.

3. Run the dishwasher only when it’s full. Or better yet, wash your dishes by hand. Running your dishwasher on a constant basis uses 10 to 20 gallons of water a day. Don’t pre-rinse (a running faucet wastes 2.5-plus gallons a minute_ And don’t use the dishwashers drying cycle, open the door and let your …