July 28th, 2009 - Barbara Feiner
How much water does an ENERGY STAR-rated clothes washer save?
It can literally cut your water usage in half.
A standard washer uses 32.5 gallons of water per load, while an ENERGY STAR-rated machine uses only 15 gallons, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
ENERGY STAR-rated washers also allow you to adjust water levels for smaller loads, and they spin-dry your clothes more effectively, which reduces dryer time.
While the average clothes washer lasts about 11 years, those manufactured before 1999 use 400% more energy than ENERGY STAR-rated models.
As of July 1, ENERGY STAR machines were required to be at least 43% more energy-efficient than the minimum federal standard, and they must meet stringent water-efficiency criteria.
Check out the DOE’s Make a Clean Change—Recycle Your Old Washer program, which promotes rebates on energy-efficient models. Recycling also saves about $145 per year in utility bills.
For Your Organic Bookshelf: Laundry: The Spirit of Keeping Home
Photo courtesy of GE
Tags: clothes washers, ENERGY STAR, environment, green cleaning, laundry, recycling, shopping, water conservation
Posted in green cleaning | 1 Comment »
July 14th, 2009 - Barbara Feiner
School may be out for summer, but seize the opportunity to increase your children’s vocabulary and environmental literacy with a good book.
Kids ages 3–8 will enjoy Recycle! A Handbook for Kids, by Gail Gibbons—a colorful 32-page book that explains the recycling process from start to finish.
Children will learn how different types of garbage—from paper and plastic to glass and aluminum cans—are recycled into new products. Gibbons also offers recycling tips and “trash trivia.”
“Gail Gibbons is a phenomenal writer whose informational books help kids learn new and interesting facts,” says Jennifer D. Turner, PhD, an assistant professor of education at the University of Maryland. “And she doesn’t disappoint with her book on recycling. This book is very readable and well organized, and helps children really get a sense of what landfills are and why we need fewer of them.
“Gibbons does thorough research in order to write her books,” Dr. Turner continues, “so when she describes how to recycle, why it’s necessary and its benefits, you know the information is accurate. The book ends with some interesting information about the ozone layer and the limited potential for recycling polystyrene, followed by 14 facts about garbage.”
For Your Child’s Organic Bookshelf
- Where Does the Garbage Go?
- Why Should I Recycle?
- The Three R’s: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle
- Garbage and Recycling
Tags: books, environment, Parenting, recycling, shopping
Posted in Parenting, The Environment | 2 Comments »
June 4th, 2009 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
Here’s a neat idea. Somewhere in Toronto, an artist is taking old newspaper dispensers and reclaiming them into flower pots. Looks pretty easy to do too! Just open them up, build a little box, add soil and pant.
I really like this! Although, I was more surprised to see people still read newspapers. Now, as a city urchin and if I had room for a garden, I would totally make one of these, but I’d ditch the flowers for tomatoes.
Via Green Inc.
Tags: gardening, recycling
Posted in The Environment, green beauty | 2 Comments »
May 20th, 2009 - Barbara Feiner
 When I was growing up, my grandmother would buy me a new box of Crayola 64-count crayons each summer, with the cool sharpener built into the package. Like most kids, I happily threw my old crayons into the trash.
Today, children can turn their nubby old crayon pieces into perfect new specimens through the National Crayon Recycle Program, which has prevented 44,000 pounds of crayons from piling up in landfills.
How about partnering with your local school for a crayon recycling drive? Kids in every classroom can bring their old crayons to school, and the principal can coordinate a single shipment to the program. Just be sure to read the crayon-prep rules, which include leaving labels intact for easy identification.
Parents and schools can also purchase the recycled results, called Crazy Crayons (available in 26 colors). They’re a great way to teach your children about organic living and the importance of recycling.
Additional Resources
Crayola’s Go Green! site for kids
Downloadable environment-themed coloring pages
Tips for raising creative kids
Tags: children, recycling
Posted in Green Living | No Comments »
May 15th, 2009 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
 New York City was built up a long, long time ago when energy efficiency wasn’t part of the plan. So nowadays buildings consume a lot of power, costing owners millions of dollars each year.
That’s why New York is all set to retrofit skyscrapers to help reduce carbon emissions, most notably the Empire State Building, which is slated to get a $20 million green makeover:
On the outside, the building will get 6500 windows refurbished into triple-glazed insulated modules, dramatically improving summer and winter efficiency. On the inside, the 78 year-old building is getting upgraded lighting, lighting controls and lighting design; upgraded or overhauled furnaces, chillers, and air-handlers. There will also be an emphasis put on demand-side management systems, allowing tenants to use their energy efficiently.
“Commercial and residential buildings account for the majority of the total carbon footprint of cities around the world – over 70 percent in New York City,” said Anthony E. Malkin of building owner, Empire State Building Company. “Most new buildings are built with the environment in mind, but the real key to substantial progress is reducing existing building energy consumption and carbon footprint.”
Actually, New York has been very active in the green revolution, such as instituting a statewide recycling program for plastic bags, subway rides that donate money to environmental programs and an apartment building in Brooklyn just got a solar roof.
Via CleanTechnica.
Tags: energy, recycling, solar
Posted in The Environment | No Comments »
March 18th, 2009 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
It’s always weird to see what mundane things like phone booths, parking meters and trash cans look like in other countries. Recycling bins are no different. Here’s a snapshot tour from around the world, including places like Austria, England, Australia and many more.
Now, if you’re wondering how all those plastic bottles and aluminum cans go from useless throwaways to brand new bottles and cans, RecycleBank has animated the whole process. It reminds me of the board game Mouse Trap, minus them mini bathtub and plastic cheese.
In related news, big cities are taking aim at plastic bags. New York has established a statewide recycling program for plastic bags and Washington, D.C. is wants to impose a fee on plastic shopping bags. Eh, just use reusable bags, I do.
Via TreeHugger.
Tags: plastic bags, recycling
Posted in Green Living, The Environment | No Comments »
March 6th, 2009 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
 I eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. So I’m at the supermarket fairly often and I always bring my reusable bags with me. But I still see plenty of people opting for plastic shopping bags, even double bagging it.
Now, I’m no eco-fascist. I wish people didn’t use them, but it’s their choice. So I don’t preach. I just hope they’ll change their mind some day, but many cities are being more proactive.
Washington, D.C., wants to impose a fee on plastic bags.
District of Columbia lawmakers are considering a 5-cent fee on plastic or paper shopping bags used at retail centers, including grocery stores, liquor stores and other businesses. A portion of these funds would be used to distribute free reusable bags to old folks and residents of low-income neighborhoods.
Our nation’s capital isn’t the first to crack down on plastic bags. Last year, San Francisco banned plastic shopping bags and Seattle legislators are now looking to charge 20 cents for each paper or plastic bag; ENN reports.
New York City and New York State have taken action too, requiring all retailers to offer collection bins for recycling plastic bags and wraps.
Tags: plastic bags, recycling
Posted in Green Living, The Environment | 2 Comments »
February 20th, 2009 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
You see that! That’s my giant pile of free address labels. You know, those things you get from all sorts of nonprofits asking for donations. Even the groups that say all the garbage humans leave behind is straggling mother earth! And it seems I’m not the only one fed up with it.
Cat Lincoln of GreenDaily is really annoyed! Despite her efforts, like signing up for Green Dimes, a pay service that gets you off mailing lists, Cat still gets bombarded with free gifts, i.e. address labels, and she points out, even the one’s printed with soy ink, can’t be recycled.
Okay, I’m all for charity, but even on a bad year, I don’t send a billion letters, or bills. Stop it!
Tags: earth, recycling, soy ink
Posted in The Environment | No Comments »
January 27th, 2009 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
 In Brooklyn, an old building, originally constructed in the 1880s and newly renovated into 25 commercial spaces, gets a green overhaul.
The Nassau Brewery, once called the Budweiser Brewery until a lawsuit by the more well-known Budweiser forced a name change, is the first commercial net-metered solar power array in New York City.
Net-metering allows customers to use their own power generation systems to offset energy costs, by sending excess electricity back into the grid, i.e. spinning their electric meters backwards.
Green builders Big Sue, LLC renovated the Nassau Brewery, located at 925 Bergen Street in Brooklyn. In addition to its 40 kilowatt solar panel system, the building features radiant heating, a 4,000 square foot green roof and locally salvaged materials, such as lights and sinks.
Nassau Brewery’s sister building at 1024 Dean Street, once used as an ice house, now houses 6 residential apartments and also sports a green roof, solar system, radiant heating and recycled amenities.
Actually, New York has really taken the green bull by the horns, other eco-innovations:
Via TreeHugger.
Tags: green roof, LED, plastic bags, recycling, solar
Posted in Green Living, The Environment | 1 Comment »
January 5th, 2009 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
 Governor David Paterson has signed a new law requiring all New York grocers and retailers that offer plastic shopping bags to provide collection bins for plastic bags and wraps.
New York City has already passed similar legislation.
Statistics show nationwide plastic bag recycling has increased 24% since 2006. New York’s new law, along with legislation passed in California, is expected to significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste headed to landfills.
Recycled plastic bags can be used to make consumer products, like shopping carts and new bags. So retailers across the nation have stepped up efforts to educate consumers and promote in-store recycling programs.
Now, to see how recycling works. RecycleBank breaks down the process step by step, from paper and metal to plastic and glass. It’s actually pretty cool!
Via ENN.
Tags: California, law, New York City, plastic, recycling, shopping bags
Posted in The Environment | 5 Comments »
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