Don't be in the dark this winter...
As the days get darker, we turn the lights on earlier and leave them on more each day. Lighting accounts for about a quarter of all electricity consumed in the U.S. Here are some ways to lighten the energy load while keeping your home bright:
- Replace light bulbs.
Regular incandescent light bulbs are inefficient, with 90% of their energy going to generate heat not light. Replace standard lamps with compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs -- they cost more per bulb but are far more efficient and last up to ten times longer. Over the life of one CFL, you can avoid replacing up to 13 incandescent bulbs and use 75% less energy! Visit http://www.energystar.gov for more information.
- Use lighting controls.
Photocells turn lights on and off in response to natural light levels - for example, on at dusk and off at dawn.
Crank timers, which are spring-driven and similar to old oven timers, limit lights to short durations where the need for light is brief.
Occupancy sensors activate lights when you enter a room and turn them off after you leave. They are good for areas of infrequent use, such as storerooms.
Dimmers reduce the wattage and output of light bulbs. They also significantly increase the life of incandescent bulbs.
Don't overuse kitchen and bathroom ventilation fans. Left on for too long, these fans can pull out much of your heated air.
Clean fixtures and lamps annually by wiping off the dust (make sure the bulb is cool first).
Clean or repaint walls. Dirt on surfaces reduces the amount of light they reflect and make the room feel darker.
Turn off incandescent lights when you're not using them, even if you're just leaving the room for a few minutes.
Hoping for a new cell phone for the holidays?
Do you and your family have old cellular phones, pagers or PDAs you don't know what to do with? Donating these items to Earth Share, and help our health, water, land, air and wildlife. Visit Earth Share to find out how to double the benefits of your recycling efforts!
Bundle Up with Mother Earth...
- Buy organic.
It's not just for vegetables anymore! Organic cotton clothing which has grown in popularity is made with fewer chemicals and uses less water. Natural fibers like hemp, soy, and others also have less of an impact on the environment.
- Wear plastic?
Approximately 40 billion plastic bottles are produced annually in the U.S. and about two-thirds of them end up in landfills. But two liter soda bottles can be made into fleece jackets and other clothing! Learn more at
www.patagonia.com.
- Re-use.
Buy clothes at consignment shops or online resellers like eBay. Donate clothes you don't wear anymore to local charity or sell it yourself.
Enjoy the Great Outdoors...
Because they're considered "off-season" by many travelers, the winter months provide a uniquely pleasant opportunity to visit national parks! Try Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and the Great Smoky Mountains in the winter and early spring. The cooler months can provide wonderful opportunities to experience the splendor of our natural heritage in peace and quiet. Visit the National Parks Conservation Association's "Explore the Parks" online resource for ideas: www.npca.org/
Burn Your Wood Heater Efficiently...
Save money and cut down on smoke by:
burning dry, seasoned, untreated wood
stacking wood under cover in a dry, ventilated area
using small logs
burning the fire brightly
don't let it smoulder overnight
open fire places are especially inefficient; use them only on special occasions.
Waterproofing Boots Naturally...
Many of us like to waterproof our winter boots, and most commercially available products for this purpose use toxic solvents- usually petroleum-based. Try lanolin as a safe alternative leather waterproofer. Lanolin is the oil in sheep's wool, and it is a natural water repellent that can be removed with no harm to the sheep. Available in pharmacies as "Anhydrous Lanolin," and in a handy tube, lanolin is a rich, lubricating cream that can easily be rubbed into leather. A one ounce tube costs about $3, but a little dab'l do ya. Health food stores now offer a liquid lanolin used for cosmetic purposes for about $1 an ounce. -care2.com
Natural Ice Melters, Traction Helpers, and Slip Stoppers...
Salt works wonders for melting ice on your driveways and sidewalks, but it also turns grass brown and stunts perennials -not to mention all that salt that washes off into sewers and groundwater. In time, salt actually eats away at the concrete of steps and sidewalks. Here are some little-known, eco-safe, great ice breakers:
Ice Melter: Alfalfa meal. This is a totally natural fertilizer that contains nitrogen to promote ice melting and has a texture to provide traction while it works.
Traction Helpers: For just plain traction, cover ice with wood ashes, coal cinders, sand, or cat litter.
Slip Stoppers: Invest in some non-slip stair treads for your favorite slippery steps. -care2.com
No More Static Cling!...
Commercial fabric softners can make us sick. According to a study by Anderson Laboratories, many commercial formulas emit chemical fumes like toluene, styrene and phenol that can cause acute respiratory tract inflammation and irritation. But what to do when dry winter air makes static-laden skirts scrunch and bunch, and pants creep up to your knees?
Learn the easy all-natural ways to banish static cling from your laundry, including the fabulous metal hanger trick that you can use on already-clean clothes!
1. Add either of these cling-busting additions to your laundry wash cycle:
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup or less borax
2. Add 1/4 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
3. Switch to a "green" fabric softener, like those made by Seventh Generation or Ecover, made with vegetable-based surfactants, salt, and natural scents.
4. Choose clothing made from natural fibers; they don't get static cling as readily.
5. Shake out your clothes when you remove them from the drier.
6. The metal hanger trick for already-clean clothes: Put on the garment. If it is a skirt or dress, simply reach up underneath it with a metal hanger and brush the inside of the garment with it, top to bottom. If it's pants, elongate the hanger and reach up inside each pant leg, brushing downward.
-care2.com
Protecting Yourself and Your Family From Radon...
Radon levels can soar during the colder months when residents keep windows closed and spend more time indoors. As many as 22,000 people die from lung cancer each year in the United States from exposure to indoor radon.
EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt urges Americans to test their homes for one of the leading causes of lung cancer in the country, indoor radon gas. Approximately one home in 15 across the nation has unacceptably high radon levels; in some areas of the country, as many as one out of two homes has high levels
EPA Recommends:
*Test your home for radon -- it's easy and inexpensive.
* Fix your home if your radon level is 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher.
* Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk, and in many cases may be reduced.
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