Nowadays people should be more concerned about their environment. For these late decades, global warming has been threatening us that we have to do anything to save our planet. Doing little things, like energy efficiency, will give considerable effect to this planet. Green living must be applied to all aspects, including vehicle use.

Talking about green vehicles, you don't need to spend more money to buy a hybrid or an electric car or motorcycle to perform green living on the road. You just need to do proper maintenance with energy efficiency with the following tips. Furthermore, you can save your money while trying to save the world. Now you can check the info.

The very first and important thing to keep in mind is to make sure that your vehicles work well in which the engine performs the balance between power and fuel economy while it is lowering the emission levels. For the maintenance, keep a routine tune-up with some checking on charging and starting, mechanical, engine, battery, power control, ignition, emission, and fuel. If there are any problems with your cars you can directly correct them and save up to 40% for gas mileage. It is important since any problems are prone to give risk of excessive and improper emission which can pollute the air.

The air filter is another necessary point to consider. Just check it regularly and replace when it gets dirty and clogged. It is because clogged air filters might cause the engine to burn too much gasoline and lose power. This action can improve gas mileage up to 10%. Also, do some checking on the spark plugs to prevent erosion, fuel waste and misfiring. If you think it is time to replace, don't postpone.

Now consider the engine's cooling system in your car. Check the thermostat and make sure that it performs well. It there are some problems with the thermostat you can be losing 1 up to 2 miles per gallon of gasoline. To reduce the emissions and increase the system's efficiency, check the radiator caps. Make sure that they allow the cooling system to perform at high temperature before they boil over.

Last but not least, also check the tires and make sure that they are inflated. We can say that it is not difficult to perform a green living. Start now and you can save the world for the next generation.

Then if you need some info on garages as vehicle storage, you can consider automatic garage door to give protection for your car. Thus, you can visit http://garagedoorsopeners.org to find further info on this product before you buy it for your garage.

More eco-friendly enthusiasts are coming out of the woodwork every year. The effects of global warming on our environment are increasing in its awareness and more people want to help make the earth a livable place for future generations to come.

Green living is on the rise all across the globe, not just in the United States. In many areas across the world, recycling has taken off and in some cases, has become a way of life. Some cultures find recycling a necessity because their own natural resources are limited and they don't have the funds to buy new items all of the time.

Companies are making eco-friendly cleaning and pesticide products for use in the home. Instead of using chemical-based aerosols, more natural ingredients are used in the cleaning agents and bug-killing aerosols. They're better for you and the environment.

People are beginning to tend their own organic gardens. By eliminating the harsh chemicals that are released into the air and soil, they're making all living things healthier as well as the environment.

There are green living enthusiasts that are taking to walking or riding a bike to help save the air from the harmful emissions from congested traffic. Some are also beginning to carpooling to lessen traffic. They help the air become more breathable again.

Consumers are buying more biodegradable products - or ones that can be easily recycled. This helps keep the landfills from growing out of hand will all of the trash we throw out that won't break down or will contaminate the soil and water supply.

There are those who are cutting down on energy costs. The less energy used in our homes, the better off the environment will be. Most of the energy saving tips are inexpensive and easy for anyone to do.

Water usage is coming down over the last decade. The more global warming awareness that we put out there, the more people are trying to save the water supply by using less water in their daily activities.

Some people are even choosing to repair the broken appliances instead of sending them off to the landfill. This not only helps the environment, but also saves people a lot of money in some cases. If it can be easily repaired, why not avoid throwing a perfectly good item away?

The bottom line is - more people are starting to care about the planet. By doing everything they can, the earth will continue to be a wonderful place to live for future generations that will inhabit it.

For more information about Green Living please visit Modern Eco Homes dot com, which sells a wide range of eco friendly furniture [http://www.modernecohomes.com/eco-furniture.html] and solar powered products.

It only takes a little effort to go a long way.  Here are a ten tips for green living.

- When you're in the market for a new computer, consider a laptop.  It saves space, goes anywhere and uses five time less energy than a desktop model.

- Instead of sending old rugs to the landfill, check with your local animal shelters to see if they can use them. Old towels, blankets, and sheets are also appreciated.

- Buy shade grown coffee.  It's grown naturally right under the rain forest canopy, preserving forests from clear-cutting and leaving more tree to absorb CO2. 

- Start a program where you buy in bulk and share the extras with friends and family.   All participants will save money, and reduce packaging and gas costs.

- Take your own reusable coffee mug each time you go get coffee.  Think of all the paper cups you will prevent from ending up in the landfills.

- The power of one:  If every U.S. home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star bulb, we would save enough energy to light 3 million home for a year.

- Volunteer for a local conservation organization.  Volunteers really do make a difference.  The place you are in needs you today.

- Washing Clothes in cold water eliminates 2 pounds of CO2 per load.  Also, wash clothes less frequently - only when they really need it.

- Wrap your water heater in a insulated blanket and you will eliminate 1,000 pounds of CO2 a year.  Eliminate another 550 pounds by lowering the thermostat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

- During sunny months use a clothesline.  Line-drying makes your clothes smell fresh and clean, and you can prevent 600 pounds of CO2 over six months.

For information on green energy living visit GreenEnergySherpa.com [http://www.GreenEnergySherpa.com].

Robert J. Snyder

robert@greenenergysherpa.com

[http://www.GreenEnergySherpa.com]

Making Sustainable Choices

Making sustainable choices are an important component of green living. Making sustainable choices means purchasing products that don't cause a negative impact on the environment and that will not make it more difficult for future generations to continue to sustain themselves. Making sustainable choices during the design process is referred to as 'green design' or 'sustainable design'. Some great sustainable choices to consider when decorating include:

Natural stone counter tops



Cabinets and other products made from woods such as bamboo, eucalyptus, or recycled wood



Carpet made from natural fibers, such as wool and cotton, or made from recycled materials



Green-friendly paint and home wallpaper, which is being offered by a growing number of manufacturers



Antiques - after all, they are being recycled!

You don't have to create a bland and boring home décor in order to enjoy green living. In fact, there are numerous options out there that will allow you to make your home look great while still protecting the planet.

Appliances for Green Living

When it comes to green living, a great place to start is in your kitchen. Remodeling can add a great deal of value to your home, can make it more functional and attractive, and can help you make your home more eco-friendly.

When buying for your kitchen, look for modern appliances to help bring your home up-to-date. By purchasing those appliances with the Energy Star rating, you can potentially cut the amount of energy you use to power those appliances in half. Adding faucet aerators to your kitchen and bathroom faucets will also help reduce the amount of water you use while still providing you with a high pressure stream of water.

Obtaining Green Products

Fortunately, green living is rapidly growing in popularity. In response, many manufacturers are offering lines of eco friendly products that can be used for decorating purposes. In addition, a growing number of online and offline stores that are dedicated solely to green living are becoming a more common occurrence.

One great resource for green living products is http://www.greenhome.com. This site carries only eco-friendly products, including furniture, bedding, and home furnishings. Another great online resource for green living products is http://www.livingreen.com. Here, you can find wall coverings, furniture, flooring, and more.

Although it may take a little more time and effort to find and purchase eco products for your home, the effort will be worth it. Not only will you be doing your part to help conserve and protect the environment, green living is better for your health and can save you money in the long run.

San Francisco Interior Designer - Mint Home D?cor.

Green Living in Orlando, Florida and elsewhere is no longer just about hugging trees! It is about our making a conscious decision to incorporate modern technology, energy awareness, and a commitment to conservation practices in our everyday lives. And the FIRST step we can all take toward green living is being aware of our habits that will have a negative impact on the environment, and then SECONDLY taking the necessary steps to change them.

The following are 8 easy tips to help you on your journey to GO GREEN... one day at a time:

1. Change out incandescent bulbs for energy efficient, fluorescent ones. You will not only save money, but you will help to reduce your carbon footprint.

2. Turn lights and fans off when leaving a room. Who knew that the same advice that our moms told us years ago would be such timely advice for us today!

3. Install low-flow shower heads and reduce water usage by 50%.

4. Recycle. Take advantage of your city's recycling program for newspapers, glass, plastic and cans.

5. Caulk and use weatherstripping. The use of these around your doors and windows will help to ensure that neither your cooling or heating is escaping. You will be rewarded for your efforts when you see your monthly energy bills decrease.

6. Stop the leaks. Did you know that a drip a second from leaky faucets, showers and toilets can add up to a loss of 200 gallons of water a month?

7. Let the sun shine in! In the winter months, be sure to open blinds and draperies to allow the natural sunlight in to warm your home... a natural energy saver, as well as an emotional pick me up!

8. Unplug appliances and other electrical equipment when not in use. Even when these are not physically turned on they are sucking power from outlets, especially LCD and plasma screen TV's.

Green Living is not a fad... it's here to stay. It needs to become our way of life in order to preserve and protect the earth for future generations!

Jeannene H. Edwards, owner of INTERIORS DEFINED,INC. is a highly sought after professional home stager and licensed interior designer in Orlando, Florida. She has merged with DAVID EDWARDS CONSTRUCTION to now offer complete architectural design and building services to further meet the needs of her clientele. Jeannene, known for her dynamic and informative seminars, is available to speak for sales meetings and group events. Her award winning designs and 'how-to' articles have been widely published in newspapers, magazines and trade manuals nationally. INTERIORS DEFINED, INC. is a five-star full service interior design and staging company, specializing in classic design and casual sophistication. To show you how to avoid the guesswork and save thousands of dollars and aggravation to get your home sold in today's challenging market, or further information regarding the many additional design, remodeling and building services being offered, please contact Jeannene Edwards at: [http://interiorsdefined.com/], http://idihomestaging.com/, [http://davidedwardsgc.com/]

Perhaps you think that green living does not apply to you as a renter. I don't agree. Individual behavior, whether as a home owner or renter, has a major impact on sustainability.

Renting places some limitations on how you can go green. For example, buying a rain barrel or installing solar panels and wind turbines don't make sense; you would not receive enough benefits to make such purchases worthwhile. But, there is still much you can do a lot to reduce your carbon footprint as a tenant. The benefit to you is more than just the knowledge that you are living more sustainably and reducing your carbon footprint. You will save money as well.

Here are 5 things you can do as a renter to establish a greener lifestyle.

1) Go back to basics. Turn off faucets while brushing teeth or soaping hair; unplug appliances when not in use; switch to compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs; install window treatments to keep your place warm in winter and cool in summer.

2) Replace burned-out incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). CFLs use 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Some of the more recent versions of CFLs will work with dimmer switches. They also generate less heat, which will reduce your cooling costs in the summer.

3) Reduce water that goes down the toilet.Toilet flushing accounts for about 30 percent of the water consumed in an average home, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Placed a 2-liter soda bottle filled with water or a couple of bricks in your toilet tank to displace some of the water, reducing the amount used in each flush-refill cycle. This may shock some people, but you can consider not flushing as often. Depending on your, shall we say, "activities" in the bathroom, the toilet may not need to be flushed with every usage.

4) Use toilet tissue made from recycled paper.According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, if every household in the USA replaced one roll of traditional toilet paper for one made with recycled paper, the effort could save 424,000 trees. You can replace all of yours.

5) Use rags for cleaning up rather than paper towels. Rags can be laundered and reused. Laundering requires some energy and resources, to be sure, but a lot less than manufacturing new paper towels.

6) Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use.Even when they're switched off, most home appliances and electronic devices continue drawing a little bit of power as long as they're plugged in. Keeping them in a constantly warmed-up mode is what gives these devices the nice "instant on" feature. But these "vampires" account for an estimated 10 percent of residential energy use in the United States. Make it easier to shut these appliances and devices down by plugging them into a single power strip that can be switched on and off.

And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to two of my Living Green Reports when you subscribe to the Living Green and Saving Energy Newsletter at http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/

The newsletter brings you practical tips and information on how to create and enjoy a green lifestyle and save money. The newsletter is absolutely free!

Would you like to save up to $1000 per year for life by going green? The Ebook "6 Weeks To A Greener Lifestyle" shows you how. And "How To Take A Green Vacation" gives you all the information you need to travel in a more eco-friendly manner. Get all the details here: http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/ebooks

Green living ideas are soaring in popularity for several reasons. For starters, it is obvious that these Earth friendly solutions can help the environment, and best of they will save you money.

It seems odd now to think about how wasteful many traditional energy practices have been in the past. At one time gas guzzling cars were the norm, and people gave little thought to filling up their gas tanks as often as they liked. Gas was cheap and no one had really given any consideration to what was happening to the climate or the ozone layer. Even home energy bills were relatively cheap even though there was little being done to promote energy efficient homes at the time.

Now we understand that green living ideas are our key to creating a better future for both our families and our planet. This has meant rethinking the way that we live and learning to be more conservation minded in our daily habits. It also means learning how to appreciate and harness renewable energy sources.

Here are some of the most useful tips that center on green living ideas that make real sense; and help you save dollars and cents.

? Home composting is one of green living ideas that is often overlooked. Purchase a kitchen composting bin to collect those scraps of food. Then you can regularly carry your kitchen scraps to an outside composter. This will generate fertilizer for your yard and garden that is free of pesticides and chemicals. Going organic with home compost saves money and is a perfect way to show your support for green living.

Of course you can always take your enthusiasm for green living by investing in a residential solar powered energy system or construct a home wind turbine. These ideas frequently involve an initial investment that can cost you thousands of dollars up front if you are going to purchase one of the larger solar powered systems for your home.

The biggest thing to remember is that the costs for solar power systems increase substantially depending on how much of your home you are going to convert to this sustainable energy source. A little planning can help you keep costs well within your budget.

While solar powered energy systems can definitely save you money you can use the following ideas to help trim the initial cost that may be required. A little modification and updating of your windows and doors for instance can save you big dollars when you are finally ready to have your home solar panels installed.

If you want to begin your new green lifestyle with smaller steps try these ideas for starters.

? Change out the old incandescent lights and replace them with efficient CFL bulbs.

? Check your windows for air leaks and cracks that could be costing you energy dollars that are draining your bank account. While you may need to breathe air your windows should be a bit more "breathless". Calking around the sills can help save money. Installing double paned windows and using drapes to cover the exposed glass can also cut energy costs. Energy leaks at windows not only cost you money the wasted energy creates extra consumer demands that are ultimately harmful for the environment.

? Check and replace leaking seals on your doors if air leaks are detected. There are many of these home improvement products that can quickly be attached to doors to eliminate unnecessary air exchange.

? Keep your home thermostats set on 68 or lower during the cool months of the year. This is healthier for you and it is one of the easiest green living ideas to initiate immediately.

? Have your HVAC system checked by an expert so you can make sure that it is functioning at optimum capacity.

These are a few tips that show green living ideas can be as inexpensive as they are beneficial. Remember that any solar power system (or other renewable energy option) you choose is going to save you money in the long run. Now it's up to you to get the ball rolling and show your support for a better world.

Nicole Roberts
Welcome to Renewable Energy Development, inside you will discover an amazing selection of low priced and excellent quality green living ideas.

Going green is increasingly popular as a way to reduce energy use, conserve water, and recycle and reuse materials to avoid overburdening local landfills. Not everyone has adopted a greener lifestyle, and some people seem to have rejected green living outright. I find this attitude peculiar, as living greener is also a way to save money. However, if you are one of those people who prefers not to live greener, then this article is for you.

Here are five tips on how not to go green.

1) Keep burning incandescent light bulbs. They are only about 5% efficient in creating lights, releasing 95% of the energy they consume as heat. The incandescent bulbs will also heat up your home more in the summer, forcing you to use more air conditioning, but no matter. You are not interested in saving energy anyway. There is no reason for you to consider installing compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) even if they last longer and use 75% less electricity than incandescent bulbs.

2) Drink lots of bottled water. After all, bottled water only costs about 100 times more than water from your tap. Then there is the matter of all those plastic bottles. About 85% of them are not recycled according to the EPA, so why should you bother. Just throw them in the trash and they will go to the landfill with all your other garbage.

3) Take baths and extra-long showers. A typical bathtub takes 40-70 gallons to fill, and all of that water has to be heated. Even though an 8 to 10 minute shower would use only about 15-20 gallons, that savings of water and energy to heat the water doesn't concern you. If you decide to opt for a shower, just stand there under the warm flow of water and enjoy it for a while. Maybe you can work on your singing while you are standing there.

4) Fall asleep with the television on. You don't need a timer for this. Just let the TV run, even if you are not awake to watch it. The background noise might even help you get to sleep.

5) Keep that old toilet. Don't even consider replacing it with a low flush model. Your old standard model probably uses 3 to 4 gallons of fresh water with every flush, compared to one of those newer toilets, that only requires 1.6 gallons per flush. That is an extra amount of water flushed away equal to about two thousand gallons per toilet each year. You will pay more on your water bill each month, but this is part of the cost of not going green.

Are any of you ready to reconsider your decision about not going green yet?

And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to two of my Living Green Reports when you subscribe to the Living Green and Saving Energy Newsletter at http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/
The newsletter brings you practical tips and information on how to create and enjoy a green lifestyle and save money. The newsletter is absolutely free!
Would you like to save up to $1000 per year for life by going green? The Ebook "6 Weeks To A Greener Lifestyle" shows you how. And "How To Take A Green Vacation" gives you all the information you need to travel in a more eco-friendly manner. Get all the details here: http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/ebooks

• Automatic noise protection - amplification automatically shuts off at 82dB attenuating impulse and continuous noise


• Sound amplification - sound is amplified to deliver superior directional sound quality in stereo


• Headband adjusts for a secure, non-slip fit


• Single knob control for on /off and volume; power automatically shuts off after 4 hours of use


• Equipped with an external audio input that allows you to connect to your own audio source

To capture low level sound, the Impact Sport employs built-in microphones that amplify range commands and other important sounds. Users enjoy full, clear directional hearing in stereo. For protection, the Impact Sport actively listens and automatically shuts off amplification whenever harmful sound levels are reached. The earmuffs effectively block any noise, continuous or impulse, of 82dB or more. External audio imput allows you to connect your IPOD or other audio source.  Black  leatherette headband with hunter green earcups. Snap-on lid for quick and easy battery replacement. Outstanding battery lifetime. Includes 2 AAA batteries. Compact Fold design for convenient storage.  Noise reduction rating: NRR 22 provides excellent attenuation in a sporting environment .

Price: $73.23

Click here to buy from Amazon

Here is a green living tip that is absolutely, 100% certain to save you money.

Did you know that about 70% of the total energy usage of your TV or other electronic devices occurs while they are switched off? This silent energy consumer is the so-called "vampire energy" that provides the instant-on gratification when you turn the device on, but continually drains energy, even when the devices are turned off, by keeping them in a perpetually "warmed-up" state.

What can you do to stop this energy and cost drain?

Buy switchable power strips for all your electronics. You can use the power strips to cut the power completely to your electronics, TVs, and DVD players each night and whenever you will be away from home for an extended period of time. You will save about $30-50 per power strip over a year, recouping the cost in about 6 months. After that, you are reaping a pure benefit: free cash flow.

These simple power strips will save energy, and they are a financial winner for you as well. There is only one drawback to using them. Sometimes it is difficult to remember to switch off the power strips whenever you are ready to power down the devices plugged into them.

Fortunately, there is another option that can solve this problem for you. The alternative is the so-called smart power strip. These handy devices have built-in auto-switching technology on some of the sockets. Auto-switching sockets will sense when your computer or other device goes into a sleep mode and will cut the power to those devices completely at that time. The benefit, of course, is that you do not have to remember to turn off the power manually. Conveniently, these outlets are color-coded with three options that give you complete control over whether to cut power or not. The blue outlet is the control outlet that senses whether to shut down power as necessary. White outlets follow the control blue outlet as it turns power on or off. Red outlets are always on unless the power strip itself is unplugged. The latter outlet is useful for those devices (clocks, for example) that should be on all the time.

Here is how they work from a practical perspective. When your computer plugged in the blue outlet turns idle, the electricity to the computer is cut completely, and the various electronics (for example, printers) in the white outlets will also stop drawing any additional current. This type of power strip comes really handy in your home office.

And a smart power strip only costs a little more.

Either way, switchable power strips or smart strips have the added advantage as serving as surge protectors to protect your electronic devices. And both types will pay for themselves many times over during their useful lifetimes. You will save both energy and money--guaranteed.

Want more ideas about how to live a greener lifestyle and save money? Go to Steve Stillwater's web site at http://www.livinggreenandsavingenergy.com. Steve offers to easy-to-implement green living tips and ideas that allow you to live green and save money. Better yet, sign up for his free newsletter which gives you regular updates on green news and information you can use, and get 2 Free Bonuses just for signing up: 1) 10 Easy Ways to Save Gas and 2) 2010's Top 20 Fuel Efficient Cars. Take an easy step toward a greener lifestyle at http://www.livinggreenandsavingenergy.com.

Green living makeovers must include steps to conserve fresh water. Water is a natural resource that is becoming more scarce are the world population grows.? News reports of water shortages are becoming more and more common.

Scarcity of fresh water is especially common in large cities, including major metropolitan areas of developed nations. Water use restrictions are common in areas of the USA that include Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and other major cities.

There is one step that homeowners can take to combat the water shortages. It is relatively simple and inexpensive to implement, and it will save thousands of gallons of water annually. This simple step will also save money on water bills.

This green living step is the following: collect and use rainwater.

Rainwater is free. It just falls from the sky, and is represents water available without any cost to anyone who takes the trouble to collect it.

How do you collect rainwater? The simplest solution is to use a rain barrel. Rain barrels can be placed under the downspout that drains water from the gutters around your roof. This water is not suitable to drink, as the run-off from your roof will contain particulates and bits of dirt, and it may also contain trace amounts of chemicals leached from the shingles on your roof. But this water is perfectly suitable for watering your lawn or garden.

Every gallon collected and used this way is water you will not purchase from your local utility or water provider.

Ideally, you can set up more than one rain barrel to collect rainwater more efficiently from your roof. By positioning the barrels strategically around your house you can collect a surprising amount of water that would otherwise run-off into the street or the sewer system, ultimately winding up in the water treatment plant. But rainwater does not need to be treated, as it is good enough to use directly for home watering. A 55 gallon rain barrel can help you save about 500-1000 gallons or more of water per year (depending on how frequently it rains where you live).

Many hardward stores have rain barrels available. You can also buy purpose-built rain barrels that have have built-in spigots that allow you to more easily tap off the amount of water you need at any time take and use only the water you need at any time.

For the truly serious, rainwater can be collected in storage tank buried under your lawn. These tanks can collect and hold from a few hundred to more than 1000 gallons of water.

Consider installing rain barrels to collect roof run-off at your home. You will gain the ability to conserve thousands of gallons of water each year, helping to combat water shortages as you green your life at home.

And now I would like to invite you to sign up for my FREE 7-day E-Course "How To Live Greener and Save Money" at http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/. This 7-day e-mail course will show you how to make your lifestyle greener while saving money at the same time.

Would you like to save up to $1000 per year for life by going green? The Ebook "6 Weeks To A Greener Lifestyle" shows you how. And "How To Take A Green Vacation" gives you all the information you need to travel in a more eco-friendly manner. Get all the details here: http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/ebooks

Trying to live a greener life? Here's an easy green living tip that can truly benefit the world: make your next computer a refurbished model.

If you're wondering what difference that would make, let's take a look at the bigger picture.

At the time of this writing, almost 232 million computers had been sold worldwide this year alone. For those that are desktop computer, then add a keyboard, a mouse, a monitor, and often a printer.

Most of this equipment will replace older equipment. Some will be recycled and refurbished, but most of it will make its way to the landfill.

Most of this equipment will go through a production process. This is notable because a 2004 United Nations University report concluded that manufacturing an average PC required nearly ten times its weight in raw materials. The caveat, of course, is that it was a UN report, and the world has since awoken to the fact that the United Nations has a very specific agenda and isn't beyond manufacturing numbers to achieve its goals.

However, having recognized this, even if the numbers are way off, they're still quite alarming. The amount of oil, plastic, metal, and resources that are involved in the annual production of the world's computers are staggering.

The more we recycle and refurbish these materials, the better off we all are.

And refurbishing computers is the best way to do this.

There are companies that are working toward creating green computers. Some are trying to recycle parts. Some are trying to use lead-free materials. Some are working toward reducing the power usage of its computers.

However, until the manufacturing process is dramatically redesigned to control the waste and environmental consequences, the best step you can take toward living green is to recycle your computers and all their components. It's a small steps with a big impact.

So check with the manufacturer to see if they have uses for old computers. Or donate your computer to a charity that will make sure it ends up in the hands of someone who can use it. Or check online to find a recycle center in your area.

Every little bit helps.

Discover a whole slew of green living tips, and pick up a FREE copy of our ebook, Top Living Green Tips at: http://livinggreentips.org

When it comes to gardening, there are some additional benefits to just having your own fruits and vegetables. Not only can you be a "green" thumb, but you can be a contributor to the "green" living movement by recycling common household "garbage" items into useful, and helpful, garden utensils. Take the common soup can. By removing the top AND bottom lids, this cylinder becomes a useful starting pot. Removing the top and bottom lids will help aid in the removal of your plant start with greater ease. Now, don't throw away those lids! The lids can be placed at the base of light loving plants, such as tomatoes! The lids will reflect sunlight, thus providing extra light.

In addition, the reflected light has been shown to repel plant eating insects and aphids. To deter birds from your fruits trees, punch holes in the lids and hang them from tree branches. Apparently the reflected light and movement scares these rascals away.Another "green" idea for recycled starting pots are used, washed, individual jello or pudding containers! They are just the perfect size to start individual plants! It is also wise and frugal to wash and reuse any and all previously purchased vegetable or plant containers. It is important to wash the containers out, and even use a mild bleach solution, to kill any bacteria or pest that may have hitched a ride with the previous "owner." Styrofoam or plastic trays from pre-packaged meats make excellent holders for peat pots or pellets. They are also practical holders for your individual plant starts and help prevent water from getting on your window sill or potting bench.

Pre-packaged dinners, such as lasagna, come in perfect containers in which you can convert to a medium for starting various herbs or vegetables.One gallon plastic milk jugs have a variety of uses. The milk jug can be either used as an individual miniature green house, or, by just using the top 2/3rds of the jug, you can make your own "hot" caps for tomatoes or peppers. I have also used the extra plastic to make plant markers. With a "sharpie" and a plastic marker, I have a winning combination...all water resistant so I don't forget what I planted and where!Popsicle sticks are another excellent choice for garden stakes or plant markers.

I even keep the plant markers from the previous garden season. I just simply reuse them if it is the same type of plant or I turn the marker over and write on the back the new vegetable I am growing!Instead of going to the land fill, raked leaves, lawn clippings, spoiled hay, etc., can and should be used for mulching around individual plants and on garden pathways. Please see my article on mulching for a much more detailed description of the benefits.As you can see, there are many practical, useful, and helpful applications that can be employed in your backyard garden from "recycled" items. By employing these "green" tips in your garden, you will not only improve the environment, but you will greatly enhance your "green" thumb!

C.L. Carr lives off the grid and enjoys the homestead lifestyle. For more tips on gardening, animal husbandry, self-sufficient living, etc., please visit http://emergencyfoodpreservation.blogspot.com or http://survivalcentral.blogspot.com

Raising a green baby is a funny title, admittedly. Of course we are not suggesting you do anything that will make the complexion of your newborn's skin become green. Now that we've gotten all that out of the way, let's discuss what it does take to raise a green baby, environmentally speaking.

Probably the first important area where the main issues arise concerning using environmentally sound alternatives to raising your baby according to green living principles is diapers. Disposable diapers are unhealthy for the natural environment, period. They sit in landfills for a really long period of time and they essentially never biodegrade. They are a poor solution for a more "convenient" society. Now, there is an argument that cloth diapers have an almost equally bad effect on the environment, but this relates to a different aspect of the cloth vs disposable diapers debate.

The argument against using cloth diapers is that they require a lot of energy to clean. The negative impact of using a cloth diaper is almost totally connected with the process of cleaning, or laundering, that diaper. Well, this grievance is most likely well founded. You see, it does require plenty of energy to wash a cloth diaper. I imagine it is reasonable enough to say that nearly all of that energy is used in machine drying. So, the idea is to utilize cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers, because of the waste impact and to air dry those diapers rather than machine drying. This compromise most likely results in the best green parenting solution available for green baby diapers.

Now, there are more ways in which to raise a green baby, as well. Baby foods are a strong factor when it comes to raising a hale and hearty eco-friendly baby. Making homemade organic baby food isn't all that hard. All it comes down to is creating puree and all puree comes down to is putting cooked organic foodstuff in the food processor. It is much better for your tiny tot to eat homemade pureed foods and healthier for the environment to avail yourself of locally grown, organic food to prepare your baby's puree.

If you want to keep your baby healthy, one of the ideal ways is to outfit your child in organic clothing. Today's baby clothes are packed with noxious chemicals such as formaldehyde and extra substances to keep them fire retardant and water resistant. Using organic clothing will keep these chemicals out of your baby's system and possibly steer clear of disease and illness that can be caused by so many of the substances used in non-organic baby clothing. Just think, Benzene, Ammonia, and Ethylene Glycol are used in baby clothes as finishes.

Until a short time ago, not too many people thought about the necessity of eco friendly toys for baby. That was until American toy manufacturers discovered some of their baby toys had been made with lead paint and other dangerous solvents by their overseas facilities. Just like baby clothes, baby toys can frequently be made with compounds that you genuinely don't want your baby exposed to at a young age, or possibly any age for that matter. Be careful about your baby's toys and look into the materials used to craft them, or purchase green toys from manufacturers devoted to using only innocuous organic materials in the production of their toys.

Green Parenting Tip: When buying green toys for your baby, consider buying only the following:

toys shipped in environmental packaging such as recycled corrugated boxes
toys crafted from natural, sustainable, recyclable, biodegradable and/or recycled materials
toys made from recycled materials such as recyclable plastics
toys made from sustainable woods
toys that contain no traceable amounts of Phthalates or BPA

There are loads of other areas where you can focus your awareness to raising a green baby. Practically everything that your baby eats or drinks or comes into contact with can have a green option that will be healthier for your baby and the environment.

Martin Aranovitch & Byron Dixon are committed to green living, sustainable issues and environmental education. Visit FreeTipsForGoingGreen.com to receive free green living tips delivered to your inbox on ways to go green, save money and help the planet, or shop for green, environmentally friendly, organic, natural, sustainable and ethical products and services at BigGreenWeb.com Green Business Directory.

Taking steps to live a greener lifestyle is more important than ever. The three Rs of green living-reduce, reuse, recycle-are much more than mantra. They are a necessity. One beneficial way to meet all three Rs at once is to start a home compost pile. Having your own compost pile is an excellent green family activity.

Your everyday kitchen and food waste, when composted properly, can create a rich soil that can be used on lawns and gardens. Many of the materials that go into your compost pile are those that you are throwing away now. Food scraps, coffee grounds and coffee filters, tea bags, egg shells, garden waste, law clippings, compostable kitty litter-the number of items that can help you build your compost pile are probably greater than you realize.

To begin your project properly you will need a compost bin. Compost bins can be built or purchased. Some towns offer programs that will provide residents with the bins free of charge or at very low cost. If your town doesn't offer incentives, look for composting bins at your local hardware or home improvement stores. You can also buy them online.

Alternatively, if you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can build you own. All that is needed to build your own compost bin are some wood and concrete blocks or pallets. Even an old garbage can with holes poked in the bottom can serve as a receptacle for compost. The most important thing to keep in mind when constructing a compost bin is to incorporate a way for excess moisture to escape. The best way to accomplish this is to make sure there are holes at the bottom of the bin, about half an inch in diameter. You want the holes to be small enough that small animals cannot climb into the bin, and large enough that excess water can drain out.

Placement of the bin should be somewhere shady, where it can drain properly and where it will be fairly easy to access. Remember that compost is mostly rotting plant matter. It will have an odor. Therefore, locate your compost bin far enough from the house (or from your neighbor's house) that the smell will not be bothersome.

When you start to add to your compost you should think in layers. The first level of compost should allow for air passages as well as drainage. A layer of smooth rock placed loosely on the bottom of the bin will serve this purpose perfectly.Then layer "brown" waste and "green" waste. Brown waste can consist of fallen leaves, wood chips, saw dust, pine needles, paper towels, newspaper and coffee filters. Green waste typically consists of food wastes (but not meat of animal-derived waste), fruits and vegetables, egg shells, tea bags, coffee grounds, grass clippings and weeds. An important tip: add a layer of soil on top of each layer of compost waste; it will be speed up the composting process.

One last maintenance tip for your compost pile: fluff your layers periodically using a hoe or a compost turning tool.

Every item added to your compost pile is one more item reused and recycled, and one less item for the landfill. Properly maintained, a compost pile can create a rich soil that can be used on lawns and gardens, making your thumb greener as well as your lifestyle.

Want more ideas about how to live a greener lifestyle and save money? Go to Steve Stillwater's web site at http://www.livinggreenandsavingenergy.com. Steve offers to easy-to-implement green living tips and ideas that allow you to live green and save money. Better yet, sign up for his free newsletter which gives you regular updates on green news and information you can use, and get 2 Free Bonuses just for signing up: 1) 10 Easy Ways to Save Gas and 2) 2010's Top 20 Fuel Efficient Cars. Take an easy step toward a greener lifestyle at http://www.livinggreenandsavingenergy.com.

Going "green" has turned into a significant social movement these days. More and more people are realizing that we don't live on a planet with inexhaustible resources and at some point, perhaps even as soon as our children's lifetime, we will either start exhausting resources or producing so much waste that our planet will be in serious trouble.

This article discusses the positives and negatives of going and not going green. There are many simple green living tips that are easy to implement, have significant potential to change our current course, and help you save money and resources. It is certainly worth giving some of these simple lifestyle changes a try.

Some of the general categories of adopting a "green" lifestyle include what products to use to clean your house, saving space and energy at home or at work, eating organic food products and/or choosing produce grown organically. There are also a whole host of other green living items including foods, organic household items, organic rust removal products for safer and more natural rust removal, turning to alternative fuels and power sources. The list goes on and on.

There truly are so many green living ideas available that will get you started living the lifestyle that is healthier and safer.

Why the necessity to go green these days?

1. It means safe and healthy living. Many toxic and dangerous products have a large impact on Mother Earth, particularly our atmosphere. Damage to our atmosphere is perhaps one of the most pressing and urgent problems we face today. With all of the organic and natural products readily available these days, there's really no excuse to use potentially damaging products.

2. The more people that go green, the faster and easier we, as a society, can begin to enjoy the cleaner air and healthier planet that will result. We will be rid of the dangerous chemical exposure that inflicts risk to our well being. Additionally, we won't be faced with the problem of disposing the dangerous chemicals and other waste products that result from a non-green lifestyle. This is not an insignificant by-product of the "going green" movement.

3. Green living also inspires a new attitude in those people who adopt the lifestyle. It will soon become a habit to turn off lights or appliances, and be aware of other wasted energy in your household.

4. Recycling and reusing products is one of the easiest things you can do to reduce garbage and waste.

If you are serious about adopting a green lifestyle, there are plenty of resources on the Internet that can get you started, whether you are just beginning or have already been living green for a while. There are forums, membership sites, and plenty of other resources that can make you a green living expert in no time.

To find out more hints and tips on how you can gradually adopt a green living, eco-friendly lifestyle, you can find plenty of green living tips at The Living Green Club website. Julie Stives is passionate about the subject but also has a practical understanding of what the average family is both willing and able to do in terms of lifestyle changes. She has become so enthused about the importance of educating as many people as possible about living a green lifestyle (and educating them that it does not involve large changes to their current lifestyle) that she has started a membership website devoted to the topic which can be found at http://www.livinggreenclub.com/.

You may be asking yourself the question, why go green? Green living, renewable energy sources, and sustainable materials are all the newest and most exciting buzz words of recent years, for good reason.

The health benefits you can enjoy from making greener choices are amazing. You can impact the health of the environment in your local area and ultimately, the world by simply making a few crucial changes to your lifestyle.

Environmental and Health Benefits of Going Green

1) Foot power - ride your bicycle, walk, or run to your destination rather than driving your vehicle. You'll save money on gas and you'll enjoy excellent cardiovascular health as a result of using your own energy to arrive where you want to go. Do some sightseeing on the way too! Fly or take a train for traveling to destinations outside of your local area.

2) Enjoy hot water for free - solar water heating systems are built to last for a minimum of 15 years, but can last up to 40 years. The best part is that you'll enjoy free heated water after about 4-8 years. It's an energy efficient way to go green at home. Tax credits and incentives are also available to homeowners who opt for solar powered appliances over conventional models.

3) Fewer landfills - How many times have you been driving down the road and noticed furniture and other odds and ends out for the garbage? Many times those items are still in perfectly beautiful condition and could be repurposed into something new and different.

The point is this - consider recycling or repurposing household items like furniture into something new with a coat of paint or new hardware instead of putting it out on the curb where it will ultimately end up in the landfill. Less stuff in the landfill means a healthier environment for everyone, especially future generations.

4) Beautifully illuminated landscaping - solar powered lights are an excellent way to dress up your landscape while positively impacting the environment. You'll use less electricity, save money, and cut back on the amount of fossil fuels your family uses to light up the outside of your house, garden, or pool area.

5) Healthier bodies - eating fresh whole organic foods provides the fuel our bodies need to function optimally. The benefits of making greener food choices are increased longevity, better tasting foods, and feeling good about supporting your local growers.

Are you beginning to understand the answers to the question, "why go green?" It's much easier to incorporate a greener lifestyle than most people think, so keep reading for more excellent ideas.

6) Support the local economy - grow your own vegetables or purchase produce and meats locally from farmers markets and food cooperatives. You're automatically helping the environment because the amount of fossil fuels required to ship or truck in fresh food to the grocery store is cut considerably.

7) Free power - solar battery chargers enable you to have electricity anywhere you go; that has sunlight of course. Power your cell phone, laptop, lights, RV's, boats, and hand-held devices without the concern of the location of an electrical outlet. You'll help save the environment at the same time you're enjoying free electricity!

8) Green household cleaners - make your own household cleaners or choose all-natural products to make your home sparkle. Synthetic and harmful chemicals are found in nearly every conventional cleaning product on the market. These chemicals could potentially do long-term damage to our bodies and definitely to the environment as they flow down drains and seep into the ground. Why go green with cleaners? No more worrying about harsh smells or chemical reactions - you'll simply enjoy a cleaner healthier home environment, naturally.

Now if someone asks you, "why go green?" you have plenty of answers for them!

M.S. Rochell is the owner of http://www.Go-Green-Solar-Energy.com which offers new ideas for practical and affordable solar energy solutions at home. Please visit for our free Affordable Solar eBooks, and for more tips on why go green and green living.

Okay, you're ready to start adopting some new green living tips to do your share for the environment.

That's great.

And you know that solar energy is a big step, because it takes full advantage of the power of the sun, which is a limitless source. Unfortunately, setting up a solar panel system is cost prohibitive at this time.

So what else can you do with the power of the sun?

Here are 4 green living tips that you can try today to enjoy the bountiful sunlight...

1. Buck Up Those Windows

Windows invite the loss of heat. But unless you want to live in a home with no outside light at all, they're an important part of your home's ambiance. So what do you do?

First, you have more options today than ever before. There are double-pane, even triple pane windows. There are windows filled with inert gas. There are low-emittance (low-E) coatings for windows that are virtually invisible and suppress radiative heat loss. There are insulated window frames.

Overall, you can reduce the loss of heat in your house by as much 75%.

You don't have to change all your windows at once. Plan to change a few every year to minimize the cost of installation while still reaping the benefits as you go.

2. Use Tile Floors

On the south side of the house, where the sun is more prevalent, consider changing out carpeting or vinyl flooring for stone tiles. These will absorb and hold the heat after the sun goes down. In addition, if you have a back porch or patio on the south side of the house, it's well worth using rock or stone on the floor of the area for additional heat retention.

3. Invite The Sun In

Use natural sunlight as often as possible to light up the house. The more you reduce your use of artificial light, the more you'll save on your electricity bills, which in turn benefits the environment. This not only applies to windows, but consider skylights, light shelves, and an atrium as well. Open your home to the sun!

4. Passive Cooling

If you live in a warm climate, then you'll probably want to take advantage of passive cooling, which is simply a fancy way of saying... use those shades, blinds, and add some cool vegetation around the exterior of the house. In other words... don't invite the sun in!

Discover a whole slew of green living tips, and pick up a FREE copy of our ebook, Top Living Green Tips at: http://livinggreentips.org

We all want to do our fair share to keep the environment healthy and vibrant. The problem is that so many of the green living tips you come across require a hefty financial commitment.

But when it comes to giving gifts, whether it's for a birthday, a special celebration such as Valentine's Day or even Christmas, there are little things you can do that will benefit the planet without breaking your bank.

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Organic Flowers

Much like organic foods, organic flowers are grown with the earth foremost in mind. In addition, all packaging is green packaging and biodegradable. Look for flowers grown locally in order to reduce greenhouse gases from the transportation process. And consider houseplants instead of flowers. They live longer and keep the oxygen fresh in your home.

2. Natural Perfumes

Most perfumes are created synthetically, using synthetic extenders and such things as diethyl phtlate. But you do have a choice. More and more perfumes are turning to botanical extracts for their aromatics. Some are even using natural animal essences. Shy away from the synthetics. Go natural!

3. Cards From Recycled Paper

Almost all special occasions are accompanied by cards. Make sure the cards you give are made from recycled paper. If you want to take it a step further, consider sending an e-mail card or an e-card and save a tree. Better yet, make your own card. There's nothing quite as special as a homemade card.

4. Kitchen Scraps Crock

This is something new in our popular green living tips. As more and more people begin their own backyard gardens, composting is becoming a natural extension of the process. What makes great compost? Kitchen scraps. But no one wants an old bucket on the kitchen counter where the scraps go. Hence... the kitchen scraps crock or the kitchen compost crock. They fit right in to the decor and many come with a carbon filter to dramatically reduce odors.

5. Organic Cotton Robe

There's nothing quite like a morning lounging around the house in a terry cloth robe. Make it an organic cotton robe and you've got a great gift for the environmentally conscious recipient. Organic cotton is grown in a manner that replenishes soil fertility and reduces the use of toxic pesticides and fertilizers. It's already being used for a variety of food and fiber products.

Discover a whole slew of green living tips, and pick up a FREE copy of our ebook, Top Living Green Tips at: http://livinggreentips.org

There's a big push in this country to move toward green energy technology. It's a natural progression, especially considering how energy depended we've become and how we've cut ourselves off from most of the other options available to us.

So what's the big deal? Why don't we make the transition and move on?

Because the various forms of green energy each have their strengths and weaknesses, their pros and cons.

Let's take a look at the three most popular technologies...

1. Wind

Wind has been harnessed for years. Just take a look at the Dutch windmills. The power source is free and it's bountiful. There are drawbacks, however. While a windmill may effectively service a single household, to provide power to a small city, you'll need to build a wind farm, which requires a significant investment of money and space. In addition, wind can be fickle. You'll likely have periods of sustained winds accompanied by periods of little or no wind.

2. Solar Panels

This is a technology that faces many of the same challenges as wind farms. While its primary energy source is free and generally abundant, there are limitations. Overcast winter days will likely produce no energy. It requires a major investment and lots of space. And at this time, we have no way to save the created power for night use or those days when there is no sun.

3. Ethanol

There's no question we need to find an alternative to oil if we aren't going to use our own resources. Ethanol development has been going on for decades. In fact, the first ethanol plant was built in the '40s by the U.S. Army. It's organically based. For instance, Brazil uses sugar cane for its ethanol base, while here in the U.S. we use corn. And it does burn cleaner than gasoline.

On the other side of the coin, ethanol is more expensive than gasoline, it requires great quantities of land that may eventually impact food production, and gas pumps will have to be converted across the country.

We'll keep pushing forward with these and other green technologies because we need to become energy independent, even if we aren't sure how to accomplish that at this time. In the meantime, new green technologies will come along and our ability to capture and save energy will eventually come to pass.

Discover a whole slew of green living tips, and pick up a FREE copy of our ebook, Top Living Green Tips at: http://livinggreentips.org

I remember the first time I was questioned by a friend about my recycling efforts. I was embarrassed. I did not know what to say. Since then, Green Living has been a learning experience. This experience was almost 20 years ago. What I have learned since then is a result from learning about our environment and what human existence has done to eliminate 100's of species and decimated lakes, rivers and forests.

What can you do? What have I done?

Bare in mind, 20 years ago I had no idea what was recyclable other than the obvious: glass, paper and some plastics. This was due to growing up in a family that did not do its part.

Today I am still learning and by no means am I a hardcore activist. I am very conscious of what I do and I am always learning to improve my eco friendly ways. This should be everyone's attitude towards improving our planets health.

What was my pivotal turning point? Since my first encounter with the reality that everyone should do his or her minimum without question (recycling), I stumbled on an eco friendly home business that offered me the opportunity to partner with 100's of earth conscious companies. These companies are name brand companies that can be found in any Earth Conscious Marketplace (Alba, Seventh Generation, Kiss My Face, Jason's Naturals, Avalon Organics, Burt's Bees, Tom... to name a few).

Do you think that using an earth friendly shampoo makes a difference? Sure it does. Non-Earth conscious shampoos have chemicals. After you rub these chemicals into your scalp (one of the thinnest membranes on your body) they are washed down the drain and into our water supple... the same water supply that we drink.

Learning what small and large companies do to decrease their carbon footprint was and is an amazing life lesson. I am grateful to have the opportunity to buy and learn from these companies and there missions to provide products and services to our families for our planet.

Water reduction and limited energy use are two issues that opened my eyes to the wastefulness of our American society.

The bottled water usage alone is shameful.

So much can be done. If you think you are too busy to change, think again. Little things can change your carbon footprint and improve our environment.

There is a proven formula. There are proven steps. You will or you won't but... Being Successful at any business requires a great plan. I will help you avoid the mistakes and set you on a path for success. There is no better time than NOW! Time is the most valuable thing on the planet and it is all yours. Today is your day.

www.TheHomeBusinessProfitBlueprint.com

Recycle this, recycle that. Everyone has heard by now that we must recycle everything we can to save the earth. But is that really true? A plastic grocery bag takes 1,000 years to decompose in landfills. If that one little bag takes that long, consider your mall shopping bags, your trash bags. There is a growing industry in recycling, taking one thing and making it another. Old tires are shredded and used as playground tread. Grocery bags are remanufactured into clothing. These are examples of the economical aspect of recycling.

Lemore, California started a rigid recycling program 15 years ago. The residents were required to comply or face fines. Recycling has taken this rural town and provided new playgrounds, a water park, and funded municipal endeavors such as the police department, fire house, and pre-school funding. This is the power of recycling.

If you think that you are only one person, what difference could you possibly make? Consider this...if we ALL made the effort, our landfills would be smaller, there would be less waste, funding from recycling could help cash strapped communities.

There is a Native American prayer my wife once gave me. It says,"May the footprints we leave behind show that we've walked in kindness toward the earth and every living thing. May our lives be a dance of celebration, and may the wind speak of peace to all our children's children." If you won't consider it for yourself, think of future generations that will have to deal with our waste.

Plastic grocery bag = 1,000 years in a landfill

Disposable diaper = 400 years

Aluminum cans = 500 years

Milk Jugs = 500 years

Glass Jar = up to 1 million years

Styrofoam = possibly never- think of your take out containers, your daily java fix

In order to facilitate decomposition in landfills, oxygen is needed to aerate the trash. A simple banana peel can last up to 40 years in a landfill without proper aeration. Recycling in EVERY household can reduce our waste by up to half.

Try it, it just might save the planet.

Joshua Vadney has always been interested in "being green" and has started his own web page with tips for saving money while having a lower impact on the environment. Visit http://greentipsforyou.com/ to learn about useful ways you can be green.

I hope this article has helped convince you to institute a recycling program in your own home. For more information on recycling visit http://greentipsforyou.com/.

These days when you walk down the aisles of your local grocery store, there are hundreds of chemicals and synthetic materials available for a variety of uses. Most of us use these chemicals and synthetics everyday without giving a second thought about their effect on our health or the environment. Believe it or not, many of these compounds can be very harmful and take generations to dissolve in landfills.

There are many green alternatives to the harsh chemicals used every day in businesses and private residences. Best of all, these natural cleaners can be cheaper and smell a lot nicer than chemicals!

For easy shower and tile cleaning, mix 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water and spray on moldy spots, followed by a brisk scrub with a stiff scrub brush. For especially hard to clean areas, mix 1 part water and 1 part vinegar, mix and add 2 parts baking soda. This will form a powerful oxidative paste.

To control odors around the house, dry out orange peels and place in a mesh bag. Hang them around closets, under kitchen sinks, and in restrooms for a fresh orange smell. When grilling or firing up the fireplace, use dried orange peels instead of a harsh flammable accelerant.

Dried rosemary sprigs also make a nice deodorizer. Rosemary is very easy to grow in your backyard. In fact, once it is established, you will have to trim it back every so often to keep it from running wild. Once it is well established, simply cut a few sprigs about 6 to 8 inches in length, bind them together and hang them in one of the aforementioned areas of your home. Throw them out and replace them when they become too brittle and start falling apart.

For toilet cleaning, use ¼ cup of borax instead of harsh bleach-based products to deodorize and disinfect. You can also use borax on your pots and pans instead of S.O.S. pads for a scratch-free clean.

Recycling is an assumed part of green living, but there are more ways to recycle than just throwing something into the bin. Recycling also includes re-using items creatively. Instead of throwing away old t-shirts and socks, re-use them as dusting cloths or rags. Instead of buying new books, go to your library and save paper by just checking out books with your library card.

Speaking of recycling, make sure that you actively take part in your cities recycling program. Make sure that your household actively recycles everything that it possibly can. Though we all know that aluminum cans are recyclable, paper, glass, cardboard and plastic bottles can also all be recycled. You will be amazed at how much less waste your household will be producing once you fully embrace recycling, most homes reduce the amount of trash they produce by 50%.

You also want to make sure that you do not simply throw out yard clippings. Yard clippings can be used to make excellent compost if you have a flower or vegetable garden in your yard and produce gasses that can cause major problems for landfills. Compost your clippings or use your yard waste can if your municipality provides one.

Megan Holley, a mom who wants to encourage others to take even one tiny green step with your family. Our website is designed to give you information on making positive changes, inform you about why natural products are so important and give you "how to" instructions. Check us out at http://recyclinggreenmoms.com/

Almost every night I turn on the news and hear a story about how unhealthy our environment has become. The ice caps are melting, our drinking water is contaminated, and even our air is full of dangerous chemicals and toxins. What kind of world are we leaving for our children?

Rather than just sit by and do nothing my family has decided to start living a greener lifestyle. It's a small start but we hope that by being a good example others will follow our lead and by working together we can really make an impact.

So to help you get the ball rolling I've put together a little list of green living tips you can practice at work. Be a good example for your coworkers and encourage them to do the same.

1. Recycle as much as possible, including paper, glass, and plastic bottles. Make sure you place collection areas wisely. Many people just will not walk across the building to drop off their soda cans and newspapers. But if you can make it easy and convenient for them they'll be more likely to recycle.

2. Another way to recycle is to use refillable ink cartridges in printers and copy machines. As an added bonus, these recyclable cartridges are usually cheaper too.

3. Ditch the styrofoam coffee cups that will be sitting in a landfill for generations. Instead use a coffee mug that can be washed and used over and over again.

4. Use email whenever possible and don't print out every email you get. That defeats the whole purpose!

5. Re-use printer paper for scrap rather than tossing it in the trash.

6. Replace lights with more energy efficient bulbs and encourage everyone to use power saving modes on their computers.

If you're an office manager or employer you can implement these suggestions right off the bat. Otherwise you can try going to your boss and start making suggestions. Try to emphasize the financial savings the company could see and they may be more open-minded. These simple green living tips may seem insignificant by themselves but if we all make minor adjustments to our daily routine we can have a huge impact on our environment.

Megan Fitzpatrick writes on many topics. Check out her new site and learn more about the fisher price monitor and other cheap baby monitors

Light-emitting diodes are darn cool and have found uses in so many places - traffic lights, standard lightbulb sockets and high-powered flashlights to name a few. The Multi-Color LED Lightbulb is a super bright LED bulb that can transition through dozens of color and rightness combinations and is compatible with a standard lightbulb socket. The included IR remote can select an individual color or brightness level or choose one of four different transition effects. Great for mood lighting, decorating, parties or special lighting environments. It has four brightness level settings and four transition effects (long pause on each color, short pause, slow fade between colors, faster fade). The light is generated from a 5 Watt LED. *You can purchase extra light bulbs and use the same remote to control all of them as long as they are within

Price: $49.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Saving gas is one of the most important things you can do as you establish a greener lifestyle. To save more gas, keeping your car properly maintained is crucial. Here are five car maintenance tips that will save you gas and money.

1. Replace Your Old Air Filter

Studies have suggested that about one out of four cars on the road today is in need of an air filter replacement. A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10%. This is an inexpensive way to save gas.

Cost: About $10-20.

Cost Savings: 30 cents a gallon

2. Keep Your Car in Tune

Make sure your car has had regular tune-ups. A properly maintained engine can improve your mileage by up to 4%.

Cost: 5 quarts of oil and spark plugs if you do it yourself. About $100 at a shop such as Pep Boys, which includes tire rotation.

Cost Savings: 12 cents a gallon, which adds up to about $100 over the course of a year

3. Make Sure the Wheels Are Aligned

Poor wheel alignment not only will cause your tires to wear out more quickly, but also will force your engine to work harder than it otherwise should. Get your wheels aligned. This simple step can improve your miles per gallon up to 10%. Having the wheels in alignment also improves the safety of your vehicle., so there is a triple bonus here: use less gas, save money, and be safer.

Cost: Probably about $60-70 at a service shop such as Pep Boys

Cost Savings: 30 cents per gallon

4. Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated

The President has gotten a few pokes in the press since he suggested this to help bring down gas prices, but he had a point. It is estimated that more than one-quarter of vehicles are driving around on under-inflated tires. An under-inflation of 7.5 pounds of pressure will result in a loss in fuel efficiency of 2.8%.

Cost: Maybe a quarter or two for a coin operated air pump at a gas station

Cost Savings: 8 cents per gallon

5. Check Your Gas Cap

This one is a surprise to me. Believe it or not, it has been estimated that nearly 17% of cars on the road have broken or missing gas caps. What's the big deal? Escaping fumes depress fuel economy by allowing some of your precious gasoline to evaporate. But that's not all. Evaporating gasoline also released smog-causing pollutants into the air. Improving fuel mileage and reducing air pollution and is as easy as replacing a bad gas cap.

Cost: Nothing-as long as you have a gas cap in the first place!

Cost Savings: 1 cent per gallon

And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to two of my Living Green Reports when you subscribe to the Living Green and Saving Energy Newsletter at http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/
The newsletter brings you practical tips and information on how to create and enjoy a green lifestyle and save money. The newsletter is absolutely free!
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Bodum's French press makes it easy: coffee, water, wait, enjoy. Simply measure out one rounded tablespoon of coarsely ground coffee per 4-ounce cup, pour in the hot water, wait a few minutes for it to brew, and slowly press down the plunger. Next comes the best part, as you get to enjoy a cup of rich and aromatic coffee. Because of its 8-cup capacity and elegant design, this French press is great for dinner parties, where you can now brew your guests' coffee right at the table. Bodum has been in the coffee business for decades, and the company continues to produce stylish, affordable, and reliable products. --Maile Bohlmann

From the Manufacturer

When Bodum took over a small clarinet factory in Normandy in 1982, it was not because of the fine orchestra clarinets they were producing. In addition to musical instruments, the factory also produced the coffee of a relatively unknown brewer called "The Chambord." Bodum combined the skills of these Normandy craftsmen with modern production. The result was a unique culinary tool, affordable to the many who loved the taste of what we now know as French press coffee.

Thanks to Bodum, and thanks to the increasing need for better coffee, the French press coffeemaker has become one of the most popular in the world. Yet the design has not strayed a bit from the original drawings, and Bodum still makes the Chambord with the same painstaking care and knowledge they gained from those Normandy craftspeople years ago. The ease of brewing and the delicious smell and taste of French-roasted dark coffee have remained unchanged.

Awards and Accolades

In 2004 the Bodum Chambord coffee press received the American Culinary Institute's award for best French press coffeemaker.

The American Culinary Institute judges food preparation products such as mixers, waffle makers, and electric teakettles. These products are judged on criteria important to consumers such as ease-of-use, safety, and the quality of the food produced. The institute also judges food preparation products used in restaurants and hotels, including institutional mixers, large-volume coffee machines, and food slicers.

Instructions for Use

1. Place pot on a dry, flat, nonslip surface. Hold handle firmly, then pull the plunger straight up and out of the pot.

2. For each 1.25-deciliter/4-ounce cup, put 1 rounded tablespoon or 1 Bodum scoop of coarse-ground coffee into the pot.

Caution: Use only coarse-ground coffee. Fine grind can clog the filter and create high pressure. Place coffee maker on a heatproof, nonslip surface.

3. Pour hot (not boiling) water into the pot. Leave a minimum of 2.5 centimeters/1 inch of space at the top. Stir the brew with a plastic spoon.

Caution: Metal spoons can scratch or chip the glass beaker and cause breakage.

4. Place the plunger unit on top of the pot. Turn lid to close off the pour spout opening. (Does not apply to the Brazil models.) Do not press down. Let the coffee brew for at least 4 minutes.

5. Hold the pot handle firmly, with the spout turned away from you, then using just the weight of your hand, apply slight pressure on top of the knob to lower the plunger straight down into the pot. Lowering the plunger slowly with minimal pressure produces best results. If the filter clogs or it becomes difficult to push down the plunger you should remove the plunger from the pot, stir the brew, and then slowly plunge again.

WARNING: Using excessive force can cause scalding liquid to shoot out of the pot.

6. Turn the lid to open the pour spout and then pour coffee.

7. Unscrew the filter assembly and clean the plunger unit after each use. All parts are dishwasher-safe.

Safety Instructions

• Not for stovetop use.
  
• Check glass beaker for scratches, cracks, or chips. Do not use a pot that is scratched, chipped, or cracked. Install a replacement beaker before using the pot again.
  
• Keep children away while using. Hot water is a hazard to small children!
  
• Do not allow children to use this coffeemaker.

Scald Hazard

• Excessive plunging force can cause scalding hot liquid to shoot out of pot.
  
• Do not plunge with force.
  
• Turn lid to close spout.
  
• Use only coarse-ground coffee.

Company History

In 1944 Peter Bodum, the father of today's owner, Joergen Bodum, started Bodum in Copenhagen. Times were difficult at the end of World War II; there was hardly any trade and people were out of work. Peter Bodum managed to wholesale a very small variety of housewares products by Danish manufacturers.

After the war Peter Bodum got an import license for kitchen and tabletop products; he traveled all over Europe and ended up importing kitchen and housewares to Denmark. As in the rest of Europe in those days, a lack of products in Denmark meant a market existed for almost anything to be sold. He specialized in glassware from Eastern Europe.

In the '50s Peter Bodum started developing his own products. He collaborated with the Danish architect Kaas Klaeson for a range of coffeemakers. At the time, industrial-design-type kitchen products were very rare. The first Bodum product to hit the market in 1958 was the Santos coffeemaker--based on a vacuum coffee brewing system. It became an instant sensation not only in Denmark but in all of Europe. Bodum still produces the original Santos design to this very day.

Bodum grew steadily during the '60s, but sadly, in 1967, at the age of only 57, Peter Bodum passed away. His wife managed the company until 1974, when she offered her 26-year-old son Joergen to join her in the management of the company. Joergen quickly brought on board Carsten Joergensen--then a teacher at the Danish School of Art in Copenhagen--and soon put him in charge of overall design for Bodum, including everything from products to corporate design, exhibitions, shops, buildings, catalogs, and advertising. It turned out to be a very long and fruitful collaboration. The two men began to fulfill Bodum's credo--"good design doesn't have to be expensive"--in lots of different ways.

In 1974 the first fruit of Joergen and Carsten's collaboration was introduced: the French coffee press Bistro. It was also the first incorporation of the new Bodum design language--beautiful simplicity and excellent materials for everyday life. Many more variations of coffee presses followed. Since 1974 Bodum has produced over 50 million French presses, taken the leap from "coffee" to "kitchen," and developed and produced a large variety of beautiful household and tabletop designs.

In 1979, when he took over the company, Joergen Bodum decided to move to Switzerland in order to be more centrally located in Europe. He chose the Lucerne area, where Bodum's head office has been located since the early '80s.

In 1980 Bodum Switzerland and its design unit, Pi-Design, were founded. Then, in 1986, the opening of Bodum's first shop in London marked another milestone in the Bodum history. It was designed not only to be the perfect showcase for the large variety of Bodum products but to embody an even stronger presentation of Bodum as an international brand. Many more shops in many more cities all over the world followed: Paris, Copenhagen, Zurich, Lucerne, Tokyo, New York, Dallas, Okinawa, Auckland, and many more. To this day there are 52 Bodum stores worldwide.

With more and more of its own stores in place, Bodum continued broadening its collection of beautifully designed everyday life products--from kitchen to home. Today Bodum offers its customers everything from the latest coffee- and tea-making products to tabletop, kitchen, storage, textiles, bathroom, and home office products. Some stores also have a café where Bodum's own selection of coffees and teas are served.

The Bodum Group is, and always has been, a 100 percent family-owned business. Today the company operates in 14 different countries with over 700 employees worldwide. Bodum has holding companies in Denmark and Switzerland as well as 12 sales companies, 3 production companies, and a design company called Bodum Design Group, located in Switzerland.

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Green living is important to many people nowadays. A particular focus of green living is what is done in the home. Perhaps you have already started to create a greener lifestyle where you live, but what can you do to maintain a green home while you are away from home, whether on an extended business trip or on vacation? Here are some ideas to make sure that your home continues to be green, even when you are not there.

Before leaving, take a little time to do a quick check around the house. Make sure lights are turned off, except for any you may keep on for security purposes. In those cases, putting the lights on a timer will save energy so that they are not burning 24/7. Having certain lights, both indoor and outdoor, on a timer give the impression that someone is home when the lights suddenly turn on. In contrast leaving the lights on all the time makes it clear to anyone who is watching your home that the place is unoccupied.

Make sure your thermostat is set so that heating or cooling is minimized. For heating in the winter months, turn down the thermostat to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are vacationing away from home during the warmer months, make sure your thermostat is turned up to about 85 degrees Fahrenheit. In this way you will not run up a large utility bill heating or cooling empty, unoccupied space.
Unplug all electronics, or if the electronic devices are plugged into a switchable power strip, make sure that the power is completely switched off. Often, I just unplug the power strip to make sure there is no vampire energy drain taking place while I am away.
Dial down the temperature of your water heater to near ambient temperature. I like to set mine to around 60 degrees F. There is no need to keep all that water warm when no one is around.
If you are clearing out perishable items in your refrigerator, leaving it somewhat empty, fill a few pitchers with water and place them in the fridge while you are away. Having a relatively full refrigerator help to maintain the cool temperature with less power required. Cold items actually function as a "cold sink" and help to guard against heat loss.

It is easy to get so focused on planning your getaway that you forget to plan on how best to keep your home energy and water efficient while you are gone. These tips will help you maintain a green home while you are away and will also save you some money.

And now I would like to invite you to sign up for my FREE 7-day E-Course "How To Live Greener and Save Money" at http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/ This 7-day e-mail course will show you how to make your lifestyle greener while saving money at the same time. Would you like to save up to $1000 per year for life by going green? The Ebook "6 Weeks To A Greener Lifestyle" shows you how. And "How To Take A Green Vacation" gives you all the information you need to travel in a more eco-friendly manner. Get all the details here: http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/ebooks

Many tips on how to go green focus on saving energy, conserving water and resources, and, of course, saving money. These are important benefits of going green, to be sure.

But the green living tip I am sharing with you today gives you all those benefits and more. In fact, this is a green living tip that will change your life-for the better.

Americans spend way too much time watching TV. The latest statistics are that the Americans watch about 5 hours of TV a day on average. That adds up to an astonishing 1825 hours per year. All this time in front of the boob tube takes $8 billion out of US households each year in energy costs alone. But the energy cost is not the biggest problem for most people. The biggest problem by far is the loss of productive time.

Now, I am not saying that you should get rid of your TV, or that you should unplug it and put it in the closet (although this might not the a bad idea for some people). I am suggesting that you should cut back on your TV watching.

Consider the benefits. You will save on electricity. Televisions, and especially the modern large-screen, high definition versions, require 200 to 500 watts of power each. Add to that another 45-50 watts of power for the cable boxes. Less TV watching will cut electricity usage. ?But, if you eliminate just 1 hour of TV time per day-not a big change for most people-it could be worth a lot more to you than just the energy you save.

Think of the extra time that you will gain.

By just eliminating one hour per day of TV watching time, you will gain 365 hours per year of extra time to do something else. That is the equivalent of about 46 extra work days (assuming an 8-hour work day) of time every year to do something productive or family oriented-or even self-indulgent.

Imagine what you can accomplish with all that additional time to spend as you choose. You can read, play sports or games with your kids, develop a new hobby, take up organic gardening, or even start to learn a new language-the possibilities are only limited by your imagination and creativity. And if you eliminate 2 hours of TV per day, all the benefits double!

Cutting back on TV watching will not only contribute to a greener lifestyle at home. Reducing your TV time could dramatically alter your life-for the better.

And now I would like to invite you to sign up for my FREE 7-day E-Course "How To Live Greener and Save Money" at http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/
This 7-day e-mail course will show you how to make your lifestyle greener while saving money at the same time.
Would you like to save up to $1000 per year for life by going green? The Ebook "6 Weeks To A Greener Lifestyle" shows you how. And "How To Take A Green Vacation" gives you all the information you need to travel in a more eco-friendly manner. Get all the details here: http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/ebooks

One benefit of going green is saving money. Some of the best green living tips that also save you money are easy to do and take very little time to implement.

Here is a terrific money-saving green living tip that is so simple that it is easily overlooked. Once implemented, this efficient green living tip will enhance your green lifestyle by making your life easier, saving both time and money every month.

What "How to go green" tip am I referring to? It is something you probably already know about: online bill pay.

I have been using online bill pay for several years now because it saved me both work and money. However, it was only recently, based on a comment made by my sister that I realized what a terrific, easy green living step online bill pay could be.

The majority of people can take advantage of online bill pay, and they should. This is a green living tactic that would have advantages regardless of its green credentials, but is even more valuable because it conserves paper and resources.

Anyone with a checking account and an internet connection (which you must have if you are reading this article!) can gain this benefit of going green. To set up online bill pay you need to take the following steps.

First, set up online banking with your bank. Almost every bank offers online banking nowadays. By allowing customers to manage their bank accounts online, demand for person-to-person contact with banking personnel is reduced, and some transactions that required paper can be handled paperless. (Don't worry. You can always make electronic copies of statements and transaction records that can be stored on your computer for retrieval in the future as necessary.)

Second, once you have set up online banking with your preferred bank, navigate to the online banking set-up page. Typically, you will need to create a user name and password, and your online account will require approval by your bank. Approval is normally very quick, taking only a few days at most, as banks like to increase the number of customers with online banking.

Once you have your online banking set up, you are able to pay bills electronically. You simply enter the information for the payees once, and then each month as the bills come in, you tell the bank who to pay and how much to pay them. Recurring bills such as a mortgage can be set up to be automatically paid on a fixed date reach month. The best part is that the bank cuts the checks, debits your account, and sends out the bills. You don't have to write checks or write out addresses and return addresses. The bank does this work for you. In addition, the bank mails the bills for you as well, saving you a first class stamp (currently 44 cents) and an envelope for each one. If you have 25 bills to pay each month, this is worth about $12.50 every month, or about $150.00 per year.

You can opt to receive many bills online as well, reducing postal mail clutter. And in many cases, online billpay is available from your bank for free-absolutely no cost to you.

An alternative is paying bills online yourself, with the option of direct debits from your checking account, but this is more time-consuming. I prefer to let the bank do the work.

Online banking is a simple way to go green that will save you money every month. It is one of the easiest ways to go green and save money.

And now I would like to invite you to sign up for my FREE 7-day E-Course "How To Live Greener and Save Money" at http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/
This 7-day e-mail course will show you how to make your lifestyle greener while saving money at the same time.
Would you like to save up to $1000 per year for life by going green? The Ebook "6 Weeks To A Greener Lifestyle" shows you how. And "How To Take A Green Vacation" gives you all the information you need to travel in a more eco-friendly manner. Get all the details here: http://livinggreenandsavingenergy.com/ebooks