When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.
-  Benjamin Franklin

Saving rainwater to hydrate your plants is a great idea. Rain chains are becoming increasingly popular and they are functional and pretty to look at. Easily installed, a rain chain can help you do your part in conserving water and helping our environment.

Available in copper, brass, aluminum and iron, the rain chain is not a new idea. The Japanese have been using this system for hundreds of years. Place a ceramic pot or a rain barrel below the chain to collect the rainwater. There are several different styles to choose from, cups, links, nature themes and other fancy designs. They are very affordable, usually $15 – $25 per linear foot. Landscape watering accounts for a 40-50% rise in household water use during summer months, the savings you experience from reusing rainwater can be quite significant.

Everyone knows about the ENERGY STAR rating that comes with household appliances, right? Well do you know what it means? ENERGY STAR is a governmental joint program with the Environmental Protection Agency. In 1992, the EPA introduced ENERGY STAR as a voluntary labeling program designed to promote energy efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In our business environs, ENERGY STAR has been a force behind more widespread use of innovations like more efficient lighting, power management systems for office equipment and low standby energy use.

As an example of the work it does, in one state, say, Pennsylvania, the ENERGY STAR qualified homes built in 2009 are equivalent to eliminating emissions from 772 vehicles, saving 4,668,300 lbs. of coal, planting 1,276 acres of trees and saving the environment of 9,155,475 lbs of carbon dioxide.

Taken from the most updated specification sheets, the number of qualified ENERGY STAR clothes washers is 478 and this includes almost all popular name brands such as; Whirlpool, Amana, Frigidaire, GE, Kenmore, Maytag and Speed Queen. It doesn’t stop there; ratings include categories of appliances like air conditioners, dehumidifiers, heat pumps, light bulbs, dishwashers, computers, etc….  The ENERGY STAR website features many tips on how to improve efficiency in your new home or with home improvements. You can take a virtual walk-through of an ENERGY STAR home and it will show you how to save energy and money in all areas. There are tips on how to select a contractor and downloads for maintaining your HVAC equipment and several other topics. Give the site a look and see how much information there is available to help you save energy and money!

Most of the processes used in bamboo-made products are not always green. Factories are using harsh chemicals to turn the bamboo into a soft enough fiber to form it. To turn the bamboo into planks, they must use toxic glues and formaldehyde. As popular as bamboo is, most production facilities exist in China and are not regulated. To boost yields the trees are fertilized and sprayed with pesticides which defeat the whole purpose. That is the not-so good stuff.

Some of the greenest bamboo doesn’t come from monoculture plantations but, rather, from award winning operations such as Madagascar Bamboo, which harvests naturally occurring plants from the edges of farms. (The farmers used to think of the bamboo as a valueless annoyance.) This provides cash for crops which is given back to the farmer locally; it decreases pressure on forests, conserves rare hardwoods and is a sustainable product. When selecting bamboo products such as natural wood flooring, make sure you are using a company that is regulated, is helping out the local farmer and that the manufacturer is committed to social and environmental responsibility.

Electric Clothes Dryers are detrimental to our environment. They leave off significant amounts of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere every day, over a ton a year per household! If you use them, synthetic dryer sheets are also full of petrochemicals that are emitted into our air. I found this website that is solely dedicated to drying your laundry on the line. Called LineDryIt.com, this site is based in Australia where line drying is still a prevalent way of life. They have many new alternatives to the old pole-in-the-ground laundry line like my grandmother used. Some are hide away products, and not so obtrusive for those who live in a tight space or don’t like the look of a traditional clothes line.

By Dena Fritz

Energizer LED Rechargeable Flashlight

With our active lifestyle, we use flashlights for many purposes several times a week. We are always disappointed that our flashlights die out after just a few uses. It seems that just when we need them most, they fail us and leave us with frustration. On weekends, we are frequently away, to our boat on the Chesapeake or to our daughter’s cabin in the mountains. When we travel, we are always in need of a flashlight to turn the power on, or to row across a creek, or just to walk in the dark. After fruitless searches for the most economical and green way to light our path, I found this handy little tool that runs 8 hours on one charge and gives off a bright white Nichia LED light. It has two levels of luminescence and is very lightweight. The best part about it is that it plugs in the wall to be recharged and does not use costly wasteful batteries that harm our environment. We liked them so much, we bought two! We carry them with us every weekend in our luggage and upon arrival of wherever we go; we just plug them in to ensure that they are always fully charged. When we get home, we plug them back in and viola! We have charged up flashlights in case of an at-home emergency. This flashlight really fits our way of life and we wouldn’t want to be without them. Using them is responsible and cost effective.

Each year, over 3 billion dry-cell household batteries are purchased in the United States. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, consumer batteries contribute more mercury and cadmium to municipal solid waste than any other source. Long-term exposure to heavy metals can lead to serious health problems. Cadmium can cause lung, circulatory system, or reproductive system damage. Mercury can damage the brain, kidneys, or fetuses, as well as cause genetic, neurological, or psychological disorders. Cadmium, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, and zinc have each been linked to cancer, developmental disorders, and immune deficiency. So needless to say, the less we use them, the better and the better for our environment.

20 Mule Team Borax is a natural mineral that is used for multi-cleaning around the house as well as a laundry booster.  It is a naturally occurring mineral composed of sodium, boron, oxygen and water, otherwise known as sodium tetraborate. It is found deep in the ground along with clay and other substances. It is of a white powdery consistency and dissolves easily in water. It was discovered over 4,000 years ago and is found in many places around the world, even close to the surface in Death Valley, California. In the home it has many uses (see below) but it is also used for industrial purpose. Borax is actually a natural mineral, but can be an irritant on skin, and shouldn’t be ingested. Borax can be used as a stain remover and a substitute for bleach. Borax can also be used to repel insects, although care should be used around pets and small children.

• Laundry – Makes your detergent work better.
• Kitchen - Helps make your China sparkle & eliminates kitchen odors.
• Bathroom – Helps remove stains and deodorizes.
• Porcelain – Porcelain enamel surfaces will sparkle.
• Fiberglass – Borax and warm water. Your surfaces will shine!
• Hard Water – Got hard water? You’ll get cleaner, fresher smelling clothing.
• Delicates – Delicate hand washables also benefit from the water. 
• Garbage Pails – Deodorize your garbage pails with 20 Mule Team®* Borax.
• Refrigerators – Lingering odors and spilled food can be washed away.
• Baby Clothes – Baby clothes and cloth diapers can smell just as fresh.
• Fine China – Rinse it in a solution 20 Mule Team®* Borax and warm water.
• Humidifiers – To help keep your humidifier free of odor, rinse before using. 
• Toilet Bowls – Is great at deodorizing, for the freshest bowl you’ve ever had.

For a free booklet on these and other uses of 20 Mule Team®* Borax, please contact The Dial Corporation – Consumer Information Center at 1-800-457-8739 or download the booklet from the internet purex.com

20 Mule Team®* Borax is harmless to washing machines, plumbing and septic tanks.  20 Mule Team®* Borax does not contain phosphates or chlorine.

 By Dena Fritz

Do you have a hankering to paint your walls but want to be eco-responsible about it? Is your space needing a new look?  Don’t fret; there are many green friendly paints on the market that can help you with your selection.  Available in vibrant colors, many popular paint manufacturers are recognizing the importance of marketing household paint products that leave a low impact on our environment. What you want to look for when purchasing paint are low VOC’s or no VOC’s. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids, according to the EPA.*

 Some painting tips: There are very few home improvement projects that produce the immediate sense of satisfaction like putting a fresh coat of paint on your walls. It is surprisingly easy to do and can give you a whole new outlook on your living space. Be sure to plan ahead, buy the right supplies for the job, there are new products on the market that make the trim painting easier than ever! Be sure to measure your desired space so that you get the right amount of paint. You don’t want to return to the store for more. Your wall conditions will have a lot to do with how they look when they are finished so be prepared to do some prep work with spackle and sand paper. When you are all finished, the clean-up is one of the least pleasant parts. Use disposable liners in your paint trays, drop cloths or old sheets and keep a lot of water handy, if you catch the paint while still wet, it is much easier to remove than if it dries.

Some companies that sell eco-friendly paint:

• Valspar
• Benjamin Moore
• Sherwin Williams
• Olympic

*Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors.  VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions. 

Recently, due to the cold weather forging forward, I brought my plants in from my cozy front porch, and something changed…I could breath better! My plants, quite literally, breathed life back into my place. Because plants give off oxygen, they improve the air quality in your home. All day we are subject to pollutants in the air we breath, and it’s quite refreshing to come home and take a deep breath of clean, fresh air instead.

Right now, many home stores (Lowe’s, Home Depot), greenhouses, and grocery stores are selling the last of their summer plants for far less than normal. You could pick up a palm or ficus tree for a fraction of the cost, and they will flourish inside your home year round. Also, your home will gain instant decor-ability with plants, as they look beautiful and are greener for your lungs!

Well, first of all, you have to rinse out each carton, container, or can that you plan on recycling. Second of all, you have to determine whether or not your municipality recycles what you are about to get rid of. Each place differs in what they take in. When I started, I had no idea that there were guidelines, and quite frankly felt ridiculous once I found out!

Once I was enlightened, I found that it was actually quite easy to decipher. All you have to do is go to your township’s website, and look up recycling. Almost all counties have it broken down in an easy to read fashion. This way, you aren’t wasting time or energy recycling something that isn’t going to actually be re-used, and vice-versa. Do me a favor and log into your municipality’s website and take a look…you will feel much more confident when you take out your recycling bin!

Gorgeously Green by Sohpie Uliano

We think that author of Gorgeously Green, Sophie Uliano, is both gorgeous and green! She has effortlessly created the bridge between being a normal girl to tree hugger. In this easy read she gives girls a breakdown of 8 steps to follow for a more eco-friendly existence. The steps and subjects are as follows: Explore Your Life, Beauty Regime, Yoga Practice, Shopping Green, Home, Green Cuisine, Transportation, and World.

Each of these areas touch on ways, big or small, you can positively impact your life. Sophie has made being green glamorous, because she knows that being green IS glamorous. This book is a fun way for women, of any age, to learn what they can do to chip in. You will use it as reference for each step of the way, and find yourself relating to Uliano’s experiences. From the moment you pick it up, you won’t be able to stop your self from thinking greener!

Take a look at Gorgeously Green now!