Author: Stephanie Kling

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Eco Tips Featured Home Improvement

5 Reasons to use Zero-VOC Paints

 

According to the EPA indoor air is up to three times more polluted than outdoor air and is considered one of the top 5 hazards to human health (eartheasy.com). Paints and finishes are among the leading causes. Do you have a new baby or pets? These are two very good reasons to improve the health and eco-friendly aspects of your home. Also you can’t forget your long-term health.

You’ll want to look beyond the furniture, cleaning products, and carpet: Start with the walls themselves. Choosing a paint that’s low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — or, even better, totally free of them — can improve indoor air quality (and your health).

But keep in mind that even paints labeled “low” or “zero” VOC aren’t always created equal. The current standard for a paint to be labeled low-VOC requires that it have fewer than 250 g/L; zero-VOC paints have to meet a less-than 5 g/L requirement.

Health.

Reduced toxins benefit everyone, including those with allergies and chemical sensitivities.

Environment.

Reduces landfill, groundwater and ozone depleting contaminants.

Effective.

Low-VOC products perform well in terms of coverage, scrub-ability and hide-ability (covering flaws on previous coats).

Water-Based.

Easy cleanup with soap and warm water.

Little or No Hazardous Fumes.

Low odor during application; no odor once cured. No off-gassing. Painted areas can be occupied sooner, with no odor complaints.

Not Deemed Hazardous Waste.

 Cleanup and disposal greatly simplified.

Sources: eartheasy.com, (http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_paints.htm)

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Featured Green Building Home Improvement

Why You Should Consider Installing a Dual-Flush Toliet

American homes are notorious for wasting water. It seems not much thought is given to leaving the water running while brushing your teeth or taking an hour-long shower. Interest in low flow and dual flush toilets is on the rise in the United States, due in part to increased government regulation and the rising cost of water, and there are incentives for making changes in the way we use the toilet. One product set to combat this is the dual-flush toilet. These designs look and act like standard toilets but are able to reduce water consumption by providing the right amount of water for the specific task.

How they work

Standard toilets use siphoning action, a method that employs a siphoning tube, to evacuate waste. A high volume of water entering the toilet bowl when the toilet’s flushed fills the siphon tube and pulls the waste and water down the drain. When air enters the tube, the siphoning action stops. Dual flush toilets employ a larger trapway (the hole at the bottom of the bowl) and a wash-down flushing design that pushes waste down the drain. Because there’s no siphoning action involved, the system needs less water per flush, and the larger diameter trapway makes it easy for waste to exit the bowl. Combined with the savings from using only half-flushes for liquid waste, the dual flush toilet design can save up to 68 percent more water than a conventional low flow toilet [source: How Stuff Works].

Here are a few Pros and Cons for purchasing a duel-flush toilet for your home.

Pros

  • According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 4,000 gallons of water can be saved annually in a residential household that converts to these water-conserving fixtures.
  • Most types of dual flush toilet are designed to use gravity to remove waste through a large trapway, rather than old-fashioned pressure siphoning. The size of the trapway has a bonus effect: it reduces the incidence of clogs.
  • Dual flush toilets aren’t just clever and pretty; those that are high efficiency models are required to flush up to 350 grams of waste.

Cons

  • Some models of dual flush toilets may require professional installation or simply present a frustrating challenge for the DIY enthusiast
  • Many models may leave some residue in the bowl when using the low volume flush option. This means that dual flush toilets in general require more frequent cleaning
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Eco Tips Featured Furnishings

4 Benefits of Buying an Eco-Friendly Mattress

Traditional mattresses are created using a wide range of chemicals and glues which are bad for both your health and the environment. There are a couple of different types of eco-friendly mattresses, such as a mattress with a latex core (entirely made from the sap of rubber trees) which is a renewable energy source. It is hard to find an eco-friendly mattresses you can try out before buying, so your best bet is calling your local mattress stores and asking if they carry any brands of eco-friendly mattresses (and if not, ask if they can point you in the right direction). Before buying an eco-friendly mattress make sure to do plenty of research beforehand.

Here are 4 important benefits to keep in mind when deciding to purchase an eco-friendly mattress.

Healthier

When it comes to your health, everything is a factor from what you eat, to how you move, and how you sleep. Your sleep is actually a vital factor in your health. And if you don’t get good quality sleep, you won’t be able to function properly. With an eco-friendly mattress, you can sleep soundly knowing not only that you’re on a bed that is full of support and comfort for a good night’s sleep, but it also anti-microbial and made of biodegradable materials and a mattress that doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals.

Comfort

You will spend about one third of your life in bed, so why go for anything less than comfortable? Unlike others, eco-friendly mattresses have many comfort pros, but no cons. Their main comfort features though are their ability to regulate body temperature more freely and easily than other mattresses, and they match themselves to the shape of your body, allowing you to have a more natural sleep.

Eco Friendly

Latex mattresses are made out of the sap from rubber trees, (which attributes to their comfort and health benefits), and allows them fully bio-degradable. With the use of these materials to make the beds, this means that they are the most eco-friendly mattresses available, unlike other mattresses that are filled with synthetic chemicals and fumes.

Durability

Durability is an important factor when making such a large purchase. On average, most mattresses will show signs of sagging within 2 years and need to be replaced between 7-10 years of use. But with a latex mattress, they will last up to 20 years before a replacement is needed. And since they’re eco-friendly, this not only saves you money but it saves on the environment too

Keep in mind

Purchasing a queen-size mattress made with all certified organic fabrics and an all-natural latex core starts around $1,400 and can travel upwards of $6,000. Green mattresses tend to last much longer – some come with 20-year guarantees – but that’s still a major investment over a conventional product that costs a third as much.

Sources: treehugger.com, ( http://www.treehugger.com/green-home/how-to-buy-mattress.html ), sleepjunkie.com, ( http://www.sleepjunkie.org/all-about-eco-friendly-mattress-options/)

 

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Featured Furnishings Home Improvement

Ceiling Fans Can Help Reduce Your Energy Costs

Everyone who lives in a climate that gets over 80° is interested in reducing energy costs.  Installing a ceiling fan is one way that you can save some money and stay cool in the summer.

Why a ceiling fan

An important tidbit of information to remember is that ceiling fans don’t lower the temperature in the room, they just provide a breeze that can help make you feel up to 5° cooler. However the movement of the air inside the house in the summer may be enough to lower the thermostat a couple degrees, thus saving you a few dollars on your electric bills. Ceiling fans cool you off which will help reduce the temptation to keep lowering the thermostat. It is important to remember to make sure the blades are rotating counter-clockwise for a “cooling” effect.

Where to put a ceiling fan

If you are remodeling your home or having a new home built, don’t forget to order the wiring for a ceiling fan in every room (where you could possibly want one), even if they don’t get installed right away. It is much cheaper to have the rooms wired in the remodel/building stage than after the fact.  It’s a good idea to put a ceiling fan in every room where your family spends a lot of time (kitchen, family room, living room, the den, and of course the bedrooms).

What ceiling fans won’t do

Ceiling fans won’t keep your home cool if you leave them on when you aren’t home.  They don’t cool the air, they just provide you with a breeze that cools you off.  If you leave your fan on in the room when you aren’t there you aren’t saving energy – you’re wasting it!

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Eco Tips Featured Gadgets & Gear

4 Kitchen Appliances You Can Live Without

An easy way to start reducing your electric bill every month is to cut back on appliances you do not really need. If you are like the typical household you have drawers and cabinets filled with gadgets and small appliances. To help conserve energy, resources, and money consider getting rid of some of these gadgets and using the alternative instead.

Electric Knife

Most people break out the electric knife twice, maybe three times a year (Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner, and maybe Easter). However why not ditch your electric knife and use a nice sharp knife instead? It does the exact same thing as an electric knife but does not use any electricity.

Juicer

Are you surprised to find an electric juicer on the list? This is an easy switch that won’t screw up your healthy juice regimen. Hand-held juicers require a little muscle, but they produce big energy savings.

Electric Mixer and Stick Blender

An electric stick immersion blender has a single mixer attachment, so to make something like whipping cream, a hand-held mixer is your best bet. The old fashioned, quiet hand mixer works like a dream. Often you can find these in antique stores with wooden handles. Don’t forget vintage is totally in right now.

Coffee Grinder

It’s early in the morning and it’s awfully easy to plug in the coffee grinder to pulverize fresh beans. Just think how much faster you’ll wake up if you have to do it yourself.

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Eco Tips Featured

How-to Reduce Summer Heat in Your Home

With summer right around the corner and the thermostat on the rise, it’s only natural for the electric bill to be on the rise as well. By using household appliances and household electronics is raises the temperature inside your home. Here are 10 tips to help reduce summer heat in your home!

  • Try not to use the oven. Use a microwave oven, or use a barbecue grill.
  • Use a slow cooker to prepare one dish meals without adding extra heat to the house.
  • While cooking put lids on pots and pans to hold the heat in.
  • Most hot water heaters have thermostats that are set to 140 degrees for hot water. It isn’t necessary–turn the thermostat down to 120 or 115.
  • You’ve probably heard that taking a bath uses less water than a shower. That may be true, but if you take a short shower, about 5 minutes, you’ll only be using one third of the amount of hot water than you would with a bath.
  • Don’t use the drying function in your dishwasher. Let the dishes air-dry.
  • Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes. Dry your clothes on hangars or outside.
  • Try to do any ironing all at once to prevent having to heat the iron several times.
  • Do “wet” chores in the early morning or at night when it’s cooler. This will help to keep humidity down. This includes washing clothes or dishes, mopping floors, watering indoor plants, etc.
  • Turn off computers, printers, copiers, and home electronics when they are not in use. Surge protectors that allow you to plug several items into one strip with an on/off switch make this even easier.
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Featured Gadgets & Gear

4 Green Kitchen Gadgets You Shouldn’t Be Without

With people around the country looking for ways to reduce their impact on the environment sometimes the kitchen is overlooked in favor of the laundry room or living room. However we have found 4 eco-friendly kitchen gadgets you shouldn’t be without.

6-Way Opener

Toss your old bottle-opener, and pick up a multifunctional six-way opener. Instead of purchasing multiple gadgets for each task, using a multifunctional device allows you to cut down on materials used, cut down on storage space, and still have the functionality of all six kitchen gadgets.

Handheld Juicer

A lot of kitchen appliances use a lot of energy and an electric juicer is no different. Electric juicers use a lot of energy, take up precious counter space, and using a handheld juicer isn’t really too much of a chore. Newer models of handheld juicers are easier to use, require less hand strength then past models.

Bamboo Cooking Utensils

Bamboo is a great eco-friendly material. It also makes great cooking utensils. These utensils last a long time and don’t stain easily. Bamboo cooking utensils are easy on cookware and won’t scratch your pots and pans.

Faucet Water Filter

We all know that bottled water is bad for you and the environment. However you can still help out the environment by purchasing an inexpensive snap-on faucet filter. You can not only save money but you can save the environment by cutting out the expensive bottled water.

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Eco Tips Featured

3 Eco-Friendly Tips for New Parents

One of the best things you can do for your children is raising them to be environmentally friendly. By starting them off at a young age they are more likely to adopt the principles and values of sustainability and green living. However for new parents sometimes you don’t know where to begin. Here are 3 tips for new eco-parents.

Ready the nursery

Creating a safe haven for your little bundle of joy starts with the nursery. New baby furniture can sometimes give off vapors like formaldehyde, which can irritate the eyes, nose and throat and even cause allergic reactions in little ones. Formaldehyde is found in pressed wood products made with adhesives; pressed wood is often used to make cribs, dressers, and even toys. Try buying used baby furniture because the vapors will have already been given off, and to select natural flooring for the baby’s room. The environmentally-conscious writer also suggests buying organic bedding and using low-VOC paints.

Solve the diaper dilemma

On average Americans throw away about 18 billion diapers a year (that also equals 3.5 billion gallons of oil and about 250,000 trees that go into making the diapers). Worse, disposable diapers contain carcinogenic dioxins, dyes and other synthetic chemicals that can cause diaper rash and potentially harm your baby. There are greener solutions such as disposables (if cloth diapers are out of the question) from Seventh Generation, Tushies or Nature Babycare. Greener diapers are chemical free, fragrance free, and chlorine-free.

Better baby bottles

Your baby may be drinking the toxin bisphenol-A (BPA) along with your breast milk (if you pump) or baby formula. BPA has been proven to cause developmental and neurological problems if it leaches from plastic…and can be potentially harmful for babies. BornFree, a leader in environmentally-safe baby products, suggests BPA-free containers. Whatever you store, heat and prepare food in for children should be BPA-free. Just be sure to do your research before you purchase!

 

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Eco Fashion Featured

7 Surprising Things Made from Cork

Cork isn’t just for shoes and wedges anymore. Cork is a natural material that is soft to the touch and has an interesting pattern, one unique to each piece covered in it.

Cork is an ultra-sustainable material because it’s harvested from naturally growing cork farms. These cork farms support a wide variety of animal life and are protected. (The demand for cork is not high enough to keep all the cork trees profitable for the people that manage them). Cork, because it’s a natural material, is biodegradable at the end of its life, it’s super durable, fire resistant, and it’s naturally waterproof (perfect for handbags and backpacks)!

You can buy almost anything in cork. You can buy shoes, purses, backpacks, iPad and laptop covers, wallets and even cork jewelery.  Check out corkor.com to find out more information and to purchase your own cork accessories!  They are handmade, all natural, and vegan and vegetarian friendly! I’m personally a fan of the backpack, super cute and convenient! Click here to check out our favorite cork backpack from corkor.com!

Here are some interesting facts about cork that you may or may not have known!

  • Cork trees can live to be 170 to 250 years old!
  • Once harvested, the bark regenerates, making it a renewable and sustainable resource.
  • Each ton of natural cork fixes about 1,8t of CO2.
  • In cork oak landscapes, plant diversity can reach a level of 135 species per square meter, and many of these species have aromatic, culinary, or medicinal uses.

Source:  Cork facts courtesy of www.corkor.com

Categories
Eco Fashion Featured Recycling

4 Places to Recycle Your Gently Used Clothing

It’s spring time which means it’s time to start cleaning out those closets and making room for new summer clothes! While you’re cleaning out your closet why not consider donating all your gently used clothing? It’s not only a tax deduction but it will help out others in need. Of course you can donate your old clothes to places like Goodwill; however there are some other great options available to you as well.

American Red Cross

Clothing you donate to the American Red Cross benefits victims of natural disasters. For instance, the American Red Cross provided much-needed clothing to Gulf Coast evacuees during Hurricane Katrina, and for Northerners that were stranded by Hurricane Sandy.

Vietnam Veterans of America

Vietnam Veterans of America provides support and services for veterans returning home after serving. These services include counseling, hospital treatments, and aid for homeless and disabled vets. The Vietnam Veterans of America sells donated items in resale shops, and the proceeds benefit the charity. The VVA accepts clothing, shoes, and accessories in good condition. You can schedule a pickup online here.

Big Brother Big Sister Foundation

The Big Brother Big Sister Foundation pairs at-risk kids with adult mentors. The foundation accepts any type of clothing in good condition. Your donations go to the foundation’s resale stores, and up to 100% of the proceeds benefit the charity.

Donate My Dress

Have a couple old prom dresses hanging in the closet? Donate My Dress collects new and gently used formal dresses, which are donated to low-income women so they can have the dress of their dreams for a special occasion like high school prom night. You can find a local donation center on the Donate My Dress website, here.