Daily Eco Tips

Tip #307: Use Reusable Products

Jenni — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 08:51:02 +0000

One of the easiest things to do to live a more green lifestyle is to buy reusable products. These can range from things to drink from to cleaning products. I have put together some of the ones that I think are the most important and easiest to do.

sponges or rags vs. paper towels
reusable razors vs. disposable shavers
coffee mugs vs. paper or plastic cups
washable plates vs. paper
cloth napkins vs. paper
cloth diapers vs. disposable
handkerchief vs. tissues
reusable mesh coffee filters vs. paper

Copyright © 2008 to 2009 Daily Eco Tips. Got a tip to contribute? Find out more on our Get Involved page.

Tip #307: Use Reusable Products

Tip #306: Become A Green Kitchen

Jenni — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:26:46 +0000

Over the past year I have tried to research some simple things that I could do in the kitchen, where I spend 90% of my day, to make it more of a green environment. I know that using washable dish rags, using dish towels instead of paper towels where something I could do but I wasn’t sure what else could be done. Well I did some research and found some great things that can everyone can do to make a more green environment for your kitchen.

Bamboo Cutting Board- Bamboo is harder than most wood that is used in cutting board and much safer than using the plastic ones.
Using Organic Products- I have started to use more organic spices and coco powders when I cook or bake.
Buy Manual Kitchen Products- This wasn’t too hard for me since I don’t have a food processor or stand mixer, simply have always done the chopping or mixing by hand. But you can also by manual egg beater, can openers and other items that many people use electric.
Buy Green Smart Cookware- Many big name companies are making more green smart cookware. This is often cookware that is made from petroleum free ceramics and other chemical free while staying non-stick.
Bamboo Bowls- Bamboo not only looks nice but they are natural products and a great solution to having plastic mixing and serving bowls.
Coffee Press- There are tons of coffee drinkers but think about going non-electric for coffee time by purchasing a coffee press.

Copyright © 2008 to 2009 Daily Eco Tips. Got a tip to contribute? Find out more on our Get Involved page.

Tip #306: Become A Green Kitchen

Tip #305: Tips for Going Green

Jenni — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:22:22 +0000

Earth Day is a little over a month away and I was thinking about some easy tips for people to start towards a more green living. I found 10 that are pretty simple to start doing today.

1. Stop Idling- If you are spending more than 10 second idling you are wasting more gas than it takes to start your vehicle. On average, Americans idle away 2.9 billion gallons of gas in just one year.
2. Turn off the computer- You can save on average $90 a year on your electricity bill just by simply turning the computer off at night. If you can’t turn off the whole system think about turning off the monitor on desktops if you won’t be returning right away.
3. Sign up for Green Energy- Each state is different but many of them allow you to purchase the green power for your utilities.
4. Turn Down the Thermostat- (I know this is something I have mentioned several times but it is something that really does help.) For each degree your lower the thermostat, you can save between 1-3% on your heating bill. It will also save on how much energy the furnace is using to run. Instead of raising the temperature, put on a sweater.
5. Wash Laundry in Cold Water- Cold water doesn’t require any energy to heat the water, therefore it is better on energy consumption. Most laundry that you will do doesn’t even need to be washed in hot water. There are also many detergents that have been designed to work with cold water.
6. Go Paperless- Paperless bills are great because not only are you saving trees but there is not a mass of bills sitting out for anyone to look at or take from your house. Some companies and even the license branch are offering discounts for those who pay their bills online.
7. Stop Junk Mail- There are millions of pieces of junk mail that go out everyday. This is killing billions of trees a year to make this mail that almost always gets thrown away without being looked at. There are many websites that will help you to stop junk mail.
8. Use Both Sides of the Printer Paper- By printing on both sides of the paper you will be saving money by not buying as much paper. The U.S. uses 4 million tons of printer paper a year. Printing on both sides when printing is simple and almost all printing software offers the option.
9. Carpool- If you live with or by someone who works with you, ride together. You can take turns driving, meet new people, or have time to catch up with friends while going to work.
10. Drink Hormone-Free Milk- Switch to organic or milk that says “no artifical hormones” because the hormones that are put in commerical milking cows may be harmful to consumers.

Copyright © 2008 to 2009 Daily Eco Tips. Got a tip to contribute? Find out more on our Get Involved page.

Tip #305: Tips for Going Green

Tip #274: Is Your Favorite Restaurant Green?

Tip #304: Eco-Friendly Patio Furniture

Jenni — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:35:33 +0000

Warm weather is upon us and it is nice to be able to go outside and sit. The one thing that many people will begin to think about is patio and lawn furniture. There are many types of outdoor furniture available out on the market. Now there is eco-friendly outdoor furniture that will make your lawn or patio a comfortable place to relax during the warm weather. This eco-friendly furniture is made out of recycled or earth friendly materials. This means that there is no harmful ingredients placed into the woods or they have been salvaged from old furniture.

Copyright © 2008 to 2009 Daily Eco Tips. Got a tip to contribute? Find out more on our Get Involved page.

Tip #304: Eco-Friendly Patio Furniture

Tip #303: Eco-Friendly Gardening Tips

Jenni — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:17:05 +0000

I love gardening as it is a great time to be close to nature but also a great time for quiet thinking. The only thing about gardening is that I have never known how to keep it on the natural side, what I mean by that is not use the harmful chemicals to keep bugs away. So this winter I decided that I would research what some of the best things I could do for the normal things that occur in the garden. This is what I have come up with.

Weeds- Take wet newspaper and layer is on the plants. Overlap it and then add mulch. It is better than plastic because it is biodegradable.
Mosquitoes- Keep a dryer sheet in your pocket but if you think you might be allergic to the stuff in the dryer sheet avoid contact with your skin.
Squirrels- Sprinkle cayenne pepper around the plants and bulbs
Fruit Flies- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and 2 drops of dish soap, mix it well in a container (we use the small glass fruit container or baby food jars)
Ants- Sprinkle cornmeal around your kitchen baseboards or the edge of the garden will kill the ants
Slugs and Snails- Crushed egg shells work to keep the slugs out or you can put some copper wire in the garden to keep them out.
Dandelion- Dig them out as soon as you find them. A great way to keep them out of the yard is to maintain your lawn and keep your grass deeply rooted, this will leave no room for the weeds to root and grow.

Copyright © 2008 to 2009 Daily Eco Tips. Got a tip to contribute? Find out more on our Get Involved page.

Tip #303: Eco-Friendly Gardening Tips

Tip #302: Solar Powered Grilling

Jenni — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:40:56 +0000

The past warm days have gotten our family thinking about cooking outdoors and how much fun it is. This year, I think we are going to try something that is more environmentally friendly. I came across these cool solar powered ovens and knew this was something I wanted to know more about. There are several different kinds of solar powered ovens and grills that have been designed to harness the power of the sun to cook our food without the use of harmful fossil fuels. Here are some of the things that I found that make this a great alternative for anyone who loves to grill outdoors or even camp.

Cook for free- Since you are cooking with solar power, all you need is the sun.
Like a home oven- Most solar powered cookers can reach temperatures of 360-400 degrees.
Safe- Since there is not fire, there is no danger of setting a campsite on fire (or forgetting to put out the campfire when all go to bed)
Versatile- Most of the solar cookers can be folded to the size of a small suitcase. Meaning they are are not only easy to use but can be taken nearly anywhere you want to cook outdoors.

Copyright © 2008 to 2009 Daily Eco Tips. Got a tip to contribute? Find out more on our Get Involved page.

Tip #302: Solar Powered Grilling

Tip #300: Solar Panels

Tip #301: Silicone Bakeware

Jenni — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:04:30 +0000

Anyone who has baked something to only have it stick, knows how frustrating it is. Just last year, I invested in some silicone bakeware and have not had anything stick since using it. Most people when they look at this type of bakeware don’t believe that it can withstand cooking anything because it is so flimsy and flexible. But I have baked just about everything in them, including a pull apart cake, and they stand up to the thickest and heaviest of batter. The benefit to them being so flexible is that you can flip them inside out and your baked goods will just come out. This is especially helpful when you cook breads. Another wonderful benefit is that they can withstand temperatures over 400 degrees F. Storage of them is easy because since they are flexible they can fit almost anywhere.

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Tip #300: Solar Panels

Jenni — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:53:59 +0000

With Spring not that far off, I wanted to take a look at something that we have been thinking about getting for awhile now. That is solar panels and their benefits. Many people know that they are used for energy and that they are a great alternative. The best thing about them is after you have saved money on energy bills that they have paid for themselves, the rest of the energy collected is free. Most places even have to buy back the extra energy that you are producing from your solar panels. This means that you can have enough energy collected to run your house as well as make money because the energy company has to buy it back from you. They do cost a bit up front but will pay for themselves and can even make you money in the future.

Tip #299: General Tips for Becoming More Eco-Friendly

Jenni — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:33:54 +0000

I was thinking about what to write for today’s blog post and couldn’t decide on just one topic to write about. Therefore, I have compiled a short 10 item list of things that you can do to make your household more eco-friendly.

1. Pay as many of your bills online as you can. This helps with the amount of paper that is sent out and eventually just thrown away. Many of the bills can also be put on paperless billing where they will send you your bill through email, saving even more paper.
2. Recycle everything you can. Most items in your house can be recycled including cans of food(after washed out), glass, plastics and paper.
3. Buy products from companies that don’t use more packaging then needed. If there is not other solution then call the these companies and ask them to rethink using less packaging for their good.
4. Switch your light bulbs to the compact fluorescent bulbs. Not only will they last longer but they will use less energy.
5. Plan your errands out so that you are using less gas when running them. This will also save you time in the long run because you will have a plan and not just running around as you think of what you have to do.
6. Use low-flow toilets and shower heads. Also fix leaks as soon as you know about them.
7. Get a library card to borrow books you want to read or use Bookmooch.
8. Turn lights off when not in the room and unplug any electronic devices you are not using, because even if they are off they are still drawing energy.
9. Turn your thermostat down 2 degrees in the winter and up 2 degrees in the summer.
10. Use cold water and only do full loads of laundry.

Tip #297: Online Coupons/Store Cards

Jenni — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:31:13 +0000

Saving money has become very important with the state of the economy. It is also important to find ways to save money that are good for the environment. Some stores have taken this to heart and are offering a new and exciting way for their customers to save money. This is done by finding coupons online and having them put onto your store card, which will then be take off your bill when you swipe your store card. This cuts down on the amount of paper coupons are being printing, which in turn cuts down on the amount of paper and printer ink being wasted. This is something that you should check to see if it is available in your area the next time you want to use coupons to go shopping.

Daily Eco Tips

Tip #307: Use Reusable Products

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Tip #306: Become A Green Kitchen

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Tip #305: Tips for Going Green

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Tip #304: Eco-Friendly Patio Furniture

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Tip #303: Eco-Friendly Gardening Tips

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Tip #302: Solar Powered Grilling

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Tip #301: Silicone Bakeware

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Tip #300: Solar Panels

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Tip #299: General Tips for Becoming More Eco-Friendly

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Tip #297: Online Coupons/Store Cards

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