Your Greeness

1.Consider buying nothing this year. Why not give donations in your friend’s names to an organization that helps save the Earth!

2.If you must shop for gifts, consider taking public transportation, or maybe you can sop with friends and have like a shopping car pool.

3.Look for products that are fair trade certified, or those that give back to green institutions.
4.Try to shop for gifts that are local, that are made in the area, or made in the country.

5.When looking for gifts, avoid buying those with excessive packaging.

1.Re-use old wrappers- maybe from early gifts given to you, or if you have any kept from last year!

2.Store Christmas decorations and your plastic Christmas tree properly so you can reuse them for years to come!

3.Donate unwanted gifts to charitable institutions.

4.Instead of throwing out left-overs, donate them to a nearby soup kitchen instead.

5.Make sure to separate all wastes properly into metal, paper, plastic so that it is easier to recycle.

1.Why not try to work from home? Ask your employer if there could be a possible arrangement for you to work from home some days during the week. This can save you fuel, and save the company some energy expenses too!

2.In the cold seasons, always remember to keep your fireplace damper closed. Doing so will mean you use up less heat to warm the room up.

3. Cut back on junk mail- Say no to receiving those catalogues and pamphlets when you no you won’t really use them. Don’t subscribe to them just because!

4. Matches over lighters- matches are made up of recyclable material, while lighters are mostly made out of plastic. It’s better to use matches. Also, remember to choose cardboard matches over wood ones!

5.Do you really still use your paper phonebook? If you find that the telephone numbers that you need can be accessed online, tell your phone company to stop giving you a paper phone book an use the online version instead.

There are easy ways to conserve gasoline. Here are some that I personally swear by and would like to share with all of you!

1.Slow down- Did you know that cutting your speed from 70 mph to 55 can make a gallon of gas last 15% longer? The place won’t disappear, so just slow down and enjoy the ride.

2. Unload junk and keep your car light- The lighter your car weighs, the less gas it consumes. Unload heavy items that may also be taking up space from your car.

3.Put your gears to neutral on a red light- This saves more gas than just stepping on the brakes. An added bonus is that your feet can relax a little too!

4.Avoid idling- If you keep your car idle, it consumes the same amount of energy as starting a car.

5.Consult!- Before you buy, do a little research on the internet on the most gas economical cars in the market.

1. It can never be said enough! Turn off lights as you leave the room! Also, avoid using more lights than necessary!

2. Keeping a car running emits more pollutants compared to just restarting it! If you’re stopped for more than a minute, why not just turn off the engine?! Tell other people to do this too! Many parents actually waste much gas because they idle in car-pool lanes for 20 minutes

3.Program your computer to go on sleep mode if its been left idle for more than 30 minutes. The sleep mode saves 90% of energy! You can also fully unplug them if not in use!

Good news to those looking to live more green and have plans to harness the sun’s energy! Ikea will soon start to sell solar panels for your home!

The company plans to invest about $77 million into clean-tech start ups within the next 5 years.

Other products that will be developed aside from solar panels will include efficiency meters, green lighting and gadgets that promote water treatment and conservation. Furniture made from sustainable materials will also be put into production.

We all need to do laundry and we all need to have clean clothes. However, laundry can be really wasteful and harmful to the environment. Here are some tips so that you make less of a negative impact!
1.Switch detergents and choose a brand that is less likely to be hazardous.

2.Retire your old washing machine and get those energy saver ones.
They let you save up on electricity and only use up half the amount
of water compared to the older models.

3.Make sure your faucet pipes in the laundry room are tight and
don’t cause water to drip!

4.Don’t use your dryer all the time. Take advantage of the sun and
dry your clothes outside.

You may recycle, buy only organic food, but you’re still wasting a lot if you throw away lots of food and leftovers. Yes, it can be annoying to eat leftovers again and again but how about giving them a make-over?

Here are creative ways to use leftovers.

1.If you don’t want to eat your leftovers again, why not take it to work or school and trade for another person’s lunch! I’m sure the other person will not think of the meal as leftovers!

2. Give the food to your dogs. Your dogs will see this as a treat for sure!

3.Why not do a good thing and donate your leftovers to a local soup kitchen?

4.If you’ve got leftover meat like ham, maybe you’d like to use it as a sandwich filling?

Here is the second installment of tips for successful carpooling!

1. Certain issues have to be tackled for a peaceful carpool situation. Would it be ok to smoke? What about the music? And the volume? Set clear policies regarding these matters!
2. A carpool should only serve the purpose it was created for. If it is for school, then do not expect it to become a carpool for your shopping trips!
3. Get everybody’s contact numbers in case of an emergency! For example, if the driver is sick, there has to be a substitute driver contacted and notified right away so as not to mess up everyone else’s schedule.
4. If you are driving, it is your responsibility to keep your car in tip top shape and to drive with utmost care and concern for your passengers!
5. Respect your fellow carpool members. If they feel like sleeping on the morning ride, let them! Be sensitive to their needs!

1.    Have you considered investing in shades or curtains? These can keep the cold and heat out.
2.    Check the temperature of your water heater? If you’ve found yourself burnt one too many times, it might be because it’s turned up too high.
3.    Is it time to change your appliances? Older models generally use up more energy than the newer ones.
4.    How about having your electricity company come and inspect your house. They’ll be able to tell you which areas and gadgets are eating up too much energy. After that, you’ll have a better idea of what to get rid of.
5.    Consider replacing steady lights with those equipped with motion sensors. You’ll cut energy usage by about ¾.