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HOPEFUL AND HELPFUL IDEAS TO HELP OUR WORLD

You too can help this little blue ball we live on!

1. Change 5 lights
   Change a light, and you help change the world. Replace the conventional bulbs in your 5 most frequently used light fixtures with bulbs that have the ENERGY STAR and you will help the environment while saving money on energy bills. If every household in the U.S. took this one simple action we would prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.
2. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products
   When buying new products, such as appliances for your home, get the features and performance you want AND help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products in more than 50 product categories, including lighting, home electronics, heating and cooling equipment and appliances.
3. Heat and cool smartly
   Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed contractor can save energy and increase comfort at home, and at the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to replace your old equipment, choose a high efficiency model, and make sure it is properly sized and installed.

4. Seal and insulate your home
   Sealing air leaks and adding more insulation to your home is a great do-it-yourself project. The biggest leaks are usually found in the attic and basement. If you are planning to replace windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows for better performance. Forced air ducts that run through unconditioned spaces are often big energy wasters. Seal and insulate any ducts in attics and crawlspaces to improve the efficiency of your home. Not sure where to begin? A home energy auditor can also help you find air leaks, areas with poor insulation, and evaluate the over-all energy efficiency of your home. By taking these steps, you can eliminate drafts, keep your home more comfortable year round, save energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

5. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
   If there is a recycling program in your community, recycle your newspapers, beverage containers, paper and other goods. Use products in containers that can be recycled and items that can be repaired or reused. In addition, support recycling markets by buying products made from recycled materials. Reducing, reusing, and recycling in your home helps conserve energy and reduces pollution and greenhouse gases from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.
6. Be green in your yard
   Use a push mower, which, unlike a gas or electric mower, consumes no fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases. If you do use a power mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to reduce grass clippings (PDF, 8 pp., 1.59 MB, About PDF). Composting your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. See EPA’s GreenScapes program for tips on how to improve your lawn or garden while also benefiting the environment. Smart Landscaping can save energy, save you money and reduce your household’s greenhouse gas emissions.
7. Use water efficiently
   Saving water around the home is simple. Municipal water systems require a lot of energy to purify and distribute water to households, and saving water, especially hot water, can lower greenhouse gas emissions. Look for products with EPA's WaterSense label; these products save water and perform as well or better than their less efficient counterparts. There are also simple actions you can take to save water: Be smart when irrigating your lawn or landscape; only water when needed and do it during the coolest part of the day, early morning is best. Turn the water off while shaving or brushing teeth. Do not use your toilet as a waste basket - water is wasted with each flush. And did you know a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day? Repair all toilet and faucet leaks right away. See EPA's WaterSense site for more water saving tips.
8. Spread the Word
   Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for their homes and good for the environment because it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Tell 5 people and together we can help our homes help us all.

1. Do you support your local farmers market?  Think of the quality that local produce would have over that which is produced further away than your neighborhood farmer.  A big  part of commercial or corporate farming is the impact on the environment.
2. While your local farmer still uses the same machinery that the large corporate farmers use when you buy from him there is less need for truck transport and there-by reducing carbon emissions by a large amount.
3. The local farmer is also giving you a fresher product that hasn't had to be treated with as many pesticides and other chemicals to keep it "fresh" for the consumer.
4. The final aspect of the local farmer is that buying from him locally requires less use of packaging materials.

1. If you drink coffee or tea  - did you know that throwing out the spent coffee or tea and their filters is an extreme waste.  These are highly compostable materials.  The best use for these, normally discarded items, is to collect them over the course of a week and then bury them in the ground near a tree or other large plant that could convert them into nutrients save some landfill space and make a plant much healthier.
2. Do you use eggs?  This is another wasted item by most house-holds.  Egg shells are a major source of cacium and this is a mineral that is in constant need by plants.  The shells need to be dried in the over for a short time and then crushed and added to other compostable materials.  The can also be placed around freshly planted small plants that would be attacked by cut worms.
3. Do you need to plant or renew a lawn?  Look for grasses, suited for your area, that have deeper roots and a shorter growth habit.  The deeper roots will require less water and the shorter growth habit will decrease the need for using a carbon powered machine to cut it as often.  Other options would be to plant ornamental grasses or vining groundcovers rather than normal turf grass - either would require less maintenance.

We look for the best quality and price in eco-friendly products. That means we favor manufacturers and artisans who dedicate their talents to creating clever, modern, and earth-affirming products out of unwanted everyday items. In addition, we look for fairly-traded products and those made from organic ingredients. We encourage manufacturers to use environmentally-friendly packaging and sustainable manufacturing techniques.