Green

Reusing Glass Drinking Bottles

Most of us reuse plastic water bottles to carry our water to work, the gym, and school. Research has shown that although this is an economical and an eco-friendly way to carry water, it is not the safest. Most hard clear plastic bottles are made using components of polycarbonate. This component is said to release Bisphenol-A into the liquid it carries. This chemical is said to mimic the female hormone estrogen, which is said to cause reproductive and development damage.

Research has now shown that reusing glass drinking bottles is a great way to be eco-friendly and make sure you consume safe drinking water. To collect a range of glass drinking bottles, just gather your used wine bottles. Before using your glass bottles make sure you use a bottle brush to clean the bottles, and get rid of all alcohol. You could seal the bottle by buying some air tight stoppers from your local supermarket. If you are worried about breaking the bottles, just pop into your local one-dollar store and buy some handy covers. They generally come with draw string tops that will make certain the bottle stays within the cover.

If your one of those people that wants to add a little bit of style to your carry-on water, try buying a few “love” bottles. These cute colorful bottles come in a range of sizes. A nutritionist, who wanted to create a healthy and cute way to carry her water, created them. Love bottles are made of 20% recycled glass bottles and come with ceramic lids. If that is too impersonal for you, you can personalize your glass bottles by visiting the “love bottles” website, and create your own special water bottle.

Why not Aluminum Drinking Bottles

Finding a safe way to carry your water can be often confusing. Researchers who study water safety often release studies that are sometimes conflicting. Claims that plastic, stainless steel and aluminum bottles are unsafe to carry has made it difficult for consumers to choose a water bottle that they feel is safe to use.

New research now states that aluminum is not a safe product and may cause dangerous chemicals to enter your water. Although these claims have been introduced and refuted many times, some of the facts regarding aluminum bottles may make this research a lot more believable.

Firstly, aluminum bottles come with an epoxy liner that prevents the aluminum from having contact with the liquid. If this product was so safe why would the manufacturers have to place a liner and what happens to the liquid if the liner is scratched.

Secondly, aluminum manufacturers have constantly fought consumer health and government groups that proclaimed that aluminum bottles contain bisphenol-A (BPA). This substance is linked to reproductive and development damage that is said to be a factor in Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and insulin resistance. Recently, “Sigg Bottles” which is one of the most popular and trusted manufacturers of aluminum bottles claimed that their bottles contained BPA, after denying that BPA was present for many years. If reputed manufacturers of aluminum bottles are not being honest with the general public, how can consumers be assured that they are receiving a safe product?

If this research leaves you even more confused, try taking the safe option by choosing a glass drinking bottle. It may be a lot heavier and may require you to be more careful, but at least you know that the only thing you are putting into your body is simply H2O.

It is Easy to Be Green in the Kitchen

An eco-friendly kitchen may begin with eating green, but does not stop there. To have a healthy kitchen it is important to prepare food in an energy-efficient way, use healthy cleaning products, use equipment made of sustainable material, and avoid toxic chemicals. Having a green kitchen is not just about minimizing the impacts on the environment, but also having sensible home expenditures.

When choosing cookware and utensils for the kitchen, choose what lasts a long time. Teflon, which is a health hazard, also has a limited useful life span. Stainless steel or cast iron is the best option, especially with cast iron lasting for generations. Choose strong utensils that will not rot or melt with long time use. Energy-efficient appliances are becoming very popular and for many reasons. The kitchen is the room where the most energy is used with appliances accounting for almost 40% of the total energy consumed in many homes. Using energy-efficient appliances makes the kitchen much greener.

On average, the kitchen produces the most waste out of any room in a home. There are many ways to cut back on waste in the kitchen. Taking your own bags when shopping eliminates the collection of unnecessary bags. It is also important not to buy more than you need. If you are throwing away a lot of food, then you are obviously buying too much. Instead of throwing excess away, buy only what you need; this saves the environment and your wallet at the very same time.

Buy a New Home With Green Features

Buying a new home with green features can be a difficult thing to do due to the fact that many communities are still not equipped with the correct forms of technology for that.. In order to properly find a new home with green features, a person has to find the funding for items such as solar panels. You may have to go to a state such as California in order to find the right size of solar panels for your home because it may be difficult to find such a thing in a state like South Dakota.

When looking for a realtor, you can make it a requirement to have them find a home for you that happens to have the most green technology already in place on the market in your community. You also want to be able to find a home that has the most efficient water system due to the fact that one of the biggest issues surrounding global climate change is the negative impact the situation could have on the world’s water supply.

A person can find plenty of these homes with green features at a place like Green Homes for Sale. You have homes in Portland, Oregon which are built with a certain type of sustainable timber frame for example. A buyer should be advised to draw a green home blueprint so they can show a seller or the person helping them find a home exactly what types of green features they are seeking. There are homes with green features in all fifty states. For example, there is a home in Washington, Iowa which is built with low voc paint so it is healthy for children to be playing in the home. These kind of green features are important.

Using Window Shades to Save Energy

Saving on your monthly energy bills can be as easy as using your window shades to your advantage. There are a variety of window shades in the market today. When choosing a shade that would help reduce your energy bills speak to a professional and ask them what treatments can be used to reduce and retain heat.

When getting your shades fixed make sure they are placed as close to the glass as possible. This creates a sealed air space that will trap the outside air from entering your home. You could also consider using dual shades. Where one side of the shade is white and the other is dark.

If you already have fitted your shades try these handy tips:

For those of you in cold climates:
– Open your shades in the morning and let as much natural sunlight stream in. When the sun sets, close all shades to retain the heat.
– If you treat your shades with a thermal insulation treatment, they can really make a difference to how much heat you can retain.

For those of you in warmer climates:

– When the sun rises close all shades, to keep the sun’s heat from entering your home. If you think it makes your home look dark, try opening the shades in the room(s) that you and your family use the most.
– If you choose lighter window shades, they would reflect the suns rays making your home cooler.

P&G Targets green consumer

Proctor and Gamble recently introduced a “future friendly” campaign throughout the company’s brands, to educate consumers on how to be environmentally friendly. The new “green” pamper range initiated in September this year, marked the first step for P&G towards being a more environmentally responsible firm. The Pampers brand also pledged to provide four billion liters of clean drinking water to developing countries through the company’s “Children’s Safe water drinking program”.

The company states that the new range of eco-friendly products uses less waste, energy, shipping, and packaging. For instance, the company claims that due to their changes in packaging sizes they reduce their truck loads by 40,000 per year. The company’s new brands of products are targeted towards mainstream consumers who want to be more environmentally conscious. The introduction of the new eco ranges comes at a time where the company is faced with strong competition from companies such as Arm & Hammer, SC Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, and Clorox, which have introduced their own eco-friendly products.

The company’s late arrival into this particular product market is an indication that consumers are concerned about their imprint on the enviroment and they want to make a difference. P&G should keep in mind that this does not mean that consumers will purchase any product that claims to be eco-friendly. Eco conscious consumers tend to consider many aspects of a product before placing it in there shopping cart, for example consumer surveys revealed that consumers read product labels and browse the internet before purchasing a product.

Compare green Products with eco rate

With so many eco-friendly products in the market, it can be difficult to distinguish between one product and another. Eco rate is a web site that can help you choose the best eco-friendly product: you can rate a product against a list of criteria.

The criteria listed in the web site can help you compare the costs in relation to the products’ environmental friendliness. The eco rating takes into account criteria such as;

• Environmental Impact: This is an overall environmental rating on a product in relation to the product’s manufacturer and where it was produced.
• Consumption: The amount of energy the product consumes.
• Toxicity: The amount of toxic materials in the product and how these materials impact the enviroment.
• Life Cycle Cost: The price of the product and the cost of consumption.
• Price Rating: The product’s price in comparison to similar products in the market.

In addition to this, the site also provides information about state rebates provided for certain products and local recycling facilities. The Eco Rating also sells the company’s own products, which include lighting and electronics. An online simulator of a home lets you know what products you should be using and can also help you find the ones you are looking for. For those who may seem confused about certain terms, the web site includes a dictionary for green terms.

Eco rating is a fun and easy way to get the best products for your home and still make sure your being kind to the enviroment.

Natural remedies for the flu and cold

Natural cold and flu remedies can be a great way to prevent colds, fever, and sore throats. The good thing about natural remedies is the fact that they do not contain harmful chemicals that your body does not need, and they are inexpensive and relatively easy to make.

A congested nose often annoys and embarrasses people. You can easily use a Neti pot to relieve the congestion. This involves mixing salt with water and inserting a few droplets through each nostril.

You can also use herbs as another great way to relieve cold or flu symptoms. Herbs like Echinacea and Thyme are a great and inexpensive way to relieve cold and flu symptoms. Take Echinacea as soon as you notice the first sign of cold or flu symptoms. It will help increase your white blood cells and fight the virus.

Thyme, on the other hand, can help relieve congestion. You just need to add some of the herb in boiling water and inhale the vapor. If you find it hard to look for the herb, simply inhale the boiling water vapor. It will help loosen mucus in the nasal passage and relieve congestion.

Also, remember to get sufficient rest when you feel that you are coming down with a cold or flu. Rest can help your body concentrate on fighting the virus, which means that you would feel better faster. Make sure you drink plenty of warm or hot fluids so that your body is well hydrated.

MIT Launches Concrete Sustainability hub

MIT is working with university researchers to create a cement formula that is environmentally friendly. The project is part of the concrete sustainability hub and is a project in collaboration with the Portland Cement Association and the Ready Mix Concrete Association. Researchers for the project will include MIT’s own School of Engineering, School of Architecture and Planning and the Sloan School of Management.

Concrete is one of the most eco-friendly material used in building construction, but the problem is manufacturing concrete involves large emissions of carbon dioxide. These quantities of carbon dioxide are so large that concrete production contributes to 5% of the total quantity of the gas emitted yearly.

MIT estimates that the project will cost approximately $10 million. The research center’s main aim is to improve concrete sciences and engineering, and use this knowledge to assist manufactures of the product. At the end of the project the company hopes to create a concrete that is stronger and sustainable.

The project will be broken down into three main areas, which include concrete material sciences, building technology, and the ecometrics of sustainable development. The two projects currently underway are “Green Concrete Sciences” and “The Edge of Concrete”.

MIT’s announcement comes at a time when EPA has decided to enforce laws that curtail greenhouse gas emissions from such manufactures. The laws, if enacted, would affect 118 cement companies in the US.

Private Equity Firm Global Environment Fund Announces Investment in Indian Independent Power Producer Greenko PLC (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)

CHEVY CHASE, Md.—-Private equity firm Global Environment Fund announces the completion of an investment of $46.3 million in Greenko PLC, which is based in Hyderabad, India. Greenko is one of India’s largest independent power producers focused exclusively on renewable energy generation through the development, acquisition, construction, and operation of run-of-river hydro and biomass-fired …

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Private Equity Firm Global Environment Fund Announces Investment in Indian Independent Power Producer Greenko PLC (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)

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