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Save on Heat, Save on Money

admin — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

So, you consider yourself a smart and environmentally conscious person. You might even power your home with bounceenergy or other green energy services. And while it may not seem like a big deal during the summer, when the winter months come along it can be real hard to save on heat. As the temperature drops, you fight with yourself over whether or not to turn the thermostat up another notch as you slowly begin to feel your fingers freeze – so what do you do to save on heat when things get cool?

1. More Layers
If you have a sweatshirt or a few extra layers of clothes, consider wearing those as you go about your business during the particularly chilly days. If you are watching a movie or going to sleep and you have a few extra quilts or comforters, then throw those on. More layers will help trap the heat in your body and keep you warm.

2. Get Better Curtains
Some thicker, sturdier curtains can help fight back any particularly nasty drafts coming through the window. The less cold air that can get in, the warmer you will be.

3. Get Better Windows
Probably the most expensive way to save both heat and money, paying to have the windows replaced is well worth it if you have the cash to handle a set of quality products.

Reusing Plastic Containers for Home Storage

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Buying new containers for food storage and other uses can be expensive and impractical for families on a budget. When families want to be economical and environmentally friendly at the same time, they can reuse plastic containers to save leftovers, save spare change, and store other household items.

In fact, coffee containers today are often made out of plastic and feature handy grips and snap on lids for easy use. Rather than throw away these containers, a person can wash out empty ones and reuse them for food storage. Once the container is dry, a person can use it to store sugar, tea, or other foods that they want to keep safe from contamination. They can also put nails, screws, buttons, and other small household items in it. This makes it convenient for people to find these items when they are needed.

Milk containers also can be washed out and reused. A cleaned out and dry milk jug can be used to store popcorn kernels. The handle makes it easy for people to pour the popcorn out into a pan for quick popping. The snap on lid keeps out ants and spiders and helps keep the popcorn fresh and dry.

How to Set Up a Home Recycling Station

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Setting up a home recycling station is very easy for anyone to do. Go to a local store and three plastic bins, or three plastic garbage bins. Plastic is a great material to use because it will be easy for you to wipe clean, and it is sturdy to hold a lot of objects. Take some masking tape and make a label to put on your bins. Paper, aluminum and glass are a few popular ones. If you want to have plastic or anything else then get another bin. Put these in the garage right outside the kitchen, or somewhere easy to hide within the house.

Fill the bins up with the specified items. When the bins are full you can load them in the car and take them to the local recycling center. You could also call the local recycling center and have the items picked up. Call your trash company and see if they offer a discount for recycling, and also if they have a service that goes around picks up recyclable items. Recycling is going to decrease the amount of trash you have stacked up each week and help you do your part conserving our precious plant earth.

10 Ways to Recycle Plastic Store Bags

admin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Plastic bags can be recycled many different ways. The most obvious use is as a small trash bag for small trashcans around the home, but there are many other ways to use them. Instead of purchasing yet another plastic bag for collecting dog waste, use those plastic bags that you got free! Is the aroma of dirty diapers creeping out of your trashcan? Wrap them in plastic grocery bags first before throwing them away, this way it will help conceal the stench. You can also line the kitty litter box with a plastic bag, making changing the litter simple and easy. For crafty individuals, cut the bags into strips and use them as crochet or knitting yarn, called plarn, and even make your own reusable grocery bags. You can also use the bags to keep loosely stored items in one place and keep mess free storage. If you ship items frequently, plastic bags can make great packing material when rolled up into balls instead of using packing peanuts. Moreover, these bags are great water resistant booties over your shoes, or just over your socks, to protect your feet from a soggy cold mess. Many thrift stores and consignment shops will accept donated plastic bags for customer purchases, as well. Lastly, if other recycling ideas do not appeal to you, simply put them in specific bins located at the entrance of most grocery stores today.

How to Start Recycling at Home

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Recycling begins at home. Communities can help by providing recycling facilities and containers. Recyclables will not end up in containers or facilities unless individuals make the effort.

Backyard composting is an excellent way to recycle organic matter. Potato peels, carrots, lettuce all can be composted. Do not compost meats, bones or fats because they will create rodent and insect problems. Proteins such as meats do not break down in the same manner as plant material.

Some states will pay for glass and aluminum if they are dropped off at certain stores or recycling stations. Aluminum cans can be crushed and sold at many locations. Recycling not only helps the environment it pays. Start at home by separating recyclables. Look for the recyclable label that is on many containers. Separate by plastic, paper, glass and aluminum.

Paper products such as heavy cardboard and newspapers can be recycled. Many city waste haulers will provide container for households to separate their recyclables. Use colored bags to separate items if containers are not provided. Incorporate a trip to the recycling facility on weekends and get the children involved. Make recycling part of their daily routine. Households soon after starting a recycling program will see a drastic reduction in the number of bags they carry to the curb every week.

Items that cannot be recycled can be left at the curb in paper bags, which will biodegrade quickly in the landfills. According to some studies, plastic can last hundreds if not thousands of years in a landfill. Paper bags and cardboard will decompose in about 60 days.Keep looking, there’s more: 5 Things You Might Not Know About Composting