The Green Familia » Guest Posts

Guest Post: Are You Furnishing a Green Office Environment

Brenda — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:47:13 +0000

If your small business has been looking for a way to save money and do something positive for the environment, purchasing green office furniture is a great way to go about that.

For the business owner that is considering buying environmentally-friendly office furniture, keep in the mind that there are a number of benefits that go with such decision making. Among such benefits:

Furniture produced with lower emissions and a reduction in volatile organic compounds (VOC);
Furniture that is built with sustainability in mind, especially that which is built with recyclable materials;
Furniture that over the long haul will save the company money;
Furniture that you can promote as using to your clients. Showing yourself to be a pro-environment business owner can only help your image among customers.

If your business is considering purchasing green furniture, keep the following in mind:

Seek furniture built from sustainable certified or reclaimed wood. It is best to avoid furniture made of non-certified exotic woods;
Furniture and fabric coming from the plant bamboo is a great option;
Look for furniture that comes from recycled metals and plastics;
Purchase durable furniture you will be able to repair. By doing so, you improve your long-term investment.

If you want to buy refurbished furniture for the office, you can find such items that are refinished from a manufacturer and then resold as new. This can turn into a great option in the event you require a large quantity of furniture pieces such as desks, chairs, cabinets, bookcases and more.

Also, in the event you don’t want to spend the money on brand new green furniture for your business, you can also search for recycled furniture. If you choose this route, look for furniture that can be found in second-hand and antique shops, along with yard sales, and online sites/forums.

Lastly, adding new green furniture to your office means that you will likely have some items to get rid of in order to make room for the new products.

When you have office furniture you want to do away with, look for a furniture liquidator that will purchase the items from you, then turn around and resell to other businesses that can reuse it. By doing so, you are getting some money in return, plus aiding the environment at the same time.

At the end of the day, making for a greener office environment allows you to improve both the health of your employees, along with that of the environment.

Photo credit: o5.com

Dave Thomas, who writes on subjects such as business plans, writes extensively for San Diego-based Business.com.

Guest Post: Our Guide to Planning the Perfect Family “Staycation”.

Brenda — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:10:48 +0000

The term ‘Staycation’ first came into use in the UK around 2009, as the value of the pound dropped and the savings to be made by holidaying at home just kept rising. There are many brilliant holiday locations right here in the British Isles, so if you are smart enough to ‘staycation’ this summer you will be getting great value for money, whilst benefiting the environment by reducing carbon emissions and getting to know your own Isle that little bit better. With the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee just around the corner, making this a special summer of celebration, there is no better time to start staycationing!

Before you begin it is useful to decide what you want to get from your staycation. Is it great walking in the hills, time by the coast, or cultural activities and excursions? Perhaps food and eating out are the most important things for you, or visiting historical sites? Then pick an area that has plenty of what you are looking for. If you want hill walking try the Peak District or the Lake District. If your holiday simply must be about time by the sea, look to the Southwest, try Cornwall or the lovely Devon or alternatively if these are too far from you the Gower Peninsula in South Wales is fantastic too.

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If you are looking for cultural activities, you could try a staycation in one of Britain’s cities. London has more free art galleries and museums than anywhere in the world, but don’t forget to check out Liverpool, home to the Liverpool Tate gallery, and Birmingham which has a lively theatre scene and many interesting museums. We really like the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. The gallery is home to the largest public Pre-Rapaelite collection in the world, as well as art from over seven centuries. It is home to such a varied and broad selection of artefacts that there is sure to be something there to interest everyone.

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Edinburgh is a great city to head to if you are looking for culture and history and being over the border will also give you a feeling of being a little further away from home! Whilst you are there try a visit to the famous castle, built upon its own volcanic rock – listen for the one o’clock gunfire, which has gone off daily since 1861. Hit the city centre for a spot of shopping at Edinburgh’s brilliant range of shops. There is an area for everything, from high street brands to the top designer stores. After that how about a visit to the National Museum of Scotland, where you can see everything from the complete skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex to rare specimens collected by Charles Darwin, all under one roof.

If you are into historical sites, Wiltshire is a great location – home of Stonehenge and many other ancient relics, and a number of great National Trust properties as well. These sites can be great to explore and learn more about the history of Britain, and the properties offering indoor access can also be useful if the weather doesn’t hold its own! We love the magnificent Bowood House and gardens and the lovely Wilton House, made famous by the films Sense and Sensibilty and Mrs Brown.

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A great option for accommodation whilst staycationing can be self-catering holiday lets. You can really relax in a space that is set out for your comfort and it can be great value for money as it enables you to cook for yourself. This is a lovely way to really unwind and enjoy the company of your friends and family.

A staycation really is a great way to beat the check in queues and enjoy your holiday with a little less impact on the planet this summer. So we think you should get out there and explore the best of what the UK has to offer!

This post was written by Late Lettings who offer a brilliant service for listing and finding the best last minute cottage deals at discounted prices.

Guest Post: How to Get Started Recycling Old Electronics

Brenda — Sun, 13 May 2012 21:00:33 +0000

There are all manner of household items that you may choose to recycle, from the cans and bottles that once contained your food and beverages to the clothing, furniture, and home goods that are still in good enough shape to be useful to someone else (even though you’ve outgrown them in one way or another). But when it comes to your old electronics; the televisions, tape decks, and computer components that comprise e-waste; you might be scratching your head as to how to go about getting rid of them. You’re pretty sure they can’t go in the trash, but you don’t have the first clue as to how to recycle them. So here are just a few tips to help you get started and put you on the right path when it comes to discarding used electronics.

The first thing to consider is whether or not these items are still usable. If they are still working (albeit outdated) you may be able to do away with them through donation. There are all kinds of charitable organizations that will accept goods. Many have thrift stores that they use to sell these items at a low cost to underprivileged individuals that can’t afford to buy them new. Or they may sell or auction the items to receive some amount of cash value for their organization. In some cases, they will simply pass such donations along to needy families for free. Whatever happens to your old electronics after you donate them, you should get a receipt to see if you can claim them as tax deductions.

Of course, you could also opt to sell used electronics that are still operational in order to see some return on the money you put into them. You’re not likely to get anywhere near what you spent on them, but you might just recoup a few quid to use toward the purchase of newer items. Just list them on classified sites like Gumtree or Blazing Monkey and wait for interested parties to email you. If you want to get rid of items quickly, just list the price as “you haul”. Otherwise, set your price and see if you get any nibbles. And don’t forget that you can also try to pawn electronics or simply set them out as part of your annual garage sale.

Okay, so what if your old electronics are no longer in working order? If they only need simple repairs but you just don’t want to pay for them, you may be able to drop them off with vendors that specialize in refurbishing and selling antique or retro electronics. But these retailers could be hard to find. It might end up being easier to simply call the trash company for a hazardous materials pickup. Although this service generally comes with a cost, you may be able to take advantage of one free pickup each year (just ask your trash company if they offer this) or annual free drop-off days.

No matter how you choose to recycle or dispose of your old electronics, there are ways to scratch your eco-friendly itch and possibly even make a little moola in the process. It probably won’t be enough to cover your new TV or get you the best broadband service, but keep in mind that switching to energy-saving modern electronics will save you money. So you’ll likely be ahead on both your utility bills and your carbon debt.

Guest Post: Enjoy the world around you while saving it too with green travel

Brenda — Thu, 10 May 2012 21:21:49 +0000

We all want to make an effort to get greener, but many people are unwilling to sacrifice their precious holidays in order to save the environment. However, with the advent of green travel, people are no longer forced to make the difficult decision between saving the world around them and enjoying it.

When it comes to eco-friendly travel, thinking about the actual transportation you are using has got to be the first port of call. If it is at all possible, swapping planes for trains will do wonders for your carbon footprint, and with the Eurostar up and running, there is no reason you cannot get to most places in Europe by rail. Some travellers may be deterred from using trains by time constraints, but why not think about the journey as part of the trip?

Plane passengers see nothing on their journey other than the inside of an airport and a plane, as well as plenty of duty free shops. However, on a European train journey, people can watch the diverse scenery rushing by, observe how it changes, walk around and stretch their legs in the cabin, interact with other passengers and spend some time in a variety of cities. All in all, train travel is not just more environmentally friendly, it is more daring, and getting around this way, you are sure to have some adventures to write home about.

As with all holidays travel insurance is essential, and you can still keep this green too! If you have an email address you can use a travel insurance provider that only emails your policy documents to you, cutting down on the costs of postage as well as all the paper involved.

Upon arrival at your destination, is your first step usually a trip to the car rental shop to pick up a motor? You’re on holiday, so why not take a break from behind the wheel and rent a bicycle instead – a thoroughly much more enjoyable, and healthy way to travel. You never know, you might like it so much that you decide to invest in a cycle back at home too.

If you’re staying in a hotel, there are plenty of ways you can contribute to saving the environment here too, from turning down the heating and air conditioning, switching appliances off standby and using towels and sheets for more than one day in order to reduce laundry. Other ideas are to use your own toiletries instead of the expensive miniature ones provided by your accommodation, and minimise waste by using recyclable bags, as well as recyclable batteries for cameras and gadgets. You can also give the hotel feedback, suggesting ways it could improve its green credentials.

As people who are dedicated to green travel will tell you, there are also plenty of eco-friendly hotels and lodges around the world. These accommodations typically pay a high level of attention to recycling programs, energy expended on laundry, contributing to local communities and other methods of energy efficiency.

Guest Post: Top 5 Green Dorm Decorating Essentials

Brenda — Sun, 06 May 2012 11:00:01 +0000

The dormitories of tomorrow will no doubt be formed entirely from recycled plastics and metals, with desks and dressers made from some sort of super-resilient, compressed corn byproduct that will biodegrade within weeks if left outdoors. Natural sunlight will filter in through fiber-optic cables connected to the outside and the gray water from showers and sinks will be used to water rooftop gardens, conserving water while combatting the urban heat island effect. But until then, students seeking a brighter future will simply have to content themselves with the eco-friendly amenities of today. And here a few dorm essentials that every student should have.

Tablet. Whether you opt for the Kindle Fire, iPad, or Xoom, you should definitely consider getting a tablet while in college. Okay, so it’s not exactly a decorative item, but it is a far greener way of accessing books (even textbooks) that requires zero deforestation. If you use it in place of a laptop, it also requires less energy to charge (and you can get a solar panel backpack to charge it on the quad between classes). And of course, it could certainly become decorative if you populate a slide show with pics of family and friends and use it as a virtual photo frame.
Wall decals. Since you can’t paint your dorm room (and you wouldn’t want to anyway), consider decking the walls with some peel-and-stick decals instead. You’ll find all kinds of options to suit any style on sites like Blik (whatisblik.com), which has partnered with t-shirt site Threadless to bring you some truly awesome and original graphic art (in addition to standards like plants, animals, and Super Mario Bros.), and online artist commune Etsy. But if you really want to get eco-friendly, check out the options from weeDECOR. Yes, it’s for kids, but they have some neat options that even college-age kids will appreciate (if owls and octopi don’t do it for you there are some seriously stylish hot air balloons featured in the “transportation” section, along with sailboats, which are totally trending). Plus, these decals are PVC-free.
Mirrors. Hit up Craigslist or some local garage sales to find yourself a few cool mirrors to hang on your walls. They will help to bounce the limited natural light in your space so that you can conserve electricity, and the fact that you’re buying them second-hand keeps them out of the landfill and reduces demand for new manufacturing. Reclaiming items is an eminently eco-friendly practice that will also save you some money on dorm décor.
Organic linens. There are organic options for everything from sheets and blankets to pillows and curtains, so there’s no reason to purchase textiles smothered in chemicals and burdened with a history of pollution and waste. And if you opt for organic bamboo, you’re also selecting a fabric that is made from a sustainable, fast-growing, drought-resistant crop.
Plants. It doesn’t take an ma in political science to know that environmentalism is a hot issue these days, so anything you can do to green up your décor is sure to be a politically correct move. And it doesn’t get much greener than adding plants. While you could certainly get yourself a finicky fern or ficus, you’re better off planning a container garden of herbs and veggies so you can do double duty by spicing up your space and growing the organics you’d normally get at home.

Guest Post: Tips to Help College Students Go Green on Campus

Brenda — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:00:21 +0000

Most college students have a lot on their plate. You have many expenses to worry about between tuition, books, lodgings, food, and more. And with all the pressure of classes, studying, and possibly even holding down a job while you’re in school you barely have time to think about yourself, much less the environment. But by adopting just a few eco-friendly practices you could save both time and money while doing something good for the planet and improving the outlook for your future (which is what you’re working toward as a college student). So here are just a few ways to make your life easier even as you reduce your carbon footprint.

There are three main ways to go green, and you probably know them as the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. All of these can be employed in a variety of ways during your college career, so let’s jump right in with “reduce”, which is basically embodied by the concept of conservation. One of the best ways to reduce on campus is to stop using a car. In all honesty, you can easily get by without a car if you live on campus (or even nearby). Many students give up a personal vehicle in favor of mass transit, a bicycle, or Fred Flintstone’s mode of transportation (that would be your own two feet). This will not only cut down on hydrocarbon emissions, but you will also save some money. No more paying for gas, parking, and all of the other costs that come with a car. And many campuses offer discounts on bus passes for students so you can save there, as well.

You can also conserve on energy by using natural lighting as much as possible, installing CFLs, and turning off electronics when they’re not in use (or unplugging them to stop phantom drain). And when it comes to water consumption you may not have low-flow toilets or aerated faucets at your disposal, but you can cut back on time spent in the shower and wait until you have a full load to do laundry (also a money-saver).

As for reusing and recycling, these are two sides of the same coin. For example, you might think that recycling only relates to the aluminum, plastic, and glass that contain your soft drinks. And while throwing these in recycle bins on campus rather than trash cans is a good start, the truth is that you could be doing a lot more. Start looking at how many disposable items you use. Could you opt for a reusable water bottle rather than purchasing a Dasani from the vending machine every day (again, save some money)?

And when you clear out your closet or upgrade your furnishings, don’t leave these items on the curb for trash pickup. Call a charitable organization (like Goodwill or the Salvation Army) for a pickup (or to find a drop-off location). Call your local trash company to find out about turning in broken electronics (which are often considered hazardous waste). And don’t buy newly manufactured products, either. Look for reclaimed (and refurbished) items instead. You’ll keep perfectly usable goods out of the landfill and give them a second life (at less cost to you). It doesn’t take a master of social work to see that these eco-friendly options are good for you and the global community. All are easy to implement even when you live on campus; and in addition to helping the environment, they could help you to save time and money, something that every student can appreciate.

Guest Post: How would you furnish your garden?

Brenda — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:00:21 +0000

Just like furnishing your home, choosing what’s right for a garden is a matter of individual taste and preference, but most people just require an attractive outdoor space in which to relax during fine weather. The garden’s overall design makes an important difference of course when furnishing your garden. Is there a favourite spot on the lawn, a terrace or a patio area or perhaps a pond as a garden feature? Some houses may also have a balcony or a small veranda that is ideal for potted plants, and some have French windows leading from a conservatory directly into the garden.

Good garden design considers its relationship to the house and its intended use. In just the same way, garden furnishings also reflects these elements – a garden for a young family might need spaces for play equipment and a sand pit; adults might need a barbecue area and formal gardens might include statuary and water features.

Water features

Fountains are enduringly popular and there are some very imaginative contemporary designs available as well as the more traditional, tiered varieties. Sometimes these are solar powered, providing an eco friendly alternative to those requiring a mains electrical supply.

Furniture

Even the smallest outdoor space generally has room for a few items of garden furniture and there’s now a breathtaking range available of chairs, tables, parasols, sofa sets and dining sets. Village Garden Furniture supplies fabulous spherical pods with a removable roof and room inside for relaxing on banks of cosy cushions. Larger gardens and patios will benefit from some sun loungers and swing seats, which now come in several different styles – those with awnings or an arbour are generally big enough to seat two people and solo hanging chairs are gaining in popularity, as well as freestanding hammocks.

Potted plants and hanging baskets

Whether furnished in traditional or contemporary style, patio areas benefit enormously from the introduction of some greenery and some colour, and garden planters now come in a range of fashionable shapes, colours and materials. These are big enough to take some taller shrubs, and a sunny patio area is an ideal place to grow dwarf varieties of fruit trees – oranges and lemons, for example – or even olive trees. Hanging baskets and wall sconces provide a splash of colour and there are now plants available to provide year-round interest, including during the winter months. Of course, with the theme of growing your own in mind, strawberries have become popular plants for including in hanging baskets, and there is nothing more delightful than watching their pretty flowers give way to luscious ripe fruit towards the end of the summer.

Making it personal

When furnishing a garden space the most important thing to remember is that this is a place in which to relax – a pergola covered with scented flowers might be ideal, or listening to the sound of water in a fountain, or watching birds come and go from a feeder. Making it comfortable is the key to success when furnishing a garden.

Guest Post: Eco Friendly Date Ideas for Couples

Brenda — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:00:15 +0000

There’s a good chance that if you asked someone, “Where can I take a person on a first date that is eco-friendly?” that they might translate that to mean, “Where can I take a person on a first date that’s cheap?”

No doubt about it, the “go green” movement definitely makes things easier on the wallet. But what a lot of eco-friendly dates may lack in cost, it certainly makes up for in creativity. In other words, “the less you spend, the more imagination you usually have to use.” In many ways, when it comes to making a good first date impression, that can actually work out well into your favor.

So what are some eco-friendly date ideas for couples? How about trying out a few of these?

A picnic. You can never really go wrong with a picnic basket and a bottle of (organic) wine. Sure, it may seem a tad bit predictable, but you can always put your own spin on it. Maybe have a picnic at sunset. Or fill the basket with your date’s favorite things (you can ask them or perhaps connect with one of their relatives on Facebook if you’d like it to be a surprise). Seasonal picnics are pretty special too. For instance, you can have one at winter by bringing along some soup, hot cocoa and a new scarf and pair of gloves. (Etsy.com has some really cute eco-friendly gloves and arm warmers.)

Bike riding. Some couples enjoy hiking, especially on a first date, because it’s a great way to build communication while getting in some cardio at the same time. You can take it up a notch by going bicycle riding, instead. Either you can bring your individual bikes along as your ride along a promenade or in the park. Or, you can look into renting a tandem (side-by-side) bicycle for the day. A lot of sporting stores offer that as a reasonably priced option.

Take a local road trip. One of the best things you can do for the environment is to cut down on the amount of emissions that goes into the atmosphere. You can do that by opting to carpool or to ride the bus instead of using your car on a daily basis. Along this same theme, a fun date can consist of a similar concept. Simply get a couple of tourist brochures and hop the MTA, Marta, subway, trolley or a taxi for a day. You and your date can stop at all of the places that either you like best in your city or that you’ve never seen before. If you take a long a camera, it’s a wonderful way to preserve some lasting memories.

Cook an organic meal. It still continues to be a really romantic thing when someone cooks for their significant other. So, why not do a bit of research into some great organic recipes? OrganicAuthority.com and OrganicKitchen.com are two websites with loads of them. To go along with the organic theme, decorate the table with some soy candles and gerbera daisies (they’re wonderful for purifying the air) and make sure to serve everything on some eco-friendly dinnerware (everywhere from Crate and Barrel to Amazon carries some).

Go for a walk. From a divorce in Austin to one that’s filed in England, one of the leading causes for divorce is a lack of communication; that usually is due to many couples not developing effective ways of talking with one another. A simple way to remedy that is to go on walks with one another. It could be in your neighborhood, along the beach, window shopping at a mall…anywhere where you both feel comfortable to just be yourselves. You can even sweeten the deal with some gelato from a local eatery or toast one another with some champagne or sparkling cider upon your return (Korbel has an organic champagne that’s available at a really reasonable price.). Besides, a good walk together is pretty symbolic, wouldn’t you say? It represents going somewhere…together.

Guest Post: Eco Energy Advancements – Residential Photovoltaic Energy Systems for their homes

Brenda — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:00:54 +0000

As both home energy usage and conventional energy costs continue to rise, more and more homeowners are considering residential photovoltaic (PV) energy systems for their homes. Home PV systems have never been more affordable. Improved technology, streamlined manufacturing processes and a number of governmental incentive programs have significantly reduced the cost of installing residential PV systems.

Light Electricity

Photovoltaic, which literally means “light electricity,” is the technology of generating power by converting the energy of sunlight into electricity. Solar cells use semiconductors to transform the sun’s energy into electricity. Solar cells are connected to each other and assembled into frames called solar panels. The DC current the interconnected panels generate is then run through an inverter that converts the energy into the AC current that homes use.

Homeowners who purchase home PV systems may be eligible for a variety of rebate and tax credit programs that can significantly decrease the initial installation costs. The federal incentive program alone can save a homeowner up to 30 percent on upfront costs. Once the initial cost of a home PV system is recovered through monthly savings on electric bills, the energy that the system produces is free for the life of the system, which is typically 25 to 30 years.

In the many areas of the country that use net-metering, homeowners with residential PV systems can enjoy additional savings. In net-metering systems, the surplus energy that the systems generates is sent back into the electrical grid. The utility typically credits the homeowner for the electricity, reducing the homeowner’s conventional electricity costs.

Keeping your Rate Low

Many utilities use a tiered-rate system for their customers, charging a higher rate when customers use more than the established base amount. Even a small home PV system can generate enough electricity to keep the conventional usage in the lower, base rate. Utilities often use time-of-use rate systems as well, charging more for electricity used in peak-demand periods. As the peak-demand period is usually in the afternoon when solar energy systems are working most efficiently, homeowners can often avoid paying these higher rates as well and get cheapest electricity they can.

While most homeowners choose to have professional contractors install home PV systems, DIY residential solar systems are available as well. Major home improvement centers now offer modular home PV systems, making it possible for homeowners to start small and add to the system over time. As a substantial investment that will impact the energy efficiency of a home for many years to come, it’s extremely important to compare solar products, particularly for DIY systems, before making a final decision on a home PV system.

Guest Post: Cheap and Easy Ways to Start Going Green

Brenda — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:00:18 +0000

Spring is one of the best times of year to think about ways to become more eco-friendly. Trees are growing, flowers are blooming, and due to the increasing sunshine and warmth, we tend to find ourselves enjoying more of what nature has to offer. As a direct result, this makes us more aware of wanting to keep the earth in the best possible condition for as long as we can.

When it comes to finding cheap and easy ways to start going green, a lot of times we think that simply means recycling. That’s definitely a good start, but there are other things that can be done to make us “go green savvy” too:

Reuse items. Again, recycling is perhaps one of the most popular eco-friendly things that you can do, but it’s not just about separating your paper from your plastic. Because the act of recycling focuses on conservation, another way to do it is by reusing items that you might naturally throw away. For instance, the food containers that you got from the grocery store, why not use them to store up your leftovers? Rather than taking your groceries home in a plastic bag, how about purchasing a cotton one that can be taken on each visit? In applying this to your lifestyle, you certainly don’t want to become a hoarder (collecting things that are of no real use), but as a rule of thumb, before throwing anything away, think about how it can be reused first.

Clean with natural products. There are millions of dollars spent each year on household cleaning supplies. But did you know that you could save a lot of money by choosing to clean your home with items that are already in your house? Baking soda cleans as it softens water. Lemon juice is an acid that is excellent for removing bacteria. White vinegar cuts grease and mildew, isopropyl alcohol is a great disinfectant and a cornstarch solution can actually be used for cleaning windows and polishing furniture. To get more information on the cleaning gems that are already in your pantry, put “household cleaning supplies” into your search engine.

Travel differently. While planning to go somewhere, many of us simply jump into our cars and go, but the reality is that a lot of the toxins in the air are a direct result of the emissions from our vehicles. So, when it comes to transportation, why not get a little creative? How about carpooling with a couple of people from work? Why not take a bike ride to your local grocery store for those few extra items? And on the weekends, how about using public transportation to check out the latest film or outdoor concert series? Even if you have to walk a couple of blocks from where the bus or taxi dropped you off, that’s some additional exercise, which is always an extra plus.

Eat local (organic) foods. A lot of us learned the concept of “import” and “export” items while in school (something that oftentimes comes out of a purchase order factoring company), but when we are shopping for a package of chicken breasts or our favorite fruits, more times than not, we are getting them as an import from another state and so, yes, additional fuel had to be used to bring it to us; not only that, but they often tend to need a lot of preservatives and pesticides to be transported back and forth. Therefore, for the sake of both your health and the environment, why not do some research into local food markets, and if it can work into your budget, ones that are organic? Aside from all of the other perks, it’s a nice way to support local farmers too.

Conserve energy. There are so many things that you can do right at this very moment to show that you are going green. You can turn off the lights and unplug the electronics that you aren’t using in the house. You can wash your clothes in cooler water (about 85% of used energy with washing clothes is due to heating the water up in the first place). You can use your laptop (preferably on a rechargeable battery) because it uses far less energy than a desktop does. And, you can be more conscious of the thermostat temperature in the home (keep it a few notches lower in the winter and a few higher in the summer). All of these are immediate, cheap and easy ways to let the environment know that it has your support and that’s a message that it never gets tired of hearing.