green magazine
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South Carolina's number one green living magazine.TRANSCRIPT
$ Priceless $
Cloth Vs. Disposable MoMs switChing baCk to Cloth
greening the kitChenwith eCo-FrienDly Cabinetry
the sCary waste oF VaMpire power
GreenSouth Carolina
Green Tip: When buying new appliances and equipment, insist on products bearing the Energy Star label. Everything that wears that merit badge uses less energy and saves you money.
Cloth vs. Disposable: Modern Moms switching back to cloth 11
Greening the kitchen with eco-friendlly cabinetry 17
Carolina Girls know about Breast Cancer 24
Ten Tips for living more sustainably in 2010 27
Must haves for green Moms 32
Charleston’s new arts website 37
The scary waste of Vampire Power 40
Signature Golf 44
Green living: save energy on video games and home electronics 49
New Years resolution change the world a forkful at a time 53
Bring early spring to your home with indoor gardening 59
Gardening is making a popular comeback 64
Buying a home or making green improvements? 70
Don’t trash that banana peel. Composting is an easy eco-friendly alternative 74
American energy security could come from trees 78
Green your Spring cleaning routine 83
Time to refinance or buy? 88
I have amazing news for you. Man is not alone on this planet. He is part of a community, upon which he depends absolutely.
Daniel Quinn
Green Tip: Worn-out T-shirts (men’s and women’s) make the ultimate absorbent, lint-free rags. One tee will yield two to four towels: The front and the back will each yield one good-size rag, or you can cut them lengthwise to yield two longer rags each…
Green Tip:Make sure your refrigerator and freezer have tight, clean seals. Keep your refrigerator full so it will run more efficiently. If the fridge is nearly empty, keep pitchers of iced tea in it, which will make it easier for the appliance to maintain an even temperature. Plus you and the kids will have cold iced tea to drink, instead of soft drinks.
Promoting local business is as simple as having other company’s business cards or
brochures posted on a board in your store. We are doing our part, so please join us, and
promote your local merchants, and everyone will benefit!
TOP TEN rEASONS TO ThINK LOCALBuY LOCAL - BE LOCAL – hELP LOCAL BuSINESSES
1. BuY LOCAL: Support yourself and South Carolina. Many studies have revealed when
you buy from an independent, locally owned business in the your own area, rather than
a nationally owned businesses, considerably more of your money is used to make
purchases from other local businesses. Local businesses continue to strengthen the
economic base of the local community. These include case studies showing that local
local owned businesses generate a premium in enhanced economic impact to the
community and our tax base.
2.SuPPOrT LOCAL ArEA COMMuNITY GrOuPS: Non-profit organizations receive
an average 250% more support from smaller area business owners than they do from
large companies.
3. KEEP YOur ArEA uNIquE: Where we shop, where we eat and have fun -- all of
it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind local businesses are an integral part
of the distinctive character. Local tourism businesses also benefit. “When people go on
vacation they generally seek out destinations that offer them the sense of being
someplace, not just anyplace.” ~ richard Moe, President, National historic Preservation
Trust.
4. rEDuCE ENVIrONMENTAL IMPACT: Locally owned businesses in your area can
make more local purchases requiring less transportation. This generally means
contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.
5. CrEATE ADDITIONAL JOBS: Small local businesses are the largest employer
nationally and in the community, provide the most jobs to local residents.
6. rECEIVE BETTEr SErVICE: Local businesses often hire people with a better
understanding of the products and services they offer, and take more time to get to
know customers.
From The ediTorSupporTinG LocaL Green BuSineSSeS in SouTh caroLina
Green Tip: Go paperless at work. Distribute company information by email, and dis-courage memos that are on paper.
7.INVEST IN YOur COMMuNITY: Local businesses
are owned by people who live in this community, and
they are less likely to leave, and are more invested in
the community’s future.
8. PuT YOur TAxES TO GOOD uSE: Local
businesses require a relatively little infrastructure
investment and make more efficient use of public
services as compared to nationally owned stores entering
your area.
9. BuY WhAT YOu WANT, NOT WhAT BIG
ADVErTISING BuDGETS WANT YOu TO BuY:
A South Carolina marketplace comprised of tens of
thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure
innovation and low prices over the long-term. A
multitude of small businesses, each selecting products
and services based not on a national sales plan but on
their own interests and the needs of their local
customers, promises a much broader range of product
choices.
10. PrOMOTE LOCAL PrOSPErITY: An escalating
body of economic research shows that in an increasingly
homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers
are more likely to invest and settle in communities that
preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive
character.
Green Tip:reuse- Plastic food containers make good crayon and marker holders. Consider buying your toddler or preschooler’s clothes from a thrift shop and give away those that don’t fit to friends. Never throw clothes away! Give them to Goodwill or the Salvation Army. You may also get a tax deduction!!!
Green Tip: Take a shower, not a bath, and limit the length of your showers. Even better, take a “navy shower,” shutting off the water while soaping up and shampooing.
CEO
Dennis Stewart
EDITOr IN ChIEf
Larry Local
ArT DIrECTOr
Amy Coats
WEB DEVELOPEr
Matthew Coats
ADMINISTrATION
Shaun Stacy
WWW.GrEEN.SC ONLINE MAGAZINE
Copyright © 2009
Carolina Media Services. All rights reserved.
reproduction in whole or in part without written
permission is prohibited. Not responsible for
unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.
3290 Ashley Phosphate road
Charleston, SC 29418
Toll free: (843)720-9604
fax: (843)725-4734
www.GrEEN.sc
carolina media SERVICES
carolina media SERVICES
Green Tip: At home, Go paperless. Consider reading your newspaper and magazine subscriptions online. Switch to electronic banking and credit card payments, too.
GreenSouth Carolina
don’T BLow iT -
Good pLaneTS are
hard To Find.
Green Tip: Buy local. find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food near you.
Local merchants can use the business, and statistics show your money will be circulated 3 times.
Green Tip: Avoid buying bottled water. If you do buy the bottled water
reuse your water bottles.
Cloth vs. disposableModern moms switching back to cloth
(ARA) - Allie Schellhammer admits that she is changed for the better.
When Schellhammer was pregnant, there was no doubt in her mind that she would use
disposable diapers for her baby, Catherine, who is now 16 months old. Cloth diapers
were a distant thought in this mom-to-be’s mind.
“I grew up hearing stories about cloth diapers. We all thought they
were pretty icky,” says Schellhammer. “I even talked about my diapering
options with my doula, but I was set about using disposables.”
For the first few months of Catherine’s life, Schellhammer used disposable diapers. But
shortly thereafter, her perspective changed when her daughter began
getting frequent and painful diaper rashes. Schellhammer says she felt so
helpless and that’s when she knew it was time to re-investigate cloth diapers.
“I spent a lot of time researching and talking to cloth diapering pros. I fell in
love with the idea that cloth could not only help lessen the severity of my
daughter’s diaper rash, but also that I could save money and save
the planet from one more unnecessary disposable. It became clear that I needed to reform my diapering ways,” admits Schellhammer.
Today, Schellhammer says that she has been a loyal cloth diaper user for more than a year.
“I laugh at what I was like before ... so negative about cloth diapers because I’m
so in love with them now. During the first two months we used cloth diapers, I was so
excited to take my daughter out in public because I wanted to tell the world, ‘My daughter is wearing a cloth diaper today,’” chuckles Schellhammer.
Green Tip: Bring your own cloth or fabric bags when you shop!
Kelly Wels, the owner of KellysCloset.com, a large online cloth diapering boutique that offers modern brands with cute names like FuzziBunz, bumGenius, Smartipants and Rumparooz, is a reformed cloth diaper user too.
“I used disposables on my first two children before I discovered the joy of cloth diapering. I was a horticulturist, so protecting the environment was in my blood. When I saw those trash bags full of diapers, I just felt horrible and knew I needed to reform my ways. That’s when I discovered cloth and began my mission of bringing modern cloth diapers to moms around the world,” says Wels.
Why isn’T cloTh diaperinG more mainsTream? Wels says that many new moms aren’t properly educated about how easy cloth diapering can be, as even saying the word “cloth diapers” to a new mom conjures up images of work, laundry and stinky poop.
Schellhammer agrees, “From the time you give birth in the hospital, you’re inundated with information and coupons for disposable diaper brands. If you don’t plug yourself into
Green Tip: B.Y.O. Flatware for a Green Workplace
the cloth diapering community and do your due diligence, disposables seem like the best and only option.”
Julia Wreyford is another mom who says her diapering ways have been reformed. After using disposables for the first six months of 10-month-old son Asher’s life, she became so discouraged at how much money her family was wasting. “I wanted to stay home with my son full-time but that meant our budget would have to be slashed. I learned that cloth diapering could save
us approximately $40 per month, which can turn into thousands of dollars in savings over time,” says Wreyford.
Wreyford admits that while costs go down, the laundry cycle goes up.
“My friends say, ‘I could never do that much laundry.’ But if they only knew how easy it was, they’d try it too,” she contends. “Some of my friends think I’m crazy ... but most people just say, ‘I wish I was as brave as you.’”
Green Tip: B.Y.O. reuseable Chop Sticks When You Eat Out.
Green Tip: Buy Eco-friendly Clothing
“It’s a process, but once I figured out the best washing routine, I was hooked,” Schellhammer says. “I don’t miss the smell and the chore of taking out the dirty diaper pail. Living in a small condominium complex, I always felt guilty about our smelly diaper garbage as it was shared with our neighbors. Now I wash them every few days and there’s no waste and no icky smells.”
Wels of KellysCloset.com says that she knows many reformed cloth diaper users.
“The great thing about a reformed cloth diaper user is that they are so adamant about sharing their experiences with their friends. You never hear someone say, ‘Let me tell you all these great things about disposable diapers,’ but you always hear, “I have to show you my baby’s colorful bumGenius or cute little fuzziBunz cloth diapers.’”
From Simple to simply elegant Artistic Cakes by Linda will design that perfect wedding cake for you. It will be an unforgettable addition to your wedding experience!
Linda Blackwell, the Artistic owner, a 1992 Pillsbury Bake-Off fi nalist, produces picturesque confections to your exact specifi cations.
With more than 25 years of experience, Linda is well known for her hand-painted white chocolate seashells. Her seashell wedding cakes, sitting in a bed of edible “sand” are a perfect addition for a Charleston Beach Wedding. But she has a portfolio of many designs to fi t your wedding theme or she can design a one of a kind just for you!
Artistic Cakes by Linda is located in Goose Creek, South Carolina but delivers her delectable weddings cakes all across the Lowcountry and throughout the state. She occasionally delivers to Georgia and North Carolina.
Having many original recipes, Linda has a reputation for scrumptious mouth watering cakes! She has proven that a wedding cake isn’t just beautiful to look at, you will want to have your cake and eat it too!
Call today for your complimentary designing appointment (843)797-0192.Visit her website at http://www.ibakecakes.come-mail [email protected]
Green Tip: At home and the office- Lower your thermostats, and buy
programmable thermostats.
Green Tip: for the freshest and safest foods, keep your refrigerator’s temperature somewhere between 36 and
40 degrees and your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees. Any lower and you’ll be using up to 25
percent more energy.
Green Tip: Collect and use Compost
GreeninG the kitchen with eco-friendly cabinetry
(ArA) - homeowners embarking on a kitchen remodel typically must select the style, the quality of craftsmanship and the materials that meet their unique values and project goals. With the pressing need to increase energy efficiency and conserve resources, green remodeling continues to gain in popularity.
“Incorporating green elements into a kitchen remodel is no longer considered just a passing fad, but a way of life,” says Dick Titus, executive vice president of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA).
“homeowners feel a social responsibility to choose products that are safe for the environment and their family’s welfare.”
Kitchen cabinets could take up as much as half of a kitchen renovation budget, so it’s vital for homeowners wanting to “green” their kitchens to choose a quality cabinet manufacturer with roots in environmental sustainability. KCMA’s Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) can simplify the quest. ESP enables cabinet manufacturers to demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability and helps consumers easily identify environmentally friendly products. After meeting the certification
Green Tip: Shop Online overnight air shipping uses 40% less fuel than the
average car trip to the mall
requirements in areas such as product resource management, air quality, process resource management, environmental stewardship and community relations, companies earn the ESP seal to display on their products. As a criterion in the NAhB Green Building Standard, the first ANSI approved green building rating system for residential construction in the u.S., ESP sets the standard for homeowners looking to integrate af-fordable eco-friendly cabinets into their home.
ESP encourages the following practices by awarding points to manufacturers who qualify:
cerTiFied By a recoGnized SuSTainaBLe ForeSTry proGram
Wood products, especially cabinets, are an environmentally friendly choice for a number of reasons. One reason is that wood is a naturally renewable resource, meaning new trees will grow in place of those that have already been harvested. ESP certification awards points to manufacturers who use wood in their cabinets that is certified through a recognized sustainable
Green Tip: Check your tires regularly to make sure they’re properly inflated
- Properinflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%.
forestry program. Programs such as the forest Stewardship Council (fSC) and Sustainable forestry Initiative (SfI) put a label on their wood products to show consumers that the resources removed from the forest are at a level the forest is capable of renewing without damaging its future. In doing so, these practices preserve the environment and valuable forest resources.
uSe oF maTeriaLS wiTh Low LeveLS oF FormaLdehyde
To earn points in ESP’s air quality category, manufacturers must prove that 80 percent of particleboard, medium density fiberboard, hardboard and plywood used in the cabinets meet the low formaldehyde emissions level of the California Air resources Board (CArB) Compwood ATCM. Such materials must be third-party certified by a CArB-approved lab to meet low formaldehyde emission standards. The CArB Compwood ATCM is the lowest formaldehyde standard in the world.
Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring substance that can be produced by the human body. It is ubiquitous and a component of hundreds of consumer items.
eco-friendly manufacTurinG process
When shopping for eco-friendly cabinets, it is important to not only examine the cabinets, but also the process that was used to manufacture them. Criteria for process resource management includes that the manufacturer have an active recycling program for wastes, an
energy-conservation program or another form of environmental-management system. On top of conserving resources, these practices can reduce the emission of pollutants and greenhouse gases, and aid in decreasing landfills, all of which have clear societal benefits.
commiTmenT To The environmenT and communiTy
When purchasing ESP certified cabinets, homeowners can rest assured that the manufacturer is committed to both the environment and their community. ESP’s
Green Tip: Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates - Sharing a ride with someone just 2
days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year.
environmental stewardship criteria require that the manufacturer have a written policy stating a firm commitment to protect the environment. The community relations category encourages the manufacturer to demonstrate community involvement and leadership through service or charitable organizations and observe all federal, state and local environmental requirements.
With almost 150 ESP certified cabinetry companies to choose from, homeowners have the ability to select environmentally responsible cabinetry tailored to their needs, no matter their price, style, finish and wood preference - just look for the ESP seal located on the base cabinet. for more information and tips on “greening” the home and finding environmentally friendly cabin-etry visit www.greencabinetsource.org.
Green Tip: Walk, run or ride your bicycle - If you avoid just 10 miles of driving every
week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year!
Get Your Carolina
Girl Gear!
Green Tip: If every uS housed hold replaced just one for pack of paper towers with 100% recycled ones, we would
save 2.3 billion trees and reduce 6 million cubic feet of waste that would otherwise end up on landfills.
Green Tip: Worn-out T-shirts make the ultimate absorbent, lint-free rags. One tee will yield two to four towels:
The front and the back will each yield one good size rag, or cut them lengthwise to yield two
longer rags each.
Carolina GirlsKnow about Breast Cancer
The chances that you will get breast cancer has a lot to do with your genetic disposition (you’re more likely to get breast cancer if your grandmother or another relative was diagnosed with it), but it also has to do with your environment. The incidence of breast cancer varies greatly around the world, lessening in less developed countries and increasing in more developed countries. In South Carolina, your chances are 124.1 in 100,000 if you are Caucasian, and 109.7 if you are African American, according to a 2004 report by the American Cancer Society. Chances go up with age, with 77% of breast cancer incidences occurring in women over the age of 50.
Leading risks for breast cancer include a family history, atypical hyperplasia, delaying pregnancy until after age 30 or never becoming pregnant, early menstruation (before age 12), late menopause (after age 55), current use or use in the last ten years of oral contraceptives, and daily consumption of alcohol.
Early detection is important! Early detection of breast cancer, through your monthly self examination and your yearly mammogram after the age of 40 are your best chances for surviving breast cancer if you are diagnosed. About 96% of women who find and treat breast cancer early will be cancer free in five years. You are never too young to start checking for breast cancer. Although over 80% of breast lumps are not cancerous, regular self-examinations starting at the age of 20 will help you become familiar with your breasts and help you in detecting early-forming lumps.
Prevention There are plenty of ways to help prevent your risks for breast cancer, and most of those are things you should already be doing, like exercising, eating healthy food and not drinking in excess. If you at risk for breast cancer because of family history or you are over the age of 50, here are a few suggestions to help keep you fit and cancer free:
1) Maintain a BMI (Body Mass Index) below 25 throughout your life. Overweight individuals are at a much higher risk for breast cancer than average or underweight individuals. 2) Minimize your consumption of alcohol. A recent Harvard Nurses Health Study reported that more than one alcoholic beverage a day increases your chances for breast cancer by 20 – 25%. 3) Eat your fruits and veggies! 4) Exercise regularly, at least 30 minutes five times a week. This could be a nice, brisk walk with the dog or a jaunt up to the corner store. If the president of the United States can find 30 minutes a day to exercise, so can you. 5) Minimize your exposure to pharmacological and xeno-estrogrens. Estrogen can be found in more than just your birth control pills: poultry, red meat and dairy products are all quite likely to have estrogen in them unless they’re labeled organic. Be sure to thoroughly wash all of your fruits and veggies before eating them, since common pesticides and industrial chemicals are likely to contain chemically-created estrogen.
Green Tip: White distilled vinegar is one of the most effective and inexpensive dishwasher rinse aids. fill the
rinse –aid compartment of your dishwasher with white vinegar. The dishwasher will do the rest.
LET uS A LITTLE PErMIT
NATurE TO TAKE hEr
OWN WAY; ShE BETTEr
uNDErSTANDS hEr OWN
AffAIrS ThAN WE.
Green Tip: A fully packed dishwasher is more water- efficient than hand washing. Just skip the
“heated dry” cycle and open the door to air dry dishes for loads of energy savings.
Green Tip: Degradable plastic bags contain additives that accelerate the breaking down and degradation of plastic.
It looks, feels, and functions just like ordinary plastic, but it reduces waste because it disintegrates in 1 to
2 years, whereas regular plastic can take hundreds of years.
Green Tip: You’re not really recycling unless you’re buying recycled. The most important part of recy-
cling is buying products that contain as much “post-consumer recycled content” as possible.
Ten tips for livingmore sustainably in 2010
(ArA) - The beginning of a new year - and a new decade - is the time many people pledge to live differently. for many, that change means living a more sustainable lifestyle. Sustainability, once only a buzz word, is now fast becoming the way to live consciously.
from reducing your water usage to buying organic, here are 10 simple ways to make 2010 the year of sustainable living:
1. uSE WATEr MOrE EffICIENTLY: Water is a limited resource and limiting it within your household is a cornerstone of sustainability. rain barrels, largely unheard of even a decade ago, are becoming a popular way to collect and reuse rainwater for purposes like gardening. Meanwhile, conserving water in the home by taking shorter showers or even fixing a leaky faucet also can make a difference at a time when many communities are experiencing water shortages or are expressing concerns about water overuse.
2. COMPOST: Turning over leaves by way of a new compost garden is one way to live a more sustainable lifestyle. A compost heap is a simple, effective way to collect yard waste, like leaves and grass clippings, and kitchen scraps such as raw vegetable peelings and coffee grounds, and return them to the ground as organic matter.
3. SEEK EArTh-frIENDLY PACKAGING: To better fill that compost heap, alter shopping habits to look for products with compostable packaging. Snyder’s of hanover, for instance, recently introduced a new Pretzel Variety Sack of 100-Calorie Pretzels and Pretzel Sandwiches in the market’s first 100 percent compostable outer package made from 100 percent renewable cornstarch-based plastic. The new Variety Sack includes a special logo indicating that the bag can be composted and is made with sustainable ma-terials. In addition to that example, more
Green Tip: If getting where you’re going by bike or public transit alone isn’t going to happen,
consider driving part of the way and then jumping on public transit or your bike.
manufacturers are switching to cardboard packaging materials, which are made from renewable materials and can be recycled or composted.
4. BuY LOCAL, EMBrACE OrGANIC: Many farmers, ranchers and, increasingly, food manufacturers, are offering foods and beverages made using sustainable practices. It could be a farmers market tomato, a local dairy’s milk, an organic snack food, like new Organic honey Whole Wheat Sticks and Organic Whole Wheat and Oat Sticks from Snyder’s of hanover, or any number of natural or organic items. The bottom line is that natural, organic and locally produced foods provide both sustenance and sustainability. To learn more about Snyder’s of hanover’s sustainability initiatives visit www.snydersofhanover.com/Sustainability/
5. GO TO SEED: Take the locally grown movement a step further - like in your own backyard or patio. An afternoon spent planting seeds or small plants can yield plenty of rewards a few weeks or months later, in the form of fresh, inexpensive and convenient vegetables and fruits. You don’t need a large tract of land, in fact, to start a small garden.
6. rIDE OuT ThE TrEND: Sustain your own energy level by opting to ride a bike or walk to a destination that isn’t all that far away. Add a basket to a bike or take along a backpack to bring something back home.
7. rE-rECYCLE: recycling is nothing new and most people have been recycling in some form for years. But recycling can be taken to another level, going beyond obvious and traditionally recycled items like soda cans or newspaper to the smallest of waste materials, from plastic straws to the paper straw wrapper. Why not recycle apparel as well, by donating clothes and buying gently used clothes?
Green Tip: When watering the lawn, do it long enough for the moisture to soak down to the roots where it will do
the most good. A light sprinkling can evaporate quickly and tends to encourage shallow root systems.
8. PLuG IN: Learn how to operate appliances more efficiently. for example, use cold water in the washing machine: clothes will still be cleaned, without the use of heated water. Turn off appliances when not in use, whether it’s the television, video game player or radio. Better yet, completely unplug. Many electronics and battery chargers continue to draw a small amount of power even when they are switched off. Instead, use a power strip to cut power completely when not in use.
9. LIGhTEN uP: use energy efficient lighting and bulbs when possible and turn off lights when not in a room. That will cut energy use - and the family budget.
10. GET INVOLVED: As the sustainability movement gains traction among the public, there are more opportunities to join in. Local communities, schools and organizations often have green committees, and there is a plethora of national and grassroots organizations geared around earth-friendly living that appreciate new volunteers or members.
Want to grow your business?
Join the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce!
As the unified voice of business, the South Carolina Chamber is working to grow wealth for South Carolinians and businesses in order to improve economic development and quality of life.
We help your business and you by:
• GettingyourvoiceheardbyourstatelegislatorsthroughourGrassrootsNetwork• Workingtopassbusiness-friendlylegislation• Keepingyouinformedonissuesandprovidingsolutionsforgrowingyour business through our monthly magazine, South Carolina Business • Providingnetworkingopportunitieswithlegislatorsandotherbusinessowners• Trainingyouremployeesonhumanresources,qualityandmanagementissues• Publishingalegalreferenceseries
Join the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce! Contactustodayat800-799-4601.Learnmoreatwww.scchamber.net.
Green Tip: Vinegar is a great fabric softener, especially for absorbent materials like towels and diapers, as well as
heavy fabric like denim jeans. Add ½ cup white distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle and start saving.
we do noT inheriT The
earTh From our anceSTorS,
we Borrow iT
From our chiLdren.
Green Tip: Shampoo make for humans is ideal for washing natural animal fivers(such as wood and
cashmere) without stripping the natural oils form the fiber. Don’t try this on live animals!
Green Tip: Check your taps - one drip per second wastes around 1200
litres of water in a year, that’s around 4 litres a day.
Must-haves for Green Moms
(ArA) - It’s not enough anymore to just teach your kids to look both ways before crossing the street, pick up after themselves and play nicely together. Modern moms need to teach children lessons on how to help preserve the environment for years to come.
“The best way to teach is to lead by example, so if you want your children to grow up to be eco-minded adults, show them how to do it by ‘greening’ your own habits now,” says Emily Smith, Vice President of the Disney Online Mom and family Portfolio. “Disney family.com offers easy, everyday advice and tips for eco-conscious moms.
Green Tip: Not only does idling your car’s engine waste gas, excessive
idling can contaminate engine oil and harm engine components.
fortunately, plenty of inexpensive products and resources can help your family live a more environmentally responsible lifestyle.”
Disney family.com offers a list of the top six “green” products that can easily be incorporated into your everyday family routine.
rEuSABLE WATEr BOTTLES You want your kids to drink plenty of water because it’s good for them, but you’re concerned that all those plastic bottles ending up in landfills aren’t good for the environment. The solution - reusable water bottles. Easily available in stores, reusable water bottles like those used by cyclists and hikers are a great alternative to disposable bottles. By using them, you help reduce the waste stream and save money on more expensive bottled water. To really go eco-friendly, try a stainless steel bottle that is naturally durable and BPA free.
COMPOSTING MAChINE Turn your leftover table scraps into compost and you will rank as the “queen of Green” in your children’s eyes. A composting machine makes the job super easy, but you can also make compost with a simple composting barrel, available in any home improvement or garden store.
rEuSABLE rAZOrS Did you know that about 2 billion plastic razors end up in landfills each year? That’s the estimate by the Environmental Protection Agency. So replace your limited use disposable razors with a reusable one that allows you to keep the handle and only switch the blades. You’ll reduce the amount of trash going into the waste stream and your legs may thank you since reusable razors are often better quality than disposable ones.
Green Tip: In the winter, change your furnace air filters once a month.
The heater uses more energy when it is full of dust.
rEuSABLE ShOPPING BAGS Plastic bags wind up in waterways and harm wildlife, or end their life in landfills where they’ll remain forever. Paper bags are biodegradable but resources are required to make them. reusable, cloth shopping bags are better for the environment. And you can make your own fashion statement by choosing fun, funky or fashionable totes to function as your shopping bag.
COMPACT fLuOrESCENT LIGhT BuLBS Not only do CfLs consume much less energy than conventional incandescent bulbs, they last longer too. You’ll save money on your energy bill - not to mention your annual household light bulb budget - by replacing the incandescent bulbs in your home with these energy-saving alternatives.
ALL-NATurAL CLEANING PrODuCTS Long gone are the days when “natural cleaner” meant “good for the environment, but not so good for cleaning.” Today, a plethora of products made from natural ingredients are gentler on the environment than harsh chemicals, but as powerful at cleaning as common chemical cleansers. You can find everything from laundry detergent and dish soap to window cleaner and even degreasers - all made from natural products.
for more tips on how you and your family can easily become “greener,” visit Disney family.com where you’ll find advice, tips and products to help you live a more environmentally aware life.
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Each week you have a chance to win an Applebee’s gift card worth up to $25.00!
Green Tip: use your oven’s self-cleaning feature sparingly. using the self-cleaning feature more than
once a month can counteract any savings from purchasing an energy efficient model.
when we TuG aT a SinGLe ThinG in naTure, we Find iT aTTached To The reST oF The worLd.
Green Tip: Teach kids about the environment.
Charleston’s oFFiCe oF Cultural aFFairslaunChes www.Charlestonarts.sC as thier new arts web siteFrom: Charleston Currents
The City of Charleston’s Office of Cultural Affairs has launched http://www.CharlestonArts.sc, a companion Web site to the OCA’s primary page at the city’s official site. CharlestonArts.sc will be updated daily with information and features, including an arts calendar that users can search by date, artist, presenting group or venue; social networking widgets; and a directory of local arts and cultural organizations and venues.
“We are hopeful that CharlestonArts.sc will be a major benefit to local artists and arts organizations by disseminating information about their events with the most up-to-date information to a broader public,” said Ellen Dressler Moryl, director of the Office of Cultural Affairs.
Other options for users at CharlestonArts.sc include the following:
• Arts organizations can download forms from the Office of Cultural Affairs, submit events, update contact information and compare performance dates with other area organizations.
• The Tools for Professional section of the Web site features job listings for arts professionals, including full time and part time work as well as internships and volunteer opportunities with arts and cultural organizations in the tri-county area.
• Updated grant opportunities for arts organizations, with detailed information, including deadlines, application and contact information.
• Call for Submissions and Call for Auditions pages with details about the location, deadlines, fees andadditional requirements.
The new Web site also hosts connecting pages for general information on the Office of Cultural Affairs and its projects: the Charleston Farmers Market, the City Gallery at Waterfront Park, Holiday Magic, Happy New Year Charleston!, the Holiday Parade of Boats, the Lowcountry Quarterly Arts Grant Program, Piccolo Spoleto and the MOJA Arts Festival.
The Web Site was developed and is being hosted by Carolina Media Services ( www.ONLY.sc) .
Green Tip: Make the most of natural sunlight place reading chairs and
desk in locations that let the sunlight work for you.
Green Tip: Never throw away a cell phone. There always are people and charities that want your discards. remove
the SIM card (the identifier linked to you) then donate the phone. You may also get a tax deduction.
Green Tip: use a laptop, not a desktop computer. Most experts say laptops used one-third
less energy. This is one reason that laptop sales have eclipsed desktop sales.
Green Tip: Simplify your life as much as possible. Only buy and keep
belongings that you use/enjoy on a regular basis.
The scary waste of
Vampire Power(ArA) - Vampires may be hot right now in the entertainment world, but “vampire power” - the slow, invisible energy drain caused by leaving electric devices plugged in - simply sucks.
Every electrical item you leave plugged in, from your home computer to your high-def, flat-screen TV, draws power even while it’s turned off. This “vampire power” drain adds up, costing consumers about $10 billion a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. reducing Vampire Power in your home is an easy way to do your part, both
helping the environment and reducing your family’s carbon footprint - plus it could save you 10 percent of your family’s electric bill, according to the Intrusive residential Standby report.
Vampire power - or “standby power” - refers to the power many electric and electronic items draw while in “stand by” mode, when they are plugged in, but not turned on. Virtually every item you plug in draws some standby power, but major electronic items like PCs and TVs are the biggest power-sucking culprits.
Green Tip: replace paper napkins with cloth napkins
You can reduce vampire power drain with a few simple steps:
Buy Energy Star rated products. These products are designed to not only use less
power when operating, but to draw less standby power as well. Items ranging from dishwashers to laptops carry the rating. Log on to
www.ENErGYSTAr.gov to learn more about the product rating program.
Don’t leave your laptop, cell phone, iPod or other chargers plugged into the wall outlet.
Even these innocent-seeming cords draw vampire power. Instead, plug chargers into a product designed to halt vampire power, like the iGo Laptop Charger. The device uses up to 85 percent less power than standard chargers and
you never have to turn it on or off. You can purchase a range of adapters that allows you to use the charger with virtually any electronic device that requires one. Visit www.iGo.com to learn more about this product.
Streamline the number of devices you have to plug into the wall.
Like most of us, you probably can’t live without your PC or DVr and need to leave it plugged
in. But do you really need a TV in every room of the house and three game
consoles - one for each kid? reducing the number of devices in your home will
reduce the amount of standby power you use and possibly help you to streamline
your life a bit.
Unplug your appliances when they are not in use.
And when it’s not practical to unplug some devices, like the PC, Wii game system or flat
screen TV, you can keep them plugged in using a power management device that halts vampire power,
like the iGo Power Smart Tower. With an instant wake-up button and four always-on outlets, the iGo
Power Smart Tower ensures that you’ll always have power for your devices as soon as you need it without wasting energy.
To learn more about vampire power, how it impacts the environment and consumers’ wallets as well as additional tips to
minimize its effect, visit www.VampirePowerSucks.com.
for 200 years we’ve been
conquering Nature.
Now we’re beating
it to death.
Green Tip: Instead of throwing batteries in the trash, take them to a tox-
ic waste disposal area or a local recycler.
Green Tip: Lower your thermostat. Buy a programmable thermostat.
Green Tip: reuse your water bottle. Avoid buying bottled water. In fact,
reuse everything at least once, especially plastics.
Green Tip: Check out your bathroom. use low-flow faucets,
showerheads, and toilets.
Green Tip: Buy foods locally. Buy locally made products and
locally produced services
Green Tip: Purchase bleach-free, toilet paper that is made from the highest
post-consumer waste content you can find (80% minimum)
Green livingSave energy on video games and home electronics
In today’s economy, consumers are looking to keep costs down and save on bills. Saving money can also save energy. Game consoles and home electronics consume a staggeringly high amount of energy, but there is something that can be done about it.
The Art Institute of Washington suggests some easy and efficient ways to save energy.
Unplug the video games and consider energy-efficient home game consoles. Game consoles such as The Sony Playstation 3 and Microsoft Xbox 360 operate as high-definition video players, therefore they use more energy than the Nintendo Wii. Game Art & Design Instructor Yanan Wu encourages students to consider purchasing a smaller video game system: “If a student is on the go all the time, it would be more efficient for him or her to get a handheld gaming device like PSP or Nintendo
Green Tip: Carry a mug with you wherever you go for take out beverages.
DS since they consume much less energy than a video game console.”
Make it a habit to turn off the power button on just about everything, but just turning off the power button is not enough. Light bulbs in large home electronics that require bulbs can be replaced with energy-efficient wattages. Home computers should be shut down completely and plugged into a single surge protector, away from other electronics.
IT Tech 1 Specialist Luis Alfaro at The Art Institute of Washington, says that most people waste energy at home with their computers, laptops and other electronic gadgets. “These items should be turned off and not just left on idle. Turn off your computer before you go to bed. It saves on both energy and wear and tear,” Alfaro says.
Consider efficient devices and utilizing existing power-saving features. “Among video game consoles, Wii uses less power than PS3 and Xbox 360 because games on Wii are less graphic intensive,” Wu adds.
Here are some additional tips for saving energy in the home:
1. Consider rechargeable batteries.
2. Pull the plug on devices when not in use or put all your electronics and chargers on a power strip.
3. If you’re in the middle of a video game, save it so that you can pick up where
you left off.
4. Enable the automatic
power down feature, which will shut down your device if it’s left idle for a certain amount of time. This isn’t always easy
to do and you might
need to install software first, so
go to the software provider’s Web site for
step-by-step instructions.
5. Most large appliances like televisions and microwaves store up energy when they are not in use. Often, they consume more energy as they are stored than they would if they were actually being used. Either unplug or shut off the power supply to these appliances when not in use.
6. To quickly and easily warm the house, don’t forget to open the curtains. Sunlight is an often overlooked heat resource.
To learn more about The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.
when we
heaL The earTh,
we heaL
ourSeLveS.
Green Tip: Buy compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Green Tip: Turn off lights and electronics when you leave the room. unplug your cell phone charger from the wall
when not using it. Turn off energy strips and surge protectors when not in use (especially overnight).
Green Tip: Shop at and hold garage sales. This is a great way to
reuse products.
New Year’s resolutioNChange the world a forkful at a time(ArA) - Do you have high ambitions for 2010 to get healthier, eat better and, oh yes, change the world, all at the same time? It’s actually possible - if you resolve to eat fair Trade certified foods at every opportunity. By choosing fair Trade foods, you can help improve the lot of workers in developing countries ... one forkful at a time.
When you see the fair Trade certified mark on food and other goods, you can be assured that the producers in developing countries have received a fair price for their products, allowing them to make investments into improving their local community and infrastructure.
With fair Trade certified ingredients ranging from pasta and spices to cocoa and tea, you have many options for making a positive contribution to the lives of producers, sustaining
Green Tip: use both sides of each piece of paper -- for note taking or
printing documents from your computer (at home or work).
the earth and the global ecomomy. And now you can even use fair Trade certified spices to enhance your dishes.
You can prepare entire fair Trade meals for any time of day. As you plan a meal, simply check through your list of ingredients to see which ones may be offered in a fair Trade version. here are some suggestions for easy ways to integrate fair Trade ingredients into your cooking.
for main dishes, you might go with fair Trade pastas, vegetables and spices. here’s a particularly delicious example:
Creamy pasta with sauerkraut and veggie sausage
Ingredients1 large onion, chopped 2 teaspoons olive oil 3 1/2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed 1 1/2 cups vegan mayonnaise 2 cups plain, unsweetened soy yogurt 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (not brewer’s) 2 tablespoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 package veggie sausage or veggie dogs,
thinly sliced at an angle3/4 cup water 1 pound whole wheat pasta (gobetti,
fusilli, penne, etc.) cooked al dente and drained
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
Green Tip: Instead of buying these items new, save and reuse all: paper
bags, rubber bands, twisties, boxes, and packaging material.
Directions:In a large saucepot, saute onion in olive oil until golden brown. Add drained sauerkraut, mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, nutritional yeast, cumin, garlic powder, and sliced sausage (or veggie dogs). Add 3/4 cup water. Stir ingredients until mixed well. If mixture is too thick, add another 1/4 cup of water. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add cooked pasta, and toss well. Cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes, until well heated and mixture begins to bubble. Garnish with diced tomato. Serve.
Enhance your meal with home-baked breads, cookies and desserts using fair Trade fruits. Did you know you can get fair Trade bananas at almost any food store these days? They were
one of the original fruits to become widely certified; now the products available are much broader. This treat allows for your own creative fruit combinations.
Fall fruit crumbleforgo the pie crust and offer up a generous portion of fruit crumble. Serve warm with ice cream, frozen yogurt, or freshly whipped cream with a hint of vanilla extract.
Ingredients:
fILLING5 cups fruit (sliced pears, sliced
apples, and whole cranberries or raspberries make a great combination)
2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/3 cup chopped almonds or
walnuts1/3 cup raisins
Green Tip: Instead of buying these items new, save and reuse all: paper
bags, rubber bands, twisties, boxes, and packaging material.
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ginger 2 tablespoons rum or water1 teaspoon vanilla extract
TOPPING1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup rolled oats 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup walnuts chopped 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
Directions:Preheat oven to 350 f. In a large bowl, combine all of the filling in-gredients. Pour into a baking dish (do not drain).
Combine the topping ingredients (cut in butter until mixture is
coarse and crumbly) and sprinkle over the fruit.
Bake about 30 to 40 minutes, or until fruit is soft and topping is lightly browned.
Your support of fair Trade doesn’t have to end with food items. More and more fair Trade kitchen and table items are becoming available: place mats, tableware, napkins, serving dishes, etc. Now is the time to explore the possibilities, so check with your local natural and organic retailer.
Visit www.frontiercoop.com/fairtrade for more information on fair Trade and a selection of fair Trade Certified food products you can buy online.
Take care of the earth and she will take care of you.
Green Tip: Car pool.
Green Tip: Create designated holding “bins” for each type of recycled
product and place in convenient locations in your home/garage
Bring early spring to your home with
Indoor Gardening(ArA) - Do images of flowering trellises laden with yellow, pink, green and purple blooms dance through your dreams? You may be ready for some warm spring-like temperatures, but the weather outside is still a little frightful. Ignore the weather and bring spring inside with some indoor gardening.
Not only does bringing spring inside help brighten your home, but houseplants can also improve the quality of the air you’re breathing. A NASA study found that houseplants
remove up to 87 percent of toxic indoor air inside a sealed chamber within 24 hours.
By planting now, while winter is still in the air, you will have vegetables, herbs and flowers primed for transplanting when warmer weather finally arrives. And since they’re inside, you can watch the plants as they shoot their little green stems out of the fresh dirt, monitoring them as they grow.
Green Tip: Ask your local retailers to stock more products made from recycled materials
and buy products made from the highest recycled content whenever possible.
Use loose potting soil to promote root growth.
Outside, worms and insects tunnel through the dirt, naturally breaking it up to help plants spread their roots. To mimic their effect indoors, use potting soil mixed with peat moss, vermiculite and perlite to create a light texture that won’t compact after a couple of waterings.
Make sure thenatural light is adequate.
Some plants like direct sunlight and must be located near a south-facing window, while others prefer a few hours of indirect light. But to really keep your herbs and flowers looking strong all season long, consider using artificial light like
the Grow Light Pro White from Wards.com, which can also help you get your spring garden started early with seedlings. The Grow Light has four lights that can be turned on as a unit or individually, and it has an adjustable bottom shelf so you can alter the light level as your plants grow.
When plants don’t get the light they need, they start to appear thin and frail. As your plants begin to grow, make sure to rotate the pots so the stems grow straight, rather than bending unnaturally toward the source of light.
Keep the humidity level above 50 percent with a humidifier.
Not only will your plants appreciate the extra moisture, but so will you. When the
Green Tip: Leave grass clippings on the lawn as fertilizer.
humidity drops below 50 percent, most plants suffer from water loss through their leaves, and it’s difficult to regain that water balance, even with frequent watering.
Bring spring inside your home with beautiful pots & decorating accents.
Visit Wards.com to find beautiful and creative birdhouses that not only are functional, but stylish enough to hang inside. Consider hanging a wire birdhouse in the shape of an acorn in the kitchen window, or using a set of two birdhouses as a unique decoration for your entryway.
Mix art and fun together with some ivy.
Ivy topiaries are very easy to grow, and there are many creative planters and forms you can use to support the ivy as it winds its way toward the sun. Are you a music fan? A guitar and music stand with little pots incorporated into the design can help brighten up your living room. Or maybe you prefer a vintage look created by placing a Madeline Dress form over your vines, allowing them to grow and construct the skirt. Both styles are available at Wards.com.
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Green Tip: Consider a car sharing service like Zipcar.
Green Tip: If you are traveling and no recycle bins are available, pack
your recyclables home with you whenever possible.
Gardening is making a popular comeback
(ArA) - Change has come to America. The pop culture phrase “show me the money,” boiling throughout business and industry, has cooled down and is forcing people to take a hard look at what is really important in life.
“Just look around you,” says Susan McCoy, trend spotter and outdoor living expert. “Our
relationship with money has changed. hard work,
Green Tip: for the ultimate in recycling, check out the growing move-
ment in eco-friendly burials.
common sense and a return to small-town values are causing a shift in priorities from boardrooms to backyards.”
According to GMG’s 2010 Garden Trends report, “The rewards of growing your own - from basil to berries to flowers - are boundless,” says McCoy.
here is a glimpse of what McCoy and her team of trend spotters see for 2010.
EdiblE gardEns arE in. lawns arE out.
Growing your own groceries is hotter than ever and is transforming homes and communities. A recent survey by the National Gardening Association shows a 19 percent burst of new hobby country farms and urban edible gardens over last year.
“It’s time to reclaim our land for our greater good,” says Margie Grace, the 2009 International Landscape Designer of the Year, awarded by the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. “Take that food-producing garden from the back 40 and put it wherever we want. reunite the ornamental with the edible - roses beside tomatoes, beds edged with herbs, and veggies used as annuals.”
Grace is one of many wanting to “de-lawn” America. front lawns are being transformed into vegetable and rain gardens. “hell strips” - the patch of high-maintenance lawn or dirt between the sidewalk and street - are being planted with sustainable flowers, grasses and shrubs that need little to no care.
Gardeners with limited space are finding ways to have fresh herbs and vegetables in their kitchens. Innovative plant systems like fertile Earth’s new Simple Gardens come
Green Tip: If you are shopping for wedding rings or other jewelry consider buy-
ing recycled gold jewelry and synthetic diamonds and gemstones
with soil, seeds and a how-to guide packed in stylish square containers that make it a snap to grow kitchen gardens in any bright spot. Just add water.
Slow gardening is in. Instant gratification is out.
With the rising demand for locally-grown food, organic and energy-efficient products, people are gardening for the greater good. According to Lifestyle of health and Sustainability, (LOhAS) seed sales are up 30 to 50 percent and canning saw a whopping 45 percent increase. Along with vegetables, people are planting and picking fruits and berries - especially blueberries and raspberries - for their nutritional value and ornamental good looks.
Many new products on the market are designed to help sustain the environment. Space-age technology saves gardeners time and water. AquaLok, a sustainable hydration system from Costa farms, is a self-watering system for plants made from recycled soda bottles. It allows plants to thrive without drainage, and reduces watering needs by more than half.
for the do-it-yourself gardeners, add just a little Geohumus, a new soil additive made from volcanic rock combined with state-of-the-art super absorbents, to all your containers and new plantings. It stores water and releases it to the plants on demand.
Eco-boosting is in. Chemical-dependent gardens are out.
Demand is up for earth-friendly, sustainable and organic garden products, like the first OMrI-listed compost-based premium blend potting soil from Organic Mechanics Soil Company. The caviar of potting mixes, the all-purpose premier blend is easy to use for all your planting needs.
for all-natural garden products and animal and insect repellents that are environmentally safe for people, pets and plants, turn to innovative companies like The Liquid fence Company. The company just released freezePruf, a
revolutionary spray that helps plants withstand fall frosts and spring frosts,
extending the growing season by a couple of weeks in fall and spring.
Multi-tasking is in. Single-purpose gardening is out.roofs are no longer just for
parties. Green roofs are springing to life in cities and small
towns, transforming barren space into lush gardens that help cool buildings,
absorb rainwater, filter air pollutants, and create wildlife habitats.
folks are bringing the outdoors in with houseplants. Mini orchids from Costa farms are affordable, easy to care for, and come in a wide array of colors that are perfect for decorating rooms and gift-giving. Indoor plants are living art accents that provide oxygen, and remove carbon dioxide and harmful volatile organic compounds, 24/7. Check out these natural air-cleaning machines at www.o2foryou.org.
Perennials and shrubs are in. Divas are out.
Sustainable landscapes, water conservation, perennials and small edible shrubs are hot as gardening with natives attracts needed
Green Tip: Buy food (and drink - ideally tap - water) from local companies whenever possible.
Each pound of local food you purchase prevents a quarter pound of C02 emissions.
pollinators and birds, critical for the balance of nature. Consumers are looking for plants that are easy care, have great color, and are pest- and drought-resistant, like the new hardy early and repeat blooming daylily - Jersey Earlybird ‘Cardinal’.
Demand is up for sustainable hybrids like rhododendrons and grasses that provide great impact with little fuss. Look for a new hardy hybrid rhododendron and the first-ever tri-colored hosta from Briggs Nursery. rho-dodendron ‘Trocadero’ is a compact grower with bright red trusses and hosta ‘Trifecta’ is a
drought-tolerant stunner that helps shape landscapes with striking good looks and easy care.
Proceeds from The American Beauties Native Plant collection help support the National Wildlife foundation’s Backyard habitat program. families are connecting with each other - and the earth - as purposeful gardening for wildlife catches on. for a complete GMG 2010 Garden Trends report, visit www.gardenmediagroup.com.
Green Tip: If you are taking a trip, consider buying
carbon emission offsets.
Buying a home or making green home improvements?
Don’t miss out on these tax credits(ArA) - A wide range of tax law changes over the last year will result in considerable savings for millions of Americans on their 2009 federal tax returns. homebuyers and homeowners have some of the most to gain from the changes.
understanding the qualifications for home-related credits can be confusing and intimidating. Jessi Dolmage, spokes-woman for 2nd Story Software, the makers of TaxACT, breaks them down.
“If you’ve never owned or haven’t owned a principal resi-dence during the three years prior to the purchase date, you may qualify for the first-Time homebuyer Credit. The purchase date must fall after April 8, 2009 and before May 1, 2010, with closing to take place before July 1, 2010. It’s equal to 10 percent of the purchase price, up to a maximum of $8,000. You only have to repay the money if the home ceases to be your primary residence or is sold within three years of purchase,” says Dolmage.
Property cannot be acquired from a relative, and married taxpayers must both qualify as first-time homebuyers if filing jointly. The credit can be claimed on a 2009 return or an amended 2008 return.
The Worker, homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009 extended the credit’s closing date from Nov. 30, 2009, to April 30, 2010, and added rules for homes purchased after Nov. 6, 2009, including:
You must be at least 18 on the purchase date (only one spouse must be 18) and cannot be claimed as a depen-dent.
Purchase price cannot exceed $800,000.
If the sale doesn’t close by April 30, 2010, you may still qualify if there’s a binding contract to purchase by that date. The sale must close before July 1, 2010, and the credit cannot be claimed before the closing date.
Green Tip: If you have west-facing windows use window tints, blinds, deciduous trees
or trellises to help keep out heat from the summer sun..
Purchase date and modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) determine credit phase out. If the purchase date was before Nov. 7, 2009, full credit is available to those with an MAGI up to $75,000 ($150,000 for joint filers). If you have an MAGI between $75,000 and $95,000 ($150,000 and $170,000 for joint filers), you’re eligible for reduced credit. higher incomes do not qualify.
If the purchase date is after Nov. 6, 2009, full credit is available to those with an MAGI of up to $125,000 ($225,000 for joint filers). If your MAGI falls between $125,000 and $145,000 ($225,000 and $245,000 for joint filers), you could receive a reduced credit. higher incomes don’t qualify.
“Current homeowners looking for a different or new home may also qualify for the first-Time homebuyer Credit,” Dolmage says. “The Worker, homeownership and Business Assistance Act modified the credit to allow for up to $6,500 if you purchase a replacement home before April 30, 2010. You must have lived in the same principal residence for a five consecutive-year period during the eight-year period that ends on the purchase date of the replacement home.”
IN ADDITION:
You must buy, or enter into a binding contract to buy, a principal residence after Nov. 6, 2009, and before May 1, 2010, and close on it before July 1, 2010.
The credit phases out for those with an MAGI between $125,000 and $145,000 ($225,000 and $245,000 for joint filers).
2009 purchases must be claimed on a 2009 return; 2010 purchases can be claimed on a 2009 or 2010 return.
All homeowners can claim tax credits for green improvements. The residential Energy Property Credit is worth 30 percent, up to $1,500, for improvements such as adding insulation or installing energy efficient windows, doors, or heating and air conditioning systems. Bigger improvements involving alternative energy equipment, like solar hot water heaters, geothermal heat pumps and wind turbines can be claimed under the residential Energy Efficiency Property Credit. This credit is equal to 30 percent of the cost of the qualified property, with no limit on the maximum amount of the credit available.
New tax laws also include breaks for children, college expenses, new vehicles, unemployment and several other areas. Information about all 2009 tax law changes can be found at www.IrS.gov.
“You can see exactly how the changes will affect your 2009 taxes with TaxACT free federal Edition,” Dolmage adds.” With TaxACT, all taxpayers can prepare, print and e-file their IrS return for free. Go to
www.TaxACT.com to get started.”
Take what
you can use
and let the
rest go by
Green Tip: At holidays and birthdays, give your family and friends the gift of saving the
earth. Donate to their favorite environmental group, foundation, or organization.
Green Tip: Get off junk mail lists. GreenDimes can get you started.
They’ll even plant a tree for you!
Green Tip: Paint your home a light color if you live in a warm climate
and a dark color if you live in a cold climate.
Don’t trash that banana peel composting is an easy, eco-friendly alternative
(ArA) - recycling is certainly not a new concept. In fact, gardeners have been using one form of recycling - composting - for about as long as people have tilled the soil. Composting is a cost-effective, eco-friendly way to give your garden a boost.
Start your compost pile now, before winter settles in, and come spring you’ll have a jump on nutrient-rich compost to help your garden produce its best harvest. Composting happens by itself through natural decay and the breakdown of organic matter. Depending on your local climate, the composting process may not be fully completed with useable humus or compost until temperatures warm up.
“Composting is easy and can be done for as little as $10 - or even free if you build your own bin,” says Bruce Au-gustin, senior director in research and development with Scotts. “It’s a great way to provide essential nutrients to your soil, while recycling kitchen and yard waste, which helps keep refuse out of landfills.”
It’s easy to get started composting: find a bin, gather materials, build your pile and compost. Augustin offers the following easy-to-follow steps for getting started:
BeGin wiTh a Bin
Containing your compost pile in a bin saves space, hastens decomposition and helps keep the pile neat. You can find many pre-made compost bins at home centers
Green Tip: Insulate your hot water heater (a tank that is warm to the touch needs added
insulation), as well as hot water pipes and ducts located in unheated areas.
and garden stores. Or, you can build your own from plans found on the Internet with materials around your home.
GaTher maTeriaLS
There are two main sources of materials for your compost pile - your yard and your kitchen. from the yard, you can gather leaves, grass and plant clippings, and shrub or tree trimmings. from the kitchen, add fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds (including the filters), tea bags and eggshells. It’s okay to toss in shredded newspaper (not colored or shiny newsprint since these don’t decompose readily), but avoid meat scraps, bones, dairy products, grease or pet or human waste since these can all harbor harmful bacteria.
BuiLd your piLe
You should build your pile in layers, starting with a 4- to 6-inch layer of coarse material such as twigs or shrub clippings. Then, add on 3 to 4 inches of grass clippings. Next, add another 4- to 6-inch layer of leaves or garden debris and soak with water; moisture will help the microbes decompose the material faster. You can modify this order as needed, depending on the types of materials you have. After a few layers, be sure to add a 1-inch layer of garden soil, such as Miracle-Gro Garden Soil for flowers and Vegetables.
mainTain compoST
“A high-nitrogen fertilizer like Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant food, spread over each layer of your compost pile, will help the composting process by creating a favorable nitrogen to carbon ratio,” says Augustin. remember to turn or aerate the pile periodically to help move material from the outside closer to the center of the pile, where it will heat up and decompose faster. During the winter - depending on the region where you live - the center of the pile is where decomposition will take place, and adding water to keep the pile moist will aid the process.
Your compost will be ready to use once it has turned dark and crumbly, and gives off an earthy odor. Add the compost to your garden soil to help nourish your plants.
“Composting is not only beneficial for your garden, but it’s also an easy, satisfying way to do something good for the environment,” Augustin says.
for more tips on composting and other aspects of gardening and lawn care, visit www.Scotts.com.
Green Tip: Buy products that use recyclable materials whenever possible.
Only when the last tree
has died and the last
river been poisoned
and the last fish been
caught will we realise
we cannot eat money.
Green Tip: If you use plastic grocery bags, recycle them for doggie poop
bags or for small trashcan liners.
Green Tip: Whenever possible, keep lights off during the day.
American energy security could come from trees
(ArA) - You don’t have to be an energy expert to realize the challenge ahead if the country is to reach President Obama’s goal of reducing 50 percent of America’s fossil fuel emissions by 2050. To do that will require several innovative approaches to generating fuel and electricity.
One alternative is to use plant or tree materials, also known as biomass, as an energy source. Biomass trees could be specifically planted for use as bioenergy in regions where available land is well-suited to tree growth and harvest. Although many different types of crops can be used as biomass, trees have particular advantages, including the ability to be harvested year-round. In the Southeast, where the infrastructure to harvest and transport trees to the mill already exists, biomass production could help reinvigorate rural economies.
In addition to poplar, pine and cottonwood, another variety of tree being evaluated for its amazing growth potential is the eucalyptus. One of the fastest growing hardwood trees in the world, eucalyptus is cultivated in more than 90 countries and represents 8 percent of all planted forests. In 2003, global eucalyptus pulp demand was 8 million tons and it represented 40 percent of the world’s hardwood pulp market.
“In order to slow climate change, reduce our country’s dependence on foreign oil and slash fossil fuel emissions in half by 2050, we must learn how to use regional, purpose-grown resources for bioenergy in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way,” says Barbara Wells, CEO of ArborGen, a leading tree research and development company. “Purpose-grown resources, including trees, are the most ideal
Green Tip: Choose a place to live that reduces the need to drive (easy access to public transit,
easy biking routes, close to work and stores, walk able community, etc.).
feedstock for biomass. A purpose-grown tree is specifically planted to be harvested for wood, fiber and energy production, thereby taking the pressure off our natural resources and forests.”
for more than 50 years, u.S. pulp and paper companies and government organizations have invested resources and devoted research to identifying the most economically and environmentally sustainable hardwood species. South Carolina-based ArborGen develops seedlings, both through conventional breeding and selection as well as through biotechnology, that improve the productivity and sustainability of well managed, working forests to help meet the needs for wood, fiber and energy. ArborGen’s
research supports eucalyptus as a top choice for wood, fiber and energy for numerous reasons.
Eucalpytus: ... is the world’s most widely planted hard wood species.
... is prized globally for excellence in paper and energy production
... grows faster than other hardwood species.
... will grow on upland landscapes, reducing pressure on environmentally sensitive areas.
Green Tip: Consider using a solar cooker to cook some of your meals.
... grows commercially with similar management inputs needed for pine.
... produces feedstock for fiber and energy in short rotations.
... can be well-contained in a managed plantation environment.
The united States contributes a disproportionate amount, 22 percent, of the world’s carbon emissions, even though the country houses just 5 percent of the world’s population. According to the u.S. Department of Energy, bioenergy provides the country with a major opportunity to generate power from both renewable and sustainable sources like plants and trees, reducing the amount of carbon emissions. The energy department has specifically identified eucalyptus as a potentially viable option for biomass because of “its implications for helping wean the nation’s dependence on fossil fuel.”
As such, the federal government is currently spending millions of dollars to map the DNA sequence of the eucalyptus - bringing in expert partners on eucalyptus and biotechnology such as ArborGen to help fulfill this mission.
“We want to help create a viable solution to the increasing energy demands at a time when our traditional supply is being depleted,” says Wells. “The time for this solution is now, and we continue to examine and test the effectiveness of trees, including the eucalyptus, as a purpose grown source for energy biomass.”
for more information on the benefits of Eucalyptus visit www.eucalyptusfacts.org.
Green Tip: Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Given a choice
between plastic and paper, opt for paper.
Green Tip: Consider organic cleaning products like vinegar, borax, and
baking soda.
Green Tip: recycle your holiday lights - holidayLEDs.com will take your
old incandescent lights and recycle them.
Green your spring cleaning routine(ArA) - Do you feel like Mother Nature set up camp in your home over the winter? Cold winter months spent indoors often translate to dirt and clutter buildup around the house. And, if you’re like television personality hannah Keeley, with those first few warm spring days comes the irrepressible urge to throw open the windows and get down and dirty with some serious spring cleaning.
But before you get started, make sure to follow these simple tips from Keeley to keep your home clean and green.
Green Tip: Glass is the best type of food and beverage container because
it is completely recyclable.
Get rid of the toxic chemicals
The cleaning products aisle at the grocery store is teeming with spring cleaning junkies, searching for the latest miracle products that promise to whip their homes into shape. resist the urge. Most of these powerful cleaners contain some pretty toxic chemicals. Instead, choose eco-friendly cleaners, or just raid your kitchen cabinets. Vinegar and water cleans windows and mirrors beautifully. A little castile soap with water makes a fantastic all-purpose cleaner. And baking soda is the best scouring powder out there.
Conserve
waterDon’t leave the tap running while cleaning - instead turn the faucet on as you’re ready to rinse off. Better yet, collect water in a bucket for your cleaning needs. Sweep instead of mopping whenever possible and place doormats both outside and inside of your home’s doors to catch dirt and mud, lessening the need to wash the floors. In the kitchen, only run the dishwasher when your family has a full load and in the bathroom, consider installing a new water-efficient showerhead to cut down on usage.
Green Tip: If we recycled all of the newspapers printed in the u.S. on a typical Sun-
day, we would save 550,000 trees — or about 26 million trees per year.
Wipe off your air vents
Dust collected on your vents may re-circulate throughout your home’s air. While you’re at it, have your air ducts cleaned to remove any mold or contaminants that may have accumulated throughout the winter. Schedule a tune-up with your local hVAC dealer to restore capacity and help cut utility costs. If you’re in the market for a heating or cooling system upgrade, consider a new energy-efficient unit such as the American Standard Allegiance (r) 15 air conditioner. Many combinations are Energy Star-rated and could qualify you for the federal government’s tax incentives for increasing your home’s efficiency.
Recycle and turn trash into treasure
Instead of filling your trashcan with all of the clutter you’ve collected throughout the year, set up a home recycling station for papers, card-board, aluminum, glass and plastics. Be sure your recycling station is located in a place that is protected from the weather, pets or outdoor critters. Turn other items that cannot be tradi-tionally recycled (toys, video games, etc.) into someone else’s treasure. Collect your family’s unused items and donate them to charity. re-member, if you don’t use it and you don’t love it, you don’t need it.
Treat the Earth well. It was not given to you by your parents. It was loaned to you by your children
Green Tip: If you have a baby, consider using cloth diapers. To sign up for a diaper service to
do the dirty work, check out the National Association of Diaper Services.
tiMe to reFinanCe or buy !?
Right now, mortgage rates are at their lowest level since 1971. Think about that. Twenty-five years ago, homeowners were paying as much as 18% on a 30-year fixed. Today it’s just a little over 5%.Combine that rate with the tax advantages
of a mortgage, and you have an incredibly cheap way to build wealth, but you better act now.
Real estate guru Barbara Corcoran has already seen a tremendous surge in refinance applications – more than triple the average – and the number of people getting approved is astronomically higher as well, she says. But that doesn’t mean the low rates are a panacea for the ills of the housing market. It is only once home prices start to go up that we will finally see a light at the end of tunnel, Corcoran says. Until that happens, we are still going to have to crawl out of this mess. “[Low interest rates are] not a lifesaver,” Corcoran says. “This is just a helping hand.”
David Kittle, chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association, has this advice to homeowners looking to refinance: Do it. Don’t get greedy searching for another quarter-point. Lock in rates now. He is seeing applications soar over 125% just since Thanksgiving due to the low rates.
Of course, you should only refinance if it saves you at least 3/8 on the rate and if you plan on staying in your home for at least four years, Kittle says. Along with good credit, proof of income and money by means of a down payment or equity in the home, there are certain things every homeowner needs regardless of interest rate levels.
Green Tip: Landscape with native plants.
Green Tip: Opt into a clean energy program. Check out the Green
Power Network at the uS Department of Energy.
Green Tip: Go paperless. Consider reading your newspaper and magazine subscriptions
online. Switch to electronic banking and credit card payment, too.
Fin
al
wo
rD
s Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them.
albert einstein
Green Tip: Take your batteries to a recycling center.
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Green Tip: Turn your car off if you’re going to be idle for
more than one minute.