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- Clothing Care: A Laundry List Of Helpful Tips
Doing laundry doesn't have to be such a chore. By following a few simple care tips, you can extend the life of your clothes and your relationship with them. And even if washing clothes isn't really your thing, today's "intelligent" laundry machines help take the guesswork out of the process.
1. Sort and pretreat. First, sort clothes by color, wash temperature and fabric type. Always consult the fabric label for specific washing instructions. It is recommended that you separate your laundry as follows: - Keeping Groundwater Out Of Your Basement
Most people don't think too much about the foundation when they're having a new home built. Siding style, roof shingle color and interior amenities are the areas homeowners focus on, but they shouldn't forget about the part they don't see-the home's foundation and drainage system. If this isn't designed and installed properly, a wet basement can be a disaster. The basement is no longer the dark, damp storage area it was in years past. Now, homeowners want finished basements to use for recreation and home theater systems, making it critical that the space stay dry and comfortable.
Hard to believe, but conventional drainage is handled with inexpensive black corrugated pipe such as the kind sold at a home improvement store. If this isn't put in level, which can be difficult to do, or at the correct location, right up against the concrete footing, the system won't work properly and a wet basement can result. - Precycling Saves You Money While Helping The Environment
Recycling keeps trash out of the landfills by reusing the waste for another purpose. Precycling stops waste before it happens. By implementing a few of these easy precycling tips, not only will you produce less waste, you can spend significantly less money.
1. Sign up with your bank to receive financial statements online. You may save a few trees and you can keep a closer watch on your account balance, preventing overdraft charges. Your bank will keep your canceled checks and past statements online to view at any time, so it will free up filing space at your house as well. - Trumpeting An Elephant's Success
One conservation group has worked to help ensure that elephants are not forgotten-and recently, it has celebrated some enormous successes.
On April 6, 2006, a healthy, 295-pound, female Asian elephant named Mable was born at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation® (CEC) in central Florida. The $5 million breeding and retirement facility was founded by Ringling Bros. to help conserve and study Asian elephants. This year marks the 11th anniversary of the CEC. - Trumpeting An Elephant's Success
One conservation group has worked to help ensure that elephants are not forgotten-and recently, it has celebrated some enormous successes.
On April 6, 2006, a healthy, 295-pound, female Asian elephant named Mable was born at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation® (CEC) in central Florida. The $5 million breeding and retirement facility was founded by Ringling Bros. to help conserve and study Asian elephants. This year marks the 11th anniversary of the CEC. - The Three R's Plus Recycling
In 2005, 51.5 percent (51.3 million tons) of the paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling. That's 346 pounds for every man, woman and child-an impressive amount that hopefully will continue to grow.
An important audience in continuing this upward trend is students. To help reach them, many educators have found ways to incorporate lessons about recycling into their core curriculum. - Gasoline Consumption And Global Warming
The recent shutdown of a major oil pipeline in Alaska highlights America's addiction to oil and other fossil fuels. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a science-based advocacy group, recommends ways for citizens to break the habit that will save money and protect life on our planet.
Foremost, the group recommends that those shopping for a new vehicle purchase the car or truck with the greatest number of miles per gallon in its class. Each gallon of gas used in a car releases 25 pounds of heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Using less gas reduces global warming and saves consumers thousands of dollars at the pump. - Sustainable Living Made Simpler
Here, for a change, is some good news about our environment. Steps can be taken now to ensure that a livable world exists for future generations.
More good news: One profession that is addressing this need is landscape architecture. Landscape architecture encompasses the analysis, planning, design, management and stewardship of the natural and built environments. Even better, these landscape architects have powerful influence over the future shape of communities. - Clean Air Progress-example To The World
"Every American expects and deserves clean air," said former President H. W. Bush in announcing new clean air legislation in 1989. The United States, he said, should set an example for the rest of the world to follow.
And we have. According to former EPA administrator Michael Leavitt, "Today's air is the cleanest most Americans have ever breathed." It is cleaner than the air in many other industrialized countries and much of the developing world. - Americans Show Their Shades Of Green
A new national survey shows that more than half of adult Americans consider themselves to be pretty "Green." Almost nine in 10 also say it is "very" or "somewhat" important to them personally to be Green (89 percent). However, the survey finds that their "E-IQ" (Environmental IQ) is relatively low-there are large gaps between self-perception, knowledge and behavior.
Misperceptions exist about the state of U.S. forests, in particular, as seen in the visual. And, Green intentions do not necessarily translate into the most environmentally sound behavior. - Building A Greener Future
"Green building" is a home-building concept that uses design, construction and maintenance to create more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly buildings.
The popularity of this concept is growing. According to a recent study, green-built homes will account for between $19 and $38 billion in construction by the end of 2007. - Tips On Reusing Those Old Plastic Grocery Bags
It's in the bag. That's what more and more Americans are saying as they find more innovative ways to protect the environment by reusing those old grocery bags.
Though many reusers know old plastic bags are good for carrying their shoes and picking up after pets, there are a number of creative uses they may not know. Brook Alexander from "Real Simple" TV offers these ideas: - Eco-friendly Choices
Increasingly, consumers are working to protect the Earth from such growing environmental threats as global warming, chemicals leaching into the soil, overflowing landfills and the rising cost of petroleum.
The good news is that environmentally friendly products are available, including consumer goods made from recycled materials, such as paper towels and plastic utensils. - A Quick Guide To Recycling At Work
Americans have been recycling paper for more than 300 years. In 2005, a record-high 51.5 percent (51.3 million tons) of the paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling. While this is an impressive number, we can do more. The U.S. paper industry has set a recovery goal of 55 percent by 2012.
Recycling is important, because the paper that you put in your recycling bin at work and at home can come back as new products including newspapers, cereal boxes, and grocery sacks. In workplaces, homes, and schools across America, less than half of the printing/writing papers used are currently being recycled. You can help improve these statistics by setting up a recycling program at your office. Here are some tips from the recycling experts at the American Forest & Paper Association: - Green Windows: Improving Views, Maintaining Our Environment
Today's environmentally-conscious consumers want to build their homes with sustainable, recycled or energy-efficient materials. When it comes to windows, you can choose products that will both stand the test of time and effectively manage the sun's rays with energy-efficient glazings.
The following tips can help you select a window manufacturer with environmentally-friendly products and manufacturing processes: - Drought Or No Drought: Saving Water Is Important Year-round
As temperatures drop, and the word "drought" is no longer in the news, it's easy to stop paying attention to water use. Reminders to save water are less frequent and many Americans believe our water supply is abundant and constantly replenished-when in fact it's a finite resource.
While the U.S. population has grown by almost 90 percent over the last 50 years, our water use during that same period grew by a staggering 209 percent. With demand outstripping supply, at least 36 states anticipate local, regional or statewide water shortages by the year 2013, even under non-drought conditions. Using water more efficiently is the easiest and most cost-effective way to help ensure adequate future water supply. - Mermaid Helps Save Life In The Ocean
When it comes to saving life in the ocean, one new spokesperson may be right in her element.
Ariel from Disney's "The Little Mermaid" is appearing on new public service announcements that share information on how to care for the sea. - Out With The Old: What To Do With Tech. Gadgets When They Become "tech Trash"
It's hard to imagine what life was like before gadgets. Cell phones, portable e-mail, digital cameras, gaming systems, notebook computers, flat-panel televisions-the average consumers readily use multiple devices that help them do more, in less time, while making their lives easier and more fun.
It is expected that consumer electronics will be among the hottest holiday gifts this season. As people unwrap the newest gadgets, the current devices they use quickly become obsolete "tech trash." - What Does It Mean To Build Green
While most of us know that green building is good for the environment, creates healthier living and work spaces, and lowers operating costs, not everyone knows exactly what it means to build green.
According to the Green Building Initiative (GBI), a nonprofit organization formed to help educate builders and consumers, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. But a green structure will adhere to certain fundamental principles, whether it's a home, school, industrial park or office tower. For example: - Students Can Win Trip To Hawaii For Creative Energy And Environmental Projects
Students in kindergarten through 12th grade are encouraged to put on their thinking caps to find creative ways to make a difference in energy conservation and the environment, as part of an annual contest.
The Igniting Creative Energy Challenge, a partnership program developed by Johnson Controls and the National Energy Foundation, is an educational competition that encourages students to learn more about energy and the environment. Winners of the national contests and their parents/ guardians can win a trip to Hawaii in spring 2007. Winners also get valuable educational experiences, including a chance to meet national leaders and energy policymakers in Washington, D.C. - Every Day Tips For Thinking And Acting Green
As the debate surrounding global warming continues to heat up, more and more Americans have found smart ways to think and act green. If you are interested in becoming "green," too, but are not sure where to begin, try the following easy tips:
Clean Green - The Art Of Recycling
Enough energy is saved by recycling one aluminum can to run a TV set for three hours or to light one 100-watt bulb for 20 hours. In addition, recycling a soda can saves 96 percent of the energy used to make a new can from ore.
Chemists and other scientists see that as progress-now American schoolchildren are asked to see it as poetry. A national contest challenges kindergarten through 12th-grade students to create an illustrated haiku about recycling or chemistry. - Your Teen: Environmentally Tuned In?
A new national survey has a nice surprise for parents who think their teens are just tuned into television and video games. The survey shows that teens are also in touch with the environment. About two-thirds of American teens say they have participated in a community cleanup or other community environmental project. And while they are online, teens are thinking about Mother Earth, with 43 percent saying they have searched the Web to learn about the environment.
This interest may be due to involved parents-more than half of the teens (55 percent) report that their parents have talked to them about things their families can do to help the environment. - Your Teen: Environmentally Tuned In?
A new national survey has a nice surprise for parents who think their teens are just tuned into television and video games. The survey shows that teens are also in touch with the environment. About two-thirds of American teens say they have participated in a community cleanup or other community environmental project. And while they are online, teens are thinking about Mother Earth, with 43 percent saying they have searched the Web to learn about the environment.
This interest may be due to involved parents-more than half of the teens (55 percent) report that their parents have talked to them about things their families can do to help the environment. - Tips On Keeping The World's Oceans Alive
Keeping the world's oceans clean is not just the responsibility of governmental agencies. More than 40 years ago, the popular television program "Flipper" brought awareness to environmental issues, making the lovable dolphin the first television star to promote environmental consciousness by educating viewers on the dangers facing aquatic environments.
Those same teachings hold true today. With millions of people engaging in outdoor activities in oceans, rivers and lakes throughout the year, there are plenty of things that individuals can do to make sure that the marine mammals that inhabit these bodies of water are protected. For example: - The Hidden Benefits Of Green
When it comes to yards, the color green may be worth its weight in gold. Experts now say green matters and that the importance of keeping things green could change your mind about mowing, clipping, planting, weeding and a host of other outside tasks.
According to Den Gardner, executive director of Project EverGreen, there's growing evidence that doing these "chores" in the right way can add up to real value-not only for your bank account, but for your family, your community and the environment. If all that sounds like a tall order, you may want to take a minute to review some useful information about the many values of green space available at www.project evergreen.com. Here's a sample from the Web site:
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