We have a winner!  Angela Schleicher of Nashville won the contest for who could make the biggest environmentally friendly impact on the earth in February! 
Congratulations Angela!
Angela helped her company go paperless.  She devised a teaching Power Point for her coworkers that explained how to save documents without the necessity of printing them out.  She saved paper, ink, wear and tear on printers, storage space and the heat and light of those storage spaces.
It has come to our attention that Angela lost her position with her firm shortly after this work was completed.  We are happy to present her with a gift card - it is in the mail today!  I am sure any firm would love to have someone who thinks in an environmentally friendly way and works hard too!<< MORE >>

Check it out, the new v3.0 Reference Guide will be available for pre-order in March.  That's less than ten days away.
LEED 2009 puts New Construction, Core and Shell, Schools, Commercial interiors, and Existing Buildings:  Operations & Maintenance in one guide. 
The bad news is that even if you just purchased your v2.2 guide, USGBC will not refund or exchange old versions for the new ones.  Nor will they give you a discount on LEED 2009.

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www,gbci.org:  Haven't registered to take you LEED AP v2.2 exam yet?  The deadline is March 31.  Do not wait until then.  Set an exam date for early March and you will have time to reschedule if you need to take it a second time.  Also, don't we all get down to studying when there is a deadline? << MORE >>

  The earth trying to reinvent itself after man has attempted change.<< MORE >>

e-cycling:  This word is a follow-up tp last week's e-waste and e-scrap.  e-cycling is when you are able to dispose of you electrical/phone equipment in a responsible way.  The tough part is that many items contain toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury, and lead.  Check with local authorities to see if they have a program for disposal.  Many used, but still good phones are collected by women's shelters.  Left with one or two cartridges of ink when your printer gives up?  Go on-line to Craig's List or a local site that allows you to trade items.  You probably won't get cartridges for your new printer, but you may find something else you need.<< MORE >>

The Pittsburgh CSI Chapter was gracious enough to invite me to speak to them tonight on How to Pass the LEED Exam.  Don't worry, I did not pass out the list of A, B, C, and D answers to the multiple choice questions on the exam.  Instead I tried to lead them through the thought process of why the exam is tough and what is very fair about it.  There were a few LEED APs in the audience and quite a few more attendees who would like to add this prpfessional credential to their resumes.  Good Luck to all.  Test well!<< MORE >>

We are one week into the contest and have an entry that wins points for materials and resources savings.  Who has an entry that will give our first contestant a run for her money?<< MORE >>

Website Finder
ConsumerSearch.com has product reviews from consumer experts and users.  I am always a little skeptical of reviews, were they written by a company employee to boost sales?  Were they written by a user who spilled coffee on his keyboard and is now in a lousy mood?  But, I have found them helpful if I know very little about a product, its upside and downside.  Most reviewed products?  TVs, vacuum cleaners, mattresses, coffeemakers, lawnmowers and snowblowers.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.<< MORE >>

plug it in, plug in it. So spoke a well known jingle for air fresheners. Well, if you can hang on to you old vehicle for one more year, there will be more choices for FEV (Fuel Efficient Vehicles) next year. It is something you have to weigh. Is my car such a heavy polluter now that it makes sense to get rid of it or will trading it in now contribute unneccesarily to a landfill? Is it better to hang onto it for one more year and then have a FEV that I can drive for a long time?<< MORE >>

e-waste:  The flotsam of the IT/computer/phone/electrical gadget world.  What to do with equipment that has a shorter life than anything the world has ever manufactured?  Think of your parent's (or grandparent's - depending on how old you are) rotary dial phone.  They had that same phone all of their lives.  Two people (or more if you count the whole household) with one phone mounted on the kitchen wall.  Now, think of the six billion people on earth and how often a cell phone is upgraded and how many land line phones might be in a home in addition to the number of cell phones - one for each of us.  I had my first computer in the mid-1980's.  The computers and paraphenalia I and my family have bought since then would fill a small room.  e-waste or e-scrap, lets look for alternative uses! << MORE >>

     Think that US GBC's LEED program is just about the building occupants?  Think again.  There are several LEED credits that also deal with issues contractors face during construction.  When measures are followed in EQ, also known as Indoor Environmental Quality, the air that contractors breathe is improved.  VOC content is reduced, carpets with no urea-added formaldehyde are installed, ventilation is increased and MERV filters are installed. << MORE >>

February, the shortest day of the month.  How about a 28 day challenge? (Okay, I know it is already the second of February which really makes it a 27 day challenge!)

We all talk about how we would like others to Walk the Talk, but what are we personally doing?  Send me a comment to let me know how you are going to make February your personal month of EFA.  What is EFA?  Earth Friendly Action.  What small, medium, or large action will you take, at home, at work, or at play, starting today?  Lets get everyone involved.  Pass this along and we can learn from each other. 

We'll judge your EFA when February is over.  The best single action and the one that makes the most earth friendly contribution for the month will win a prize.

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In My Opinion...

The last weekday of January!  Are you writing 2009 on all of your correspondence or do you still revert to 2008 on occasion?  It is so easy to slip back into old habits!  Speaking of old habits ... 

While watching the news on inaugural day there was quick coverage of a meeting being held in a very nicely appointed conference room.  I am not sure where it was, other than in the heart of D.C., or who was there (I have the recollection I saw Nancy Pelosi, but not positive.)  What drew my attention were the plastic bottles of water on the table for attendees.  Now, I know what a huge business bottled water is and I do not want to encourage layoffs in any manufacturing sector.  I am even pleased that there was water on the table, drinking water shows a real concern for healthy living.  But, lets get back to refillable glass pitchers and glass tumblers at each chair, Washington!  Set an example! 

Later this week we learned that President Obama likes to work in his shirtsleeves in a warm Oval office.  Hey, I am here tapping away on my computer with a shirt and wool sweater on.  I am wearing heavy socks and still my feet are cold.  The thermostat is turned down to 68 degrees.   I am doing my part, let's see a little cooperation from the big guy!  Walk the talk!
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Thursday Picture Day            
What is the content of recycled steel in your roofing materials? 
Was it an      upcycle product?  A new way to look at recycled products.<< MORE >>

     Wednesday Word Day:  Upcycling
It sounds like when you are two wheeling it and hit that monstrous uphill grade!  In fact, it could be perceived as an uphill battle.  Let me explain. 

We are used to the term recycling; taking something as common as car tires and turning them into playground material. putting our newspapers out in a separate bundle, or hauling our glass bottles to a collection center.  When a building is designed and built, using recycled materials helps conserve natural resources.  Upcycling is when the reuse of goods produces a new product with a higher value than the original.  It takes some effort, just like riding uphill, but what a great idea!  Downcycling is the opposite.<< MORE >>

LEED V2.2 Materials and Resources Credit 4 - Recycled Content

I was asked the question the other day, "Isn't it difficult to earn the 10% or 20% recycled content required for this credit on most building projects?"  The answer is No!  This is especially true if you have any steel in your commercial or residential building.  Steel has long been North America's most recycled material.

All new steel made today is actually made from a mixture of steel scrap and other raw materials.  While the US GBC Submittal Templates let you consider steel as 30% recycled content, much steel has a higher recycled content, up to 90%.  Find out about your steel and you may not need to do the endless calculations of every other piece of furniture, textile and building material in your job.  Does this mean you should stop looking for other recycled products once you have your minimum?  No!  But, when the 15% recycled cabinetry you counted on being available for the job is not, you can make a substitution and still earn your credits toward certification. 

The steel industry discovered more than fifty years ago that recycling lowered steelmaking costs.  More than 60 million tons of steel scrap are recycled each year.  More steel is recycled than paper, aluminum, glass and plastic combined.   

 

 

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National Geographic has a green website.  Goto:  www.thegreenguide.com to find out about low-VOC paint options, earth friendly cleaning products, and carpet, pad and stain treatment choices.

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Thursday Picture Day


A LEED AP's Nightmare!

        

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1/21/09:  Wednesday Word Day:  Synergy:  Can apply to people working together as a project team and/or to the processes that they employ.  An example is how water efficiency, WE in the LEED Reference Guide has synergy with sustainable sites, SS Credit 7.2 roofs.  And how credits in energy and atmosphere, AE interact with environmental quality, EQ.  What other synergy crossovers can you find?<< MORE >>

1/20/09:  Inaugural Day 2009:  President Barack Obama takes office.

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1/19/09:  Martin Luther King Day:  One man who stood up against great odds to make the world a better place.  Should any of us do less?<< MORE >>

1/16/09:  Peter Drucker once said, "You can't manage what you don't measure."  The LEED program, and other residential and product programs, are all about measuring.  Measure so you have a benchmark.  Measure so you have a baseline.  Measure so you know where your efforts will pay off the quickest and measure that against the cost so you can make effective choices.

1/15/09:  Thursday Picture Day:    Are you holding the future of the world in your hands? 

1/14/09:  Wednesday Word Day:  Rain Gardens:  Sounds more like a place where it rains all the time rather than a place for rain to filter back into the underground aquifiers, but that is what we mean!  Ground that is covered to lay a slab for a new home and/or driveway, ground where a new road is paved or asphalted over, or where a commercial, medical, or industrial site is located, is ground that can no longer accept or retain moisture.  Where does all of that rain go?  Unfortunately, in many instances it causes runoff and erosion problems.  In other cases the water enters the stormwater sewer system without having the benefit of filtering.  This places a higher burden on municipal systems.  The solution can be as simple as a rain garden.  Placed strategically so that the area is lower than its surroundings, planted with vegetation that can withstand both times of drought and an overabundance of water, a rain garden serves to beautify and filter water as it reenters underground aquifiers. 

   

1/13/09:  Concerned about which CFL bulb is right for you?  Did you know that some CFLs last 8,000 hours and others last up to 15,000 hours?  What about the dangers of a broken bulb?  Did you know that some contain as little as 1 mg of mercury and others as much as 2.7 mgs?  Find out more at the Environmental Working Group's non-profit pages at www.ewg.org

1/12/09:  Preparations for the Presidential Inauguration are moving into high gear.  January 20th has been THE day since before 1934 when it was held on March 4th.  Do you think all of the people attending (record crowds are expected) will be off-setting the energy used in their travels by purchasing RECs?  Let's at least hope they put their towels back on the rack for a second day's use!

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1/09/09:  USGBC moves roll-out of LEED 2009 until the end of March.  More time to study and take the LEED v2.2 exam!

1/08/09:  Thursday Picture Day:  Silt Fence:    This picture represents three fundamental things that need to happen to have a correctly installed silt fence.  The poles are on the downward or runoff side providing the best support.  The bottom of the mesh has been buried in the ground tp prevent runoff from going under the fence and to insure that contaminants are strained.  The fence is well maintained.  How often have we seen silt fences improperly installed, water flowing unimpeded under them, or fences totally collapsed by the weight of debris?  LEED SS Prerequisite #1 Construction Activity Pollution Prevention

1/07/09:  Wednesday Word Day:  Dual Flush Toilets:  While I had seen these in manufacturer's catalogs I had yet to experience one in the real world, until we visited a National Park system lavatory.  There sat a normal looking toilet except for the fact that the flush handle was GREEN.  Flush handles are an oddity any more because of the move to motion sensitive devices that flush for us.  I really like those as they dispense with touching a handle that everyone else has touched prior to washing their hands.  There were placards around the toilet explaining the new convenience (a noun in this sense.)  I was sitting and reading that if I had solid waste to flush, I should push down on the handle and sufficient amounts of water would be released.  If not, I could pull up on the handle and a smaller stream of water (and we were in a desert area) would be sufficient to clear the bowl.  I read on another sticker stuck to the side wall that the handle of the flusher was coated with an anti-microbial product.  Aha!  The reason an otherwise stainless steal handle was green.  I actually enjoyed my flush thinking that I had done my part.  My only concern, while washing my hands at the sink was, "I wonder how often they change that handle?"

1/06/09:  We have adopted a new slogan that we like quite well, how does it sound to you?

Developing Better Business Practices for a Stronger Tomorrow

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1/02/09:  WELCOME TO 2009!  No year before now has experienced the number or depth of changes coming our way. << MORE >>

12/30/08:  Building Better Tomorrows        

12/23/08:  A Sign of the Times!

12/08/08:  An environmentally friendly faux ice surface for winter sports?  Cleveland, Ohio was in the news this weekend for opening an outdoor ice skating rink at Wade Oval.  The skating surface is a silicone-based polymer that looks like ice.  The pluses:  1.  No expensive energy consuming equipment to freeze water for a rink that can be enjoyed for months in a city where the temperature will be above freezing many days.  2.  No chances of anyone falling through the 'ice' on warm days.  3.  No zamboni needed to keep the 'ice' in tip-top shape.  4.  The surface will be stored from the end of February through next December, so the ground below the rink will only have the impenetrable surface on it during times when the ground would have been partially frozen anyway.  5.  The surface is reported to last for ten years.  6.  Great way to encourage outdoor, physical activities!  The minuses:  1.  Some skaters reported that the 'ice' is slower than real ice.  2.  Twice weekly maintenance coatings of silicone spray are required, no report if that is an aerosol spray?  3.  Energy to produce the rink was not reported.  Six to three, the pluses seem to outweight the minuses!   

12/05/08:  Testing for LEED v2.2 has been extended!  The USGBC announced that they will continue to test for LEED-NC and CI until at least the end of February 2009 before introducing LEED 2009.  You still have time to sign up and attend classes that will help you through the exam process! Go to Daybreak Resources "Current Program" tab.

12/04/08:  Thursday Picture Day:Pennsylvania joined the ranks of non-smoking states in November!  Yea, PA!  Here's to a smoke-free USA - get on board and ride the train to healthier living!

12/03/08:  Wednesday Word Day:  Light Pollution:  Light that enters the night sky unnecessarily.  Light than transgresses onto a neighboring property.  Interior lights that shine through clear or translucent surfaces, glazing, etc. to the outdoors.

12/02/08:  Here is an interesting article on Reducing Waste in the food-processing industry.  Go to cleveland.com/world

12/01/08:  Do you know how long your trash can last on this earth?  Here is a little sampling of the life expectancy for some of our trash.  Aluminum can: 500 years; plastic bag: 10-20 years; glass bottle: 1,000 years; styrofoam: indefinitely and nylon fabric: 30-40 years.

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11/28/08:  Looking for some on-line LCA?  Try www.life-cycle.org/LCA_soft.htm, www.leibrecht.org/, www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/pubs/600r01101/600r01101.htm, www.cfsd.org.uk, www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/p2/dfe-archive.cfm or www.leonardo-energy.org/ecodesign

11/27/08:   Thursday Picture Page:   Maybe our great-great-grand parents had the right idea afterall!

11/26/08:  Wednesday Word Day:  Chain-of-Custody:  A document to track a wood product from the forest to a vendor.  It is used to verify compliance with FSC guidelines. 

11/25/08:  Waste News named King County, WA Solid Waste Division the country's greenest government operation for its innovative waste water reduction programs and cutting-edge facilities!  Yea, King County!

11/24/08:  Why buy organic?  Organic cotton for clothing does not use pesticides.  Pesticides run off with rain and enter storm water.  Local acquifers can be contaminated.   

11/23/08:  Did you know that President Bush signed the Green Jobs Act in December 2007?  The Act was put into place to train workers for green collar jobs.  It authorized $125 million for workforce training programs in services such as weatherization, solar panels, and wind turbine installation and maintenance to name a few.  The Act became a resource for  veterans, displaced workers, at-risk youth, and families in extreme poverty tp gain employment.  

11/22/08:  Thursday Picture Page:  Do these signs look familiar?     Twenty years ago, only one curbside recycling program existed in the United States which collected several materials at the curb.  By 2005, almost 9,000 curbside programs had sprouted up across the nation.  As of 2005, about 500 materials recovery facilities had been established to process the collected materials.

11/12/08:  Wednesday Word Day:  Hydrofluorocarbons:  Used in refrigeration equipment.  They use less ozone depleting potential (ODP) than CFCs and HCFCs, but they have increased global warming potential (GWP).

11/11/08:  Did you know that sheetrock has been value engineered to be lighter, but just as strong as before?  Lighter weight sheetrock travels to the job site for less cost and less fuel energy.  Sheetrock is organic.  It can be recycled on a job site and used agriculturally.

11/10/08: Smart building contain building automation systems (BAS) that monitor and regulate tasks such as heating, air conditioning, lighting, environmental variables, security and appliances.  Increasing ventilation can have negative effexts on heatinng.  Conversely, having operative windows can reduce air conditioning needs.  Have a professional study the synergy of your building systems and determine what will lower operational costs and provide a smaller carbon footprint.

11/07/08:  Thinking of attending a work related conference?  Are you going to Boston for Green Build 2008?  The average conference delegate produces about 61 pounds of solid waste during a three-day conference.  That is five times more waste than in the same period at home.  Information courtesy of Green Meeting Industry Council.

11/06/08:  Thursday Picture Page: 

   What did you do today to save the earth?

11/5/08:  Wednesday Word Day:   Native/Adapted Plants - Indigenous to a locality or cultivars of native plants, not considered invasive species or noxious weeds.

11/4/08:  How many of us have a delayed start feature on our dishwashers, but never use them?  This is an energy saving tool.  Set your dishwasher to start after peak energy use hours.  The dishes will be just as clean in the morning and your electric bill will be less.

11/3/08:  The membership of USGBC is getting ready to vote to accept the new LEED v3.0 or LEED 2009.  Changes from LEED v2.2 include going from 69 potential credits to 110 potential credits.  Wording has been reworked to reflect changes in sustainability technology and to allow a heavier 'weight' to areas with a higher return of environmental impact.  Watch here for other news!

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10/30/08:  Wednesday Word Day:  Bagasse is a byproduct of sugarcane, sorghum and agave.  It is the plant material left over from production of sugar, sorgham and tequila.  Burning bagasse produces sufficient heat energy to supply all the needs of a typical sugar mill, with energy to spare.  It is a cogeneration product.  Not only is it used as a fuel source at the mill, but electricity generated can be sold on the cosumer electricity grid.  The CO2 emissions from burning are equal to the amount of CO2 that the sugarcane plant absorbed from the atmosphere during its growing phase, that makes the process of cogeneration greenhouse gas-neutral.

10/29/08:  It is almost Halloween!  Whether you celebrate the gremlin and goblin type of Halloween with your children, hold to a more traditional All Hallow's Eve or just like to have a few pumpkins on the porch to signify fall consider how you can recycle that yellow/gold vegetable.  Baking the pumpkins seeds for a tasty snack is one way.  Making pies out of uncut pumpkins is another.  Use an extra cup of sugar if you purchased regular pumpkins rather than the sweeter pie pumpkins.

10/28/08:  Let's reverse the trend!  in 1960 we created 2.5 pounds of waste everyday, home and work combined.  In 2008 we are creating 4.5 pounds of waste everyday.  Can we get back to 1960 waste levels?

10/27/08:  The USGBC LEED v2.2 will be replaced at the end of the year.  If you are taking the LEED AP Exam before then, consider an Exam Review class.  Check with your local Green Building Council Chapter or go to www.usgbc.org

10/24/08:  Do you know the term Fugitive Dust?  Have you ever seen a construction worker sawing through a concrete slab?  That is one example.  When this type of work is done in an enclosed area, the dust becomes a hazard.

10/23/08:  Craigs List and Free Cycle are two great websites to browse through before heading out to the mega mall or big box.  By purchasing a used item, you take it out of the waste stream and save yourself money.

10/22/08:  Packaging materials contribute to the cost of products, their weight in shipping and eventually end up in landfills.  Whenever possible, purchase products in larger quantities.  You will reduce the amount of paper and plastic in landfills and maybe save yourself a trip to the store!

10/21/08:  Did you know that mattresses can be recycled?  Before you haul the old one out to the curb, do some investigative work.  Call City Hall and see if there is a program in your community. 

10/20/08:  Underfloor heating systems have been around for decades.  The good news is that they have become less expensive, easier to install and more reliable.  Consider your mate's cold feet when they get into bed.  Think of how heat rises.  Our heads are always warmer than our feet.  If we walked on warm floors and the gentle radiant heat rose from our floors, we would feel warmer all over.  We could turn our thermostats down and save energy.   

10/17/08:  Have you provided bicycle parking spaces, but employees are still not motivated?  Consider bringing in a local bicycle repair person for maintenance and safety checks.  The caveat is that your employees must ride their bikes to work to have the service available to them at no cost.  Healthier employees are better workers! 

10/16/08:  Pre Consumer Recycled Products include, but are not limited to:  Cotton insulation made from recycled denim scraps, mulching products if they are comprised of scraps from the lumber or timber businesses, and broken glass from the glass manufacturer that is recycled into ceramic tile or other pre consumer products. 

10/15/08:  Talking about paperwork, have you considered PCW paper.  PCW stands for post consumer waste paper.  Read the labels and make sure you are getting the real thing, not just a greenwash product!

10/15/08:  Let's laugh!

10/14/08:  Consider minimizing paperwork at the office by presenting agendas on a power point presentation.  When the meeting is over, email notes to everyone. 

10/13/08:  Would you like the lead the green movement in your office?  Purchase personalized ceramic mugs and a water cooler.  This approach will minimize the number of plastic waterbottles, plastic, styrofoam and paper cups you purchase.  Save money and lead by example.

10/10/08:  Electric cars, for several reasons.  Fewer moving parts make electric cars more sustainable, they will last years longer than cars with gears, fan blades and reciprocating engine cylinders.  Electric cars are pollution free.  As long as we can provide an electric grid to handle the requirements, we will be free from foreign dependence on power for cars.   

10/09/08:  Do you know about soy candles?  Soy candles are made from a renewable resource, soybeans!  They do not emit carcinogens  and they burn cleaner than paraffin-based candles.  You may be able to find local sources for soy candles, helping farmers profit and consuming regional materials in one fell swoop! 

10/08/08:  Is there a room in your house, apartment, office building, medical facility, etc. that is used infrequently?  Reduce energy consumption by closing vents to the room and closing the door to the room.  Air conditioning is saved in the summer and heating costs will be lower in the winter.

10/07/08:  Word Day:  Light Shelves.  What are they?  They are highly reflective architectural components of a building.  They can be installed interior or exterior along the upper portions of windows.  They drive light deep into a space.  They reduce energy costs by 'daylighting' space and they can be retrofitted to a building.

10/06/08:  Is your TV/DVD player/cable box hooked up to a surge protector?  If so, turn the whole kit and kaboodle off at night.  With one flip of a switch you can save energy. 

10/04/08:  Building Owners:  Are you growing and thinking of expanding your present location?  Consider expanding the eco-friendly way.  Arrange for some of your employees to work from home on alternating days.  The benefits are many.  For instance, two employees can share the same office and parking space, thus the physical expansion of your building is not necessary.  HVAC and refrigeration costs stay the same even though the number of your staff has increased.  Bring in an AP consultant to show you more ways to save.

10/03/08:  Why waste the leftover coffee in the pot?  Put ice in a glass, pour in half coffee and low-fat or skim milk.  A 'cool' way to enjoy an afternoon lift, grab some calcium and reduce waste all in one!

10/02/08:  Albedo.  The definition is 'light reflecting.'  This can refer to cool roof applications that reduce the amount of heat absorbed into a building and thus reduce the burden on air conditioning systems.  A low-slope roof requires an SRI (Solar Reflectance Index) of 78.  The higher the roof slope, the lower the SRI number.

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9/30/08:  Let's talk trash!  in 1934 the U.S. Supreme Court prohibited dumping municipal waste into the ocean.  In 1937 Fresno, California established the nation's first "sanitary" landfill, a dump where soil and ash were laid over garbage to contain fumes and odor.  In 1974 University City, Missouri established the nation's first curbside bin pickup program for recycling newspapers.  In 2008 the hit movie Wall-E showed us a compassionate robot trash compactor who endeared himself to us for his efforts to clean up a toxic earth.  Courtesy of AARP, September 2008.

9/29/08:  It is fall in many areas across the United States and we are starting to think about winter coming.  Be prepared this year.  Discuss the thermostat settings with your family and office workers.  If everyone is willing to keep the thermostat lower by 2 degrees F, you will save 2% of CO2 Emissions over previous winters. You'll save on your fuel bill too!

9/27/08:  Here's something building maintenance staff and homeowners overlook when scouting for ways to save energy:  "Seal your heating and cooling ducts.  Sealing and insulating ducts that move air to and from a forced-air furnace or heat pump can improve the system's efficiency by as much as 20 percent.  Warmed air can be lost before reading the register if ducts are not properly insulated in unheated areas such as attics and crawlspaces."  Reprinted from COSE Update, Plugged In."

9/23/08:  Take extra weight out of your vehicles.  Store the golf clubs in your garage until you are ready to hit the links again.  Clean out that cluttered trunk!  Put your books on the bookshelves.  Every ounce of unnecessary baggage you carry around with you is eating up energy!  Hmmmm.  That sounds rather philosophical doesn't it?!!

9/22/08:  Here's and easy way to reduce carbon emissions, use on-line forms to eliminate most of your unwanted mail.  Save up to .4% of CO₂emissions.  Check out these sites:  Proquo.com and Greendimes.com

9/19/08:  Want better gas mileage?  Fill up in the morning before the underground tanks are affected by heat.  Never fill up just after a gas station's tanks have been refilled.  Sediment is churned up and it takes time for it to resettle. 

9/18/08:  Getting rid of leftover paint and stains?  Call your City Offices.  Many are now taking leftover materials, and redistributing them to people who want to frugally fix up their homes.  If not, they can redirect you to the correct disposal.

9/17/08:  Energy savings lightbults save energy!  This is an easy one.  I was just at my local home improvement store and they had a display of different energy saving lightbulbs.  This makes it easy to decide if you want a cool tone or warm tone bulb.  They are making it easy for us to switch.  Take a pack home with you.  When a bulb burns out, replace it with an energy saver!

9/16/08:  When possible, pull your car onto your lawn to wash it.  The water from the hose will sink into the ground rather than be carried to a storm sewer. 

9/15/08:  Not sure what to do with used toner cartridges, office paper, or a broken fax machine?  Search earth911.org by zip code for companies that can dispose of the waste in a safe and responsible manner.  Michael Dungan, APISync, apisync.net

9/12/08:  Thinking of building a home?  If you have a say in where the home will be situated on the lot, pick the worst spot on the site.  That leaves the best greenspace areas for adaptable or native plants to grow and thrive.  Courtesy of R. Michael Mithune.

9/10/08:  Done working in the garden?  Bring a bucket into the house with you and catch all of the running tap water and dirt from cleaning your hands in the bucket.  Water your indoor plants or take the bucket back outside and water a thirsty plant!

9/05/08:  Why are residential builders going Green?  Fewer Callbacks:  High returns on investments in energy efficiency upgrades:  Positioning for competitive advantage and product differentiation:  Higher customer satisfaction.  With a depressed RE market, any advantage is a good advantage!

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