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By Annabelle Smyth

2013 has arrived, and to most people, a new year means a new beginning of sorts, a fresh start and a new chance at life. If you are looking to make a resolution this year about reducing your carbon footprint, consider getting a few of these environmentally friendly gadgets, which you can find at Vivint.

A Solar Powered Charger

There are a few solar powered chargers on the market and getting one would not only lower your energy bill and lessen your footprint, but it may as well be what keeps you connected in the event of an emergency. These chargers can charge anything from a laptop or a tablet to a few cell phones at once. If there was an emergency, and your power was cut, you would be able to use this charger to keep your electronics on and keep you connected with the outside world and able to make contact with people. It also is simply an eco friendly way to charge your phone, and gets that energy sucking phone charger out of your outlet.

Occupancy Sensing Light Switch

This amazing light switch is designed to turn on only when necessary. It detects if someone is in the room, and automatically turns on when someone enters. It also will shut the lights off after a period of inactivity. And, a super cool bonus, it has a sensor that determines the amount of natural light in the room and will turn the lights off accordingly, so they are only on when absolutely needed. Most people will leave their lights on when they leave the room, or even the house, and this handy little light switch will definitely lower their light bills and lessen their impact on our environment!

Shower Timer and Alarm

Wasting water is probably the most common bad habit among people who are trying to reduce their footprint. Whether it is from those long showers we insist on taking or running the water when we brush our pearly whites, most of us can admit to being careless when it comes to our water use. When you run the shower, you use about 5-8 gallons of water per minute, meaning that 30 minute shower could fill a small pool or an inflatable hot tub. That is a lot of water. Getting this gadget, which you can use to take shorter showers, will reduce your costs as well as your carbon footprint.

Getting some cool environmentally friendly gadgets can help you turn things around and go green in 2013! If you want more information about solar panels and security systems, you can follow Vivint on Twitter.

By Lyndsi Decker

Saving the environment has become increasingly important. While recycling and reusing products are two ways to help the environment, using eco-friendly cleaning products is another. There are many benefits to using environmentally safe cleaning products. These products help reduce waste and do not contain toxic chemicals. Here are a few eco-friendly cleaning solutions:

Homemade Products

Learning how to make homemade cleaning products will decrease the household’s reliance on non-renewable products – and save you money. Some products can be made from items already found in the house. Baking soda doubles as a cleaning agent that cleans pots and pans, bathroom fixtures and counter tops  especially when coupled with vinegar and/or lemon. When you do buy green products, make sure they do not contain petroleum or other synthetic ingredients.

Use Natural Sponges and Cleaning Rags

Synthetic sponges, mops and cleaning rags are often made from non-biodegradable materials. If the products are antimicrobial, they more than likely contain toxic ingredients such as polyester. Consider switching from synthetic cleaning implements to natural ones such as cotton. Natural mop heads and rags will often be marked as such. The use of natural mops and sponges will decrease the need for non-biodegradable substances. Use recycled t-shirts as cleaning cloths. It gives the shirts another life; they can be reused and decrease the waste caused by paper towel usage.

Read the Labels

Pay attention to manufacturers’ labels. Labels that have words like “toxic,” “caution” and “poison” should be of concern to consumers. They are placed on products because they contain ingredients that are harmful to you and your family. These products should not come into contact with skin, be ingested or even inhaled, which will occur while you’re cleaning with them. Some of these products are also known to cause allergies. Making an effort to buy eco-friendly cleaning agents can reduce the amount of pollutants in the home and the environment.

Air Purification

Air purifiers are a good way to remove pollutants from the air. Some purifiers clean the air, but release unsafe byproducts into a room. Some plants have the ability to act as natural purifiers. They absorb the chemicals in the air and introduce oxygen back into the room. Aloe and ferns are examples of good air-cleansing plants. Not only are these plants a natural way to purify the air, but they are also lively and cheerfully decorative.

The cleaning products used in the home should be safe — but often aren’t. Many widely available cleaners contain dangerous chemicals that can harm the environment and affect your and your family’s health. By using eco-friendly products, the amount of poisonous chemicals and waste released into the environment can be greatly reduced. Natural products can also help improve the health of those in the home.

Lyndsi Decker is an entrepreneur and works with several storage facilities including storage units Fayetteville and Extra Space Storage – Lakewood. Lyndsi is also a photographer and a coach for her son’s little league soccer team. 

By Kevin Vogel

Solar power is a great way to use an alternative, renewable energy source to provide electricity for a home. It is cheap and plentiful, and offers a long term energy solution for the home where the consumer does not have to rely on the utility company to provide their power. Even with tax incentives and rebates, the initial cost to the consumer can be expensive, and this added cost may scare the consumer away from adopting solar power. One way in which the consumer can manage the cost is through a piecemeal adoption of solar power units to target individual appliances in the home. A hot water heating system is often great place to start with solar power because it is a standalone unit and can be modified more easily for a solar hot water heating system.

A solar heating system consists of two main parts. There is the storage tank which holds the water and the solar collectors themselves. Depending on the system they adopt, the consumer may not need to replace their existing water heater with a system that will work with solar power, but this is still much more affordable than installing an entire solar system for the household. Essentially, there are two kinds of solar water heating systems. There is an active system which consists of circulating pumps and controls. There is also a passive system which has none of this added equipment. The storage tank in these systems operates in a very simple way. It can be a standalone solar system that preheats the water before it enters a conventional water heater. Some storage systems are combined into one system, but both require good insulation and additional inlets and outlets from the solar collectors.

The operation of an active solar powered water heating system is relatively easy to understand, and this in turn comes in two types. There is a direct circulation system that uses pumps to circulate household water through the solar collectors. The collectors themselves are what provide the heating element for the water. This kind of system works great in climates that are not prone freezing since the collectors themselves will be outside. The other kind of active system is called an indirect system. In this system pumps circulate a nonfreezing heat transfer fluid through the solar collectors and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger then heats the water that flows into the home. A passive system is useful for climates that are prone to freezing.

For the passive solar powered water heating system, these systems are typically less expensive and less efficient than active systems, but they do last longer. In passive systems, the solar collector is separate from the system, and the hot water and cold water are kept separate and the storage tank is used as a backup. Because the collector tank must be kept elevated, there are some structural concerns that the consumer must keep in mind for installation.

Solar power can be a great way to providing hot water heating for a home. It can replace gas and electric hot water tanks, and provide an entry point for the consumer in adopting solar power.

Kevin Vogel writes for ecofriendly design sites. Check out http://www.exclusiv-home.de/#solarkollektor for solar power ideas for your home.

By Jeanie Barcus

Energy efficiency can help you save money each month on your electric bills, but you will also contribute to the well-being of the environment. Although there are a number of things that you can do to improve your home’s energy consumption, such as installing solar panel systems, some of these investments might turn out to be a little expensive. Moreover, if you can’t afford to take some of these energy-efficient steps or don’t have the time, you don’t need to worry –because you can also do simple things that can make your home more energy efficient.

Fluorescent light bulb

1. Switching from Incandescent to Fluorescent Lighting

This method is probably one of the easiest and most affordable ways to make any home energy-efficient. Even though incandescent lighting might be cheaper at the cash register, in the end, fluorescent lighting will turn out to be much less costly. One of the reasons that fluorescent bulbs are better is that they will last eight to twelve times longer than incandescent light bulbs.

2. Planting a Tree

A tree can help you save money on your electricity bill each month. Planting a tree will also contribute to the well-being of the environment. When it comes to your home, planting a tree will give you shade in those hot summer months, which will help to keep your home cool. During winter, the tree will end up bare and will allow the appropriate amount of sunshine to come into your home and keep it warmer.

3. Air Conditioners and the Home

The last thing that can do to keep your home more energy-efficient is to keep your AC running at optimal performance. You can change out the air filter of your AC unit once a month. By doing this, you will keep your AC running smoothly, which will keep your home nice and cool in the summer months. You will also avoid any malfunctions that may occur because of dirty air filters and prevent expensive maintenance or repairs that you may otherwise need done to the unit.

These three simple steps that can get you started on having that energy-efficient home you have always wanted. You can do your part in the world’s mission to have a cleaner environment while cutting down your energy costs on a monthly basis. Once you begin your journey on energy efficiency, you will not be able to stop: you are certain to see great results in both the short term and the long term.

Jeanie is a writer and a stay-at-home mom. In her spare time, she loves to find new blogs to follow and spend time with her family.

Related posts:

Go green by killing vampires

Passive houses will rock you green

Gothenburg: future sustainable ecotopia destination

Choroni Beach, near Maracay, Venezuela

If you’re new around here, you might not know how strongly I feel about sunscreen – which kinds are bad and which are good, both for the planet and for you. Most people think sunscreen is the best way to avoid skin cancer. I partly agree. I also know that many ingredients in the most popular sunblocks are themselves carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and that vitamin D, which we can only get through sunblock-free sun exposure, actually prevents cancer and other health problems. Read on to learn more.

Here’s a brief post at the green tips website Green is Sexy that summarizes several of the things I’ve talked about in the past: green your sunscreen. It mentions a few harmful ingredients to watch out for and why.

Chemicals to avoid

Like the GIS post says, you should steer clear of the following ingredients in all your sunscreens (lip balms, sprays, and so on): octinoxate, oxybenzone, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, and butylparaben (a preservative).  Another one to avoid entirely, this one not mentioned in GIS, is retinyl palmitate, which may speed up cancer growth. Click on the links to read all about these treacherous chemicals.

In truth, all parabens have a bad reputation, so look out for those in the ingredients of your shampoos, conditioners, body lotions, deodorants, toothpaste, makeup, personal lubricants (!), etc. You’ll be surprised at how ubiquitous parabens are once you start looking for them! It’s scary, really. But that’s why educating yourself is the best thing you can do to protect yourself and the people you care about, as well as marine ecosystems (these toxic ingredients bleach corals!). Speaking of which, all the chemicals than end in –zone, such as the aforementioned oxybenzone, are supposedly unsafe – I recommend that you avoid them.

The Environmental Working Group

Educate yourself

The cosmetic database of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a wonderful resource where you can look up chemicals and learn what they are, what they do, whether they are harmful, and if so, why and to what extent. The website is a gem. You can look up sunscreens by SPF and other products and it will tell you which specifically are the safest and which are the most dangerous and why.

I would also like to note that it’s perfectly healthy to spend a moderate amount of time each day in the sun without wearing any sunscreen. This is the most efficient way for the body to absorb the much-needed vitamin D (it’s actually a hormone). Interestingly, patients of many types of cancer, including that of the breast, have been found to have exceptionally low levels of vitamin D, and vitamin D has been shown to prevent multiple types of cancer as well as heart disease and other conditions. Some experts argue that it is a lack of vitamin D as well as the carcinogenic ingredients in sunblock that are causing cancer – not the sun!

Some articles by Dr. Mercola on the subject (I love Dr. Mercola, and although he does sell some products, which presents a conflict of interest, he doesn’t sell sunshine!):

• The Sunscreen Myth: How Sunscreen Products Actually Promote Cancer
• Four Out of Five Sunscreens May Be Hazardous to Your Health
• Does Too Much Sun Really Cause Melanoma?
• Trash Your Sunscreen and Other Summer Sun Tips (This one lists many harmful sunscreen ingredients.)

Posts right here on Save Eco Destinations:

• Doing your part: natural skincare for eco travel
• What sunscreen is doing to us and our planet

Natural German sunscreen

Alternatives

Several friends have asked me what brands are safe to use, since most are loaded with the dreaded –zones and parabens.

I’ve tried Hawaiian Tropic Biodegradable sunblock SPF 50 in spray form and Kiss My Face sunspray lotion in SPF 30. They’re both good and I especially like the Hawaiian Tropic, which is very easy to apply and doesn’t need to be rubbed in. However, Kiss My Face is a much more trustworthy brand, as they don’t test their products on animals and they offer fragrance-free options. I bought the Hawaiian Tropic when I was abroad and it was the most eco-friendly sunscreen I could find.

Dr. Mercola, whom I mentioned above, sells some sunscreens that should be pretty swell. Instead of containing harmful chemicals, they use green tea and zinc oxide to protect the skin while avoiding artificial fragrances and toxic ingredients of all sorts, according to the website. The products are also hypoallergenic and water-resistant. Here’s a long article that explains all about his products.

On EWG’s cosmetics database you will find lots of safe sunscreens bunched by SPF. For example, here are the ones with SFP 30+. You’re sure to find some awesome ones there. I’d love to hear recommendations!

Stay safe, everyone.

Hello there!

In this post, I’m going to share with you some special dates for the month of October as well as something we can all practice today, September 28. Show your compassion for the planet and your fellow beings!

Here’s a list of events and celebrations for the next few weeks:

September 28: Green Consumer Day – Of course, the best way to be a green consumer is … tun tun tun … not to be a consumer at all! But if you must succumb, consider purchasing something used or recycled instead of a shiny new (even if “green”) gadget/garment/whatever-you-need. Unless it’s food. You probably shouldn’t buy used food, whatever that would be.

October 1: World Vegetarian Day – This one is particularly special for me, as I’ve been a vegetarian for the past 14 years and an on-and-off vegan. October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, although I’ll admit I’m not sure what that means. Anyway, take it a step further and celebrate Meat-Free Monday too for a happier planet and a happier you! Plus, it’s cheaper if you stay away from fake meats.

Oh, Lisa, that's exactly what happened to me.

October 1-7: World Wildlife Week – Help raise awareness about the importance of preserving wildlife by “adopting” a wild animal or species for cheap to keep wildlife in the wild (choose from 100 species! Note: this makes a sweet present for birthdays and holidays), signing petitions, educating others on boycotting exotic animals and animal parts, and whatever else you can think of.

October 3/4: World Animal Welfare Day – Look for an event in your area, as this event is celebrated worldwide! I, for one, will be attending an event in downtown Buenos Aires on Sunday. There will be vegetarian food and general super-awesomeness! Here’s some info on events going on in New York City, Venezuela y Argentina. Dates might vary by a day, so make sure you go on the right one!

October 4: World Habitat Day – Held annually on the first Monday of October, the United Nations says this is a day to ponder the state of our towns and cities and the basic right of everyone to adequate housing and to remember our collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.

“The United Nations chose the theme Better City, Better Life to highlight our collective vision of a sustainable urban world that harnesses the potential and possibilities, mitigates inequalities and disparities, and provides a home for people of all cultures and ages, both rich and poor.”

Read more here.

More events coming up in the next post.

The vegan food pyramid

A lot of people think going vegetarian – and vegan, especially – and being ecologically conscious would put a strain on their wallets.

But are these people right?

Tofu scramble

Let’s take a look at veganism (a diet and lifestyle that eschews all animal and animal-derived food and products, such as honey, gelatin, milk, fish, and leather).

Many believe being vegan is expensive – after all, Whole Foods will rip your head off, and so will living off pricey meat substitutes like Tofurky and coconut milk frozen desserts (which is a true shame considering how delicious they are!).

But do you really need to incorporate such costly products into your vegan diet?

The answer is a hearty no, you don’t!

A varied diet rich in whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, herbs, and so on is all you need. Granted, seeds and nuts have never been cheap, but you need only consume them sparingly, and economical all-natural peanut butter (just peanuts and salt, with no hydrogenated vegetable oils, sugar, or any other pernicious ingredients) counts big time.

Vegan patties with potatoes and salad

Buy in bulk

A key tip: the more [non-perishable] products you buy in bulk, the more money you will save. This goes for all types of rice, beans, grains, seeds, nuts, dried fruits, pasta, and so on.

Also, don’t even think about buying organic.

Educate yourself

The trick is to educate yourself to make sure you’re giving your body all the necessary nutrients to substitute an omnivorous diet. And, no, pasta and salad alone will not do — it’s these kinds of vegans that give the rest a bad rep and make omnivores think veganism is the unhealthiest diet they’ve ever heard of!

Sticky vegan cinnamon rolls

Educating yourself need not be expensive. You can take out library books, read copious information online (this is a favorite source of mine), and watch online documentaries (try conducting a search on Google video) — all for free. This is also how you can find myriad recipes (try going here, here, and here).

Cosmetics, toiletries, cleaning agents, etc.

Being vegan also entails shunning products tested on animals and those including animal by-products like casein and gelatin. But there are cheap alternatives to the luxurious green products (e.g., those made by Burt’s Bees and The Body Shop) advertised everywhere you look. For example, Revlon, Avon, Bonne Bell, Jane and CVS Brand products are all cheaper as well as animal-friendly.

Here is a guide to companies that test and don’t test their products on animals to get you started (yes, it’s by PETA, but trust me: even though they do asinine things sometimes, they also do a lot of good and provide plenty of useful educational literature, such as this guide). You can order a free pocket guide to take with you to the store here.

A note on B-12

Because modern agriculture has made it so difficult for us to get vitamin B-12 from produce, it is highly recommended that vegans take B-12 supplements (or just get a multivitamin – good for you anyway! – that includes this nutrient).

Remember

The widespread misconception that greening your habits is expensive keeps many people – too many! – from making the switch to a vegan diet. The largely white and upper-middle class crowd and Whole Foods culture doesn’t help, of course. Just remember: you don’t have to go that route!

Bikes aplenty in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Apart from the ubiquitous bikers spotted across the city, Amsterdam may not appear to be one of the greenest cities of tomorrow (or today). But it is quickly becoming increasingly energy-efficient.

Dutch energy company Nuon, IBM and Cisco last year jointly launched a pioneering energy management scheme in 500 households that is reducing their energy usage by 14% and CO2 emissions considerably.

Thus far, also, certain Dutch banks have given money to some 700 household to purchase energy-saving appliances ranging from light bulbs to roof insulation. The city plans to lower its CO2 emissions by a hefty 40% by 2025.

Another factor making Amsterdam one of the greenest cities of tomorrow is its intent to install several hundred power hookups within the next few years to allow electric car drivers to recharge their vehicles, and to set up solar panels on townhouses. EUR 100 million will be spent each year during the next 6 years to upgrade the electric networks to smart grids that will cut energy use.

Victoria Harbor, BC, Canada

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Victoria is boosting its efforts toward green public transport and building, energy-cutting developments, recycling and decreasing overall waste. It has also set a goal to go carbon neutral by 2012! Swift action’s where it’s at—don’t give me 2025, folks, because 15 years isn’t nearly soon enough…

Insofar as city planning, it supports the creation of a Civic Green Building Policy, which will mandate that the building of all new civic facilities meet the LEED Silver standard. In other words, they must lower energy use by 31% and water use by 22%.

In terms of waste reduction, Victoria has been implementing a program for several years destined to lower and recycle organic materials on a mass scale.

More reasons why Victoria is one of the greenest cities of tomorrow:  it has introduced the first hybrid double-decker buses in all of North America. Plus, the city is covered with so many bike routes it has become known as the “Cycling Capital of Canada.”

More: Victoria’s traffic lights are now energy-saving light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and the lighting in its buildings now feature more energy efficient lights.

Other greenest cities of tomorrow:

Malmö, Sweden
Gothenberg, Sweden
Vancouver, Canada
Reykjavík, Iceland
Portland, OR, USA

Airline food: plastic invasion!

I just flew across two hemispheres. Although I took a trip five months ago, it hit me harder this time: eating airplane food is awful both for your taste buds and the environment.

But is flying green (-ish) not possible?

Sure, flying green is still an oxymoron, unfortunately. But can’t we take little steps to lessen our impact?

I say we can!

I humbly present you with my budding ideas:

1)      Bring your own utensils. No, wait, the security people won’t let us. Okay: if you’re adventurous enough, bring hand sanitizer and eat with your hands. Honestly, I love eating with my hands. Not only pizza, empanadas, sandwiches, and so on, but also…just everything. Not that I ever really get to do it [without being stared at] except in Ethiopian restaurants and at home, but it’s a start! Another alternative could be to bring your own plastic utensils. Better than nothing, no?

2)      Skip the Styrofoam and bring an aluminum bottle for cold drinks and/or an insulated one for hot drinks.

3)      This one’s easy: don’t use paper towels to dry your hands. I always shake the water off unless I have a towel (which in public bathrooms would be gross). Or use your clothes as a towel. Best option: skip using water and towels altogether by using hand sanitizer. That stuff is magic. Love it.

4)      This one is a pain in the behind, but consider bringing your own food from home in some Tupperware. You won’t be generating waste by tearing apart plastic wrappings and so forth.

What am I missing?

Let’s make flying green (-ish) a priority!

What do you think?

Will you do it?