Going Green Tips to Help the Earth and Save You Money

Conserving natural resources, the environment and saving energy and reducing pollution are all a major part of the going green movement. Here are some tips about what we can all do to help.
Recycle
Recycle plastic bottles and aluminum cans. They say that a hard plastic bottle buried in a landfill can last for over a thousand years! However, I don't think that anybody has tried it yet. Recycle newspapers, plastics and glass too. Please do it for the environment.
Check your tire pressure
Keep your tire pressure at it's recommended pressure. Having your tire pressure at the correct psi can reduce wear on the tires and significantly increase your gas mileage.
Conserve your radiant energy
Replace your regular light bulbs with the energy star type. Compact fluorescent bulbs last longer and use less energy regular light bulbs and LED light bulbs are even better. Keep a frugal eye on your heater, air conditioner, and electric stove usage and turn off all appliances and lights when not in use.
Your computer
Configure your computer to hibernate, sleep or turn off after it is left alone for a while, unless it is a server. Your computer will last longer too. Turn off your power strips or use smart power strips.
Laundry
Wash a full loads of clothes in cold water. Save the hot water for oily or excessively soiled clothing. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm may cut a load's energy use in half. If you are washing a small load, use the lower water level setting. Use your own judgement to make frugal choices.
Your motor vehicle
Keep your motor vehicle in excellent running condition with regular tune ups, filter changes, etcetera. This will save fuel and save you money in the long run too.
Run your car with water
This is for real! Have an HHO system installed in your motor vehicle. The engine doesn't actually burn the water, but it breaks it into hydrogen and oxygen (HHO gas), mixes it with gasoline-air mixture in the carburator and burns that. You will get better performance, stronger acceleration, and best of all, you will save money because you will get better mileage. An HHO system uses the electrical system of the vehicle to break down water into a highly explosive mixture of hydrogen and oxygen then feeds the mixture of gasses into the air intake of the engine. It reduces emissions because when the HHO gas burns it turns back into only water and heat. You will still need gasoline, but not nearly as much.
Renewable energy
Install a renewable energy system such as a wind turbine or a solar power system for your home or business. It will pay for itself many times over.
Coming soon: fuel free electric generators
There have been several patents recently for magnetic energy driven motor/generators. They can run nonstop for years with no fuel by using the magnetic fields of permanent magnets to spin the motor and drive the generator. The Howard Johnson motor, the Perendev motor and many others rely on this principle. Some designs have the motor and generator combined into one compact device. The rotoverter and John Searle's motor/generator are good examples. Similar devices are already available for purchase in some countries such as Australia, China and Japan. However, they are expensive and the supply is very limited at this time.

Read reviews of the 3 best guides for converting your vehicle to run on water from a certified mechanic. Make informed decisions. Read consumer reviews of popular online products by experts in their field at the Review Guru Online website. You can leave comments or questions on the blog there too. Http://reviewguruonlinereviews.com

Going Green With Your Home

The new trends that are a part of lifestyle needs are combined with planning with the environment in mind. If you are looking for new options for your home, then considering home plans allows you to tap into your green side while finding new ways to save on energy and contribute to the environment. There are a variety of alternatives that are available for your home, all which allow you to change the way you work with the environment while keeping comfort within your home.
The home plans that are available are based on sustainability that is required for the environment. This begins with finding simple solutions to save on water as well as on the electricity in your home. Adding in technological solutions as well as changing gadgets and plans in your home alters the way that you are able to live. The main approach and goal is to save while you are in your home while offering more to the environment and saving in your home.
Not only do the plans allow you to create the perfect option with the indoors. If you want even more with the environment of your home, then you can look at affordable green house plans. This allows you to have the plants and food that interests you most in your backyard. You can find smaller or larger plans that are available. Whether you are interested in growing flowers or adding in edible foods is the ability to create the perfect space for everything you are interested in growing.
The affordable green house plans that are available are inclusive of smaller or larger areas that are either attached to your home or which come as separate buildings for your home. These are combined with different shapes and sizes that help to compliment the architecture of your home. You can find different roof areas and designs, all which allow you to use the natural sunlight in various ways. The interior of the plans combine with this to contribute water and to help with the growth of anything green for the environment.
If you are interested in different alternatives for your home that contribute to the environment, then looking at various plans can help you to change the way you live. Looking at green house plans as well as options for your home can help you to make small changes that make a large contribution to the environment. By doing this, you will easily be able to develop the specific options required for your home while moving forward with new environmental approaches for living.

Author an experienced Content writer and publisher on the topics related to affordable green house plans and home plans she has done post graduation in English literature and regularly writes content for print media such as magazines, newspapers etc.

Going 'Green' in Your Facility

In the past decade the world has recognized the need to employ green measures in almost every sphere of life. Many organizations are now embracing facility sustainability and other 'green' measures in different facets of their operations and maintenance of their facilities. Green Management is a major focus of these reforms, particularly as the award of LEED certifications are being recognized by industry, clients, and building occupants.

What is a Green Building?

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describes a green building as the process of using environmentally responsible and resource efficient methods in a building from the design phase right through the ongoing maintenance. This encompasses the economy, durability, utility, and comfort of the building.

The Importance of Green Maintenance

Even though the design and construction phase of a building are important, it can't be described as a green building unless the methods incorporated into the maintenance of the building are also green. This involves such aspects as the indoor air quality, the cleaning products used in maintaining the building, and conservation of basic resources such as energy and water, amongst others.

In other words, the ongoing maintenance of the building needs to be sustainable. In order to achieve this level of sustainability, it is important to establish a method of measuring and controlling the assets and resources of the facility. Although there are a number of methods for achieving this, the most efficient is through the use of Computerized Maintenance Management Software, or CMMS.

Why You Need to Go Green

It is becoming impractical for a facility manager to employ facility maintenance techniques that are not sustainable or considered green. The commitment made by most organizations is not only to improve their work environment, but to remain competitive with innovative companies who have embraced green methods. Some of the benefits of being green are:

    Higher Employee Productivity: When the indoor air is healthier, fewer employees become sick, reducing the need to take sick leave. In addition, when building occupants feel tired or "off", their productivity suffers.

    Industry Recognition: With a number of prestigious awards such as the U.S Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED award, an organization that employs sustainable measures and meets green standards gets recognition from our industry and their peers.

    Client Appreciation: Clients and building occupants have become more aware of the necessity for healthier facilities and this often reflects in their leasing, hiring and contracting decisions.

The Importance of Water Conservation

As a facility manager, one of your chief responsibilities is to ensure that the facility runs at optimal level while reducing costs. There are several components of a facility that can bleed resources out of a company, and one the more traditional culprits is water. Water is a huge resource and is vital for every facility, but it is a resource that is easily wasted.

Water Conservation Tips for Facility Managers

Water conservation is a hot topic right now for various reasons. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that by 2013 several states in the U.S will be experiencing water shortage. A report from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International states that commercial buildings are responsible for the consumption of one-sixth of the world's fresh water supply.

Each year water costs seem to increase, and with high consumption in most facilities, water is becoming a major factor to consider. With this in mind, implementing a few tips will go a long way to achieving that end.

Have a Water Conservation Goal

Without a goal, you have no way to measure your progress. The easiest place to start is reviewing the last few years of water consumption by month, and look for trends that may indicate seasonal and occupant factors that have changed. Once you have this baseline, you can begin evaluating the different consumption points within the facility and track specific consumption from these points over time. You may need to install water meters in some of these points to improve your understanding of consumption. This is a worthwhile cost, because there may be unexpected consumption that can be corrected easily once understood. Some water conservation goals include environmental protection, sustainability, energy conservation, and cost effectiveness.

Use Reclaimed or "Gray" Water

Gray water is waste water which is usually made up of wash water from kitchen, bathroom and laundry sinks, washers and tubs that are not suitable for drinking, but can be used for other purposes. Instead of throwing water from these sources down the drain, they may be efficiently reclaimed and reused for other purposes around the facility.

One of those purposes is the use of gray water for cooling systems. Cooling systems are a huge source of water consumption, and gray water may be reclaimed, treated, and used in these systems.

Make Use of Water Efficient Fixtures

Next to cooling systems, restroom plumbing fixtures can be the largest consumers of water in a facility. There are a number of fixture choices that conserve water without decreasing user value. Even drinking fountains can be optimized to lower wasted water, such as models with instant on cooling that minimizes the amount of water people use before they take a drink.

Sources of Poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Once construction is completed on a facility, a major source of poor IAQ is the type of cleaning agents and solvents that are used to maintain the facility. These are not the only culprits however, as indoor smoking, the use of pesticides, faulty HVAC, and poor ventilation can also generate problems.

Health Problems Associated with Poor Indoor Air Quality

The health related problems that can ensue from breathing poor air include asthma, headaches, dizziness, itchy eyes and allergies, among others. Sometimes these problems do not show up till much later and while some can easily be treated, others are often long term problems.

Some researchers have also suggested that heart diseases and some forms of cancer can be traced to poor indoor air quality.

Where the Facility Manager Comes In

It is the duty of the facility manager to identify where indoor pollution might be emanating from and take steps to diminish and control the sources. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) one way to minimize the indoor pollution is to utilize low vapor emitting products. Because sprays and aerosols can contribute significantly to indoor air pollution, they also should be minimized where possible.

There should be a well stated smoking policy to eliminate that source of pollution. It is important to frequently educate the occupants of a building about the importance of keeping the IAQ high and steps they can take to ensure that the indoor air is kept as clean as possible.

Preventing or Eliminating 'Sick Building' Syndrome

Cleaning agents, solvents, airborne particles, and mold spores can build up in a building that is not effectively employing green methods. Since facility occupants spend at least 35% of their day inside a building, constant exposure to harmful agents builds up in their bodies, and can lead to serious illness.

What is Sick Building Syndrome?

The U.S. Environmental Protection agency (EPA) defines SBS as a situation "in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified." The EPS goes on to explain that SBS could occur when a building is not operated or maintained in line with its original design; the design itself was not done properly or as a result of maintenance, cleaning, or occupant activities.

Symptoms of Sick Building Syndrome

One thing to note is that the symptoms of SBS will vary from one building to another. However, you know that your building is suffering from SBS when you hear from the occupants several complaints of a combination of the following symptoms listed by the World Health Organization (WHO):

    Headaches
    Eye, nose and throat irritation
    Mental fatigue
    Hoarseness, wheezing, itching and unspecified hypersensitivity
    Sensation of dry mucous membranes and skin
    Nausea
    Dizziness
    Erythema of the Skin
    High frequency of airway infection and cough

The main indicator though is that when sufferers of these symptoms are not in the building, they immediately feel better.

The Role of CMMS in Going Green

The proper use of CMMS software ensures a smooth running facility at cost efficient levels, which lead to increased sustainability:

    Energy Efficiency: One area where maintenance sustainability is measured is the level of energy used by a building. When a computerized maintenance management system is properly employed, it can efficiently track and measure the amounts of energy generated and document any unexpected spikes in consumption. This makes it easier to make essential decisions on repair or replacement of assets, and possibly using higher energy efficient models in their place.

    Water Consumption: You can determine baseline use by month and evaluate any unusual water consumption far easier when using a modern maintenance management software. Facility equipment doesn't always remain efficient, and deviations in water consumption can indicate a change in operating condition that can lead to significant cost savings.

    Filter Changes: How often air filters are changed can have a large impact in airborne particles and mold spores. Documentation of filter changes can help maintain healthy indoor air quality levels.

    Tracking System Maintenance and Repairs: As systems degrade, they may consume more energy and contribute to poor air quality. Tracking and repairing systems is a key advantage when using web based CMMS products. Facility managers will also be able to evaluate if it is time to replace aging equipment instead of limping along to improve costs while also improving the indoor environment.

    Going Paperless: Perhaps one of the more sublime qualities of a web based asset management systems in the quest for a green building is the elimination of paperwork by automating the entire maintenance procedure. The integration of mobile technology in most CMMS programs further enhances this quality.

The path to Going Green is not as easy as it appears. However, with careful consideration of the conditions within your facility, it is easy to get started down the path. You know your facility. Pick an area where you feel there could be an issue and pursue opportunities to improve it. Your employees, clients, and facility occupants will be healthier and thank you for it.

John Harris is the Sr. Vice President of PSIwebware, providing innovative software solutions to help facility managers improve efficiency, accountability, and safety. PSIwebware is the developer of web based CMMS, EAM, Janitorial Software, Security Software, and Landscaping Software.

Practical Ways To Go Green And Earn Health

There's plenty of evidence that going green helps to reduce your impact on nature and environment - but did you know that going green can also be great for your health? For example, one way to go green is to walk instead of drive whenever possible. Walking, for example, uses no fossil fuels and is a great way to boost your overall fitness and health.
But there's another less obvious consequence to going green. What's good for the environment is also good for our health. In the example above, because walking doesn't burn any fossil fuels, it doesn't cause any noise or air pollution, which is also better for our health. This has already been proved in a 2008 study about the association of combustion emissions and diseases.
Here are a few tips on how to go green and be healthy:
1. Choose Organic
Organic food is typically grown without pesticides, antibiotics and other toxic chemicals. Not only is eating pesticide-free fruit and vegetables better for your health, organic farms produce a lot less pollution as the chemicals used in conventional farming can seep into the water supply. According to US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), some pesticides can cause cancer, birth defects and even result in kidney, brain and liver changes.
2. Eat Less Meat
You don't have to be a vegetarian to get the benefits. Even skipping meat just once a week on "Meatless Tuesday", for example, can help to boost your health. Eating too much red met can be bad for your heart and can also predispose you to painful attacks of gout. What's more, a study by Environmental Defense in the US showed that if every American skipped one meal of chicken a week and ate vegetable instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off American roads!
3. Use A Greener Cleaner
Most cleaning products are filled with harsh chemicals - so go green by riding your home of toxins that pollute your indoor air and contaminate the water supply. Household chemicals, according to the EPA, can cause eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders and memory impairment. So save the Earth, and your health by choosing non-toxic biodegradable cleaners instead.
4. Embrace Eco Chic
Bamboo clothing is all the rage, not only is the light fabric great for countries with hot and humid temperatures or during summer, it can be a sustainable and organic choice as well. Bamboo and other organic fabrics such as jute, hemp, silk or unbleached cotton are kinder to the environment than other conventional; and synthetic fabrics, which cause pollution, thanks to the dying, bleaching and chemical processing required to produce them. Synthetic materials can also cause health problems as wearers react to the traces of petrochemicals and solvents in the materials.
These are the 4 tips such are not that difficult to practise. People often say that going green is to make life more difficult for themselves, however, as you can see, it is just choice of want or not and also the responsibility of loving this planet for the sake of the future generations of mankind and all living creatives that share the space with us.

Ken encourages everyone of us to eat a meal without meat just once a week for a start. Too much meat consumption raises the acidic level and there is a need to flush the toxins out. A good method is drink Aloe Vera juice. Here are some aloe vera juice recipes which are very simple to follow.

Going Green Articles

Going green articles are all over the internet. Which ones do you read? Who do you believe? You'll see articles about going green in your home and business which is now called "environmental sustainability". Green living can pertain to your health, home, politics, family and transportation. In fact, almost any topic you can think of has a green side to it.

Reading through these sites will give you a baseline of information so you can make up your own mind on what works for you, giving you the freedom to contribute and learn about green living. There are so many ways to live a sustainable lifestyle. It's important to know all your options that you can pick and choose from. Green articles are a great way to educate yourself about environmental sustainability. Let's look at some site's that have articles I believe in.

1. I'm going to start with the White House site. It doesn't matter whether you believe in what they are saying, this just gives you a baseline on our country's government regulations about "environmental sustainability". You will find different categories for greening up. White House site

2. World Changing is a web site that takes a broad stroke at environmental sustainability. Trying to stay ahead of the curve on ideas about greening up. The site has many books and videos about world changing.

3. The Daily Green has used a multi approach to helping people learn about going green. Video's, podcasts, articles and community participation has grown the site into a real green encyclopedia. Daily Green

4. I have a favorite green site of my own. Green and Clean Mom. It's a source about daily living from a working woman's perspective. Many guest writers are on board and give excellent green information. You have the ability to give your opinion and learn about sustainable living at the same time.

5. Environmental Directory's also hook you up with multiple websites that have the same focus. One of the better ones that is human approved is Best Green Blogs Directory.

As you read from the above sites you will find they have friends and friends of friends. You will be able to get an earnest education about sustainability. You can make it a point everyday to just read one article from any of the above sites or Google and find some of your own. What ever you choose sustainable awareness and green living can be an easy addition to your life.

Kathy Bampfield is editor of Green Guide Tips. A green community website dedicated to helping people live a environmentally sustainable lifestyle one small step at a time... http://www.greenguidetips.com

Going Green With LED Lights

Home improvements have always been a popular topic as everyone is continuously working on their dream house. There is always something to change, build and improve. Energy efficiency was not a major concern a few years ago. Today, the technological advances have added a new category in the home improvement business to include energy efficiency and cost reduction of utility bills. Unfortunately, means like solar panels or wind harvested energy are very expensive. A more affordable power saving method is using switching to low-voltage light bulbs. It is impressive how efficient 12V LED lights are.

What Are They?

A LED is a solid state component also known as a diode that can generate light with the aid of special dielectric material. To obtain a white light, the diode combines red, blue and green colors. Using a single LED diode does not generate enough lumens to illuminate an entire room. Manufacturers need to put together multiple diodes connected in a single PCB to increase the luminosity of the bulb. The number of LEDs will determine the luminosity and power consumption of the bulb. Also the quality of the diodes determines the efficiency of the finished product.

The Benefits Of Using LEDs

The first thing that needs to be mentioned about them is that they have an amazing lifespan. Simple 12V LED lights can last even 5 years of continuous usage. The highest quality light bulbs can be used for 20 years without being replaced. However, these lights are a bit more expensive but after a few months, the saving on the energy bill will cover the investment. After the lights pay for themselves, the true effectiveness of these low-voltage diodes will truly impact the budget allocated for utility bills. If we were to look at the numbers, a 12V LED can generate just as much light as a 150 watt halogen light bulb. The numbers become more impressive when compared to classic iridescent bulbs. In the end, it all sums up to significant saving and since in a home there are an average of 20 light bulbs, switching to LEDs is the best way to improve energy efficiency is a regular household.

Household Usage

These technological wonders can be used almost anywhere around and inside a home. They can be used to light the entire interior of a house including wall spots, ambient lightning and so on. If there is a yard or pool around the house, they can also be illuminated with LEDs. Let us not forget that it is recommended to have lights around a pool as a safety measure to prevent accidents, especially if there are kids around.

The Bottom Line

LEDs are the most cost-effective home improvement option out there. It can save a lot of money by reducing energy consumption, they reduce the risk of electrocution and last longer than iridescent bulbs. Since they do not need changing that often, extra money is saved by not being forced to buy new ones regularly. 12V LED lights are the most popular bulbs used these days due to the amount of lumens generated. Judging by the fact that their consumer demand increases constantly, the price of such a bulb should decrease in the near future as the industry is starting to make the production process more cost-effective.

S Ali is a writer who specialises in Led Lights. You can check out his latest website on 12V Led Lights where he provides unbiased buyer information and reviews on various Led Lights, including Strip Lights and more...