The Daily Green

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Today, Lisa and Jonathan talked about putting your money where your mouth is and investing green.  It doesn’t matter if you live paycheck to paycheck or manage your own hedge funds — anyone can go green with their money.  Here are our tips:

1- Use A “Green” Bank.  Look for a bank which is active in the environmental movement.  For example, some banks offer low interest rates for people buying cars which get at least 25 miles per gallon.

2- Direct Deposits.  This is the easiest way to go green.  It saves trees from being turned into paychecks, plus it cuts emissions for those bi-weekly trips to the bank.

3- Invest In Environmentally Conscious Companies.  Now that your money is in a green bank, what should you do with it?  One option, invest in an environmentally-conscious companies, like ones which focus on renewable energy research.  Another choice, donate stock to a green charity and take the market-value tax deduction.

4- Be Aware Of “Dollar Power.”  When you invest in a company, no matter how small, you gain share holder benefits.  That means you can actively influence the company’s policy by attending annual meetings, asking questions and voting on issues.  Many times buying stocks and participating in these meetings is a better choice than just boycotting the company all together.

5- Endow A Green Charity.  The best way to make sure your principles live on past you is to put your favorite green organization in your will.

Thanks for watching!

We’ll see you bright and early Monday morning!

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This morning, Jonathan and Lisa gave you five great tips to save money while buying organic food.  Here’s a reminder:

1- Don’t Go Shopping Alone.  If you go with a friend, you can cut down on gas and emissions to get to the store.  Plus, you can split the cost of that 12 pack of stewed organic tomatoes.

2- Look For Store Brand Products.  When shopping at organic stores, try store brands for your staples.  Bread, milk and butter taste the same if they are private labels or if they are store brand.

3- Buy Whole, Unprocessed Foods.  If you are only going to purchase one organic food item — look for unprocessed foods.  More processing means less nutritional value.

4- Plan A List.  When shopping at a Farmer’s Market, make a list.  Otherwise you go home with some great looking garlic scapes … but nothing to do with them.

5- Buy From The “Dirty Dozen” List.  This list includes the top 12 produce items most likely to have insecticides or other chemicals on them — even after washing or peeling them.  It’s important to buy organics here whenever possible.  The list includes: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes.

Thanks for tuning in — We’ll see you tomorrow!

Good Morning!

Today, Jonathan and Lisa talked about ways to grill greener.

Here are their tips:

Try using a gas, propane or electric grill instead of one which uses charcoal or wood, as these grills burn much cleaner.  When you consider making this change, you aren’t just doing it for the environment — you’re also doing it for your family.  The more you use wood or charcoal grills, the more harmful particles your family breathes. 

If you are looking to trade in your old grill before the summer season, check out new hybrid or solar grills.  The hybrid grill mainly burns gas, but also allows for a little wood or charcoal for that smokey taste we all love.

Even if a new grill is not in the budget, there are still a few changes to make your outdoor cooking better for Mother Earth.  

Stay away from easy-to-light briquettes!  They have been soaked in petro-based liquids which give off harmful chemicals when they are burned.  Instead, try the metal charcoal lighter, or a chimney starter, and fill it with ethanol-based lighter fluids.

Finally, we’ve said it before, but this is just another chance to check out a farmer’s market.  The food is fresher than you will find in a grocery store, plus you are boosting the local economy.  Also, it travels fewer miles to get to your table and that means less emissions.

Thanks for tuning in.  Have a great weekend, we’ll see you Monday morning!

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Kentucky residents are heading to the polls today, so this morning, Jonathan and Lisa talked about the environmental policies of each Presidential candidate.  Here’s some more information so you can make an educated decision in the voting booth.

We started with Sen. Hillary Clinton.  The New York Senator supports a cap and trade system to cut U.S. emissions.  She says with her plan, America can decrease its emissions by 80% below 1990 levels before 2050.  Cap and trade works by buying and selling the right to emit.  For example, Clinton suggests auctioning off all of America’s emission credits, thereby making businesses pay to pollute.

Clinton partners this plan with ramping up standards for automakers.  In fact, she wants to force cars to get 40 miles per gallon by 2020 and 55 miles per gallon by 2030.  That’s not the only way which she tries to combat high gas prices.  The New York Senator’s plan calls for 60 billion gallons of biofuel to be produced in the U.S. each year by 2030.  She also supports “clean coal” or coal to liquid fuels which emit 20% less carbon than conventional fuels.

When it comes to nuclear power, Clinton seems to remain agnostic.  She says it should not be used as a power source until water-storage and other problems are first solved.

Also vying for the Democratic nomination is Sen. Barack Obama.  He supports the same cap and trade policy as Clinton, and plans to raise fuel standards to 52 miles per gallon by 2026.

When it comes to renewable energy, Obama suggests the U.S. switch 25% of its electricity to renewable source by 2025.  And, he holds the government to a higher standard, calling for 30% of its electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020.

Obama has similar goals for biofuel and clean coal as Clinton.

Where he really distinguishes his plan is on the international level.  Obama says he wants to create a “G8″ of the world’s top greenhouse gas emitters, along with increased participation from the United Nation on issues of climate control.

Don’t start thinking on the Donkeys are going green, Sen. John McCain is also courting the environmental vote.

The Arizona Senator has similar standards for the cap and trade plan as his competitors.  When it comes to fuel standards, McCain is not suggesting anything specific.  However, in 2002, he introduced legislation which would have raised standards to 36 miles per gallon by 2016.

On renewable energy and biofuels, McCain has not yet offered specific targets, but he does vocally oppose subsidies for ethanol.  The Senator says he supports coal power and the search for cleaner ways to use coal.

When it comes to nuclear power, McCain says he sees it as a way to curb global warming and decrease our dependence on foreign oil.  

Hopefully this gives you something to think about on the way to the polls.  Whoever you choose to vote for, and whichever reason convinces you, just be sure to cast your ballot in this historic election.

Thanks for tuning in — we’ll see you in the morning!

Welcome back!

This morning Jonathan and Lisa talked about a brand new container which promises to be better than Styrofoam.  The new product is called an “Eco Clamshell” and it was developed by a college student from Eckard College in Florida.

Audrey Copeland developed a take-out container which is reusable and can stand up to 180 degrees of sanitation heat.

According to Audrey, the fact that “it can be re-used is a really key component.  If you look at the life cycle and life span of a product, the disposables are manufactured, processed, shipped, used and taken to the dump.”  And it does not take 500 years to decompose, like Styrofoam. 

Students are charged a one time $5 fee and use the containers for the next four years.  Since it debuted in February, more than 250 students started using the containers.  The college says its Styrofoam use has been cut from 10 boxes a week to six.

The next story deals with greening your wedding.

More couples find going green when they say “I do” as a way to better the environment and cut costs.  Jonathan and Lisa covered buying your dress at a vintage store, using recyclable paper for invitations and asking guests to donate to environmental funds.

Here’s another tip — find reusable decorations!

Finally, they touched on a growing controversy surrounding compact fluorescent light bulbs.  An environmental professor at the University of Cincinnati says if these bulbs are not disposed of correctly, they can leak mercury into the air and waterways.  Then the chemical makes its way into our food chain.

Some communities are organizing “drop-off” events where you can take the bulbs.  But for now, no national recycling network is in place.

Thanks for tuning in!

Be sure to watch tomorrow at 5:55 a.m.  Before Kentucky heads to the polls, we’ll be looking at how green the Presidential candidates are.

We’ll see you then!

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Like it or not, one of the places you spend a lot of time is your office.  Today, Jonathan and Lisa talked about easy ways to make your office an environmentally-friendly spot.  Here are their tips:

1- Pack Your Lunch.  You can start your day thinking green by packing your lunch in a reusable container.  Delivery and take-out create mounds of extra napkins, plastic silverware and wrappers which just go into the trash.  

2- Carpool.  Check if you company has a carpool matching service.  It saves on emissions, plus you get to know your fellow employees and you will always get to work on time.

3- Be Conscious Of Office Paper Use.  Printing double-sided documents and using recycled paper are big ways to make sure your office is less wasteful.  In fact, a ton of 100% recycled paper saves about 7,000 gallons of water, 60 pounds of air emissions and about three cubic yards of landfill space.

4- Green Your Office Supplies.  Many office supply companies offer environmentally-friendly options, like pencils made from recycled paper or pens which use soy-based ink.

5- Teleconference Instead Of Travel.  Out of office time can be precious, but traveling for business creates millions of pounds of emissions each year.  Teleconferencing is a great alternative.  When you do have to travel, consider purchasing carbon offsets to reduce your carbon footprint.

Here are three more tips to keep in mind:

1- Create An Office Compost Area.  Put a sealed container in the office kitchen which staff members can put their compost items.  Workers can then take turns adding the container’s contents to their own compost piles at home.

2- Find A Sustainable Web Host.  All those servers in your office take up power.   Now some web hosts purchase carbon offsets or even rely exclusively on wind- or solar-generated power.  Their pricing is generally competitive with less environmentally friendly companies.

3- Digitize Your Office.  It seems odd in the “Digital Age” we need to worry about digitizing, but we do.  Offices across the country consume large amounts of paper when they could rely on digital documents.  Do more online and try to keep your files on your computer instead of your filing cabinet.  

That’s all for today.  We will bring you more ways to make your life greener on The Daily Green next week.

Have a great weekend, we will see you bright and early Monday morning!

Welcome Back!

This morning, Lisa and Jonathan gave you five tips to making your green lifestyle pay off.  Here are those tips:

1-  Saving Energy Means Saving Money.  Unplug those electronics, turn off the lights and keep money in your wallet.

2-  Saving Water Means Saving Money.  Take shorter showers, turn off the water when you brush your teeth and the cash will flow right back into your pocket.

3-  Use Refillable Bottles For Water.  Your water does not need to come from springs in Maine or a private island.  Make the one-time investment in a good filter and a reusable bottle.

4-  Think Before You Buy.  There are plenty of sites where local people are selling new or practically new items which you need.  Peruse one of these sites — the number of available products may surprise you!

5-  When You Can, Borrow It!  Why buy a brand new book when you can borrow it from the library?  Besides, you may run across another book you also want to read for free.

Here are a few more ways to be kind to both Mother Earth and your bottom line.

1-  Leave The Car At Home.  If you live close enough to work, try biking or taking the bus.  Biking is a great way to keep carbon emissions down, plus it keeps you in good shape.

2-  Be Smart About Your Purchases.  Consider buying in bulk.  Larger sizes require less packaging and are generally less expensive.  Also, invest in your purchases.  Try to get good-quality products which will not have to be replaced quickly.  This will save landfills from loads of broken items, and in the long run, it will save you cash.

3-  Keep Your Old Electronics Out Of The Trash.  Thousands of unwanted cell phones, computers and gaming systems are sitting in landfills — not decomposing.  This is not only wasteful, it is dangerous!  Someone can get ahold of those electronics and steal your personal information, even if you think you completely wiped the electronic.  Numerous organizations from Sam’s Club to reputable online businesses will repair or recycle your out-dated gadgets.  Some will even give you a little money for the parts.

Thanks for tuning in.  Tune in tomorrow for tips to go green at work.

We’ll see you in the morning!

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Today, Jonathan and Lisa busted five common myths about going green.  Here they are:

1-  Small Changes Do Not Matter.  There are lots of tiny steps you can take everyday to better the planet — check out “5 Easy Steps To Going Green” for ideas on where to start.

2- Going Green Is Expensive.  If you do it right, many green changes can actually save you money.  We will explore this topic more tomorrow morning.

3-  All Hybrid Cars Are Better Than All Non-Hybrids.  Like any blanket statement, this one cannot be trusted.  Many hybrid SUVs actually get the same miles per gallon as their non-hybrid counterparts.

4-  Using Ethanol Is Easy For Everyone To Do.  Anyone not living in the Midwest has a difficult time finding ethanol stations.

5-  There Are A Few Fail-Safe Ways To Go Green.  Experts still fight over the best ways to make your life more green.  So, just try to make small changes in your life which make sense to you.

Here are three more myths we did not cover this morning:

1-  Using Old Appliances Is Greener Than Throwing Them Out.  While you are not filling landfills with old fridges and air conditioners, they need lots of energy to run.  Plus, when you purchase new, energy-efficient appliances, most companies will recycle your old ones — now you have no excuse!

2-   If An Appliance Is Turned Off, It Is Not Using Energy.  About 10% of your energy bill goes to plugged in electronics.  If you don’t feel like unplugging the computer or stereo when you are not using it, try using a power strip.  Just be careful not to overload it.

3-  The U.S. Needs More Power Plants To Provide More Energy.  If American made smarter choices, like using energy efficient light bulbs, the U.S. could actually reduce its number energy plants.

Thanks for tuning in.  Tomorrow, we will take an in-depth look at how going green can save you money. 

We’ll see you in the morning!

As promised, here’s a list of some Tri-State farmer’s markets you can check out!

College Hill: 5742 Hamilton Ave.  Open Thursdays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.  May through October. 

Covington:  Main & West 6th Sts.  Open Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Late May through early October. 

Erlanger:  115 Commonwealth Ave.  Open Thursdays 3 p.m.  Late April through early October.

Hyde Park:  3424 Edwards Road.  Open Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Beginning of June through October.

Madisonville:  4760 Red Bank Expressway.  Open Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Early June through October.

Northside:  Hamilton Ave. & Lingo St.  Open Wednesdays 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  June 4th through October.

Sayler Park:  Parkland Ave.  Open Tuesdays 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.  May through October.

Wyoming:  Wyoming Ave. & Van Roberts Pl.  Opens Tuesdays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.  May through October.

We’d love to hear about your favorite farmer’s market.  Just leave its address and hours below!

Have a great day.  We’ll see you tomorrow morning.

Welcome back!

Today, Jonathan and Lisa told you about five changes you can make today to go green.  We will remind you about the tips, then build on those with steps you can take tomorrow.

Step 1: Buy A Reusable Bag.  Find a simple, sturdy bag you can take to the grocery store.  This will reduce the number of trees cut down for paper bags and the number of plastic bags in landfils.

One Step Further: Take that reusable bag shoppin and combine your trips.  This reduces the amount of gas you use, which saves you money and saves on carbon emissions.

Step 2: Be Energy Conscious In Your Home.  You can save a lot of energy just by switching off the lights and washing your clothes in cool water.

One Step Further: Unplug your electronics instead of just turning them off.  Even if your computer is off, it is still sapping energy. 

Step 3:  Keep Your Car In Good Working Order.  It’s not only good for your car and the environment, you will save money on that exceptionally high-priced gas.

One Step Further:  Check out a hybrid.  It may not be something you want to invest in right now, but get familiar with the car.  See which ones are better and why.  A little research could turn you into a believer!

Step 4:  Drink Water From The Tap Instead Of Bottled Water.  By doing this, you can keep hundreds of petroleum-based bottles out of landfills.

One Step Further:  Buy a reusable water bottle to take with you to work and the gym. Giving up bottled water does not mean you have to give up drinking water all together.

Step 5:  Shop At A Farmer’s Market.  This practice supports the Tri-State’s economy and farmers.  You are also reducing the carbon emissions it takes to get your food to your table.

One Step Further:  Plan your meals with in-season items you find at the Farmer’s Market.  They are healthier and probably fresher than produce in the grocery store.  

Thanks for tuning in — be sure to check out tomorrow’s segment, we will bust five common myths about going green.  

 See you then!