The Daily Green

Good Morning!

Looking to save on fuel, try driving 55 MPH.

Let’s breakdown the numbers:

- Driving at 65 MPH, you’re burning 10% more fuel than at 55 MPH*

- Driving at 70 MPH, you lose 17% of your fuel economy*

- Driving at 75 MPH, 25% of your fuel economy is lost*

Even though you may thrive in the fast lane, f the national speed limit were 55 MPH, it would save about one billion barrels of oil per year — that’s more than the U.S. imports from the Persian Gulf.

*All numbers on fuel efficiency are from the American Council for Energy-Efficient Economy

Good Morning,

If you would like to purchase a reusable bag mention on Friday morning’s show, just head to thebagmovement.com

Enjoy!

Good Morning!

A great way to go green with your landscaping is with motion sensing lights.  They turn on only when movement is detected and turn off automatically.

Not only is outdoor lighting a big waste of energy, your flood lights can disrupt wildlife if they are left on all night.

So, save electricity and money with motion sensing lights. Plus, you will enjoy an extra sense of security!

Good Morning!

Save money and resources by investing in rechargeable batteries, many of which can be reused around 1,000 times.

More than 15 billion batteries are tossed in the trash each year, which is approximately enough to make a column to the moon and back.  That number continues to grow as we get more and more electronic devices.

Remember, rechargeable batteries still contain toxic metals, like cadmium and lead, so when you are finished with them you must dispose of the properly.  Many stores that sell the batteries will take them back for recycling.  

When possible, purchase lithium-ion, or NiMH batteries instead of NiCD ones, which contain more toxic metals.

Good Morning!

Starting to purchase green products can be confusing.  Polls show confusion is the top reason people don’t buy more eco-friendly products.

Certification and standards help solve the problem by inspiring confidence in consumers.  They are kind of “third party verifications” of a company’s claim.

So, let’s break down three ways you can tell something is certified sustainable.

1 – Green Certification: The product or its components are certified and labeled by a credible environmental organization — the EPA’s EnergyStar Program, USDA Organic or Green Seal for example.

2 – Green Attributes:  The products or its components are extracted, harvested, manufactured or distributed in socially responsible ways.  That means using post-consumer recycled paper, organic cotton or bamboo.  It could also mean socially responsible business practices, such as participating in Fair Trade.

3 – Green Yield:  The product allows the consumer to reduce his or her direct greenhouse gas emissions, energy use or waste.  For example, taking public transportation, buying CFL lightbulbs and or installing low-flow fixtures.

If you need more guidance, check out greenyour.com.  The site will help you navigate the green shopping spectrum.

Good Morning!

Instead of your conventional cotton sheet set, try ones made from 100% organic cotton.

Traditional cotton is one of the most highly sprayed products.  By switching to organic cotton, you’ll be keeping the environment and your family safer.

The next step is to try ones made with only low-impact dyes, which create less water waste and use no heavy metals.

You know you’ve been dreaming about a greener tomorrow — make it a reality by protecting your largest organ, your skin.

Good Morning!

You can go a long way to saving our feathered friends just by using more products made from recycled paper.  It’s estimated Americans use enough office paper in one year to stretch a 12 foot pile from Los Angeles to New York.

Logging to keep up with our thirst for paper is happening at such a lightning-quick pace, birds in those areas don’t have time to find a new habitat.

Next time you see a bird in your backyard, remember the importance of using recycled paper.

Good Morning!

When shopping for milk, look for the words “no artificial hormones or antibiotics used” on the carton.

In 1993, the FDA approved the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone.  Farmers inject this synthetic hormone into their animals to increase their milk production.  The practice has been banned in Europe, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.  

According to the FDA, cows injected with the hormone tend to have a higher instance of udder infections and are then treated with more antibiotics.  This increase in drug use can contribute to the growth of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, a major public health concern.

Since milk from treated cows is not marked dairy farmers who do not use growth hormones label their products.

If in doubt, rely on certified organic milk, which guarantees no hormones or drugs were used.  If also contains a higher level of omega-3 fatty acids, among other nutrients, too.

Good Morning!

When making your life more eco-friendly, don’t forget about your four-legged family members. Here are five ways to make your pet greener.

1 – Adopt From A Shelter.  Start at the very beginning and get your pup or kitten from a shelter.  Pet breeders have only one goal — to raise lots of purebred animals.  Plus, adopting means you can give money to local shelters and help them save more pets. 

2 – Reign Your Pet In.  Once your pet comes home, make sure to reign them in.  Keep them on a leash or confine them in your yard.  Even though you love Fluffy, she can do a lot of damage to your neighbor’s yard and the environment if left run wild.

3 – Be Your Pet’s Chef.  At dinnertime, cook for you pet.  You will always know what’s going into your favorite furballs’ dish if you make their chow.  Plus, a few organic meals now and then are good for them too.

4 – Get Crafty.  After dinner, it’s time to play.  You kitten will love you for growing organic cat nip and those scraps of yarn and fabric make the best cat toys.

5 – Keep Your Pet Tick-Free.  You don’t want to douse Fido in toxins, but it’s important to keep the bugs in check.  Ticks can carry serious diseases, so be cautious and find all natural shampoos to keep the insects at bay.

Good Morning!

Save money on rising energy bills while slashing your carbon footprint at the same time with an energy monitoring device, like The Energy Detective.

The device is a small display that indicates household electrical usage in real time and projects your monthly bill – all without using batteries.  Researchers found the real-time energy feedback leads consumers to reduce their electricity consumption.  

It’s simple, if you measure it, you can manage it.  You can make small adjustments throughout the day and see how the savings add up.  Fore example, you may decide you don’t really need to run that space heater or be reminded to turn off lights and appliances.  You can even connect some devices o your computer, so you can do advanced logging and analysis of your home’s energy data.