A Green Holiday Gift Guide

Save a little green this holiday season while "keepin' it green". Have a peek at the treehugger website for suggestions:
http://www.treehugger.com/giftguide/

Got A Minute? A Simple Step To Saving Energy in The Kitchen

Do you have a minute to save some energy in your kitchen? Turn down the temperature in your fridge. Set the fridge between 38 and 42 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Voila! You've saved energy! Don't you feel better about yourself now?

www.simplesteps.org

Save / Recycle Your Election Yard Signs

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/11/sign-savers.php

New LED Bulbs Hit U.S. Market

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/11/weird-looking-led-bulbs-are-next-gen-lighting.php

Four Ways To Green Your Lunch

1. Store food and beverages in reusable containers and avoid plastic baggies and paper sacks.

2. Pack reusable silverware and cloth napkins.

3. Choose food items that are available in bulk or have minimal packaging.

4. Recycle and glass, metal or plastic containers.

Sustainable Spaces

Eco-design tips for your home by AMANDA MOORE, kiwi* September / October 2008

Repurposed Design


Housewares made from recycled materials can help you redecorate and do a little something for the environment. By purchasing recycled materials you help keep existing items out of already crowded landfills while eliminating the use of new raw materials. You can incorporate green goods into your home by looking to accessories and soft furnishings.


For more information check out Amanda's website at http://www.replacenyc.com/


Places to shop online for recycled housewares:


http://www.gaiam.com/

http://www.vivavi.com/

http://www.desginpublic.com/

http://www.cb2.com/

http://www.bluemoonbottles.com/

http://www.chiasso.com/

Naples & Estero Offers Courses to Recycle Lifestyles

Two new "Being Green" eight week courses teach Earth friendly approaches that are empowering and fun. Educators Ann Smith and Donna Roberts, both with local and global experience, lead the adult education courses in Naples and Estero that run from October 1 to November 20.

In Naples, classes are held from 1 to 3 pm each Wednesday, at Outside The Box-Studio. In Estero, classes meet from 10 am to noon on Fridays, at Happenhatchee Center. The course fee is $200, with discounts available as needed.

To register, visit www.CircleConnections.com.

In The "Green" News: California Leads Nation With Green Building Code

California is again paving the way toward sustainable development. The state is adopting a new Green Building Code that puts percentages on improvements in water use efficiency, energy consumption, and water conservation. After 2010, all new construction must meet the code’s requirements. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California Business Properties Association, Sacramento, as well as local branches of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, NAIOP SoCal and NAIOP California State Council, support the green code. Although California is the first state to establish its own green code, the situation will not stay unique. “The International Code Council has been working with the National Association of Home Builders to develop a national standard for Green Homes, and the American National Standards Institute also is working on a standard as well,” the article states. Read the article at http://www.globest.com/news/1207_1207/sacramento/172819-1.html.

5 Biggest Energy Guzzlers In Your Home

With fuel and energy costs on the rise, it pays to ward off the main offenders in household energy use. Small moves, such as using compact fluorescent light bulbs and turning off your computer at night, are helpful but do not make a huge dent in your total monthly bill. Learn about the five biggest energy guzzlers in your home by reading the article at http://www.smartmoney.com/consumer/index.cfm?story=top5-costly-appliances.

(Ecobroker Greenoutlook Newsletter, Fall 2008)

Shop Green

Here are a few quick tips for becoming a green shopper:

1. Switch to environmentally friendly cleaning supplies. the use of conventional cleaners exposes your family and our environment to some very nasty toxic chemicals.

2. Be as conscious about the packaging as you are about the product. The production and disposal of packaging takes a heavy environmental toll. You can eliminate 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) every year by simply reducing your waste by 10%. While you're at it, bring your own shopping bags.

3. Buy in bulk. If you regularly buy a certain product, consider buying it in bulk. It usually has less packaging, is more affordable, and requires fewer trips to the store.

It's The Little Things That Add Up...Electronic Files

Creating portable document files (PDF's) of online bills, contracts and receipts on your computer and keeping them in folders on your hard drive saves paper and ink. It will also keep your home a much tidier place! Be sure to back everything up on an external hard drive because it's more than likely at some point your computer will crash.

Paper makes up more of our garbage than any other type of trash at almost 40%.

Give it a try, check out some of the following to get you started:

Try www.googledesktop.com to keep your computer organized

www.cutepdfwriter.com is free and converts files 

Extreme Yard Makeover

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/jun/06/ready-set-bulldoze-cinderella-yard-now-cleared-nea/

Driving along US 41 the other day I noticed a massive sign that said Extreme Yard Makeover. I was expecting to see one of the stars from HG TV pop out into the street. There is a house along Trail Blvd. (runs paralell to US 41 across from Pelican Bay) that is getting a total yard transformation with a focus on enviromental responsibility. Go check it out!

Reducing Your Baby's Footprint

Trying to think of an easy way to reduce your baby's footprint at home? In the world of baby drama, it isn't easy, but I have managed to find a way to feel less guilty about the whole diapering dilemna without being completely impractical. Check out http://www.gdiapers.com/ . The diapers can be composted, flushed or tossed. No landfill required for these diapers. 50 million disposable diapers enter the landfill every day, where they sit for up to 500 years.

Jumping On The Bandwagon

I went to Wynn's Market today to buy my lunch and they were offering reusable shopping bags for 99 cents! It appears that all of our local grocers are jumping on the reusable bag bandwagon. Wynn's will give you a discount (25 cents I think) for not using plastic or paper bags.
www.wynnsonline.com

"LEED" - Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and it's the most widely accepted stamp of approval to certify that a building's green. LEED provides standards to look for when building or buying a house, helping us determine what's really green. LEED buildings - which take into account the site, water, energy, resources, and indoor environmental quality - reduce CO2 by 30%-40%. Green buildings typically cost more to build intially, but you will recoup your costs with lower utility bills. Fewer than 1,000 homes have been LEED certified so far by the U.S. Green Building Council.

U.S. Green Building Council
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19

Green Home Guide
http://www.greenhomeguide.org/

Green Building Certification Institute
http://www.gbci.org/

Organic VS. Locally Grown

I noticed the last time that I was at Wild Oats http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/wildoats/ that they offered both organic and locally grown produce. Call me crazy, but wouldn't purchasing locally grown produce make less of an impact on the environment than produce organically grown in Peru? Just a random thought!

How To Green Your Dishwasher

http://green.msn.com/Articles/article.aspx?aid=75
Check out this article on how to "green" your dishwasher. Honestly... not something I ever really thought about. I always try to run it when it's full, and every now and again open it up to let the dishes dry, but that's about it. I like that the article suggests that using a dishwasher can be more environmentally friendly than hand washing! YAHOO!!

http://Treehugger.com has more great ideas to share so check it out.

10 Things You Can Do At Home To Curb Global Warming

Ten very simple things we can do at home everyday to do our part for the environment:

1. Use compact florescent lights (CFL's) when buying light bulbs.
2. Adjust your thermostat by 3 degrees up or down depending on the time of year.
3. Inflate your car tires for better gas mileage.
4. Turn down the water heater.
5. Choose your seafood wisely.
6. Purchase Energy-Star labeled appliances.
7. Wash and rinse laundry in cold water.
8. Buy locally produced meats and vegetables.
9. Drink water from reusable glassware.
10. Walk, bike, rollerblade or carpool to your destination.

For more detailed explanations of this top 10 visit http://green.msn.com/articles/article.aspx?aid=273 for the article by Conservation International.

http://www.conservation.org/Pages/default.aspx

Las Vegas Real Estate Blog: Vegas is going Green

Las Vegas Real Estate Blog: Vegas is going Green

Swamps & Houses Don't Mix

I saw this in the Naples Daily News and thought it was interesting.



http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/feb/17/down-yonder-mighty-tree-victim-progress/.

Green Housekeeping

Cleaning house isn't exactly something that I love to do, but I have found that there are a few green cleaning staples that are less expensive than their chemical counterparts.

Cornstarch: absorbs grease and oil from fabric and leather
Salt: cleans grime from dishes, pet bowls etc.
Rubbing alchohol: streak free shine on stainless steel appliances
White vinegar: great for windows and tile floors

Anyone have other suggestions?

When The Bulb Burns Out

Energy efficent compact florescent bulbs are a great way to reduce energy costs in your home, but they contain small amounts of mercury, so they don't belong in your regular trash. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends recycling the bulbs.
To find out about recycling options in your area check out http://www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling.

Hazardous Waste disposal is available in Collier County through Waste Management
http://www.colliergov.net/Index.aspx?page=691.

Naples Hotel Gets "Green" Lodging Certified

Naples certainly has it's number of visitors from around the world. I'd like to personally thank all of those who choose Naples as a vacation destination as you help stimulate our local economy and bring attention to what a beautiful place we live in.

I don't know about you, but it drives me crazy when I'm staying in a hotel and I can't recycle. Needless to say, I was very excited to see on www.Naplesnews.com that a few area hotels are making efforts to do their part for the environment. http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/feb/03/naples-hilton-becomes-green-lodging-certified/

I just hope that all the rest follow suit soon.

How Efficient Is Your Home?

One of the best things that you can do to put your home in the "green" is to find ways to boost energy efficiency. Visit Florida Power & Light's website and take their FPL Home Energy Survey at http://fpl.com/residential/ohes/online_home_energy_survey.shtml to see how much energy you are using and ways to cut costs. You will also get energy saving tips.