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Going Green Effectively in the Workplace

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A lot of people are aware of the ways to help the environment at home, but you can use some of the same secrets at work to help the environment even when you are not at home. When you are at work, use the tips in this article to make the environment a better place for everyone around you.

Talk to your employer about opportunities to be green in the workplace. Perhaps you can convert to copier paper that is all recycled, or perhaps you have some older light fixtures that still use incandescent bulbs, and you could replace them with the greener CFL bulbs. Instead of providing all of you with individual bottles of water, perhaps your company could opt for the large bottles of water that rest in a cooler, and you could bring your own containers to drink water each day. Using permanent bottles or glasses would cut dramatically down on the waste of bottles. Even if you recycle the plastic bottles after you drink from them, you are still using energy with each plastic bottle that is manufactured.

There are many different ways to cut down on the paper you use each day. Instead of printing out your email messages, move them from your inbox to specific folders, so that you can find them again easily without having to store the hard copies anywhere. If you are using documents for reference, open multiple windows on your monitor, and look back and forth between the document you need to use and the one you are making. If your monitor is large enough to accommodate this, this can save paper and make you more productive at the same time.

If your workers’ lounge has a refrigerator, you are making it work harder by bringing lunches that need cooling throughout the day. Instead, bring lunches that are not perishable and do not need to be stored in the fridge. This could consist of a sandwich with mustard instead of mayonnaise, some fruit, and some chips, for example. If you can do this, you’re reducing the workload of the refrigerator. Even if the fridge is still on all day, you’re doing your part to cut down on the power that it uses.

There are many more things that you can recycle at work besides the paper that you’ve used. If you drink sodas out of cans, you can recycle all of that aluminum. Plastic bottles, such as those that contain soda or water, are also recyclable as well. When you run out of ink in your printer cartridges, you can send those back to the manufacturer for recycling, or you can carry them to most local office supply stores, which will recycle them for you. All of this will combine to make your office a greener place.

If your energy efficiency goes up at work, you will find yourself more productive — and more content, because you are helping to save the world. These tips will help you turn your office into an enlargement of your “green” space at home.

Go Green With Recycling

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Everyone is talking about going green and for good reason. Our planet has taken a beating over the last couple thousand years and now it is time to do something about it. While some of the damage done to our environment cannot be undone, there are still some things we can do to help better our planet and recycling is one of those things. Continue reading to learn how you can make the most of your recycling efforts and help our planet.

First of all, you will want to check with your local recycling center. Find out all the information you can from them. You will want to learn what items they recycle. If there are items they do not accept, ask them if they know where you can recycle these other items. You also want to know when they accept recycling. It is also good to know how they want you to bring in your items to be recycled. Some places want the items separated and others can take it all together. The more information you have about what is expected in your area, the more productive your recycling efforts can be.

Next, you will want to designate a spot in your home to place your recycling. Whether you live alone or with many people, it will be helpful if all your recyclable materials are placed in one area of your home. Make this spot somewhere easy, so you are sure to place recyclables here instead of accidentally throwing them away.

Now you can start recycling. Many different items are recyclable and many of these items end up in landfills everyday. When you do your part to recycle, you are helping out the planet and everyone who lives on it.

Paper
Many paper products can be recycled. Do you get junk mail? Instead of tossing it, recycle it. You can also recycle your old newspapers and magazines. Old bills and other papers you no longer need can all be recycled, too. Thicker paper products can also be recycled. Many food items and other packaged goods come in a thick paper box or use thick paper for some or all of their packaging. When you run across these items, you can recycle the paper products from them.

Plastics
So many different items today come in some sort of plastic container and most of these containers can be recycled. Look at the plastics you purchase and see if there is the recycling symbol on it. If you see this symbol, you can recycle the plastic. You can recycle your empty milk jugs, water or soda pop bottles, shampoo bottles, strawberry containers, and any other plastic container you may have that can be recycled.

Metals
Many metals can be recycled and you can even get paid for them if you bring them to the right place. Find out if there is a scrap yard or other business in your area that buys aluminum cans and other old metal you no longer need. They generally set a price for these items and will buy them from you and reuse them to make something else. This is a great way to keep these items out of landfills and to add a little money to your bank account.

Other Recyclable Items
You can also recycle other items. Many areas will recycle glass. Some areas are choosing not to recycle it, though, because it is heavy and the effort it takes to transport and recycle it is too great. Batteries and electronics can also be recycled. If your local recycling center does not take them, you may find that electronic stores in your area will.

Recycling is something easy to do. Use the tips shared in this article and you can do your part for our environment.

Go Green And Save Some Money Every Month

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With rising utility costs, there has never been a better time to go green. You certainly do not need to convert your whole home to an alternate power source but there are some small things that can be done that will save you quite a bit of money over the first few months of use. In fact, you could recoup the extra costs in the first month on certain changes you make. There is nothing wrong with going green and doing so to benefit your pocketbook. The benefits to the environment fall in naturally no matter what reason you have for doing it, so why not read further and make the changes that benefit you financially?

Garden lights and outdoor lights that use solar energy are readily available and can be bought cheaply at stores like Walmart. Not only do they aid in the appearance of your home and landscape, they save quite a bit of money compared to the outdoor porch lights and floods that we commonly use to light up our yards. You are looking at roughly twenty dollars for five solar lights that can be placed along a walkway or a porch light that will provide ample lighting from the use of cfc’s or led’s.

Small turbines placed on the roof can cut energy costs in the summer as they keep airflow moving and remove the heat that may be causing the a/c to kick on more than it should. Heat rises but when it has nowhere to go, it builds up and can make the whole house warmer than necessary. These are also great for the time of the year when heat and air aren’t necessary for the same reason. They keep airflow circulating and keep the house cooler for those open window days. These are relatively inexpensive and most homeowners with some mechanical abilities will be able to install them on their own.

Small skylights are a great way to reduce energy costs as the need for lighting is greatly reduced. Keep in mind that these do need to be installed by a professional. If the skylights are not installed properly, there could be energy loss when the heater or a/c is running as well as potential water damage from gaps or improper installation. These can save quite a bit of money but will need more time to recoup the costs.

Solar hot water systems are becoming more prominent as a must have. They provide more than enough hot water for a whole house but also reduce your utility bill by roughly 30 dollars per month. Now it can take some time to pay off the initial investment; if you are a home that uses a lot of hot water, this time will be short.

The greatest point to make about going green is that most improvements come with tax rebates, credits and in some cases grants. Check with the federal government as well as your state and local governments to see how much, if any, assistance you can get by making the changes to energy efficiency.

As you can see, the costs are minimal and, with tax relief, far less than you could imagine. There really is no reason why you shouldn’t step up and make the changes necessary to improve your financial status and aid in making the environment healthier and more beautiful for all to enjoy generations from now.

Give Your Kitchen a “Greenover”

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The average home consumes a lot of energy through the use of electricity and natural gas each year. One of the parts of your home that uses the most energy is your kitchen; if you check your circuit box, you’ll see that several of your kitchen appliance may have their own dedicated circuit, such as the oven and maybe even the refrigerator. If it’s time to remodel your kitchen, there are some steps you can take to make your kitchen much less of an energy drain in your house.

Energy Star certification means that your appliance meets minimum standards for energy efficiency. Whether you’re looking at a refrigerator, an oven, a dishwasher, or even a window air conditioning unit for your kitchen, choose only those that have the Energy Star sticker on them. When you install them in your home, you are guaranteeing that your power bill will go down, because you’ll be a more responsible steward of your electricity. You’ll also be doing the environment a favor. Check in your city to see is there are tax rebates available to help with your purchase price for buying Energy Star appliances.

Tile and linoleum are the most popular flooring materials in most kitchens. They are waterproof and durable. However, they require a lot of energy to manufacture, so if you want to “green” your kitchen a bit, think about using natural materials for your flooring. Bamboo and cork are just two ideas to consider; while there is more of a challenge with waterproofing, these materials are much less of a burden on the environment to produce. If you are careful in your kitchen, you shouldn’t have much of a problem with either of these two.

When you are remodeling your kitchen, one of the most common sources of toxins is the paint that you put on the wall. It’s not what you’re putting on the walls that does the damage; it is the paint that is left over, and that you are tempted to throw into your trash bins to be carried off. When this paint leaches into the landfill that serves as your town dump, if the landfill is not properly sealed, the effects on your water table can be damaging. Instead, ask your home improvement professional for paint brands that are friendly to the environment.

If you have the flexibility, add some natural light to your kitchen. If you can’t add a skylight, find a way to change your blinds so that more outdoor light makes it inside, so you won’t have to turn on as many light bulbs.

A part of most kitchen remodeling projects includes the installation of new counter tops. To make this part of your project a little “greener,” choose recycled tiles or even some stained chipboard. Recycled tiles have come from other homes or buildings, instead of the factory, so you are cutting the energy used per installation in half by taking this tile and using it again.

Remodeling your kitchen is a great opportunity to help out your environment — and it doesn’t have to cost as much as you might think.

Give your Kitchen a Green Makeover

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Each month, your house consumes a great deal of energy, and the kitchen is one of the biggest drains on your electrical grid. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are some simple changes you can make to your lifestyle in order to bring those bills down. Check out the tips in this article to get started with turning your kitchen into a “green” place.

Many of the appliances in your kitchen have their own dedicated circuit — you can see this if you check out the labels in your circuit box. Some of them may even have a dedicated double circuit. This means that these appliances are some of the biggest energy users in your home. You need things like an oven, a refrigerator and a dishwasher, though, so getting rid of them is not really an option. Instead, when you shop for appliances, look for the Energy Star label on the tags. This is an organization with stringent certification standards for appliances, and if the refrigerator that you are looking at has an Energy Star label, it will use energy much more efficiently than those that do not have it.

Kitchen flooring does not consume energy — except in the manufacturing process. Linoleum and tile are not renewable — and not natural. They are expensive to make and to buy, and the process also uses a great deal of energy. Instead of investing in these processes, look for natural flooring materials, such as bamboo or cork. These will not be as water-resistant, but they take a lot less energy to produce.

When you remodel your kitchen, look for light fixtures that have that Energy Star certification as well. Not all lines of fixtures receive it, so make sure that you talk to the home improvement professional about this when you are shopping. Choosing the CFL bulbs will also help you ensure that your lights are energy efficient. Open window blinds in your kitchen to allow more natural light to come in, so that you don’t have to turn on the lights for as much of the day. Every kilowatt-hour adds up.

You can use a similar procedure when choosing your counter tops that you did when you were choosing your flooring. Instead of choosing that marble or granite, or even that composite plastic, think about using a chipboard that has been stained or even some recycled tiles. This will give you a much “greener” vibe in your kitchen, and there are many older items out there that are coming back into vogue. You can end up with a look in your kitchen that will be the newest trend!

It’s also important to remember that your microwave cooks with much greater energy efficiency than your oven. When possible, nuke your food instead of waiting for that big box to get to 350 degrees.

When it’s remodeling time in the kitchen, making it “greener” will help the environment as well as the value of your home. You don’t have to spend more to do it, if you research in a smart way.

Get Green Energy On Your Side

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Because of the increasing strain that appears to be squeezing American budgets, people are looking for areas in which they can cut costs — and energy is one of those areas. The tips that you read in this article can help you trim your energy costs, so that you can apply those savings toward other needs in your budget.

Instead of running your outdoor lights that are attached to your home’s energy grid, invest in some solar powered outdoor lights. You can find these in a variety of sizes and layouts, ranging from a series of lights that you can put along your front walk or in your bed to larger units that can light up a porch. Gathering energy through the day from the sun’s rays, these lights turn on when things become dark around them. You don’t have to worry about the wiring running up to the house, because they get their current from the sun.

Natural light can make a huge difference in your energy costs. If you don’t have to turn on any lights during the day, you can save a lot of money over time. One way to accomplish this is to squint a lot and to use candles; a more trendy way is to install skylight tubes into your ceiling. These do not have the dramatic visual effect that larger skylights do; however, they do bring natural light from the sky outside, so that you don’t have to turn on the electric lights overhead. The net result is a lower energy bill — and a cooler ceiling.

If you don’t have enough money to put a solar cell array all along the top of your house, you can take an intermediate step and install a hot water system that is solar powered. It just takes half a dozen solar panels, or even fewer. There is a dedicated circuit that runs from the panels to your hot water heater, and on sunny days, the system will send enough energy to your heater to keep your water hot without your having to access the electricity coming from the utility company. You keep your connection to the grid as a backup, but the hope is that the sun can do that work for you.

If you have an automobile that is powered by diesel fuel, it is fairly inexpensive to purchase a filtering kit that will allow you to pour biodiesel into your engine — or even to pour in used cooking oil. If you make an arrangement with some area restaurants to pick up their used oil, you can power your car with the waste of cooking processes, instead of draining the fossil fuel reserves even further.

In some areas, you can get tax credits if you purchase Energy Star efficient appliances, solar panels, or even wind turbines. Talk to energy professionals in your area to see what tax benefits you can gain from going green.

You have a lot of options in the green energy sector. Use the tips in this article to help yourself get started.