Have you ever forgotten the name of a prescription? What about the measurements of your air filter? Thanks to the ubiquitous nature of smartphone cameras, it’s now possible to carry around your entire life (well, at least a 2-D version) in the palm of your hand. You might already use your email or notes apps on your smartphone to keep track of little everyday reminders. But your camera app and photo album can be just as useful as a memory aid. Here are a few things that can easily be remembered with a quick snap of your camera phone’s shutter button. [Read this article]

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The appliances that are in our homes – washers, dryers, fridges and stoves – play a major role in our lives. They do a lot for us, from cleaning dishes, clothes, storing food, and more, but what you may not realize is they add to your monthly electric bill and they put increasing power demands on your local power company. Buying energy efficient appliances and using your existing appliances in a more responsible and eco friendly manner will help you to lower your monthly power bill, take pressure off your local power company and help reduce your impact on our environment. Here are some tips and suggestions about making your appliances as eco-friendly as possible whether that involve buying new appliances or using and maintaining them in an environmentally friendly and responsible way. Most of our appliances have a lot of features that you may or may not need to use. For example, if you pre-rinse your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher then there is no need to use that setting on the dishwasher. Also, select the no-heat drying option as the dishes will dry in the dishwasher like they would air drying on the counter. [Read this article]

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Although Earth Day is over, we can still continue our commitment to protecting our environment for our families and even our pets. Editor-in-Chief of Green Living, Tishin Donkersley, M.A. has some easy ways to help your pets stay safe and healthy. One of the easiest ways to start greening your home for your pet is to remove chemicals or products with VOCs from the air in your home. Like humans, pets are just as susceptible to what we breathe. Don’t use canned air fresheners as most are chemical-based. Instead, to get rid of that pet smell, sprinkle baking soda on the carpet, let it rest for 10-15 minutes and vacuum it up. Another way is to use aromatherapy. Believe it or not, pets respond to scents in the home. With that big olfactory receptor, your pup takes in the same air you do and according to veterinarian Dr. Richard Palmquist, pets respond to scents like humans and could take on the energy from the air in their space. [Read this article]

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Greening up your home does not have to be a pious experience, or a lifestyle downgrade. You don’t need to cut back on showers or go all Birkenstock, all the time. In fact, there are some rather fabulous, somewhat selfish perks to making green changes to your home and your lifestyle. Green homes simply sell faster than comparable homes without energy efficient features. Today’s home buyers want to save money (that’s why they’re buying now!) and are willing to prioritize homes that allow them to do this by way of energy efficient systems and upgrades. The data particularly bears this out when it comes to homes with solar energy systems. The US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy recently released reported that solar homes sell twice as fast as a home without solar panels – even in a down market. Not only are buyers willing to bestow a preference on ‘green’ or energy efficient homes, they are willing to pay more for them. [Read this article]

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Over 4.6 million tons of e-waste ended up in U.S. landfills in 2000 according to the EPA. On average, an American household has 25 different electronic products, most of which will someday wind up needing to be recycled. The problem with electronic waste is that the toxic chemicals, like mercury, in the electronics can leach into the land or be released into the atmosphere. Thankfully, electronic recycling is increasing. In fact, last year 460 million pounds of electronics were recycled, a 53 percent increase over the 300 million pounds recycled in 2010, according to the first annual report of the Consumer Electronics Association’s (CEA) eCycling Leadership Initiative. The CEA launched the eCycling Leadership Initiative on April 13, 2011 with a dozen electronics companies with the goal of recycling one billion pounds electronics a year by 2016. One billion pounds of electronics would fill about 88.9 million cubic feet, equivalent to a 71,000 seat NFL stadium. The amount of drop-off locations increased nationwide to almost 7,500 last year from just over 5,000 in 2010. [Read this article]

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Here are a few ideas for easy-going, eco-savvy Earth Day celebrations. You don’t have to spend hours on a grand hike in your nearest National Park to celebrate Earth Day (although that certainly does have merit.) This year, why not just take a walk with your kids around the block, through the neighborhood, down the city street, or along the gravel path. Experience and enjoy the Earth – the sounds, the smells (okay, city folk might want to skip that one), the colors, and the sights – right where you live. One of the most important things you can do for the planet this Earth Day is to talk to your kids about why nature is so important. Do your kids know your favorite animal? Do they know why you take the time to wash out and reuse your glass jars or hang your clothes on the line? Take a few minutes on Earth Day to tell them how important the Earth is to you and how you as a family can work together to protect it. [Read this article]

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