Green Home

Borrowing Instead of Buying: How to Use Your Local Library

One easy way you can cut spending and live greener at the same time is to forego the mega book stores and use your local library instead.  Yes, it is fun to browse in a large book store with your $5 latte in hand, and there’s no reason you can’t do that every once in a while. But if you want to see real savings in your checkbook each month, brew your coffee at home and take a travel mug to the library. You’ll find everything you need there…and more!

Here are some ways you can consume fewer resources and spend less by making use of your local library:

• Magazine Subscriptions: Think about all the magazines you subscribe to. You read them for a few minutes and then what do you do with them? They either end up in the garbage or stacked high in your spare room. Two ways you can make better choices about magazines and still get to enjoy them are to donate your used magazines to the library and to stop your subscriptions and instead read each issue at the library. Most libraries have subscriptions to dozens of magazines. Go in on a rainy Saturday and read to your heart’s content. You’ll save by not having to pay for the magazines and you’ll waste less paper because you won’t get all those renewal notices in the mail. Most libraries will take your old magazines, but ask before you drop off a few boxes full of them. If the library can’t use them, donate them to a local preschool or after school program. Many times teachers need magazines for kids to cut up for crafts.
• The New Novel: Libraries know in advance when the newest novels are coming to market, and you can get on their list to reserve the latest John Grisham or Stephen King release. Bigger libraries buy more than one copy, so you’ll have a good chance to get the book as it’s released. Why spend $29.95 on a hardcover new release when you can borrow it for free?
• Movie Night: If you’ve got an expensive subscription to a movie service or if you repeatedly rent On Demand movies from your cable company, you’re spending money you don’t have to. Go to the library and check out their DVD selections. Often, their collection will have current releases and lots of older movies too. And the fun part is they often have movies you’ve never seen before but just might like to. There are classics, operas, miniseries, and more. You might be surprised at how good the offerings are. Another bonus is that most libraries let you take several at a time.
• Kids Movies: If you are bombarded by requests for the new Dora or Disney DVD every time you go out shopping with the kids, make a stop at the library first next time. Kids can browse the whole collection of children’s DVDs and take several out for free. Their tastes change so often that it makes sense to borrow instead of spending upwards of $20 on a movie they’ll watch for a short amount of time. If you have a collection of DVDs that the kids have outgrown, consider donating them to the library. They’ll be happy to add DVDs in good condition to their collection, and that goes for DVDs for grown ups too.
• Internet Browsing: If you rarely get on the Internet but still want access a few times a month, why not cancel your Internet service at home and use the library’s for free? Why pay astronomical fees to have the Internet in your home if you seldom use it? If you or the kids have access to a phone with Internet, use that for infrequent searches and for email and the library’s computers for more involved searching. You’ll save a bundle on the bills at the end of the month.
• Newspaper: Stop your home delivery of the newspaper, pocket the savings, and read the paper at the library. Plan to stop by and glance through the headlines of the major papers. Your library will definitely have subscriptions to the local as well as more national papers.  And if there’s a story you missed, you can get on the Internet at the library and read any paper you like online.
• Mom’s Night Out: Instead of meeting friends for an expensive dinner just so you can go out and chat, why not join the library’s book group or other social club instead? Many book clubs accept new members at any time during the year and they read the most interesting books. You and your friends can join. Or, ask if you can start your own club. The library is there for the community and as long as you are not running a club for profit, your group will be welcomed. Many libraries also offer knitting clubs and other activities. Check out their calendar or ask for more information.
• Museum Passes: Every library has at their disposal free passes to museums in your state. Ask the librarian which museums they hold passes for. You’ll be delighted to find they offer free tickets to aquariums, museums, and other cultural venues. That’s a hefty savings at the door for you and your family. Most times the passes are good for two adults and children often get free admission. You may need to sign up in advance during peak months, so check it out early in the season.

How to Easily Conserve Water at Home

For just a few dollars, you can purchase a small device that will help save the environment in a big way. It’s a water-saving hose nozzle that can be purchased at any hardware or large discount store.  This small nozzle has a big impact because it helps conserve water every time you use your hose. If you don’t already have one of these, you might want to look into getting one.

Every time you water your lawn or wash your car with a free flowing hose nozzle, you’re wasting gallons of precious water. In fact, you can waste upwards of 12 gallons of water each minute this way. If you live in a drought prone area where there are regulations on water use, you’ll definitely need to equip your hose with a self-closing nozzle.

A water-saving hose nozzle is designed to decrease water pressure and flow. You select how you want the water to come out of the hose, and when. Most nozzles have options ranging from a mist to a hard spray. You’ll waste less water because the flow is directed exactly where you need it, when you need it.

You want to look for a spray head that has seven spray options. This will give you the most choice in how you want to use your water. You will also want to find one that is heavy duty and has a metal body so that it won’t crack or break if dropped or stepped on. Also test out the feel of the handle. If you’ll be using it often, you’ll want one with a cushioned grip.

Other things to look for in a self-closing nozzle are rust-proof fittings and an instant on/off switch. A reliable manufacturer should offer you a long warranty. Five years of use or more should be covered.

While you are shopping for your low flow hose nozzle, why not pick up a low flow shower head at the same time? Instead of letting your shower water run free and empty down the drain, use a flow-regulated nozzle that will only pour a few gallons through every minute. You can even stop the flow entirely while you suds up and not have to remix the temperature. Just flip the switch back on and you’re back to your warm shower.

Today’s water saving shower heads come with many comfort features. You can find elegant nozzles that have massage settings from light mist to high pounding pressure. You’ll save around 40% more water than without one. That comes out to about 7,000 gallons each year! It’s worth twenty dollars to save that huge quantity of water.

Opt for a rainfall shower head and you’ll feel like you just stepped into a tropical rain forest. You don’t have to feel deprived just because you’re trying to save money and water. These luxury shower heads have a wide body and regulate the flow no matter what your water pressure is like. And you don’t even need any tools to install them.

There are so many ways inside and outside of the home for saving water and money. Look for water conservation kits. These kits include everything necessary to fit your bathroom with money saving devices. Most include a toilet tank regulator, shower head, and faucet aerator.

Kids can get in on the action as well. There are some fun products that children will love to use. If you’ve got a teen or tween who is notorious for taking long showers, hand them a shower coach devise. It functions like an hourglass, but it’s designed for the shower. Kids can turn it when they start their shower, and then know that their shower is over when the last of the sand hits bottom.

Small changes can lead to large savings. Replacing a toilet that constantly runs with a low flow toilet will save you gallons of water each day, and over the course of a year you could save upwards of 16,500 gallons.

You can also do only full loads of laundry on wash day instead of several smaller loads that waste water. Also, always be sure to match the water level knob to the level of clothing in the washer’s basin to save even more water.

Fix all leaks when you notice them. Water your yard in the morning when it’s coolest out to avoid water evaporation. Capture water that runs while you are waiting for the shower temperature to adjust. Use it to water plants. These are all great water-saving choices that will add up over time.

Teach children early that water is not an endless supply, and that they do need to use it sparingly. If each person took water conservation seriously in their home, the planet would have thousands upon thousands of extra water to use for drinking, watering plants, and many other activities.  Today’s the day to get into the habit of saving water in any and every way you can.

What is so different about Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs?

If you’ve seen those curly new light bulbs, then you have seen a CFL, a compact fluorescent bulb. It’s a money-saving invention that uses only a quarter of the energy regular light bulbs do. They also last ten times longer and don’t get as hot as incandescent bulbs. CFLs can produce a variety of colors from warm to cool.

Since the 1990s, CFL bulbs have been a choice for light bulb buyers. These CFL bulbs fit in the same sockets as the bulbs you’re used to. They have circular coils and look very different, and that’s because they are. These bulbs are Energy Start rated and it’s estimated that if you change out just one light bulb from regular to a CFL, you can save over $60. Multiply that by every light bulb in your house and you have racked up quite a bit of savings.

Compact fluorescent bulbs have to make it through a very rigorous set of tests by the Department of Energy in order to earn the rating of Energy Star. If the bulb you’re buying doesn’t say on the packaging that it is Energy Star rated, it’s a lesser quality bulb. It won’t last as long, so don’t buy it. All Energy Star bulbs are required to carry a two-year warranty or better. Keep your receipts for any CFL bulb purchases because you can return a faulty bulb and the manufacturer will refund your money or replace the bulb.

You will pay a bit more for CFLs but the savings is in the fact that you don’t have to replace them as often.  If you don’t have the cash to hand out right now to refit all your light sockets in the house, do it a little at a time. Start with the rooms you use the most. It makes sense to switch out kitchen bulbs now and as you build up your savings, slowly replace them all.

CFLs look different and display light differently than a standard bulb. You may have to play around a bit with wattage with these new bulbs. It may say 40 watt, but not throw light in the same way you would expect from a standard 40 watt bulb.

Have a dimmer switch? You can use a CFL with it as well as with three way fixtures. There are CFLs that are rated for indoor use. If you want to light up a space outdoors, be sure to use only bulbs certified for outdoor use. And they definitely do make them for outdoors. In fact, replacing a porch light or other light you leave on a lot outside is a great way to save energy.

One thing about CFL bulbs that is a concern is that they contain mercury. Granted, it’s not a large amount, but any amount of mercury must be treated with care. If you have pets or children who might accidentally knock over a lamp, you might want to consider if you should use a CFL in that lamp. If it breaks, you don’t have to panic. But don’t pick it up with your bare hands either. Keep the kids and pets out of the area and pick up the glass with gloves and place them in a plastic bag. Wash the area with warm water using a paper towel and then throw the paper towel into the bag, too. Wash your hands and the hands of anyone who may have touched the breakage.  You don’t need to call in the hazardous waste clean up folks or decontaminate your whole house. Just seal the bag. You can then bring it to a place like Home Depot, which offers CFL recycling. Don’t throw it out in your regular trash bin.

Don’t be too concerned about the possibility of breaking a CFL bulb. If you use them in overhead fixtures and in places that won’t be knocked or jostled, you’ll be fine. Be careful where you store them. If they fall out of a crowded cabinet onto the floor and break or are accidentally crushed in an overstuffed drawer, find another place to store them.

CFLs will perform properly without humming or buzzing if you handle them the right way. Never install them by the glass. Hold the bottom and screw that in. And manufacturers suggest that if you have a lamp you turn on and off all the time, it’s best to forego using a CFL bulb. The reason is that these bulbs perform best when left on for at least 15 minutes at a time.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are easy ways to save money without too much effort. You’ll get more life out of each bulb and lower your electric bill at the same time. It makes good sense.

The Benefits of Using a Motion Sensor

If you have an area inside or outside of the home that needs to be lit only infrequently, you might consider installing a motion sensor. This technology allows you to leave the lights off until something moves in its path. Then, the light will turn on and turn itself off in a designated number of minutes. It’s smart if you have a dark driveway that you’d like to illuminate when you drive in, but not all night long.

Motion sensors are not hard to install and you can do it yourself. You will save a great deal of money because you don’t have to leave the light on for yourself the entire time you’re out just so your dark areas outdoors will be lit when you arrive home. Once your sensor is installed, you just leave the light switch alone. It will automatically go on when anything moves within its scope of sight. You can set that distance so that every passing car doesn’t set it off. But be aware that a stray raccoon or a falling branch will set it off.

You can use a motion sensor for a garage or basement that you don’t want lit all day and all night. When you are carrying a basket of laundry down to the washer and have your hands full, you won’t have to fish around for the light switch. It will go on automatically to light your way. Set it to stay on five minutes or more if you will be down there a while. If it does go off, any movement you make will switch it back on again. So you’ll never be left in the dark.

Kids’ rooms are also ideal for motion sensors. If your children wake in the night and want you, they don’t have to fumble for a light switch. All they have to do is get up out of bed and the light will go on. It won’t be so sensitive to turn on with their every toss and turn. It will just go on when they need it to see their way to the hallway.

The main reason most people buy a motion sensor is to help prevent theft. It’s harder for a would-be intruder to make his way into your home if the lights are on to magnify his every move. Chances are he will move on to some other dark house and skip yours. You don’t even need an alarm as few thieves will risk being seen in the bright light. Of course, you should take precautions to safeguard your home in any case, but a motion sensor is an added measure of security.

It’s interesting how motion sensors work. They sense body heat and wave lengths to decide whether to turn on or not. You can change the sensitivity to flash on at the slightest movement of a leaf falling or you can broaden your range to include only movement at the base of your driveway.

With the technology available today, some motion sensors do more than just turn on one light. Some can be wired to turn on other lights and a stereo or television so that a potential thief will think someone is inside. It can even control your thermostat so that the house is warm for you when you get home but not blasting heat uselessly when you are not. There’s no complicated hard wiring required and these sensors run on batteries.

Many motion sensors are so sensitive that they can detect someone trying to move under the sensitivity zone as well. That type of sensor is more elaborate, so ask a security professional about installing one of that type.

You can purchase a motion sensor in just about every store that sells lighting products. You can also purchase them online which is great if you want to buy several for a bulk discount. For around $15, you can get a sensor that turns the lights on when darkness falls and off when the sun comes up. These same types have settings also for sensing movement and can be set that way if you prefer.

There’s really no reason not to buy a motion sensor. When you consider the convenience of having a light come on when you or your guests approach your home and the theft deterrent features, it just makes good sense. Look online for motion sensor companies that offer free shipping and you’ll save yourself having to run around to different stores looking for the motion sensor you want.  Get one for over your garage, over the front door, in back to illuminate the deck and the back door, by the shed or greenhouse, and any place where a quick flood of light will be a help.

The Benefits of Natural Light at Home and at Work

If you’ve ever felt down or blue when it gets dark in the winter at 4:30pm, you know the effect that sunlight can have on you. The lack of it can make you feel lethargic and depressed. But opening up the blinds and letting as much natural light in as possible will bring your spirits up and also help you function better.

Many people don’t have much of a chance to be out in natural daylight. If you work long hours in an office, there’s a chance that you’re not exposed very much at all to the sun. You may head for the commuter train when it’s still dark out and come home after the sun has set. If this is the case, it may be a good idea to find a way to let more natural light into your day.

Architects and builders have long known the positive effects that natural light can have. People work better and are more productive and much happier when their space displays natural light. An office that has only fluorescent lighting can produce eye strain and has been shown to result in employees being absent more.  Just like plants, people need natural light to function at their best.

Natural light can also help the environment. When a building makes use of sunlight, it needs less fuel to heat the space. Solar panels can generate electricity as well. But even just having a window that brings in the sun’s rays can cut down on the fuel bill.  And because sunlight produces less heat than light bulbs generate indoors, the air conditioning costs are also slashed.

People who have access to daylight are calmer and their moods are more stable. Depression has been shown to improve when light therapy is used. Workstations placed near a window lead to happier employees. If you have ever worked in a dark cubicle, you know how important light is to your well-being.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is caused by a lack of sunlight during the winter months. This condition causes the body to produce more melatonin than it should. That produces a sluggishness that comes on in darkness. One way to help alleviate this condition is to use SAD lighting, which provides a sunlight-like dose of light indoors.

As just about everyone uses a computer these days, more and more cases of eye fatigue are becoming prevalent. Lighting a work space at home or at work via a window can reduce that strain. Use full-spectrum bulbs designed to replicate sunlight for best results.

If your home is dark during the day and you’ve opened all the blinds and curtains you can, you can consider a skylight to add extra light. Both domed and flat versions will allow in precious daylight so you can function at a better capacity. Skylights are relatively inexpensive and will actually end up saving you money because they make use of solar light and energy. In less than a few hours, a pro can come in and install one in your home office or kitchen or wherever you work.

If you work in a darkened office, consider bringing in a full spectrum sun lamp that replicates sun light. You can place it on your desk and have several hours a day of forced sunlight. It will have just about the same effect as if you went outside.

The benefits of exposure to sunlight are now being recognized by companies. Many are redoing their workplace to allow more sunlight in.

Sunlight allows the body to produce Vitamin D which helps to keep bones strong and the immune system in top shape. Vitamin D has been linked to cures for cancer. If you’re outside or exposed to sunlight long enough, you will probably have healthy levels of Vitamin D. You can also add to your levels by consuming foods rich in Vitamin D or by taking supplements.

To allow the most sunlight into your home, keep windows free of heavy draperies and dark blinds. Roll your blinds all the way up during the day so you can get the full advantage of the sun’s rays. If you have shades, keep them up as well. If you want some sort of daytime covering for privacy, keep sheer curtains on the windows in a white, pastel, or cream color so the light can still pass through.

There’s no doubt about it. Natural sunlight has an extremely positive effect on the body. Be sure you work and live in a place where you get enough of it. If you have to amend your spaces to bring in more light, get the best full-spectrum lighting you can find. You’ll feel more cheerful, positive, and enthusiastic. Those three o’clock slump times may disappear forever with the right lighting.