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The Green Machine Blog

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All things green, eco-friendly, and seriously sustainable

Entries in this blog

5 Things to Know about Tankless Water Heaters

How big is your water heater? Twenty? Thirty? Fifty gallons? How many times have you run out of hot water before your hair was rinsed? Every time you take a shower or bath, your tank has to refill. It also has to kick on throughout the day to keep the water inside hot. If you're looking for ways to cut back on your utility bills, losing the tank is a good place to start. How do Tankless Water Heaters Work? Tankless water heaters are manufactured in both gas and electric options, ea

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

5 Reasons Why Steel Construction is the Eco-Friendly Choice

Steel as a building material is growing in popularity, even for residential structures. It’s actually become trendy for its variety of options, speed and ease of construction, durability, and a number of environmental benefits. If you’re an eco-friendly buyer looking to build a new home, here are five good reasons why steel is the best ecological choice in green building design. Lower Energy Costs As one of the strongest construction materials, steel homes can support much denser l

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

4 Creative Ways Companies Are Recycling Various Materials

Recycling is becoming an increasingly big part of business. The obvious advantages are the environmental good coming from the practice and how companies can reuse materials. However, it also makes good business sense to try recycling whenever you can. Many people like to patronize establishments that they know are going for sound recycling methods. Here are a few of the more creative ways certain industries are trying to up their recycling game. Postage If your business ships any sorts

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers in Recycling

4 Steps Homeowners Need to Take to Reduce Home Energy Consumption in Winter

Winter is a great time to stay home and relax while enjoying time with friends and family. Unfortunately, all of that extra time at home can greatly increase your home's energy consumption. To help lower utility bills and reduce your home's environmental impact, there are some important steps you should take to help make your home more energy-efficient this winter. Install a Programmable Thermostat Although manual thermostats are effective at maintaining one temperature in your home, t

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers in green living

How to Ensure Your Business Is Meeting Emission Standards

As climate change continues to be an important topic of discussion in today’s world, industrial facilities and other businesses are having to pay much closer attention to air quality and emission standards. Since these standards are regulated by the EPA and meant to slow the release of greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants, failure to meet required standards can sometimes result in heavy fines and other penalties. To ensure your business is meeting emission standards, take the following steps. M

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers in Eco-Friendly Tech

Stop Energy Leaks! Four Simple Changes You Can Make to Help Keep Energy in the Home

Photo credit: Flickr Creative Commons via Halfrain When a home leaks energy, the result is typically higher energy costs and causing your central heat and air to work harder than it should. For this reason, many homeowners actively seek for practical ways to improve the energy efficiency of their home. Keeping more of your home's heat and air inside will lead to lower energy costs. In the interest of helping homeowners make their home more energy efficient, here are four excellent tips on how

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

What to Know about Eco-Friendly Pest Control Methods

Most people are aware of the impact commercial farms have on the impact with their use of pesticides. What many do not realize, however, is regular home and garden use of pesticides adds up to 160 million pounds of chemical use every year, which is more than the government and businesses combined. Want to do something to help the environment while keeping pests away from your home? Green pest control methods can be just as effective as chemicals or even work better without the use of che

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

5 Smart Habits Most People Can Do Daily to Help Save the Planet

Saving the planet is usually something we can all get on board with. Unfortunately, many of us just simply don't know where to start. We're going to share with you five easy habits you can start doing today to do your part to help save the planet. Use Reusable Shopping Bags One trip to the store, and suddenly you have a bunch of plastic bags that typically get tossed in the garbage. You can completely eliminate your use of plastic bags by investing in some sturdy reusable shopping bags

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers in Recycling

5 Eco-friendly Dental Products

Most people are always on the hunt for green food or ecologically friendly cars to save money, but there are some people who are truly passionate about Earth enough to want to be as respectful as they can be. Being respectful to nature does not always have to be a sacrifice to the wallet either. You can even promote environmental values in things like dental products. Below are five economically and ecologically friendly products for dental hygiene. Some of them have recycled packaging, o

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

Learn Why Renewable Energy is becoming an Even Bigger Deal in 2015

Renewable energy has a long history. Since the mid-1950s, it has been a boiler plate for future energy initiatives. Designs for wind, geothermal and solar energy can be traced back to scientific concepts of men like Nicola Tesla and Thomas Edison. As it continues to gain supporters and traction, the quest for renewable energy sources isn’t slowing down any time soon. In 2015, renewable energy will become an even bigger deal for several reasons. Reduction in Costs of Renewable Energy Former

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

Green Vehicle: 5 Ways to Make Your Car More Eco-Friendly

You don’t have to invest in a hybrid or electric car to make your vehicle greener. Certain driving habits, proper vehicle maintenance and a few small changes or accessories can go a long way to improving a car’s efficiency and reducing its overall carbon footprint. The best news of all is that these green car tips are likely to save you money in the long run by reducing your need for fuel or expensive repairs.   Control Speed About 75 percent of a vehicle’s carbon emissions

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

4 Ways to Keep Your Company's Machinery Eco-friendly

In case your company has not taken the necessary steps to become eco-friendly, you need to take the challenge head-on. Taking the initiative to reduce waste and going green is a great way to becoming efficient and saving money for your business. A lot needs to be done to ensuring our working environments are sustainable for the future generations. Below are four eco-friendly practices that will help you reduce your company’s machinery carbon footprint, and save money for your business.

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

Go Green: What You Should Know about Recycling E-Waste

As the problem of e-waste looms ever larger in the consciousness of the American public, understanding what to do with those unwanted electronics can still be a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, there are plenty of reputable electronics recyclers where you can take your e-junk. At the same time, there are some important things you should know about recycling your electronics to ensure they end up in the right hands. Not All Electronics Recyclers Are Created Equal There are plenty of

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

4 Ways to Be as Eco-Friendly as Possible With Your Car

Cars will probably never be completely eco-friendly, but there are some steps that drivers can take to minimize their impact on the environment. As an added bonus, many of these eco-friendly tips and upgrades are also going to end up saving you money in the long run. Follow the Suggested Maintenance Schedule One of the single best things that you can do for your vehicle is to follow the manufacturer's suggested maintenance schedule. That schedule is going to keep your car running as ef

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers in vehicle pollution

How a Public Administration Degree Can Help You Save the Environment

A public administration degree includes a bachelor's, master's or doctorate degree awarded by an accredited university, college or business school. These programs prepare a person to work for a non-profit organization or in government at the local, state or national level. Earning one of these degrees involves building skills in politics, management, accounting, urban planning and environmental sciences. With a public administration masters, you may be able to put your skills to use for saving t

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

5 Keys to Having Clean Water on Your Farm

One of the keys to operating a successful farm is to maintain the integrity of your water sources and irrigation systems. With levels of pollution on the rise—even in isolated, rural areas—accessing clean water is more important than ever. Below are five tips you can use to protect your farm’s water sources and plumbing lines. City and County Water Lines Most local water utilities are strictly regulated to provide clean water to the communities they serve, both in the cities and ou

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

How to Live Off the Grid in Texas

Everyone who lives off the grid has their own reasons for doing so. It might be political, economical, environmental or some other reason. But whatever your motivation for choosing this lifestyle, there are a few basic ideas that you need to get straight in order to make this successful for you and your family. Texas is a great place to live off the grid. Below are four things you must have to live comfortably in this way. Food For many people, living off the grid and homesteading

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

On the Road to Sustainability: How (and why) the Transportation Industry is Slowly Getting More Eco-Friendly

Photo credit: Flickr Creative Commons via Mackenzie Anyone who lives in a city is aware of the negative environmental impacts of the transportation industry. Most cars on the road today still have internal combustion engines that emit large amounts of carbon and other pollutants. Even seemingly clean alternatives, such as electric subways and trains, still release tons of carbon annually. In all, according to the EPA, transportation was responsible for emission of just under two thousand mill

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

5 Intriguing Advancements in Recycling Today

Innovations continue to emerge as business and governmental agencies step up to the challenge of reducing solid waste. From planning for the future to large-scale examples of best practices in waste-stream sorting, here are five intriguing advancements in recycling: 1. Design for Recycling The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries recognizes advancements in this area with an annual award. Samsung Electronics America won the award in 2016 for its design of a TV incorporating snap-toge

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

5 Ways to Save Electricity at Home

You and your family might be wasting an exorbitant amount of electricity without even realizing it. Inefficient appliances and unwise habits could be costing you thousands of dollars a year, and that is why homeowners should constantly be looking for new ways to reduce their carbon footprint. These five tips will help you bring your electric bills down without making any major lifestyle changes. Weatherize Your House In the average home, the HVAC system is responsible for around 48

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

How to Save Water in an Older Home

Owning an older home can be a wonderful way to enjoy some unique character that simply can’t be found in a newer home. At the same time, it’s rare to find an older home that can operate as efficiently as a newer home, specifically in the area of water conservation. Fortunately, though, while you might not be able to implement every last water-saving device, there are several great and easy ways to save water in your older home. New Fixtures If you have an older home, it’s likely th

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

Mulching or Bagging? The Right Choice for Mowing Lawns

Bag or mulch? If you care for a lawn, undoubtedly you’ve wondered what to do with clippings. Should you collect them in a bag attached to your lawnmower or allow them to fall back on to the lawn, providing mulch for the growing grass?   Best to leave clippings For lots of reasons that are good for your turf and the environment, experts say to leave the clippings. This will have the same value as one or two applications of fertilizer each year. Your lawn management practices w

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

Green Realty: How Solar Power Factors into a Home Sale or Purchase

An increasing number of homeowners are turning to solar power to save on their energy costs and to make less of an impact on the environment. Many times, solar panels can generate enough energy to power as much as 50 percent of the average home’s energy leading to significant savings on electric. Solar power installation companies also often state that adding solar power to your home increases its resale value. In actuality, solar panels can complicate your home sale or purchase. Do Solar P

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

5 Keys to Having an Eco-Friendly Bathroom

Plenty of people have taken steps to create a more energy efficient and healthier home by switching out their light bulbs and replacing energy-hungry appliances and devices with energy sippers. It’s possible to do the same in the bathroom by selecting products that lighten the load on the environment using these tips.   1. Heat the Space It may seem counterintuitive, but using a space heater in the bathroom if your home is too chilly for bathing will save energy. By themsel

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

How to Comply with Hazardous Material Regulations

Hazardous material (hazmat) refers to everything from household chemicals to fuel or potentially infectious biological substances like medical waste. All hazardous materials must be handled with extra care to ensure the safety of workers and the public. Special regulations have been put in place by state and federal authorities, particularly the DOT and OSHA. Here are some tips to make compliance easier. Reference for Regulations These regulations must be followed by manufacturer

Dixie Somers

Dixie Somers

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