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Killymoon reacted to Dixie Somers for a blog entry, Tips for Reducing Your Car’s Carbon Footprint
Driving can have a hugely negative impact on your carbon footprint, and while we all strive to reduce our personal drain on the environment, there are some things we struggle to do without. While you work toward a world that lives in harmony with earth, there are some things you can do to reduce your car’s carbon footprint.
Share a Car
Most families have more than one car, and more often than not, each car is intended for the transportation of one person at a time. Getting rid of one car and sharing the other can greatly reduce your carbon footprint and save you money. If life with one car is not doable right now, try to carpool as much as possible and save the other car for emergencies only.
Trade Up
Trade in your gas guzzler for a more fuel efficient green vehicle. Not only will you be helping the environment, but you’ll be saving money on gas as well. Check out the EPA’s site on green vehicles to help you make the best choice for your family.
Drive More Sensibly
The better you drive, the less gas you waste. Instead of hitting the gas, accelerate slowly and maintain a steady speed. That also includes not driving faster than you need to. These simple tips can improve your gas mileage by 33%, not to mention make the road safer for you and others.
Maintenance
Proper maintenance can also improve your carbon footprint. Simple acts like getting an engine tune up from a company like Natrad can keep your car running smoothly and keep it from emitting more CO2 than it should. Take it a step further and replace all of your filters at least once a year.
Air Up
Airing up your tires and keeping them inflated to the proper level can increase your fuel efficiency and save over 400 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
Roll Down the Windows
Instead of cranking up the air, roll down the windows. Not only will this reduce your fuel consumption, but it will increase your happy mood. A little fresh air and vitamin D does good for the mind and body.
So many people live by the idea that, if we can never reduce our carbon footprint to a completely sustainable level, we shouldn’t bother trying. While it may be true that some pollution is inevitable, it is also true that we can make a difference and lessen the global impact one step at a time—and the first step is making eco-friendly choices in your own home.
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Killymoon reacted to Meghan Belnap for a blog entry, 5 Eco-friendly Uses for Waste Water
According to the UN News Center, one of the world's most pressing issues is meeting water needs. Without changes in water consumption and conservation, the world will find it challenging to meet the water needs of the world's 2050 projected population of 9.6 billion. With extreme drought threatening areas including metropolitan California and southern Somalia, conserving water and reusing water will make what we have go further. Try these tips to make a difference.
Use a Shower Bucket
Collect the water that flows before the water heater gets the shower spray ready. You'll end up with plenty of clean, fresh water for another use, like filling your pets' water bowls.
Cooking Water
After cooking pasta, place a bowl under the colander and drain the pasta. After it cools, the pasta water you'd usually pour down the drain is perfect for watering indoor plants. The same goes for the water used to wash vegetables. If you find a partially drunk glass of water while gathering the dirty dishes, feed it to a plant.
Take Baths
Between 7 to 10 gallons of water goes down the drain in a shower. So, put your feet up in a relaxing bath instead. Reuse your bath water to wash the car, clean bathroom tiles, mop the floor, etc. You can have a plumber install a drain to an indoor or outdoor recycling system.
Rethink Your Water System
Reuse your sewage-free waste water to water the lawn, garden or crops. Gray water refers to reusable waste water from bathroom sinks, bath/shower drains and washing machine drains. It's commonly used for landscape irrigation. These systems simply divert your gray water using submersible pumps and pipes, such as those developed by PFC Equipment, Inc. The same systems used on construction sites and at mining operations can help your home or farm save water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there have been no documented cases of human health issues from properly treated recycled water.
Car Wash
Park your vehicle near the lawn and shrubs when you wash it. Use soap and water to wash the car, then let the rinse water run onto the lawn. You'll accomplish two tasks at once and the soapy water won't hurt your lawn.
Let these five simple ways to make your water go further kick start your conservation efforts. Not only will you help the environment, you'll likely see your water bill decrease. These tips may seem small, but if everybody in the world implemented these practices, imagine how much water and money could be saved.
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Killymoon reacted to LizzieWeakley for a blog entry, 7 Ways to go the Extra Mile for a Greener and Cleaner Environment
Although there are many ways to go green, it can be difficult to know how to take the first step. Luckily, there are many small and large scale ways to join the movement for a cleaner environment. Read on for some inspiring ideas about how to take initiative and make the world a greener, cleaner place.
Read and Recycle
Reading is an appealing past time, but buying books can become expensive and there is also the issue of what to do with them post reading. Why not practice recycling and support your local community at the same time? Donate gently used books to your local library and shop for new reading material at your local library's used book store, or at local yard sales. If you do not have a local library, consider setting up a book swap with friends. Instead of everyone having their own magazine subscriptions, set up a magazine trading circuit as well.
Carpool
Gas is expensive and everyone driving independently puts a strain on traffic and the environment. Look into sharing a ride to work or to run errands. Not only will it ease your gas budget and release less pollutants, but it just might make your traveling experiences more enjoyable.
Eat Local
Make it a habit to shop for foods at your local farmer's market or farm stand. The food that you find there is seasonal and fresh, and has not required excess gas and transportation to reach consumers. Consider also eating at small businesses that use local food products, or join a community supported agriculture program.
Pursue an Environmental Career
If you are choosing a career or changing career paths, consider looking into environmental law degrees. This is a way to impact the world around you by advocating for preservation of natural resources. It is a great choice for individuals interested in jobs that blend science and law.
Set Up Online Bill Payment
Junk mail is annoying and time consuming to pick up and sort through. The excess paper involved is also an environmental strain. Do yourself and the earth a big favor by streamlining and switching to an online bill payment system.
Check Window Caulking
It may seem minor, but deteriorated window caulking can allow warm and cool air to escape your home. This air release causes an increase in energy costs and unnecessary environmental demands. Use energy wisely and keep some extra money in your pocket by taking the time to check window caulking and replace it as needed.
Clean with Non Toxic Products
There is no reason to support chemical heavy cleaning product companies and further pollute the environment. Chances are, your cupboards already contain all the items you need to thoroughly clean your home. Simply check for practical items such as vinegar and baking soda, and get ready for a sparkling non-toxic living space.
Make an earth friendly resolution today and encourage friends and family members to do the same. Choose from a myriad of small and large steps that give the satisfaction of knowing you are doing something beneficial. A greener cleaner environment really is worth the extra effort involved.
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Killymoon reacted to greenenergy for a blog entry, Effectual Tips to Save Electricity on Laundry
Doing your regular laundry task through the washing machine and tumbler, literary devour electricity. It has been estimated that in average household laundry consumes nearly 5 percent of the overall electricity bill. By bringing small changes to the regular procedure of washing clothes, one can cut down the energy bill to a significant level. Nearly 90% of the electricity used in a washing machine goes behind heating up the water and the rest of the energy is needed to run the motor of the machine. There are effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint to the environment and make the burden lighter on your pocket. Let’s catch a glimpse of them-
• Only bad stains, dirty clothes and stinky underwear require warmer temperature to be washed properly, otherwise, 300 C is enough to wash off the regular clothes. Choose a laundry detergent that is made to use with cold water for availing best result. Most of us are not aware of the fact that washing machine can actually work equally well with cold water. Wash the clothes through the lowest water level and shortest cycle feasible for your requirement. However, it’s important to wash the clothes with hot water occasionally as it prevents the forming of bad odors and accumulation of bacteria in the machine.
• Instead of washing your clothes regularly via the washing machine use it only when you amass a full load of clothes as partially loaded washer consumes as much electricity as a completely loaded machine. However, when you need to operate the machine with a partial load make sure you place it in proper load size. However, never overload the machine, as it will impede the washer to clean the clothes properly.
• Use an outdoor washing line instead of an electric dryer as it’s not only the eco-friendly way of drying your clothes but also save a large amount on your electricity bill. However, when the weather makes it impossible to dry your clothes outside, an indoor wall mounted clothes line can come into great help.
• When you are running out of time and it’s become important to use an electric dryer, take out the clothes out of it as soon as possible as modern appliances continue to rotate to avoid creasing thus consume more energy.
• Before putting your clothes inside it, sort them out by the type of fabric, as different fabric requires different timing to dry and clean the lint after every use. By cleaning out the fluff you can help the machine to operate efficiently.
Instead of using old appliances bring home energy efficient washer with higher energy rating that tends to consume nearly 37% less electricity. If you are not ready to invest in energy saving appliances then investing on the clothes line is certainly a good alternative way to save on electricity bill. There are wide variations in clotheslines in Australia that can be easily bought from the online website.
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Killymoon reacted to HannahWhittenly for a blog entry, 5 Great Green Ways To Market Your Business
There has never been a better time to go green with marketing than right now. Long gone are the days of bulky newsletters and flyers. Once you choose the right online marketing platform, your presence will be instantly accessible to whoever owns a computer or a smartphone. Here are 5 of the most effective green marketing models that can help you reach all of your business goals.
Social Media
Let’s start with the easiest and most common platform. Social media. Social media is a huge deal and is a really great way to draw attention to your business. You want to be sure that you can be found on Instagram, SnapChat, Facebook, Tumblr, StumbleUpon, Flickr, and Twitter and just about any other social media site you can find. Joining these sites will grant you immense opportunities to expose your logo and interact directly with your clients.
Keep in mind, that each of these social media outlets can be used for different purposes. For example:
· Instagram can be used for "behind the scene" action photos.
· Facebook is best for ongoing posts of what the company is currently doing. Be sure to write spectacular social media updates in order to draw the most attention.
· SnapChat is great for mini alert videos.
· StumbleUpon is superb for exposing your newest blog posts in a way that users will share them with one another.
· Twitter allows for quick customer interaction at 140 characters or less.
· Tumblr and Flickr can be your company photo albums.
There is no limit to what you can do, at a very cheap price, if not for free. Be everywhere!
Community Outreach
Go out in the community representing your business or brand by participating in socially responsible events. Examples include:
· 5Ks- from entities such as the American Heart Association, Relay for Life, and World AIDS day.
· charity events
· school fundraisers
· blood drives
· LGBTQ celebrations
· military support events
To be there as a brand, wearing your logos, symbolizes support and active involvement. This can also give you an opportunity to spread the word about the business you believe in and really get involved with your community.
TV, News Sponsorship, Local, and Satellite Radio Advertisement
Yup! These things are still around! Use them! Contact your local news station and ask how you can purchase space time to show your logo during the nightly news. You can also buy a sponsorship that can mention your brand or company at that time. Just Think: "Tonight's community highlight brought to you by [YOUR BRAND]." No need for commercials. Just have relevant sources, such as the news, acknowledge that you have a presence in the community and in the media.
Guest Blogging Services
Guest blogging is a really great way to boost your business. It helps get your company’s name out there in a fast and respectable manner. Sites such as multifuse.com/guest-blogging-services/ offer great content marketing advice and services such as guest blogging. Places like this are great ways to find experts at keyword rankings, SEO, and those tricky techie variables that can be the “makers or breakers” of your online exposure. Finding these experts and getting help with guest blogging can really be a huge benefit for you. The more your brand is exposed, the better results you’ll get. This means more leads to bring traffic into your website. This can also translate into profits, likes, more free influence, and even strengthening your online credibility.
Press Releases
Press releases cause the same effect in the public as a “Breaking News” announcement. They are legit, give you a lot of credibility, and show that you are very serious about what you are merchandising. A press release is proportionally effective to the format and wording used. Make sure that you adopt effective and concise language, or else hire a content marketing agency to do it for you.
Go for it! Nothing is an obstacle in a world where online presence is everything. Put your brand out there, and enjoy the beauty of "influencing."
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Killymoon reacted to RachelleW for a blog entry, 5 Ways Businesses Can Operate in More Earth-Friendly Ways
Businesses utilizing strategies to help with the environment are always worth looking up to. There is no need, however, to downright change your entire lifestyle and how you work too much in the world of business. Just a few small changes to how you do business can make a big difference to the Earth. Implement these environmentally techniques to make a small change to the world.
Organic Office Furniture
Not many people realize the power in the world of simply buying organic furniture. Your tables, chairs, and everything in an office can be bought through the power of furniture. Just a few small changes can make a big difference to the earth. Strive to buy items that are recyclable and made from organic properties.
Recycle
Simply recycling paper, bottles, and everything everybody in your office uses the recycling box. Some companies like Main Street Fibers, know that the truth is that recycling helps our planet by reusing what we already have. There is no need to buy new paper when there already is plenty of paper to reuse. Recycling can be done simply by having everybody throw away trash and recycle anything that can.
Going Solar
The best way to help the earth is to go solar. In other words, invest in a set of solar panels. For example, try to find out if there is a way for you to install a panel at the roof of your business. It will use the sun to power everything in your establishment. It can save you tons of money, along with saving energy.
Energy Audits
You can get an energy audit and make a few changes to your office to save energy. Simply sealing leaks and cracks in the office can actually cut up to about 20 percent off of the energy bill. You can seal leaks and cracks to avoid using too much of your heating and cooling.
Biodegradable Products
Simply using natural and biodegradable products can help reduce the exposure to harsh toxins and other chemicals in your office. If you can't use anything to clean, the key is to make sure that you are using a natural green option.
There are many ways your company can go green. Just a few tiny changes can make a massive difference. The key is to be wise with your choices and know how everything you do affects the environment. If you use the tips above, you will be making a huge change in your entire office.