It is truly troubling to realize that many people have built their homes nearby these major pollutants. The World Health Organization has released numerous reports stating that life expectancy is still below the age of 40 in many countries. Yet there are 16 countries where the citizens can expect to live past 80 years old. Although contributing factors include war and civil strife, one of the biggest factors is disease. Many countries still lack proper sanitation and trash removal, leaving its hungry citizens to dig through polluted waste to find food. The contrast between developing nations and developed nations is far reaching, even though developed countries like the United States are major polluters. Overall there are many factors that contribute to the cleanliness and health of a city.

Tags: Pollution Energy-Conservation Renewable-energy

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Cuddle up with your walls

Who ever said walls were just for hanging pictures? A Trombe wall is a sun-facing wall designed as a passive solar collector; people can enjoy its benefits in the toasty comfort of their homes. Instead of running your home heating system, you can use the radiant heat flow from an original design. The Trombe wall, also referred to as a solar wall.

Tags: Solar-energy Green-home Passive-solar

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Father's day is approaching, and millions of sons and daughters are still unsure about what to get their dads. On Saturday night, instead of racing to the mall to buy last minute gifts, you can relax knowing you got your dad a   that's unique. These 50 Green Gadgets are guaranteed to be Eco-friendly, and they will impress you and your dad as well.

When you click , expect to find info on Lawn Mowing Robots, Solar-powered clocks, Solar-powered Gaming consoles, and much more!

Tags: Solar-Energy Solar-panel Electronics Solar-power

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6 ways to set the stage

What's underfoot is a big deal. Your floors cover hundreds--maybe even thousands--of square feet, affect the look of every room, can use heaps of materials, and therefore come with a big price tag. Fortunately, they also offer you a chance to make positive esthetic and environmental changes. The key is to start by asking the right questions about materials, installation, durability, and maintenance. Soon you'll be on your way to a home that is as healthy as it is beautiful.

Top Tips

At home

 
• Take a second look at your old floor. Often the greenest approach is to keep using what's already in your home. Pulling out and discarding the old floor takes its toll on the environment. If your floor is made of wood, can it be sanded and refinished to restore it to its original beauty? Does the carpet need to be torn out or would a deep cleaning brighten it? Can your stone floor be polished to its original luster? Can cracked tiles be chiseled out and replaced?

When shopping, ask about

Benefits...

...to your health, and the Earth
Of the options we examine here, carpet has the most potential health issues. Most of the other choices can be compatible with high indoor air quality if you choose the right finishes and adhesives. 

...to your wallet
Measured by costs per year of the floor's life, linoleum is probably the least expensive of all the above flooring options. Its initial cost is moderate ($4 a square foot), it is low maintenance and can last half a century. Concrete can also be a low-cost option depending on the condition of your slab and what kind of finish you want. Carpet might look economical at first because you can find "bargains" for $3 a square foot or so. But good quality carpet costs more (up to $13 a square foot) and lasts only a decade or two. Most of the other options we'll explore here fall somewhere in the middle economically. Cork costs $5 to $9 a square foot. Hardwood floors run $5 to $12 a square foot and can be sanded and refinished many times. Tile and terrazzo are also long-lasting, but cost $8 to $35 a square foot. And don't forget installation costs, which can add an additional $4 to $10 a square foot to your flooring choice.

Common Mistakes

 
• Ignoring the subfloor. Don't forget the environmental and health impacts of what's underneath the finished floor. It's usually plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), or another sheathing material laid over the floor joists. When installing a new subfloor, choose wood-based products that have no added urea formaldehyde, which can irritate your lungs and may cause cancer. If you can't find subflooring material that's specifically labeled as having no added urea formaldehyde, consider exterior-grade plywood. It's made with phenol formaldehyde, which emits less than urea formaldehyde. Or use oriented strand board (OSB), which is usually made with a (safer) polyurethane adhesive. Also look for wood subfloor materials with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.

 
• Using tropical hardwoods. Sometimes another layer is added beneath the floor to make a smoother surface. Often it's made from lauan and other tropical hardwoods likely to have been unsustainably harvested. Avoid such products unless FSC certified.

Getting Started

 
• Before you move ahead, take time to find an environmentally responsible way to dispose of the old floor. Solid wood floors, especially from older buildings, are much in demand by organizations that specialize in deconstruction: they'll come to your home, dismantle the flooring (and other materials if you're doing a full-scale remodel), and resell the materials in their stores. If the deconstruction outfit is a not-for-profit organization like Habitat for Humanity's ReStores, they'll give you a donation receipt that you may be able to use to take a deduction on your income taxes.

 
• If the floor isn't salvageable, is it recyclable? Most flooring materials are hard to recycle, but it's worth a call to your local recycling department, or check out www.earth911.org.

 
• Ask any potential installer the following questions:
  
  
   
  • How much expertise does the flooring contractor have installing the type of flooring you've chosen? Just because a contractor has installed stone floors, for example, doesn't mean he or she will do a good job with a concrete floor. Linoleum installers should be certified by the linoleum manufacturer.
  
   
  • Call references, but also try to visit a few homes where the contractor has installed the same type of flooring that you've chosen. Check the quality of the installation as well as how well the material has held up.
  
   
  • If any adhesives, stains, sealants, mortar, or grout will be used during the installation, ask about low- or zero-VOC options. If you meet resistance to using low-VOC products, consider shopping around for a contractor who has experience with healthy home practices.
  
  
  
  

 
• Many handy homeowners do their own installation of floating floor planks. The planks have tongue-and-groove edges that snap together, and they go down right over the old floor (except carpet) without nails or glue. Floating floor planks are available in wood, bamboo, cork, and linoleum. Carpet, concrete, stone, tile, terrazzo, and sheet linoleum are typically professionally installed.

 
 

Tags: Green-Flooring Green-Home Green-Living Energy-conservation

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Small devices, big savings


If you have a programmable thermostat, you can automate your heating and cooling systems to save energy when you're not at home or asleep. In winter, for example, your house can be a nippy 60ºF while you are at work, and then--while you are still boarding the bus for your commute back home--it can automatically move up to a toasty 68º or 70ºF. When you step in the door, the temperature is right where you want it. If you're home all day, the benefits are not as great. But the program still helps trim your usage while you're asleep. All in all, it's a sweet deal--dramatic energy savings with no sacrifice in comfort. Plus, while programmable thermostats range in cost from $40-$200, most people will save $180 per year or more using one. That means you'll get your investment back very quickly!




Top Tips


At home


    *  Understand your system. If you have an old, do-nothing thermostat, you can easily replace it with a nifty programmable model. Just make sure the thermostat you purchase is compatible with your type of heating system. (Many do not work with heat pumps or electric resistance heating.)

    *  Understand your house. If your house is large, with multiple heating or cooling zones, you'll need a thermostat for each zone to maximize energy savings and comfort.

    *  Don't override the programming. Resist the urge to override the pre-programmed settings, unless, of course, you decide to go for a warmer temperature in summer and a cooler one in winter. Go low, and high. In winter, set the temperature down to 55º while you're away or asleep, warming it back up to 68º half an hour before you wake up or get home. In summer, set it at 85º or 90º while you're away, coming down to a comfortable 78º a half hour before you return home.

    *  Take advantage of the "hold" button. You can set the "hold " button at a constant energy-saving temperature when you are away for long periods of time on weekends or vacations.

    *  If you have steam or radiant floor heating, experiment a bit. These systems respond more slowly, so you may want to program for a temperature drop several hours before you leave the house or go to bed.

    *  Install in the right place. If the thermostat is near heating or cooling registers, appliances, lighting, doorways, skylights, windows, or areas that receive direct sunlight or drafts, it should be moved, because it won't be responding to the true temperature of the room. It's best to install thermostats on inside walls because, if they are on outside walls (which are often colder or warmer than the room itself), the thermostat will misread the overall temperature.

    *  Don't let the batteries go dead. Change the batteries when your unit indicates the time has come.


When shopping, look for


    *  An Energy Star. Thermostats that qualify for the government's Energy Star label will save you the most energy and money. The amount will depend on how much you lower your consumption while you're away or asleep.

    *  Thermostats that fit your lifestyle.

          o  7-day models are best if your daily schedule tends to change--if, for example, you work irregular hours or the time the children are at home varies. These let you set different programs for different days, usually with four possible temperature periods per day.

          o  5+2-day models use the same schedule every weekday, and another for weekends.

          o  5-1-1 models are best if you have one schedule Monday through Friday, and different schedules on Saturdays and Sundays.





Other Considerations


Don't expect the thermostat to do everything. You should also take all possible steps to tighten up the house and  heating equipment.




Common Mistakes


Using a programmable thermostat with the wrong system. Many programmable thermostats should NOT be used in houses with heat pumps or electric resistance heating. These require special thermostats for optimum efficiency.




Getting Started


Many old thermostats used a switch that contains mercury, a toxic metal. Don't break the mercury container or toss the old switch in the garbage. Contact your local hazardous waste office for instructions on proper disposal.

Tags: Energy Renewable-energy Alternative-energy

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How to be safe and save energy


A few well-placed outdoor lights can make you feel more secure at night. They can help the pizza guy find your door and keep you from tripping over the cat when you're taking out the garbage.



Poorly used lights, on the other hand, can rob your neighbors of a good night's sleep, disrupt wildlife, and waste precious energy and hard-earned cash. They may even be harmful to human health. Light at night can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that inhibits the development of tumors. So researchers suspect exposure to well-lit nights may increase a person's risk of cancer.

Light has even become a form of pollution that extends far beyond our neighborhoods. Shining upward, it causes moisture and particles in the air to glow. This "sky glow" obscures stars and planets, interfering with astronomers' work and keeping people living in urban and suburban areas from experiencing the wonder of a truly dark sky.

Fortunately it's not so hard to keep those rays where they belong. Whether you want to light a walkway, driveway, entry door, balcony, deck, or patio, here are some ways to make your effort effective and efficient.



Top Tips


At home


    *  Investigate. Go outside on a dark night and take a good look at your exterior lights. Are any of them unshaded--either bare bulbs or bulbs behind clear glass shades? Do any of the light fixtures point light up toward the sky, or let light stray horizontally onto a neighbor's property?

    *  Use outdoor lights only when and where needed. Don't go overboard with the number of fixtures you install, and don't leave them on all night. Use timers and motion sensors to limit the amount of time they are on.

    *  Use the least amount of light needed, not the most. Overlighting is a nuisance to your neighbors and a waste of your money. Use the lowest wattage bulbs to get the job done.

    *  Light from the top down, not from the bottom up. Lights that point up to the sky waste energy, create glare, and obscure views of the night sky.

    *  Shield. Add shields to bare floodlights, and replace clear shades with diffusing shades.


When shopping, look for


    *  Energy-saving bulbs. Replace higher-wattage bulbs with low-wattage CFLs. Keep in mind that you're not likely reading or knitting outdoors. So it's appropriate to use fewer watts than you would inside. Compact fluorescents or LEDs are more energy efficient than incandescent and halogen bulbs.

    *  Shielded fixtures. You want to send light downward, not up into the sky or horizontally into your neighbor's window. So use shielded fixtures. The International Dark-Sky Association has a seal of approval program for shielded outdoor lighting fixtures.

    *  Weather worthiness. When choosing a CFL, check the label to make sure it's meant for outdoor lighting. Bulbs are available that can be used in temperatures as low as -10°F and as high as 120°F. At the cold end of the scale, they may take longer to reach full brightness.

    *  Solar power. Solar-powered LED pathway lights are handy for remote areas where it would be expensive to run wiring. A small photovoltaic panel on the light fixture generates electricity when exposed to sunlight. The electricity is stored in an internal battery to power the light bulb after dark. Solar lights usually use LED bulbs, although some use very low wattage CFLs that put out a bit more light. Most solar lights are dim-they put out just enough light to allow you to follow the walkway without tripping. But they're handy because they don't require any wiring or installation know-how. Performance varies; shop around and make sure you buy from a store with a good return policy.Many solar lighting products come mounted on a stake that you push into the ground; others have brackets for wall mounting. Most products need at least four hours of direct sunlight to power the light for six to ten hours that night, but some may need even more. Other solar-lighting products include motion-sensing security lights and solar stepping stones.



Other Considerations


Low-voltage lighting is popular for walkways, landscaping, steps, and other areas. It can be professionally installed, or kits are available for DIYers. These systems typically use low-wattage halogen lights and run on 12 volts instead of the regular 120-volt household current, making them very safe--there's no concern about electric shocks. The wiring can either be buried or laid on the ground and covered with mulch.



Benefits...


...to you
Low-contrast lighting is better for security purposes than bright lights that create obscuring glare, dark spots, and shadows. Some research also indicates that outdoor lights on motion sensors do a better job of deterring crime than lights that are on all the time.

...to your wallet
Shielded fixtures don't cost any more than unshielded fixtures. Energy-efficient CFLs also keep your outdoor lighting costs down, and they are available for a pittance--as little as 50 cents a bulb at many discount retailers. In the nation as a whole, badly designed outdoor lighting results in $4.5 billion a year in wasted electricity. If you have 5 incandescent light bulbs outside your home, your share of that waste is about $150 per year. Switch to CFLs and start saving immediately.

..to the Earth
In addition to disrupting melatonin production in humans, electric lighting at night can interfere with the mating, foraging, migration, and predation behaviors in other species, which can potentially disrupt entire ecosystems. Even plants may not be immune from the effects of lighting up the night. According to some studies, trees that are lit all night may not respond appropriately to signals of winter dormancy. And don't forget the carbon emissions, which contribute to global warming.



Common Mistakes


Burning gas lamps. Decorative natural gas lamps look romantic but they're big polluters. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, burning eight lamps all year uses as much natural gas as it takes to heat an average size home for a full winter.



Getting Started


If you are in the market for a shielded fixture, check out the International Dark-Sky Association's seal-of-approval program.

Tags: Solar-power Solar-energy Solar-panels

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