Energy Efficient Heating and Cooling With Hallowell’s All Climate Heat Pump
Looking for an affordable and eco-friendly solution to keeping your home or office cool in the summer and warm in the winter? The All Climate Heat Pump (ACHP) from Hallowell may be the perfect solution for you. When you install an ACHP, you won’t need any other system to heat or cool your property. There’s no need for fuel lines, storage tanks, chimneys, oil trucks or potentially dangerous and harmful fuel no matter how cold the outside temperature becomes.
Unlike typical heat pumps, there is no need for supplemental heat when the temperatures dip below freezing. Instead, the ACHP utilizes patented Opti-Cycle™ Technology which uses a second compressor in series with the main or primary compressor to increase the performance of the system. When temperatures fall below 30°F, there is a significant jump in the heat output that still allows the unit to maintain operating efficiencies of almost 300%.
When temperatures soar during the hottest months of the year, the ACHP is an effective, efficient, and affordable cooling solution. The sytem’s compressor has the unique ability to run at half or full capacity, giving multi-staged cooling. The energy efficient system reads the thermostat to find out how far the indoor temperature is away from set-point, automatically engaging the most efficient mode necessary for maintaining the desired temperature. This results in comfortable temperatures with reasonable energy expenses.
For more information, see Hallowell.com.
Outfit Your Home With an Eco-Friendly Arzu Rug
Using environmentally responsible products throughout your home is just as important as making sure that your living environment utilizes with energy-saving appliances and other green technologies to lessen environmental impact.
Arzu Rugs are the perfect practical flooring solution for environmentally responsible consumers. These organic, 100% handmade rugs are both eco-friendly and socially conscious. Each Arzu rug is hand crafted from hand-carded, handspun wool from Ghazni in central Afghanistan.
The rugs’ vibrant hues come from natural dyes derived from plants and fruits, including as madder root for red, pomegranate for yellow and walnut for beige. In the tradition of natural dyemaking, all elements are hand crushed and mixed into heated vats of water.
The rugs themselves are made in the home by Afghan women following centuries old traditions that involve separating individual strands of wool by hand to keep the fibers long. Raw materials are transported to the weavers using traditional methods, mainly via animals.
The proceeds from Arzu rug sales are reinvested in the weavers’ home communities, providing medical care and educational resources to the women, their children and the community as a whole. For more information, see ArzuRugs.org.
CompTIA Introduces Technology Equipment Recycling Program
Looking for a way to get rid of your organization’s out-of-date technology equipment in an environmentally friendly manner. CompTIA is providing a low-cost option for member companies, allowing them with an easy and affordable solution to getting rid of unnecessary and obsolete IT equipment.
Participating companies simply turn their unwanted equipment over to
AnythingIT and its Recycle Tomorrow program. Anything IT removes all sensitive data from the hard drives in compliance with applicable government regulations. The organization then either refurbishes and resells the equipment, or disposes of it in an environmentally responsible manner that is in compliance with appropriate regulations.
This progress provides a great way to extend the usable life of equipment that is still serviceable, while also allowing companies to dispose of computer equipment that is no longer useful in a manner that is both legal and eco-friendly.
Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency With Awnings
Are you looking for a way to improve the environmentally friendly qualities of your current home? Wouldn’t it be great to make your home more eco-friendly while also finding a way to save money on your energy bill? It might be simpler than you think to do just that. The simple, and affordable, addition of awnings to your current home can help cool your home naturally during even the hottest months of summer.
According to a study conducted by the Center for Sustainable Building Research at the University of Minnesota and the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association (PAMA), awnings can have a significant reduction on cooling energy. When used in conjunction with an air conditioner, awnings can reduce the amount of cooling energy used by homes by as much as 33 percent, depending on the climate in which the home is located. Awnings have such a powerful impact on cooling energy because they keep solar radiation from entering the home through the glass.
To learn more about how awnings can improve your home’s energy efficiency and save money on your cooling bill, see Awnings Today.
Energy Efficient Living in an Earth Sheltered Home
When you’re looking for an environmentally responsible and energy efficient home that is affordable to build, and earth sheltered home from Earth Sheltered Technology might be exactly what you need.
Earth sheltered homes are among the most energy efficient of all structures. They can be heated with passive solar heat combined with natural heat from the ground, and never drop below 55 degrees, no matter how cold it gets outside. They are also among the safest dwellings available, and are not likely to experience damage from natural disasters such as tornadoes, fire, or lightning.
Earth Sheltered Technology has been building these types of homes since the 1980’s, and has won a variety of national awards for design and construction in recognition of it’s innovative work. You can see the designs available for construction at the Earth Sheltered Technology Website, and the company can also provide a list of homes it has built that you may be able to tour.
Reduce Construction Waste With Timber Framing
Timber framing has been used as a construction technique for hundreds of years. This building technique provides a means of reducing the amount of lumber needed to build beautiful and environmentally friendly homes. Homes designed and constructed by Riverbend Timber Framing are constructed using the same techniques utilized in old fashioned barn raisings from centuries ago.
The process of manufacturing a timber framed home also utilizes significantly less energy than modern building techniques. For example, there is less need for cutting, fabricating, and kiln drying — each of which requires significant energy usage. There is also less waste from sawdust and lumber fragments.
Homes built by Riverbend Timber Framing are energy efficient, structurally sound, and naturally beautiful. For more information, see www.riverbendtf.com.
Sustainable and Energy Efficient Home Design With Straw Bale Building Techniques
Straw bale home construction providing homeowners with an opportunity to create beautiful and environmentally friendly homes from sustainable materials with maximum energy efficiency. Straw bale home design has become the latest trend in green home design, utilizing organic waste materials to craft strong, safe, and incredibly well insulated living spaces.
Straw bales for home design are fashioned from the straw that is left over after grains are removed from grain plants such as wheat and rye. These by-products are bundled together to form bales. When they are stacked together to form walls, the result is a structure that is extremely well insulated from sound and temperature extremes, with a continuous insulation rating ranging between R30 and R40. This results in a significant savings when it comes to heating and cooling the home.
The exterior of a finished straw bale home is covered in stucco, and the interior walls are plaster. Straw bale walls end up being up to two feet thick, and they are extraordinarily strong. They are actually more fire safe than traditional wood frame construction. If you’re interested in learning more about building your own straw bale home, contact Thorne Design & Build for more information.
Green Your Ride With Tips from MyRide.com
Autobytel Inc.’s MyRide.com provides consumers with great ideas for how to “go green” on the highway. You’ll find all kinds of ideas for updating your current vehicle to be more earth-friendly, as well as learn about new options in energy saving vehicles. You can view reviews and information about a wide variety of hybrid vehicles on MyRide.com.
One of the biggest ways consumers can have a positive impact on the environment is to adopt more environmentally responsible driving habits. Updating your current vehicle or switching to a model designed specifically to reduce environmental impact can reduce CO2 emissions and decrease energy consumption.
Some of MyRide.com’s tips for making your current driving habits more energy friendly include:
1. Keeping your tires properly inflated will increase gas mileage.
2. Regular oil changes and proper powertrain maintenance will maximize your vehicles’ fuel efficiency.
3. Reduce fuel consumption by avoiding driving at high rates of speed.
4. Turn off your car if you plan to be stopped for more than a minute, because idling uses more fuel than restarting the car.
5. Avoid carrying excess weight in the interior of your vehicle or your trunk to maximize fuel efficiency.
For more great tips and ideas about making automobile transportation more earth friendly, see MyRide.com.
High Efficiency EcoLogic Toilets by Niagra Conservation
One of the most significant conservation actions any homeowner can take is installing high efficiency toilets. More than 25 percent of the water used on most households is accounted for by flushing the toilet. In homes with traditional toilets, the average water usage for a family of four is approximately 400 gallons daily. Switching to high energy commodes is likely to have a significant impact on home water usage.
Choosing to install high-energy EcoLogic™ toilets from Niagra Conservation, can really reduce the water usage in your home. Thse toilets are certified to carry the EPA WaterSense label, and use at least 20 percent less water than regular commodes. They are also attractive additions to any home, and have been featured on NouveauBathrooms.com. Replacing even one toilet in the home can result in a significant water bill savings, as well as have positive environmental impact. For more information, see NiagraConservation.com.
Rustic Zero Energy Home by Independence Energy Homes
The Rustic Zero Energy Home pictured here was custom designed by Independence Energy Homes (IEH), a U.S. firm specializing in zero energy architectural design. This 2400 square foot home is aesthetically appealing, site appropriate, and environmentally sound.
Green features incorporated into the design of this custom home include a solar thermal system, with on-demand hot water, a permeable driveway, system for rain water reuse, fixtures designed specifically to conserve water, and an air exchange system that utilizes low to no volatile organic compounds.
The IEG team focuses on creating healthy, green homes that maximize energy efficiency, water conservation, and air quality. For more information and to view additional zero energy home designs, see ZeroEnergy.com.
Happy Heinys: Stylish Green Alternative to Disposable Diapers
Happy Heinys produces unique and stylish cloth diapers that are a modern alternative to environmentally damaging disposables. Happy Heinys diapers are easier to use than traditional cloth diapers, going on just as easy as the disposable products they can replace. They are made from luxuriously soft, custom-milled fleece with no dioxins, which reduces the occurrence of rashes. Additionally, these unique and modern diapers are available in other fabrics including hemp and wool.
Happy Heinys diapers are recyclable and can be used thousands of times, which makes them a perfect and economical perfect product for parents planning on having multiple children. They are an environmentally friendly option to disposable diaper products, which currently pose a major threat to the environment. Each year, in the United States alone, more than 18 billion disposable diapers wind up in landfills, where it will take centuries for them to decompose. For more information, see HappyHeinys.com.
4 Energy Saving Tips: Help Save the Environment With Your Computer
Do you have a home computer? According to support.com, you can have a significant positive impact on the environment by following a few simple steps to manage your PC’s power consumption.
It is estimated that activating power management functions on your desktop computer can result in saving up to $75 per year and over 11 million pounds of CO2 emissions. The equivalent to planting more than 1000 acres of trees, burning more than 13,000 barrels of oil and saving more emissions than 5000 cars driving from NY to LA.
Top Tips from support.com on How to “Green” Your PC:
1. Turn your computer off completely when you know you will not be using it for more than several hours, such as overnight.
2. Save energy when your computer is not shut down completely by setting the power management into “sleep” mode after a certain amount of non-use
3. Increase your memory (RAM) to reduce disk usage
4. Upgrade to an LCD flat panel monitor instead of a CRT monitor
Jack Link’s Introduces Organic Beef Jerky
It’s becoming less difficult to find organic foods, which is a great benefit for those concerned with eating healthy and reducing the environmental impact of non-organic food processing. The new Jack Link’s organic line of beef jerky is one of the latest introductions to the organic snack food market. Flavors include Jack Link’s Original Organic Beef Jerky, Peppered Organic Beef Jerky, and Teriyaki Organic Beef Jerky.
The new Jack Link’s Organic Beef Jerky products are made with premium cuts of tender, 100 percent beef, naturally seasoned and smoked, and certified organic with no preservatives, MSG or nitrites added. It tastes great too! It’s available in 3-ounce bags and the suggested retail pricing is $6.99 USD. Jack Link’s is available in convenience, mass-merchandise (like Target & Wal-Mart), grocery, drug, sporting goods, home-improvement and club stores throughout the U.S. For more information, see www.JackLinks.com.
Organic Seafood Entrees by Blue Horizon
Blue Horizon one-step shrimp entrees are created with sustainable seafood and top quality organic ingredients. Blue Horizon emphasizes environmental responsibility, sourcing all seafood products in strict compliance with conservation policies. “This is the future of seafood and we’re leading it,” said Blue Horizon Chief Executive Officer and founder John Battendieri. “Sustainable practices, such as strict organic shrimp farming, are intended to make our products the healthiest, safest choice in seafood, one that ensures the well being of our rivers and oceans, and their future fish stocks.”
Blue Horizon is improving the health of the world’s fisheries and the marine environment, and is working in support of conservation efforts of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Marine Stewardship Council and the development of US standards for domestic certified organic aquaculture. Blue Horizon was founded in 2005 to build a for the purpose of supplying sustainable, wild-caught and organic seafood products to North America, while also helping protect the health and supply of aquatic ecosystems. For more information, see www.bluehorizonseafood.com.
From Trash to Fashion Accessory: Potato Chip Bag Purses Crafted in Honduras
What better way to control the problem of excess trash than to convert garbage to useful products? Five Accessories, a retailer specializing in all-natural handbags and other fashion accessories, now carries a unique line of purses crafted from Potato Chip bags by Honduran craftswomen.
This line of ecologically friendly handbags is the outgrowth of a Fair Trade Project by the women of Honduras, created as a solution to the growing ecological damage in the country related to burning trash. Made from potato chip bags, this product contributes to a healthy and clean community in Honduras.
The handbags come in three sizes: small, medium and large, and the elaborate process results in either a metallic silver or colorful design Prices range from $25-$45. A portion of each sale is donated to the community in which the bags are crafted. For more information on retail outlets or online ordering, see www.FiveAccessories.com.
Dry Cleaner’s Secret: Green Alternative to Traditional Dry Cleaning
With Dry Cleaner’s Secret, an at-home dry cleaning cloth, you can take care of getting your dry clean only clothing items clean cost effectively and without harming the environment. Many traditional dry cleaners use the potentially harmful chemicals perchloroethylene (perc) or trichloroethylene in the cleaning process. The need for such chemicals is eliminated with Dry Cleaner’s Secret, which is a non-toxic and environmentally safe option for cleaning clothes that can’t be washed in a traditional washing machine.
Dry Cleaner’s Secret is specifically designed for home use, and it provides a safe, non-toxic alternative to the timely—not to mention costly—trips to the dry cleaner. Dry Cleaner’s Secret gently penetrates clothing fibers to remove odors such as smoke, perspiration and cooking, so your clothes come out clean and refreshed without fading or shrinking—all without the hassle of bags and multiple steps. After just 20 minutes, clothes come out of the dryer refreshed, wrinkle-free and ready to wear - with no harmful chemicals. For more information, see www.drycleanerssecret.com.
Pamper Yourself With Hemp Seed Oil Sugar Scrub by Bath Desserts
The luxurious sugar scrub and other spa products made by Bath Desserts are great for your skin and the environment. With this all-natural sugar scrub you can pamper yourself freely, knowing that you are using a handmade, eco-friendly product that does not contain any animal-derived ingredients and was not tested on animals.
Hemp seed oil, the key ingredient in the Bath Desserts product line contains a perfect ratio of poly-unsaturated essential fatty acids, known for their excellent moisturizing and healing properties. Hemp is one of the most “green” ingredients available, as it doesn’t require pesticides, flourishes almost anywhere on marginal soil, prevents soil erosion, and can be grown on the same land year after year. For more information, see the Bath Desserts website.
Revolutionary High Yield Business Paper by Xerox
Xerox High Yield Business Paper is a revolutionary new environmentally friendly solution for business printing that also saves users money. This groundbreaking paper product is the first mechanical fiber paper that has been optimized for digital printing.
The production process reduces waste of natural resources, using up to 90 percent of the tree, as opposed to the 45% of the tree used to produce traditional digital printing paper.
Additionally, the process by which the paper is produced requires less water and chemicals than that used to make other types of paper. Production is conducted in a plant that uses hydroelectricity to partially power the pulping process, reducing the use of fossil fuel and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to a 75 percent.
The lighter weight of High Yield Business Paper makes it ideal for printers seeking to reduce shipping costs. A printer who used a carton of the new paper to print and mail 1,000 5-sheet sets of a document would save $80 in mailing costs because of its lighter weight. For more information see Xerox.com
Breathe Easy With SafeHome Filters
SafeHome Filters are designed to protect today’s families from the hazards of indoor air pollution. With the green movement spreading throughout the nation, most of us are very aware about greenhouse gasses and the outdoor air pollution problems, as well as the many hazards associated with them. It’s also important to realize that there is a growing body of scientific evidence that indicates just how dangerous indoor air can be.
The Environmental Protection Agency lists poor indoor air quality among the greatest threats to public health. A number of studies indicate that indoor air is often more dangerous than outdoor air, even that within the most heavily polluted cities. Dangerous gases such formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds come from items we use everyday, such as pressboard furniture, synthetic carpet, and harsh chemical cleaning agents.
SafeHome Filters fit in existing home air return grills in central air conditioning units. They trap hazardous gases, chemicals, odors & allergens before they have a chance to enter the home environment. For more information, see the SafeHomeFilters website.
Soda-Club: Green Solution to Soda Can & Bottle Waste
Have you ever counted the number of soda bottles and cans does your family go through in any given year? The Soda-Club home carbonation machine can drastically reduce your family’s bottle and can waste. Based on average soda consumption, if a family of four makes half of the soda it consumes in a year with a Soda-Club maker can reduce their use of throwaway single-serve beverage containers by more than 1,000 every year.
This fun and easy to use “green machine” can sit on your kitchen counter right next to your coffee maker. With Soda-Club, you can make delicious, carbonated sodas in a wide variety of flavors in just a few seconds. You can make seltzer with nothing more than plain tap water, and can create delicious flavored sodas with special flavorings. Soda-Club machines are the ultimate in energy efficiency, requiring neither batteries nor electricity.
Soda club is also a cost efficient way to create soda for your family. It provides an economical way to make delicious beverages and have a positive impact on the environment. For more information, see www.sodaclub.com or call 1-800-SODACLUB.
