Biodegradable Doggie Bags

When it comes time to pick up after your beloved pooch, choose a biodegradable bag instead of regular plastic. Otherwise, you are wrapping one of nature's quickest degrading substances in something that takes decades to break down.

The typical dog produces 274 pounds of waste each year, according to the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. That's no small pile of poop. For neatness and sanitary reasons, most towns require owners to pick up after their pets, but what to do with it?

Unfortunately, if you put Lassie's waste in a plastic bag, it takes up to 100 years to decompose. Flushing it down the toilet is inconvenient, and can potentially cause problems in sewer systems because of its high amount of grit. Instead, use sturdy paper, or the biodegradable offerings from several companies. The corn-based BioBags, for example, are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute to break down in a matter of days. They work very well in communities that have aerobic landfills that are churned up. True, biodegradable products don't work near as well in closed, anaerobic landfills, but they certainly won't hurt.

Even better is to compost the biodegradable bags, and their contents, at home or in a local community garden. Experts recommend keeping a separate setup for composting animal waste, and never use the resulting soil on anything edible, in case some pathogens survive the process. The best practice is to ensure optimum temperatures and layering, which you can learn about here.

Tip found at www.thedailygreen.com

Five Ways Obama's Inauguration Festivities Will Be Green

by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden on 01.15.09 Photo of the presidential seal by eschipul @ flickr.

Let's just say up front that nobody claims the Inauguration will be deep green - events like this, by their very nature, require a huge amount of car and plane travel, entailing a corresponding belch of CO2. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, reportedly says efforts to make the Inauguration green are just a joke. Just as Jimmy Carter did back in 1977, however, Obama is at least making an effort to follow some green event principles...you've gotta start somewhere, right?

Photo of green carpet by Adria Garcia @ flickr.

1. Green Carpet That is Actually Blue

Obama will walk from the bottom of the U.S. Capitol's Rotunda to the West Front podium on an "environmentally-friendly" carpet runner, according to The Hill. He will also be sworn in on recycled blue carpet. The approximately 725 yards of carpet were put together by the employees at Chief Administrative Office.

2. Talking Trash

With the hordes in D.C., trash is going to be a major topic. The group Litter Free Inauguration was dismayed by the amount of trash clogging the streets of Chicago after Obama's Election Night speech, and came together to try to get Inauguration attendees (only those without tickets, as ticket holders are under security restrictions) to bring their own trash bag and pick up after themselves, instead of depending on the many volunteers offering to do some clean up. Special recycling cans, an uncommon sight in D.C., will also reportedly grace the Mall.

Photo of "Out of Service" police horse by Richard Masoner @ flickr.

3. Recycling Horse Manure, Too

Really. No joke! The incoming Obama administration knows the Inauguration has a huge carbon footprint from an estimated 4 million people traveling to D.C. to see the swearing-in and party. So different groups are doing what they can to make the Inauguration greener - and one thing the trash corp will do is pick up all the horse manure from horses walking in the parade and deliver it to a nearby farm.

4. Day of Service, With Plenty of Green Projects

Obama's call to action for Monday, January 19th - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - may end up being the long-lasting green to come out of the horrendously expensive (estimates around $50 million) Inauguration. You can get involved with a lot of different projects, many in D.C. but also all over the country, everything from delivering food to senior citizens in need, to helping the Sierra Club clean up streams, or join Ryan Bowen as he rides his bike into town after a 50-day cycling trek from L.A.

Grammy winner Wyclef Jean will host a Green Inaugural Ball. Photo Event Emissary.

5. Not One, But Two Green Balls

There's a Green Inaugural ball hosted by Planet Green and Wyclef Jean - this one is designed to have a minimal impact, and will among other things be located a block from a Metro station; the food will be primarily organic and local; LEDs will be used for decorative lighting. Al Gore is also hosting a private, invitation-only Green Ball at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.
Info found on www.treehugger.com

Personality Quiz Going Green - What Is Your Green Personality Quiz - thedailygreen.com

Personality Quiz Going Green - What Is Your Green Personality Quiz - thedailygreen.com

Posted using ShareThis

10 Green Home Improvement Resolutions You Must Make Now

Most of us will make resolutions on January 1st. We'll vow to quit smoking, lose weight, go to church regularly, stop drinking and to quit loafing. Most of these resolutions will be forgotten or discarded after a few weeks, and we will find ourselves back on the smokes, cakes, football, booze or the couch.

Why not make some resolutions now that will help you lower your carbon footprint and increase the energy-efficiency of your home throughout the winter and for years to come. You know what they say, "If you can't change yourself, you can at least change the environment in which you live." Nobody actually says that, but I am sure they will once they learn about these 10 green home improvement resolutions.

Resolution One: Heating
The number one source of energy consumption in the wintertime is heating. Your first resolution should be to replace your inefficient heating system. If your furnace is over twenty years old, you should think about investing in a new one. Find a contractor who has experience with energy-efficient heating systems. He should be able to calculate your home's heat loss and prescribe the proper heater for it. Make sure to purchase an Energy Star heater.

Resolution Two: Improve Furnace Efficiency
You may have a top-of-the-line furnace, but it can always stand to be tweaked for further efficiency. The easiest way to do this is to keep your filters clean, close off rooms you do not use and keep baseboards and registers clear. Make sure that drapes don't hang in front of vents. Also, you might want to invest in sealing your ducts if not already sealed. This can reduce heat loss by twenty percent.

Resolution Three: Improve Your Insulation
When you hire that contractor, have him recommend the insulation that is best for your climate. Insulating spray foam and cellulose insulation are great ways to insulate the attic of your home without undergoing a complete renovation.

Resolution Four: Improve Your Windows
Your windows are also a source of wintertime heat loss. The best but most expensive thing to do would be to replace them with double or triple pane windows. Make sure the cracks between window and house are sealed tightly. Hanging blackout curtains is a cheap way to keep warm. These curtains can reduce heat loss by 25%. A loose window pane can be fixed with little muss.

Resolution Five: Improve Your Doors
Any place a hole is punched in the thermal envelope of your house is a great place to look to for improvements. You can replace your old garage door with an insulated version. Garages are tremendous energy sucks, rarely built with efficiency in mind. Put weather stripping around your doors and windows to keep the cold air from coming in the crack. You can also purchase thick insulated doors for a few hundred dollars. These doors, like the garage doors, are filled with polystyrene.

Resolution Six: Improve Your Thermal Envelope
Warm air can escape through even the tiniest of holes. The electrical outlet is no exception. Foam insulating gaskets can easily stop this problem. An old fireplace may still have a cast iron flue damper. These flue dampers aren't known for being energy efficient. It might be time to upgrade to a modern damper. They can reduce heat loss by 90% when compared to the old-school cast iron models. Glass doors on the fireplace can also save energy.

Resolution Seven: Improve Your Water Heater
Now that you're all cozy and warm, you'll want to make sure that you have plenty of hot showers for those cold winter days. Water heaters can last about 15 years max. Replace your model with an Energy Star model. Also, you can put an insulating jacket around the tank. This has the potential to eliminate heat loss by 40%. Your water should be set at 120 degrees and make sure to insulate your hot water pipes as well as the length of pipe that leads into the heater.

Resolution Eight: Install A Programmable Thermostat
A programmable thermostat can save fifteen percent on your heating bills. On top of the monetary savings, it is good for the environment. While you are at work during the day, your heater will turn completely off or go down to the lowest setting to, you know, keep your goldfish and other fragile things warm.

Resolution Nine: Invest in a Pellet Stove
Tired of not having a fireplace? Why not get something better? Burn your bio-trash to stay warm. Spend the day roasting chestnuts on an open fire at Grandma's house. Spend the evening roasting chestnut shells for warmth in your pellet stove. Pellet stoves are a bit pricey, but they are cleaner than log-burning stoves, pump out the grip of warmth and put bio-waste to good use.

Resolution Ten: Go Solar
The best way to power your furnace and your water heater is with solar power. Solar power packages are expensive, but you don't have to buy them all at once. You can start with a converter and work your way off the grid. Each time you install a solar panel, you will eventually save money on it. Being that it is wintertime, the best solar investment may be evacuated tubes. These tubes are marvelous solar collectors that work even in cold and overcast climates.

article and image found HERE.

How to Go Green: Workouts

At this point, all those holiday cookies, cocktail parties, and lavish lunches are a distant memory—and the reality is that you're (at least) five pounds heavier than you were when you last stepped on the scale. With that post-holiday realization usually comes the equally depressing one that the wedding/vacation/other big event you thought was months away is now only a matter of weeks. It's all enough to make anyone jump right on the treadmill. But before you commit to a workout plan that depends on massive electricity usage, automotive transportation, and a slew of new gear, wait: There's a greener way.

For most of recorded history, people got their workouts the old-fashioned way: by getting outside. Of course, a lot of them were harvesting crops and tending fields, but you too can take your routine outdoors, add a modern twist, and still kill two birds with one stone. Walk to the supermarket, ride your bike to work, take up hiking or gardening—all of these ideas will have you fit and toned without the investment of a gym. If you are a gym rat, look for one that has eco-friendly qualities. And when you're looking at other exercise equipment—like sneakers, weights, and water bottles—choose green alternatives to traditional products. Who knows? You might even find exercising fun again—or, at least enjoyable enough that you can finally stick with your New Year's resolution. Read on to get started.

Top Green Workout Tips

Click here to check them out on planetgreen.com

2009 New Year's Resolutions: Make Green a Habit

The Daily Green and the Natural Resources Defense Council offer these new year's resolutions — 15 simple steps you can take each day in the new year to go green.

By NRDC Simple Steps


Switch to Reusable Towels

Cost: $6.95
No matter how you look at it, paper towels create waste. During your next trip to the grocery store, buy some reusable microfiber towels, which grip dirt and dust like a magnet, even when they get wet. When you are finished with them, toss the towels in the wash and reuse them again and again. They are even great for countertops and mirrors. When you absolutely have to use disposable towels, look for recycled products. If every household in the United States replaced just one roll of virgin fiber paper towels (70 sheets) with 100 percent recycled ones, we could save 544,000 trees.

TDG Editor note: Check out DIY green cleaning.

Run a Fully Loaded Dishwasher

Cost: $0
If you have dishwasher, use it. Running a fully loaded dishwasher -- without prerinsing the dishes -- can use a third less water than washing the dishes by hand, saving up to 10 to 20 gallons of water a day. Simply scrape large pieces of food off your dishes and let the dishwasher handle the rest. And by using the air-dry setting (instead of heat-dry), you will consume half the amount of electricity without spending a dime.

TDG Editor note: In the market for a new dishwasher? Buy an energy-efficient dishwasher.

Lower the Temp in Your Fridge

Cost: $0
As one of the biggest appliances in your kitchen, the refrigerator is also one of the most power hungry, accounting for 10 to 15 percent of the average home energy bill each month. Get your fridge running in tip-top shape. First, set the refrigerator thermostat to maintain a temperature between 38 and 42 degrees (F). This temperature will protect your food from spoiling while saving electricity. Twice a year, clean the condenser coil at the back of your fridge. Condenser coils tend to get dusty, making them less efficient.

TDG Editor note: Remodeling? Check out these green and gorgeous kitchen appliances.

Stop Buying Bottled Water

Cost: $14.98 for aluminum water bottle
Did you know that it takes 26 bottles of water to produce the plastic container for a one-liter bottle of water, and that doing so pollutes 25 liters of groundwater? Don’t leave a trail of plastic water bottles in your wake! Stop buying bottled water. Use reusable water bottles instead made from materials like stainless steel or aluminum that are not likely to degrade over time. If you choose a plastic water bottle, check the number on the bottom first: Plastics numbered 3, 6 and 7 could pose a health threat to you, so look for plastics numbered 1, 2, 4 or 5.

Turn Down Your Thermostat

Cost: $0
Electric power plants are the country's largest industrial source of the pollutants that cause global warming. By snuggling under a blanket on the couch on a snowy winter night instead of turning up the heat, or enjoying the breeze from a fan in the height of summer instead of turning up the air conditioning, you can save pounds of pollution, as well as some money off your utility bills. Set your thermostat in winter to 68 degrees F (20° C) or less during the daytime and 55 degrees F (13° C) before going to sleep or when you are away for the day. And during the summer, set thermostats to 78 degrees F (26° C) or more.

TDG Editor note: See more winterization tips.

Stop Receiving Unwanted Catalogs

Cost: $0
Each year, 19 billion catalogs are mailed to American consumers. All those catalogs require more than 53 million trees and 56 billion gallons of wastewater to produce -- and many of us don't even know how we got on so many mailing lists! So grab that stack of catalogs piling up on your coffee table and clear out the clutter. Visit CatalogChoice.org to put a stop to unwanted catalogs. Within 10 weeks, your mailbox will be empty of unwanted catalogs. A less cluttered mailbox means less pollution, less waste and less of the pollution that cause global warming.

To view the rest of the list please click here and you will be redirected to thedailygreen.com.

5 Ways Marketers Can Help the Environment

Reduce Waste, Save Paper and Spend Less

1. Get your direct mail marketing materials printed on recycled paper. When you're choosing a printing company, look for one that says they offer recycled paper. And make sure your pieces are printed on it. You are the driver.

2. Get your marketing materials printed with environmentally friendly ink. Many printing companies are switching to it, especially for processes like offset printing, which require an ample amount of ink. This way, you will not have to sacrifice the low cost and high quality of offset printing.

3. Make sure that you and the companies you hire recycle. Some do not! Recycling paper is an easy way to make a big impact on the environment. Because businesses use so much paper it's important that all businesses have a recycling program in place and actively participate in recycling paper waste. If your business doesn't have a recycling program start one. Supporting companies that recycle by giving them your business sends a strong message. Be the change you desire to see in your world.

4. Use targeted direct mail advertising. Send your marketing pieces to customers who are likely to be interested. In today's marketing world there are tools called Saturation Lists. This is a list purchased from a database company that targets residents within regional areas; from whole cities to select zip-codes, even to specific mail carrier routes. You could even generate a list of residents within an X-mile radius around your business. It even gets better: after the regional selection, you can then target very specific demographics within that selection. Do this, and you will gain more for less, whichever way you look at it.

5. Go digital. Instead of submitting print copies of your marketing materials, photos and other graphics to a printing company use digital images and documents that can be sent through email or uploaded to a website. It's faster, cheaper, and much better for the environment. You may see this as trivial, but the small things add up.

The Postcard Pros Team

found on thedailygreen.com