Green Tips Archive

Looking for that green tip you saw last month on Sierra™ Resort's Green Tip of the Month? Look no further. the green tips archive can help!

January 2010

Jump into the (Car) Pool
Source: TheDailyGreen.com

Cut your carbs going to work. Carbon emissions, that is. Buddy up for your daily commute. If not every day, then even a once a week, carpooling can make a sizable difference.

If your drive to work is 25 miles each way and at least half is in stop-and-go traffic, you'll save almost 10 percent of your monthly emissions. Not to mention the gas dollars you'll save and the fun you'll have sharing office gossip with your friends.

In many places, carpooling can save you even more time and money, because pairing up allows you to skip tolls on bridges, or opens up access to less-clogged high occupancy vehicle lanes.

December 2009

Getting started - free and low cost ways to save energy
Source: Blackle.com

• Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers, etc.
• Check your furnace or air conditioner filter each month. Dirty filters block air flow through your heating and cooling systems, increasing energy use.
• In winter, let the sun in.
• On winter nights, put an extra blanket on the bed and turn down your thermostat.
• To save hot water, take five-minute showers instead of baths.
• Do only full loads when using the clothes washer or dishwasher.
• Lower the temperature on your water heater so that you are not having to add cold water to shower.
• Switch to cold water washing of laundry. Use detergent formulated for cold water to get clothes just as clean.
• Only heat or cool the rooms you need. Close vents and doors of unused rooms.
• Look for energy efficiency labels when buying new products such as TVs, furnaces, cell phones, refrigerators and air conditioners.
• Replace your five most used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. These light bulbs use two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer.
• Recycle minor things e.g. reuse empty soda bottles.
• Take your own reusable bags to do grocery shopping to save the unnecessary production of plastic bags.

November 2009

What Can I Recycle? - Plastics

How can you tell whether to put a plastic container into your recycling bin?

Turn the product over and look for the recycling symbol, a triangle with a number from 1 to 7 inside. That number is the "resin identification code," or RIC. Each number represents a different type of plastic, and some are more easily recycled than others. Click here to learn more about plastic codes

Some municipalities accept all types of plastic. Others accept only containers with certain code numbers stamped on them. Still others accept only products with specific resin codes that are bottles (having a neck that's narrower than the body).

Note that the same type of product may be packaged in different types of plastic. Shampoo, for example, is commonly packaged in bottles made of Code 2 and Code 3 plastic, depending on the brand.

Source: Waste Management's www.ThinkGreen.com

September 2009

What Can I Recycle? - Glass

Did you know a glass bottle can take up to a million years to decompose?

• Clear (Flint) Glass
  About 61% of glass containers produced in this country are clear. Clear glass is sometimes used for beverages. More often, it's used to package solids or thick liquids, such as pasta sauce, that may not be sensitive to light.
• Brown (Amber) Glass
  About 31% of glass containers produced in this country are brown in color. Brown bottles can be used only to make other brown bottles. Brown glass protects the container's contents from direct sunlight, thus preserving freshness and flavor. Green glass helps keep sunlight and temperature from affecting the contents, which explains why it is often used in the manufacture of wine bottles.
• Green (Emerald) Glass
  About 7% of glass containers produced in this country are green in color. Green bottles can be used only to make other green bottles.

What Not To Recycle
Not all glass can be recycled. The following items should not be placed into your recycling bin:

• Any glass contaminated with stones, dirt, and food waste
• Ceramics, such as dishware, ovenware, and decorative items
• Heat-resistant glass, such as Pyrex
• Mixed colors of broken glass
• Mirror or window glass
• Metal or plastic caps and lids
• Crystal
• Light bulbs: Find out how to recycle here.
• Cathode-ray tubes (CRTs) found in some televisions and computer monitors. Find out how to recycle here.

How Is Glass Recycled?
Some curbside programs and recycling centers take only certain colors of glass. That's because manufacturers who buy the glass have to maintain the integrity of the color when producing new glass.

1. The glass is taken to a manufacturing or recycling plant where it is broken up into smaller pieces known as "cullet."
2. The cullet is crushed, sorted, cleaned, and prepared to be mixed with other raw materials.
3. When glass is produced from virgin materials, it requires high temperatures to melt and combine all the ingredients. Since cullet melts at a lower temperature, the more of it you add to a batch of raw materials, the less energy needed to melt it.
4. Ceramics such as coffee cups and plates present a problem in the glass-making process because they can weaken the glass. Even a small amount of ceramics can contaminate a whole batch of glass and cost the glassmaker millions of dollars.

Source: Waste Management's www.ThinkGreen.com

July 2009

What Can I Recycle? - Metals

• Aluminum Cans
  On average, Americans drink one beverage from an aluminum can every day. But we recycle just over 50% of the cans we use.
• Aluminum Foil and Bakeware
  During World War II, Americans saved aluminum foil and even peeled off the silver wrapping from chewing gum wrappers to contribute to the war effort.
• Steel Cans and Tin Cans (soup cans, veggie cans, coffee cans, etc.)
  Most people call them "tin cans," but the containers your green beans come in are mostly made of steel.

Source: Waste Management's www.ThinkGreen.com

June 2009

June marks the beginning of our four part summer Green Tip series of regular everyday items you can recycle and deliver to your local Waste Management recycling center.

» Recycling Facilities in California
» Recycling Facilities in Nevada

What Can I Recycle? - Paper & Cardboard

• Corrugated Cardboard
• Magazines - Did you know it's perfectly fine to recycle magazines, catalogs, and other "glossy" publications?
• Office Paper - On average, an office worker generates a pound and a half of waste paper every day. Almost all of it can be recycled.
• Newspapers - Did you know the newspaper you read today can be recycled up to seven times?
• Paperboard - Once used mainly for products such as breakfast cereal boxes, paperboard is now being used for many other kinds of packaging.
• Paper Cardboard Dairy and Juice Cartons - Also called "gable-top cartons," these are the non-plastic milk and juice cartons you see in the refrigerated section of the supermarket.
• Unsolicited Direct Mail - You may think of it as "junk mail," or you may welcome the flyers, catalogs, and coupons that appear in your mailbox. Either way, it's important to recycle them.
• Phone Books - Every year, new phone books and business directories arrive at your door. Are you careful to recycle your old ones?

Source: Waste Management's www.ThinkGreen.com

May 2009

Here are 8 ways to spare the earth and your home of more pesticides and agricultural chemicals.

1. Cotton swabs
   It only takes a few dollars to choose organic cotton for your personal care products, including organic cotton balls and rounds. Organic Essentials Organic Cotton Swabs are totally biodegradable and compostable, and the packaging is made from recycled cardboard.
2. Baby toys
   If any product should be void of pesticides in your home, perhaps it’s the one that goes into your baby’s mouth on a regular basis. Organic cotton baby toys are also often stuffed with wool, which naturally inhibits bacterial growth – a plus for health-minded parents.
3. Feminine hygiene products
   With the number of tampons or sanitary pads a woman will use during her lifetime topping 10,000, that’s a lot of cotton fiber. But the real toll on the planet? The rayon-cotton blend used in many conventional tampons is typically chlorine-bleached, releasing cancer-causing dioxins into the environment. And that’s not all. According to The National Research Center for Women & Families, a study sponsored by the FDA Office of Women's Health found detectable levels of dioxins in seven brands of tampons. Organic cotton tampons, such as the ones from Seventh Generation, are bleached without chlorine for pesticide-free, dioxin-free peace of mind.
4. Pet gear
   Now your furry friend can get in on the organic cotton threads too, dreaming about chasing squirrels while napping on an organic cotton bed stuffed with natural fillings instead of synthetic foam and polyester. Chew toys and pet fashion have also gone organic.
5. Nightgowns to wedding gowns
   Whatever you want to wear, chances are you can easily find it in organic cotton. According to Organic Exchange, apparel represented 85 percent of the total organic cotton market demand in 2006. The companies using the most organic cotton that year included Nike, Patagonia and Wal-Mart. Today, Sweden-based retailer H&M is one of many mass-market labels expanding their line of eco-chic duds. In 2005, the affordable chain produced sustainable garments with 40 tons of organic cotton.
6. Bed and bath linens
   For every set of organic cotton queen-sized sheets you purchase, you save 1.25 pounds of pesticides and fertilizers from entering the environment. Plus, organic cotton fibers are more absorbent than processed fibers, making bath towels like Gaiam’s Thick and Thirsty Organic Towels the ones you want to reach for after your shower.
7. Upholstered sofas and chairs
   Like mattresses, the insides of conventional home furnishings often contain petrochemicals. And, if they’re treated with a stain-resistant coating on the fabric, probably perfluorochemicals (PFCs) too. Organic cotton sofas and chairs are growing in availability and offer a natural place to lounge in the room you live in most.
8. Mattresses
   Conventional mattresses are often made of petroleum-based polyester. Rest easy while reducing your dependency on fossil fuels with a mattress made with organic cotton. You’ll also reduce the cancer-causing VOCs released into the air.
   

Source: www.gaiam.com/organic

April 2009

#11. Use both sides of paper
American businesses throw away 21 million tons of paper every year, equal to 175 pounds per office worker. For a quick and easy way to halve this, set your printer's default option to print double-sided (duplex printing). And when you're finished with your documents, don't forget to take them to the recycling bin.

#14. Re-think bottled water
Nearly 90% of plastic water bottles are not recycled, instead taking thousands of years to decompose. Buy a reusable container and fill it with tap water, a great choice for the environment, your wallet, and possibly your health. The EPA's standards for tap water are more stringent than the FDA's standards for bottled water.

Source: www.50waystohelp.com

March 2009

#42. Download your software
Most software comes on a compact disc, and more than thirty billion compact discs of all types are sold annually. That's a huge amount of waste, not to mention the associated packaging. Another bonus to downloading your software is that it's often available for download at a later date when you upgrade to a new computer or are attempting to recover from a crash.

#38. Give it away
Before you throw something away, think about if someone else might need it. Either donate to a charitable organization or post it on a web site designed to connect people and things, such as Freecycle.org .

Source: www.50waystohelp.com

February 2009 - Watch your Car Fluids 

Elbow Grease and Antifreeze
You don't need to let your car idle for ten minutes before driving off on a cold day. As an alternative to idling, try scraping off the snow and ice from your windshield with a scraper or if you are at home, pouring down some hot water.

On the same note, standard Antifreeze contains Ethylene Glycol, a very sweet and very toxic chemical. If enough is digested it can harm the central nervous system and damage the kidneys. Look for alternative products such as SIERRA Antifreeze/Coolant that use Propylene Glycol instead, and while not edible, these are much less toxic.

Car Washing and Products
Using a commercial car wash can save up to 60% of water compared to washing a vehicle at home. Under the Clean Water Act, companies are required to drain wastewater into sewer systems instead of storm drains allowing the wastewater to be treated before reentering the water supply.

When selecting products for washing your car, choose triple-concentrated biodegradable products and stay away from petroleum.

Finally, if you are attached to your own products for washing your vehicle, cheat! Use your products (tire foam, wheel cleaners, etc.) before or after you run your car through the wash. Bring your own rag to hand dry and touch up your car afterwards. This will give your car a more polished look with barely any extra effort.

Sources:
Idling: About.com Green Living
Antifreeze Products: "Alternative antifreeze has yet to catch on". Sunday, October 26, 2008. Living Green.
Commercial Car Washes: GreenYour
Car Wash Products: EHow

January 2009

Simplify Your Life: Reduce Paper Consumption
Part 2: Pay and Receive Bills Electronically (January 1, 2009) 

PayItGreen estimates that by switching to electronic bills, statements, and payments, the average household can:

• Save 6.6 pounds of paper
• Avoid the release of 63 gallons of wastewater into the environment
• Avoid producing 171 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions

Further, if only 20% of US Households were to switch to electronic bills, statements, and payments, every year they would:

• Save 1,811,275 trees
• Avoid filling 8,597,328 household garbage bags with waste
• Avoid using 102,945,600 gallons of gasoline to mail bills, statements and payments

Here at Sierra-at-Tahoe we are also in the process of switching our payroll system into an electronic paperless one. The following steps will help you reduce clutter and save time and money:

1. Visit your bank or bank website and opt in to receive online statements. Instead of having paper statements mailed to you, they will automatically appear within your account accessible anytime any day online. You can also choose to receive e-mail notifications and monitor account activity in real time.
2. Choose to pay your bills online. You can set up payee's with your bank. To do this you need your bill for the company address and your account number. With your bank, you then schedule how much you want to pay and when you want it to be taken out of your account.
3. By switching to receive online statements and pay your bills online you reduce your chances of identity theft. A study by Javelin Strategy & Research found that 85% of identity theft cases start with stolen paper statements, bills, or checks!

Source: PayItGreen
Source: Javelin Strategy & Research
Source: Bank Systems & Technology 

December 2008

Simplify Your Life: Reduce Paper Consumption
Part 1: Reduce Incoming Junk Mail

If you have a mailbox you probably receive mail that you didn't subscribe to: newsletters, advertisements, catalogues, offers, etc. Imagine how much time you could save if you didn't have to sift through the junk, decide what you want and don't want, recycle, and carry your heavier-than-needed paper recycling bin to the curbside.

There are everyday steps you can take to reduce the likelihood that your name and address will be sold:

• Upon donating money, ordering a product or service or filling out a warranty card, write in large letters: "Please do not sell my name or address"
• On the telephone, request to have your account marked so that your name is not traded or sold to other companies
• First Class Mail: Cross out the address and bar code, circle the first class postage and write "Refused: return to sender" and return to any mailbox
• Credit Offers: Dial 1-888-5 OPT OUT and provide your address, former address within two years, and social security number
• Use a website like GreenDimes to unsubscribe from Direct Marketers

Source: Do-it-yourself: Stop junk mail, email and phone calls
Source: GreenDimes

November 2008

The Junk and Treasure Game
Sure, you've heard it before. Its part of the recycling mantra: recycle your junk instead of dumping it into the trash. Believe it or not, the internet provides avenues for giving and receiving items for free. These treasures range from Keyboards to 3-Ring Binders to Hot Tubs!

Here is how:

1. Figure out what you don't need: Is there a snowboard collecting dust in the basement? A tuning kit nobody will likely use? Perhaps a lounge chair in the attic?
2. Find a friend who might enjoy it more than your local trash bin or use websites like Craigslist (for sale --> free) or Freecycle and post your item
3. Be sure to stay safe but also keep an open mind to meeting interesting people!

Or

1. Figure out what you want
2. Before buying it, conduct a quick search on these sites to see if someone else has it for free
3. Contact the giver, pick it up and enjoy!

Not only will these steps save you money and be a fun activity, but they will also help your impact on the environment by decreasing your personal waste and consumption. Have fun!

Source: Craigslist
Source: Freecycle
Or search for a local reuse group here: Yahoo! Green

October 2008

Top 10 Reasons to Carpool
It's pretty simple. Carpooling is fun, easy, and easy on the globe. Maybe you just need a reminder, or maybe you haven't even considered it yet. Either way, there are lots of great reasons to carpool, and here they are.

1. Save on Gas
2. Save time by using the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) and Express lanes along your commute
3. Save on parking costs
4. Save the environment and reduce your carbon offset
5. Save your energy
6. Have better control of your work schedule
7. If available, get Carpool / Vanpool prime parking spots at work or on campus
8. Reduced traffic congestion if more people carpool
9. Reduce dependency on oil
10. It’s fun

Source:   iCarpool.com

September 2008

MPG: The Best & Worst
So, up here in the mountains we all need a 4-wheel drive, but which one gets the best MPG's? Check out Consumer Report's Best & Worst list and see where your wheels stand.
Source:  Consumer Report's Best & Worst Fuel Economy

Satisfy Your Soul

Mmmmm. It is getting to be that time in the year where we look forward to snuggling up in a toasty, warm blanket with a  hot, steaming cup of hot chocolate by the fire soothing our muscles after a killer day on the slopes. So the snow may not have started falling yet, but that doesn't mean we can't tease our taste buds and get comfy with a warm, classic fall favorite and our oversized sweatshirts. Here is a classic comfort soup recipe that is easy on the wallet and easy to make "green." Remember the new 4 Green Food Groups when purchasing your ingredients!

 Butternut Squash Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil (divided use)
4 cups chopped onions
4-6 cups peeled, diced butternut squash
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon mixed cinnamon and allspice
Chopped parsley to garnish

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a soup pot; add onions, squash, bay leaf, and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook over medium heat until vegetables give up much of their water, become very soft and tender, and begin to caramelize (brown) slightly on the bottom of the pot, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, about 15 minutes. It's okay if the vegetables stick a little bit, as long as they brown on the bottom of the pot without becoming black.

Stir in the cinnamon and allspice. Add 8 cups stock, broth, or water; simmer 40 minutes. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and a drizzle of remaining olive oil. For a smooth soup, you can puree all or part of it in a blender before garnishing.  Serves 8

Source: Yahoo! Green's  Forecast Earth

Feed Me!

You knew it was coming; A green tip that is all about our second most favorite thing - FOOD!  Sorry foodies. Pouncing through powder will always reign supreme. Next time you think of the 4 basic food groups, think green!

The New Four Basic Food Groups:

1. Organic food
   Those concerned about the chemicals used to grow and produce food can purchase certified organic varieties of vegetables, fruits, grains, and meats that are produced without the use of synthetic pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and genetically modified ingredients.
2. Local food
   Our global economy now makes it easy to get citrus fruits from South America or chocolates and cheeses from Europe. But shipping these foods around the world takes it's toll on the environment. Locavores aim to purchase their foods from local sources to minimize these impacts.
3. 100-mile food
   Similar to the locavore diet, the "100-mile-diet" places a more precise parameter on the definition of local.
4. Slow food
   The main tenet of the slow food movement is to strengthen the connection between people, the planet, and the foods that we eat. Members strive for food choices that promote biodiversity, heritage food sources and cooking traditions, and sustainable farming.

Source: Yahoo! Green's Guide to Green Diets

Ain't too proud to beg

Amy Winehouse, the Temptations, TLC - none of them were "too proud to beg," and neither are we. Adding recycling to your every-day routine and making it a habit can seem a little overwhelming, especially if you don't know how or where to start. So, we're here to say, "Hey, it's all good. Just start small."
 

Yeah, that's all. All we 'beg' of you is that if you haven't hopped on the recycle wagon quite yet, please start small, but start. Start with Diet Coke bottles (plastic) or your empty hot salsa bottles (glass) or those vegetarian baked beans cans (aluminum) or that pile of junk mail (paper). Just pick one. Then, find your local recycling center and swing by on your way to work or happy hour or your friend's house and drop it off.
 

Before you know it, you'll feel great about helping and healing the environment and you'll be busting out TLC to your friends and getting them on board the recycle wagon. Good luck!

You Can Be the Label Police, too!

Did you know? The "free-range" label doesn’t necessarily mean the animals went outdoors; "Fair Trade Certified" means more than paying producers a fair wage; Meat labeled as "natural" can contain artificial ingredients.

Eco-Label Center: You may have noticed a huge upswing in the amount of green product claims, but how do you know which claims you can trust and which ones you can’t? Okay. This is cool. On Consumer Report's Green Choices website you’ll find out what the labels on your favorite products really mean. Check out the search tools at www.greenerchoices.org to get Consumer Report's expert evaluation of labels on food, wood, personal care products and household cleaners. You can search by product, category, or certifier, and easily compare labels using their report cards, too.
Source: Consumer Report Greener Choices Eco-labels Center, www.greenerchoices.org.

August 2008

Tag It!
Driving up from the Bay area? Why not offset the carbon emissions from your vehicle? It’s totally easy. Just purchase a SkiGreen Tag or 2 or 3. They are only a couple of bucks, literally! Each SkiGreen Tag ($2 each) represents enough wind energy to offset the global warming pollution generated from driving an average car around 150 miles.

Did you know that round trip from San Francisco to Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort, a vehicle getting approximately 21 MPG gives off nearly 320 pounds of air emissions! Holy smokes (no pun intended)! For only $6, you can offset all the emissions of your entire Sierra road trip, and then some!

Want to figure out how many tags you need to buy? We've done the math for you!

• San Francisco to Sierra = 340 miles rounds trip  ~  3 tags = $6
• Sacramento to Sierra = 174 miles round trip ~  2 tags = $4
• Reno to Sierra = 156 miles round trip ~ 2 tags - $4

Office Climate Challenge

Is your office up to the Law Office Climate Challenge? If they can do it, so can you! We dare your office to get on 'board.' The easiest and most practical way for your office to rise to the challenge is by implementing best practices of office paper management. This includes, but of course is not limited to:

• Printing/copying double-sided for internal use documents and when practical;
• Purchasing at least 30% post consumer recycled paper;
• Recycling ALL paper to be discarded;
• Proofreading before printing;
• Utilizing print preview to ensure there are no blank pages;
• Using electronic versions of documents;
• Emailing correspondence; and
• Saving misprints to be used as scratch paper.

About the Law Office Climate Challenge: The American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, has teamed up with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and initiated the ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge. Law firms can accept the challenge by participating in one or any of the following:

• Adopting recommended best practices for officepaper management;
• Participating in EPA’s WasteWise Program, which helps calculate the reduction of paper use;
• Purchasing green power products (electric power products generated by renewable energy); and/or
• Purchasing Energy Star designated office equipment and by reducing energy consumption.

Source:  "Precious Little Sheets of Paper: Ways to Green Up the Law Firm" by Anna Hoffee

Set the Mood

Think you don't have the cash to live green? Think again! There are tons of tips for saving energy in your own home, but here's one to get you started: Set the Mood.

This one is guaranteed to bring some romance in to your love life, too.  Turning the lights down can make for an inviting atmosphere and it saves electricity.

Did you know that one low-wattage, compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) has a lifespan of 10,000 hours? For under $20 per bulb, you can save on your electric bill and replacing bulbs for up to 2 years!

Source: Healthy Beginnings Magazine, July 2008.

July 2008

Less Friction
It's simple, maintain proper air pressure and inflate to the maximum allowed by the specific model of tire you own. This will decrease friction and help your car get up to speed faster than tires that are at an improper pressure. In our experience, this is one of the most overlooked maintenance issues for car owners.
Source: www.hypermilingforum.com

Remove the Junk in your Trunk
Okay, it's not what you think. I'm not talking about getting rid of excess pounds off your rear end. I'm talking about removing items from your car that are not needed. These can range from books to trash to clothing to shoes, etc. The total weight loss after just cleaning up excess stuff out of the car can be up to 200 pounds!
Source: www.hypermilingforum.com

Lighten the Load
This is similar as above. However, we're talking about lightening the car from it's original weight. Some things that could be removed and might not be necessary are trunk carpet, floor mats, rear seats (if you don't ever use them), etc. This varies based on car and use. You can also replace items with lighter models such as lightert racing seats that run around $150. Also, if you have a full size spare tire, you might want to consider downgrading to a smaller spare (these are pretty cheap at junkyards).
Source: www.hypermilingforum.com

"BYOB"
Okay, this is not about what you are going to do this weekend. We are talking about bring your own reusable shopping bag, of course. Whether heading to the mall or to the grocery store, try to remember to take that cloth bag with you that you have sitting in your pantry or on your kitchen counter.

Join the growing trend around the world called "BYOB," or "bring your own bag." Retailers, grocery stores, shopping centers, even China are adopting the eco-friendly idea and encouraging their customers to do the same.


At Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort, we are proud to say that the shopping bags in our retail shops are made from 100% post-consumer content!

For interesting facts and stats on usable paper and plastic vs. reusable cloth shopping bags, visit:

• www.TreeHugger.com
• www.PoconoRecord.com

In the Kitchen
You spend alot of time in the kitchen--eating, cooking, baking, doing dishes, you name it! You can make it greener with these simple practices:

• Let the dishwasher do the dirty work. Don't rinse dirty dishes before putting them in the dishwasher, and only run full loads.
• Use natural fiber sponges and machine-washable dishcloths instead of using paper towels.
• Let "bulk" be your friend. Buy food in bulk  and divide them into single-serving containers made of glass or stainless steel

Source: Better Homes and Gardens, March 2008

Behavior Matters
Homes were built in the last few years in Sacramento as part of the Department of Energy's Building America program, a public/private partnership aimed at constructing cost-effective zero-energy homes by 2020. The normal-looking, single-family homes have been improved in a number of ways: the insulation and windows are higher-than-average quality, the air ducts are sealed to prevent leaks, they have tankless water heaters, etc.


On average, these features have cut families' energy consumption by 40 percent compared to the program's benchamark (60 percent if the solar panels' generation is factored in). Despite these improvements, the homeowners' behavior has emerged as a big driver of energy use. Some families are consuming double or half the amount of energy as their neighbors, even though all their homes were constructed with the same or similar features.

The take home message: Behavior matters. And it may mater even more as we improve the efficiency of our homes.

Source: Yahoo! Green, "Home energy feedback meters: Knowledge is power," Noah Buhayar, June 8, 2008.

Bottle your own water
When hiking, biking or traveling around in the hot sun, you can easily go through several bottles of water. Bring your own refillable container instead of buying plastic bottles that go straight to the landfill when you're finished.

Source:   GreenDaily.com, Patrick Metzger