Plastic bags still seem to be one of the hardest materials to recycle. Although they are made of very easily recyclable materials they can many times be a contaminant in regular recycling. Problems with trying to properly recycle plastic bags is nothing new. Plastic bags have always been one of those commodities that have posed a challenge to collect and recycle. It’s no wonder why so many people would like to see them banned from being used.
Plastic bags are typically made from one of three basic types: high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), or linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). The thicker glossier shopping bags from the mall or retail stores are LLDPE, while grocery bags are usually HDPE.
Today most recycling haulers are seeing plastic bags mixed in with recycling. This is occurring in both single stream and multi stream recycling programs. Plastic bags are being found mixed in both municipal and commercial recycling.... read more
An unwanted tree is standing in the way of your property project and so, you’ve bravely decided to take it upon yourself to remove it. Consider this the project before the project. To your surprise, you have managed to cut down the tree without damaging your property or injuring anyone, but hold off on your happy dance, because the remaining, firmly-rooted stump will also take some effort to remove.... read more
If you haven’t already heard, energy prices are set to soar this winter and carry on rising in 2013. Due to this, everyone is being advised to shop around, pick your supplier carefully and if not suffer the price increase on your January electricity bill.
Considering it is December and the coldest time of the year, it is inevitable that you want to turn up your heating in a bid to stay warm this winter. However, have you actually thought how much this is going to cost you? You can switch your energy supplier to make it as cheap as possible, but the moral of the story is that your heating bills are going to increase whether you like it or not.
In light of this, I wanted to write this post to give advice and support to all of those out there struggling with money worries this Christmas season; after all, energy bill hikes affect all of us!... read more
With some discipline and an $85 investment in energy-saving products, you can slash up to $500 off bills in the New Year. Even better, those savings will continue year after year, even if you don’t investment another dime. Projected savings are based upon the average home’s energy bill of $2200. If you live in a bigger than average house, your costs – and savings – will be greater.
Begin where you spend the most
Heating and cooling costs account for between 45 and 50 percent of your home’s energy use, so it’s a good place to begin saving money. Adding insulation to attic floors and exterior walls, of course, can dramatically reduce energy use. Before making that investment, however, look for places where insulation was forgotten altogether. Common locations include over garages with living space above, inside cantilevered floors, and in cavities around windows. Consult with a company that performs home energy audits to help you decide where you need insulation the most and the best kind to use. It will have instruments and equipment that can literally let you see and feel exactly where you’re losing energy. ... read more
Now that winter has reared its ugly head, it’s everyone’s mission to keep as warm as possible!
With heaters on full blast around the clock, it’s no wonder that household bills skyrocket at this time of year. According to ABC, The average American household will pay $992 in heating costs this winter, which is $94 higher than last year. This is because of a recent hike in oil prices.
As well as saving some money by keeping more heat inside, you’ll stop harmful greenhouse gasses from escaping into the atmosphere and adding to global warming.
It makes sense to try and keep as much heat in the house as possible. Our guide is here to help!
INSTALL ATTIC INSULATION
Most of the heat lost in your house is escaping through the roof. It can be quite expensive to have your attic insulated, but the long term benefits make the cost worthwhile. Make sure that you research a few firms before you make your decision, or ask friends and relatives who they have used to carry out the work.... read more
Even the greenest of us might find that keeping up with different green habits can fall by the wayside. Exercise can be one of those things. You may drive to the gym, throw your used sneakers in the trash, or drink Gatorade out of disposable plastic bottles. Here are some ideas to make your exercise a little bit more eco-friendly. ... read more
Here are some tips for staying cool this summer while decreasing your energy consumption. If you're not ready to go solar, there are still plenty of changes you can make to reduce your carbon footprint.
1. Turn your thermostat to 120 degrees. Run a meat thermometer under the water 5-6 hours after you lower the temperature and adjust the settings on the thermostat as necessary.
Travelling abroad can be and in fact most often is, one of the most exciting and potentially inspiring things that any person could choose to do with their time. The intense mix of culture shock and in turn the feeling of being removed from your own comfort zone often than not leads to a very strange feeling of bliss and openness. For most of us going abroad is a break from work, home and normality, at a small price. But that price needn’t be forced onto the natural world as well, and it quite often is. For those of us who, whilst at home regularly use “mod cons”, heading away for a trip abroad can be a great excuse to cut back on expensive and environmentally damaging technology. By utilising your new found freedom to its full potential it can be incredibly easy to leave behind all the items and home comforts which make our lives easy and routine and in turn often damage the environment.... read more
The Fourth of July is a time to get together with friends and family, to celebrate American history, and to eat BBQ in the summer fun. Traditional 4th of July celebrations can create a lot of pollution. It's easy to replace some old habits with new ones for this year's Independence Day.
Greener Grilling: On the Fourth of July alone, an estimated 60 million barbecues light up nationwide, consuming enough energy to power 20,000 households for an entire year. But who says you need to give up your hot dogs and steak in order to be an environmentalist? Buy a natural gas or infrared grill instead of dirty-burning charcoal. Avoid chrome-coated aluminum grills and instead opt for steel or cast iron (my favorite). Also, go with a smaller grill, as they take less energy to heat up.... read more
Every once in a while construction materials from certain, relatively exotic locations become aesthetically and artistically desirable, particularly in the west. In the last few years this seems to have become the case with the African tropical timber known as Wenge.
Wenge is popular probably due to its physical aesthetic, it is an extremely dark, oddly porous wood and it has a distinctive figure with what is known as a partridge pattern. It is often compared to mahogany and ebony and is known by several names including: African Rosewood, Bokonge and Faux Ebony.... read more
If you haven’t already heard, energy prices are set to soar this winter and carry on rising in 2013. Due to this, everyone is being advised to shop around, pick your supplier carefully and if not suffer the price increase on your January electricity bill. 
Now that winter has reared its ugly head, it’s everyone’s mission to keep as warm as possible! 
Even the greenest of us might find that keeping up with different green habits can fall by the wayside. Exercise can be one of those things. You may drive to the gym, throw your used sneakers in the trash, or drink Gatorade out of disposable plastic bottles. Here are some ideas to make your exercise a little bit more eco-friendly. 
Travelling abroad can be and in fact most often is, one of the most exciting and potentially inspiring things that any person could choose to do with their time. The intense mix of culture shock and in turn the feeling of being removed from your own comfort zone often than not leads to a very strange feeling of bliss and openness. For most of us going abroad is a break from work, home and normality, at a small price. But that price needn’t be forced onto the natural world as well, and it quite often is. For those of us who, whilst at home regularly use “mod cons”, heading away for a trip abroad can be a great excuse to cut back on expensive and environmentally damaging technology. By utilising your new found freedom to its full potential it can be incredibly easy to leave behind all the items and home comforts which make our lives easy and routine and in turn often damage the environment.
