Green Daily http://www.greendaily.com Green Daily http://www.greendaily.com/media/feedlogo.gif Green Daily http://www.greendaily.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Tip of the Day: Time that showerhttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/09/tip-of-the-day-time-that-shower/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/09/tip-of-the-day-time-that-shower/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/09/tip-of-the-day-time-that-shower/#commentsFiled under:

Time that shower, or cut it off!

Time that shower, for real. With a timer. You might be quite surprised at how long your showers are. Once you find out how long your average shower is, try to cut it down to a time that you can live with, ideally five minutes. And keep setting that timer! Limiting your shower length can save enormous amounts of water, as well as the energy needed to heat all of that water.

Here an inexpensive mechanical kitchen timer, pictured right, for a reasonable $4. No batteries, no power needed for this one, just the turn of your wrist.

If you need help, er, encouraging other members of your household to cut their shower length, maybe the Shower Manager could help. You set the timer for how long the shower will give the full flow of water, with the help of a security key. The Shower Manager cuts the flow in half when the time limit ends. The showerer gets a warning beep, and one minute later the flow cuts to just enough to rinse. The Shower Manager isn't cheap though, around $115, but it could be worth it.

 

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]]>Shower ManagerShowerManagershowerswater conservationWaterConservationPatricia Mayville-Cox2008-05-09T06:00:00 00:00Tip of the Day: Take cloth napkins to workhttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/08/tip-of-the-day-take-cloth-napkins-to-work/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/08/tip-of-the-day-take-cloth-napkins-to-work/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/08/tip-of-the-day-take-cloth-napkins-to-work/#commentsFiled under: ,

Going through lots of paper napkins eating lunch at your desk?
cloth napkins
Instead of using three or four paper napkins every time you eat lunch at work, bring a couple of cloth napkins to keep at your desk. When you have a cloth napkin close at hand, you have a good place to wipe your fingers, you can mop up spills easily and you are keeping waste out of the landfills. The only inconvenience is that you have to take it home every week or so in order to wash it, but that's a small trade off when you consider the savings and the benefits.

 

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]]>cloth napkinsClothNapkinsgreen workspaceGreenWorkspacelunchmealtimeMarisa McClellan2008-05-08T06:00:00 00:00Tip of the Day: Sit in recycled stylehttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/07/tip-of-the-day-sit-in-recycled-style/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/07/tip-of-the-day-sit-in-recycled-style/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/07/tip-of-the-day-sit-in-recycled-style/#commentsFiled under:

Sit in recycled style.Sit in recycled style.

 

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]]>cabbagecabbage chairCabbageChairchairfurniturehomeproductsrecycledseatseatingtiptip of the dayTipOfTheDayRigel Gregg2008-05-07T06:00:00 00:00Natural body care that is responsible.http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/06/natural-body-care-that-is-responsible/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/06/natural-body-care-that-is-responsible/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/06/natural-body-care-that-is-responsible/#commentsFiled under:

Try Dr. Hauschka for holistic body care with an eco-conscience.
Currently I am experiencing the most horrendous sunburn of my life so for the last two days I have been on the hunt for aloe and natural body lotion to bestow some serious relief. One brand I have come to appreciate more over the years for its natural ingredients and sustainable practices is Dr. Hauschka's. Burned skin certainly doesn't need chemicals spread across the surface in its sensitive state. This brand is not only made from high-quality ingredients but the herbs included are grown through biodynamic farming. No matter if you are in need of lip balm, face lotion or lobster-red skin care, Dr. Hauschka has the natural body products you are looking for.

 

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]]>biodynamic-farmingdr-hauschkanatural-body-caresun-tan-lotionsustainableLaura Malesich2008-05-06T07:48:00 00:00Tip of the Day: Cockadoodle DOO your lawnhttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/02/tip-of-the-day-cockadoodle-doo-your-lawn/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/02/tip-of-the-day-cockadoodle-doo-your-lawn/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/02/tip-of-the-day-cockadoodle-doo-your-lawn/#commentsFiled under:

Cockadoodle Doo your lawn.


It's lawn season. Time for those trucks of chemicals to start circulating around the neighborhood.

If that isn't your thing, try Cockadoodle Doo on your lawn. Cockadoodle Doo is an organic fertilizer made from chicken manure, which has been dehydrated and pasteurized. Cockadoodle Doo is safe for kids and pets, as well as drinking water and the environment.

The fertilizers you see in the stores, or being applied by lawn companies, are most likely chemical synthetic fertilizers.

To learn more about Cockadoodle Doo, see Pure Barnyard's website here.

 

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]]>Cockadoodle DOOCockadoodleDooorganic fertilizerOrganicFertilizerPatricia Mayville-Cox2008-05-02T06:00:00 00:00Tip of the Day: Bring your own jars to the storehttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/01/tip-of-the-day-bring-your-own-jars-to-the-store/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/01/tip-of-the-day-bring-your-own-jars-to-the-store/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/05/01/tip-of-the-day-bring-your-own-jars-to-the-store/#commentsFiled under: ,

Looking to cut down on your container consumption? Bring your own!mason jars
I am often astounded at how quickly my recycling bin fills up with yogurt containers, peanut butter jars and dish soap bottles. As I've worked to reduce my consumption of plastic, I've turned my eye to the mound of bottles, tubs and jars that pile up with my every trip to the grocery store.

I've started to employ a new tactic (best described by Sarah Gilbert at Culinate) of taking containers to the store with me when I go shopping. This doesn't work at all stores, but those that have grind-your-own peanut butter, a vat of maple syrup or bulk grains make it fairly easy to use your own containers as opposed to using the cheap, disposal ones that the store provides. It also keeps a few more containers out of my recycling basket.

 

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]]>bring your ownBringYourOwnjarsplastic tubsPlasticTubsreusable containersReusableContainersTip of the dayTipOfTheDayMarisa McClellan2008-05-01T06:00:00 00:00Tip of the Day: Fill your windows with springhttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/30/tip-of-the-day-fill-your-windows-with-spring/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/30/tip-of-the-day-fill-your-windows-with-spring/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/30/tip-of-the-day-fill-your-windows-with-spring/#commentsFiled under: ,

Fill your windows with spring!

In some parts of the country people are already planting their outdoor gardens, but depending on where you live it might still be a little chilly (here in the Midwest we still have the occasional overnight freeze). That's no reason not to embrace spring, though, and start growing some greens indoors. Fill your windowsills with tomato seedlings for the garden later this spring, with herbs that can grow indoors all year, or with flowers. Greens sitting on the windowsill will not only help bring some spring cheer indoors, but having plants inside can help clean the air too -- it's a win win!

 

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]]>gardengardeninggreenhousegreensplantstiptip of the dayTipOfTheDaytipswindowwindowsRigel Gregg2008-04-30T06:00:00 00:00Beautify with these top-quality toolshttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/29/style-and-beautify-with-these-top-quality-tools/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/29/style-and-beautify-with-these-top-quality-tools/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/29/style-and-beautify-with-these-top-quality-tools/#commentsFiled under:

Get beauty tools that keep your look greener.Ladies (and some gentleman) -- ever thought about how many nail files you might go through in a lifetime or how much energy your conventional hair dryer is sucking up? To be honest, those items had not quite hit the green-radar for me until today. Whether its tweezers that come in recycled packaging and donate $1 of their retail price to planting trees or a makeup-brush set made of bamboo and animal-free bristles that will last, there are simple substitutions you can make when needing to replace these few beauty tools and that's nothing to sweat over.

[via Ideal Bite]

 

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]]>95-and-sunny-nail-filesboscia-rose-blotting-linensecotoolsParis-presents-ecotools-bamboo-brushessilence-HP-hair-dryertweezermanLaura Malesich2008-04-29T07:51:00 00:00On Guerilla Gardening: A new book helps you green your urban landscapehttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/28/guerilla-gardening-the-newest-way-to-green-your-urban-landscape/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/28/guerilla-gardening-the-newest-way-to-green-your-urban-landscape/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/28/guerilla-gardening-the-newest-way-to-green-your-urban-landscape/#commentsFiled under:

Green-up your urban landscape by Guerilla Gardening!Green-up your urban landscape by Guerilla Gardening!

 

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]]>guerilla gardeningGuerillaGardeningRichard ReynoldsRichardReynoldsLaura Malesich2008-04-28T07:51:00 00:00Tip of the Day: The Compost Guidehttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/25/tip-of-the-day-friday/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/25/tip-of-the-day-friday/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/25/tip-of-the-day-friday/#commentsFiled under:

Everything you ever wanted to know about composting.

Compost is the remnants of organic matter that has decomposed. When compost is added to plants, it can help them grow stronger by providing the nutritional support they need, that is often lacking. Interest in composting is growing fast, as part of the growing interest in recycling. It is estimated that one-third of waste in landfills is food waste, waste that could be composted.

Composting converts your yard and food waste into wonderful stuff for your garden, all while keeping it out of the landfills. Compost materials are generally thought of as "brown," such as leaves, and "green" such as the food waste that comes out of your kitchen.

The final composted product can be added to the soil of your flower gardens and vegetable gardens, shrubs and lawn. It can even be added to your indoor houseplants to keep them healthy and happy with all of that good nourishment.

An excellent place to learn loads about composting is Compost Guide. I could not think of a question that was not answered on this site! Check it out!

 

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]]>compostcompost binsCompostBinscompostingPatricia Mayville-Cox2008-04-25T06:00:00 00:00Tip of the Day: Mow your grass longhttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/23/tip-of-the-day-mow-your-grass-long/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/23/tip-of-the-day-mow-your-grass-long/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/23/tip-of-the-day-mow-your-grass-long/#commentsFiled under: ,

Mow your grass long.

Although everybody has their own personal preferences when it comes to lawns and how long or short the grass should be, when it comes to being green longer is usually better. Slightly taller grass (not a jungle!) not only helps conserve the earth's moisture by shading the roots and trapping more dew, but it can also help naturally discourage weeds and many insect pests. Other tips for having the greenest lawn possible, without going the route of pesticides and chemical lawn treatments, is to shop for drought hardy varieties, mow regularly (with a push reel mower), make sure not to cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a time, and read up on the exact type of grass you have and aim for the top range of its optimum height.

 

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]]>grasslawnlawn mowerLawnMowerlawnsmowmowingyardRigel Gregg2008-04-23T06:00:00 00:00Kimpton 70 Park Avenue Hotel offers Eco-Step Challengehttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/22/kimpton-hotel-offers-eco-step-challenge/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/22/kimpton-hotel-offers-eco-step-challenge/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/22/kimpton-hotel-offers-eco-step-challenge/#commentsFiled under:

Take the Eco-Step Challenge from Kimpton! Happy Earth Day!I've mentioned Kimpton Hotels before and their awesome EarthCare Program but in honor of Earth Day they are doing something extra special -- the Eco-Step Challenge! Loaning their guests pedometers and walking maps of Manhattan, Kimpton hopes to encourage patrons to use their feet instead of taxis to see the sights of the town. Most would agree this is the best way to see Manhattan anyway, but the extra incentives don't hurt. For those guests that rack-up more than 15,000 steps they will receive a copy of Greenopia's guide to New York's green locations. For those troopers that step to the tune of 30,000 steps or more they get breakfast on the house and the creme-de-la-creme walker that boasts the highest number of steps for the day will get a complimentary stay at this eco-chic hotel. Kimpton will continue offering an Eco-Step savings package to guests through May 31st. Happy Earth Day!

<br /><br /><a href="http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/22/earth-day-2008/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" alt="" style="border: 0px solid black;" src="http://www.greendaily.com/media/2008/04/readmoreedcoverage.png" /></a>

 

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]]>Eco-Step-Challengekimpton hotelsKimpton-hotelsKimptonHotelsManhattanNew York CityNewYorkCityNYCLaura Malesich2008-04-22T07:20:00 00:00Pure & Natural products get an eco-makeoverhttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/21/pure-and-natural-products-get-an-eco-makeover/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/21/pure-and-natural-products-get-an-eco-makeover/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/21/pure-and-natural-products-get-an-eco-makeover/#commentsFiled under:

Get all suds-up the Pure & Natural way.Great products for your skin don't have to be pricey or keep you from sticking with your green ways. Pure & Natural has recently revamped their face and body soaps to be more eco-friendly. With a new formula and enviro-smart packaging, as well as a makeover at headquarters, they are saving about 19,000 barrels of oil per year! You can even take the 100% recycled packaging and plant it in your garden for a floral surprise! All in all, Pure & Natural smells fresh, has Mother Earth in mind and only costs between $4-$6! Now that is one heck of a product.

 

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]]>pure and naturalPure--NaturalPureAndNaturalLaura Malesich2008-04-21T07:48:00 00:00Tip of the Day: Use a manual carpet sweeperhttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/18/tip-of-the-day-use-a-carpet-sweeper/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/18/tip-of-the-day-use-a-carpet-sweeper/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/18/tip-of-the-day-use-a-carpet-sweeper/#commentsFiled under:

Try a manual carpet sweeper in between vacuuming.

Keep your carpets clean without constantly plugging your vacuum in, with a manual carpet sweeper, like this one from Bissell.

Just run it over your carpets, using your own energy instead of electricity, in between vacuuming days. You may even find that you're inclined to use it more often than your electric vacuum, since it's easier and lighter than most electric vacuums, keeping your carpets cleaner and possibly extending their life. Most manual sweepers don't have any replacement bags either, cutting down on waste.

And of course, a cleaner carpet is always more pleasant!

 

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]]>carpet sweepersCarpetSweepersPatricia Mayville-Cox2008-04-18T06:00:00 00:00Tip of the Day: Swim like crazy this summer, but without the pool chemicalshttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/16/tip-of-the-day-swim-like-crazy-this-summer-but-without-the-poo/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/16/tip-of-the-day-swim-like-crazy-this-summer-but-without-the-poo/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/16/tip-of-the-day-swim-like-crazy-this-summer-but-without-the-poo/#commentsFiled under:

Swim like crazy this summer, but without the pool chemicals.

Spring is here in full force, which means that the smoldering dog days of summer are just around the corner. Traditionally one of the most popular sources of summer fun is the backyard swimming pool, but unfortunately that same pool is also one of the most popular sources of earth-killing chemicals. Ecosmarte Pool says they have the environmentally-friendly answer: copper. Their system is more complicated than I can go into here, but it amounts to no toxic chemicals necessary and reduced energy consumption needed to maintain. Plus their motto is "it's like swimming in bottled water."

Really? Sounds great.

[via NatureMom's Blog]

 

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]]>chemicalspoolpool chemicalspool safetyPoolChemicalspoolsPoolSafetysanitizesanitizersanitizingsummerswimswimmingRigel Gregg2008-04-16T06:00:00 00:00Eco-Me kit makes green cleaning a cinchhttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/15/eco-me-kit-makes-green-cleaning-a-cinch/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/15/eco-me-kit-makes-green-cleaning-a-cinch/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/15/eco-me-kit-makes-green-cleaning-a-cinch/#commentsFiled under:

Get your spring clean on with an all-in-one eco-clean kit. When preparing to spruce your home this spring, while sticking with your eco-ways, check out the Eco-Me home cleaning kit. Everything you need comes in a natural fiber storage bag which includes two sprayers, a mixing jar, brush, micro-fiber cloth, handy mixer and one bottle of essential oil to fragrance your cleansers the way you like. Then using your own oil, vinegar, water and baking soda create earth- and nose-friendly cleansers to spiff-up your whole house. This $26 kit will get your home off on the right step to suit guests and family members alike.

 

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]]>eco-meEco-me-home-kiteco-me-starter-kitLaura Malesich2008-04-15T07:44:00 00:00Drop the white picket fence for something more natural.http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/14/drop-the-white-picket-fence-for-something-more-natural/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/14/drop-the-white-picket-fence-for-something-more-natural/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/14/drop-the-white-picket-fence-for-something-more-natural/#commentsFiled under:

Choose a natural fence to surround your outdoor space. Shrubs, trees or bamboo not only look more natural in your yard but they are better CO2 absorbers than any painted picket fence. With its added attraction of birds and insects you'll be providing a healthy environment for Mother Nature to do her good works. You can visit your local nursery to get the low-down on native plants for your area or shop around for bamboo barriers that ensure privacy in a much prettier way.

 

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]]>bamboonatural-fencepicket-fenceshrubstreesLaura Malesich2008-04-14T07:57:00 00:00Tip of the Day: Shop wisely for a new refrigeratorhttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/11/tip-of-the-day-shop-wisely-for-a-new-refrigerator/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/11/tip-of-the-day-shop-wisely-for-a-new-refrigerator/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/11/tip-of-the-day-shop-wisely-for-a-new-refrigerator/#commentsFiled under:

Some surprising facts about refrigerators!

If you're in the market for a new refrigerator, here are a few interesting facts from National Geographic:

  • While those side-by-side refrigerator/freezers may be in style right now, you might want to think twice about them. A fridge with a top or bottom freezer will save 15 percent more in energy costs than a side-by-side model. Side-by-side models lets more chilled air escape.
  • As much as people love those ice makers and water dispensers in the door, you might want to skip that feature. In-door icemakers and chilled water dispensers can increase energy use by almost 20 percent.
  • And of course, don't forget about Energy Star when buying! An Energy Star certified fridge requires about half as much energy than a fridge built before 1993.

 

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]]>Energy StarEnergyStarfreezersrefrigeratorsPatricia Mayville-Cox2008-04-11T06:00:00 00:00Tip of the Day: Stop wasting produce!http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/09/tip-of-the-day-stop-wasting-produce/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/09/tip-of-the-day-stop-wasting-produce/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/09/tip-of-the-day-stop-wasting-produce/#commentsFiled under: ,

Stop wasting produce!

Americans throw away as much as 25% of the fresh veggies and fruit that they buy -- that amounts to as much as a half a pound every day. Ouch, talk about waste! It kinda defeats the purpose of making a point to buy organic locally grown groceries if you're going to let all the benefits get cancelled out by tossing so many of them. So why do we throw away so much? Namely because we a) buy too much at once and can't eat it all fast enough, and/or b) we don't always know how to best store fruits and veggies to keep them fresh.

As far as the "buying too much" goes it's easy: plan ahead, make a grocery list, and only buy what you know you can eat in the next few days. And as for the storage issue? Well that's a little more complicated, but no worries: this article from Vegetarian Times has all the information you need.

 

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]]>cookingfoodgarbagegrocerieshomekitchenproducetiptip of the dayTipOfTheDaytipswasteRigel Gregg2008-04-09T06:00:00 00:00Give your pet some EcoResthttp://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/08/give-your-pet-some-ecorest/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/08/give-your-pet-some-ecorest/http://www.greendaily.com/2008/04/08/give-your-pet-some-ecorest/#commentsFiled under:

Plastic bottles have never looked so comfy for Fido.Plastic bottles have never looked so comfy for Fido.

 

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]]>Comfy-CornersEcoRestLoveBucketPoochPlanetSmarty-Katworld wiseWorldwiseLaura Malesich2008-04-08T08:02:00 00:00