Sustainable Shelving

After giving our room a cleaning, there were a few boxes left over laying around our living room. Rather than adding them to our recycling weight I thought it might be a good idea to use them in a more constructive way. Four boxes now stand in our living room as shelving to help us organize our design materials and other things that were cluttering the floor. They are stacked one on top of the other and pinched between the floor and the ceiling so that they are rigid enough to withstand being loaded. These shelves work great and they were a great alternative to purchasing shelving from the store. Constructive conservation!!

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle

1.Donate and recycle old computers, monitors, printers, CD’s, floppy disks, cassettes, and other computer accessories. Today, only about 20% of these items are actually being recycled. Most end up in landfills, and the plastics in them can last up to 450 years (Mitchell, 2007). As long as these items are rotting away in the landfills, they are polluting and contaminating the environment. There are numerous facilities that accept donated computers and accessories. A few sites to help you locate these facilities include: techsoup.org, sharetechnology.org, nrc-recycle.org, and Earth911.org.

2.Use canvas shopping bags instead of paper or plastic. According to Worldwatch Institute, “…factories around the world manufactured 4 to 5 trillion plastic bags per year. Although many of these bags are recyclable, each year Americans return only 0.6 percent of the 100 billion plastic bags they use and toss the rest” (Mitchell 2007). And even though paper bags are recycled more than plastic, about 10 – 15%, they inflict enormous environmental impacts. In 1999, 14 million trees were cut to make 10 billion paper bags used by Americans (Mitchell 2007). Canvas bags are more durable, they hold more, and are better for our environment.

3.Take your used batteries to an appropriate toxic waste disposal--"Americans use an average of about eight batteries a year per person" . This toxic waste adds up and goes in our landfills, which eventually go into our food chain.

Increase Your Health and that of the environment

1.Add live plants inside your house. They are natural air filters that remove carbon monoxide from indoor air. Plus, they add to the aesthetics of your home! The best plants to buy are peace lilies, bamboo palms, and gerbera daisies (Yahoo! Green 2007).

2.When cooking use Xtrema's Nano-Glaze cookware. It is lined with a thin ceramic glaze that prevents stick without releasing toxic chemicals in the air. It also retains heat longer so less energy is being used (The Green Guide, 2008). The initial price ranges from $39.99-$149.99 depending on what you purchase.

3.When getting costume supplies for Halloween, opt out of purchasing the makeup kits at the party store. It may say “non-toxic,” but that does not mean they are completely safe. Alexandra Zissu, writer for National Geographic, states, “Many contain hormone-disrupting paraben preservatives and phthalates (used in synthetic fragrances)” (2008). Instead, buy natural adult cosmetics with plant-based ingredients. Using all natural makeup is also a great alternative to wearing a vinyl mask – the least environmentally friendly plastic. Also, try creating costumes from clothes and object you already have in the house – this will save money and you can reuse these items later.

Invest in Saving

1.Use a humidifier.DOE states that, "It's not the heat, it's the humidity's moisture that increases the heat index, making 68 degrees feel like 76." (E Magazine,2005)http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1594/is_/ai_n13251153 This will decrease your need for heating, but also relieve cold and flu symptoms, prevent itchy skin and cracked lips, and reduction of nosebleeds if the user is prone to them. The ideal temperature to keep the humidity level is 30-40%. Too much will make the house feel muggy. A good indication that there's too much is if the windows show moisture. A good place to put the humidifier is in a hallway, so everyone reaps the benefits.(Essortment, 2002) http://www.essortment.com/lifestyle/humidifierbenef_shai.htm

2.Put blinds or draperies on the windows in order to slow down the loss of heat from the house through the glass window. Then, in the winter, keep the blinds open to gain warmth from the sun and close them at night to enclose the heat. (NW Natural, 2008)

3.Purchase an Energy Star television. The Energy Star television meets the efficiency guidelines of the US EPA and the department of energy; as well as, saving energy even when it is turned off. There are about 275 million televisions in use today in the United States. This uses over 50 billion kWh, which is enough electricity to power New York for an entire year (EPA Energy Star 2008). The cost for an Energy Star television is the same as any television. If you get an LCD screen, it will be pricier. The only draw back is that you will have to go out of your way to find the Energy Star televisions. If you would like to see which kind of television is an Energy Star, visit http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=TV and scroll down to the bottom where it says “Find ENERGY STAR Qualified Televisions.” By using Energy Star televisions, a person will save 30% more energy.

4.Laptops use about 10% or less of the electricity used by a regular desktop. When buying a laptop, buy one that are comprised of 3.3-volt components (LCD, memory and processor). These systems use 40-50% less energy than 5.0-volt systems and they have lighter batteries. (Earth Easy, 2008)

5.Switch your power surge strips with energy saving “Smart” ones. For instance use smart strip. These strips save energy by sensing electronics that are not being used and turning the power supply off (Dunn 2005). The initial cost is about $20-$40, depending on what model you get.

Energy Efficiency for FREE!

1.Wash clothes in warm or cold water: washing clothes in hot water can produce about 500 lbs more carbon dioxide than washing clothes in warm water for an electric washer heater or 150 lbs for a gas heater. It is cost free and a very simple change. (EcoMall 2008)

2.Fill your dishwasher and let them air dry: not using the air dry cycle will save 20% of your dishwasher's total electricity use. (EcoMall 2008)

3.Refrigerators eat up the most electricity in the household. Maximize efficiency by cleaning the coils regularly along with defrosting it regulary (LIVCLEAN). This saves energy and thus GHG’s. There is no initial cost or potential drawbacks to the situation. If you make this habit you will save 26.3 Kg/month of electricity. (LIVCLEAN)

4.Dimming your lights by 25% will save you approximately 20% on your electric bill as well as make your bulbs last up to four years longer. (http://www.ehow.com/how_2118319_carbon-emissions-all-saving-money.html)

5.Make sure to clean the lint trap in the dryer a clogged lint trap can make the dryer use up to 30% more energy and also catch on fire. It is best to clean it after every use, this will keep your dryer running at optimal performance.

6.Close vents and doors to rooms that are not used frequently to eliminate unnecessary heating of rooms. The DOE calculates that "closing the vents to just one spare bedroom in a five-room house, you can instantly cut your heating bills by as much as 20 percent." (E Magazine, 2005).

7.In the winter, close the damper of your fireplace if you don't have a fire burning- "An open fireplace damper can let 8 percent of heat from your furnace escape through the chimney!" (California Energy Commission 2006)

Got the LEDs!! Progress!

Good news fellas. After applying a little pressure, I made sure the LED distributors got the package to me today. And now I will put them in the third highest "resuce bin" in the living room.

There should be 10 keychains total (2 per resident). Please feel free to take them, label them and use them for the rest of the semester.

Now that we have the LEDs out of the way, I would like to see about creating a better system of recycling/reusing the toilet paper rolls and Irish Spring Boxes. Post any thoughts you might have about this. I will certainly follow anything up.