31 Days To A Greener And Healthier Life

31 Days to a Greener and Healthier Life (Day 31)

Day 31 – Save energy through regular car maintenance.

What:  Driving a car may be one of the most regular things to do, but it is one of the most air polluting acts. Emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles contribute to a host of air pollution concerns including global warming, airborne toxins and general health threatening air pollution.

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Tags: benefits of regular car maintenance, car maintenance issues, how to regularly maintain your car, regular car check-ups, regular car maintenance, save energy: maintain your car

31 Days to a Greener and Healthier Life (Day 30)

Day 30 – Green your baby’s room.

(Okay, we understand that not everyone has a baby, so you may not think this post is applicable to you. However, because of what’s at stake (the baby’s health), we felt this was worth of mention. Even if it may not apply to you, chances are you know someone who has a little one that might benefit from this information.)

What:  All parents want to create a safe, loving space for their new baby. What most parents do not know however, is that a standard nursery contain chemicals that have been shown to cause health problems. Various pollutants such as formaldehyde and other VOC’s, (Volatile Organic Compounds) arise from newly laid flooring or carpet, soft furnishings, clothing, bedding, textiles and toys. VOCs are synthetic and natural substances that are emitted from everyday products and materials and include various household chemicals, solvents contained in glues, varnishes and other paint materials. Surely you wouldn’t want your delicate baby exposed to these! Since infants are especially susceptible to toxins and spend so much time in bed, it’s critical that their rooms are environmentally-safe sanctuaries.

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Tags: benefits of greening your baby's room, create a green nursery, green nursery, green your baby's room, green your nursery, how to green your baby's room

31 Days to a Greener and Healthier Life (Day 29)

Day 29 – Insulate your water heater.

What:  Utility bills can give us headaches, and water heating typically accounts for about 13% of our utility bills! Keeping water above 120 degrees is a waste for most households, as well as a risk that someone could accidentally get a scalding. If you find yourself routinely need to mix cold water with the hot for a shower or to wash dishes, the temperature is probably set too high.

The fastest and easiest way to cut your utility bills is to simply turn down the temperature setting on the water heater. The hotter the water, the faster it loses heat to the surrounding air. For a small investment, you can significantly reduce the amount of heat lost by the unit, particularly if your water heater is located in an unheated area. Inexpensive insulating blanket kits for water heaters are available in stores nowadays — take your pick, learn how to use them today!

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Tags: benefits of insulating water heater, how to insulate your water heater, insulate your water heater, reduce utility bills, water heater insulation

31 Days to a Greener and Healthier Life (Day 28)

Day 28 – Recycle printer cartridges.

What: Every year, millions of tons of printer ink and toner cartridges end up in landfills. We all know these can be refilled or recycled accordingly, but did you know that over 13 cartridges are discarded in the U.S. every second, according to CartridgeFundraising! That’s hundreds of millions of cartridges that end up in landfills every year, made with plastics that can take at least 1,000 years to decompose! If you’ve been chucking your inkjet and toner cartridges in the garbage up to this point, it’s time to stop. There are sufficient ways get the most life out of plastic cartridges and possible and to avoid dumping used cartridges in landfills.

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Tags: how to recycle printer cartridges, printer cartridges recycling, recycle printer cartridges, why recycle printer cartridges

31 Days to a Greener and Healthier Life (Day 27)

Day 27 – Maintain a water-efficient yard.

What:  A water-efficient yard is one that conserves water use. You may have also heard of the terms “water-wise,” “natural landscaping,” and “xeriscaping.” Large volumes of water are applied to lawns and gardens each year, but sadly, much of that water is never absorbed by the intended plants. Some of the water is lost to runoff because it is applied too quickly, and some of the water evaporates from exposed soil. Truth is, many people water their lawn more than necessary. What most of us don’t know is that lawns will stay mostly green with some localized brown spots if they receive 1/2 to 3/4 inch of water per week. We use and drink water every day and it’s such a precious commodity, yet we waste huge amounts of water from watering grass, gardening and washing cars. Speaking of gardening, did you know that a sprinkler hose can use as much water in an hour than a family uses in a day? Our goal should be to water as infrequently as possible and to develop our yards and gardens into a sustainable, green and eco-conscious environment.

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Tags: benefits of water-efficient yard, how to maintain a water-efficient yard, save water in your yard, water efficient-yard, watering yard efficiently