By By Michael Bloch via Green Living Tips

There are all sorts of teas, but in this article I’ll focus on the world’s most popular flavored beverage made from the dried leaves and buds of the tea bush, Camellia sinensis.

While the amount of tea used in the preparation of a single cup may seem tiny, well over 4 million tons of tea is produced annually around the world.

As far as beverages go, tea is probably one of the more natural as in its simplest form, it just consists of dried plant material without a great deal of processing.

However, like any intensive monocropping, tea farming does have an environmental impact.

To generate that 4+ million tons of dried plant material each year means a great deal of land is utilized for growing the plant. As demand increases, so does the amount of land required. The massive alteration of habitats for farming tea means some plant and animal species native to that area suffer.

Additionally, pesticides and artificial fertilizers are often used in tea plantations to restore nutrients used by the tea bush and to fend off parasites. The resulting soil degradation is a major issue, one usually addressed by using even more fertilizer and chemicals that further compounds the soil degradation problem. Chemical runoff into waterways can also be a problem.

Unlike some other food crops though, the tea bush isn’t ripped out of the ground during harvest – only the top 1-2 inches of the mature plant are picked; so in that aspect, it’s quite a sustainable crop. An individual tea bush can be commercially viable for up to a century.

When we see images of tea plantations, the bushes are only around waist height; but tea plants can actually grow to an incredible 50 feet high if left unharvested.

After the tea is picked, it’s fermented for a period depending on the type of flavor to be achieved. This fermenting is called “withering” and as the name suggests, it just consists of the leaf drying for a period naturally.

After the withering, the leaves are rolled through machinery and then they need to be fully dried. This is not carried out by air-drying – the leaves are heated using fuels such as wood or gas. According to information from WWF, in Sri Lanka it takes between 1.5 and 2.5 kilograms of wood to produce 1 kilogram of tea. While the wood required for drying is increasingly grown in plantations, in some cases it is still taken from local forests.

Some of the above sounds a little un-green, but compare it to other beverages and tea seems quite environmentally friendly; until we come to the packaging involved with some tea products.

Loose leaf tea usually just comes in a box with a liner – so nothing terribly environmentally evil there (comparatively speaking). Where packaging does have a particular impact is in relation to tea bags made of nylon. Traditionally, tea bags have been made from special paper derived from Abacá (a type of banana tree) , but a few years back there appeared to be a major push by tea companies to use nylon. I haven’t seen too many brands using nylon tea bags in Australia…yet.

Probably the only other major environmental issue is that of food miles – as tea plantations are predominantly in Africa, Asia and India, it can be very a long way from farm to cup.

As I was perusing various tea company sites while researching for this article, it was encouraging to see many of them featuring an environmental section where they detail their efforts and plans to further minimize the impact of their operations. Some are switching to organically grown tea leaves, aiming for Rainforest Alliance Certification, using biodegradable boxes and pouches and importantly – implementing fair trade concepts; so looking after people as well as the planet.

If you have a favorite brand of tea, visit their company web site to find out what environmental efforts they are making.

Tip: I’m not a big tea drinker, but I’m told the tea in tea bags is generally rather low quality stuff – tea “dust”. So by switching to loose leaf tea, you’ll not only cut down on packaging but you’ll get a better tasting cuppa.

Bonus tip: If you do use tea bags, instead of throwing them into your household trash bin – they can be composted or added to a worm farm.

Michael Bloch
Green Living Tips.com
Green Living Tips is an online resource powered by renewable energy offering a wide variety of earth friendly tips, green guides, advice and environment related news to help consumers and business reduce costs, consumption and environmental impact .

Image source: Wikimedia

By Michael Bloch via Green Living Tips

I’m not a big fruit eater, mainly because fruit tends to taste pretty much like acidic water these days due to modern farming techniques (and my dulled taste buds), but I do occasionally enjoy an orange or mandarin (tangerine).

Everything that nature creates usually has multiple functions and in the case of oranges, the skin has far more uses than just being a protective coating.

Limonene, which comprises 95% of the oil in an orange’s peel, is being used in all sorts of applications, including the manufacture of plastics.

The Florida orange juice industry generates 5 million tons of citrus peel waste annually. The citrus waste is usually dried into citrus pulp pellets and fed to cattle, but may in future be used to make up to 60 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol.

While these are all large scale projects, here’s some ideas I found around the web for what you can do with orange peel instead of just throwing it in the bin:

* Due to the high content of flammable oil in orange peel, dried peel makes a great firestarter or kindling

* It seems that cats don’t like the smell of peel, so you can place them around plants where you don’t want cats digging

* Using a “zester”, the top layer of an orange peel can be scraped to produce zest. This can then be used to strong flavor to foods, such as sauces, soups and salads. The zest can be dried overnight and then stored in airtight bottles for future use.

* Dried orange peels can be placed in a cloth bag and placed in closets and cupboards to reduce musty odors

* A puree blend of orange peel and water can be applied to an area to discourage ants from crossing.

* Most insects hate limonene – the oil in the peel. Small piles of zest can be placed around an area to keep it free from flies and mosquitos. Some people claim rubbing orange peel on your skin will prevent mosquito bites.

* To deodorize a garbage disposal unit, throw down a few peels while it’s operating

* While on the topic of garbage, placing orange peel at the bottom of your trash can, before putting the bag or bags in is said to reduce odor and also help discourage insect infestation.
* Use the orange skin to scrub and deodorise your kitchen sink.

* Candied orange peels are a tasty treat that seem very simple to make. Plenty of recipes can be found on the Internet.
* Add them to your compost pile

Extracting orange oil

Orange oil is being used in many cleaning products these days for its pleasant aroma and powerful solvent properties. As an essential oil, it has many health-related benefits. If you’d like to have a go at making your own orange oil extract, try this:

Note: because this process uses solvents, wear gloves, keep out of reach of children and naked flame and the same applies for the finished product. Orange oil is flammable and very corrosive. For most cleaning purposes, a quarter of an ounce (7 mls) mixed in with a quart (1 liter) of water should be sufficient. Always spot test a brew before applying in quantity.

1. dry the orange peels
2. grind the peels
3. place into a mason (glass) jar and cover with grain alcohol (even vodka)
4. shake vigorously for a few minutes. If possible repeat this over a couple of days. Warmed alcohol will help yield more oil
5. strain mixture through a coffee filter
6. place mixture in a shallow dish, cover with a material that will breathe and allow alcohol to evaporate
7. what’s left over will be orange oil

Most orange oil you buy is cold-pressed, which is a preferable method of extraction, but I couldn’t find any oil presses suitable for home use/small quantities available. If you know of such an item, please let me know!

By the way, if you’re using vodka, instead of using the method to extract the oil, after straining, rebottle the vodka and you’ll have a orange flavored liqueur.

Have some orange peel tips you’d like to share? – add them below!

Michael Bloch
Green Living Tips.com
Green Living Tips is an online resource powered by renewable energy offering a wide variety of earth friendly tips, green guides, advice and environment related news to help consumers and business reduce costs, consumption and environmental impact .

Image source: jon_a_ross

Article by LemonBasil

One of the most common misconceptions about sustainable living is that it has to cost a fortune. In reality, every individual and family can live an eco-friendly, healthy life. I should know, I’m a college student on a pretty tight budget, but I still eat really well – and feel good about all of the food I buy. Here are some tips I scrounged up to help you bring SOLE (Seasonal, organic, local, and ethical) food to your family without breaking the bank:

1. Limit processed foods – when you buy processed foods, you are paying for packaging, preservatives, and transportation. When you eat fresh, whole foods, you get more for your dollar, and you’re eating what nature intended. This doesn’t have to mean cutting out convenience. Fruits, veggies, and nuts are just as portable as a granola bar, but they’ll cost a lot less and fill you up more.
2. Eat with the Seasons – eating seasonally means buying healthy, delicious foods when they are at their peak, which saves money and connects you to your local environment. There are loads of resources out there to help you pick foods that are in season in your area, but nothing is simpler than heading out and seeing for yourself. Check out your local farmers market and see what the local farms are offering right now. Better yet, find out what they’re drowning in – the most plentiful crops will often be the least expensive. Talk to you farmers – they want to help!
3. Eat Locally – By supporting local farmers and producers, you cut out the middleman and gain access to the freshest, most nutritious foods. The longer food takes to get from the farm to your plate, the less nutrients and vitamins are in that food. I’m totally a cheater on this one, because I often buy foods that are a bit past their prime (hooray for dollar bags and market mark-downs!), but a good amount of my food budget goes towards the freshest food possible.
4. Make your own – Starting with one food at a time, find replacements for packaged goods you’d normally buy at the supermarket, including bread, cereals, crackers, and canned beans. I’m planning on making my own crackers soon, and I don’t think anyone can argue that homemade baked goods are so much better than the ones in packages. Eating SOLE food doesn’t mean giving up taste or eating like a rabbit – it means eating great food that you can be proud of (this totally includes cookies.)
5. Buy in bulk – most stores have bulk aisles where you can save on packaging and processing. Find nuts, beans, rice, grains, and granola without the waste, and save money. This morning I threw a pot of Oregon wild rice on the stove, and it will last me through the week. If that’s not convenience and taste on a budget, I don’t know what is.
6. Grow your own – Growing your own fresh foods can be so rewarding, and everyone can do it! From a few containers of herbs on your patio or kitchen counter to a full garden in your backyard, growing your own edibles is a creative way to save money. Kids love helping out, and it teaches everyone what’s in season – plus it’s a great way to prove that local just plain tastes better. Tomatoes from your garden? No contest. Best tomatoes on earth.
8. Eat out less – I eat at restaurants maybe once a month (MAYBE) but I still have amazing dinners and breakfasts with my closest friends all the time, and I can tell you I don’t miss the prices. Nothing beats the feeling of cooking up a great dinner with people you love. I know I’m kind of a rare breed, that spending hours in the kitchen is my idea of a day off, but it doesn’t take much. If you think of yourself as a good cook, try this fun experiment – think of your favorite restaurant meal, and try to duplicate it at home with local, organic ingredients. You get to control everything about the meal, and feel good knowing that you’ve saved money and supported local farms.
9. Eat less meat – This one is a bit touchy for some people I know, but I can tell you, it really saves tons of money to eat animal products only a few times a week. Most of my meals are vegetarian, but when I buy meat, I try to make it the freshest, closest-to-home as possible. It’s wonderful to say I know the people who buy the meat I eat, because they can tell me about their farms, their animals, and I know I’m not going to get sick from any mass-market meat scare. If you can’t buy meat (or chicken, or fish, or eggs) from someone you can meet, buy organic as much as possible. Yes, it costs more. But really, if you cut back a little and find creative ways to make really filling meals without the meat, it’s so worth the extra dollar to have faith in the food you feed yourself and your family.
10. Eat ugly fruit (and veggies) – This is my favorite tip. If you’re a reader of my blog, you know I love to scrounge for mark-offs, dollar bags, and free tables of less than perfect fruits and veggies. Ask around at your local stores and supermarkets – they probably have an area of discounted produce. I’d tell you where I get a lot of my fruits and veggies for free, but then everyone in Portland would be competing for my bounty. That’s my secret, but hey, I trust you’ll find your own. It’s all about being creative – a tart made with slightly ugly apples or a soup made with the farmer’s less than champion squash taste just as fantastic!

Cut out the middleman! You can find affordable, delicious, and healthy foods:
- At your local farms – go to www.eatwell.com or www.localharvest.org to find local sources of everything from fruits and vegetables, to meat and dairy products. Your entire dollar goes to the farmer, and your get more value for your dollar.
- At your local Farmers’ Market – get to know your local producers, and find out about the best deals every week from the people who know the best!
- Buy a Share in a local CSA – get local produce delivered to you every week, for less than you’d pay at the store! Go to www.localharvest.com for more info.

We vote with every dollar we spend on food. When we support sustainable agriculture and organic, locally produced goods, restaurants, supermarkets, and producers respond by making more sustainable food accessible at prices that are fair to everyone. Have more tips for an eco-friendly diet on a budget? Let me know! I love to hear what other people are doing to eat in a way that makes them feel great, in their hearts, their minds, their stomachs, and their wallets!

By Lori Bongiorno via The Conscious Consumer Blog at Yahoo Green

Americans are notorious for wasting food. Each year, we toss out about 27 percent of edible food, and the average family of four throws out about $600 worth of groceries.

Here’s one way to visualize the collective impact of all the limp lettuce and moldy bread that makes its way to landfills. We waste enough food each day to fill up the Rose Bowl (a 90,000 seat stadium in Southern California), according to Jonathan Bloom, author of American Wasteland on CNN.

We’re not only wasting money, we’re also wasting energy. New research from the University of Texas quantifies just how much. Americans waste the equivalent of 350 million barrels of oil every year on wasted food — or 2 percent of the annual energy consumption of the United States.

The upshot? Preventing food from going bad saves money and energy. Here are some tips to help you waste less food:

Plan ahead

You’ve heard this before, but that’s because taking the time to plan your meals ahead of time can really help to cut down on wasted food. There’s one key point to remember: Be realistic about what you have time to prepare given your schedule each week.

Check your fridge and cupboards before you head to the grocery store so you don’t buy what you already have.

Shop smart

Write a detailed shopping list and don’t stray from it as you navigate the aisles of your grocery store.

We all love a good bargain, but try not to buy food that you simply cannot eat just because it’s a good deal. How much money are you saving if uneaten food ends up in the landfill?

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t buy items on sale or in bulk. If you buy that 5-pound package of hamburger meat, split it up into smaller portions and freeze it when you unpack your groceries.

Use up what you buy

* Here’s a tasty way to use the seeds of butternut, acorn, or any other squash you’re making. Add a little salt and oil and roast the seeds in the oven, just like you would pumpkin seeds.

* Turn old bread into fresh breadcrumbs, Parmesan croutons, or Panzanella bread salad. Bread pudding is a good option for those with a sweet tooth. Better yet, store bread in the freezer as soon as you bring it home so it lasts longer.

* Saute small amounts of different kinds of unused veggies and mix with eggs, cheese, and herbs (if you have some in the fridge) to make a frittata. Pair it with a salad for a quick, delicious, and spontaneous weeknight dinner.

* Use berries, bananas, melons, or other fruit to make smoothies. Freeze ripe fruit for future smoothies or Popsicles. Some tips: Remove the peel from bananas before freezing. Lie berries out on a tray in the freezer and add berries to a container once they’re frozen.

* Add extra rice to soup or make Rockin’ Rice Pudding. Turn take-out white rice into some inspiring new side dishes such as rice fritters or tomatoes stuffed with rice.

* Were you overly ambitious when you went apple picking? Use up your stash by making applesauce or apple butter, which can be stored for months. And don’t forget about apple muffins, crisps, and pies. This advice isn’t just for apples. Transform any abundant fruit into delicious baked goods.

Freeze before you toss

We all know you can freeze meat, casseroles, and other meals. Here are some items you might not have considered:

* Store extra waffles and pancakes in the freezer, and pull them out when you want a healthy, inexpensive, and quick breakfast.

* Pour leftover coffee in ice cube trays. Use the cubes to enhance the flavor of iced coffee or to cool down coffee that’s too hot.

* Don’t toss leftover chopped onions or peppers. Freeze them and use them the next time you make a meal that requires those ingredients.

* Keep a container in your freezer to store parts of veggies that you don’t typically use such as trimmed ends of onions, carrots, and celery. When you have a good amount saved up, boil them in water for a homemade stock. Carnivores can keep a bag of unused chicken parts or bones in the freezer to add to the pot.

Get educated

No one wants to eat unsafe food, but it’s a good idea to understand what expiration dates mean because, in most cases, they indicate quality, not safety. The “use by” date indicates the last day an unopened item is at peak quality (taste, texture, nutritional value, etc.).

The “sell by” date tells stores when to remove a product from the shelf because quality will begin to decline. Milk, for example, will remain safe to drink for about a week after the “sell by” date if it’s refrigerated properly. Of course, it’s wise to smell it before you drink it just to make sure.

Think beyond eating

Mix overripe fruit, such as blueberries, pomegranate, or grapefruit, with honey and egg whites to create homemade facial masks. Here’s a simple recipe from Kristie Leong, M.D.: Puree fruit in a blender until smooth. Mix half a cup of fruit puree, one egg white, and a tablespoon of honey in a glass bowl until it forms a thick paste. You may need to add a little cornstarch to thicken. Store in fridge overnight. Spread mask on clean skin for 30 minutes.

Or combine fruit that’s past its prime with soil to nourish your plants instead of relying on chemical fertilizer.

Give to others

Donate non-perishable items that you’re not going to eat (such as an unopened box of granola bars or cereal that your child decides she no longer likes) to a local food bank.

Image source: neogene

Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green’s users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.

By John Bain via GoodB

At this point, it’s obvious that our society needs to make basic changes to its energy infrastructure. If you’re like me, you might be excited that the transition from oil to sustainable energy is just beginning to take on steam. However, all these changes make it easy to forget the personal focus of the original environmental movement. That is: conservation is something you and I must engage in on a daily basis, and if everyone helps out a little we will eventually see a worthwhile change.

So when you go to the grocery store, why are you still asking for plastic?

Yes, it turns out that to help save the planet, you actually have to do something. Something as simple as bringing a reusable bag next time you go to the supermarket. However, state and local governments can also help by banning plastic bags altogether. The documentar!y Bag It!, filmed to support a proposed plastic-bag ban in Boston, cuts to the heart of this issue with a couple revealing statistics. For instance, it costs $4000 to recycle a ton of plastic bags, so only about 5% of major recyclers accept them. Instead, local governments tell people to take them back to the store, where they are most likely just thrown away.

And that’s the last thing we want, since plastic bags only decompose after… well, as this Slate article tells us, there’s no way of knowing how long it takes plastic to break down since it’s only been around for about 50 years. In fact, plastic doesn’t biodegrade in the traditional way because it is a synthetic material; the sun has to break it down over time, and estimates for the length of this process range between 500 and 1,000 years.

So why not just use paper bags? As a commentator in Bag It! notes, the upshot of these is that they’re biodegradable — however, as it turns out they are both expensive to produce and wasteful of wood and water. Well, that’s fine – let’s get over it and start using reusable bags when we shop. It’s just a bag!

But in California, after a huge amount of infighting a recent plastic bag ban failed to pass in the State Senate. What gives? Why do lawmakers care so much – besides lobbyist dollars from the petrochemical industry, of course?

There is a viable objection to forcing businesses not to use plastic bags from a libertarian standpoint, which is why many California state senators rejected the proposal. “It’s my business,” you might say. “Let me run it how I want.” I hear you. This issue is a somewhat regrettable example of the government having to micromanage our lives – people should be doing this on their own. But they don’t.

And the stakes are too high for us to ignore this any longer. I don’t mind my personal liberty being slightly curtailed in this manner if it will help save the planet – I really have bigger things to worry about than my God-given right to plastic bags. In theory a law like this may be “about” more than just plastic bags, but at the end of the day it really is just a plastic bag. Call me when they come for the Bill of Rights.

Our failures to create sane personal and local policies about this material belie the global consequences of the way we deal with plastic waste. Enter the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Or actually, don’t, because it’s an incredibly gross soup of plastic waste stretching from Japan to California. The media has tended to portray this “patch” as a literal island of plastic twice the size of Texas; however, recent research has revealed the plastic exists mostly as particles rather than as a visible mass. That’s not to say there isn’t a “trash island” out there (plastic waste tends to congregate in one area due to ocean currents), but it’s smaller than most of the media would have you believe.

In any case, the existence of a contiguous “trash island” would be better than what’s really happening. Rather than breaking down completely, like an organic substance would, plastic is merely turning into particles and being ingested by plankton. This report states that in 11 random samples of North Pacific ocean water, the mass of plastic was six times greater than that of plankton. Think about that for a second. This is the source of most of the world’s water. Not only that, but consider the effects it could have on marine wildlife, including the fish we eat. Gives you pause.

Mind you, this is all in the Pacific Ocean, so where do you think a lot of it comes from? California! Not to mention rapidly developing economies like that of China, and already-established consumer nations such as Japan. Things like this are why I support this planet eventually jettisoning its garbage into space. What’s the worst that could happen — species-wide embarrassment when environmentalist aliens notice a massive floating ball of our trash? But that’s a political issue for the next century.

So it is ours to ask, right now: What am I going to do about it? Buy plastic water bottles?

No, we need to make change for everyone because we are everyone. We’re guilty on a personal level, to be sure — but the blame also lies in our complicity with governments that continue to prop up plastic. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the result of millions of individuals making millions of choices they didn’t think would matter in the long run. Remember that plastic bag you threw away 10 years ago? I didn’t think you would.

So… What are you going to do about it?

Image source: Rakka

By Jeff Kart via Planet Green

The music people at Rolling Stone have noticed something. More and more artists are becoming environmentally and socially conscious. Or, maybe the artists are just talking about it more. We noticed that a while back, and launched our Instrumental section in 2009. Many of the same artists we’ve spotlighted in 2010 also were named by the mag.

The folks behind the Campus Consciousness Tour pointed us to No. 6 on the Rolling Stone list: Hip hopper Drake, who headlined the Reverb-backed tour in the spring.

But let’s take it from the top. Rolling Stone says more and more music artists are “attempting to take responsibility and move toward greener alternatives, either by cutting back on their use of harmful products like fuel and plastic or by devoting time and money to promoting environmental causes.”

The Top 15 list begins with Guster, who founded the concert-greening nonprofit Reverb with his wife Lauren in 2004. Others highlighted include Barenaked Ladies, part of the Green Music Group Challenge from the summer of 2010, and other participants, like Dave Matthews Band and The Roots.

There’s also Jack Johnson, Green Day, Bonnie Raitt and Willie Nelson. Not a lot of surprises for Planet Green readers, but all good choices, along with KT Tunstall, Phish, Perry Farrell, Don Henley, Sheryl Crow and Thom Yorke.

The selection of The Eagles’ Henley may throw you for a loop (since he wasn’t in the news too much this year). He created the Walden Woods Project back in 1990 and his Caddo Lake Institute continues to fund ecological research projects, Rolling Stone notes.

As the mag says, green and socially conscious music is a “still-growing movement.” We’ll see you in 2011 for more. Who would make your list of the most eco-friendly rockers?

Image source: Muckster

By PRWeb via SFGate

There are many ways to make the New Year greener and healthier, just making a few small changes can have a great impact on the planet and personal health! There are many easy changes to implement into daily life to make the world a greener place. Smiling Green Mom Lynn Stone compiled a list of tips for going green in 2011.

Composting: Building a compost pile as a homeowner is an easy way to add many beneficial ingredients to the soil while reducing garbage volume! It can also benefit the community by reducing the nearly 25% of compostable landfill waste, according the Environmental Protection Agency.

Recycle paper and electronics: Recycling is beneficial in many ways and can be a convenient and an environmentally conscious step in the coming year! Anything from paper and plastics to metals and electronics can be recycled. This can save on the consumption of resources, the amount of landfill space being used and energy use. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 15-20% of e-waste is recycled, the rest of these electronics go directly into landfills and incinerators, causing dangerous heavy metals and toxins to build up with serious environmental risks. For more info on recycling your electronics, see www.digitaltips.org/green/default.asp as well as www.terracycle.net/ which provides free waste collection programs for hard to recycle materials that are then turned into green products!

Go Plastic Free: Get rid of plastic once and for all this year by switching to reusable whenever possible. One way to save money and protect our environment from the harmful effects of plastics and the chemicals used and the emissions given off in producing them, is to instead use reusable stainless steel water bottles and always carry cloth grocery bags anytime you are shopping!

Plant a garden: With the smallest amount of outdoor space, a garden can produce a wide variety of nutritious foods. Gardening can bring you back to nature while providing you and your family fresh wholesome foods with many benefits. If you don’t have room, consider a container garden or small herb garden to enhance your culinary experience!

Laundry: Whenever doing laundry, make sure it is a full load and wash clothes in cold water using a safe non-toxic laundry soap and hang clothes to dry for a clean, fresh and environmentally way to do your laundry in 2011.

Support local farmers and eat in season: Most grocery store food has been picked in the fields, sent to distribution centers and shipped thousands of miles before ever hitting your grocery store shelf. In contrast, when you purchase from local farmer’s, you are not only putting a face with your food, but your food has been picked within a day or two of purchasing making it ripe and delicious! Buying fresh local food has many advantages including, reduced vehicle pollution and packaging needed – while encouraging fresh and often-times organic and pesticide-free produce for better nutrition!

Unplug appliances and electronics: Consider purchasing new energy efficient models with an Energy Star label that guarantees that the product is energy efficient when it is time for an upgrade. This label is sponsored by the Department of Energy and the EPA and can offer substantial savings. If you are not in the position to purchase a new appliance, unplug the one you have if and when it is not needed or in use.

Turn it off! Turn the water off while brushing teeth and the lights off every time you leave the room. Consider purchasing low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators and energy efficient CFL or LED light bulbs.

Use eco-friendly cleaning products: With just a few common household items, you can make your own cleaning products when you need them. Making your own cleaning products with ingredients such as vinegar, baking soda, lemon and tea tree oil, can save you money, time and the packaging required for the store-bought brands. Homemade cleaners are also safer and healthier when using non-toxic ingredients!

Never purchase paper towels or napkins again: Instead, use old washcloths cut into smaller squares, old socks for dusting, old t-shirts cut up for cleaning and reusable cloth napkins and hand-towels while out and about.

Borrow or Buy Used: Borrow your books, music and movies from your local library to save money while cutting down on the paper and ink needed to manufacture new. Set up online accounts with Ebay, freecycle.org or shop thrift stores and garage sales when looking for anything from clothing to furniture!

Image source: MajisCup

10 tips for recycling coffee grounds via Green Living Tips

A nice filter coffee … mmm.. I don’t think there’s anything that tastes better ..except maybe for pizza. If I was ever doing anything else for a living, I think I would like to work in a shop that sells coffee beans ..or pizza .

One of the great things about filter coffee is not only the better taste compared to instant, but the grounds can be recycled and used in a variety of ways. Since pizza doesn’t leave any grounds, or even crumbs in my case, I’ll just focus on coffee in this article.

I use the term “recycle” rather loosely as recycling means to make more of the same product from waste from that product. A more accurate term in relation to coffee grounds would be reuse, repurpose, upcycle or downcycle, but recycle is a word that seems to be an umbrella term these days – and some folks do actually recycle coffee grounds it seems (read on).

Here’s 10 quick tips for reusing coffee grounds:

- If you have a worm farm, dump the grounds in – I swear the caffeine jolt makes the worms chomp through more. But seriously, it doesn’t seem to do them any harm; but I’d recommend mixing them through the pile so the worms don’t overdose on any residual caffeine.

- Use coffee grounds as a plant fertilizer. Sprinkle the grounds around the base of the plant then dig them in a little. They can also be sprinkled directly on your lawn.

- Add the grounds to compost piles to enrich nutrient content – the grounds contain Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and Sulfur. Phosphorous is becoming scarce, so we need to conserve it as much as possible.

- Add water to the grounds and allow to stand for a day or two. Drain off and then use as a liquid plant fertilizer – cold coffee that you’d usually toss down the sink can also be used in this way.

- After drying the grounds thoroughly, add them to an old stocking. Tie off the ends and then use in cupboards and your refrigerator as an odor absorber. Alternatively, you can just place the dried grounds in a container of some sort.

- Rubbing your hands with used coffee grounds will remove strong smells such as onion or fish.

- Grounds can be used as a scourer for greasy pots and pans

- A ring of coffee grounds around sensitive plants can discourage ants and some other pests.

- Use as a wood stain. Allow them to soak in a small amount of water overnight (or hot water for a shorter period), then drain off. The amount of water you use will determine how dark the stain is. Also good for touch-ups to mahogany furniture.

- This one’s interesting and I can’t say I’ve tried it. Dry out the coffee grounds in a warm (not hot) oven; then add equal weight of fresh coffee grounds and then use that mix to create another brew. After that brew, try one of the tips above – I wouldn’t recommend repeating the cycle .

By the way, a good tip for how *not* to use coffee grounds. Don’t try to get rid of them via your kitchen sink. They’ll stick to grease in the drain and form the basis for further build-up. Over a period of time this will totally clog the drain.

With all these wonderful re-use options for coffee grounds; perhaps hit your local coffee house and ask them if you can collect theirs on a regular basis. They’ll reduce waste and you’ll have a useful product – everyone wins! You might want to get in quick; since the time this article was originally published it seems many people have been doing just that, so used coffee grounds are becoming quite sought after

Below are some additional tips from GLT readers. If you have other uses for coffee grounds, please add your ideas!

# Comment #1 (Posted by Lisa)

If I sprinkle them on my lawn, will it attract animals?

# Comment #2 (Posted by Michael (Green Living Tips))

Lisa, that’s an interesting question. I don’t have a definitive answer for you, but I have heard that coffee grounds will actually repel cats – stop them from doing their business in the area where the coffee grounds are sprinkled.

# Comment #3 (Posted by Sebastian)

Palm trees love coffee grounds! I replaced fertilizers with coffee grounds for my home’s palm trees and get the same result. Best part, the coffee grounds don’t make the grass around the palms grow disproportionate to the rest of the yard when compared to chemical fertilizers. Works great with citrus trees as well.

# Comment #4 (Posted by Michael – Green Living Tips)

Thanks for the tip Sebastian

# Comment #5 (Posted by Theresa)

Any suggestions on the best way to dry grounds? I tried putting them in an empty coffee can, but found that the grounds on the bottom remained damp, and then started to mold. I’ll check back for any answers.

# Comment #6 (Posted by Michael – Green Living Tips)

Hi Theresa, an easy way to do this is to use the heat from your oven after cooking another meal. The oven shouldn’t be too hot, just warm – and you’ll then be utilizing heat that would have been wasted anyway. Place the grounds in the oven spread out over a tray. If you don’t have a convection oven; perhaps just spread on a tray out in the sun, but out of the wind.

# Comment #7 (Posted by Libby)

We recently moved & took our refrigerator with us. We had to put the fridge in storage for several weeks before the closing date. The movers advised us to clean & dry the fridge thoroughly and then put used coffee grounds in old pantyhose before sealing up the fridge. As promised, it really did prevent that “dead body” smell you’d expect from a fridge that was unplugged and sealed up half the summer.

# Comment #8 (Posted by Laura)

Mix with paint…makes a great textured paint for artwork!

# Comment #9 (Posted by Michael – Green Living Tips)

Laura and Libby, thanks for those great tips!

# Comment #10 (Posted by Kim )

You can also sprinkle the grounds around any entry point for ants in your home to deter them. I have them in an upper level window sill with a tree directly next to it. This was a problem area of ants for me, but with the grounds in there I have see a marked improvement with out harsh chemicals in our sleeping areas.

# Comment #11 (Posted by David)

Why didn’t I think of that. It seems like good old fashioned common sense to use natural/organic fertilizer instead of the commercial ones. I particularly like the coffee grounds idea. Can’t wait to try it tomorrow!

# Comment #12 (Posted by Joshua Bogart)

Comercial container shippers keep coffee around to remove smells from containers, if a container comes in with a bad smell they cover the floor with a thin layer and then seal it up. in two days they open it up and all the smell is gone. Will remove any smell from a closed room or cupboard

# Comment #13 (Posted by Liza)

Starbucks, which has locations absolutely everywhere, has a “grounds for your garden” program. At some locations they’ll have bags of used grounds sitting at the front door in a basket for you to take. If you don’t see it, ask at the counter. The staff have always been very friendly and willing to bag up any used grounds for me. I add this to my compost heap since the soil where I live is very alkaline, and coffee grounds adds acidity.

I read on the Starbucks websites that they also make the used grounds available to cities to use as fertilizer in parks and playgrounds. I think this is a great idea, and one to be encouraged.

# Comment #14 (Posted by Meagan)

Does Decaf coffee grounds work as well? How about unused fresh out of the can coffee grounds?

# Comment #15 (Posted by Frederique)

for people who like me do not drink coffee but want some coffee ground for their plants/ garden , Starbuck has been offering free bags of coffee ground in their shop. Nice way of recycling.

# Comment #16 (Posted by betty)

can any one answer #14 Meagens question ?????
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ALSO.

# Comment #17 (Posted by Maddy)

I would also love to know the answer to #14…can we use decaf coffee? And also does fresh coffee work?

# Comment #18 (Posted by Larry)

I have Pinon trees that are just planted and wondering if I use the coffee ground on them I know they are use in garden, compost and some flowers, but nothing mentioned about using around the Pinon trees.

Thanks

# Comment #19 (Posted by Shane)

I have been using coffee grounds in my garden since the start of this year and have so far gone through 1.5 tonnes of it.

Either in one of my three compost bins, straight onto the vegetable garden, used to build garden beds, sprinkled over the paving to keep away ants, over the lawn to act as a slow release fertiliser and to build up the soil. Some of it I give to neighbours and friends.

We have started an initiative in Australia called Ground to Ground, with is aiming to make better use of coffee grounds, which are almost always thrown into the bin. That is a real waste. Please visit http://groundtoground.org to learn about how to get involved.

Image source: Joe Lencioni, shiftingpixel.com

By Steve Graham Via Networx

Even with a constant flow of information about energy efficiency, homeowners make major heating mistakes that end in higher electric bills and larger environmental footprints. Here are 10 of those errors, with the cause and effect of each decision.

1. Maintaining a constant temperature

Cause: A persistent myth suggests that you can save energy by leaving the house at a comfortable 68 degrees (a widely recommended winter setting), even when you are sleeping or away at work. The idea is that it takes more energy for the furnace to reach a comfortable temperature than to maintain that temperature.

Effect: You could miss out on significant potential energy savings by not using a programmable thermostat and adjusting the temperature overnight and during the workday. Though the impacts of adjusting the thermostat vary based on your climate and other factors, studies show that knocking the temperature down by 10 degrees for eight hours per day can cut heating bills by 5 to 15 percent. Sure, the furnace will cycle on for a longer period to return to the more comfortable temperature, but it will be far outweighed by hours of savings when it didn’t have to work as hard.

2. Cranking up the temperature to warm up the house

Cause: You come home in the middle of the day to a cold house. You want to warm back up to 68 ASAP, so you crank the dial up to 78 to get the furnace working harder and faster.

Effect: No time is saved in reheating the house. Most furnaces pump out heat at the same rate no matter the temperature. They just cycle on for a longer period to reach a higher temperature. The furnace will take the same amount of time to return to 68 degrees regardless of the thermostat setting. By cranking up the thermostat, you are likely to overheat the house past 68 degrees and waste energy. Just reset the thermostat to 68, make some hot chocolate and wait.

Learn how to get the most out of a programmable thermostat.

3. Closing off vents in unused rooms

Cause: You don’t want to waste energy heating rooms you aren’t using.

Effect: Again, this just wastes energy and makes your furnace run inefficiently because it changes the air pressure in the whole system. Experts recommend never shutting off more than 10 percent of vents. Sealing your ducts is a more efficient way to save energy.

4. Using the fireplace

Cause: You found some free firewood on Craigslist and think you can burn up some free heating energy while enjoying a romantic fire.

Effect: While we can’t make any promises about increased romance, we can predict increased energy bills. An open fireplace flue may suck more cold air into the house than the fire can radiate into the living space.

5. Using electric room heaters

Cause: You spend most of your time in a couple of rooms, so you figure you will just heat them with space heaters.

Effect: This could lead to higher energy bills and greater fire risks. Generally, a central gas heating system is cheaper and more efficient than a set of electric room heaters. Electric heaters also can be a fire hazard. There are exceptions. A single energy-efficient space heater in a small, well-insulated room can save energy if the central heater is switched off.

Learn how to use space heaters efficiently.

6. Switching to electric heating

Cause: Electric heaters are more efficient than fuel-based systems, so they must be cheaper and better for the environment, according to this popular idea.

Effect: In most areas, simply switching to electric heat leads to higher energy bills and a bigger carbon footprint. Your heater may be more efficient, but most U.S. homes are still linked to coal-fired power plants. These coal plants and their transmission systems are extremely inefficient. Of course, it’s a different story if you have a large photovoltaic solar array or your utility company uses renewable energy.

7. Replacing the windows

Cause: Those big pieces of glass get so darn cold. They must be the reason your house is so drafty.

Effect: You could spend a lot of money to only take care of part of the problem. Windows must be installed properly to avoid drafts, gaps and leaks. Moreover, more heat is typically lost through poorly insulated walls and ceilings than through windows.

8. Replacing the furnace first

Cause: You blame high energy bills on an old, inefficient furnace.

Effect: Your energy bills will still be higher than necessary if you don’t start with cheaper, smaller upgrades to improve the energy efficiency of your home, such as caulking around windows and doors and adding insulation.

9. Upgrading to the most efficient furnace on the market

Cause: You want the sleekest, most energy-efficient furnace available because it will be the most cost effective as well.

Effect: You may end up replacing an oversized furnace with another (albeit more efficient) oversized furnace. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that most U.S. homes have oversized HVAC systems. Again, insulate and weatherize to maximize efficiency, then get the smallest system that will comfortably meet your heating needs, which will be substantially reduced. Also make sure it is professionally installed.

10. Using incandescent light bulbs for heating

Cause: Incandescent bulbs give off more heat than light, so they must be warming up the house.

Effect: It is hard to see this logic as anything but a weak excuse for holding on to the Edison bulbs rather than switching to CFL and LED lighting. In fact, one German entrepreneur is marketing incandescent bulbs as “heat balls” to skirt EU laws against the old-style bulbs. However, I doubt he is keeping cozy this winter simply by sleeping with the lights on.

Image source: mtmiller

Written by Melanie Kozlan, Four Green Steps

During the summer months many enjoy taking the challenge of eating locally- it’s a great way to support your community farmers and eat fresher food, free of preservatives. There is no better way to support your local economy and gain control over what you actually consume (In the U.S.A. corporations are permitted to include unlisted GMO’s in processed foods). It may seem challenging enough in the warmer months of the year but when December comes around eating locally can seem closer impossible than anything else. Luckily there are some simple solutions to ensure great food all year around.

– Many communities have Winter farmers markets that offer seasonal produce, maple syrop and other goodies. You can find one near you by checking out Local Harvest.org and Eatwellguide.org.
-Winter is an excellent time to be come an avid baker! There is nothing better than fresh bread, pastries and a warm oven heating up your home.
-Try to cook meals from scratch as much as possible- you can easily make your own tofu, cheese or sauces from easy to find ingredients.
-You can always grow smaller things in your kitchen, like tomatoes and herbs, not only will you be eating as locally as possible, you’re food will taste fresher and you’ll be saving money!

Do you have tips for eating local during the colder months of the year? Share them with us in the comments!

Melanie Kozlan is the Senior Content Director of Four Green Steps.com, your one-stop destination for all things Green!
Image credit: Creative Commons.