Project: Green Living

The growing popularity of those home improvement shows have inspired more people to venture on their own home renovation projects. As we know, home renovation projects are challenging tasks. The task can be really difficult and tiring, particularly if you don’t know where to begin. The good news is, there is no way you need to do the task on your own. If you are into the idea of making changes in your home, it is best that you call some assistance from expert and reliable people. There are plenty of companies that offer a variety of services for home renovation projects. They even help you with the planning, designing and even materials purchasing. Home renovation in New York (NYC) is no sweat as there is a a full service renovation firm based in the city, and is the only source you need for design, construction, materials and appliances for your remodeling project.

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Girl baby bedding: princesses and fairies. Baby boy bedding: space explorers. Wait - aren’t you forgetting something? You need to choose your baby bedding carefully, because it’s more than just a decoration.

You can’t be sure if your new baby is going to be allergic to anything or not. So choose the bedding material first and then worry about your nursery’s theme. If it’s good, the infant bedding should list some vital facts - namely, cover fabric, fill material, fill power (higher is better), and thread count (again, higher is better). The first thing you might consider is the warmth of the bedding, especially if you’re having a winter baby, but it should also be lightweight and breathable. The Internet provides most of the information we need, and this includes the construction materials of baby bedding.

To reduce the chances of sensitivities, try fabrics like wool, cotton, or down. There are several problems with synthetic fabrics, the first being that they usually do not breathe. They may also “off-gas” (release fumes) as they age. If you have chosen a set like the Max 4 piece crib set, that is composed of cotton and polyester (but mostly cotton), then you can continue looking or accept the small risk.

I love wool blankets - I think they are the softest, most comfortable blankets, especially for babies. You will probably want a blanket that is backed with cotton flannel. Smaller blankets are perfect for swaddling; larger ones are just right for car trips and naptime.

Down comforters can be a great choice - they have a natural filler that is both lightweight and warm at the same time. Babies and messes go together like jam and peanut butter, so be sure to get one that can be washed in the machine. In order to be sure that your down comforter has the least chance of causing allergies, you want one that has the highest cleanliness rating. Filler material is checked for cleanliness using two tests: oxygen and turbidity. A lower number is preferred for the oxygen test, and it should go no higher than 10 (the government standard). The turbidity test has an upper limit of about 550, with lower numbers meaning less cleanliness.

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We’re living in tough economic times. As of this writing, the US economy is facing a crisis, the likes of which we may not have seen since the Great Depression.

Energy issues are constantly in the news, as most of us look for tips on energy savings, some of which might include a replacement furnace, HVAC, ways to recycle water, heaters, energy efficient appliances, and more. But how about making one of the most mundane units in your home more efficient as well - your toilets?

No, you don’t have to put a brick in your toilet tank or install any flushing rules in your house, but yes, you can still save money with your toilet usage.

Did you know that the average old-model toilet uses about 5 gallons of water per flush? With 4 people flushing 5 times a day, that’s 100 gallons of water sent literally down the toilet! Keep reading for answers to common questions on how you can actually save money while sitting on the toilet.

Why should I buy a water-efficient toilet?

The average household can save approximately $100 a year on their utility bills. You’ll also be helping to conserve thousands of gallons of water and do your part for the earth. Remember, toilets are the largest single users of water inside most homes. For typical homeowners, replacing a toilet can be the single most significant money-saving efficiency action they do.

How much does a water-efficient toilet differ from a regular toilet? Will I still get the same flush?

Water-efficient toilets work by using an efficient bowl design and actually increasing the flushing velocity. While older high-consumption toilets use extra water volume to push out waste, the water-efficient toilet uses better design.

Most low-volume toilets flush just as well as older toilets and don’t require double flushing. Remember, water-efficient toilets have to meet the same cleaning and performance standards set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

How much will a new water-efficient toilet cost?

A standard water-efficient, gravity-design toilet can range from as low as $40 all the way up to several hundred dollars, with most models averaging between $100 and $200.

However, the cost of the toilet will be easily repaid over time in lower water and utility bills. So don’t be overly cautious about spending a few more dollars on a high quality toilet since the longer-term payback will be substantial.

What should I look for when buying a water-efficient toilet?

Like you would with any home purchase, look online for product reviews, ask for advice at the store and be an informed consumer. Remember, a higher price doesn’t always indicate a better product. While all toilets have to pass certain performance tests, the quality can vary significantly and so can the test scores.

Ask your retailer to tell you what toilets scored highest on the ANSI flush tests. A good retailer should have that information readily available. If not, you should be able to locate the information online.

Do I need to install any special modifications to put in a water efficient toilet?

Most water-efficient toilets are installed just like an older toilet. With very few exceptions, they’re roughed in the same way and connected to the plumbing the same way. You simply need the patience to set it properly and ensure that water connections are tight to prevent leaks.

Do I still need to put a brick in the tank to save money?

No, the days of plopping a brink inside a toilet tank are over. Because water-efficient toilets are optimized for maximum efficiency, restricting their full flow can actually cause performance problems rather than help.

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With oil prices causing the cost of all kinds of consumer products to soar including fuel, food, and transportation, there is an acute concern about our continued dependence on a dwindling supply of fossil fuels like oil. Additionally, with growing environmental concerns about things such as global warming and continued air pollution, conservation of natural resources and “thinking green” is more prevalent than ever.

Today’s children are taught about the environment and our growing concerns for our planet’s health at school. Children are certainly becoming more aware of these issues, how can you teach your kids about living “green?” One great yet simple way is to have them to learn to use reusable shopping bags.

Plastic and disposable paper bags contribute to tons of waste each year. The consumption of paper bags in the US alone requires the harvest of 14 million trees each year. Plastic bags are the cause of death for an estimated 1 million birds and over 100,000 sea turtles that ingest the bags, thinking they are food. Plastic bags take 1,000 years to degrade, and as they break down in the environment, they spread toxins into our soil, our waterways and into our food supply.

Help the next generation take the principles of environmental protection from concept to reality. Start by teaching your kids simple-to-learn strategies of becoming responsible world citizens. Something as basic as letting them be in charge of the reusable grocery bags when shopping, is a simple yet powerful way of demonstrating that they can do something to make a difference, and do their part to help our environment.

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Choosing to “go green” and deciding to use reusable bags, rather than disposable paper or plastic bags, doesn’t have to be the fashion “faux pas” that you might think. In fact, using environmentally friendly reusable bags has become somewhat of a fashion statement, a way of letting others know you’re “hip”, “phat” and a part of the current trend of “thinking green.” And fortunately for today’s environmentally conscious, there are new and exciting choices not previously available, that make choosing “green” as smart a fashion choice as it is a responsible social choice. Here are a few examples of how you can be trendy and fashion-conscious, and still do a good deed for the environment.

In May of this year, Lauren Bush (yes, that Lauren Bush, niece of President George Bush) released the second bag in her line of reusable bags to the general public. Her original line, sold online, sold 37,000 bags at a price of $59.99. However the new bags, called “FEED 100”, are designed more for everyday use than were the bags of the original line, and are priced at a more moderate $29.99. The bags help to raise funds for feeding hungry children through the UN (United Nations) World Food Program. And with the purchase of each bag, made of 100% cotton and sustainable burlap, consumers provide 100 meals for school children.

Another company that’s helping to make “green” fashionable is LilyEcolo, where you can find a variety of fashionable bags and totes to help you to act daily in a more environmentally kind way. The company “brings audacity, style and color in the sphere of ecological choices,” and offers a range of bag choices from reusable bags which pack small, to the “all-in-one” bag which will hold your wallet, cell phone, makeup kit and more, in an effort to ensure that you’re never left without a reusable tote to fit your purpose. The company encourages people to “shop differently” to “reduce wasting at the source simply by taking the habit of using practical, lasting and reusable grocery bags,” and to daily make a difference in the environment.

Then there are “Baggu” (bag-goo) bags. Baggu is a company that manufactures large, bright, wonderfully colorful bags as fashion and shopping accessories. The company reminds visitors that the average family brings home 1,000 plastic bags a year, and it takes roughly 1,000 years for those bags to decompose. The company further claims that “Using one Baggu for one year replaces 300 to 700 disposable bags.” The bags are made of strong (holds up to 25lbs), lightweight (2 oz) nylon that folds into 5” by 5” pouches. Not a bad choice for fashion-conscious ladies on the go.

Opting to use reusable bags is a responsible choice nowadays. But choosing to “go green” and do your small part in helping to preserve, improve, and protect our environment no longer means having to look “un-cool.” There are plenty alternatives to using disposable bags and containers as we go about our daily lives; we simply have to be willing to use them.

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Waste management experts report that “food waste represents almost 15 percent of the total waste sent to public landfills each year- this is the single largest type of disposed material.”

Composting may not be the most glamorous of home improvement projects, but name another scenario where you can improve your garden, and do something for our planet by having less trash to go in our landfills every week. Starting your own compost is simple and has an enormous return. Compost is essentially layers of natural materials that eventually break down to produce a nutrient rich soil. This natural fertilizer is great for your garden as it replenishes nutrients missing from damaged soil. As any gardener will tell you: the success of your garden depends largely on the quality of your dirt.

Step One - What to keep your compost in:

With more people catching onto composting, the options of where and how to keep your pile have increased dramatically. Nowadays, you can buy a prebuilt composting bin. These devices are typically plastic and are designed to keep odors away and thus, critters at bay!

The models vary widely from what they look like and what they can do. Some bins are stationary while others, called tumblers, can be turned by a handle. I personally like this option as it saves on the back straining job of turning your compost by hand with a shovel.

You can also make your own bin, they can be constructed in a open design out of wood pallets, wire mesh, or old fencing. Just know this: an open compost pile is likely to smell and attract bugs and animals. If you go this route, make sure it’s in the wide open, and not next to your bedroom window. For a homemade enclosed composting container one idea I found in my research was is making one from a giant plastic container normally used for storage. Simply drill holes in the bottom and in the lid and you have a very simple and inexpensive composting bin.

Step Two - Add the Food and Yard Waste.
What Not to Put in It:

What to avoid putting in your compost is almost more important than what goes in. Certain substances can be toxic and therefore harmful. Dog, cat, and bird feces are a prime example. Also, avoid any green materials treated with pesticides. Other composting no-nos:
• Limes
• Meat or fish
• Bones, grease, fat
• Cat litter
• Plastic and laminated paper
• Diseased or rotting plants
• Big stalks or roots (cut or shred them first)
• Treated woods

What you can put in your compost:

There should be both “brown” (carbon-rich) and “green” (nitrogen-rich) ingredients in your compost pile. Most of the items - about two-thirds - should be brown ingredients.

• Brown components are rich in carbon and include dried leaves, pine needles, spoiled hay, straw and paper.

• Green ingredients are rich in nitrogen. You will want to create a thin layer of green ingredients between thick layers of brown ingredients. Remember, two thirds of your pile should be brown. You can create a five-to-six inch layer of brown, topped with up to two inches of green, then another layer of brown, and so on. Common green components include grass clippings, yard refuse (old vegetable stalks, last fall’s flower stalks), coffee grounds, barnyard animal manure and fruit and vegetable kitchen waste.

Layers is where to start (if you are using a tumbler, layers aren’t necessary. Just toss everything in!)

• Layer number one should consist of brown ingredients. The key is to have good circulation at the bottom of your bin or pile, so don’t pile the clippings on too thick, about 1 to 2 inches should suffice.

• The next layers should alternate between brown and green materials. Each layer should be about 2 inches thick, and a thin layer of manure can be placed between green and brown layers. A trick of the trade: break down any material that is in large pieces before adding it to your compost pile; it will decompose faster.

Step Three - Maintaining of Your Compost

• Rule of thumb: The more you manage your compost pile, the quicker you will get rich, black compost. Management ranges from simply leaving the pile (everything decays in time, but this method may take a year or more) to turning the compost once or twice a week with a garden spade so the cooler exterior of the pile is turned under. This is where the tumbler compost bins save your back.

• Keep your compost pile damp. Depending upon your weather, this may be easy to achieve naturally during some seasons. You can check for moisture by turning over the compost with a spade - the center of the pile shouldn’t dry out. Depending upon the weather, you may have to sprinkle your compost pile occasionally to keep it damp, or cover it with a tarp to prevent it from being soaked regularly.

• Place the bin in an area that gets a fair amount of sun, as you need the container to heat up to start working. The interior of the pile should be warm. This indicates decomposition of the organic materials is taking place. Your compost should start to heat up in a day or so to about 150 degrees Fahrenheit. If it doesn’t, there aren’t enough green materials. Some of the composting bins come with thermometers, but you can buy one if it doesn’t. Just stick it in the center of the pile to see if your mixture is correct.

Going, Going, Gone!

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