1. Turn off the Water
In certain places, people keep sprinkler systems on year-round. In other areas, sprinkler systems need to be shut off when temperatures begin dropping. Once winter arrives, plants, grass, and other shrubbery do not require as much water. However, many people may continue watering when it is not needed.

• Reduce the amount of water you use in your backyard.
• Even if you do not use a sprinkler system, reduce the amount of water you use in your backyard.
• Instead of watering your lawn and other greenery every day, only water it when it is needed.

Turning off your sprinkler system as temperatures become cooler can also help prevent wasted water. Cold temperatures can cause pipes to burst in sprinkler systems, which causes water waste.

2. Create Animal-Friendly Areas

An Eco-friendly backyard should have plenty of animal-friendly areas. When you want to create an animal-friendly backyard, you can set up a few areas where animals will feel safe and happy.

• Hang a few bird-feeders from the trees in your backyard or off your back porch.
• Scatter bird food around the bottom of the tree trunks, as well as underneath other bird-feeders. The food on the ground will attract non-flying birds, as well as scavenger birds.
• Use recycled materials to create bird-feeders.

3. Winterize Your Lawn in an Eco-Friendly Way

All lawns need to be winterized before the temperatures drop. However, if you want to keep your backyard eco-friendly, you should consider using organic or eco-friendly fertilizer on your grass and plants.

• Prepare your lawn before winter with eco-friendly fertilizers.
• Plant grass and plants that are intended for the area you live.
• When you use the right type of grass and plants in your yard, there is not as much need for fertilizer or water.

4. Pesticides are a Bad Idea

Pesticides can harm your pets, as well as any outdoor animals that visit your yard. When you want to deter certain animals, or lawn killers, consider using natural methods.

5. Trade Your Current Furniture for Eco-Friendly Items

Use eco-friendly outdoor lighting and furniture. You can still enjoy your backyard in the winter by using eco-friendly lighting and furniture.

• Enjoy the cooler weather by placing an environmentally friendly outside wood burning stove in your yard.
• Use eco-friendly yard lighting and holiday lights.
• Use outdoor furniture made from recycled materials outside on your porch or in your yard.

Just because the weather is cooler does not mean you cannot enjoy your yard. With bird feeders, outdoor wood stoves, and recyclable furniture, you can have fun outdoors, even in winter. When you make an effort to have a greener yard, it can be more enjoyable for you, and the environment.

Photo credits: Bird Feeder – Cardinal by Marni-/flickr; Solar Lights in backyard
by shidairyproduct/flickr

Author Casey Stevens owns his own landscape business and writes for truckertotrucker.com, a site where you can find a dump trailer for your renovation project or a flatbed trailer to haul all your heavy equipment.

Even as you acknowledge your blissful days on the lake are an extravagance, you argue their benefits for your sanity and your family’s happiness more than justify the expense. Moreover, you love your days on the open water so much you are willing to take bold steps to continue enjoying them. You are willing not only to review all the real costs of operating your boat but also to assess your boat’s impact on the environment. As you form your resolve, you should remember, as with most things earth-friendly, reducing your carbon footprint is a wallet-friendly choice, too.

Calculate your current footprint

For the sake of simple discussion, you can calculate your boat’s carbon footprint by simple multiplication using the formula…

#gallons x lbs/gal(CO2) = e CO2
(size of your fuel tank) X (pounds per gallon burned)=(carbon emissions or “the footprint”)

Calculate at the rates…

one gallon of marine diesel produces 21.24 lbs. CO2
one gallon of marine unleaded (93 octane)produces 19.88lbs. CO2
one gallon of marine unleaded (91 octane)produces 19.51lbs. CO2
one gallon of marine unleaded (89 octane)produces 19.52lbs. CO2
one gallon of “jet A” produces 21.1lbs. CO2
one gallon of biodiesel produces 5.02lbs. CO2

Of course, the less fuel you burn, the less you pollute the atmosphere. You may naturally wonder how a gallon of gasoline that weighs barely six pounds in the can mysteriously generates more than twenty pounds of carbon emissions. Blame the fire triangle: In your engine, gasoline mixes with heat and oxygen—the miracle of internal combustion; as gasoline and oxygen mix, oxygen increases the weight of combustion’s by-products by a multiple of approximately 3.5.

Choose your footprint reduction plan

Obviously, changes in octane ratings have little impact on the size of your carbon footprint, so that acting conscientiously to reduce your emissions requires a choice among three options. You may reduce your fuel consumption by going to a smaller and more fuel-efficient engine, or you may reduce your fuel consumption by applying strict self-discipline to your piloting. The third option is slightly more radical. If you love that big old Chevy 454, and you cannot restrain your urge to run it with the throttle wide-open, then you may aggressively reduce your carbon footprint all the time you are not tearing-up the waterways. Instead of replacing your boat engine, change all your household light-bulbs and replace all your kitchen appliances; then, abandon driving to work and take public transit or ride your bicycle.

Further reduce your footprint

A little common sense cuts carbon emissions a lot, simultaneously cutting your costs and making you a safer helmsman…

• Generally back-off the throttle and control it more smoothly, cutting out your jack-rabbit starts and backing off from wide-open to cruise at least two or three more times per outing than you have been accustomed to backing-off in the past.

• Update and downsize your engine. Just as high-performance auto engines now generate the same old-fashioned horsepower from far fewer cubic inches with far less fuel consumption, so boat engines have evolved. What used to take eight cylinders now requires only six, and what used to suck-up premium fuel now sips regular. Just as importantly, update and upgrade your propellers; stainless steel propellers rock.

• Perfect your “planning” skills. Just as your car uses less fuel when it runs at 60 mph at the low end of fifth gear than it uses at 10 mph wound-out in first, so your boat runs far more efficiently when it “planes.” Get on-plane quickly and stay there; perfect your “power trim” skills. The less hull you drag through the water, the less your engine has to work against waves, wake, and chop.

• Cut weight wherever you can. Do not carry extra fuel on-board, give-up all those unnecessary accessories, and make sure your hull is perfectly clean. While you are cutting weight, seriously consider cutting size. If you have a compelling need for speed, remember that smaller boats go much faster using far less fuel.

On the water, “economical” and “ecological” are synonyms. The more you increase your boat’s fuel efficiency, the more you make it earth-friendly. The more you reduce your boat’s carbon footprint, the more you assure your children and their children can enjoy the same blissful days on the lake that have enriched your life and made your hard work worthwhile.

Photo credit: Boating-at the gas pump by momentcaptured1/flickr; Speed by Zanastardust/flickr

Timothy Petersen is an avid water sports enthusiast and content contributor for SkiSafe.com, a Boat Insurance provider specializing in PWC insurance for jetskiis, yachts, fishing boats, and more.

By definition, our carbon footprint is the impact that our activities, both at home and away, have on climate change. This measurement of the greenhouse gases that we produce as individuals has a carbon dioxide equivalent.

By reducing the amount of personal carbon dioxide emissions, we can reduce our personal impact on energy requirements and global warming in general. While there is little doubt that global warming is a worldwide issue, one person truly can make a difference. Many of these changes will also end up saving you money.

Adjust Your Thermostat

By turning your thermostat down a mere 2 degrees in the winter you will save $98 per year and decrease your carbon emissions by 2,000 pounds. In the summer, turn up your thermostat the same 2 degrees and you will have the same effect on the environment as well as your personal budget.

Of course, turning off your heating and cooling systems altogether can reduce your carbon footprint further. In the heat of the summer open your windows for cross-ventilation, and use fans rather than central air-conditioning whenever possible. Curing the milder days of winter, layer your clothing and turn off the furnace. In spring and fall, open your windows and screened doors to let the fresh air and daylight enter, and try to only lights in the daytime if you truly need them for reading or working.

Turn Down Your Water Heater

Most water heaters are automatically set at 140 degrees when they are shipped from the factory. Turn your water heater down to 120 degrees or lower, and you will save at a minimum $30 per year plus 500 pounds of emissions. Hot tubs and Jacuzzis run with a water temperature of no more than 110 degrees. Chances are, you taking a shower in temperatures higher than these. Turn down your water heater and you won’t even notice!

Run a Full Dishwasher

Don’t run your dishwasher when it is only partially full. If you have a small load, wash them in the sink. If you have enough dirty dishes to fill your washer, go ahead and use it—running only a full dishwasher can save you $40 each year and reduce your emissions as well.

Doing Your Laundry

Cold or cool water is just as effective at cleaning your normally soiled clothing as warm or hot water. Look for washing machines and dryers that are energy star compliant, and try to use a biodegradable laundry detergent. By combining all of these eco-friendly laundry practices, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint by a significant amount. Be sure to take advantage of the sun! Hang your clothes on the line (inside or outside), then just fluff them quickly in the dryer—this works especially well for heavy towels and blankets, saving tons of electricity.

Switch Your Light Bulbs

As your bulbs burn out, replace them with those that are energy efficient. Compact fluorescent light bulbs do cost more than traditional halogen bulbs but can last up to eight times longer. If you are still using lamps and ceiling lights with halogen bulbs, be sure to turn them off when they aren’t in use. Be aware that halogens run very hot and shouldn’t be used in office or table lamps close to you, they can explode and cause injury.

Save Water

There are many ways you can save water in your home and garden. Install a low-flow or dual flush toilet, install aerators on taps in the kitchen and bathroom, and try to take more showers than baths. If you aren’t in the market for a new toilet, placing a brick in the toilet’s water tank will reduce the volume of water used per flush.

Connie Prescott is a conservation writer who works with NRDC and other organizations to protect our health and environment. She says that transforming the energy marketplace is essential to cooling the climate changes our earth is undergoing. Check out these global warming facts and see the latest strides being made for our environment.

The Niagara Conservation Water Saving EcoKit

As soon as the Water Conservation EcoKit arrived we opened the box to investigate the various goodies inside!

The Niagara Conservation EcoKit came packed with lots of amazing water saving ideas and devices;

• 1.5 GPM Earth® Massage high-efficiency showerhead
• 1.5 GPM dual-spray kitchen swivel aerator
• (2) 1.0 GPM bathroom aerators
• Toilet Tank Bank™
• Toilet water saver fill cycle diverter
• Plumber’s tape
• Leak detection tablets
• Shower Flow meter bag
• Water conservation wheel

Inside the Niagara Conservation Water Saving EcoKit

After looking through the collection of water saving devices we can see that the Niagara Conservation EcoKits are a perfect way to implement conservation solutions throughout the home. Each EcoKit™ includes a variety of their easy-to-install water conserving products. Each EcoKit™ also includes helpful, everyday tips for water conservation. These EcoKits would make wonderful promotional tools for any business and could also serve as educational tools to help children understand the importance of saving energy and water with simple but effective ways to do so.

We are planning to host a giveaway this month to giveaway two of these amazing Niagara Conservation EcoKits to two of our lucky readers so check back soon!

Over the next couple of weeks I will be installing the Toilet Tank Bank device to cut down on the amount of water used during each flush and I will be adding the two 1.0 gpm aerators to our bathroom sink faucets to save some extra water. The rest of the goodies in the kit will also be put to good use but I may have to install those next month, busy schedule etc…
You can find out more by visiting the Niagara Conservation Website

For those who tire of the usual bachelor parties and wish to get away from the pack, plan an eco-friendly party for the entourage. Cut the carbon footprint and promote a less lavish event. Explore environmental-friendly locations but do not cut out the fun factor. Find a way to travel responsibly to the venue of the stag party. Look for a door to door pick-up service so guests can leave their cars at home and cut gas consumption here are some great ideas for your stag weekends so relax and to help plan the stag party, here are three alternative but extremely fun ideas;

1. Eco-Camp

There is nothing more eco-friendly than having a stag party in an eco-camp. If it is a one-night event only, organize the party in a yurt and serve vegan and organic food. If there is no time constraint and the group has the whole weekend for the party, look for eco-camps that offer an interesting mix of outdoor and indoor activities. Ask about the camp facilities and see if they can adequately satisfy the group’s requirements.

A great eco-camp for the stag party should have a fully equipped outdoor fireplace or cooking area to provide warmth during colder nights. Look for interesting activities and workshops for the group like organic cooking, woodworking, guided nature tours, and others.

2. Organic Spa Treatment

Spa treatments are not just for hen parties anymore. Indulge in an organic spa and massage treatment before the wedding. Select an organic spa and massage center and request information about full treatment options. Inquire if the center has a group pampering package and make sure that the products used during treatment sessions are really organic and vegan.

Group packages are inclusive of two or more treatments and services. These may include services like manicures, pedicures, facials, and haircuts. Specialized massage methods may be included in the package as well. Some spa and massage therapy centers offer a combined stag and hen party package. This is a great way to organize a more intimate pampering session before the wedding.

3. Outdoor Adventure

Book an extreme outdoor adventure package for the group. Compare different outdoor adventure specialists in terms of price and range of activities. Outdoor activity companies and specialists offer land or water-based activity group packages, which can be tailored to fit the group’s preference. Land and water-based activities may be combined to create a more exciting and interesting itinerary.

Land-based outdoor activities may include camping, rock climbing, abseiling, mountain climbing, and hiking; or a whole day or half-day of paintball competition within a designated outdoor environment. Water-based outdoor recreational packages typically include activities like canoeing, kayaking, and white water rafting. Other specialists offer more subdued activities like fishing or camping.

An outdoor adventure themed stag-party provides more than a good and ethical bonding opportunity with friends. The adrenaline rush after a successfully climb or hike, and seeing the natural beauty of the surrounding environment offers an incomparable and rewarding experience.

Here are three ways that you can save cash by cutting waste.

1. Recycling

I am not talking about picking cans out of the trash and recycling them for $0.05 a piece (though you can do that, too). You can actually recycle bigger items you are no longer using for a decent chunk of change.

My Boneyard Recycle is one good example of a great recycling company. They take electronics such as cellphones, game consoles and media players. You select the type on their website and it will tell you how much you can get based on condition. It might be as little as $20 or as much as $200. This is then applied to a prepaid Visa card when you send in your item. Shipping it paid by the site with a prepaid shipping label you can download and print from home.

Freecycling

No, it isn’t riding a bike instead of driving a car (though that always helps)! It is finding people who have items they want to get rid of and taking those items off their hands. Everything is free – if you couldn’t tell by the name – and it will keep you from spending money and keep them from throwing it away. You can also get rid of your own stuff using this method.

Probably the largest and most popular site is Freecycle, which will help you find groups in your area. From there you can search for items.

Reducing Energy Use

Turning off lights when you leave a room, keeping the TV switched off when not watching it, using media players instead of radios, changing your computer settings to be more power efficient…these are all probably second nature to you by now. But there are a few others ways you can keep from wasting energy.

• Turn off all appliances at night. This doesn’t mean going through and unplugging everything in your home, which is a hassle most won’t bother with. Instead, you can put everything on large power strips and then switch that off at night, then on whenever you need them. Some might not even be switched back on for days!
• Do larger loads. Instead of separating all of your clothes, do as many as you can at once, This saves water and energy when you dry it. Hang what you can on clothes lines if you have the space, such as sheets and other linens that usually take several cycles to complete in a tumble dryer.
• Only switch off the lights if you are leaving the room for more than 15 minutes. This will actually save bulbs, which are more damaging that the energy spent to keep them on. Frequent switching on and off will burn them out faster.

Jessy is a sustainable blogger and stay at home mom who writes for Home Loan Finder, the free eco-friendly online mortgage broker. Check out our post on how buying old houses saves your money and the environment!

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by seannaber

Tracking Our Refrigerator Energy Usage with the P3 Kill-A-Watt Wireless

We collected eight days worth of energy usage including some worst case scenarios such as a full grocery shopping expedition, we realized that putting up our groceries was the event which required the refrigerator to be open the longest, it also introduces lots of warm food and drink which requires extra work to chill back down.

The Running Total for Our Refrigerator

Over the eight days that we monitored the P3 Kill-A-Watt tracked approximately 14.25 Kilowatt Hours of energy which cost us $1.62.

We recently switched to our current refrigerator and knew that it was energy star rated, the energy usage results certainly backed this up, the predicted total energy usage for an entire year was 613 Kilowatt Hours which would cost us $69.89;

The Predicted Total Energy Cost for 1 Year of Refrigerator Usage

We were pleasantly surprised that our refrigerator didn’t use too much energy, we also saw that if we want to save money we probably need to focus on another area of energy usage.

Our quest to track our electricity usage continues, to summarize the results so far;

• Electric Kettle (used to boil water for tea and coffee) = $7.45 per year
• Television (used for around 5-7 hrs per day) = $40 per year
• Refrigerator = $70 per year

Our next target for energy monitoring is going to be our garage door opener, check back soon for the results!

If you are interested in buying the Kill-A-Watt Wireless you can visit their store here;
P3 Kill-A-Watt Wireless

Tips for Going Green in the Bathroom

Image by Dominik Schwind

Standard toilet paper is made with more than 90% virgin paper fibers. Millions of trees are cut down yearly to keep up with the demand for super-soft toilet paper. 25-50 percent of the pulp used to make toilet paper in the U.S. comes from tree farms in South America and the U.S. ultimately contributing to global warming. Since the paper industry is the third largest emitter of toxic pollutants, the production of toilet paper impacts the environment in more ways than one.
Recycled paper, although not quite as soft and a little more expensive, is just as effective in doing the job and reduced the amount of trees cut down and toxins released in the production of paper products. It is made from recycled paper, so no new trees are cut down in the process. According to Seventh Generation, if every household in the U.S. would switch out just one roll of virgin fiber toilet paper for a recycled roll, 933,000 trees would be saved and 60,000 tons of emissions would be avoided.

After tracking almost 3 days of usage, 60 hrs, we found that the electric kettle and my tea habit was costing us approximately 2c per day in electricity.

The coolest thing about the Kill-A-Watt Wireless is that it calculates how much electricity a particular item will use over a week, month and year. At the click of a button I saw that my tea drinking costs $7.45 per year in electricity.
Not too expensive then!
It also calculates operating energy, I found out that our kettle runs at 12 Amps and 1328 Watts on a 114 Volt circuit.
The low electricity usage of the electric kettle shows that if I want to save energy I need to focus on other appliances, my next target for monitoring will be the television, tune in next time for the television results.

If you are interested in buying the Kill-A-Watt Wireless you can visit their store here;
P3 Kill-A-Watt Wireless

More and more people are using reusable shopping bags these days, and that is great. If you are interested in taking another step forward then, would you consider bringing reusable produce bags to the grocery store or farmers market?

Produce bags are also made of plastic and it takes over a thousand years before they start to decompose. All plastic bags are bad for the environment; whether it’s a shopping bag, produce bag, sandwich bag or even plastic wrap. The list goes on and on.

Some people may think that it is inconvenient for the cashier at the grocery store to enter the code for the produce when it’s in a cloth bag. It is also inconvenient for the earth to be littered with trash. Right? It only takes an extra minute to open a bag. If you don’t want to deal with cashiers, then you can always use the “self check” registers and check out yourself. There are always ways to make it work.

Alternatively, you can shop at the farmers market. By going to the farmers market, you are supporting local farmers and that reduces your impact on the planet tremendously. If you have your own produce bags, then you are helping the farmers and the planet.

If you are interested in purchasing some reusable produce bags, there are some available on my website. I hope you are unenthusiastic about plastic and choose to reduce your carbon footprint to help clean up the earth.

http://www.ecoenthusiast.com