Green Lighting, Indoor & Outdoor

Environmentally Safe Appliances

Dress Yourself To Save The Environment

“Whatever we can do as individuals to change the way we live at this suddenly very late date does seem utterly inadequate to the challenge. It's hard to argue with Michael Specter, in a recent New Yorker piece on carbon footprints, when he says: 'Personal choices, no matter how virtuous... cannot do enough. It will also take laws and money.' So it will. Yet it is no less accurate or hardheaded to say that laws and money cannot do enough, either; that it will also take profound changes in the way we live. Why? Because the climate-change crisis is at its very bottom a crisis of lifestyle -- of character, even. The Big Problem is nothing more or less than the sum total of countless little everyday choices, most of them made by us (consumer spending represents 70 percent of our economy), and most of the rest of them made in the name of our needs and desires and preferences....

“...Going personally green is a bet, nothing more or less, though it's one we probably all should make, even if the odds of it paying off aren't great. Sometimes you have to act as if acting will make a difference, even when you can't prove that it will. That, after all, was precisely what happened in Communist Czechoslovakia and Poland, when a handful of individuals like Vaclav Havel and Adam Michnik resolved that they would simply conduct their lives 'as if' they lived in a free society. That improbable bet created a tiny space of liberty that, in time, expanded to take in, and then help take down, the whole of the Eastern bloc.”

-Michael Pollan

Virtual Book Tour Secrets - 4 Tips To Go Green With Your Book Or Info Product

Many people want to know how they can help the environment so it is a better place for everyone. If you are an Author, Info Marketer, Small Business Owner or CEO, learn how you can do your part with these 4 tips.

1. Use recycled paper - Paper is a major focus in the book publishing industry. To be green, print your book with 100% post consumer waste recycled paper. This recycled paper is the top choice because it is environmentally friendly and no virgin fibers are used.

Another great advantage to using recycled paper is it is taking paper that is thrown into the landfills back out. It also takes less energy to convert old paper into new paper.

2. Save gas and pollution of the environment by promoting your book or information product through Teleseminars - Have your virtual book tour online reaching millions instead of a few people in a book store. The only equipment you need to do a teleseminar is your phone, your mouth and your message.

When you promote through teleseminars you are saving yourself and others gas money and the energy it takes to run the car to the book store. All of this can be done within the comfort of everyone's home.

3. Go Digital - What is the fastest way to go green? Not using paper and going digital. Your book or info product does not have to be in paper form. It can be an e-book or an mp3 audio book. Digital books do not require paper or cover materials. Also, since they are downloaded, these books require no fuel for transportation.

Another great point is the cost of producing an e-book or mp3 is virtually zero. Studies have shown that e-books and downloadable audio books currently make up a tiny fraction of book sales, however, the revenue has been increasing rapidly in years. As e-book readers and other portable electronics that can display e-books drop in price, these will continue to grow in popularity.

4. Go green by encouraging others to plant a tree. As an author, you have the power to enlighten your readers, on your topic of expertise as well as on environmental responsibility. Plant a Tree USA has a special program for authors and publishers, who want to encourage tree plantings and help our environment. Advertise at the end of your book, The Plant A Tree USA program, and you are on your way to saving the environment. When someone plants a tree through the program, a donation will be made to your favorite charity.
Giving is a great way to help the environment as well.

By: ChristinaMoyer

How To Go Green With Your Home Heating System

These days everything around us reminds us to be conscious of the world we live in. Reports on climate change, diminishing world food supply, and damage to our ozone layer – what more warning signs do we need before we do our part to save the environment.

I say we start at home. Though eco-friendly home heating systems may cost more, they come out cheaper in the long run and definitely more energy-efficient. The biggest plus is you can be a good vanguard of the Earth while enjoying the benefits of the latest home heating systems. You can get started with these earth-friendly home heating ideas.

Adjust or get programmable thermostat. You can set the temperature according to times of the day, so you are not wasting energy when you are not home or you are asleep. For every degree you lower your thermostat, you save a considerable amount of energy use.

Power your home with solar/photovoltaic panels. This may be costly to begin with but is likely to be beneficial in the end. Solar panels can capture sunlight into energy which in turn can heat water. The PV system needs no refueling, does not emit pollution and does not produce noise and is easy to maintain.

Warm your home with biofuels. For going green stalwarts, a perfect alternative to heat the home is through the use of biofuels. Biofuels are derived from recent compost. They reduce pollution from burning.

Install a radiant heating system. Although this may be expensive and involve some home renovations; opting for a radiant heating system is known to cut electricity bills to as much as forty percent. Radiant heating can be placed under carpets or ceramic tiles. Since heat rises, radiant heating adequately warms up an enclosed space without having to adjust the thermostat.

Invest in space heaters. Space heaters surround a room with added warmth at a fraction of the cost of oil or gas. They are recommended for places where central heating is not practical.

Go for double-paned windows. Windows account for much heat loss especially old windows. Upgrade to double-paned windows. They have low emissive coatings on the glass to reduce heat loss. Others help reflect heat back to the room during winter.

Choose wood stove and wood stove alternatives. In early times, a wood burning stove is traditionally used to heat up the home. It is even more effective than a fireplace. Nowadays, the pellet stove is gaining popularity. Pellets which are made from compressed sawdust or wood chips have replaced fossil fuels. Pellets can also be burned to heat water.

Set up a ground source heat system. A ground source heat pump taps water from underground into the home to provide central heating and in some instances heat water too. A heat pump is generally powered by electricity and for every unit of electricity consumed to pump heat, three to four units of heat are produced.

Use the fireplace. Gather wood scraps to make fire or better yet install a fireplace insert made from steel plates, cast iron and glass to make your fireplace airtight and more efficient.

Seal out the cold. Get rid of drafts around the windows, doors, baseboards and outside wall openings. Apply weather stripping, caulk or expanded foam to sea air leaks.

By: Gloria Smith