Oct 24, 2017 | Green Tips
In an average U.S. home, 11% of the energy used goes to keeping the lights on (approximately $115 per year). Per the EPA and Energy Department, you can reduce your electric bill by up to 75% by replacing older incandescent bulbs with Energy Star options such as CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps), LEDs (light-emitting diodes), or energy-efficient incandescent bulbs. The agencies estimate that if all U.S. households replaced their 5 most frequently used bulbs, total savings would be nearly $9 billion per year in energy costs!
Oct 17, 2017 | Green Tips
Have a Green Halloween: send your kids out trick-or-treating with reusable bags, pillowcases or totes made from recycled clothing. Make homemade decorations to save $ & reduce waste. Buy locally grown organic pumpkins & compost them afterwards.
Oct 10, 2017 | Green Tips
October is Energy Awareness Month. Below are some easy, energy saving tips:
- Set & use your programmable thermostats! Over 70% of US homeowners don’t set them! During the winter, set heat at 70° or below, and during the summer, raise the temperature to 78° or higher. If you are going on vacation, use the over-ride option to set heat at 62° (winter) and 85° (summer).
- Unplug any unused refrigerators or other appliances to save hundreds of $$$ per year.
- Reset your fridge thermostat to 38° and the freezer to 0-5°, just a 10° shift can save you 25% per year on your electric bill.
- Resetting your water heater to 120° or to the “warm” or “hot” setting versus the “hotter” setting will save you 5-10% on your electric bill.
Oct 10, 2017 | Green Tips
October is Energy Awareness Month. Below are some easy, energy saving tips:
Set and use your programmable thermostats! Over 70% of US homeowners don’t set them! During the winter, set heat at 70° or below, and during the summer, raise the temperature to 78°or higher. If you are going on vacation, use the over-ride option to set heat at 62° (winter) and 85° (summer).
Unplug any unused refrigerators or other appliances to save hundreds of $$$ per year.
Reset your fridge thermostat to 38° and the freezer to 0-5°, just a 10° shift can save you 25% per year on your electric bill.
Resetting your water heater to 120° or to the “warm” or “hot” setting versus the “hotter” setting will save you 5-10% on your electric bill.
Oct 3, 2017 | Green Tips
Get ready for National Costume Swap Day! It always falls on the second Saturday in October, so it’s coming up on the 15th . If you don’t find a swap in your area, set one up – most libraries, schools and rec centers will let you use a room for such a great community event! According to Green Halloween, if just half the kids in the U.S. swapped costumes versus buying new ones, we could reduce 6,250 tons of landfill waste per year. That’s about the same weight as 2,500 mid-size cars!
Go to www.greenhalloween.org for more details.
Oct 3, 2017 | Green Tips
Get ready for National Costume Swap Day! It always falls on the second Saturday in October, so it’s coming up on the 15th . If you don’t find a swap in your area, set one up – most libraries, schools, and rec centers will let you use a room for such a great community event! According to Green Halloween, if just half the kids in the U.S. swapped costumes versus buying new ones, we could reduce 6,250 tons of landfill waste per year. That’s about the same weight as 2,500 mid-size cars!
Being an avid gardener, born and raised in Indiana, I feel incredible blessed to live in sunny California & be able to grow my own food all year-round! I write a monthly garden column for the San Jose Mercury News & am constantly striving for tips & ideas on how to live a little more gently in regards to ourselves, our planet & each other – basically sustainability we can live with! As a 
