Naturally Earth Friendly

Boulder, Colorado - A place for the inhabitants love their environment. Biking and hiking trails, parks and open spaces, it’s a beautiful place. Soon 50,000 homes in Boulder will be -decked out- with all the latest in environmentally-friendly, energy-saving technology. Solar panels, electric cars and some with specialized monitoring systems will help turn Boulder into America’s first Smart Grid City.

Xcel, along with several green high-tech companies, has invested $100 million to transform Boulder into a living laboratory.

To read the complete article, highly recommended, please visit Boulder, Colorado: America’s First ‘Smart Grid City’.

In the past week, I’ve received two bags of phone books - the exact same two bags from the exact same company. Each bag consists of two phone books. I haven’t used a phone book, let alone looked at a phone book - to recycle it, in over 5 years. The idea of so many trees being cut down for something I don’t even want to be delivered every year had me slightly irked. I’m sure many of you out there understand my feelings of frustration.

Then I was finally able to get online (been sick for 3 days) and I caught up with my Ideal Bites. Lucky me, one of the e-mails was “Wanna study up on how to stop getting phonebooks?”

Did you know that about 540 million unsolicited phonebooks will arrive at American doorsteps annually? Thankfully they included ways to opt-out and I thought I’d share them with you. If you’re lucky enough to not have received one yet, try YellowPagesGoesGreen to be removed from the list. If you have them sitting in your darkest closest collecting dust, you can find out how to recycle them at Earth911.

If you would also like fun and free eco living tips delivered Monday through Friday to your inbox - check out IdealBite.com

Solar panels. Wind power. Geothermal energy. These are some of the great options for Earth friendly electricity, but they leave little to be desired for your wallet in these economic hard times. So what are we to do? Many of us want to do our part in going green at home, but when we can’t afford the solar panels, the wind turbines, or other ways of retrieving environmentally friendly electricity we need to purchase it from green power programs.

The easiest way to start is call up your local electricity provider and ask them if they offer any green options. You might be required to pay a premium over and above your current rate. It might be as high as 20 cents so you’ll probably want to shop around. With the eco-friendly trend gathering more popularity, prices are starting to drop.

The most Earth friendly sources don’t require the burning of any fuel to create the steam most turbines require. This will prevent more greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere. You’ll want to choose wind, solar, wave, tidal and geothermal to be the most environmentally friendly.

Something to watch for is that some governments require so much of electricity be from renewable sources already. If this is the case you’ll be paying more for something you’re already getting to an extent.

Here are websites that let you know who provides green electricity in your area:
United States (USA)
Canada
United Kingdom (UK)
Australia

If you’re looking for a way to let others know you’re Organic and want to share the message while at home or at work, then check out these Magnets from I’m Organic. Perfect for the car or the fridge, these magnets are made with at least 10% recycled materials. At 4″ by 4″ they are a fun and colorful way to spread the “I’m Organic” message - and they’re only $1.99!!! Perfect for any stocking this eco-holiday season.

It’s safe to say there has been a revolution in the way people paint. Knowing that every choice we make will affect the environment in some way, consumers are demanding paint companies to be more environmentally responsible. Conventional paints are full of harmful chemicals, usually Volative Organic Compounds (VOCs) and sometimes heavy metals. It’s no wonder the smell would drive the painter out eventually unless they were wearing a quality mask. Conventional paints aren’t good for us, why would they be good for the planet?

Thankfully, many paint companies have come to the same realization and are offering more natural alternatives. You’re probably aware of Low-VOC or No-VOC paints. They’ve been showing up on the shelves in your local hardware stores, but you might not have understood why they were bad for you, and bad for our planet. So here is your complete guide to the most natural paint products on the market, what you should be watching out for, and everything in between.

So let’s begin with VOCs. You’re probably wondering what VOCs are exactly. Well, Volative Organic Compounds (VOCs) are organic chemical compounds that are able to vaporize and enter the atmosphere. The most common VOC is methane, a relatively potent greenhouse gas with a high global warming potential 25 times greater than carbon dioxide. With the capability to weaken your air quality, VOCs may be harmful to your health. Many VOCs are found in your home, leading to a concentration of 2 to 5 times greater VOCs compared to outdoor air. This can get up to 1000 times greater than the air outside depending on your activities. And VOCs will continue to be released even after the paint is dry.

Made to be better for our health and our environment, natural paints are non-toxic and made without the VOCs. Simply reading the labels you’ll see the difference; plant dyes, milk proteins, clays, resins and essential oils. But being a responsible shopper can still be difficult because the labeling doesn’t always tell the truth. For example, zero VOC paints can still contain VOCs. EPA regulations allow paints with less than 5 grams of VOC per liter to qualify as a zero VOC product. And low-VOC labels are correct, they will contain less harmful chemicals, but they still contain them. They will also have less odor and be a little safer than normal paints.

Now that you have a basic understanding on why it’s best to avoid VOCs in your home, let’s talk about the different types of natural paints available on the market today. You’ll be able to color your home while minimizing your carbon footprint. Without the dubious chemicals, toxins, and VOCs, these paint products contain naturally occurring elements. This is especially helpful to people with respiratory problems, like asthma, and allergies. Many manufacturers of natural paints, or non-toxic paints, are online companies - so expect to have it delivered.

Milk Paint by The Real Milk Paint Company is 100% organic and completely natural. Based on the old fashion way of making paint with curdled milk; Milk Paint is made from powdered purified milk protein, lime and pigments. That’s right, an organic paint - so you know it’s environmentally friendly. And Milk Paint goes through a process that absorbs carbon dioxide from the air, so this paint will actually improve your air quality.

Organic Linseed Paints by Solvent Free Paint are made from Allback, Sweden. They offer a 100% organic paint product containing cold pressed flax seed. It’s chemical and lead free, but will fade over time. You’ll need to maintain the paint every 5 to 10 years with a linseed oil wax, but it’s said to last 50 years by doing so. This is a wonderful product for older homes because this type of paint was used in the past.

The Freshaire Choice is certified by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI), a non-profit organization providing verification for low-emitting products. Not only is this environmentally friendly paint, but the packaging, color chips, and even the can are all environmentally safe. They truly went above and beyond.

Green Planet Paints are different in that they use a sustainably produced soy-based alkyd resin as the starting point for their paint. They also fully disclose the ingredients in their clay paints; natural mineral and plant-based. Extremely community driven they are dedicated to natural paints and hire locally to support the local job market.

BioShield’s paint collection is made mostly of naturally-derived raw materials. This includes citrus peel extracts, seed oils, essential oils, inert mineral fillers, tree and bee waxes, lead-free dryers, natural pigments and tree resins. And the green living extends into BioShield’s business ethics as well.

ECOS Paints are organic. You’ll find non-toxic pigments, mineral fillers, waxes and water in these paints. With no solvents present, there are no VOCs. Ecos products are also free of pesticides, herbicides and 100% non-toxic. The owner actually demonstrated this by eating a spoonful of paint from a random container in the factory in front of HSE. Ecos has been around since 1988, so you can see they are doing something right. They specialize only in natural paint and natural varnish.

When it comes to cost, it’s difficult. Some non-toxic paints will cost more than conventional paints, while others are surprisingly less. You’ll have to shop for specific products (i.e. indoor, outdoor, colors) to see the differences in cost. Another aspect of painting with natural paints that can be an annoyance is finding the right color in the brand with the ingredients you want. Companies are coming out with more and more colors, but you might want to have a back up choice or two.

Not everyone will be able to purchase 100% natural paints, for one reason or another. That’s why we’re including a quick list of Nationwide Retailers who are approved by the Green Seal organization. They are much stricter than the EPA, but will still allow 50 grams per liter (g/L) of VOC levels in paints (compared to 250 g/L with the EPA). It’s better than choosing the conventional paints. For a more complete list, please visit Green Seal’s website here.

Benjamin Moore, EcoSpec Interior Line (Latex Primer Sealer, Flat, Eggshell, Enamel, and Semi-Gloss Enamel
Dutch Boy, Clarity Interior Latex line (Primer Sealer, Flat Wall & Ceiling Paint, Satin Wall & Trim Enamel and Semi-Gloss Wall & Trim Enamel
Vista Paint, Carefree Earth Coat line (Primer, Flat, Velva Sheen, Eggshell and Semi-Gloss)

We’ve talked about Low-Flow toilet conversions before. Hopefully you had a chance to read, “See How Easily You Can Save Water One Flush at a Time” where we talked about the Perfect Flush being introduced by Brondell at the West Coast Green Convention. It will be available in January 2009.

For those of us who can’t afford around $150 for this type of product, and would like to do our part - we found one for under $50!!! The Controllable Flush, offered by Gaiam.com, is only $36.00 and will help you convert your standard toilet to a low-flow toilet without the need of a tool or plumber. (Although one of the reviews mentions they needed a pair of pliers.) It’s said to save you up to 35,000 gallons of water a year - now that’s Earth friendly and practical. It’s quite simple, all you have to do is flush down for liquid (a conservative 1.5 gallon flush) or lift the handle for a more powerful flush when you need. This is great for apartment dwellers who want to save a little money in these economic hard times as well as go the Earth friendly route in saving water.

If you’re looking for other low-flow technology, check out the Oxygenics X-Stream
low-flow showerhead for only $19.00.

If you drove past this house, you probably wouldn’t think it was “green” and on a budget. Would you?

That’s exactly what it is. Dan Heinfeld, of LPA Architects in Irvine, wanted to build his family house on a budget. Of course “green,” eco-friendly, and Earth friendly were all achieved because that’s what LPA Architects is all about. Now it’s certainly not in my budget, and probably not for most Americans. But this luxury home, or better known as the Chestnut House, was built with the intentions to prove that “green” doesn’t cost more. So if you are looking to build your next home, don’t think that you’ll have to spend the “green” to go green (pun intended). And please check out the full article written about this beautiful home at Inhabitat.com.

Hawaii is a beautiful place to visit. Green landscapes surrounded by blue waters used to come to mind when I thought of Hawaii, until now. Now the ambitious goals of Governor Linda Lingle and the Hawaiian Electric Company pop into my head. In the hopes of making Hawaii a clean, renewable energy model for the rest of us they hope to generate 70% of their energy needs from renewable sources by 2030. They will also ban new coal plants, convert existing fossil fuel plants to biofuel, and add windfarms on the smaller islands. If you’re one of the lucky residents who reside in this beautiful state, then start looking forward to incentives for buying solar panels and an electric vehicle. I can’t wait to see where they are at in 2015. Good luck in accomplishing such a large goal Hawaii!

DiscoveryGreen.com - the latest and greatest city project we’ve run across has been found in Houston, Texas. Only a year ago, this used to be simply a large asphalt parking lot in downtown, but it’s been re-envisioned into an urban retreat for city dwellers. The parking lot is still there, but hidden underneath this new park. Houston even replanted a few hundred year old Oak trees to add to the existing century old Oak trees already located there, it’s the new centerpiece to DiscoveryGreen.com.

In addition to the large grass area for pickup games, there’s also a playground and water feature for the kids, dog runs, jogging trails, a man-made 1 acre lake and a couple of restaurants, The Grove and The Lakehouse. DiscoveryGreen.com is also home to free yoga, concerts, a recycling program for downtown residents, and a weekly farmers market.

Some of the creative Earth friendly ideas Houston has incorporated includes the man-made lake staying at the right levels by feeding the water caught on the roofs of the solar paneled structures right in. High tech, and highly-efficient restroom fixtures are joined with solar panels, sponsored by BP, in the structures. The Grove’s green roof grows herbs and spices and the leftover construction materials for the park are being recycled for use in future projects. Let’s hope this idea is copied in many cities. Replace the asphalt for a new green park - what a great idea Houston!

Sources:
DiscoveryGreen.com
TreeHugger.com

December 21, 2008. With the first day of winter on the horizon, we’re all going to be spending more time indoors and that means rising energy bills to keep warm. Here’s a few simple tips you can start to save a few extra bucks while reducing your carbon footprint at the same time.

1. Natural light. Open your curtains and take advantage of the sunshine during the day and you won’t have the need for many lamps to be on. Just don’t forget to shut them up at night to keep your home insulated.

2. Close your gaps. Drafty windows usually mean there is a gap around the window sill and this will allow air to leak in and out. Weather stripping is inexpensive and easy to add to your windows and doors. You should be able to cover the costs in a month or two of energy savings.

3. Switch your current showerhead to a low-flow model. By adding air into the water stream you’ll be using less water and your water heater won’t have to work so hard.

Well, an anonymous reader found an even better deal: A low-flow showerhead by Real Goods that has a flow rate of 1.2 gallon/minute and a “pause” button that allows you to stop the water while soaping up or applying shampoo (and the price is $12!). - Treehugger.com

4. Replace your existing thermostat with a programmable thermostat. This is easy to install and should cost less than $50.

5. Wrap your water heater in a blanket. Insulating your water heater is fast and efficient. The energy savings will pay for it in no time.

6. Check your water heater’s temperature. If you’re water heater is heating water to anything above 120 degrees Farenheit you’re just wasting energy. Turn the setting down and it’s a quick and simple way to save money on your heating bills this winter.

With the rising costs of energy bills, it’s never too early to start looking for ways to be more Earth friendly. Hopefully these tips will keep you warm and toasty this winter and keep that extra cash in your wallet. If you have any additional tips, please feel free to share them.