You’ve no doubt heard of these common ways to “green your home:” energy efficient light bulbs, windows, and appliances, programmable thermostats, reducing water usage, etc. But did you realize that your carpets and flooring can also be eco-friendly?

Whether you’re purchasing a new construction home, or looking to upgrade your 1970’s era carpet, eco-friendly flooring not only looks good, it’s great for the environment:

Linoleum: A popular selection for kitchens and bathrooms, linoleum flooring is made from dried and milled flax seed (mixed with other plant materials), and is therefore 100 percent biodegradable. And if your kitchen gets a lot of sunlight, you can rest assured that your flooring won’t fade because the colour is mixed in with the material (unlike vinyl, where it’s printed on the surface.)

Bamboo: If you like the look of hardwood, then bamboo floors might be the right choice for you. Unlike hardwood floors which are made from wood, bamboo is a grass, and is much more renewable than wood (traditional hardwood floors take 50 to 100 years to mature; bamboo takes three to five years.) Bamboo is also known for its strength, durability, and versatility.

Cork: Another excellent eco-friendly flooring option is cork. Cork flooring is harvested from the bark of the cork oak, without actually damaging or killing the tree. Because it absorbs moisture, it’s not suitable for bathrooms; however, it’s a great insulator and provides a resilient, comfortable walking surface.

Recycled Carpet: Every year, millions of pounds of old carpeting are ripped up, and ultimately end up in landfills. However, did you know you can recycle your old carpet? By purchasing recycled carpet (available in many styles, textures, and colours), you’re preventing unnecessary waste and helping the environment.

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International Floor Coverings Binghamton provide a variety of eco-friendly flooring services for your home or business.

The environment is a precious jewel that we as humans have a great responsibility in protecting. As it stands, we are not doing a very good job at it. We do however still have the opportunity to right some of the wrongs of the past. Maybe we cannot fix what we have already damaged, but we are most certainly in a position to salvage what is left. The most obvious place to start is with yourself and the environment that you occupy. Starting in your own home may sound insignificant, but it is those small steps that can make the biggest difference. There is no more time to point fingers and wait for the rest to join in, we have to set the pace and break the ground. In this article we will look at some steps each individual can implement in their own home in order to give the environment a little break, so to speak. These tips will not only protect the environment but it will also raise the value of your home.

• The easiest way to support the green initiative is by swopping those old light bulbs with new energy saving light bulbs. These use less energy than standard light bulbs and they last much longer. If you shop carefully you may even find them to be cheaper than normal light bulbs. To add to this, you could install timers on your lights, whether in- or outside. This ensures that lights are always switched off when not necessary, saving energy and money.
• Water is another product of Mother Nature that always seems to be a problem. It is true that one cannot live without water but it is also not necessary to use water as extravagantly as some do. Drinking water for everyone is much more important than taking a shower for an hour. To save water in your home, one could install low flush toilets with aerators installed to faucets. Aerators mix water with air while still providing sufficient pressure in the taps or toilets. Setting time caps on shower time etc. is also a great way to save water.
• While on the topic of water and energy, the hot water heater comes to mind. This piece of equipment is a huge source of power consumption. Wrapping your hot water heater and its pipes in an insulating blanket will allow you to keep the heater switched off for longer periods while still keeping the water heated. Installing a solar powered water heater is the next level of energy efficiency and a lot of homes come with this as a standard fixture.
• If you want to go the extra mile you can do so by being more particular on small things like the paint or the materials you use to paint or build your house with. Using renewable or recycled materials that are environmentally friendly have also become a positive trend amongst home owners.

Now that it is clear just how simple it really is to make a positive contribution to the environment without breaking the bank, people should take action. Going green is not meant to be a publicity stunt pulled by celebrities who have too much money; it is affordable and achievable for anybody who has water to drink.

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Having recently entered into the property market Waldo van den Berg has a keen interest in property valuation.

What would it really mean to save the world and how would the world actually change? Big questions!

The polarities of human life are stark from whatever angle you look at them. From our own personal lives and the glimpses we get from time to time of our own anger and dysfunctions to the destruction that is going on on this planet is starkly juxtaposed by the immense humanity and love that all humans are capable of.

But the truth is when you look around the world it seems we are on an unstoppable path to self-destruction. Everywhere you look the world is a mess. There are never ending wars in the Middle East, terrorist movements are a constant reminder to the west to be vigilant about a possible attack on the freedoms we value, countries threaten to take up nuclear arms, the environment seems to be damaged beyond reparation, approximately 1.4 billion people live in poverty, every day people in the world starve to death, rape, murder, inhumanity and injustices are on the 6 O’clock news every night.

On the other side of the ledger there is a litany of different organisations claiming to be doing their part to help save the world, or to contribute to a better world, with the aim of bringing peace, or ending poverty or famine, or saving the environment. But is anything really changing, are we really going to be able to save the world?

I am not criticising these organisations, they are an integral part of the fabric of society and a balance to the destruction on the planet. A lot of them genuinely contribute to a better planet, and directly affect and save individual lives.

But the destruction and inequality goes on and on. Aid will be given to one part of Africa, only for another to become impoverished by famine, an uprising against a Middle Eastern dictator will occur in one country, with some democratic principles reinstalled, only for another dictator to take up power elsewhere, a terrorist cell will be snuffed out on one side of the world, only for another one to take up the cause against the west on the other, a whale colony will be saved by an environmental group in the Southern ocean, while the Amazon rainforest is being destroyed on the other. It goes on and on and on, and it seems that for all the good these organisations are doing none of them seem to have the answer that is going to really save the world.

The one observation in all of this carnage is that there is one commonality amongst it all. Humans are front and centre and certainly reoccurring as the causation of each of these terrifying global issues. This observation as stark and confronting as it may be, may also be the hint to the solution to how we do in fact go about save the world. I recently came across a very thought provoking essay, titled ‘How can we save the world?’ which was written by an Australian Biologist, Jeremy Griffith. He is suggesting that only by understanding our own selves, our behaviour and our capacity for all this carnage on the planet, are we really going to be able to do something that has any kind of capacity to change the current situation.

This article left me with an interesting question. Should we be spending all our time trying to solve all the individual problems on the planet or is Griffith right, should we be focused on understanding our human nature and behaviour. Certainly other biologists are on the same journey, like E.O Wilson the Harvard Biologist, who has recently published a new book "The Social Conquest of Earth" based on all his life’s work, here is a link to a review from the Washington Post. Can these scientists find an answer to why we humans are destroying the environment as opposed to trying to find ways to not damaging the environment as much as we are currently? I’m not sure.

The environmental impact from automobile emissions has become a major global concern today. World over, the noxious fumes pollute the air and contribute to major environmental and health hazards. With more and more cars joining the road daily, the need for taking control of the automobile emissions is not just a current affair topic but a pressing issue of global scale. While the issue might be of global scale, the globe is made up of billions of people who are equally responsible for such emissions, and making a difference can be at an individual scale.

Just to put things in perspective, motor vehicles are responsible for about 60 percent of CO emissions nationwide in USA. This scenario is similar in most other countries as well. Automobile emissions contain noxious fumes including Particulate Matter (PM), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Hydrocarbons (HC), Toxic Chemicals and Carbon Monoxide (CO). Based on an average mileage of 12,500 miles for a passenger car, the fuel consumption is estimated at 580 gallons of gasoline. Want to know the emission levels from one single car for a year? Here are the staggering facts. A single passenger car will release 77 pounds of hydrocarbons, 575 pounds of monoxide, 38 pounds of nitrogen oxides, and 16,035 pounds of carbon monoxide (as per data published by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). The noxious state of the emission aggravates as the engines grow old and become less efficient at the fuel combustion process, fuming forth dark froths of poison that is almost 30-40% greater than above stated average emission levels. These emissions are considered to be hazardous to the respiratory systems as well as being the primary cause of damages to the ozone layer and the disasters that the eco system is facing today.

Realizing the gravity of the issue, policy makers and automobile industry players alike are actively seeking short term as well as long-term solutions to this problem. Policy makers at national level seek to establish stringent controls and standards on car emission levels, which is the main contributing factor for the green house gasses in air pollution. Countries across the world are adopting targets for reducing environmental pollution, and governmental are imposing strict standards for compliance where vehicle emissions are concerned. Even third world countries are raising the bar and making rules stringent and mandatory on the Green tests. Now, if a vehicle cannot pass the annual emission tests, the annual licence renewals are not possible in most countries.

Industry players themselves are imposing voluntary regulations and standards and the EU is relying heavily on Voluntary Agreements (VAs) such as the European automobile manufacturers’ association (ACEA) agreement signed in 1997, to meet the Keyoto Protocol standards. However, the ACEA agreement is now a mere historic agreement and not in enforcement, which brings up the question of “how effective are these VAs in effectively achieving the Keyoto Protocol standards?”. In the US, the Obama government is pushing for stringent standards, and the EPA Emission Standards for the current year has become even more stringent from last years. However, US ironically are still to ratify the Keyoto Protocol, despite the percentage of global emissions it is responsible for.

On a brighter side, auto manufacturers are focusing on developing technologies, which use alternative energy sources. Some vehicles in the market today use flexible fuels such as E85 which combines 85% Ethanol and 15% Gasoline not only reduce oil dependency but also reduce automobile emissions by approximately 25%. The market for hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles are growing steadily. Consumers are embracing the opportunity they have in making a difference to the emission issue by going green with their wheels. Hybrid vehicles, which reduce automobile emissions by approximately 80% compared to normal gasoline or diesel vehicles are becoming increasingly popular for economic reasons resulting from its fuel efficiency as well as for the environmental benefits. While hybrid vehicles are still in its early stage of the product life cycle, it is expected to replace up to 80% of the European car market by year 2020. Manufacturers are currently exploring the possibility of expanding markets for fully electric powered vehicles, which runs on fuel cells and have zero emissions.

Care to go green with your wheels? Think about it as it means 16,000 pounds less Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere each year.

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Author: Chani Muditha Thebuwana writes on behalf of the Love My Vouchers Lifestyle blog, the UK’s only discount and voucher code blog that provides advice on how to reduce your carbon footprint and go green on a budget.

The benefits of gardening are almost too innumerable to list. Not only do you gain the experience of eating produce cultivated by your own hands, but also you save money by doing so. Choosing to garden organically is a different ballgame though. When the idea is first considered, it may seem challenging, especially to an unseasoned gardener. When the value of organic gardening is examined, it is hard to ignore the calling to switch to this greener way of cultivation.

Avoid Nutrient Waste

Many fertilizers that homeowners use in their gardens and lawns contain more nutrients than the garden can take in. Companies, who create these fertilizers, make the nutrients, like nitrogen, water-soluble. This is great for the plants that can then more easily absorb the nutrients. However, all of these excess nutrients that the garden cannot take in will be washed away eventually. Because the nutrients are water-soluble, they are taken into the watershed and can run into our drinking water.

By switching to organic gardening, you eliminate this unnatural application of nutrients. A great alternative is to plant beans, a plan that takes nitrogen from the air and “locks” it into the soil for other plants to use. This way, your garden naturally gets the nitrogen it wants, but you are not potentially polluting your own water supply.

Avoid Mystery Ingredients

When you check the labels of your store-bought fertilizers and pesticides, you will only find the active ingredients listed. While these identify the hazards of those ingredients, you are left with no information about the inactive ingredients or their potentially hazardous effects. As with the issues in nutrient waste, these inactive ingredients can run off and cause problems with water sources. It is also problematic that you could be exposing pets to unknown hazardous chemicals.

Keep Soil Naturally Fertile

As stated earlier, fertilizers contain excessive levels of nutrients. While plants do benefit from the nutrients, too much is a bad thing. Soil can become toxic to many plants – especially fragile ones – when nutrient levels build up. Alternately, you can easily keep soil fertile through the organic gardening method of crop rotation. When you are maintaining other methods of organic gardening, crop rotation keeps soil nutrients at a healthy level and keeps microorganisms at good population levels.

Stay Local

The “green” movement places a great deal of emphasis on staying local and supporting the goods in your region. There are many reasons for this. One of the main is that there is a significant amount of energy used to transport goods across the globe and to prepare food for that journey. In support of the green ideal, how much more local can you get than your own backyard?

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Terry Carter writes about green ways of living for Apex Creative. If you need help with your organic gardening, check with your favourite Landscaping NJ people.

Running a green business isn’t just good for the environment, it can be good for your bottom line too.  In the process of reducing your carbon footprint, you will save a lot of money and generate goodwill in the local community.  Many consumers consider the environmental policies of companies when deciding who they want to give their custom to, so sustainable policies are a good thing to have.

If you’re not sure where to start when putting together a sustainable business, consider the following:

Electronic communication

Do you really need to print out every single document you receive?  The answer is probably "no".  Instead of posting out contracts and marketing materials consider using email instead.  There are some great green apps for getting people to electronically sign contracts and other important documents; these apps don’t just save the planet, they save time and make it easier to keep records too!

Power Saving

Even older offices can save a lot of power by making use of "smart" monitoring equipment.  If your employees are always forgetting to turn out the lights, install motion detectors and hook the lights up to them.  If the office is always too hot or too cold, use monitoring equipment to manage the air conditioning and central heating. You can program those systems to ensure that your office is heated periodically during the night to prevent burst pipes and other problems.

Save Water

Don’t underestimate the amount of water wasted by dripping taps, or excessively large toilet reservoirs.  Toilet dams are inexpensive (some water companies will even provide them for free), and a quick and easy way to save a few litres of water per flush.  If your water usage is metered, that saving can quickly add up.

Buy Green

When you’re looking for suppliers, choose ones that have sound green policies.  If that means you have to stop using one of your current suppliers then write them a letter and explain your decision.  If enough people write letters to less environmentally-conscious companies to tell them that they need to change, then change may eventually happen.

Recycle

Recycling waste paper and cardboard should already be a habit, but have you looked at other recycling possibilities?  Consider fitting an insinkerator and turning canteen waste into compost.  See if there are green apps for your mobile that can help you to find local places to recycle batteries, cartridges, Tetra-Pak cartons and other harder-to recycle products.

There are lots of things that a small business can do to reduce the impact that they have on the environment.  You may not be able to implement every eco-friendly idea right now, but even little changes to your energy usage habits are positive steps.

If you are based in a relatively old office building and aren’t allowed to install fancy monitoring equipment, then work with the building owner to see what changes you can make.  Using energy saving light bulbs, fitting draft excluders, or putting toilet reservoirs in the office toilets can still have a big impact on your long term energy usage.  Don’t underestimate the power of small changes.

This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Xibis who can design green apps for remote monitoring equipment. Click here to find out more.

I have always been fascinated by nature. I have always found it enchanting and mystical. I grew up in a rural part of England so my appreciation of nature was embedded in me from early on. My reverence for nature came with anxiety when I learned about environmental crisis. Seeing lush fields that were habitats to lots of wildlife, being transformed into houses and office buildings was a saddening experience. Becoming aware of how our daily living puts nature into a state of jeopardy makes you want to adapt your living so that you live more in harmony with it. I don’t want my life to potentially endanger the species of other animals. There are so many ways in which our carbon footprint expands just by doing seemingly innocuous things like, throwing polythene trash out, disposing of cans, using electricity, using fuel, travelling, going on holiday…

Maintenance of Environmental Conscience on Holiday

If you are eco-conscious and you have a reverence for nature then you have probably already considered making your next holiday a green choice.

Nature comes in abundance in the Algarve – everywhere you look you are surrounded by a panoramic view of hills and mountains. In between these vast mounds of beauty there are lots of quaintly rural towns and villages.

What Do Natives of The Algarve Do To Be Eco-Conscious? 

• Education: Quinta do Lago have been committed to educating visitors about the importance of preserving our natural resources by hosting events and activities that promote these sensibilities. Such activities include nature trails which are a fun and magical way to spend time. The beauty of this environment will encourage children to revere it. The trail has areas for bird watching with accompanying identification charts. The educational agenda is to enhance awareness.

• Construction restrictions: Biodiversity is important to the natives of the Algarve; and on the coastlines you can see evidence of this with 100 species of birds, crustaceans and molluscs. In the privileged location of Quinta do Logo, there is a strict law which restricts building to 8% to protect and uphold the UNESCO Ria Formosa Nature Reserve which protects the lagoon system, migratory species, flora and fauna. Every winter, approximately 30,000 migrate to here. Sadly, this is one of the last surviving habitats on the European coastline for them to do this.  Quinta do Lago sets the perfect example of man living in harmony with nature side by side (as opposed to trying to stampede over it) Quinta do logo has one of Europe’s largest pine forest and so the agenda is to set the delicate balance between green space and construction to preserve it.

So, apart from supporting an environmentally-friendly holiday destination’s tourism industry by travelling there, what else can we do to make our vacation an eco-friendly one?

• Travel lightly. Heavy luggage from passengers increases fuel-emissions.
• Travel the eco-friendly way: When you get to your destination and start exploring the area, go for walks, hire a bicycle or use public transport. This not only uses no fuel (or very little per person), but you get to see more of the area.
• Book accommodation that fosters the agenda of reducing our impact on the environment.
• Be aware that seemingly harmless actions contribute to your impact on the environment. For example, leaving your television on standby mode.

So to summarise, we should all be aware of the impact our daily lives and recreational times has on the environment. If we all do a little bit to go green, it makes an attempt to address this.

If you want to get away from it all and enjoy some stunning surroundings whilst being eco-conscious, spend your holiday in the Algarve at Four Seasons Fairways. Accommodation that offers luxury, recreation, a stunning context and reverence to their environment!

If you think that saving energy requires buying new appliances or making major home renovations, you may be surprised to know that you can actually save on your monthly energy costs by making just a few simple, affordable changes. In fact, some changes that you can make cost just a few dollars or are totally free. Learning new methods of energy conservation does more than help you save; it can also have a positive impact on the environment.

Heating and Cooling Efficiently

An energy efficient home takes a little thinking to create if you don’t have the inclination or budget to install new appliances or renovate your home. You can consider options such as opening curtains for natural heat in the winter, and closing curtains in the summer to help keep your home cool. Thicker curtains work best in the summer, while lighter, airy curtains can be used in the winter to allow natural sunlight to filter into the home. If you are ready to upgrade your heating system, opting for a wood heater that is Energy Star compliant is a great way to save money while also being very eco-friendly.

Using fans to circulate air can also be a simple way to maintain a comfortable home in both the hottest and coldest months of the year. Fans use less energy than the furnace or air conditioning unit, and also allow you to keep the temperature on your thermostat at an energy saving setting without sacrificing your personal comfort. If it’s warm outside, but not hot enough to use the air conditioning, you can also try using a wet cloth over a fan. The air will cool as it blows through the wet cloth, cooling the room for much less energy than when using a traditional air conditioner.

Appliance Alternatives

Sometimes saving energy requires thinking about new ways to complete tasks. If you also want to be as eco-friendly as possible, you will want to avoid things like chemical wrinkle removers. For simple clothing care, rather than ironing or using a spray wrinkle remover, you can simply spritz your clothes with water in an empty spray bottle. Shake the clothing briskly, and hang it to dry. For scent, you can add a drop or two of natural essential oils for a long lasting smell.

Another simple thing you can do to reduce the energy your appliances use is to allow food to cool completely before sticking it in your refrigerator to ensure the appliance doesn’t need to work harder to maintain the right temperature. Taking a few moments each day to consider new ways to complete tasks that require electricity and creatively thinking about how you use the resources available to you can really add up in energy savings throughout the year.

Savvi is an online hub for consumer driven savings.

Recently there has been a particular push for environmental friendly actions such as recycling and reducing emissions. This shows up not only in garbage and automobiles but also in the way that people garden. Sustainable gardens, or gardens that require little or no outside resources such as processed fertilizers, are another great example of the push towards becoming green.

It is almost ironic that people want to make their gardens greener, but it is necessary as many gardens actually deplete natural resources in the effort it takes to sustain lush vibrant plants, and use excess amounts of water through sprinkler systems. Aside from cutting down or using self-produced natural resources for gardening, another way to go green is to use recycled materials for landscaping.

Recycle Water

One of the most easiest and valuable materials to recycle in your yard is water. Supply water to your plants by using rain barrels that collect water from rainfall and then running tubing from the rain barrels to your plants. If you work hard at it, you may find that the April showers provide your lawn with enough water to last you the summer.

If you don’t receive very much rainfall, you could at least be using an Orbit rain sensor for your sprinkler system so your irrigation shuts off automatically when it rains to help save water, the planet, and money.

Use Your Imagination

At first the idea of using recycled material for gardening may seem like junk collecting. However, there are many great ways to utilize older pieces of what might otherwise be considered junk to transform a bland yard into an eye catching scene.

The secret to using recycled materials in landscaping is creativity and the ability to see the true potential or recycled objects. For example, using the window frame of an old wooden house can provide a real prairie-type feeling to any garden that along with using an old wagon wheel or some other antique-type piece of recycled material.

Other ideas include using old terracotta pipes as vases to hold flowers, or even using an upside down lid to a trash can as bird bath, or a pool. Again, what it comes down to is seeing the potential of old recycled objects.

Of course, anything that is too over the top should be avoided; turning a yard into a junk yard is hardly attractive. It may be helpful as well to get a feeling of the particular theme that is emanating from the house and the landscape, and use objects to magnify and highlight.

Many of these recycled items can be found in rummage sales or even at Grandma and Grandpa’s, who will probably most likely be more than willing to help out if it means getting rid of some junk. There is no limit to the expression of creativity when arranging such landscapes.

Compost

Another popular form of utilizing recycled materials in one’s landscape or garden is composting. In short, composting is an organic solution to soil amendments. You would be surprised at what can be composted. Just look at these 75 things you can compost but thought you couldn’t. The possibilities are practically endless.

There are so many different resources available when it comes to using recycled materials for landscaping and not only does this improve the landscape of a house, but helps out the environment as well. This is a great way to go green and reap benefits as well.

With all the hype about alternative energy and the use of clean fuels, it is no surprise that Ground Source Heat Pumps have caused a sensation throughout home in the UK. The concept is pretty simple. Pipes are dug into the gardens to extract heat which is then used to warm air and under floor heaters, radiators and water heaters inside your homes

How it all Works

The heat pump buried underground releases a mixture of anti-freeze and water. Heat absorbs into the anti-freeze and passes into a heat exchanging unit directly into the water pump. As the temperature under the ground remains practically stable throughout the year this system can be used year-long with great benefits.

The length of pipe is determined by how big your house is and how much heat is needed. Should the pipe be longer then this would have to be buried deeper into the ground and would require more space. If this option is not available it is possible to bore a vertical hole.

If the technique is used correctly this could mean that you could do away with electric heating inside your homes forever. This would help to considerably lower your electricity bills. Just as in the case of solar panels, incentives are in place to offer payments for each kilowatt of energy generated from the pumps.

Obviously, the whole scope of installing such a device is to do your part in decreasing carbon emissions, which damage our atmosphere, as you shall be replacing these emissions with cleaner options.

They do not require any type of fuel consumption so this eliminates the need for deliveries and also needs little, if any, maintenance throughout its installation.

During the cold winter months it may be necessary to keep the pumps fully operational to be able to heat your homes efficiently. As the heat is delivered at lower temperatures you will notice that the heating apparatus inside your homes is not that hot as is the case when using conventional electricity.

To operate the pumps, some electricity has to be used but the impact on the environment is minimal as the heat emanating from the ground, air or water is being renewed in a natural way.

One thing you may want to consider before thinking about installing Ground Source Heat Pumps is to ensure that your homes are well insulated and protected against draughts for maximum benefits.

This article is about "Ground Source Heat Pumps in Homes" and was written by Enviko Ground Source Heat Pumps