MoneySavers

5 Quick Tips to Green Your Home

kbutler — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 13:53:21 -0400

Yep, it’s trying times out there. Gas prices, food prices, housing prices – you have to wonder if we’re going to be able to entertain our kids with rousing stories of hard 00’s like our grandparents did with the Depression. (Though in our version, we’ve got Paris Hilton instead of Little Orphan Annie and reality TV stars in place of Hobos.) In an attempt to save money, people may be inclined to go with the cheaper option, whether it is green or not. But we’ve got your back! Check out our quick, useful reminders on how to keep your wallet green.

1. Ditch the bottle water. Install a water filter or invest in some Britas. You can skip the extra landfill that comes with all the plastic packaging and save a few dollars in the meantime.

2. Make your home energy efficient. The typical American family spends around $1,600 a year on energy bills and much of that is phantom energy. The U.S. government actually provides a detailed list on different ways you can green up your home, such as choosing an Energy Star air conditioning unit or turning off your power strips to save up to 20% on your energy bills.

3. If you’re feeling a little hippie-dippy, considering tie-dying your stained sheets and even towels for a second life. At the least, there’s a three year old out there who will dig it, even if your yuppie friends wonder what kind of organic weeds you might have gotten into.

4. There are little things you can do in the kitchen to save energy and therefore cash. Remember that is you cover a pot of water; it will boil faster and save energy. Use a toaster oven for smaller meals – it uses much less energy than the stove.

5. Think about giving up things like paper towels. That can seem like a hard one, but paper towels add up – and your old gym socks and ripped towels can do the job just as well. And they’re better off cleaning your home than living in a landfill.

So remember our tips next time you’re feeling a little blue about the lack of green in your life.

School's Out! Six Fun Eco-Friendly Summer Activities

ellen — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:23:00 -0400

Its the time of year all the kids have been waiting for (but maybe not the parents)… Summer time!

Here are some eco-friendly ideas to spend this summer - and possibly have your kids going back to school in the fall a little “greener”: I have focused on the New York area, but these ideas will work anywhere.

1. Take public transportation to local beaches.

Living in NYC, we’re lucky to be surrounded by some beautiful beaches! With gas prices higher than ever, you may want to reconsider that road trip and stay local. Not only are these beaches beautiful, but they are easily accessible, just a few blocks from the railroad station. The Long Island Railroad, leaving from Penn Station in Manhattan or Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, has some Getaway beach packages that you may be interested in. The LIRR MTA website lists trips to beaches less than an hour train ride from the hot city to cool beaches: Long Beach, Jones Beach, Robert Moses, etc.

2. Is your teen looking for something to do? What about an eco-friendly job ?

This link ” Eco-Friendly Jobs for Students” could give your son or daughter an idea for some fun summer work, helping the environment. Whether it a volunteer a few hours a week, or a full time summer gig, it could be a great way for teens to learn about what they can do to make a difference.

3. Start an Eco-Friendly Family gardening project.

Whether it an experimental garden, or tending to an existing one, let your kids chip in on the gardening duties. This task will give them something to look forward to, with real results, and they’ll love being able to pitch in. Whether they pick a new plant to add to the garden, take on watering duty (from the rain barrel ), are in charge of making sure no weeds are growing, or (the fun part) picking the veggies, your kids will get dirty and love it! Gardening should not be an expensive hobby. Here are some frugal gardening ideas.

4. What to do in the rain!

Turn a rainy summer day into an exciting one. Use the time to have your kids help separate the recycling. They may even be able to build something with those empty cereal boxes - maybe a fort? You may even want to let the kids help you gather things you no longer need to use for a garage sale.

5. Spend a weekend outdoors: hiking, climbing, biking.

New York State is home to great hiking and camping. Here are some of our favorites:

Malouf’s Mountain, NY photo

The Gunks

Just north of New York City (and may be argumentative as to when to begin to call it “upstate”, depending on where in NY you’re from), there are some great outdoor sites. Whether you want to go to hike, climb, bike, you can do it all. Like the beaches, MTA also has trains that can bring the whole family there. Check out MTA’s link for Metro North for some ideas for local hiking weekend getaways.

6. Scuba Diving in the city?

For any scuba divers out there, good news! You don’t have to go all the way to the Caribbean to dive. Okay, I won’t lie - the visibility won’t be anywhere near as good to 75+ foot clear as it may be down south. However these local underwater spots house some beautiful marine life you wouldn’t expect to see in New York. Long Island has some excellent dive sites such as the Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays, the jetties out in Montauk, and Beach Eight near Atlantic Beach. On a good day, there could be up to 30′ visibility, which is pretty good. Check out this site for some general information on the dive sites or go to Hampton Dive Center for more detailed information. Activities like diving may bring a new appreciation to our local waters, and many times these places are involved with many local organizations to help keep our waters clean.

Happy Summer!

(Jen contributed to this post.)

Organic Baby Food -- Open Wide

scleaver — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:00:00 -0400

Tired of not knowing, exactly, where your baby’s food comes from? The Detroit News has a solution: make your own.

The benefits of making your own baby food are obvious. You can use organic produce and know where the ingredients came from if you’re shopping at a farmer’s market or using a CSA>. And it is likely to be cheaper, especially if you’re making a side of peas for dinner and can throw a few in the blender for junior. Not to mention that you’re reducing waste by reducing the number of old baby food jars out there.

Here’s what I learned about baby food in the March 29 paper: Don’t buy anything special. Use whatever produce you have on hand or buy a little extra of what you’re feeding the rest of the family for dinner. Wash everything, wash it again, then wash your hands. Babies are more susceptible to germs that we are.Bake the produce then use a fork, potato masher, or blender to get it to just the right consistency, that of baby cereal. No need for a nutrition label or any added spices—you’re serving baby fresh fruit and veggies, the nutrition’s all there (Gerber doesn’t add anything to their pureed food, so why should you). Freeze or refrigerate within two hours of making it. Whatever you do, remember: adding honey can give babies botulism.

Learn more at Wholesome Baby Food.

Photo Credit from Organic Baby and Mom Web site article about organic baby food.