Do you love summer but hate the heat? Me, too, especially when it’s combined with the high humidity we have where I live in the Washington, D.C. suburbs. Here’s how I keep cool when 100+degree heat waves roll through town: 1) Use an air conditioner AND fans. A fan doesn’t affect the temperature of a […]
Want to do your laundry the eco-friendly way? It’s a simple, two-step process: 1) Wash most everything in cold water (The only thing I wash in hot water is towels.) 2) Hang your laundry out to dry. Benefits? • Save energy, lower your electric or gas bill, and reduce your carbon footprint (the amount of […]
The nuclear meltdown in Japan and the recent oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico may seem unrelated, but they’re not. Both catastrophes occurred because we’ve made three fundamental mistakes in the way we generate energy. 1) We have relied on centralized power plants that use dangerous fuels to meet energy demand. Most countries that can afford it […]
Here we go again: gasoline prices are soaring close to $4.00 a gallon, and several of the countries that export oil to the U.S. are in such political turmoil, we can’t be sure our supplies will continue. When, oh when, will we say, “Enough, Already!” and get serious about reducing our dependence on petroleum? The problem isn’t just “foreign” […]
Can a simple stove help solve something as complex as climate change? The United Nations Foundation and its partners at the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and other institutions and organizations think so – at least, in part, which is why they’ve launched the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. This new partnership between […]
5.7kviewsHoliday lights brighten up everything except your electricity bill. They’re so twinkly and tiny, you probably string them up without giving much if any thought to how much energy they use. Turns out, the energy they use is A LOT. That’s because standard holiday lights are just mini incandescents, one of the most ineffecient ways we light […]
Energy-efficient doors and windows save money by keeping cold air out in winter and warm air out in summer. The federal government and many states are encouraging homeowners to replace drafty old windows and doors with new, energy-saving models by offering tax credits that allow you to deduct a percentage of the replacement cost from […]
Climate change seems so … global. Yet many climate change solutions are very … local, because they’re based on the way each and every one of us uses energy. Here are ten ways you can reduce the climate change impact of your house. 1. Caulk or weatherstrip windows and doors. Heating accounts for the biggest chunk of […]
