I just wrote an article on my other website about using Live Christmas Trees.
Click here to read it....
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Switching to Energy Saving Lightbulbs: Compact Fluorescents Lightbulbs (CFL's) Is it worth it?
This week, we switched to Energy Saving Lightbulbs. My husband heard on the radio that you could save $30/month on your electricity bill by switching to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (now he wants to go green.) That very same day, he bought some cheap CFL's at a dollar discount store. They were an off brand and he had no idea what to look for, but he knew he was saving us money. He got home and replaced the lights in my bathroom and my bedside lamp.
Oh my. As The Green Mahma, I really wanted to support this environmental move he was making, but the light was dreadful. It was a blue light that didn't illuminate the room. It was more like a nightlight.
I told him I just wasn't ready to take that step to being more energy efficient. I like my soft yellow light. But I did say I would compromise and he could put the CFL's in the closets. If this was what we had to experience for light, then I wasn't ready to make the change.
The next day, he went to the local home improvement store and started asking questions. He learned there are 3 brightnesses of light available: soft white, bright white, and day light. He realized he had bought the day light and they didn't meet our needs or expectations. It looked industrial and the light didn't seem to bounce off the walls and give the colors of warm home.
At the store, with some guidance, he purchasd some soft white bulbs with an "Energy Star" rating. He brought these home and switched out our most used bulbs. The color was just like our incandescent bulbs. I couldn't tell the difference. Now, I am totally on board with the switch to energy saving bulbs.
The negative side of this is I'll have to wait 5 years before I can replace those first bulbs he bought that are now in my closets. Ugh!
Attached is a video I found very helpful explaining the CFL Lightbulbs and how much money they save you and how they help reduce pollution:
Oh my. As The Green Mahma, I really wanted to support this environmental move he was making, but the light was dreadful. It was a blue light that didn't illuminate the room. It was more like a nightlight.
I told him I just wasn't ready to take that step to being more energy efficient. I like my soft yellow light. But I did say I would compromise and he could put the CFL's in the closets. If this was what we had to experience for light, then I wasn't ready to make the change.
The next day, he went to the local home improvement store and started asking questions. He learned there are 3 brightnesses of light available: soft white, bright white, and day light. He realized he had bought the day light and they didn't meet our needs or expectations. It looked industrial and the light didn't seem to bounce off the walls and give the colors of warm home.
At the store, with some guidance, he purchasd some soft white bulbs with an "Energy Star" rating. He brought these home and switched out our most used bulbs. The color was just like our incandescent bulbs. I couldn't tell the difference. Now, I am totally on board with the switch to energy saving bulbs.
The negative side of this is I'll have to wait 5 years before I can replace those first bulbs he bought that are now in my closets. Ugh!
Attached is a video I found very helpful explaining the CFL Lightbulbs and how much money they save you and how they help reduce pollution:
CFL Light Bulbs in Plain English (Revised)
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Changing to a Low Flow Shower Head Can Save You $70-$120 a Year
I switched from a 6 gallon a minute shower head (quite reluctantly) to a low flow shower head and didn't miss my old shower head as much as I expected.
In fact, when the electricity and water bills came in less, I really liked the low flow shower head even better. The new models have an aerator so it feels like you are getting more water than you are.
Changing to a low flow shower head will save you between $50-75 on water bills and $20-50 on energy bills to heat the water (depending on your usage and local utility rate.)
Read this and more at my Squidoo Lens, How to Save Money Going Green.
In fact, when the electricity and water bills came in less, I really liked the low flow shower head even better. The new models have an aerator so it feels like you are getting more water than you are.
Changing to a low flow shower head will save you between $50-75 on water bills and $20-50 on energy bills to heat the water (depending on your usage and local utility rate.)
Read this and more at my Squidoo Lens, How to Save Money Going Green.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Using Reusable Bags to Go Shopping
Recently, I wrote about some easy ways to go green that actually save you money. 
One of the tips I wrote about was using reusable shopping bags instead of asking for paper or plastic. I think it's common knowledge that we are wasting resources and filling our landfills with all the bags we use.
Now, my husband does a lot of the shopping, so the burden of going green while shopping was placed on him. I had ordered some reusable shopping bags and off he went to the store.
He told me he was really nervous about it, because no one in our small town was doing such a thing and he was afraid of the reaction of everyone.
But, he and our daughter found the courage and did it anyway.
I got a phone call while he was at the check out stand. "Where did you get these bags? I've got a lady here in line with me who wants to get some. And there is another lady standing here reusing her bags because her husband insisted she not waste the bags they had a home."
That was so funny. He was very nervous and it was awkward, but it got a lot of positive attention and even converted one more person to make a change.
Have you used reusable bags? If so, what was the reaction of others in line? Is it common where you shop? Please comment and let us know.
Read more at Save Money Going Green.
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One of the tips I wrote about was using reusable shopping bags instead of asking for paper or plastic. I think it's common knowledge that we are wasting resources and filling our landfills with all the bags we use.
Now, my husband does a lot of the shopping, so the burden of going green while shopping was placed on him. I had ordered some reusable shopping bags and off he went to the store.
He told me he was really nervous about it, because no one in our small town was doing such a thing and he was afraid of the reaction of everyone.
But, he and our daughter found the courage and did it anyway.
I got a phone call while he was at the check out stand. "Where did you get these bags? I've got a lady here in line with me who wants to get some. And there is another lady standing here reusing her bags because her husband insisted she not waste the bags they had a home."
That was so funny. He was very nervous and it was awkward, but it got a lot of positive attention and even converted one more person to make a change.
Have you used reusable bags? If so, what was the reaction of others in line? Is it common where you shop? Please comment and let us know.
Read more at Save Money Going Green.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
How Do You Go Green Without Being Extreme?
I lived in California over 2o years ago and the lifestyles and awareness about environmental issues were much more advanced than where I had grown up in Georgia. It was there that I first learned about recycling and conservation.
Having lived in many places since...including Okinawa, Japan where water conservation was a necessity, I've learned a lot about these topics.
Now, back in a small town in Georgia where it's quite difficult to recycle and buy organic and so forth, I've learned to adapt. I've regressed in my own habits and though I still feel guilt when I throw plastics in the trash, I sense a growing change in our community and in the United States.
It seem that rising gas and food prices are forcing us to be more economical. Therefore, I wrote a simple Squidoo lens on How Going Green Can Save You Money.
It's just the beginning of what I'll be sharing.
There are thousands of sites about Going Green on the internet, but this one will be different because it will be my personal experience as a mom who has decided to make a difference by making small changes being green but....not going extreme.
Having lived in many places since...including Okinawa, Japan where water conservation was a necessity, I've learned a lot about these topics.
Now, back in a small town in Georgia where it's quite difficult to recycle and buy organic and so forth, I've learned to adapt. I've regressed in my own habits and though I still feel guilt when I throw plastics in the trash, I sense a growing change in our community and in the United States.
It seem that rising gas and food prices are forcing us to be more economical. Therefore, I wrote a simple Squidoo lens on How Going Green Can Save You Money.
It's just the beginning of what I'll be sharing.
There are thousands of sites about Going Green on the internet, but this one will be different because it will be my personal experience as a mom who has decided to make a difference by making small changes being green but....not going extreme.
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