If you look at going green from a tax standpoint you can actually save thousands of dollars simply by greening your life. Good news since everyone seems to think green is so darn expensive. Here’s the scoop…

Purchasing ENERGY STAR approved home products can save you double fold – first of all the average family spends over $2,000 on home energy costs each year. Energy saving appliances can save you up to 30% in costs AND you may qualify for tax credits and some major rebates as well, saving you even more. Lastly you should check with the IRS because many …read more

Cash for Clunkers was a huge big deal this last year. So much in fact that the government has decided that appliances shouldn’t get the short end of the stick – hence, Cash for Appliances.

The basics:
The federal government has set aside $300 million for the cash for appliance program as part of the economic stimulus plan. BUT each state is setting up their own little versions of the program, so you’ll want to keep up with local news to learn more. The program is going to allow consumers to upgrade old, less energy efficient appliances to new much more energy …read more

We’ve looked at composting and how to make a homemade worm bin before, but sometimes you may run into work bin problems and the worst is when your worm die off. I mean, most likely you’re not super attached and you don’t name them but really you need the worms to be healthy. Following are some common worm dying issues and solutions.

If your worms seem to be dying off
Moisture check: Make sure your bin is not too wet or dry. Water at the bottom of the bin means the oxygen has stopped flowing about the bin at a reasonable rate …read more

Ovens are not actually a high energy use appliance in most homes. For example a fridge, your dryer, the AC all use more energy but that doesn’t mean you can’t save some energy all around, right?! To save more energy when using your overn do the following:

Don’t use it at all. Microwaves cook faster while using less energy than an oven. When you can use the microwave.
Keep the door shut while food is cooking. Each time you open the door to peek at that cake, the oven releases energy.
Clean your oven regularly. A dirty oven is less efficient.
Turn it off …read more

The other day I mentioned that I really wanted a kitchen composter. However, they can be spendy and if you’ve got the space outside you can make a super simple worm (or compost) bin in almost no time at all.
You’ll need a container of sorts…
The container can be simple or elaborate depending on how much time and money you want to spend on it. Worms like the dark so if you choose a plastic clear container surround it with a cover. Covers such as paper won’t work outside due to rain, so it’s better just to make a dark container. …read more

Some people who live in apartments still do want a garden aka, a patio or hanging garden, or maybe they just want to lower their trash footprint. You can grind food up in a disposal but that doesn’t really put your old leftovers and other compost-worthy materials to good use. Not like say, a kitchen composter.
Kitchen composters have really evolved in the last few years. I remember seeing only those ceramic bins for composting and while it is composting, it just seemed like it maybe would smell a little icky and perhaps it might need to be emptied more (those …read more

There are tons of ways to go green or to stay greener, but here are some good areas to focus on.

Energy: Look into renewable energy. Lower your thermostat, see if you can sign up for green power through your local energy providers, and turn out the lights.
Waste: Buy recycled goods, reuse the goods you own, compost buy items that come in recyclable packaging, buy used goods, and implement a home recycling routine.
Water: Take shorter showers, build a rain barrel, use low-flow shower heads, and test your toilet for leaks.
Community: Organize community clean up efforts, petition to plant more trees, tear …read more

All the little things do add up. A dollar here, a dollar there. Over time there are some small green changes you can make that will help save more money in the long run. Each step alone may be just a small savings but when added together it becomes far more beneficial for your wallet and the earth.

Brew coffee at home or at the office: Instead of frequenting costly coffee shops make your own and save some cash. Making your own coffee also means you’ll be using a reusable mug and can choose sustainable coffee. Coffee makers aren’t rated or …read more

The question of just how much energy does a particular appliance or electronic device use is a valid one. For one thing, if you’ve got some cash for a green upgrade why not invest that money in the best most energy saving option?
The U.S. Department of Energy offers the following calculation…
Formula for Estimating Energy Consumption
“(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day ÷ 1000 = Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption
(1 kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 Watts)
Multiply this by the number of days you use the appliance during the year for the annual consumption. You can then calculate the annual cost to run an appliance …read more

Cooking and other kitchen activities can use up a lot of energy. Unless you’re using eco-friendly power (i.e. solar generated, etc.) cooking will cost you both in your footprint size and in money you pay for electricity or gas. However, there are some extremely easy things you can do to save money and energy in the kitchen…

Don’t peek! Peeking in the oven is fun sure, but each time you open that oven door energy escapes and food takes longer to cook. Set your timer or peek in through the door window if you have one.
Unplug like mad. Don’t unplug the …read more