Green Livin Ali G's Take On The Enviornment

Green Livin Ali G show's that anyone can learn about the Environemt. Watch as Ali G find's out about the Evironment at a Tree Protest.


NFT - Ali G (Environment)





Ali G - Environment

Green Livin Ali G finds out about Recycling and The Ozone.






Ali G - Discusses the Rain Forest

Green Livin Ali G and Ralph Nader on rainforests and energy






I hope you enjoyed todays post. Keep on Living Green.

Green Livin Home Depot Launches National CFL Bulb Recycling Iniative Also Implementing In Store Energy Conservation Program

Green Livin The Home Depot®, the world's largest home improvement retailer, today expanded its long-term commitment to the environment and sustainability by launching a national in-store, consumer compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb recycling program at all 1,973 The Home Depot locations. This free service is the first such offering made so widely available by a retailer in the United States and offers customers additional options for making environmentally conscious decisions from purchase to disposal. The Home Depot Canada launched a CFL recycling program in November, 2007.

At each The Home Depot store, customers can simply bring in any expired, unbroken CFL bulbs, and give them to the store associate behind the returns desk. The bulbs will then be managed responsibly by an environmental management company who will coordinate CFL packaging, transportation and recycling to maximize safety and ensure environmental compliance.

In addition to the CFL recycling program, The Home Depot has also launched an in store
energy conservation program to switch Light Fixture Showrooms in U.S. stores from incandescent bulbs to CFLs by Fall 2008 and save $16 million annually in energy costs.

The CFL recycling program is an extension of The Home Depot’s Eco Options program. Eco Options, launched in April 2007, is a classification that allows customers to easily identify products that have less of an impact on the environment.

"The CFL recycling program is another example of how The Home Depot is empowering customers to help make a difference in their own homes, and have less of an impact on the environment," said Ron Jarvis, senior vice president, Environmental Innovation. "With more than 75 percent of households located within 10 miles of a Home Depot store, this program is the first national solution to providing Americans with a convenient way to recycle CFLs."

Switching from traditional light bulbs to CFLs is an easy change consumers can make to reduce energy use at home. According to the EPA’s ENERGY STAR® program, if every American switched out one incandescent bulb to a CFL, it would prevent more than 600 million in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from 800,000 cars. As the largest retailer of light bulbs in the country, The Home Depot sold over 75 million CFL’s in 2007, which saved Americans approximately $4.8 billion in energy costs and 51.8 billon pounds in CO2 greenhouse gases over the life of the bulbs.

Other environmental initiatives The Home Depot has implemented since the launch of Eco Options in April 2007 include:

• Store recycling program in the U.S. of shrink wrap and mixed plastics, which will result in 50 million pounds of waste diverted from landfills each year.
• Internal recycling initiative at corporate headquarters that is projected to increase the amount of recycled materials from 30 percent to at least 65 percent.
• Renewed commitment to use transportation partners registered in SmartWay program and ensuring The Home Depot distribution facilities and stores further promote emission reduction.

For more information on the CFL Recycling Program or Eco Options, please visit

http://www.homedepot.com/ecooptions .



About The Home Depot

The Home Depot® is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,262 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and China. In fiscal 2007, The Home Depot had sales of $77.3 billion and earnings from continuing operations of $4.2 billion. The Company employs more than 300,000 associates. The Home Depot's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index.

Green Livin Shell opens combination hydrogen and gasoline station in LA

Green Livin We’ve discovered the BMW Hydrogen 7's perfect refueling station. A new Shell station that sells both hydrogen and standard gasoline opened in West Los. The station is located on Santa Monica Boulevard and Federal Avenue, near I-405 - this is right near the recently-opened Tesla Motors store.

New FCX Clarity drivers and participants in GM's Project Driveway should be able to refuel their cars at the station and feel pretty good about the provenance of their purchase. Shell will be selling hydrogen made using electrolysis right there at the station. To further cast a green haze over the whole thing, Shell is buying "green electricity" from the utilities to crack the water.

In hydrogen vehicles, an electric motor powers the wheels. A chemical reaction inside a unit called a fuel cell -- usually between hydrogen and oxygen -- creates electricity for the motor.

The only tail pipe emission is water vapor, which produces zero carbon emissions and has the potential to significantly reduce air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and protect against climate change.

California already has more fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) and hydrogen refueling stations than any other part of the world, and last year recorded 1.5 million zero emission miles from hydrogen FCV trials. Twenty-five hydrogen stations currently operate in California, most in the San Francisco-Sacramento corridor and the Greater Los Angeles and San Diego regions, serving more than 100 fuel cell passenger vehicles and transit buses, with a further ten stations already in the planning stages.

Hydrogen production at the Shell station will be done on-site by the electrolysis of water using 'green electricity'purchased from the Los Angeles City Department of Water & Power. It will then be compressed and stored to provide daily fueling.

The station will also support a U.S. Department of Energy hydrogen infrastructure program, to supply hydrogen to future and existing General Motors FCVs in the LA metro area. GM plans to lease more than thirty Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell-Electric compact SUVs to private and commercial customers in Southern California, as part of a three-year trial, called "Project Driveaway" to test the vehicles in real world driving conditions.

With the US one of the largest automotive markets in the world, with over 247 million vehicles on its roads, car ownership predicted to increase by 45% between 2005 and 20203, and US energy consumption set to rise to 139.9 quadrillion Btu by 20154, hydrogen FCVs are set to play an important part in the United States' growing energy and mobility needs.

In addition to zero tailpipe emissions, finding ways to produce hydrogen from renewable sources will be critically important to making the fuel infrastructure sustainable. And with ground breaking approaches to produce 'green hydrogen', manufactured from renewable energy sources, such as bioethanol (derived from biomass) and solar energy being researched for the future, 'well to wheel' emissions will be able to near zero.

Hydrogen can also be produced from a number of different feedstocks including oil, coal, and biomass. This allows different countries to manufacture hydrogen with their own domestic supplies, and at the same time reduce costs and increase security of supply.

California is leading the way with clean fuels, as it moves one step closer to realizing its hydrogen program, FCVs powered by hydrogen will provide a sustainable transportation choice for the future, opening up new markets across the globe. This requires the sustained effort of energy companies, auto manufacturers and federal and state governments working together. To help develop a safe and reliable fueling infrastructure for future clean energy vehicles, as the only major energy company involved in FCV vehicle demonstrations in all three major hydrogen markets -- North America, Japan, and Europe.

"This is a very exciting development; Shell is helping to usher in the hydrogen age. Hats off to Shell for implementing innovative solutions to mitigate air pollution.

'Shell Hydrogen' refers to the companies of the Shell Group of companies that are engaged in the pursuit and development of businesses related to hydrogen and fuel cells. Each of the companies that make up the Shell Group of companies is a separate and distinct legal entity. Principal offices of Shell Hydrogen are located in The Hague, the Netherlands, with regional bases in Houston and Tokyo. Shell Hydrogen has been developing hydrogen and fuel cell businesses since 1999. For further information, please visit http://www.shell.com/hydrogen .

Sources:

1 = Green electricity purchased from the Los Angeles City Department ofWater & Power is credited against the power company's allowance ofgreen sourced power.

2 = US Bureau of Transport Statistics -- 247,421,120 vehicles on US roadsin 2006

3 = Unsustainable Transport Report, January 2005, Professor DavidBannister, University College London

- Over the next 25 years, we are likely to see a furtherincrease of 75 per cent in car ownership levels and a growth of 56per cent in traffic levels globally

- In developed countries, there is some stability in the patterns oftravel, with car ownership expected to increase by 45 per cent(North America) and 54 per cent in other OECD countries

4 = US Energy Information Administration, International Energy OutlookReport 2006

Green Livin Gas Saving Tips

Green Livin While the rising cost of oil has the price of gasoline skyrocketing, people everywhere are preparing for cross-country road trips. We can't really argue with that innate desire to get closer to nature and out on the open road, and whether you're still driving an SUV, chances are you plan to get in a car to go some where this summer. These money- and gas-saving tips are designed to help you squeeze every last bit of power out of that precious petrol--and cause fewer CO2 emissions. This comprehensive list has several tasks that should be done before even starting your car; others require minor adjustments to your driving style. All of them will help you drive a little greener.


Green Living Gas-Saving Tips: Questions to Ask Before You Turn on the Engine

1. Is your engine tuned up?
Fixing a car that is out of tune will boost gas mileage, be sure to give your car regular tune-ups.

2. Is your body in good shape?
Inspect suspension and chassis parts for occasional misalignment. Bent wheels, axles, bad shocks, broken springs, will create engine drag and are unsafe at high traveling speeds.

3. Is your air filter clean?
When the engine air filter clogs with dirt, dust and bugs, it causes your engine to work harder and your car becomes less fuel-efficient. Replacing a clogged air filter could improve your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

4. What grade is your oil?
You can improve your car's gas mileage by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. Opt for motor oil with the words "energy conserving" on the API performance label; this oil contains friction-reducing additives.

5. Got shade?
Buy a good windshield shade. A windshield shade blocks sunlight and helps to keep heat out of the inside of your car. This will help reduce air conditioning use.


Green Living Save Money on Gas at the Pump

6. Don't overfill 'er up.
Avoid filling your gas tank to the top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank. Never fill your gas tank past the first "click" of fuel nozzle.

7. Use the lowest octane you can.
Buy the lowest grade or octane of gasoline that is appropriate for your car.

8. Tighten that cap.
Gas will evaporate from your car's gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing, or damaged gas caps cause millions of gallons of gas to evaporate each year.

9. Wait until you're near empty.
Don't fill up until your tank is near empty; this will extend your gas because you are hauling a lighter load as the tank nears empty.

10. Find credit card discounts.
Some credit cards offer savings on gas when you use the card toward your purchases. Dmitry Popov Founder of http://www.pumpandsave.com/ provides a comprehensive list of Gas Rebate Credit Card Offers and additional consumer benefits. Popov’s website not only list the top gas cash back credit cards selected by consumers, but also serves as a resource guide that provides tips and strategies on how to save and earn cash on gas.

11. Membership has its privileges.
Some gas stations offer membership benefits. There are also department and grocery stores that give discounts at the fuel pump when you use their store membership cards.

12. Brand names.
Brand means nothing in the gas world; they are all using the same refineries, trucks, and pipelines to transport the fuel. Go for cost when it comes to the price of gas.

13. Keep your eyes on the prize.
Scope out the gas prices while you're driving you will notice price differences from all the different Gas Stations.

14. Don't get desperate.
The first gas station you encounter after a long stretch will never be the cheapest - drive a little further to find a cheaper station.

15. In the city, don't shop around.
Don't price shop for gas locally by driving around, the miles you drive will almost certainly eliminate the savings, and stop-and-go city traffic does a number on your average efficiency.

16. Exit, stage left. On the highway, that is.
On the highway, take an exit at a moderately sized city and head for the city center. There will likely be several stations near the ramp with cheaper gas.




Green Living Things to Check Before You Get on the Road

17. Are they open?
Is the place you are going to open for business? Shops often have irregular hours, especially at nights and on the weekends.

18. Do you know where you are going?
Have you confirmed that the address you are given actually exists and is accurate? IF not, you could be wasting fuel and time on miles being lost.

19. Did you do your due diligence?
Use the World Wide Web, newspapers, or phone book to comparison shop before you drive around to several stores.

20. Do they have what you want?
Restaurants often have long waits; products can be out of stock, and so on. Confirm that the place you're headed can deliver the goods before you get there.

21. Can it be delivered?
Find companies willing to delivery what you need to your home. Amazon, dry cleaning delivery services, food, and anything else that will bring what you need without burning up your gas may save some loot and the planet some warming.

22. Do you have to go right now?
Traveling in off-peak times will reduce your time spent in traffic, waiting for lights, etc.

23. Can you combine trips?
Combine errands into one trip and plan your stops for the most efficient route. You'll save yourself time and money.


Green Living Save Gas and Money: Are You Using Your Vehicle Wisely?

24. Could you walk or bike?
Just burn calories, man. Pay attention to why, where, and when you drive.

25. Is there a public transportation option available?
Look into public transportation; after you figure in driving around for parking and such, it may actually be faster.

26. Should you get a rental car?
A small car almost always has a better fuel economy due to its smaller mass; in certain situations you may want to rent a smaller vehicle for the trip instead of using your own.

27. Did you maximize the square footage of your vehicle?
For human cargo, carpools reduce travel monotony and gas expense--all riders chip in to help you buy. Carpooling also reduces traffic congestion, gives the driver easier maneuverability and greater "steady speed" economy. If you're hauling materials such as wood, fill the whole vehicle on each trip.


Green Living Save Gas by Planning Your Route

28. No rough stuff.
Riding on dirt or gravel will rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage.

29. Use alternate roads when safer, shorter, and straighter.
Compare traveling distance differences remember that corners, curves and lane jumping requires extra gas. The shortest distance between two points is always straight as the crow flies.

30. Avoid heavy traffic and lots of traffic lights.
The shortest route is not always the most fuel efficient if you have to stop a lot.


Green Living Getting Ready for Takeoff

31. Are your tires fat or flat?
Proper tire pressure will give you better gas mileage. Inflate all tires to maximum limit; each tire should also be periodically spun, balanced and checked for out-of-roundness.

32. Lose the top.
Remove vinyl tops, they cause air drag.

33. Lose the racks.
Remove ski, bicycle, or luggage racks from your roof if you don't need it. They also cause air drag.

34. Drop the rest of the dead weight.
Get rid of all extra tires, back seats, unnecessary heavy parts. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines.

35. Trucks leave that tailgate up.
You will get more mileage if you leave the tailgate (MythBusters Tested and Approved).

36. Use your GPS.
A GPS unit will pay for itself in wasted time and gas very quickly.


Green Living Save Gas During Engine Startup

37. Turn off electronics.
Starting your car with electronic devices, like the radio, air conditioning, and 12-volt refrigerator turned off will put less strain on your engine which translates to better gas mileages.

38. Close the sun or moon roof.
Having these open will increase drag.

39. Turn the key and get moving.
Modern vehicles do not need to be warmed up, even on cold mornings - 30 seconds is plenty of time.

40. Turn off the choke.
If the car is revving, check that the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up.

41. Check for leaks.
Before you take your car out, check the driveway for gas tank leaks. Even little ones can waste plenty of fuel over time.


Green Living Save Gas While On The Road

42. Drive steadily.
Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Maintain a steady pace--the ideal trip is one where you never stop except for signs and lights.

43. Don't exceed the legal speed limit.
However tough it may be to comprehend, the primarily goal of a speed limit for your traveling safety. However, it is also a good estimate of the most efficient speed for the road as well.

44. Careful with those brakes.
A car consumes the most gas as it accelerates, while a moving car doesn't require much gasoline to keep moving. Ideally, the brake should be used sparingly, expert hypermilers roll to a dead stop at every red light and stop sign.

45. Shift up early and down late.
If you have a manual transmission and want to save some gas, here's a hot tip: You need to shift up as soon as you can and shift down as the last possible moment.

46. Avoid hard stops.
Panic or hard stops will also cost you; anticipate stop signs, pedestrian walkways, and traffic lights.

47. Get on the good foot: Use your right one only.
To avoid riding the brake and wasting gas, use your right foot to control both pedals.

48. Don't weave.
The more you weave the more gas you burn. Keep your wheel still and steady as she goes.

49. Don't accelerate up hill.
Don’t accelerate up a hill. When approaching it, build up speed before the incline, maintain on the way up, then coast down.

50. Follow traffic reports.
The radio is the road's information superhighway, and traffic reports are there for a reason. Use them to avoid jams and other delays, which can help keep your momentum steady.


Green Living Save Gas During City Driving

51. Eliminate jack-rabbit starts.
Always accelerate slowly when starting from a dead stop. A good rule of thumb is to not push the pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel.

52. Beat the Wind.
Exceeding 40 mph forces your auto to overcome tremendous wind resistance, which will dramatically decrease your mileage. Try and keep it under 40, even if the speed limit is faster.

53. Time the lights.
Stop lights are sometimes timed for your motoring advantage; moving steadily at the speed limit will boost your chances of having the "green light" all the way.

54. Open up windows .
In stop-and-go traffic, shutting off the air conditioning and opening the windows can lighten your fuel use. Air conditioning can lower your fuel economy by 10 percent to 20 percent.

55. Turn it off.
You can save gas if you turn off you car while waiting at long traffic light sequences, railroad crossings or while your better half pulls money from the ATM. If you are not moving for more then 30 seconds, you should turn off the engine. For every hour you're sitting at idle, you're probably burning a gallon of gasoline.



Green Living Save Gas During Highway Driving

56. Keep windows closed.
Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.

57. Cruise along.
If you have a cruise control and there isn't a whole lot of traffic, you probably should use it will keep the speed consistent and help you save gas.

58. Overdrive.
Use the overdrive gears, as this will generally keep your RPM down.

59. Kill the AC.
Using the air conditioning drinks gas - consider turning it off 5 minutes before you reach your destination.


Green Living Save Gas During Shutdown

60. No revs.
Avoid "revving" the engine as you switch the engine off.

61. Forward only.
Park your car so that you can later begin to travel in forward gear; avoiding reverse gear maneuvers will save gas.

62. Go for the shade.
The hot summer sun makes the inside of your car feel like a sauna; when you get moving you will want to cool it down, either through rolling down the windows or using the AC. Parking your vehicle in the shade will help keep it cool when you start up again.

63. Use the garage.
Clear it out and make room for your car. Parking in your garage will help your car stay warm in winter and cool in summer, and you won't have to depend as much on your gas-guzzling air-conditioning or defroster when you drive.

64. Window prep.
In the summer, roll down the windows just a tiny bit so the air can circulate through your car while you are parked. This will help keep it cool when you start up again.

65. Park and walk.
If you wander all over the parking lot looking for that really close parking space, you'll use more gas. Don't be afraid to walk a ways--it might do you good. With gas prices on the rise, make the system work for you.


Green Living Save More Gas After the Trip Has Ended

66. Make a Log
After your trip, make a journal entry on the 'mileage victories' and 'mileage failures' of your trip.

Green Livin How Did You Go Green?

Green Living Habits, Hacks and How to Tips

If there's one thing the Internet is great for, it's pooling the collective wisdom of the masses. And if there's one thing we want to do at Green Livin, it's bring all that information together. Since Living Green means a lot of different things to a many different people, and since there are many different elements to the Green living lifestyle, we're asking readers to leave comments on what they have done to Live Green .

Do you flush your toilets with rainwater run off? Make your own biodiesel by recycling used cooking grease? Do you bring your own containers for takeout? Maybe you've just begun carrying a earth friendly shopping bag or have a garden to grow your own food. From simple to the extreme, we want to hear your comments, so we can share those with everyone. With enough comments I will do a post on the ways people are Living Green.

We're looking for all your tips! For example I have listed a few categories:

Green Living Habits

Things that you do to reduce your impact on the environment, like composting, recycling, or shopping at a thrift store.

Green Living Hacks

Have you made conversions to your house, vehicle, appliances, or other possessions to increase sustainability? If you've created a rain water collector, made your own solar water heater, I want to hear about it.

Green Living How To

Do you naturally lead your friends down the path of Green Living? Whether you're the average American, bicycle repairman, an eco-living expert, or an organic fiend, channel your inner teacher, and help bring your how-to tips to the world.

Ready, Set, Go Green !

Of course, lots of tips will fit into more than one category, don't worry about that. Here is one from myself, Green Livin founder Stephen Harrell. I have personally created my own wildlife habitat. Big or small, I want to hear your comments about what you are doing to help make a difference.

Instructions for Sharing your Tips:

Make a short and simple video 60 seconds long or less, and upload it to any video hosting site - Youtube, Flickr, etc.

Title your video with Green Livin Green Tips: (provide a short explanation of your tip). For example "Green Livin Green Tips: How-to Make your own cleaning supplies".

When you have your video complete and ready to view, email the link to: stephenmharrell@gmail.com and every day I will post my favorite submissions.

Green Livin Dentist, Begone!

Eat these power foods to strengthen your teeth and gums

You know that some foods are bad for your dental health - but did you know that some foods are actually good for it? “Eating specific foods can strengthen and naturally whiten teeth and kill toxic bacteria in your mouth,” says Melvin Pierson, D.D.S., spokes person for the Academy of General Dentistry. So, dig in and fight tooth decay the natural way.

Rebuild enamel Yogurt, cheese, and milk are good sources of calcium, which help shore up tooth enamel and strengthen the bone around your teeth. By forming a temporary coating on your teeth, calcium also deflects natural acids in your mouth and helps prevent decay.

Boosts Gum Health Grapefruit aids in wound healing and was shown to decrease gum bleeding in a German study. In addition, it prevents the collagen network in your gums from breaking down and loosening around your teeth. Grapefruits acid can, however, temporarily reduce the strength of your tooth enamel, so dentists recommend waiting at least 30 minutes after eating grapefruit to brush your teeth. And grapefruit interacts with some medicines, so check with your pharmacist if you plan to start eating regularly.

Busts bacteria Kiwis, oranges, limes, cranberries, and strawberries are rich with vitamin c, a powerful killer of oral bacteria. Green tea contains catechins that kill bacteria in the mouth. Spicy foods such as wasabi have phytochemicals that inhibit the growth of gums.

Smell sweeter Some herbs naturally freshen the breath you exhale. Mint and parsley kill bacteria in the mouth. Plus, they contain monoterpenes, substances that move rapidly through the blood stream to your lungs to counter the odor in your mouth.

Stop stains Cauliflower, spinach, lettuce, and broccoli are all sources of minerals that create a protective film on teeth and help prevent red wine, cola, or coffee stains from penetrating the enamel. Strawberries have bleaching elements to brighten your smile, while hard, crunchy foods such as carrots, nuts, and seeds help slough off plaque. Chewing raw veggies also stimulates saliva, which neutralizes acids and strengthens teeth using vitamins and minerals from the foods.

Green Livin Bra Power: Can Bouncing Breasts Charge an iPod?

This goes out to all women

Women, who love sports, probably have always found the concept of breasts bothersome. If all goes according to plan, they will fulfill their intended function for about three of the 70 years that you will have them. The rest of the time, they will alternate between getting in the way and embarrassing you.

Question: Can we harness breast energy and put it to better use? TreeHugger and Instructables teamed up to make a working chest charger which relies only on the rise and fall of the chest during breathing. So this question seems viable.

Research has discovered that a size D-cup breast in a low support bra can move up to 35 cm (whoa) during exercise. Now, all women know that not one of them with D-cups are wearing "low support bras" during exercise. There is a lot of bouncing going on even with the best, most expensive sport bra money can buy.

Since Slate scooped us on this one, we won't give away any more secrets. You will have to pop over to Slate to see what was learned in a survey of sports experts, nanotech fabric specialists and the inventor of the Lightning Pack power-generating backpack. This certainly is as good as the idea of running around half-naked in a solar powered bra!

Via: ::Slate

Image credit: TreeHugger

Green Livin Help Protect Wildlife in Your Neighborhood

Have you ever wondered where that songbird that used to sing outside your window has gone? Do you ever wishing that you could see more butterflies fluttering in your garden?

You should create your own Certified Wildlife Habitat check with the National Wildlife Federation. You should judt provide them all the essential elements wildlife need to survive: food, water, cover.

After certifying your yard , you receive this:


when watching the beautiful birds, butterflies and other animals gathering at your wildlife-friendly haven.

Your garden has now come to Life!

You should certify, you would also be eligible to purchase their Certified Wildlife Habitat yard sign.

Green Livin Tennessee State Parks Gas Price Discount Promotion

Tennessee State Parks don’t want the increase in gasoline cost to keep you from visiting your state parks.

So...They have put together 2 great opportunities to offset the price of gasoline.

Opportunity 1:Come stay 1 night in any one of our inns, Sunday through Thursday and we will deduct $20 per night from the normal daily rate with the presentation of this coupon.

OR

Opportunity 2: With this coupon, if you purchase our Gas Price Discount Package for $179 plus tax, they will take $40 off normal retail price.

>> Click here to print this coupon.<<

For $139 plus tax, you get:

1 standard inn room for any 2 consecutive nights Sunday through Thursday

4 buffet breakfast tickets (includes beverage and gratuity)

2 Tennessee State Park souvenir caps

______________________________________________

You can choose from 6 participating Tennessee State Park Inns:

Fall Creek Falls
Henry Horton
Montgomery Bell
Natchez Trace
Paris Landing
Pickwick Landing

Reservations call (866) 836-6757

No other discounts apply. No breaking of packages and no other combinations. Not for use by groups. Sunday through Thursday only; no weekends or holidays. Package is non-commissionable. Not for use with cabins. Based on room availability. May be cancelled without notice.

Green Livin Zap VOCs with Houseplants

Pick up a few of these common houseplants the next time you visit a local nursery: palms, ferns, corn plant, dragon tree (dracaena), rubber plant, weeping fig (ficus), English ivy, peace lily, florist mum, gerber daisy, dumb cane (dieffenbachia), schefflera, orchid, spider plant, philodendron, arrowhead plant, pothos, dwarf banana and Chinese evergreen.

Houseplants can help remove certain harmful volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) from indoor air. Things nobody wants around their lungs, or their kids.

In the 1980s, NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) conducted a study of 19 houseplants in an attempt to find ways to purify air for extended stays in orbiting space stations. The tests were conducted in sealed test chambers that contained pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene and trichloroethylene, commonly present in indoor air from paints, varnishes, insulation, particleboard, pressed wood, adhesives and other sources.

What they learned for outer space can be applied to your inner space as well. Many of these plants are adapted to tropical climates and grow under dense canopies and low-light conditions. They have to be superefficient in capturing light as well as in processing the gases necessary for photosynthesis. Because of these traits, they have greater potential for capturing other gases, including harmful ones.

Green Livin The 350 Challenge

Thank you!

Stephen—

Four weeks ago, we launched the 350 Challenge to help bloggers like yourself raise awareness for the fight against global warming.

You quickly rose to the challenge. Today we're proud to announce that not only did we hit our goal, but we blew right past it. As of this morning, over 400 bloggers are participating in the challenge.

Thanks to you, Brighter Planet will now offset 350 pounds of CO2 on your behalf . Here is your offset certificate to commemorate your involvement.



Adam Rubin
Brighter Planet

Green Livin TVA offers free kits to help cut electricity bills

Frank Krisle liked his home energy audit and free electricity-saving kit — which came with compact fluorescent lightbulbs and other gear — so much that he took it to church with him.

He thrust the utility-supplied items upon his Sunday school class at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in East Nashville in a bit of secular proselytizing.

"There's a lot of energy-saving things people can do that a lot of people don't realize," said Krisle, 71.

The energy efficiency devotee is just what the Tennessee Valley Authority, which provides electricity through more than 150 distributors, wants to see: ratepayers taking part in the "do-it-yourself" audits and spreading the word to reduce energy use.

Customers get the free kit after completing the audit. (Complete it online at http://www.tva.com/ or call TVA's toll-free number, 1-800-663-1835, to request one.)

If all the 23,000 customers in the Tennessee Valley who have done audits so far this year used all the items in their kits, about 13.8 million pounds of global-warming-related carbon dioxide could be saved annually, according to Nashville Electric Service, one of TVA's distributors.

The customers, also, could each reduce their electric bills by $24-$48 a year.

Following an audit's recommendations could save hundreds of dollars or more on a bill each year and mean much larger decreases in the airborne carbon that comes mainly from coal-fired power plants.

Krisle's audit report that he got back "within one hour" of filling out a form online shows that about 70 percent — or $1,575 — of his annual electric bill goes for heating and cooling. A high efficiency heat pump, it said, could reduce that by about $370 a year.

Krisle, owner of an electrical contracting firm, had taken advantage of a TVA program in the 1980s — also available through NES and other distributors — that provided more detailed home energy audits done by professionals and helped homeowners install insulation, solar water heaters and other conservation measures.

Krisle sees the audit and kit as a good way everyone can save money, and said he intends to put in a new heat pump when he's able.

"I've used the light bulbs. I've used the filter whistle," Krisle said. A round, plastic whistle comes with the kit to alert when a filter needs changing, to save energy and money. He put it on the filter in the return air duct in his home.

"It works," he said. "When that filter gets dirty, it barely sounds — and then, as days go by, it gets louder.

"The first time, you don't know what it is."

Green Livin House approves funds for 'green' schools

WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday approved more than $20 billion over the next five years to help states build and renovate schools to make them more energy-efficient and good for the environment.

Democrats said the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act would save school districts billions in energy costs while reducing environmentally linked health problems.

The White House threatened a veto, saying it was wrong for the federal government to launch a costly new school building program.

The legislation passed 250-164 and now must be considered by the Senate.

The measure approves $6.4 billion for the 2009 budget year and similar sums in consequent years to help school districts modernize facilities to improve the learning climate, promote student and teacher health and make schools more energy efficient.

Projects would have to meet one of three widely recognized standards for building construction materials and energy sources: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, Energy Star, or Collaborative For High Performance Schools. Requirements for meeting the green standards would be phased in, but by 2013, 90 percent of the funds would have to be used for green projects.

Democratic supporters cited studies that a green school uses 35 percent less energy than a conventional school, reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 40 percent, uses 30 percent less water and has better lighting and temperature controls that encourage student achievement.

The legislation, said Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, D-Calif., will "not only save them energy, not only will make the facilities safer, cleaner and better for the learning environment these children need, it will also dramatically change the cost of running a school district."

But Republicans, and the White House, saw the bill as a federal intrusion into education matters normally under the jurisdiction of states and local governments.

"The Democrats' massive $20 billion 'green scheme' would place faceless Washington bureaucrats in charge of priorities historically and best handled by states and local school districts," said House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio. Other Republicans warned it would siphon off funds from federal programs for poor or disabled students.

The bill "would create an inappropriate and costly new federal role in modernizing and renovating public schools," the White House said in issuing its veto threat.

The White House also objected to a funding formula linking amounts that a state receives to Title I, the federal program for schools receiving aid for low-income students. No school under the formula would receive less than $5,000.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Ben Chandler, D-Ky., also approves federal funding of $100 million a year for five years for public schools in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Green Livin LIFESAVER: World’s First Ultra Filtration Water Bottle

Over the years, Milan has evolved from merely hosting a furniture fair every spring to having almost every street taken over by all types of innovative design every April. This year, sustainable design joined in the fray more than ever, with many exciting exhibits highlighting socially conscious design, including the Well-Tech Awards. At this inspirational show we discovered the Lifesaver bottle - a beautifully simple concept for portable water filtration, and one that could make a real difference to a world increasingly threatened by shortages of clean, drinkable water.

The Lifesaver was developed in response to natural disasters such as 2004’s tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. The concept is relatively simple, based upon the fact that the smallest virus is 25 nanometers across, so by using a filter with holes 15 nanometers across, all nasties can be trapped without the need for chemicals. The term ‘nasties’ is actually quite an understatement. Lifesaver can filter out bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi and all other microbiological waterborne pathogens. And in the real world, of course, the bottle was much harder to realize than we’ve described it. The bottle is the world’s first ultra filtration water bottle, and the inventor put all of his life savings into developing it.

But it was this level of development effort that has brought about a product that is exceptionally easy to use. Fill it with water by unscrewing the base and dipping it in the nearest puddle or stream, screw the base back and use the pump to force the water through to a teat at the other end. The clean water can then be drunk directly or poured into a separate container for storage. These simple instructions make it suitable for use by children, and in developing countries.

The unit uses replaceable filters, which can treat about 4000 liters of water – five and a half years of usage if you drank 2 liters every day. The filter is speedy, too - 750ml of water can be prepared in just under a minute. And users can rest safe in the knowledge they’re getting maximum life out of the product without poisoning themselves, as the unit has a unique feature to shut itself off when the cartridge has expired.


Costing £230 ($460), the Lifesaver isn’t exactly cheap, but it is a world first, and we’re sure the price reflects the genuinely innovative R&D that went into its development. Not only was it featured at Well-tech, it won ‘Best Technological Development for Future Soldier System Enhancement’ at Soldier Technology 2007. It’s ironic that a design that can bring world peace can also support world conflict, but here’s hoping it’s used for the former rather than the latter.

+ The Lifesaver Bottle

+ Well-Tech Awards

Green Livin Reverse Grafitti in San Francisco: Dirty Art

Reverse Grafitti: Creating Art by Cleaning Up





Three years ago, http://www.treehugger.com/ wrote about an air pollution guerilla marketing tactic in Chicago where they power-washed sidewalks with stencil forms to create shapes and texts. Well, they have found what the next level of that idea looks like!




The Reverse Grafitti Project in San Francisco is creating environmental art by cleaning up dirt and grime from walls. In the video above, you can see them making a 140 feet long mural in the Broadway tunnel. It shows native species of native plants that would be living in the area of that tunnel if it wasn't currently the city's downtown (that project was a promo for Green Works).

More on the Reverse Grafitti Project
Reverse Grafitti Project
The Reverse Graffiti Project in San Francisco
Moose's Reverse Graffiti

Green Livin Grass Roots: Easy Organic Lawn Care

Organic yard care is simple once you go through the steps of disconnecting your lawn from its chemical life-support system.

Curing this chemical dependency has its environmental benefits. One 40-pound bag of synthetic fertilizer contains the fossil-fuel equivalent of approximately 2.5 gallons of gasoline, and mowing for one hour with a gasoline-powered mower generates the same amount of pollution as driving a car for 20 miles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To keep lawns green, we apply about 10,000 gallons of water, which leads to fungal diseases and weeds that attract pests, so we douse our coveted green patches with approximately 67 million pounds a year of synthetic pesticides.

All this activity takes its toll. Nitrates and phosphates from synthetic fertilizers run into streams, where they kill aquatic life. Numerous studies have linked common household herbicides and pesticides to asthma, cancer, reduced fertility and neurological harm to fetuses, infants and children. In a February 2006 Occupational and Environmental Health study, home and garden insecticide use during pregnancy and childhood was associated with an increased risk of childhood leukemia. Homeowners often apply chemicals and then track them indoors, where long-term exposures to children and pets are likely. The popular herbicide 2,4-D, a suspected hormone disruptor, was found on tables, windowsills, floors and in the air of homes shortly after the chemical was applied outside homes, according to a study in Environmental Health Perspectives in 2001.

It's getting easier to avoid these harmful chemicals, thanks to increasing resources and the availability of least-toxic products. "The shift to organic lawn care reflects a broader awareness of the dangers of pesticides to both the environment and our health," says Eileen Gunn, project director for the advocacy group Beyond Pesticides.

As in any detoxification program, the first step is admitting that you have a problem, says Paul Tukey, author of The Organic Lawn Care Manual (Storey, 2007, $19.95). "The organic lawn is not a ton of work—it really isn't—but it requires more understanding."

Start with the Soil

"Everything is as healthy as the soil it grows in," says Harmen Vos, president of the Organicdutchman lawn service in New Jersey. Healthy soil contains naturally occurring potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus as well as billions of beneficial microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and protozoa and larger creatures like earthworms that build soil structure. Chemically treated grass, in contrast, has very little life because, over time, the fertilizers and pesticides kill or slow down these helpful bugs.

To aid your organic conversion, many university cooperative extension offices will test your existing soil for organic matter, nutrients and pH for a small fee. Once you know what's in your soil, you can begin to bring it back to life. Lawns prefer slightly acidic soils with a pH range of 6.5 to 7, but flowers, shrubs and trees vary in their pH preferences. Lime helps balance acidic soil, while sulfur helps with alkaline. Other soil improvers such as worm castings, kelp, fish wastes and decomposed organic matter called humates add nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Compost or "compost tea"—liquid compost that more readily penetrates soil—can help restore beneficial microbial life. You can have it applied by an expert in organic lawn care, or purchase organic compost, such as Intervale ($15/20 qts.; http://www.gardeners.com/, 888-833-1412) or Vermont Compost Plus ($12/20 qts.; http://www.fedcoseeds.com/, 207-873-7333). Bill Duesing, contributor to The NOFA Organic Lawn and Turf Handbook, a publication of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA, 2007, $25), suggests that you make your own compost using lawn clippings, food scraps and fall leaves.

Go Native

The amount of shade and rainfall, soil type and temperature ranges, as well as how much time your family will spend on the lawn, have an impact on your lawn's health, so choose a grass that can tolerate those things. Native grasses tend to be easier to maintain, since they are adapted to local conditions. For instance, seashore paspalum, native to the Southeastern U.S. coast, is so salt-tolerant that it can be watered with seawater, although this is not recommended because seawater will degrade soil quality.

Your grass of choice will also determine how much to take off the top when mowing. Cutting too short creates stress and weakens the plant. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, try a manual push mower like the Scotts Classic reel mower ($129.99; http://www.cleanairgardening.com/). They are surprisingly easy to push, and you'll wonder why they were abandoned for the far more dangerous and polluting power mowers. Keep the mower blades sharpened and leave clipped blades on the grass as compost; they recycle nitrogen.

Read The Weeds

Weeds are messengers that tell you what's wrong with your soil, says Tukey. "You can kill the messenger all day long," he says, "but it doesn't kill the message." For example, dandelions indicate that soil is too low in calcium, too high in potassium and too acidic.

However, not all "weeds" are bad. Clover is drought tolerant, stays green all winter and converts nitrogen into a form usable by other plants. A lawn that contains about 5 percent clover can create enough usable nitrogen to make fertilizing unnecessary if clippings are left on the lawn.

Detrimental weeds, especially those with deep root systems, can be removed using a long, forked "dandelion weeder" or spot-sprayed with vinegar. Corn gluten applied early in spring is another chemical-free alternative to pre-emergent herbicides, like 2,4-D, that kill germinating weed seeds.

Chopping up weeds in your mower might spread the seeds, causing a bigger problem. Instead, bury them in the compost pile, where internal heat generated by beneficial bacteria kills seeds.

Water, Water—But Not Everywhere

Cities nationwide are facing water shortages (see "American Waters"), so reduce and reuse what you can.

Healthy grasses will sink deeper roots and won't need as much water as over-fertilized grasses. Instead of following a set schedule, water only when needed. How will you know? The grass starts to look a little wilted and gray and doesn't spring back as quickly when stepped on.

Water in the morning so that evaporation is minimal and because leaving grass wet at night encourages fungal diseases. Water should soak six inches or more into the soil to reach the roots. Set a cake pan near your sprinkler, and when it's roughly full, you'll have watered sufficiently. To avoid waste, stop when you see runoff down the driveway, and resume after the soil has absorbed what's already there. If you cannot deliver the entire inch in one session, water in alternating sections. Keeping a layer of mulch over your flowerbeds and vegetable garden will trap moisture and reduce evaporation from those areas.

Cut down on consumption by harvesting rain in rain barrels ($134; http://www.gaiam.com/, 877-989-6321). Or be creative: George Spalek, a homeowner in Santa Fe, N.M., collects rain in five cattle-feeding troughs, purchased from a farm-supply store, that he paints and covers with a mesh screen to keep out mosquitoes and dirt.

Also, match your plants with your locale, says Douglas F. Welsh, Ph.D., professor and extension horticulturist at Texas A&M University. "It is as inappropriate to have a cactus in Newark, New Jersey, as it is to have azaleas in El Paso, Texas." He prefers Xeriscaping, landscaping practices that reduce water waste through an equal mix of adaptable plants, decks, walkways and smaller lawns. "People have a mental image of drought-tolerant landscapes as wagon wheels, animal skulls and a few cacti," says Welsh, but "we can have high-quality landscapes that are in harmony with the environment we live in."

With signs of spring in my neighborhood comes a proliferation of small yellow flags warning children to stay off pesticide-treated lawns. As my chemical-free lawn flourishes and more organic products and services become available, I hope that those yellow flags will become a thing of the past.

Green Livin Red Scare-ing Away High Gas Prices

You can tell that Big Oil and their bestie, Vice President Dick "So?" Cheney, are getting really desperate. After seven long years of disastrous energy and economic policies, the Bush Administration's chickens have really come home to roost.

With Big Oil in everybody's sights, Dirty Dick felt the need to trot out the most dread enemy of all time to try and distract the American people from the real villains. Yes, my friends, the red scare is back.

For years now -- but especially since the failed policies of the Bush administration have caused gas to top $4 a gallon -- conservatives have been peddling the myth that Red China is drilling in Cuban waters mere inches from Key West. And with the Red Menace so close to all those faux Ernest Hemingways, why, we should drill everywhere, posthaste! They've even cooked up maps with menacing looking Chinese flags casting a shadow long enough to blot out the sun on South Beach. Like most myths propagated by the Right Wing (e.g. Ann Coulter is a babe and not, in fact, a face-eating undead zombie waiting to suck out your brains), it seems that there's exactly zero truth to this one. (pdf) But there was so much wheel-spinning going on that the Congressional Research Service even had to do a report to disprove the idea.

After throwing some red meat (literally!) at the base (Cheney was addressing the archconservative U.S. Chamber of Commerce), he then went on to say that all we need is oil -- and more of it. And we need to get it by drilling everywhere -- even environmentally sensitive areas. And for good measure, we ought to throw in some tax cuts for the wealthy while we're at it. And then pass some more really excellent trade deals.

Can we just finally agree once and for all that Dick Cheney and Dr. Evil are, in fact, the same person?

Green Livin RecycleBank Puts $30M in the Bank

The most low-tech of clean technologies, recycling, got a boost today. RecycleBank, a Philadelphia-based startup that runs incentive-based recycling programs, has raised $30 million in Series B funding led by the high-profile VCs at Kleiner Perkins, PEHub reports via VentureWire. RecycleBank’s round also included existing investors RRE Ventures and Sigma Partners, who together invested $13.1 million in a Series A financing last year.

As far as low-tech cleantech goes, this is a big investment. Kleiner Perkins Partner John Doerr was quite excited about RecycleBank’s mission and business when he talked about the company at the Berkeley Energy Symposium, saying applying the right business model to existing technology can be good business for the planet.





RecycleBank seeks to revitalize municipal recycling by incentivizing the program for consumers. The more a customer recycles, the more “RecycleBank Dollars” he or she earns, which can be redeemed for discounts at over 250 different businesses. So by recycling more beer bottles, newspapers and shampoo bottles you can get discounts on Jockey underwear, Starbucks lattés or even PetCo dog food.

Customers are given a special recycling bin (each has a unique RFID tag built in) in which they can recycle glass, plastic, metal, paper and cardboard. The recycling trucks identify each container and weigh the contents, crediting the household. Customers can track and manage their recycling and rewards through RecycleBank’s web site.

RecycleBank is also tackling e-waste through a partnership with CollectiveGood. The company plans to soon (according to its web site) expand to include the recycling of computers, printers, scanners and fax machines. But it will have competition in the form of SecondRotation and BuyMyTronics, both of whom pay cash for old gizmos.

Making the recycling business a profitable one is a tall order. Amid a budget crisis in 2002, New York City stopped recycling glass and plastic altogether because the program was losing too much money (the Big Apple has since resumed recycling). But RecycleBank is all too aware of what a volatile market it can be; it points to the most recent Annual Nationwide Survey of Solid Waste Management in the U.S., which notes that 28 states have seen recycling rates go down since 2001.

RecycleBank makes its money from the municipalities themselves, who pay based on number of household involved. The company also gets a cut from the recyclers, assuming they see a boost in materials coming in.

Early pilot programs turned in some impressive recycling adoption rates. In two Philadelphia communities RecycleBank boosted recycling rates to 90 percent each, up from 35 and 7 percent, respectively.

Green Livin Motorcycles and emissions: The surprising facts

This story is about emissions. More specifically, it's about the surprising level of emissions spewing from on-road motorcycles and scooters. In California, such bikes make up 3.6% of registered vehicles and 1% of vehicle miles traveled, yet they account for 10% of passenger vehicles' smog-forming emissions in the state. In fact, the average motorbike is about 10 times more polluting per mile than a passenger car, light truck or SUV, according to a California Air Resources Board comparison of emissions-compliant vehicles.

For those of you who are wondering why I'm being such a killjoy, my reason is this: I've been hearing from an increasing number of readers who want to know if two-wheelers, which consume far less fuel, are also smog busters. Because scientific questions tend to come with complicated answers, I thought I'd do my best to explain what pollutants a gas-powered motorbike emits and why.

Motorcycles and scooters are, on average, about twice as fuel efficient as cars. Compact and lightweight, their internal-combustion engines do a better job of converting fuel into energy that makes the vehicle move. But extracting more energy from the fuel has a downside. It produces greater amounts of a smog-forming emission called oxides of nitrogen.

Oxides of nitrogen are one of three pollutants the Environmental Protection Agency and the Air Resources Board measure to see whether vehicles meet acceptable emissions levels and can be sold legally. Smog-forming hydrocarbons -- unburned compounds in fuel that escape through the tailpipe, fuel lines and gas tank -- are also measured, as is carbon monoxide. Carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, isn't measured by either agency, but motorcycles are generally better than other vehicles in this regard since they use less fuel per mile.

As with other passenger vehicles, there are technologies to offset motorcycle emissions, such as catalytic converters, but those technologies tend to be too big, too heavy or too hot to fit on a motorcycle and work as effectively as similar systems on larger, enclosed vehicles that have more space to accommodate them. That's why the EPA and the air board are more lenient on bikes than they are on other passenger vehicles.

"The emissions picture [for motorcycles] is fairly grim," said John Swanton of the Air Resources Board, "but we think it's fair for where motorcycles are today."

Emissions standards for motorcycles are already more forgiving than they are for cars, light trucks and SUVs. Not only are motorcycles allowed to emit more than cars, they are also tested at lower speeds, which pollutes less. And motorcycle manufacturers only have to ensure that their vehicles of 179 cc and above meet governmental emissions criteria for the first 18,600 miles of a bike's life, compared with 150,000 miles for cars.

Five years ago, the EPA tightened its emissions standards for on-road motorcycles with a two-tier system, the first of which tightened requirements for the 2006 model year. The second, even stricter phase kicks in for 2010.

California is the only state in the country with its own emissions standards, which are the same as the EPA standards except they've been fast-tracked to kick in two years earlier. In effect, the stricter standard has already been met for many of the on-highway motorcycles on the market because any 2008 model year bike that is sold in California already meets the EPA standard for 2010.

Right now, there are no plans for the air board or the EPA to further tighten motorcycle emissions requirements because:

* Motorcycles account for such a small portion of vehicle miles traveled.

* There haven't been enough advances in motorcycle emissions technologies to enable further pollution reduction to any significant degree.

* There are other, even bigger polluters to deal with, such as diesel trucks, construction equipment and non-emissions-compliant products from China.

Noncompliant Chinese vehicles have become such a pollution issue in California, in fact, that the Air Resources Board has just added a new motorcycle emissions facility at its Haagen-Smit Lab in El Monte to test them. The board estimates as many as 20,000 all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes and scooters are shipped into California from China each month, many of them with emissions that are at least 10 times higher than the state's requirements.

Long story short: Motorcycles, even small ones, are more polluting than Hummers, but it's the best that can be done for now. If you want to make a difference, consider an electric two-wheeler for your next bike or a gas-powered model with fuel injection and a 3-way catalytic converter.

Story featured on http://www.latimes.com/

Green Livin Planet Green Tonight: G Word

Last week, our parent company, Discovery Communications, launched Planet Green, the first ever 24-7 TV channel dedicated to green living. With more than 200 hours of original green lifestyle programming, Planet Green is a fresh conversation about what it means to be environmental. We've been bringing you clips from the new shows and encourage you to use our channel finder so you can watch Planet Green in your home.

We've featured Wa$ted, Mean Green Machines, Hollywood Green, Renovation Nation, and Supper Club. Today we're bringing you the scoop on G Word. For those of you that have been following Planet Green you might be familiar with what it's all about since it premiered last week. We're sure you'll agree that being green is no longer just for granola-loving hippies. Or, shall we say (ahem) TreeHuggers?

“Green.” Does a day go by anymore without hearing the “G” word? But how do we apply it to our own lives? In Planet Green’s newest daily series, hosted by former MTV talent SuChin Pak, follow passionate, eco-leading experts who will give you the answers and show you real ideas that you can utilize across different categories: Home, Design, Gadgets, Food, Shopping, new Products, and Fashion. They’ll be out there probing, examining, questioning, and filling us in on the latest. This series is your one-stop center to truly help you make sense of all there is out there in the world of Green.

Forget what you think you know about what being green means and get ready for G Word...it's a lifestyle, an attitude, a state-of-mind, and it's shaking up the pop-culture landscape.

G Word airs tonight at 7:00PM only on Planet Green. To view the full lineup of Planet Green, visit the weekly schedule.

Green Livin The World's First Suit Made From Recycled PET Bottles

If you were a child of the Seventies you might, like us, have fond childhood memories leafing through the thick Sears’ catalogue, choosing with your friends what you’d buy if you had a million dollars. Now that we have grown up and can’t bear to bring oversized catalogues into the home, it looks like Sears has grown a bit in the environmentally friendly direction too.

Come this Father’s Day, Sears has decided to take a chance with tailoring manufacturer Bagir and sell the world’s first suit made from recycled PET bottles. Bagir –– the same company which invented the IPod suit and the machine wash and dry suit (available through Marks and Spencer) –– has devised a new way to help fathers everywhere go green, without them having to realize it.

For about $200 a suit, you can buy Dad the EcoGIR suit at Sears. Under the Covington private-label (you might have to hunt for it in the store), and only in US stores, the suit is made from wool and recycled PET plastic bottles collected in Japan, reports ISRAEL21c.

Bagir's suits will also be the first in the world to carry a carbon footprint label. A carbon emissions label, they say, will help educate consumers to let them know how much greenhouse gas causing carbon dioxide emissions, or its equivalent, was created during the manufacturing and shipping process.

"Recycled bottles save 77 percent of the carbon emissions that go into suit production," said Moshe Gadot, the director of global development and marketing, when we talked with him for an article in ISRAEL21c. Working with the UK consultancy, Greenstone Carbon Management, Bagir now also works to educate consumers about using lower temperature wash cycles and have started to ship more products by sea.

The company's ultimate dream, says Gadot, is to one day see the entire tailored clothing industry go green and “retired” suits get recycled into new products. 

"Eco was a strong direction for our company so we started working with consultants and found a few threats," he said.

One threat they defined early on was the chemical perchloroethylene “perc” used in the dry cleaning business, and which is now entering America's drinking water. 
To reduce the use of perc, Bagir invented the world's first machine washable suit, available today through Marks and Spencer.

The suit has become a hit among men on the go who like the idea of washing their suit in water at home or in the hotel, while saving the planet.

And today TreeHuggers, we have two of these suits to give away, courtesy of Bagir. To enter the contest, let us know in the comments section, your revolutionary idea for greening the men’s tailored clothing business.

Two winners –– announced on Father’s Day and chosen by Bagir and this TreeHugger –– will each get their own machine wash/tumble dry suit sent to their home.

Green Livin 148 Days to Go

McCain and Obama tout very different energy policies

While campaigning in different cities Monday, Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama managed to trade plenty of jabs on energy policy. At a rally in Raleigh, N.C., Obama called for a tax on oil-company windfall profits and declared, "At a time ... when we're paying more than $4 a gallon for gas, [McCain] wants to spend $1.2 billion on a tax break for ExxonMobil." McCain's economic adviser responded that the GOP candidate supports an "across-the-board corporate rate cut that's necessary to keep the American corporate sector competitive in the global economy." Obama also dismissed the idea of a gas-tax holiday as a gimmick, and continued to tout his vision of a green-job-driven economy, making no mention of nuclear power. McCain, at a fundraiser in Richmond, Va., reiterated his support for the gas-tax holiday; when a donor summarized his energy policy as "nuclear, and drill wherever we've got it," McCain replied, "You just gave my speech."

see also, in Gristmill: The right comparison between Obama and McCain on climate/energy

Green Livin GM Closing 4 Trucks and SUV Plants, Betting More on Smaller Cars

Americans are Driving Less, Buying Smaller cars

The plate tectonics of the transportation sector are shifting and the new landscape is starting to become clearer. The change is particularly obvious in the US where fuel prices have been relatively low compared to most of the rest of the world for a long time. But the latest stats by the Federal Highway Administration don't lie: Americans are driving less. They're also buying more compact cars and hybrids.

Big Changes at General Motors

Another big sign of this changing world is GM's announcement that it will close 4 big SUV manufacturing plants and is thinking about selling its ailing Hummer brand.

The company doesn't seem to be burying its head in the sand either: “We don’t believe it’s a spike or a temporary shift. We believe it is, by and large, permanent,” said GM chairman Rick Wagoner.

Lets hope they learned from their $51 billion loses over the past three years and are really serious... Even in China.

" Over all, G.M. will reduce its North American production to 3.7 million vehicles from 4.2 million. The moves should add $1 billion in cost savings to an existing target of reducing costs by $5 billion by 2011".

A New Hope?But GM isn't just cutting. It's also going to invest more in its passenger cars and "crossover" vehicles. One of these new passenger cars is a Chevrolet with a turbo 1.4 liter engine -- it's been a while since GM has even looked at such small displacement. We bet that if they make it available, it will sell very well.

Chevy Volt Still Happening Mr. Wagoner also mentioned that the plug-in series hybrid Chevy Volt would be available for sale "no later than the end of 2010." Lets hope that's true, because with a 40 miles (65 km) all-electric range, this car would be among the most fuel efficient on the market and could show other automakers that it is worth it to invest in plug-in hybrids.

Despite its mistakes and financial problems, GM is still an industrial giant and will be making a large portion of the cars sold in the future. We're pragmatic and we want to see it make cars that are as efficient as possible, and work on R&D for plug-in hybrids and electric cars, so we'll give them credit for making a step in the right direction. Just don't stop there! Keep going.

Green Livin Global Warming Fight Shifts to 2009 After Senate Bid Stalls

But Vote “Creates Momentum We Need to Continue the Fight”

WASHINGTON, DC (June 6, 2008) – Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, released the following statement regarding today’s unsuccessful effort in the U.S. Senate to overcome the stalling and filibuster tactics of those opposed to global warming legislation:

“This historic vote on the strongest global warming bill ever acted on by Congress creates momentum we need to continue the fight. In all, 54 senators spoke up for the need to debate solutions to global warming, far surpassing the 38 votes in 2005 and 43 votes in 2003 for legislation that was significantly weaker than this year’s Climate Security Act. Supporters today included ten Senate converts who had not supported cap-and-trade legislation in prior votes in 2003 and 2005.

“The good news is that many senators who have previously buried their head in the sand and pretended global warming doesn’t exist now acknowledge the problem is real. The bad news is they are now throwing sand in the gears to prevent Congress from actually doing anything about it.

“How could any senator vote against advancing debate on global warming legislation? What were they thinking? If we don’t tackle climate change soon, it will tackle us. It’s that simple. Climate change is threatening our national security, our economy and the natural resources all Americans depend on.

“Every senator who voted against a continued debate on the Climate Security Act has voted against investing in a clean energy future that will energize our struggling economy, voted against safeguarding our families and voted against protecting and restoring America’s natural resources.

“Despite today’s vote, the results are vital to our plans for passing strong global warming legislation next year. We now know which senators are paying attention to science and listening to the public, and which ones are instead listening to oil companies.

“Today’s vote was just round one. Round two will be when voters have their say in November. Round three will happen in 2009 when we have a new president and a new Congress who will listen to the vast majority of Americans who want real action.

“We extend our deep gratitude to Senators Boxer, Reid, Warner and Lieberman, and other bill champions, who have been tireless leaders to address the urgent problem of climate change.”

For Immediate Release - June 6, 2008

Contact: Miles Grant, National Wildlife Federation, 703-864-9599 (cell), grantm@nwf.org

The National Wildlife Federation is the nation’s largest conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future.

Green Livin Major Climate Vote Friday -- Speak up today!

Major Climate Vote Friday -- Speak up today!

Here we go! We are getting the vote we have been looking for on the Climate Security Act as soon as tomorrow.

Call your senators today and urge them to "Vote yes for the Climate Security Act!"

A yes vote is a yes to continue debate on the Climate Security Act. A no vote is a vote to kill the bill for this Congress and squash any chances to pass strong global warming legislation this year.

Even if you have already called your senators, call them again!

Opponents of the bill have launched a series of delay tactics, including requiring an eight-hour reading of the 491-page bill, word for word, as well as late-night dramatics that caused Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) to threaten to send out the Sergeant at Arms to round up senators in the dead of night to get enough votes to proceed with the bill.

The coming vote is a key test for your senators. Make sure they support serious action on global warming.

"When I met with Sen. Boxer last night, she had nothing but great things to say for the work that National Wildlife Federation has been doing, and asked us all to 'unleash' everything we have today," said NWF global warming director Jeremy Symons.

So here I am unleashing you, my awesome wildlife champions. Help us flood Senate offices with calls to vote YES to the Climate Security Act and stop any further delays.

Log your calls today and forward this email to as many friends and family members as you can!


Kristin JohnsonGrassroots Mobilization CoordinatorNational Wildlife Federation alerts@nwf.org

Green Livin GE sees solar becoming $1 bln business

NEW YORK (Reuters) - General Electric Co expects its nascent solar-energy business to hit the $1 billion annual revenue mark over the next three years or so, with its key challenge to make the green energy source less costly, the head of the unit said on Monday.

"I'm very optimistic about solar. I think it will be a billion-dollar business for GE sooner rather than later," said John Krenicki, president and chief executive of GE Energy, which has businesses ranging from gas turbines to nuclear power to windmills.
Asked about how long it would take the solar arm to hit that mark, Krenicki told the Reuters Global Energy Summit: "In a three-year time horizon, which is kind of our planning period right now."

The unit, which sells photovoltaic cells that can be used to convert the sun's rays into electricity, currently has over $100 million in revenues.

Rocketing energy prices -- U.S. oil futures last month topped $130 a barrel for the first time -- and concern about climate change have spurred global interest in alternative sources of energy, including solar and wind. Still, a big hurdle for many green energy sources is the high cost.
That is the biggest concern GE's solar business is facing, Krenicki said.

"If you think about the solar that's on the market today, it's six, seven times more expensive than wind," Krenicki said. "Solar requires material science breakthroughs, which is something that GE is good at."

GE, the second-largest U.S. company by market capitalization, entered the solar-energy business in 2004 when it acquired AstroPower, a maker of traditional photovoltaic cells and last year expanded into thin-film solar cells when it bought a minority stake in PrimeStar Solar.
That acquisition may prove to be a key step as the thin-film technology does not depend on silicon. Tight supplies of silicon have slowed the solar industry's growth.

"Thin film has a great chance to be the lowest cost scalable form of solar power generation," Krenicki said.

The Fairfield, Connecticut-based conglomerate is not counting on further acquisitions to hit its $1 billion target for solar, Krenicki said.

"If someone has technology that we don't have, then that would be of interest," he said. "But right now I think we have what we need, and we'd apply the wind business model, which is we'll do it organically once we've done the initial investments."

The solar sector has caught Wall Street's attention, with shares of major solar cell companies, including First Solar Inc , SunPower Corp , Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd and Evergreen Solar Inc rocketing up last year, only to cool in the first months of 2008 amid concerns their valuations had swelled too quickly.

"We're not going to dabble in the solar business," Krenicki said. "We will put the pedal to the accelerator once it is very clear what our competitive advantage is."
GE's wind business is on track to hit the $6 billion revenue mark this year. GE entered that business in 2002, buying the wind turbine assets of the former Enron.

Krenicki noted that GE now has orders for its electricity-generating wind turbines through 2011 and plans to continue to boost production capacity.

"We have pretty good visibility out about three years, and are building up our supply chain in that time period and beyond," he said.

GE's competitors in the energy industry include German conglomerate Siemens AG , Swiss engineering group ABB Ltd and French industrial and power group Alstom Holdings SA .
(Editing by Gerald E. McCormick/Jeffrey Benkoe)
(For summit blog: summitnotebook.reuters.com/)

Green Livin A Car That Runs on Air is Coming to India

Tata Motors, India largest automotive company, on Feb. 5, 2007 announced that it has signed an agreement with Moteur Development International (MDI) of France, inventors of the car, to develop a car that runs on compressed air, thus making it very economical to run and be almost totally pollution free. This article in Rediff India Abroad and the MDI website gives further details.

The air engine has 4 two-stage pistons, i.e. 8 compression and/or expansion chambers on one crankshaft. The pistons work in two stages: one motor stage and one intermediate stage of compression/expansion. They have two functions: to compress ambient air and refill the storage tanks; and to make successive expansions (reheating air with ambient thermal energy) thereby approaching isothermic expansion. It has injection similar to normal engines, but uses a special crankshaft and pistons, which remain at top dead center for about 70 degrees of the crankshaft's cycle; this allows more power to be developed in the engine. The engine is powered by compressed air, stored in a carbon-fiber tank containing 90 cubic meters (3178 cubic feet) of air at 30 MPa (4500 psi).

The expansion of this air pushes the pistons and creates movement. The atmospheric temperature is used to re-heat the engine and increase the range.

The cars have the following characteristics:

Are light weight vehicle that can reach speeds up to 220 kmph.

MDI's vehicle's have fiberglass bodies which makes them light, silent urban car.

The vehicles do not have normal speed gages. Instead, they will have a small computer screen.

Both ends of the seat belt are anchored to the vehicles floor for greater safety.

The vehicle's uses a patented electric system that makes the car 20 kilos lighter and considerably quieter.

There are no keys - just an access card that can be read by the car from your pocket.

In the single energy mode MDI cars consume around US$1.00 (Rs 45) every 60 miles (100 km).

There is no pollution from the car.

The vehicle's driving range is close to twice that of the most advanced electric cars (from 200 to 180 miles (300 km) or 8 hours of operation).

The recharging of the car will be done at gas stations in 2 to 3 minutes at a price of Rs 90, once the market is developed.

The car also has a small compressor that can be connected to an electrical network (220V or 380V) and will recharged the tanks completely in 3 or 4 hours.

The car's oil (a liter of vegetable) only needs to be changed every 50,000 km.
The temperature of the exhaust is between 0 and 15 degrees below zero and can be used for air conditioning of the car.

The car will be produced in both a single engine compressed air cars, the MiniCAT and CityCAT and a dual engine hybrid, a compressed air engine plus a multi-fuel internal combustion engine.

The hybrid has been conceived as much for the city as the open road and will be available in all MDI vehicles. The engines will work exclusively with compressed air while it is running under 50 km/h in urban areas. But when the car is running at speeds over 50 km/h, the engines will switch to fuel mode. The engine will be able to use gasoline, biodiesel, natural gas, LNG, alcohol, etc. It was not clear whether the air engine would also be used as an ICE or whether two engines would be employed in the hybrid.

Engines will be available with 2, 4 and 6 cylinders. When the air tanks are empty the driver will be able to switch to fuel mode.

The car -- MiniCAT -- could cost around US$8,000 (Rs 350,000) in India and would have a range of around 180 miles (300 km) between refuels. The cost of a refill would be about US$2.00 (Rs 90).

Specifications:

MiniCAT

The smallest and most innovative: three seats, minimal dimensions.

Airbag, air conditioning, ABS, 3 seats, 1.5 m3.
Dimensions: 2.65m, 1.62m, 1.64m
Weight: 750 kg
Maximum speed: 110 kmh
Mileage: 200 - 300 km
Maximum load: 270 Kg
Recharging time: 4 hours (Mains connector)
Recharge: 3 minutes (Air station)
CityCAT

A more spacious car with seats which can face different directions. The vehicle's design is based on the needs of a typical family.

Airbag, air conditioning, 6 seats.
Dimensions: 3.84m, 1.72m, 1.75m
Weight: 750 kg
Maximum speed: 110 kmh
Mileage: 200 - 300 km
Max load: 500 Kg
Recharge time: 4 hours (Mains connector)
Recharge time: 3 minutes (Air station)
Although there is no official word on when the car will be commercially manufactured for India, reports say that it will be sooner than later.

The MDI headquarters are located in Luxembourg while the prototype factory is in the south of France, where 60 people are employed. According to the MDI website "At the moment the construction of the first serial production factory is being completed, at the same location."

Currently licenses for manufacture and distribution have been sold to companies in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, South Africa, India, Great Briton, France and the United States. ZevCAT has the license in the US.

This technology competes with the electric car. The claimed advantage of compressed air over electric storage is that it is less expensive, has a faster recharge time and pressure vessels have a longer lifetime compared to batteries. Both technologies have hurdles to overcome, demonstrating that the air engine/compressed air system is as light, efficient and cheap as available electric motors/batteries. The main issues to me are that the air engine has not been proven to be dependable and advanced batteries are still too expensive. According to Gizmag the signing of the Tata agreement has made the prospects of very cost-effective mass production are now a distinct possibility. According to Wikepedia: as of March 2007 the Air car is not in production; they have been said to be going into production "soon" since at least 1998. In 2003 Wired had a fairly negative article on the company. An Australian rotary air engine, the Di Pietro Rotary Air Engine, appears to be further along in development and they have a small demonstration vehicle in use. In retrospect it appears that I should have written this piece about the DiPetro engine, but maybe a later post.

A discussion of the energy efficiencies of an air engine vehicle vs an electric vehicle would breakdown into the efficiency of the air compressor and air engine vs the efficiency of batteries and motors in the electric car, which I am sure the electric car would win. However because of the potentially low initial cost, low maintence cost and low operating cost compared to a fossil fueled vehicle the "air car" could find a niche market if it could be marketed before low cost batteries are available.

Green Livin Inconvenient Truths: Get Ready to Rethink What It Means to Be Green

The environmental movement has never been short on noble goals. Preserving wild spaces, cleaning up the oceans, protecting watersheds, neutralizing acid rain, saving endangered species — all laudable. But today, one ecological problem outweighs all others: global warming. Restoring the Everglades, protecting the Headwaters redwoods, or saving the Illinois mud turtle won't matter if climate change plunges the planet into chaos. It's high time for greens to unite around the urgent need to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

Just one problem. Winning the war on global warming requires slaughtering some of environmentalism's sacred cows. We can afford to ignore neither the carbon-free electricity supplied by nuclear energy nor the transformational potential of genetic engineering. We need to take advantage of the energy efficiencies offered by urban density. We must accept that the world's fastest-growing economies won't forgo a higher standard of living in the name of climate science — and that, on the way up, countries like India and China might actually help devise the solutions the planet so desperately needs.

Some will reject this approach as dangerously single-minded: The environment is threatened on many fronts, and all of them need attention. So argues Alex Steffen. That may be true, but global warming threatens to overwhelm any progress made on other issues. The planet is already heating up, and the point of no return may be only decades away. So combating greenhouse gases must be our top priority, even if that means embracing the unthinkable. Here, then, are 10 tenets of the new environmental apostasy.

CLick Here for the 10 Green Heresies

Green Livin How Green Are You?

Looking for ways to make your marketing efforts more eco-friendly? Our green “audit” just might help.

It’s getting easier every day to convince your CEO and CFO of the marketing benefits, and ultimately the bottom-line impact, of creating sustainable business processes. So the next time you champion some green marketing initiatives, you’re far more likely to get buy-in from the C-level types as well as your board of directors.

But once you’ve got the higher-ups on board, how do you get started? Experts agree that the best way to start is by taking stock: Exactly how green are you right now? What follows is a checklist of some of the eco-minded efforts espoused by sources in our recent green marketing issue. It’s by no means comprehensive, but it should give you a good idea of where your company stands right now — and how far you need to go.

In recent memory, which of the following green efforts have occurred within your organization? (Check all that apply. Score one point for each “yes” response.)

1. Decreased the thickness of your paper stock
2. Reduced the trim size on a mailer or catalog
3. Used recycled or “groundwood” paper rather than virgin stock
4. Used chlorine-free paper
5. Used soy- or water-based inks
6. Used such alternate energy sources as solar- or wind-generated electricity
7. Donated money to green initiatives to offset the cost of environmentally harmful business practices
8. Cleaned your mailing lists of duplicated or non-active recipients
9. Asked customers to specify how frequently they’d like to hear from you
10. Opted for printing processes that produce less waste, such as rotogravure
11. Offered customers print-on-demand technology
12. Sent customers online for follow-up information
13. Sent out larger print pieces on CD
14. Printed marketing materials on both sides of the paper
15. Chose vendors based on their use of renewable energy
16. Provide encouragement, incentives or opportunities for customers to use renewable energy
17. Engaged a third-party organization to perform an audit of your environmental practices
18. Benchmarked your environmental efficiency against local and national standards
19. Communicated your green efforts to your customer base
20. Shared an environmental innovation with one or more of your competitors

IF YOU SCORED:
15 to 20 points: Congrats! You’re about as green as they come. But don’t stop there! Keep up the good work, and continue to spread the word to all of your stakeholders.

10 to 14 points: Yeah, you’re green, all right. You’ve done a lot of great stuff, but there’s a lot more you can do.

5 to 9 points: Kudos for making the effort, but you’ve got a bit of a way to go before you could truly be considered “green.”

0 to 4 points: So, uh, what’s the holdup, friend? Being green is no longer a luxury: It’s a price of doing business. It’s time to get the green ball rolling.

https://www.delivermagazine.com/columns/2007/09/06/how-green-are-you/

Green-Livin Keep Your Cool with Less AC

Rising temperatures are no joke: 225 Americans died in the 2006 heat wave, including 140 in New York City. Out West, the number of severe heat days in Los Angeles is expected to rise from the current 12 to between 44 and 100 over this century, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Ironically, the hotter it gets, the more greenhouse gases are released from power plants as they pump out energy for our cranked-up air conditioners. And cooling accounts for nearly half the energy used by the average home during the summer, reports the EPA's Energy Star program. Smart home design, rather than chilling the air, is the better way to escape the heat.

Build for Comfort

"We build our houses for curb appeal or for the view, not thinking that all that glazing facing south in the summer is going to cook the inside of the house," says Doron Amiran, development director of the non-profit Solar Living Institute. Passive design uses the windows, walls, floors and roof to reflect and distribute environmental heat.

"A lot of people are familiar with passive solar design in cold climates and think you can do the opposite in hot climates, but that's not true," explains Daniel Aiello, a principal of Janus II Environmental Architects & Planners who designs Southwestern desert homes that require little air-conditioning. Instead, Aiello helps home and building owners eliminate harsh extremes between inside and outside spaces by setting up lightly filtered areas, typically through plantings, which become more dense and provide more shade—and consequently more cool air—the closer they are to the building. That's important, because 35 percent of a building's heat gain stems from the direct action of solar rays striking the surface, Aiello says.

Aiello also recommends light-colored and textured exterior surfaces, inset windows, overhangs or awnings over south-facing windows to block hot sunlight and vertical shading from screens, shrubs or trellises over west- and east-facing windows.

"I get customers attuned to what's going on in the environment they're in," says Aiello, adding, "Each side of the building is going to look different."

Indoors, let in air by cross ventilating, and install vents that allow hot air to escape from high spaces and cool air to enter at low spaces. Seal and caulk walls and windows to prevent cold-air leaks, and add low-emittance (low-E) glazing to reduce heat transfer.

Pump Up the Cool

Conventional AC requires a lot of energy, which produces greenhouse gas emissions, and it contains fluorocarbon-based refrigerants, which damage the ozone layer while also contributing to global warming. The most efficient option is to use portable floor fans or install ceiling fans, which consume 90 percent less energy than air-conditioning and make rooms feel seven to ten degrees cooler.

While whole house fans blow hot air from throughout the house outside, they provide substantial relief only at night and only in low humidity. However, a simpler attic fan can save up to 10 percent on AC costs. Evaporative coolers draw air over wet pads, with the resulting evaporation cooling the air. Half the price of conventional AC and consuming 75 percent less energy, these coolers can reduce indoor temperature by almost 30 degrees in hot, arid conditions (because they raise humidity indoors, they only work in dry climates).

If you must have an electric air conditioner, look for an energy-efficient Energy Star-rated model, with an Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) above 10. The EER is the ratio of the cooling output divided by the unit's power consumption and is common on window units; look for the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) on whole-house units. Also, ask for a unit that will deal effectively with your local humidity levels. To improve indoor air quality, add a reusable electrostatic filter and wash it monthly to optimize your system's efficiency. Save energy by installing a programmable thermostat and set it to 78 degrees F.

PRODUCTS

Fans

EPA's Energy Star-rated ceiling fan/light combination units save $15 to $20 per year on utility bills: Westinghouse Silverdale ES ($199; http://www.westinghouseceilingfans.com/, 800-999-2226); Hunter Sonora ($132 and up; http://www.hunterfan.com/, 888-830-1326).

Room Air Conditioners

Consumer Reports recommends these Energy Star-rated models: Friedrich SS10L10-A ($700, EER: 12; http://www.friedrich.com/, 800-541-6645); GE AGM06LH ($180, EER: 10.7) and AGM08LH ($240, EER: 10.8; http://www.ge.com/, 800-626-2005); Frigidaire FAA067P7 ($150, EER: 10.7) and FAA087P7 ($180, EER: 10.8; http://www.frigidaire.com/, 800-374-4432).

Central Air

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy recommends the Lennox HSXA19 Series (SEER: 14.6 to 17.5; http://www.lennox.com/, 800-9-LENNOX), American Standard Allegiance 18 (SEER: 16.5 to 18.3; http://www.americanstandardair.com/) and Trane XL19i (SEER: 15.5 to 17; http://www.trane.com/Default.asp).

Unlike other evaporative coolers, the Coolerado doesn't add humidity to indoor air because the evaporative process happens behind a heat exchanger ($4,125 and up, EER: 40; http://www.coolerado.com/, 303-375-0878).

For more, see the Air Conditioner Product Report at http://www.thegreenguide.com/products/.