This post has been sponsored by Springboard Media on behalf of Dawn Dishwashing liquid. While we were compensated to write this post, all opinions remain our own.
My daughter is crazy about wildlife. Every little bird or animal that she sees that seems to be hurt, we always take the time to nurture it and nurse it back to health. That is something that I just love about her. What really makes me proud is when I see companies who do the same thing. One of those companies is Dawn.
Celebrity Narrator Rob Lowe presents Dawn dish soap teaming up with wildlife rescue workers to create a safer environment for ducks and other wildlife species.
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Written on
February 26, 2010 by
DianaP
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a smidge excited when, a few weeks ago, Tim from CREDO Mobile contacted me about featuring their company on 5 Minutes for Going Green. You see, while I’m currently contractually obligated to one of the major U.S. cellular companies — and truth be told, even though CREDO offers a contract buy out option, I’m not entirely prepared to switch since my current company is one of only two carriers that offer my beloved Palm Pixi — CREDO doesn’t offer just phones. They also carry the Solio Solar Charger. A smart little device that I have been eying for quite sometime.
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Because I make them.
It’s as simple as that. Just like I make them turn off lights when the leave a room and make them turn off the tap water while brushing their teeth and make them place empty cereal boxes in the recycling bin.
They don’t like it much. They say the bus smells (it does!) and sometimes, kids are rowdy. Often, they tell me, the bus driver is grouchy. If I drove them to school, they argue, they could sleep in a bit later (not that they would!) and would get home a bit earlier in the afternoons.
It’s true.
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Written on
October 29, 2009 by
SusanC
One of the best ways to reduce our carbon footprint is to use less fossil fuels- pretty simple right? The complicated part is expanding our awareness so that we understand the ways that we are consuming.
In the winter I notice my energy use raising. A few examples: I turn the lights on earlier in the day, I sneak the heat on, I tend to watch more TV, and I eat more cooked foods and less fresh out of the garden. Some of the less obvious might be: I buy more stuff. Ever notice all the catalogues that show up in late October, early November?
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Written on
May 18, 2009 by
SusanC
Every day we are faced with many types of pollutants. It can come from buses, autos, smoking, factories, detergents, pesticides and more.
Although it seems as though the safest place to be at times is your home, you may not be entirely right. Many indoor pollutants can trigger a LOT of different health issues. Asthma, allergies and carbon monoxide are just a few of the issues your home many have.
Luckily there are a few things you can do to make sure the IAQ (indoor air quality) in your house is up to par.
In the Bedroom:
- Washing bed linens in warm water weekly and keeping a low humidity (30-50%) will keep dust mite levels low
- Dust mites also hide out in other places so wash stuffed toys, dust often, and vacuum regularly
In the Bathroom:
- Mold is the allergen here and can easily be remidied by proper ventilation.
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May is EcoDriving Month!
It’s a great time to learn to change your driving habits. Just small changes in how you drive can help you get better gas mileage. Not all of us can run out and by an electric car or a hybrid, so learning to drive better can make a real difference.
Here are some basic tips that can help increase your gas mileage-
1. Check your tire pressure. Properly inflated tires can increase fuel efficiency by around 3-10 percent.
2. Have a lighter foot. Slowly accelerate and decelerate.
3. Clean out your car. Extra weight will lower your mpg.
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Written on
April 17, 2009 by
SusanC
With spring finally in full force in most areas around the country, many people are tackling, or finishing up, their deep cleaning to welcome summer.
Something you may not have considered cleaning, however, is the air in your home. Did you know that most homes have much higher percentages of air pollution than anything you would find outdoors? Scary, but true!
So, what can you do to help clear the air? Well, there are a few simple steps you can take to help your family breathe easier.
-Open the windows and let the fresh air in! In our efforts to seal every nook and cranny in the summer and winter months so as to not let in (or out) any hot air, making our homes more efficient, we often don’t consider that we are trapping in the pollutants along with the temperature.
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Written on
March 18, 2009 by
SusanC
There has been lots of talk in the past and even recently about how to increase your fuel efficiency. This talk is usually associated with gas mileage, but in places like where I live, that also includes power. Our power comes from a petrol generating plant. Gross, I know.
While saving gas is very important, where, exactly, does all of the information floating out there in cyber-space come from? Is it reliable?
The most quoted numbers are actually from a company subcontracted by the US Government to do these studies. The researchers are known as Energy and Environmental Analysis, Inc. and helped compile most of the information on FuelEconomy.gov.
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Written on
February 27, 2009 by
SusanC
After a reading a few comments on my post called Saving Green by Going Green, I thought that the topic of clothes drying could use a little more attention. So, this week I am going to focus in on a few different issues about living green and drying our clothes that I believe everyone can benefit from.
First of all, it was brought to my attention that the dryer balls I referred to in my original post were, indeed, made of PVC, which is obviously not a green material. With that said, I was assured by distributors of these balls that they are made with safe practices, but let’s face it, any way we can avoid PVC (especially heating it) is probably a good idea.
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Written on
February 19, 2009 by
SusanC
Are you ready to install solar panels or a wind turbine at your house? How about adding insulation or installing more energy efficient windows? 2009 may just be the year to take the plunge, thanks to some new, extended and improved tax credits.
Details can vary depending on your project but energy efficient home improvements including replacement windows (capped at $200), insulation (10% of the cost, capped at $500), sealing cracks in the shell of your house and in the duct work, and energy efficient water heaters and furnaces (capped at $300) can get you some very helpful tax credits.
The existent tax credit for installing solar panels was extended for 2009 giving you a 30% credit against the cost of your equipment with the previous $2,000 cap removed.
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