Tips for Cleaner, Greener Laundry

Since we all like neat, clean clothes, we need to do laundry. While laundry is a cleaning process of cleaning, the process itself may not be clean enough. Our clothes may be soiled with germs, soil, oil and other matter that is not water soluble. Water alone can not be used to remove all of them, so we need some type of laundry detergent when washing our clothes.

Detergent isn’t the only point of concerns associated with laundry. The cleaning products we use contain potentially hazardous chemicals including bleach, solvents, chlorine and ammonia. Moreover, a dryer can use up to five kilowatts of electricity per hour and a top-loading washer uses approximately 40 gallons of water per load.

Some simple and far less hazardous alternatives can be used to make cleaning a far less harmful household chore. Keep in mind these tips to save water, electricity, environment and money when next time you head to the laundry room :
Washers

Wash clothes on the “cold” or “warm” settings rather than “hot” whenever possible. A washer uses maximum power to heat water. Detergents available in local stores can be used for cold-water washing.

Try to wash full loads to make the best use of the energy required to run the machine. If you need to wash a smaller load, adjust the water level accordingly.

Sort out clothes according to fabric type, color, weight, and degree of soiling to improve efficiency.

Wash heavy clothes such as curtains, towels and denims separately from light clothes like shirts.

If you are planning to buy a new washer, go for an Energy Star-rated model. These Energy Star washers use less water per load . Some machines use 18 to 25 gallons on an average. There are front-loading models that may use as little as five gallons of water. These kind of machines extract more water from clothes and thus reduce drying time.

Dryers
Choose a dryer with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts the machine off when clothes are dry.

Choose a warm location for the dryer so that less energy is needed to heat the air.

Clean the lint filter before each new load. It will improve air circulation and efficiency.

Use full loads to make the best use of the energy required to run the machine, but keep in mind not to fill the dryer so much that air can’t circulate around the clothes.

Laundry Products
Laundry routines can be made even “greener” by using environmentally friendly detergents, fabric softeners, and stain removers.

Boost the power of your detergent safely and inexpensively using white distilled vinegar. You can use vinegar for stained white socks, removing perspiration odor and stains, preventing yellowing and lifting stains like mustard, spaghetti, barbecue sauce or ketchup stains. Vinegar acts as a fabric softener as well. All you need to do is to add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. Don’t worry; the acid present in in white distilled vinegar is mild and does not harm fabrics, but it is strong enough to dissolve the alkalis in soaps and detergents.




Make Your Own Environmentally Friendly Liquid Detergent
Ingredients:

•1/2 cup sodium carbonate (washing soda)
•1/2 cup borax
•2 oz natural soap
•3 pints tap water and a bucket of hot water
Equipment:

•water bucket
•oven
•containers with lids
•grater
•saucepan (use a dedicated pan for this to avoid borax residue in food)
•lavender oil
Instructions

1.Grate the soap in a saucepan.
2.Add the tap water and mix the ingredients until the soap melts and forms a solution.
3.Add the sodium carbonate and borax and stir the solution until it becomes consistent and thickens.
4.Remove the pan from the oven stove and let the solution cool for awhile.
5.Take one quart from the bucket of hot water. Pour it in the empty water bucket.
6.Add the saucepan’s contents in the bucket and mix well. add and mix about 60 drops of lavender oil.
7.After mixing thoroughly, fill the bucket with hot water and let it settle for about 24
8.Pour the detergent in the containers. Keep the containers covered when not using the detergent.

Five Ways You Can Reduce Air Pollution

America needs to reduce transportation emissions. America’s cities face numerous problems because of the polluted air released by increasing number of vehicles on highways. Within the past few years, Americans have become more dependent on car travel and have more cars per capita than any other nation in the world. This has lead to problems like traffic jams, pollution and global warming.

Traffic congestion alone costs America’s economy approximately $78 billion. Transportation in America produces more carbon dioxide emissions than any other country in the world except China. Studies have found that, bus travel is 79% safer than driving your own vehicle. In addition, sedentary, car-dependent lifestyles contribute to health problems from lack of exercise.
Changing our commute patterns can decrease America’s effect on global climate change. Roads dominated by vehicles can be reclaimed and put to better uses. We can improve air quality at the same time as we build a sense of community cohesion. We should give people more reason to walk in their neighborhoods. Here are five ways you can play an important role in reducing the traffic jams and air pollution.

Carpool
Joining a carpool to work can lessen the carbon footprint by reducing the number of cars on the road. Fill the three empty seats in our car with new friends and go to your work place together. Carpooling helps you save money by not driving your car as often, and you may possibly qualify for employee benefits. Parents can set up carpools to take kids to school and activities.

Use Public Transit
Scale up from the carpool and take public transportation. Most metropolitan areas have comfortable, convenient public transport systems available,. Train systems are thought to be the most efficient of the mass transit systems, as they carry a large number of passengers at one time. In addition they also use less fuel than other transport like buses. Buses are also a good option, especially ones using bio-diesel or other eco-friendly alternative fuels.

If public transit is available, get a monthly pass. It will help you to make your commute more cost-effective. Monthly passes and smart cards let you avoid buying tickets every day. Many times, commutes are easier and faster by bus or other mass transit options than sitting in a traffic jam, and you can have pleasure of reading newspaper on your way to work.

Public transit isn’t just for the daily commute, though. You can use Google Maps to arrange multiple errands on your local public transportation system. Alternatively, many mass transit system websites have trip planners that allow you to plan the most efficient route between multiple stops.

Motivate Children to Walk
Try to inculcate the habit of walking wherever it is feasible. You can walk down to nearby market place with kids and pets rather than using a car. You can easily get children used to the idea of commuting with their legs while they’re young.

Use Bikes
Bikes can be really helpful and prove to be good for your health. They are great connector between transportation modes. You can use them easily if distance is less than a mile. Get a foldable bike that you can carry anywhere. You can even carry them in public transport system. All you need to do is to learn the rules of the roads. Get a helmet and stay safe. Do not forget to have lights so that drivers can see you.

Work from Home
If possible, work from home. Working from home for even a single day can reduce your transportation-based pollution emissions by a significant level. Countless software applications–such as Skype, Google Applications and IM–can keep you connected with your office, boss and co-workers even if they are all working remotely.

Source-http://www.greendivamom.com/author/savneet/

Harness Renewable Energy with a Home Wind Power System

Increasing prices of fossil fuels and the environmental pollution associated with them have forced homeowners to opt for cleaner and cheaper sources of electricity. A very good option is energy generated by wind. It has been estimated by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) that a small residential wind turbine can eliminate 1.2 tons of smog-forming pollution . A small wind system capable of generating 5 to 10 kilowatts of electricity under optimal conditions can actually lower the average electricity costs of your home by 50 to 90 percent. Thus, wind energy which is a clean and natural source of power will prove to be helpful in a long run.

When determining if a home wind system is for you, consider your power needs, available space, the wind conditions and local regulations. You need an acre or more of open property for a residential wind power system. Home wind systems require a minimum average wind speed of 10 miles per hour. State and municipal regulations may restrict the size and placement of a residential wind turbine.



Siting a Home Wind Power System
The wind turbine should be located so that it gets a wind at a moderate rate. The turbine should be sited upwind of any buildings and trees. The tips of the turbine’s blades should be at least 30 feet higher at the lowest point of their arc than any trees or structures within 300 feet. Keep in mind that local zoning ordinances might have some height restrictions.

Home Wind Power System Options
If you are planning to have horizontal wind turbines they must be mounted on tall towers so that they can catch the the wind. Vertical wind turbines do not need any tower. They can catch wind from any direction. Take the time to research wind energy, and see which option works best for you and your area.

Interfacing a Home Wind Power System with the Grid
Inter-tied or grid-tied systems are connected to the electrical grid. This helps in feeding energy you use into the grid. This may earn you a few extra dollars because of the this excess electricity. In addition, this inter-tied systems also give you the option of drawing power from the grid if your wind system is not generating enough power for your current needs.

You can also get interfaced systems connected to the grid where the excess energy is stored in batteries. In this case you will have a backup power. Keep in mind that a home wind power system with batteries may require you to deal with the operation, maintenance, and eventual disposal of the batteries.

Off-Grid Home Wind Power Systems
Off-grid systems are better for remote locations. These are not connected to the power grid, so they don’t feed excess power into the system or have the grid as a backup when wind power doesn’t meet demand. Homeowners who want to be completely self-sufficient have to make sure the system the have is sized to meet the maximum anticipated electricity needs because you will not be able to tap into the grid.

Costs of Home Wind Power Systems
Compared with solar photovoltaic panels, residential wind power systems are 50 percent less expensive to install. According to AWEA, the upfront costs are still high, at about $3,000 to $5,000 per kilowatt, including installation. You can reduce the upfront costs of wind power systems by making your home as energy-efficient as possible. Some states and utility providers have incentives for residential renewable energy systems.

Source-http://www.greendivamom.com/author/savneet/

WAYS TO CONSERVE ENERGY IN YOUR HOME

1. Clean or replace air filters on your air conditioning unit at least once a month. If you have central air conditioning, do not close vents in unused rooms.
2. Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120. Wrap your water heater in an insulated blanket.
3. Turn down or shut off your water heater when you will be away for extended periods.
4. Turn off unneeded lights even when leaving a room for a short time.
5. Set your refrigerator temperature at 36 to 38 and your freezer at 0 to 5 .
6. When using an oven, minimize door opening while it is in use; it reduces oven temperature by 25 to 30 every time you open the door.
7. Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load so that it uses less energy.
8. Unplug seldom used appliances.