Yogen Universal Mobile-device Charger will charge your mobile device with only a few minutes of pull/release time. They have versions for iPods, iPhones, MP3 players, Cameras, Navigation GPS and many more devices. It is really good for travel, hiking, camping, loss of power emergencies, etc. Great to keep one in your car’s glove box or emergency kit. Yogen Charger
Grass recycling is about leaving your glass clippings on your lawn, allowing them to decompose which fertilizes your lawn. The benefits are reducing waste that goes into landfill, healthier lawns, less costs due to the elimination of disposal and no fertilizer runoff to pollute rivers and streams!
Best practice for grass mulching is not to cut any more than 1/3 of the length of the grass blade at one time. The grass should be dry when you mow and your mower blades kept sharp. Adjust your mower to raise cutting height accordingly and remove the collection bag. Another added benefit for keeping your lawn a tad higher between cuts is that it will need less water as well. Many newer mulching mowers are set up for recycling already so all you have to do is not use the grass catching bag.
The most green eco-friendly mower is the classic push mower which also saves energy. No gas, no fumes to worry about and by also pushing the mower you will get an additional benefit of burning 540 calories an hour using it. It all adds up to a healthier, eco friendly lawn that saves you time and money!
If you are looking to automate your home with Z-Wave lighting and appliance control, the Vera Z-Wave Web-Enabled Automation Controller will give you the power to take advantage of full-featured home automation and make it simple. The Vera system is based on a Wi-Fi access point that links with your wireless router. Once connected, the Vera interface can be accessed as a web browser from a web-enabled PC, phone or PDA anywhere in the world. You can remotely program scenes, events and timers that activate an individual device or group of devices throughout your home. You can also receive remote notifications via a text message, email, or a phone call when certain things happen that you want to be notified of.
In addition to Z-wave products, Vera is also able to control certain wireless IP Cameras and audio video equipment. Vera offers the convenience to control lighting, climate, draperies and a variety of devices using your cell phone, iPhone, iPod or other handheld remote. The intuitive program allows you to see how much you’re spending on energy and gives you remote access see what’s going on in your home by watching your cameras from a PC or cell phone. They claim it can help a typical family reduce their energy bill by about 33% . The Vera system claims to be able set up in minutes and allows the novice home automation enthusiast to get everything you would expect from a high-end home automation system.
The below video is worthy of watching. We can all make a BIG difference in a short amount of time if we make the effort to conserve energy, waste less and do things smarter. At the end of the video you can find out more about this fine organizations efforts and how you can make a difference. Or you can see their site at www.fouryearsgo.org
AMONIX SECURES $129 MILLION IN PRIVATE EQUITY FINANCING
Amonix, Inc., a leading designer and manufacturer of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power systems, announced that it has recently raised a $129 million Series B financing round led by Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers. Amonix will use the proceeds to accelerate deployments of its systems and expand their manufacturing capacity. In 2010, they also received $9.5 million in stimulus funding as part of the federal Recovery Act’s Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit, which will lead to 269 new clean energy manufacturing jobs in Nevada and 167 new jobs in Arizona.
Amonix designs and manufactures concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power systems that require less water, use land better, and produce more energy per acre than any other solar technology available today. With a long track record of real-world deployments, they have proven themselves to be one of the best choices for utility grade solar power systems in sunny and dry climates. Amonix is headquartered in Seal Beach, California. For more information, visit http://www.amonix.com.
Ever wonder how you can reduce the amount of unnecessary junk mail you receive? Most of us get catalogs that we never use or want and what about all those value coupon packs! Well hopefully you recycle them rather than add them to a landfill by throwing them out. For some handy ways to reduce the amount of junk mail you get see below for how to eliminate or at least greatly reduce it.
Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has an online form to take you off their preferred lists which will greatly help in reducing the flow of marketing mail to you.
Stop Junk Mail.org has an easy to use printable form to stop junk mail. It has postcards to send in, places to write to, and 800 numbers to call to get you off many direct marketing lists.
Privacy Rights.org has a list of places you can opt out of offers yourself.
OptOutPrescreen is the official consumer credit industry’s site to opt out of credit offers.
ProQuo is a company helps stop junk mail, but seems to be more of a venture funded business that is designed to help get catalogs and mailings you might want to you.
Similar CatalogChoice is a company helps reduce unwanted catalogs but allows you to select new ones you may want.
For more information on other ways to reduce your junk mail see the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse website for tips.
The United States Federal Reserve recently introduced a new design for the $100 dollar bill to help thwart counterfeiters. It’s sleek new European looking currency design is eye catching. So do not be alarmed if you come across some of these as they are real. If you’re interested in making more greenbacks like these check out our new GREEN JOBS section to find a new way to earn more of these!
Below is a flashback of looking back to see how things were done, prior to all the high tech gadgetry ways to save time and money. So in the retro spirit let’s look at sure fire a no tech cost effective way to save money.
The clothesline
You may remember the visual to the right from your childhood days when your Mom hung out the clothes on one of these inverted umbrella type rigs or perhaps via stringing a line between the house and a nearby tree.
Well what is old is new again, at least when it comes to saving energy. We recently started doing for drying heavy things like towels, sweatshirts and jeans. The money we saved by using the dryer less often was measurable, almost 12-14% off each months electric bill. If you use a gas dryer you will get similar savings as well.
Environmental concerns and sky-rocketing energy costs have also prompted many state and local governments to pass “right-to-dry” laws allowing their use (check with you local ordinances before installing one).
Advantages of a clothes line
Saves money
Zero greenhouse gas emissions per load.
Laundry smells “clothesline fresh” without using chemicals.
Less wear and tear on your clothing fabrics.
Laundry items tend to not shrink from the hot air of a clothes dryer.
No static cling!!
Your clothes are softer as dryers tend to remove short, soft, fine fibers.
Possibly less ironing as items not immediately removed from dryer tend to get wrinkled.
Items may dry more quickly on dry or sunny and windy days.
Avoids airborne lint and reduced air quality.
Eliminates heating up the inside of a house by a clothes dryer especially helpful during the summer months.
Eliminates the internal house noise from the running clothes dryer.
Disadvantages of using a clothes line
Laundry items need to be hung indoors during rainy weather.
Neighbors may find it aesthetically unpleasant so it is best to erect it in an inconspicuous place.
Laundry items may be more stiff which is easily remedied by giving them a short dryer spin.
Wind, temperature, and humidity can vary the drying time.
Environmental contaminants such as soil, dust, smoke, pollen and animal droppings can come in contact with clothing.
Drying laundry indoors
Laundry may be dried indoors for a variety of reasons including:
inclement weather
physical disability
lack of space for a line
legal restrictions
to raise the humidity level indoors
to lower the air temperature indoors
convenience
to preserve privacy
Several types of devices are also available for indoor drying. A drying rack or clotheshorse can help save space in an apartment or clothes line can be strung in the basement during the winter. Small loads can simply be draped over furniture or a shower curtain pole. The drying time indoors will typically be longer than outdoor drying because of the lack of direct sun and wind.
To learn some other quick inexpensive ways to save money visit the SAVING $ tab above to start saving energy and money today!
Obama’s State of the Union Address Highlighted Renewables’ Role in Recovery
In his first State of the Union address, US President Barack Obama highlighted the key role that renewables should play in the economic development of the USA, especially with regard to new JOBS. His view on an investment in renewables can be simply summarized by this quote:
“We should put more Americans to work building clean energy facilities and give rebates to Americans who make their homes more energy-efficient, which supports clean energy jobs. And to encourage these and other businesses to stay within our borders, it is time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas, and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs right here in the United States of America.”
Obama continued with: “We can put Americans to work today building the infrastructure of tomorrow. From the first railroads to the Interstate Highway System, our nation has always been built to compete. There’s no reason Europe or China should have the fastest trains, or the new factories that manufacture clean energy products.”
The State of the Union speech also clearly stated a need to move to more bipartisan politics especially with the recent wake-up call of a recent Republican Senate victory in Massachusetts. President Obama then warned of the consequences of delaying legislation saying: “Washington has been telling us to wait for decades…China is not waiting to revamp its economy. Germany is not waiting. India is not waiting. These nations, they’re not standing still. These nations aren’t playing for second place. They’re putting more emphasis on math and science. They’re rebuilding their infrastructure. They’re making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs.”
In conclusion he stated: “...the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation.”
Interested in a Renewable Career? See our JOBS SECTION.
Grass recycling is about leaving your glass clippings on your lawn, allowing them to decompose which fertilizes your lawn. The benefits are reducing waste that goes into landfill, healthier lawns, less costs due to the elimination of disposal and no fertilizer runoff to pollute rivers and streams!
