Becoming More Eco-Friendly: Understanding Window Ratings

Posted by Lisa
Windows

Image by basheem via Flickr

One of the ways to make your home more eco-friendly is to replace old windows.  When I moved into my house, we found that our living rooms windows were the original windows that were put in in 1938.  Needless to say, these windows were quickly replaced.  However, picking out new eco-friendly windows is a tad harder than it looks on the surface.  Besides the personal choices you make with a window  (type and style), you need to understand the ratings each window has.  The ratings help you to evaluate  the insulating properties.  The majority of window makers (Andersen, Hurd, Jeld-Wen, Pella, etc) use this system.  The NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council) website lists over 100,000 windows in their Certified Products Directory.  They rate the entire package too – glass and frame.  Now, all windows may not have the rating label on them.  It does not mean that they aren’t eco-friendly.  However, you just have no way to compare it to those who are.

Now, deciphering the labels is not as scary as it seems.  The first thing you will see on the label is the manufacturer and model and the type of operation (double-hung, casement, etc).  There should also be a description of the frame and the glazing.  If it says something about cladding, that just means that there is a covering on the exterior frame that provides more protection.  It requires less maintenance than paint.  If it says your window is double glazed, that just means that there are two panes of glass filled with a gas like argon that provides an insulating barrier.

Next, there is the U-Factor.  This is an important rating.  It measures the energy efficiency for the glass and the frame.  The lower the number, the better.  You are wanting a window rated between 1.2 and 0.2.

The SHGC (solar heat gain coefficient) is how much solar heat is absorbed by a window and transferred into the house.  The lower the better.

The VT rating (visible transmittance) is how much light that comes through the glass.  It will between 0 and 1, and the higher the number the better.  It is actually one of the least important numbers, because to the majority of the people, you can’t tell the difference.

You also want a low number in the air leakage category.  This rates the cubic feet of air passing through a square foot of window area bu the way of cracks in the window assembly.  However, this does not take into account any gaps between the frame and the siding.

Lastly, there is the condensation resistance.  Not all manufacturers include this number.  It is a number between 0 and 100 and rates the ability of the interior surface to resist the formation of condensation.  The higher this number, the better.

All windows are not created equal.  Hopefully, this will help you find the perfect windows for your eco-friendly home.

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Fueling Your Car With Eco-Friendly Products

Posted by Lisa
Biodiesel de soja (B100); Soybean Biodiesel (B100)

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According to Edmunds.com, fueling your car may be as easy as cleaning out your fridge.  It may be as easy as taking out the trash too.  Granted, this is still in the future.  However, there are many research projects in the works now to make this a living reality.

Here are a few of the alternative fuel research projects going on right now:

Garbage:  Waste Management Inc. is actually already using this.  they liquefy and purify landfill gas to fuel their trucks.  Liquid gas reduces emissions, and the stink too!

Soybeans and animal fat:  Soybeans, animal fats, and even vegetable oil can be used to make clean, nontoxic diesel fuel.  Current diesel engines needs a few modifications to accommodate this fuel.

Sawdust:  This world has a lot of sawdust.  An add-on “gasifier” would allow the dust to fuel your car.

Corn:  I know we’ve all heard about this one.  E85 flex fuel engines run on E85 ethanol which is derived from corn.

Hemp:  This plant can be fermented to make ethanol.  Also, fermented oils of hemp seeds or stalks can also be used to create biodiesel fuel.

Air:  With the right tanks, high pressure compressed air storage tanks could possible run cars.  If scientists can figure this one out, this would be the most widely available and cleanest fuel ever.

Sun:  There are already cars out there run solar power.  (There is even an annual solar power car race in Austrailia).  Right now, they aren’t too pretty to look at, but give it time (and fashion changes).

Algae:  This could take the form of biodiesel and bioethanol fuel.

Bacteria:  Scientists can genetically engineer microbes to make the output crude oil.  This oil could then be sent to refineries to be made into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and tar.

I know some of these alternative fuel ideas are out there.  However, they are all eco-friendly and would help us all become green parents.  Which ones of these alternative fuels would you like to fuel your car with?

For other ways the world is becoming more eco friendly, check out our Green Trends section!

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Recycling E-waste

Posted by Lisa
Computers ready for recycling at an event at O...

Image via Wikipedia

What do you do with your old electronics when you buy a new TV or a new computer monitor?  Do you throw them away or do you taking them to a recycling center?

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, e-waste is the fastest growing segment of the nation’s garbage.  This is easy to see when on average each household has about 24 electronic gadgets.  If you can believe it, about 2 million tons of unwanted electronic items accumulate every year nationwide, but less than 20% is recycled!  The rest ends up in landfills.  Why is this bad?  The toxic materials (lead, mercury, and beryllium) in these gadgets can leak and pose human and environmental problems.

To combat this, over 20 states nationwide have laws regulating e-waste.  Starting next year in Illinois, residents will be fined $100 if caught throwing away electronics in the garbage.  Minnesota’s law requires manufacturers to recycle 80% by weight of their products sold in the state.

There are several recyclers that have federal certification for responsible recycling.  With these recyclers, you don’t have to worry about the e-waste being shipped to third world countries and being disassembled with no protection for the workers.  The responsible recyclers collect the e-waste up.  They then weight, test, sort and refurbish the old electronics that could be donated or remarketed.  If reusable, they are fixed with recovered parts and sold to local electronics wholesalers.  If they item cannot be reused, they dismantle it.  The components are then sorted for recovery of metals like gold, platinum, silver, aluminum, and steel.  Computer hard drives are removed, erased, shredded, and crushed.  Many recycled gadgets are used to make new electronics.

What do you do with your old electronics?  Do you throw them in the trash or recycle them?

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Is The Wind Blowing?

Posted by Lisa
The Ardrossan Wind Farm on the west coast of S...

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An international survey of more than 25,000 consumers showed 92% of respondents believe renewable energy is a good solution to climate change, and most of them would prefer products made with wind energy even if it costs them more money. Some of world’s leading companies and non-profit organizations are supporting this survey and are working on the development of the first global consumer label identifying products made with wind energy. Some companies behind this initiative include Vestas Wind Systems, WWF, the LEGO Group, the UN Global Compact, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Bloomberg. Companies wanting to use the WindMade label for their communications or products will undergo a certification process to verify their wind energy procurement. The standard for certification is currently being developed by a technical expert group.

I think this labeling sounds great.  However, I am not sure that everybody in the supply chain would be willing to sign on, so I am not sure if you would have any products that would be 100% WindMade.  That being said, would you buy a product just due to it being WindMade?  Would it have to be 100% WindMade or would you accept a smaller percentage?  Would you spend more money on that item?

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Going Eco Friendly In The Laundry Room

Posted by Lisa
clothesline

Image by Grant MacDonald via Flickr

One of the hidden places in our homes that we can be more eco friendly is often the laundry room. Small changes in this room can make a big difference. Here are a few green tips:

  • Wash your clothes in cold water whenever possible. Also, make sure your machine is set to always rinse in cold.
  • Set your washer to the appropriate water level for the size of your load.  If you have a small load, don’t run your washer set for the largest load possible.
  • After every load, clean the lint filter in your dryer.  (This can save your house from catching on fire too!)
  • Use the “Automatic” instead of the “Timed” setting on your dryer.
  • Install a clothesline in your backyard and dry your clothes for free!  (I live in Chicago, so trust me when I say I completely get it if you can’t do this all the time – like in the winter with 3 feet of snow!)
  • When shopping for your next washing machine, consider a front loading washer that cuts hot water use by 60%-70%. Even if you don’t get a front loader, make sure your new machine carries the Energy Star rating to certify that it uses less energy than standard models.
  • Watch the ingredient list for your detergents.  Less is more, and if your detergent has a bunch of chemicals you’ve never heard of, it is time to find another detergent that is more eco friendly.

Do you have any eco friendly laundry room tips?

For more eco friendly ideas, visit our Green Tips section.

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Recycling Prom Dresses

Posted by Lisa
A typical gathering, with boys in tuxedos, and...

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Every so often you come across an event that you have to tell the world about. I recently heard about a local event called the Lincoln-Way North Music Boosters Prom Resale. (I personally live in the Chicagoland area, and this event was held in one of the suburbs).

I have often talked about recycling and reusing on this blog. We are all about green living here. However, what better way to show that you are a green parent (or even a green child!) than by donating to a fundraiser like this one. We all have these dressing in our closets. (Side note: I think my prom dress is still in my parent’s closet somewhere. I’ve been out of high school over 15 years!). We all have bridesmaid dresses that we will never wear again too. This is an event that allows these dresses that have been worn once to be reused again!

For this event, 280 prom and party dresses were brought in for resale or just donated outright. That is a lot of dresses that otherwise would have landed in the landfill! Best of all, the funds that this event raised went towards the school’s music program.

I know that many of us have dresses in our closets that we will never wear again. I also know that events like this are held all over the country. I recommend finding one in your area and donating your dresses to be worn again! According to USAgain, every pound of clothing that is worn again saves seven pounds of greenhouse gases. Let’s all do our part!

Visit our Green Events section for more events like this that make a difference.

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WikiLeaks: Going Green?

Posted by Lisa
PhotonQ-Bonjour from the Dalai Lama

Image by PhOtOnQuAnTiQuE via Flickr

Among all of the data that was found in the WikiLeaks so far, there have been a few surprises. For those who don’t know what WikiLeaks is, it is an online site that publishes private and classified information from anonymous sources and whistle blowers. It is/was run by Julian Assange, and has release more than 251,287 leaked U.S. diplomatic cables. Some interesting environmental stories have come to light in these leaks:

Climate change. According to one of the cables, the Dalai Lama told the US that solving global warming was our most pressing issue. It was even more important than Tibet.

BP. According to another memo, BP had an oil blowout. No, not the one that hit our shores. Instead, in 2008, there was a massive gas blowout in Azerbaijan. Surprisingly, that blowout was also blamed on a “bad cement job” just like the Gulf of Mexico blowout that we are still trying to clean up. The blowout is said to have endangered the lives of the 212 workers on the platform and shut down two large fields.

Renewable energy. According to a 2009 cable, there were some officials in Canada who were worried about the implications for Canada with President Obama’s call for renewable energy.

The Copenhagen Accord. According to WikiLeaks, the US applied considerable pressure to get the Saudi’s to agree to The Copenhagen Accord. This applies binding restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions. They agreed to it, because they were afraid that they would miss “a real opportunity to submit ‘something clever,’ like India or China, that was not legally binding but indicated some goodwill towards the process without compromising key economic interests.”

With the amount of documents that were leaked, it almost amazes me that there weren’t more leaks having to do with the environment.  However, these leaks do show a small change in thinking towards  more eco friendly initiatives and sustainable living.

For other ways the world is becoming more eco friendly, check out our Green Trends section!

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Driving Green: Oil Changes

Posted by Lisa
Using a funnel to refill the motor oil in an a...

Image via Wikipedia

Our cars are our pride and joy a lot of times. I love telling people that our Prius averages up 60 miles per gallon when they are complaining about gas prices. However, changing the oil in our cars brings out the car expert in all of us. However, here are a few tips to make this dirty job a bit more cleaner and bit more eco friendly. I’ve also answered a few of those questions I know we all have.

Why change your oil at all?

Well, oil lubricates the metal parts of your engine. It acts as a coolant by reducing friction and dispersing heat. It also serves as a cleaner by trapping particles. As your oil becomes dirty, it doesn’t perform as well which isn’t good for the car, isn’t good for the environment, and isn’t all that eco friendly.

Can you recycle oil?

Did you know that if you took the oil from all the people who change their own oil, it would be enough to supply more than 50 million cars a year? Now, I am not one of those people who change their own oil (mostly because I don’t have a driveway to do it in). That being said, most people do not realize that they can take their used oil, antifreeze, and parts to their local repair shop to be recycled.

What about the 3,000 miles rule?

For those of us who take our cars in to have their oil changed, we have all heard of the 3,000 rule. This use to be the standard. However, engine technology and oil formulations have gotten better over the years, so you really can travel longer between oil changes. That sticker your local oil change place uses? It is actually more of a marketing tactic than anything. They also know that once they get you in the door that they can sell you other services like fluid flushings. According to Edmunds.com, the actual average oil change interval is 7,800 miles. Granted, averages don’t apply to everything, so make sure you check your vehicle’s owner manual and use that as your guide.

According to the California Department of Resources, “following the 3,000 miles myth generates millions of gallons of waste oil every year that can pollute national resources”. Only 59% of used motor oil is recycled. The rest (with its heavy metals and toxic chemicals) often ends up in the water system.

Should you trust your dashboard oil life monitor?

Yes! These systems have sensors that monitor your driving and are able to tell how dirty your oil is. Then they alert you to when it needs to be changed. (Note: You do have time from when that light goes off to when you need to change your oil. You don’t have to schedule an appointment for that day.)

Save yourself some time, money, and even the Earth, by knowing when to change your oil.  Visit our Green Tips section for more eco friendly changes you can make to your everyday life.

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The Eco Friendly Choice: Paper, Plastic, or Cloth?

Posted by Lisa
Australian Green Bag

Image via Wikipedia

When you go to the grocery store, you have a few choices for them to bag your groceries.  Which do you pick?

Let’s start with plastic bags.  Plastic bags are made from petroleum which is a nonrenewable resource.  If these end up in the landfill, they take a long time to biodegrade.  If they end up in the water stream, they are dangerous to wildlife.  Some stores do have a place where you can recycle them, but it can be very hard to find.

Paper bags can be recycled more easily.  However, to create paper bags, it demands more energy and creates 15% more waste and pollution.

The last eco friendly choice is cloth bags that you can reuse.  Whenever possible, this should be your eco friendly choice.  For me, the hardest thing to do is to remember to bring them to the store.  To solve that issue, after I use them, I put them in my purse, so they end up back in the car.  If you get into the habit of doing this right away, you’ll find it isn’t a hard thing to keep up with.  I find that not only does using reusable bags help the environment, but it saves me trips from the car into my house.  In  my experience, reusable cloth bags tend to hold more groceries than the plastic bags do.  I have also found that my local baggers actually appreciate reusable bags more.

What kind of bags do you choose when you are at the grocery store?

Visit our Green Living Tips section for more changes you can make in your life to be more eco friendly.

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Eco Friendly Cruise Ships?

Posted by Lisa
Disney Magic departing Port Canaveral.

Image via Wikipedia

Not only can you plugin your car (like your Chevy Volt), but your cruise ship that you take your vacations on are now able to plugin themselves in!

The Port of Los Angeles says it is the first worldwide to provide Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) to three cruise lines:  Disney Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line.  They are able to plug into either 6.6 kilovolts (kV) or 11 kV electrical power distribution systems instead of running their diesel engines.  Depending on the size of the ship, they can reduce NOx by one ton.  They also take more than half a ton of sulfur oxides (SOx) out of the air each day the ship is plugged in.

“The use of AMP at our World Cruise Center reduces emissions not just at the Port but improves the quality of air throughout the Los Angeles region,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “The ability to adapt this technology to multiple cruise lines eliminates significant ship exhaust when cruise ships are at berth, and the AMP Mobile is another innovation that demonstrates our commitment to developing cutting-edge technology that can benefit port communities everywhere.”

I love seeing businesses really step in and get involved in green initiatives.  Until recently, I had no idea that this was even possible.  I hope other port communities take a page from Los Angeles and add in plugin facilities at their ports also.  Does knowing that your cruise line takes becoming eco friendly seriously make you want to use them even more?  Are you getting ready to book that Disney cruise now?

For other ways to make changes in every aspect of your life to be more eco friendly, visit our Green Living Tips section.

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