A cost effective and easy-to-install energy savings project could pay back homeowners with significant savings on their home energy bills, according to a new study commissioned by The Dow Chemical Company.

The study found that homeowners save an average of $50 annually on their energy bills by air sealing gaps, cracks and other exposed areas of the home with an insulating foam sealant. Participants of the study showed a return on investment of their product purchase in as little as four months after application.

The study findings indicate that the expected average one-year return on investment for homes using Great Stuff Pro and Great Stuff Insulating Foam Sealants ranged from 145 percent to 2,374 percent, with savings ranging from $26 to $163 depending on application area, cost and quantity of materials.

To help homeowners conduct their own study, the Dow team took common leak locations discovered during the weatherization project and created an Air-Seal Audit Checklist. This document helps homeowners navigate and identify their homes’ own air loss trouble spots and provides further information on the best remedies. 

Visit www.familyfeatures.com/greatstuff  to learn more and to get an Air-Seal Audit Checklist.

Calling all creative kids and young inventors! Leading up to National Inventors Month this August, PBS KIDS GO!’s Emmy and Peabody Award-winning series Design Squad is challenging kids aged 5-19 to spend their summer vacation recycling, reusing, and re-engineering everyday materials to create the next great green invention.

With the nationwide Trash to Treasure competition, three young innovators will win a trip to Boston to see their designs built and may appear on the Design Squad show and/or website. Entries are due on September 5, 2010.  Click here to view the official rules and send in entries.

According to Design Squad executive producer Marisa Wolsky, “This is an opportunity for kids to give a second life to an object they or their household would have otherwise discarded. We expect that this year’s entries will run the gamut, from trying to fill a pressing societal need to offering something whimsical and fun.”

The rules are simple. The invention should fit within one of the three categories: move things or people (Mobility), protect the environment (Environmental), or be used for indoor or outdoor play (Play). The invention also needs to be made of at least two repurposed materials (such as fabric, paper, plastic, small electronics, wheels, clamps, springs, batteries, hardware, wood, bike parts, string, rubber bands, cardboard, kitchen gadgets, etc.) Kids will be given online tools to sketch out their ideas or upload a photo. (Kids don’t need to actually build their invention in order to enter.)

Last Year’s Winner

Max Wallack, 13, inventor of the “Home Dome” designed a temporary shelter for homeless people and disaster victims, gives this advice to this year’s entrants, “Identify a problem and then try to come up with a solution to it. Be prepared to make several attempts at designing before one design jumps out as the right one.

Three winners will be selected from this year’s entrants to come to Boston to work side-by-side with the team at the award-winning global innovation design consultancy Continuum and see their idea come to life. Their stories may be shared with a national audience on an upcoming episode of the Design Squad series and/or on its website.  Twenty-five finalists will have their ideas showcased on the series website and will receive a Design Squad t-shirt. The nationwide contest is open for ages 5-19 and launched online on April 5. Entries will be accepted through September 5, 2010.  Click here to register. 

Design Squad Online
The Design Squad website gets kids into the action with videos, games, and a space to get creative and offers full-length streams of Design Squad episodes in a fullscreen video player. The site also features an online gallery space–allowing visitors to brainstorm and sketch their own design ideas, share their designs with their friends, and see other kids’ designs–and the popular “DESIGNit, BUILDit, FIDGit” game–challenging players to think fast and solve puzzles.

When and where did the idea begin of giving party guests a usually useless little gift?  You know what I mean, the little party favors people promptly throw away when they get home, or when they do their next round of cleaning?  It may sound harsh, but it is usually true.  Although I am not against the idea of  party favors,  per se,  I just think that it makes sense to be a bit more practical when deciding what to give your guests. 

Growing up I remember going to parties and receiving candy covered almonds in netting or in some sort of plastic chachka.  Since then I have received all sorts of little decorations: a mini-teapot, CD’s of the couple’s favorite song and heart-shaped chocolate lollipops to name a few.  I was always grateful.  Deep down though, I knew where these little gifts were likely to end up, with the exception of the chocolate lollipops of course.  Those tasty treats never made it home.   This is why I was impressed with the party favor idea I saw on the innovative Latina-themed wedding site, Para Ti Novia.

They suggest we green our party favors:

Looking for a cute unexpected idea to give to your guests at your wedding.…why not get your girls together and provide cactus favors.

Images by Sara Yates

Image by Sara Yates

There’s no need to uproot your life in order to make your home more green and energy-efficient.  It can be easy.  Experts at leading window fashions manufacturer Hunter Douglas, which pioneered energy efficiency at the window with the introduction of the world’s first honeycomb shade, offer the following tips:

Do Add Insulation to Your Windows

Remember that up to 50 percent of a home’s heating and cooling energy is lost through them.  Highly insulating Duette® Architella® honeycomb shades can more than double the energy efficiency of a window and reduce heating and cooling costs.  Additionally, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, federal tax credits for energy-efficient products are available for 30 percent of the cost of most Duette Architella® shades, up to a maximum of $1,500 in total, when purchased and installed through December 31, 2010, provided the expense meets the tax guidelines.  These are the first and only window shades to qualify for the tax credit without add-on insulation systems.  More information on the tax credit is available at hunterdouglas.com/taxcredit.

Do Go On a Power Strip

Power strips aren’t just for your computer gear.  Use them for TV’s, VCR’s and appliances – electronic “vampires” that suck electricity to tune of $1 billion a year when not in use.  Turn them off with one quick click.

Do Improve and Maintain Your Mechanical Systems

Service and clean your gas or oil furnace at least once a year.  Keep your heating and air conditioner filters clean and replace your fiberglass filters with reusable, washable ones. Invest in a programmable thermostat that lets you set temperatures for different times of the day. 

 In summer, set your thermostat as high as possible without sacrificing comfort.  The less difference between outdoor and indoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, in colder months turning the heat down from 72 to 65 degrees for at least eight hours a day can reduce heating bills by 10 percent.

Do Watch Your Air Conditioning Units

Remove air-conditioning units in the fall because they invite drafts.  Or, use an insulated jacket on the exterior.  Keep in mind that an air conditioning unit in the shade uses as much as 10 percent less electricity than the same one operating in the sun.  

Also consider using an interior fan instead of an air conditioner or in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively throughout your home without greatly increasing your power use.

Do Replace Conventional Incandescent Light Bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Ones (CFL’s) and Make the Most of Natural Light  

CFL’s cost a little more, but last up to 10 times longer, use two-thirds less energy and give off 70 percent less heat.  Turn off lights and electronics when you leave the room. 

And, utilize natural light and realize savings on electricity bills by means of “daylighting.” Hunter Douglas window fashions offer several ways to optimize natural light while diffusing it to reduce glare and UV rays that can harm furnishings.  Products with sheer fabrics – such as Silhouette® window shadings, with the Signature S-Vane™, Pirouette® window shadings and Luminette® Privacy Sheers – allow homeowners to draw natural light deeper into the room, illuminating homes with the warmth and beauty of softly diffused light 

And a Few Don’ts

 Don’t Place Lamps or TV Sets Near Your Thermostat

The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary

Don’t Block Heat in Colder Months

Be sure floor registers, baseboards or radiators aren’t blocked by rugs, furniture or other items.  If you have ceiling fans with a reverse setting, turn them on low and reverse when using a lot of heat.  Warm air rises and often gets trapped near the ceiling; the reverse air flow from the fan will help circulate the warm air around the entire room.

Don’t Try to Speed Up Heating or Cooling By Raising the Thermostat Beyond the Desired Temperature

In winter, the popular notion that the higher you set your heater’s thermostat, the faster your home will warm up is not true.  In reality, it takes the same amount of time for the temperature to reach 70 degrees F whether the thermostat is set at 70 or 90 degrees.  Setting the thermostat all the way up only increases your heating costs.

The same is true for summer, setting your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on the air conditioner will not cool your home any faster.  According to the Department of Energy, it could result in excessive cooling and, therefore, unnecessary expense.

Incorporate these simple do’s and don’ts and make a contribution into saving energy and the earth’s resources.

Hunter Douglas Inc. is a national sponsor of Habitat for Humanity, covering windows in every Habitat home built in the U.S. and Canada.  Headquartered in Upper Saddle River N.J., the company is the leading manufacturer of custom window fashions in North America. For more information, visit www.hunterdouglas.com or call 1-800-274-2985

Can a product that’s eco-friendly really be good for the environment (as the term would suggest) if there’s a warning not to drink it? EnviroCitizen.org believes that if something is safe for the environment, it should be safe for you in most cases, too. For example, if you’re using a harsh chemical to clean your floors you may assume that the risks and warnings associated with that chemical do not extend beyond your floor. The fact is, once you’ve finished cleaning your floor those chemicals remain on the surface. You then walk on the floor, spreading the chemicals throughout your home. If you have a little child, they might drop something on that floor and then pick it up with their hand. Their hand now has the chemicals on it. They may even eat the item they dropped on the floor which is now coated with the chemicals!

There are many links between environmental health and your own personal health. It’s a very intuitive idea. If a chemical pesticide is meant to kill pests, like bugs and bacteria, that same chemical will likely kill other things, too. Most pesticides aren’t designed to only target one species of pest. If that were the case, farmers would need to purchase multiple chemicals. Instead, most pesticides are a universal killer. So, if the pesticide will kill another living organism like a bug, one might reason that it is capable of killing or doing harm to other organisms.

A good rule of thumb to rule out these harmful chemicals in your environment is to look at the safety of ingredients in the products that you use. Many people are now adhering to the rule that, if you can’t drink it, don’t use it. That’s not to say that you should guzzle down a  household cleaner. It’s more an idea that the products that you use in your home should be safe enough to go inside of your body, since they will end up on your body in some form. In fact, EnviroCitizen.org has found many eco-friendly, safe alternatives to conventional household cleaners and products that really are safe to drink!

For example, two classic cleaners that have been around for decades are baking soda and vinegar. Baking soda is completely edible as you add it to recipes when baking and cooking. It’s a wonderfully abrasive product, which means that it can help you get rid of tough stains or stuck-on food. For example, if you mix baking soda with enough water to form a paste, the paste effectively cleans crusty, tough grease off of your stove!

Vinegar is also completely edible, also used in many common recipes. You can clean practically anything with a diluted mixture of vinegar and water. It’s a disinfectant, so it works great to clean counters, floors and windows. To make sure that your windows have a streak-free finish, wipe them with newspaper and a vinegar mixture.

These are great examples of how you can clean (and even disinfect) your home with products that really are safe enough to consume. By doing so, EnviroCitizen.org believes you’ll have a healthy, clean home without the environmental and health risks associated with conventional cleaners and products.

EnviroCitizen.org strives to deliver everything you could possibly want that’s green along with tons of information, complemented by a strong sense of community. Always check www.EnviroCitizen.org first when searching for anything green.

EnviroCitizen.org considera que, generalmente, si algo es seguro para el medioambiente, también es seguro para usted. Si usa un químico abrasivo para limpiar sus pisos, puede asumir que los riesgos y advertencias asociados con dicho químico sólo se aplican a sus pisos. Pero en realidad, luego de limpiar sus pisos, esos químicos permanecen en la superficie. Cuando usted camina, esparce los químicos por toda su casa. Si tiene un hijo pequeño, es posible que levante algo que se le ha caído al suelo. Ahora, su mano también está contaminada con esos químicos.

Actualmente, muchas personas siguen la regla que indica que, si no puede tomarlo, no debería usarlo. Esto no quiere decir que debería beber una botella de detergente. Se trata simplemente de una idea que sostiene que los productos que usa en su hogar deberían ser lo suficientemente seguros para ingerirlos, ya que, de una manera u otra, también terminarán siendo absorbidos por su organismo. De hecho, EnvironCitizen.org ha descubierto que muchas alternativas a los limpiadores y productos domésticos convencionales que son seguras para usted y el medio ambiente, ¡realmente se pueden beber sin problemas!

Veamos el ejemplo de dos limpiadores clásicos que han sido usados por décadas: el bicarbonato de sodio y el vinagre. El bicarbonato de sodio es completamente comestible; es un ingrediente que se usa en cocina y pastelería. Es un producto increíblemente abrasivo, lo que significa que puede ayudarle a deshacerse de manchas difíciles o alimentos pegados. Por ejemplo, ¡si mezcla bicarbonato de sodio con suficiente agua para formar una pasta, podrá limpiar eficientemente costras de grasa de su cocina!

El vinagre también es completamente comestible y se usa en muchas recetas comunes. Puede limpiar casi todo con una solución de vinagre y agua. Debido a su acción desinfectante, funciona muy bien para limpiar mesadas, pisos y vidrios. Para asegurar que sus vidrios queden sin marcas luego de lavarlos, termine frotándolos con papel de diario humedecido con la mezcla de vinagre.

Casa Laitna is proud to announce that Action For Nature, a San-Francisco-based non-profit, is now taking applications for the 2010 International Young Eco-Hero Awards, which honor youth ages 8 to 16 for their outstanding accomplishments in environmental advocacy, environmental health, research and protection of the natural world.

Award recipients will receive up to $500 cash, an award certificate, and other forms of recognition. The application deadline is February 28, 2010.

Action For Nature’s mission is to encourage young people to take personal action to nurture and protect a healthy environment on which all life depends. Now in its eighth year of the International Young Eco-Hero Awards, the organization has honored 90 young people from 13 countries and 24 states in America.

Previous award winners have continued to receive other prestigious leadership, environmental and science awards, such as the Brower Youth and Intel Science awards. They’ve also taken part in local, national and international media interviews.

Alec Loorz, a 2008 award winner, has continued to educate youth and adults about global warming and has spoken to more than 20,000 people. Alec, who is now 15, is the youngest member of Al Gore’s speaking panel, and was recently asked to assist with a presentation before the U.S. Senate.

Former award winner Otana Jakpor, 16, researched air purifiers and ozone emissions and successfully advocated for change in California. Her findings resulted in the first-ever state regulation of ozone-generators. She has since been honored by the Environmental Protection Agency and has become an official spokesperson for the American Lung Association. She has also had her work published by several science journals.

For more information about the International Young Eco-Hero Awards, as well as to view the guidelines and application forms, visit www.actionfornature.org.

Guidelines and applications are available at:

http://www.actionfornature.org/eco-hero/ecoheroawards.html

Please help spread word of this award opportunity by sending this article to friends, family and organizations you know, and/or publishing this announcement in your listservs or publications.

Action For Nature, una organización sin fines de lucro de San Francisco, esta tomando aplicaciones para los premios ‘International Young Eco-Hero Awards’, estos premios buscan honrar a juventud entre las edades 8 a 16 por sus logros extraordinarios en las arias de defensa del medio ambiente, salud del medio ambiente, junto con el estudio y protección del mundo natural.

Los recipientes recibieran hasta $500 en efectivo, un certificado de premio, y otras formas de reconocimiento. El plazo de entrega es el 28 de febrero del 2010.

La intención de Action for Nature es de animar a la juventud que tomen acciones personales para proteger el medio ambiente en que cual la vida depende.  En su octavo año de dar premios ‘International Young Eco-Hero Awards’, la organización a honrado 90 jóvenes de 13 países y 24 de los Estados Unidos.

Ganadores previos han continuado recibiendo premios prestigiosos en las arias de liderazgo, medio ambiente, y ciencias, como los premios ‘Brower Youth and Intel Science awards’. Ellos también han sido entrevistados por medios de comunicación locales, nacionales, y internacionales.

Alec Loorz, el recipiente del 2008, ha seguido educando mas de 20,000 jóvenes y adultos sobre el tema del calentamiento global. Alec, que ahora tiene 15 años, es el miembro mas joven del panel de platicas de Al Gore, recientemente fue escogido para dar una presentación en frente del senado de los Estados Unidos.

Ganadora previa, Otana Jakpor, 16, por sus estudios de purificadores de aire y emisiones del ozono logro cambio positivo en California. Sus estudios lograron las primeras regulaciones de generadores de ozono en California. Ella ha sido honrada por la Agencia Protectora del Medio Ambiente y se ha convertido en la portavoz oficial de la Asociación Pulmonar Americana. Sus estudios también han sido publicados en varias revistas científicas.

Para mas información sobre los premios ‘International Young Eco-Hero Awards’, para leer las directrices y mirar la aplicación, favor de visitar el sitio de Action For Nature, www.actionfornature.org, o comunicarse por teléfono: (415) 513-2421.

Ayúdanos dar a saber de esta oportunidad de premio mandando este boletín informativo a sus amigos, familia, y organizaciones que usted conozca, y también por publicando este anuncio en sus servidores de listas o publicaciones.

It’s surprisingly easy to be green in the kitchen. Recycle your cans, eat organic and bring your own reusable totes to the grocery store. However, when it comes to kitchen cleaning, a lot of us still choose old-school methods to do the dirty work. With a little know-how and terrific new products, clean and green can go hand-in-hand. Take, for instance, the Lindley™ pullout faucet (on the left) or the Anabelle™ pullout faucet (on the right) in the new Mediterranean bronze finish from Moen.  Both feature a low-flow setting to conserve water for everyday tasks, such as dishwashing. But with a touch of the button, you can easily switch to a higher flow rate when you need it—like, for filling big pots of water quickly.

Other ways to green your KITCHEN routine:

• Mix white vinegar and water in a spray bottle to make a natural streak-free cleaner.

• Mix baking soda, a little dishwashing liquid, and water for a natural, non-abrasive oven cleaner.

• Skip the pre-rinse cycle on your dishwasher to save water. Instead, give plates a quick rinse with the spray stream of the pullout wand before loading.

• The patented pause button is another handy way to conserve the flow of water. Instead of running the water constantly, hit pause and pull the wand out beyond the sink to perform tasks like watering plants.

Anabelle is available at Lowe’s, and Lindley is available at The Home Depot.  Visit moen.com for more product details, features and information on where to buy.

In a perfect world, we would replace all of our household appliances with more energy efficient models. Unfortunately that is not a realistic option. Instead, the next best approach is to make sure the appliances we have are functioning properly.

The following is what you need to know about how to better use your existing appliances:

Refrigerator/Freezer

• Position your refrigerator away from a heat source such as an oven, a dishwasher, or direct sunlight from a window.
• To allow air to circulate around the condenser coils, leave a space between the wall or cabinets and the refrigerator or freezer and keep the coils clean.
• Make sure the door seals are airtight. Simply place a piece of paper between the door and the refrigerator box, if the paper does not move great, if it slices out then your rubber sealant should be replaced
• Keep your refrigerator between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Minimize the amount of time the refrigerator door is open

Dishwasher

• Always run your dishwasher with a full load. Most of the energy used by a dishwasher goes to heat water. Since you can’t decrease the amount of water used per cycle, fill your dishwasher to get the most from the energy used to run it.
• Avoid using the heat-dry, rinse-hold and pre-rinse features. Instead use your dishwasher’s air-dry option.

Clothes Washer

• Fill it up, clothes washers use about the same amount of energy regardless of the size of the load, so run full loads whenever possible.
• Wash in cold water as much as possible. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut energy use in half. Using the cold cycle reduces energy use even more.
• Where and when possible, air-dry clothes instead of using a dryer. Use a drying rack or hang clothes outside.
• If your clothes washer has spin options, choose a high spin speed or the extended spin option to reduce the amount of remaining moisture in your clothes after washing. This decreases the amount of time it takes to dry your clothes.
• Leave the door open after use, when the machine is not in use, the seal can trap moisture in the machine which can lead to mold. Leave the door ajar for an hour or two after every use to allow moisture to evaporate. Make sure your kiddies do not climb into the machine while the door is open.
• Rinse your washer once a month by running a normal cycle with 1 cup of bleach to help reduce the risk of mold or mildew buildup. Consult the product owner’s manual before attempting.

Air Conditioners

• For better temperature control, use timers. This will allow you to use the minimum amount of energy you need to cool your room.
• Make sure each air conditioner in your home is properly sized for the room that it is in.
  Water Heaters
• Most water heaters last about 10-15 years, so before your’s goes caput, research your next purchase. By acting early, you have more control of your purchase and can start saving money right away.
• Flush the water heater every six months. The buildup of sediment in the tank can reduce your water heater’s energy efficiency and also clog your water lines.

Water Heaters

• Most water heaters last about 10-15 years, so before your’s goes caput, research your next purchase. By acting early, you have more control of your purchase and can start saving money right away.
• Flush the water heater every six months. The buildup of sediment in the tank can reduce your water heater’s energy efficiency and also clog your water lines.

Energy efficient choices can save families about a third on their energy bill — with similar savings on greenhouse gas emissions — without sacrificing features, style or comfort. ENERGY STAR helps you make the energy efficient choice.

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. It helps us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

Help protect the environment and visit ENERGY STAR.Gov

Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are known for stirring up air during the summer months, but did you know that they should be doing the same thing during the winter months? A ceiling fan can actually save you about 30% on your cooling costs and 10% on your heating costs when run in combination with adjusting your home’s temperature by two degrees.

• Make sure your fan is at least seven feet from the ground and make sure there’s ample room for the blades to spin unencumbered, at least 24″ from the closest wall.
• Remember that a fan with a light kit increases its versatility. Fans that don’t come with a light are adaptable in case you ever want to add one.
• If you are replacing an existing fan, purchase the largest fan your room will allow. A larger fan moves more air at lower speeds, which reduces noise and increases the fan’s life span, since it doesn’t have to work as hard.
• Check how your fans have been installed. The right type of mounting maximizes the cooling effect. For a low ceiling make sure it is a flush mount and /or semi-flush mount fan. For a high ceiling make sure it’s a downrod. To bring the circulating action down into the room and for a sloped ceilings an angled mount is required, usually sold separately.
• If you have an outdoor fan be sure that the motor is designed to withstand moisture and temperature changes and that the blades are constructed from a man-made material that won’t warp with humidity.
• Want the ultimate convenience? Add a remote control! Some remotes even have special sensors that will turn the fan on and off automatically or adjust fan speed based on room temperature. Pretty Cool.

Insulation

Homeowners, especially those who live in older homes, can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 20% (up to 10% of total energy costs) by sealing their homes and adding insulation in attics, floors, over crawl spaces and on accessible basement rim joists.

The leading cause of energy waste in the home is inadequate insulation and air leakage. Start by checking your attic. Is there existing insulation? Is there enough? If not add insulation to improve the warmth of your home. Second check the basement. If unfinished, use a blanket insulation with a flame-resistant polypropylene facing; if finished use a faced or unfaced batting insulation between studs in a framed wall

But before taking on these projects make sure to inspect your home thoroughly for any signs of water damage or water leakage. If these problems are not addressed before insulating your home, you may run the risk of long term mold growth and/ or poor indoor air quality. Please take the time to inspect carefully. Also be sure to use proper gear, such as a face mask or respirator, protective clothing, safety glasses, and a work light when inspecting, as airborne fiberglass is irritating to the eyes, skin and lungs. Please be careful and always read instructions before starting a new project. Enjoy your home.