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Green Tips for Back to School

We are nearing the end of August, which means all across the country parents and children alike are preparing for the upcoming school year. That’s right, back to school time. Time to stock up on school supplies and maybe a few new outfits before the first bell rings. While a new school year is usually an exciting time of year, it can also be pretty stressful as a parent. To help you prepare for this upcoming year, Greenability Magazine, has put together a few tips to help make this school year a little easier and a little greener!

12 eco-friendly back-to-school tips

Go back to school in style with a sustainable and economical pack of supplies.

As summer fades into fall, the hustle and bustle of back to school shopping begins. The pressure to buy new clothes and school supplies, along with healthy daily lunch prep can be tedious and time consuming for the eco-conscious shopper. With a little planning and these back-to-school tips, your fall transition can be easy on you and the environment.

School Lunch prep

il_570xN.355291141_it791. This school year, skip the disposable plastic sandwich bags and choose BPA-free reusable containers instead.

2. Pack a washable cloth napkin, thermos and reusable utensils.

3. Pack lunches the night before, and choose fresh fruit over prepackaged food.

4. When buying fruits and vegetables for school lunches, support local farmers markets.

5. Use a stainless steel or up-cycled lunch box.

School supplies

6. When buying supplies, resist the urge to buy in bulk. Instead, find last year’s unused school supplies and look for items that can be reused.kids-recycling-photo

7. Designate a storage space for school supplies at home to prevent overbuying every year.

8. Buy recycled paper, and encourage your kids to start recycling now to make it a life-long practice.

9.Consider using cardboard or canvas binders instead of standard plastic binders.

10. Choose refillable or biodegradable pens and recycled pencils.

Big purchases

11. If this is the year for a desk or computer for your student, consider buying used or repurposed items. Surplus Exchange, 518 Santa Fe St., Kansas City, MO, sells gently used and refurbished computers, laptops, iPads, tablets, printers and other electronics. There’s also a big supply of desks, chairs, file cabinets and other furniture.

Back-to-school clothes

12. The first day of school outfit can be a big decision for kids and parents each year. Make sure your students know that trendy and fashionable clothes can be found in thrift shops and second-hand stores. Always check that each potential purchase is in its best condition, unless you plan on repurposing and restyling it. YouTube is a great resource for thrift store inspiration with “Thrift Store Hauls” and tips for finding the best quality and deals on kids and adult clothes. If you are not in need of school clothes, use the thrift store as an accessory haven for other back-to-school needs.

The city of Boulder making Big Changes

Zero Waste

This past June, it was a unanimous vote by the Boulder City Council to approve a Universal Zero Waste Ordinance. This ordinance ensures that there will be easy access for recycling and composting bins for everyone in the community. This marks a big change in the community, and Boulder is the first city in Colorado, and third in the nation that requires curbside recycling and composting bins for all local businesses, residential homes, condos, apartments, college institutions, everywhere throughout the city of Boulder community! This ordinance is a huge step towards reaching the city of Boulder’s goal of 85% waste diversion by 2025. Way to go Boulder City Council, and thank you to the Boulder community for assisting in making this change successful! More more information please visit http://ecocycle.org/take-action/cooling-the-climate

Energy Saving Tips for Your Home, While You’re Away

It is the time of year when many families are packing their bags and heading out for a week or so to enjoy their family vacation. While away on vacation, I’m sure one of the last things on anyone’s mind is, “Are we conserving energy at home right now?”. However, perhaps that thought should cross their mind. I mean, why waste, and pay for, electricity that you are not even using? To help make sure you are not wasting energy at home while you are away this vacation, here are several energy saving tips from Bounce Energy, to make sure you are saving as much energy and money as possible.

7 Energy Efficiency Tips for Your Home While on Your Vacation

Energy Efficiency for Home

Vacations are a time when you can relax a bit, forget about the little stresses of life, and spend some quality time with your families. However, people are often in such a hurry to pack and get out of town, they forget to prepare their home so that their electricity usage goes down while they are away.

You might be thinking, “No one is home playing video games or running the air conditioner, so we’ll automatically use less energy!” Well, just because your house is empty of people, that doesn’t mean that the appliances and lights have stopped sucking electricity from the grid. Thankfully, homeowners can save a significant amount of money by practicing a few simple energy saving tips to keep their electricity usage down while on vacation.

1) Heating and Cooling

With everyone out of the home for a few days, there is no reason to keep the heater or central air running, unless pets will be left at the house. Even with a pet or two in the home, you shouldn’t set the thermostat for 72 when there is no one there to enjoy it. Instead, during the hot summer months, the thermostat can either be set for 90 or turned off completely.

The winter is a little more tricky. The thermostat should be set around 50 degrees to keep appliances and pipes from freezing. The worst way to end a vacation is to come home to a flooded basement or frozen dishwasher.

For every degree a thermostat is raised during the summer, a homeowner will save 2-3 percent on his or her electricity bill. If a thermostat usually set for a steady temperature of 72 degrees is raised to 90, then, at a minimum, this will result in a 32% savings on the electric bill for that period of time. If the home has a programmable thermostat that can be adjusted by date, then it can be set to change the temperature the day of arrival, so the family will come home to a comfortable household.

The only caveat to this is in the case of pets. If your family is going on a vacation of several weeks, your animals should either be boarded or an arrangement should be made with a friend to care for the animals daily, including feeding, watering, and walking (if necessary). If the pets are left in the home, then the temperature should not be set so high or low that it will cause them unnecessary discomfort. Your veterinarian will be able to advise a homeowner what household temperature will keep the pets safe while conserving energy.

2) Water Heater

The water heater is one of those appliances that people don’t think about on a regular basis. It sits in a out-of-the-way part of the house (usually the basement or attic) heating your water, and you only remember it when the water runs cold during a long shower. It’s also easy to forget about when leaving on a vacation.

Before heading to the airport, shut off the circuit breaker to the water heater. If you have a gas heater, turn the gas valve off to be safe. Upon returning home, the hot water tap should be allowed to run before the power and gas are turned on to make sure the water tank isn’t empty. It can damage the unit if the tank is heated without any water in it.

If you go on a winter vacation, you should leave the water heater on at the lowest possible (or “vacation” setting) to keep the water from freezing in the lines and tank.

3) Electronics and Appliances

Even with the home empty and the television and major appliances turned off, they are still using electricity. We call them “energy vampires.” Before the family leaves, someone should walk around the home and unplug every unnecessary appliance and electronic. This doesn’t just include the television, lamps, and entertainment center. Small electronics like electric razors, coffee pots, digital clocks, and cell phone chargers all drain energy when plugged in. Nothing needs to be moved, simply unplugged. This not only saves energy, but also eliminates a possible fire hazard if there would be a power surge while no one is home.

4) Automatic Lights

People don’t want their houses to look unoccupied while on vacation, because it’s easy for burglars to spot. Many times, the easiest thing to do is leave a light or two on inside to keep it lit during the evening hours. This could be a lamp in the living room or even a larger light that may provide light for the entire dining room. While this is a good safety idea, it’s an unnecessary waste of energy with the invention of automatic light devices. These devices place the lights on a timer, so at a specific time of the day certain lights will turn on and off, as needed. It gives the illusion of being home and prevents wasted energy by keeping lights off during the day.

The automatic timers range from as little as $10 to $30 for an average unit. They can also be used to turn on a radio to add sound as a further deterrent to burglars.

If you don’t have an automatic light timer, just ask a friend to visit the home every couple of days to turn on a light at night and turn it off during the day. This is an easy task, especially if they are already visiting to help with pets or plants.

5) Blinds and Curtains

Saving energy doesn’t always require using or not using something electrical. Most windows in a home have either blinds or curtains. Usually, they are used to let light in or keep light out, but when on vacation, they can be a useful way to conserve heat energy.

Lower the blinds and close the curtains when leaving for vacation. This simple act will keep heat from coming in during the summer and letting heat out during the winter. If the furnace is on and set to a lower temperature, lowering the shades and closing the curtains helps to slow the rising or lowering of the temperature in the home.

6) Refrigerators

The refrigerator is the electronic equivalent of a V-8 gas hog, sucking electricity like a chrome-covered high-performance engine. An extended vacation gives you the opportunity to get rid of the food in the fridge, clean it a bit, and unplug it. If the house is vacant for only a few days, it’s not worth the trouble to unplug the device, as much of the food will still be good upon return, but extended stays are a different story.

Before leaving, the homeowner should unload the food and clean out the refrigerator thoroughly, leaving the doors open to air out. Also, placing a box of baking soda in the freezer and refrigerator will draw in the moisture and help prevent mold growth. Taking the refrigerator offline will save a significant amount of energy while nobody is home.

As an alternative to turning off the refrigerator, the refrigerator temperature can be set around 42 degrees and the freezer around 5 degrees. This is enough to keep everything cold and frozen, but still save energy over the vacation period. As a precaution, it is a good idea to clean out the refrigerator of any leftovers, raw vegetables, and other perishables, and keep only new foods that won’t spoil while the house is empty.

7) Save Money and Stress on Vacation

Vacations can cost a significant amount of money for a family, even with all of the fun you’ll have together. It’s nice to know that, by practicing these tips and tricks, you can save money on electric bill by drastically decreasing your electricity while you’re out of the house. When recovering from the cost of a vacation, every little bit helps. Bon voyage!

 

Keep Your Garden Lush and Green This Summer

With the “Dog Days” of Summer approaching, many people are trying to figure out how they are going to keep their gardens lush and green during the hottest (and often driest) time of the year. Maintaining a garden during the hot summer months is definitely no easy task, however, it is not an impossible task either. As these tips from Quicken Loans, will show you, keeping a lush garden and/or lawn may be easier than you think. These tips are also meant to help minimize your water usage when gardening this summer. A lush green garden without a hefty water bill? Sounds pretty good to me!

Keep Your Lawn and Garden Lush

 

 

  • Rain Collection System
    Many people living in dry areas have developed rain collection systems to reduce their dependency on local water systems. Something as simple as putting a few five-gallon buckets in your yard when it rains can reduce your dependency on municipal water. If you’re interested in going bigger, rain collection systems start at about $60 and hold about 40 gallons of water. The more money you shell out, the bigger and more elaborate the system you can get.
  • Cover Exposed Garden Soil with Mulch
    A friend’s mom recently told me about this and after reading more about it I might go pick up some mulch after work tonight.  The idea behind this is that you water the garden beds or pots really well and cover the soil with mulch right after.  The mulch acts as a moisture barrier, preventing evaporation. As an added bonus, mulch also helps to keep weeds away. If I don’t have to weed and water so much, this sounds like the perfect option for me!
  • Water Early in the Morning or Late in the Evening
    If you water your garden or lawn during the hottest part of the day, which is usually around 3 p.m., more water will evaporate than if you water your landscaping during cooler parts of the day. I try to water my garden in the morning before work and after dinner at night.  This ensures the maximum amount of water reaches the deepest roots rather than vanishing into the air.
  • Avoid Cutting Your Lawn
    If your local forecast calls for hot conditions and no rain for a few days, hold off on cutting your grass. According to Scott’s Lawn Care, allowing your lawn to grow taller will result in deeper roots.  It’s easier for deeper-rooted grass to locate water in the ground during dry conditions. Besides, who wants to cut the grass when it’s excruciatingly hot outside anyways? Take a break and let your lawn go for a while.
  • Keep Your Garden and Lawn Weed Free
    Even the most dedicated landscaper hates weeding, but getting those pesky, unwanted plants out of your garden and lawn helps increase efficient water usage. By removing weeds, your garden plants and grass aren’t competing for water.

These few simple tips can help save your lawn and garden during those rainless summer days, and won’t drive up your water bill.
Read more at http://www.quickenloans.com/blog/lawn-garden-wilting-away#PbzPEEM4zLmZMIX0.99

Tips for Conserving Water

Yesterday was Memorial Day, which just happens to be the unofficial start to summer. With the mercury rising, water usage will also be rising. Whether it is used to keep grass lush and green, or just used as a way for the kids to cool down on a hot day, the amount of water used by the average person does increase significantly during the summer months. While some of this increase in water usage may be unavoidable, there are plenty of ways to better conserve your water this summer. Here are several tips from Seventh Generation, on how to cut back on water usage in and outside of your home.

Saving Every Drop in the Bucket: 15 Water Conservation Tips

 

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 30 states started May with conditions ranging from abnormally dry to exceptional drought. California alone has one year of surface supplies left before its reservoirs run dry. Mother Nature, it seems, is getting miserly with her spigot. And that means the rest of us must conserve all we can.

By now, the thirsty denizens of water-starved states know the basic water-saving drill. But shorter showers, brown lawns, and dirty cars aren’t the only tricks in the tank. Here are some water conservations steps you may not have thought about:

Outdoors:

  • Let your grass grow. Taller grass preserves more soil moisture and needs less water. Leave your clippings where they fall to act as mulch.
  • Start saving whatever rainfall you get in a rain barrel connected to your gutters. Use it to water your garden and houseplants, and for outdoor cleaning purposes.
  • Or plant near the house and drain your gutters straight into your garden.
  • Leaky hoses are big water-wasters. So tape your hose connections at the tap and wherever extensions meet.
  • Capture your grey water, the “waste water” from washing clothes, dishes, and the like, for your garden or lawn. (Think big buckets!) If you’re using non-toxic, biodegradable detergents and soaps, it’s fine to use.
  • Wash pets and other dirty things on the lawn where waste water will enjoy a second life.
  • Collect the water emitted by central and window air conditioners. Even in arid areas you’ll get up to five gallons per day.

Indoors:

  • Recycle water. For example, save your cooking water in the fridge and reuse it a few more times or turn it into soup. It can also water plants. So can old water from pet bowls, vase water, water bottles and more.
  • Wash produce in a bowl of water not under the tap. Then recycle that water!
  • Put your tableware in storage leaving out just one glass, mug, bowl, and plate for each family member. This will cut down on unnecessary dishwashing.
  • Stick a pitcher of water in the refrigerator so kids and others can pour a cold glass without running the faucet first.
  • Ration your laundering. Items like towels, pants, sweatshirts, sweaters, etc. don’t need washing after every use.
  • Stash a bucket by your bathtub and save what runs while you wait for hot water.
  • In the shower, turn off the water while you wash your hair or shave.
  • Stick a sealed half-gallon container of water in each toilet tank to displace some of the water inside and flush with less.

These water strategies may seem like a drop in the bucket, but remember: when no drops fall from the sky every drop you save is worth its weight in liquid gold.

Asthma and Allergies Awareness Month

BLOG-asthmaAs some people may be aware, May is “National Asthma and Allergies Awareness Month”. This is most likely because May is also the peak season for allergy and asthma sufferers. Having suffered from asthma as a child growing up, I am fully aware of what molds and activities may trigger an asthma attack for me, as I’m sure most asthma sufferers are. However, many people may be unaware that the products and methods used to clean their home could also be key contributors to some allergic and/or asthmatic issues they may have.

For example, many people may not be aware that fumes from some cleaning products may induce asthma in otherwise healthy individuals. A large and growing body of evidence links frequent use of many ordinary cleaning supplies at home or on the job with development of asthma and other respiratory problems. It is already known that traditional cleaning product fumes may trigger attacks in people previously diagnosed with asthma.

If you or a family member suffer from allergies or asthma, a good defense is air quality. And, while you may not be able to control the air quality outside of your home, you can certainly do something to improve it inside. The first step to higher air quality may be as simple as switching from a traditional cleaner to a greener alternative. If you happen to use a cleaning service, make sure they use Green Seal certified cleaning products, as Clean Conscience does.

 

Children’s Water Festival: Learning how to protect and conserve water.

On Wednesday, May 13, almost 1,300 fifth grade students from public schools throughout Boulder County will participate in the annual Children’s Water Festival at the University Memorial Center (UMC) on the University of Colorado (CU) campus.

This nationally recognized, award-winning water festival will engage local students in hands-on activities to teach them about where Boulder County’s drinking water comes from and how to protect and conserve this essential natural resource. Students will attend a series of interactive presentations about floods, stormwater, water conservation, and the science of water to gain a better understanding of the importance of protecting local watersheds and water quality.

Participating classes complete pre-festival learning activities as part of the “Operation Water Festival” program, a standards-based education series that features a teacher’s packet with lesson guides, student worksheets and trivia questions. Topics include basic water awareness, water conservation, pollution prevention, flood safety and fun facts. A key benefit of the program is a take-home booklet that encourages students to work with their families to complete activities related to local water resources, conservation and protection. Student “Water Agents” receive a certificate upon completion of the program.

Operation Water Festival is a model for community partnerships between government, school district, private and nonprofit organizations. This is the second year that Boulder and Longmont have combined their water festivals into a single children’s Water Festival at CU. This year’s water festival sponsors include the City of Boulder, the City of Longmont, UMC Events Planning & Catering, Northern Water, and the other Keep It Clean Partnership communities, including Boulder County, Erie, Lafayette, Louisville and Superior.

For more information, contact Janice Lopitz at 303-441-1439, or visit

Eco-Cycle Event tonight, April 23rd at Ocean First Divers in Boulder at 6:30 p.m.

Our friends at Ocean First Divers in Boulder, Colorado are hosting an event this evening, April 23rd starting at 6:30p.m. This is an informative recycling event and provides helpful information for those people in our community that would like to learn more about recycling, what is recycable, and how the process works. Light refreshments will be provided for this FREE event at Ocean First Divers located at 3015 Bluff Street, Boulder, Colorado 80301. Whether you are a beginner and interested in learning more about the recycling process and how it helps, or you have been recycling for years, the Eco-Cycle event will be surprisingly informative. Stop in tonight at Ocean First Divers at 6:30 p.m., and grab a refreshment, have a nice chat and meet others in the community who are interested in recycling.

Eco-Cycle Event at Ocean First Divers

Earth Day, In Denver

Today is April 22nd, also known as Earth Day. Today is a day that everyone is supposed to go the extra mile to do something positive for the environment. All across the country, many major cities have several Earth Day events which the public can attend. Denver, happens to be one of those cities. In fact, this article from FOX31 Denver, lists several of the events being held in and around the city.

DENVER — Wednesday is Earth Day and there will be events throughout the metro area.

Denver

More than 50 sustainable businesses, organizations and city agencies will be at the annual Earth Day Fair at Civic Center Park. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with Mayor Michael Hancock touring the event from 11:45 a.m .to 12:45 p.m.

Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel

A Project C.U.R.E. Earth Day plant sale will be held at the hotel (1550 Court Place) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Downtown Aquarium

The Downtown Aquarium (700 Water St.) will have a Party for the Planet from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be a nature-themed scavenger hunt, conservation crafts and activities, animal feedings and an interactive dive show.

The Alliance Center, Denver

The Alliance for Sustainable Colorado will host a recycle and reuse drive at The Alliance Center. The public can bring items to be recycled or reused from noon to 7 p.m. at the center’s parking lot (1536 Wynkoop St.)..

Foundations Academy, Brighton

Students from Foundations Academy in Brighton will plant flowers outside the school from 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Students will also hang signs around the school about recycling and help students learn more about how to help Earth.

Merryhill Preschool, Highlands Ranch

Preschoolers at Merryhill Preschool in Highlands Ranch (9345 S. Colorado Blvd.) will release thousands of ladybugs back into the environment from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Colorado State University, Fort Collins

Colorado State will host a volunteer tree planting as part of its designation as a Tree Campus USA. The trees will be planted at 2 p.m. near Danforth Chapel.

Boulder County’s Largest Earth Day Event on Saturday, April 18th, 2015 at the Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center

This Saturday, April 18th 2015 from 11:00-4:00 p.m. is a FREE Earth Day event at the Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center located just outside of Boulder in Nederland, Colorado. This is the largest Earth Day event and has been running strong for the past 15 years. It is a fun-filled day of free, action-packed entertainment and education about this magnificent planet earth. There is going to be many performances and live birds of prey, live reptiles, climate presentations and other educational opportunities for the whole family! Be sure to check out the many events happening this Saturday, April 18th 2015 at the Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center.