©iStockphoto.com - LilliDay

Imagine sitting at work in the middle of the day ready to go home and looking out over the city. What do you expect to see? Plain asphalt roof tops? How about a beautiful green garden space? Urban roof top gardens have many benefits and in the future you can probably expect to see more propping up in cities all over the world.

Roof top gardens help reduce rain runoff, beautify the city, and attract birds, butterflies and insects. They also help reduce the heat in the city environment and within the building. The garden roof top lowers the temperature in the summer months and keeps it warmer in the winter. Heat in the city is a problem called “heat island,” according to the EPA. Cities are warmer than rural spaces and this creates pollution and smog. (continue reading…)

ⓒ iStockPhoto - BlackJack3D

According to the website, Planet Green, 19 percent of electricity generated worldwide goes towards lighting (2). We want to decrease our energy use and lower our utility bills to help our planet and our wallet. But, we don’t want to sit around in the dark. (Hasn’t your mother always nagged you to turn on the light when you’re reading or doing some other task?!) We want our homes to be well-lit, bright and happy. Fortunately, these bright ideas can help you light up your home effectively while cutting energy use and costs.

Let in Sunlight from Windows and Skylights.

Take advantage of that big bright ball up in the sky, (a.k.a. the sun). It provides free, natural light. Leave your curtains, blinds and shades open to allow maximum sunlight in. South-facing windows are the best for people in the Northern hemisphere (1, 2). However, north-facing windows are preferred for those who live in the Southern hemisphere. Letting in natural sunlight both brightens and warms up a room, which is great during cold winter weather because it lowers your heating bills (1). If you’re moving into an existing home, you can’t easily move or change window placement. But here’s a tip to keep in mind if you’re building and designing a new home: windows that are placed higher up on your walls will allow sunlight to penetrate more deeply into a room, according to HomeTips.com (3). So, design bigger windows higher up on the walls to get the most sunlight possible into a room. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - Patryk Galka

Have you filed your taxes for 2009? Have you recently purchased an energy efficient product or renewable energy system? If so, you may be eligible for a tax credit. While not all energy star products qualify, several large ticket items do. The best place to find information is on the Energy Star website.

The site provides information on what products qualify, how to apply, and frequently asked questions. There are three different categories of products, and each category has its own requirements. Some of the qualifying products include biomass stoves, insulation, water heaters, windows, doors, geothermal heat pumps, residential wind turbines, solar energy systems, fuel cells, roofs, heating, and air conditioning. Qualifying products are eligible for a tax credit of 30% of cost (with some limitations). (continue reading…)

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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. (continue reading…)

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The concept of carbon footprint has been around for nearly two decades, ever since the first academic paper on ecological footprints was introduced by William Reese in 1992. But it really hasn’t become a popular term in the arsenal of a green-thinker until the last five years or so. These days, the terminology is thrown around as often as the terms “green” and “eco-friendly”, but the problem is that many people don’t know exactly what a carbon footprint is, or how to reduce their own.

In the simplest of terms, the concept behind reducing your carbon footprint is reasonably self explanatory. It is the active reduction of human impact on planet Earth. It is recycling, conserving energy, going paperless, and doing everything in your power to reduce not only your emissions, but also your consumption. But how do you go about doing that while still living in the 21st century? (continue reading…)

ⓒ iStockPhoto - sokolovsky

If the clothesline were invented today, it would be touted as the solar powered, eco-friendly renewable laundry solution. With the invention of automatic tumble dryers, harnessing the power of the sun to dry clothes has fallen out of favor, to the point that some communities even ban clotheslines on the grounds that they cheapen the neighborhood.

A clothesline need not be an eyesore. A neatly hung clothesline, with the clothes spaced evenly and grouped together, instead of randomly arrayed on the line, can be a banner of commitment to the environment. Not to mention the benefits to the wallet. An electric tumble dryer is the third biggest energy hog in the average house, behind lights and the refrigerator, both of which are on a lot longer each week than the dryer. (continue reading…)

©iStockphoto.com - Raffaelo

Times are tough financially right now: we’re feeling the extra strain on our wallets. But is your energy meter feeling the strain, too? You could be wasting unnecessary energy (and money!) around the home. Fortunately, some simple tips can help you become more energy-efficient, save money and benefit the environment, too.

Problems With Energy Production

Most electricity comes from power plants, which use coal and oil. Coal generates 49.7 percent of the electricity used in the U.S. (1). Oil and other fossil fuels, made of plants and animals that died millions of years ago, are also used in producing energy. (continue reading…)