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It is nearly impossible for most of us to get through modern life without a vehicle. While they are enormous pollutant machines, we can reduce some of that waste and ensure ourselves greater safety in their use by following a few simple guidelines on upkeep and maintenance. You don’t need to be a trained mechanic to follow these steps. In fact, a little education and empowerment can really take the mystery out of simple auto maintenance.

Proper tire inflation Tool needed: Pressure gauge
Improperly inflated tires lead to accidents and tire failure, and decrease fuel economy. Consult your vehicle’s manual for instructions on finding the recommended pressure for your vehicle’s tires. Tire pressure should be checked once a month. Do it on the same day each month as a handy reminder. Don’t forget to check your spare! Put a note with your tire gauge if you tend to forget. (continue reading…)

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Consider an average American family: two adults, commuting 20-30 miles each per day in separate cars with average fuel efficiency, driving an additional 5,500 miles running errands and taking their child to basketball games and piano practice. The family takes one vacation trip per year, flying to visit friends and grandparents 1,450 miles away. Can you guess how much CO₂ their house and cars produce? Around 60,000 pounds, or 10 tons for each family member! Isn’t it too much??!!

Today the world is in greater need to shift from electricity-gulping ignorance to power-sipping sophisticated practices. The high-voltage diet can be chopped if people think more about their energy usage at their homes,offices, institutes etc. The time has come when we must cut our electricity consumption and, therefore, its production and our dependency on the electricity grid.

Switching to power saving practices will not only cut homeowners’ heavy electric bills but also save the energy. This will further reduce the pollution, greenhouse gases and global warming. (continue reading…)

It isn’t always easy to get older kids (and even husbands) interested in going green, but by appealing to their inner gadget geek, it is possible to sneak some green into their lives where they least expect it. These green gadgets should do the trick:

Kill A Watt™ — This hand-held device connects to your appliances and measures their power usage by the Kilowatt hour, just like the power company will. Play your cards right, and older kids won’t even realize that while they are happily measuring your appliances, they are also helping you figure out which appliances are draining energy and money out of your home. Be careful! It may not sound like it now, but usage of the Kill A Watt™ can become addictive. Pair this with the Wattson™, which plugs directly into your electric meter and glows an angry red color if you are using too much electricity. (continue reading…)

Did you know that in December 2007, an energy bill was signed making it illegal to purchase traditional incandescent light bulbs in 2012? Right now, the only real alternative to inefficient incandescent bulbs is CFLs.

A Compact Fluorescent Lamp is a low-energy light bulb that has a longer life than regular incandescent light bulbs. However, there are safety and disposal concerns over the mercury contained in the CFLs. The disposal concerns are being addressed by a few companies like The Home Depot. What is not (continue reading…)

There are several easy ways to reduce energy use in your home. We put together a few quick and inexpensive ideas that you can easily complete in a weekend!

Appliances
Refrigerator check. Carefully vacuum coils twice a year. Dusty coils will make your fridge work harder and may harbor allergens. Then, close the fridge door on a piece of paper and pull the paper out. If it comes out easily, check to see if the door hinges need to be tightened or if the door seal needs to be replaced. Ensuring that your refrigerator is running properly and not leaking cold air will prevent energy waste and will likely lengthen the life of your appliance. (continue reading…)