The use of solar panels by individual households is continually increasing, especially in countries such as the UK that provide homeowners with incentives for doing so. Of course, the greatest incentive for installing solar panels is economic, as they pay for themselves over time, and that time is becoming shorter as solar technology becomes more efficient and less expensive to install – and the cost of electricity from power companies continues to rise. Helping to protect one’s environment is also a strong incentive.

Improving Technology
The continuing development of increasingly efficient and inexpensive lightweight solar technology that can cover entire roofs, be applied to skylights and windows, or discreetly inserted beneath ground-mounted or pedestal outdoor pavers has made installing solar power a realistic option for an ever-increasing number of homeowners. New discoveries keep coming out of the world’s laboratories. A recently developed nanoparticle coating, for example, should soon help to keep solar panels clean, thereby reducing maintenance costs, and new microinverters have dramatically improved the efficiency of converting DC solar energy to useable AC current.

Improving Affordability
The cost of buying a home solar-energy system and having it installed has plummeted from close to £20,000 in 2010 to as low as £6,800. Although that’s still a considerable sum, solar-energy companies have begun making arrangements with financial institutions to provide accessible financing at interest rates that should enable their systems to pay for themselves in remarkably short periods of time, not only by providing free electricity as the price of conventional power relentlessly rises, but also enabling homeowners to earn money via UK government programs for encouraging the production of renewable energy.

The Government Actually Helps
The UK government has established the objective of increasing the country’s generation of electricity using renewable sources from less than 5% of all power to 20% by 2020. It pays a feed-in tariff (FIT), currently 16p per kilowatt hour (kWh), for all electricity produced by energy-efficient homes, even if the occupants use it themselves, which makes it better than free, and homeowners can sell any electricity they don’t use to the national grid for an additional export tariff of 4.5p/kWh, increasing to 5p/kWh from December 2012, so over 20 years an average family could make an estimated £18,000 or more above and beyond the cost of having the system installed. Homeowners also don’t need planning consents to install solar-energy panels, although those with listed buildings need the registry’s permission.

Visit the The Ecosphere website to learn more.

Car manufacturers and car buyers are on the top of their game in many ways this year. 2012 sees many innovations in vehicles that send the message we’re concerned about the environment as well as the economy. Often an auto loan is more available and the rates are better when the auto loan is for a any vehicle meets certain standards.
By definition, a car that is considered “eco-friendly” is one that meets a criteria that is beneficial rather than harmful to the environment. In order to meet these standards the vehicle should be manufactured and then be operated within the limits of these requirements. This applies not only to our cars, but to every aspect of our lives. Here are a few of these developments that apply specifically to our vehicles.

• Fuel Economy
• Electrical Components
• Low Carbon Emissions
• Drivetrain Technology
• Eco-friendly Materials
• Modular Transverse Toolkit
• Local Suppliers

Fuel economy has been a big concern to car manufacturers and also to the customer for many years. Everyone wants to save money. But now, more than ever before fuel economy has more to do with the environment that even with saving money itself. Cars are being made smaller and more efficient; often sacrificing room, comfort and power to save fuel.

Another important innovation in reducing the amount of fuel or energy required to operate the vehicle is in the fairly modern development of more electrical components in the car itself. The very popular hybrid cars today are working with the standard fuel injection and other types of engine with the electrical engine. The car senses the appropriate times to use one type of engine or the other depending upon the circumstance.

A big concern with cars today is the amount of carbon that is emitted when the vehicles are driven. It is assumed that carbon emissions are harmful to the atmosphere. The lower the amount of carbon that is given off into the atmosphere, the longer the earth will be here to enhance our lives.

One of the ways the fuel economy is increased and the carbon emissions is decreased is with the new technology that is being use in constructing the drive train in newer vehicles. The drive train really is the guts of the car. As new and innovative methods are used in the construction and configuration of the drive train, more efficiency is automatically built into the car.

The materials that are used in the actual making of the car also play an important part in keeping the vehicles eco-friendly and more environmentally functional. More and more manufactures are using the raw materials that are being obtained in the safest and most efficient methods. The manufacturing and servicing plants themselves are following similar guidelines used for the cars themselves.

The Modular Transverse Toolkit or MQB is a strategy that is used to ensure that the set-up of the vehicle itself is conducive to various arrangements of the engine components within that particular model and also within other similar models. This is a great benefit that saves time and money.

One more eco-friendly step is using local suppliers and local finance companies in manufacturing and selling vehicles. Local suppliers are handy and more likely to conform to what the manufacture needs. Local finance companies are more apt to offer the auto loan that offers special considerations for the eco-friendly car.

About the Author:
Kathleen Hubert is a blogger who writes on a variety of different sites. Check out more of her work at http://www.autoloan.org/.

Nowadays, there are many ways to be environmentally friendly in the bathroom. In fact, you have so many different options now it can be hard deciding which elements to include. As a private contractor in the Hamptons, I have done my fair share of bathroom makeovers. So, instead of being confused, follow a few simple tips I have come up with that will leave you with an aesthetically beautiful, as well as environmentally friendly new bathroom.

Start with surfaces

When you substitute green materials into your bathroom you not only are improving the sustainability and décor in your bathroom, you are making them safer hygienically. Almost all modern materials have added benefits on top of being environmentally sound. While touring Brooklyn real estate a few months ago I came across a novel use of bamboo for a bathroom countertop. Bamboo is a durable material that is anti-microbial by nature, is nearly waterproof, and is flexible enough to use in a variety of settings. You can use high quality bamboo for flooring as well.

Don’t want wood in your bathroom? Natural linoleum has many of the same properties as bamboo while at the same time being biodegradable, free of toxins, and very easy to maintain. As an added bonus, natural linoleum is extremely durable – it should last years or more. It comes in a wide variety of colors, shapes and patterns.

Make your vanity sparkle

Are you looking to add a bit of “wow” to your bathroom? Your vanity is an ideal place to add a distinctive touch. Instead of going out and purchasing all new cabinets and cupboards, consider making the environmentally sound choice and reusing old furniture. You can repurpose an old chest, or find quality old pieces at antique stores or on eBay. Using older pieces can add a vintage bit of flair to a bathroom. Or, you can update your old furniture to better fit in with your new look and color scheme. A couple of coats of low or no volatile organic compound paint or stain will have your vanity looking better than new.

Saving water

The biggest green updating you can give your bathroom is in using new, high efficient fixtures. The less water you use, the better off the environment will be. The biggest water savings will come in switching your showerhead over to a super-efficient model. Moen makes several models that use almost 20 percent less water, while still giving you an invigorating shower.

Another great way to lower your water usage is to install a lavatory faucet that meets the WaterSense criteria. WaterSense is a program started by the EPA to lessen indoor and outdoor water usage by promoting water-efficient products and practices. Moen has a new single-handle faucet that meets the WaterSense guidelines. Its technology lets the water flow at 1.5 gallons a minute as compared to the 2.2 gallons found in traditional faucets. As with all Moen products, you do not sacrifice style for performance.

Green accessories

Your bathroom decorations can also be a great way to go green. The first thing you should do is avoid rubber and plastic whenever possible. A rubber mat or plastic shower curtain can be detrimental to your air quality. This is particularly an issue in a small tight space such as a bathroom. It’s best to use PVC-free plastics for your shower curtains and liners. Even better is to use natural fabrics such as bamboo or cotton. Hemp is also a great option as is naturally resistant to mold. Another great way to go green in your bathroom is by using organic cotton for your towels and rugs. Organic cotton is hypoallergenic and is grown in a way that lessens the impact on the environment.

Spending more than we expect is never a great experience. We are always looking for ways to ensure our money isn’t needlessly wasted. In today’s economy, it’s more important than ever to keep our household budget in check and make every penny count. Doing little things around the home can add up to some big savings throughout the year.

 
 
Turn off standby modes.

This is a biggie, mainly because it’s very easy to hit the standby button on the remote. That’s what it’s there for. However, it only takes a little more effort to turn the appliance off. And trust me; you’ll reap the benefits of that extra work. According to the UK government website on energy, it’s estimated that the average household can waste up to £40.00 a year by leaving things on standby. Try to turn things off on the appliance itself or turn off at the plug.

If heat rises, so can your heating bill.

A whopping 80 percent of your home energy is used on heating. That’s a solid chunk of the budget right there. Luckily, there are a couple of things you can do to combat rising costs.

Turning down your thermostat by 1 degree can save you up to 10% on your heating bills, whilst insulating your walls and loft can save you on average £330.00 a year. Combined with turning off your appliances at the mains you could potentially save enough for a cheeky week away to Spain!

Get back what you put in.

Check out local energy suppliers. They often offer energy saving offers or you might be eligible for certain grants and aid for your home. Remember, you don’t have to be a customer to take advantage of their offers. Be bold and do a little research to see what you might be entitled to.

Get Energy Recommended

When it comes to getting a new appliance, there’s something you should always be on the lookout for. Energy Saving Trust Recommended appliances are some of the best in terms of energy usage and value for money. For example, the Bosch Exxcel WAQ28460GB has an amazing A+++ energy rating, and costs approximately £21.00 per year to run, making it one of the most efficient on the market.

When it comes to getting that new fridge or oven, you may balk at the initial price tag, but today’s domestic cooking, cleaning and cooling appliances are designed to be as energy efficient as possible, and they will save you money in the long run. Remember, every little counts!

There are many ways to reduce your water consumption, such as turning off the water while you brush your teeth, making sure your sprinkler isn’t wasted on concrete, amongst many other water-saving tips. However, a quick and easy way to conserve is to use low-flow fixtures on your home appliances. One household can save 40,000 gallons of water each year with low-flow fixtures. If every household in the U.S. also used low-flow fixtures, we could save 2 trillion gallons of water! The infographic below illustrates the point that just a few eco-friendly changes can make a HUGE environmental impact!

Source: eLocal.com

Visit the Garden of Eating blog to enter a giveaway for a $100 gift certificate good toward MightyNest products. The company features a hand-picked selection of the best kitchenware products to help you create a healthy, non-toxic kitchen. From glass bakeware and food storage to stainless steel kitchen essentials to safe dishware — all free of harmful chemicals like BPA that can leach into food. The link above will take you to the blog and outline steps to increase your chances of winning this companies products!

We at GEN are undoubtedly animal lovers and for that reason are in the process of opening a cage-free boarding and training facility at our compound in Agua Dulce, CA. Seeing that we’re all about lowering our environmental impact wherever we can, we have been contacting many eco-friendly companies to try out their products for review. Enter P.L.A.Y — or Pet Lifestyle and You — a company dedicated to reducing environmental waste by recycling old bottles and turning them into pet beds. This awesome company offered to send us one of their swanky beds for large breed dogs. We tried it out and here is our honest opinion on their product:

Comfort-

This bed is SUPER plush especially considering it was made with recycled bottles. My husband decided to try it out himself and said that it is not only spacious enough for a person to lay on (in the fetal position, granted!) but its also provides ample cushion to keep him from sinking into our hardwood flooring. He also weighs about 200 pounds, by the way. It should be noted that my business partner purchased a few of Costco brand dog beds to cut costs, which are similar in size — and those beds don’t even come close to the padding that P.L.A.Y provides. Definitely a well made dog bed.

Durability-

About 4-5 dogs have already made their home on the P.L.A.Y bed, and every seam and stitch is completely in tact. In comparison again with Costco brand beds, P.L.A.Y is MUCH more durable – as the former already had snags at the seams before any dog even touched it. Since we’ve only been using the bed for about 2 weeks, it is too early to tell the true durability especially because we haven’t had too many dogs coming in and out of the facility yet. Photo below is comparing the cushion in the Costco brand bed (left) to the P.L.A.Y brand dog bed (right).

Design-

The style of this “Savannah” dog bed in the sepia/dark chocolate color scheme is absolutely stunning. The top of the bed features a glossy, almost elephant skin looking design, but colored to fit the African desert. They also have an ash grey/cool grey option that actually much more resembles elephant skin, but the brown tones were more appropriate for our indoor dog lounge area. This bed could definitely fit the more upscale home decor.

Eco-Friendly Factor-

The best part about P.L.A.Y beds, as we mentioned before, is the fact that they are made to help reduce the world’s environmental waste. An astounding 92 recycled bottles made their way into the polyfiber filling for this particular bed. Not only that, but all the tags on their products are made from F.S.C. certified paper. While it would have been nice to see the entire bed being made out of re-purposed materials, the filling is a good start.

All in all, we couldn’t find too many negative aspects about this bed. However, with a price tag of $189 USD, it seems to be more well suited for the sophisticated dog owner looking to lessen their environmental impact a bit while still considering style.

As required by the FTC: I received no monetary compensation for this review. I received a product sample for the purpose of my review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Recycle.

It is so easy and simple to recycle these days that it’s almost harder not to recycle. Your local council will have provided you with a recycling bin and a calendar so you know which days to put out your recycling.

Have you ever had friends over and they have been confused when they go to throw out something and discover you don’t have a recycling bin? Avoid potential embarrassment and change this as soon as you can!

Glass, plastic, cardboard or aluminum should be recycled wherever possible. If you are unsure, turn the item upside down and look for the green triangle that will let you know if it can be recycled.

Going one step further and making an effort to buy items that are in biodegradable or very little packaging is even better if you can.

Bike or walk.

Cars are the largest contributor to air pollution in the world today and while you can do your best effort to look after your car or invest in a hybrid or greener model, the truly best thing you can do is reduce your car usage altogether! This will save you money AND work wonders for your health.

Switching your drive to work in the morning for a bike will mean you get exercise, fresh air and also save time searching for parking or being stuck in traffic – as well as save you money on petrol.

If biking isn’t your thing, go old school and walk – set yourself a challenge or a limit: if a place is less than 20mins walk away, make it a rule to always walk rather than drive. The more you get used to walking, the easier it will be, the fitter you’ll get, and the cleaner your air.

Cloth bags not plastic bags.

Green bags are very widely available and there is absolutely no reason that you should still be using plastic bags.

Not only are they reusable: they are also convenient. You can fit a lot more in cloth bags, including heavier or sharp items that just tear through plastic bags, and you can use them for pretty much anything.

Make a habit of keeping one handy at all times: there’s nothing more frustrating than heading to the supermarket and realizing you have left these bags at home. Constantly buying enviro bags is just as bad – if not worse – as constantly using plastic bags, and defeats the purpose.

Support eco businesses.

While it’s very easy now for businesses to practice greener habits, to recycle, to buy and stock environmentally friendly products and use eco promotional bags: it’s typically not the cheapest option for them.

Those businesses that are environmentally responsible are making a conscious effort and investment – and we are consumers are responsible in helping make their efforts worthwhile.

There are still so many businesses out there that, no matter what, will always choose the cheapest and easiest option because they only care about the bottom line.

The more we demand that businesses turn green, support those that do and avoid those that don’t, the sooner businesses will relent to pressure and start introducing more environmentally friendly practices.

Encourage your friends.

As one individual you may not think that your efforts alone can have a significant effect: but if you spread the word to your family, friends and all others you know, you can create a ripple effect and soon there will be an extra 100 or 1000 people practicing eco-friendly habits – all thanks to you!

Lead by example and become conscious of how others might be inspired by your habits – and encourage them to do the same.

While the Chevy Volt has been making headlines in a not-so-desirable way with its battery fire debacle (any publicity is good publicity probably doesn’t apply here), Nissan LEAF is once again proving itself a more than worthy competitor in the EV market – especially considering the LEAF is an actual EV. Yesterday at the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan announced its newest wireless charging technology which will allow owners of the LEAF to completely recharge its battery without having to install a charging system or find an extension cord. The flat floor pad can be positioned anywhere your car can fit, like a driveway or parking lot space. When LEAF owners park over the charging pad, sensors located underneath the EV will activate an electromagnet that sucks electricity from the car’s recharging coil. The auto maker affirms that weather conditions will not affect the wireless charging system. Another positive aspect about the new system is the accelerated charge time, which is eight hours using the pad. Typically, plugged into a standard 110V outlet, the charging time can be up to twenty hours if the battery is fully depleted. Nissan says its wireless system will become available sometime in 2013. Unfortunately, the currently existing LEAFs can not be altered to feature this technology, so those who have already purchased one will have to continue using the standard outlets and charging stations.

With all the positive buzz surrounding the Chevy Volt these days, it was surprising to hear about the latest scandal linked to the new hybrid vehicle. Recently, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tested three Volt batteries and one of them actually caught fire, with the other two reportedly overheating. The investigation was prompted to due the crash safety test performed last May, in which the Volt battery had allegedly caught on fire during routine inspections. NHTSA’s analysis aimed to mirror the circumstances surrounding the May battery incident. The NHTSA released a statement, in which they reported, “This past May, NHTSA crashed a Chevy Volt in an NCAP test designed to measure the vehicle’s ability to protect occupants from injury in a side collision. During that test, the vehicle’s battery was damaged and the coolant line was ruptured. When a fire involving the test vehicle occurred more than three weeks after it was crashed, the agency concluded that the damage to the vehicle’s lithium-ion battery during the crash test led to the fire.” The regulatory agency said its unknown at this time whether there will be a recall of any parts or the vehicle in its entirety. GM will be giving out free vehicles on loan to Volt owners who are apprehensive about driving the car until the situation has been resolved. It might be beneficial to note that other electric-powered vehicles on the market today, such as the Nissan LEAF or the Mitsubishi MiEV, have not reported any problems with battery packs.