SOCIALIZE
Need another reason to stop drinking sodas? How about farmers using Coke and Pepsi as a pesticide? And it works!
The short video shows some farmers in India who claim that standard pesticides cost much more money than Coke or Pepsi, which do the job of killing insects even better. Check it out and let us know what you think!
On April 30th, Toronto will become the first city in North America with a bylaw that requires roofs to be green. And we're not talking about paint. A green roof, also known as a living roof, uses various hardy plants to create a barrier between the sun's rays and the tiles or shingles of the roof. The plants love the sun, and the building (and its inhabitants) enjoy more comfortable indoor temperatures as a result.
Toronto's new legislation will require all residential, commercial and institutional buildings over 2,000 square meters to have between 20 and 60 percent living roofs. While... Read More
Timber (wood) is considered one of the most environmentally friendly materials that you can use for building, and manufacturing. However, timber needs to be sourced carefully so that it prevents deforestation and loss of biodiversity. Fortunately, there are a couple of resources available to help ensure that the timber you decide to use is responsibly produced. These resources are the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification and Friends of The Earth’s Good Wood guide (FOE).
The FSC ensures that you are buying timber from monitored sustainable sources, so for example when shopping for some wooden blinds for your new home, you... Read More
Just as Count Dracula preys upon the innocent, Vampire Power, or the energy drawn from items like electronic devices that are plugged in but not in use, drains blood from the energy grid wasting 10 billion dollars annually in the U.S. alone. Check out the video to learn all about the money wasting.
6 tips to reduce your Vampire Power usage
Unplug your devices when not in use. It's as simple as that. Pull TV/computer/stereo/etc power cords out of the outlet. If they're not in use or if they're totally unneccesary (are you really going to ever use that VCR player... Read More
Small Appliances
Cook with small appliances. Cook with your toaster oven, electric skillet and slow cooker for specialized jobs, rather than the range. Small appliances use less energy.
Run cold water for disposal. Hot water requires energy to warm the water. Cold water saves energy and solidifies grease, moving it more easily through the garbage disposal and pipes.
Refrigerators and freezers
Don’t set the temperature colder than necessary. Set the refrigerator temperature between 36° F and 42° F. Set the freezer control so the temperature is between -5° F and +6° F. A small thermometer placed in the refrigerator or freezer will help... Read More
