Saving money is the number one reason why consumers buy energy-efficient appliances, according to a recent survey by the Shelton Group, a Knoxville, Tennessee, based advertising firm. Of 500 survey participants, 71 percent bought green products to save money, 55 percent to protect the environment and 49 percent “to protect the quality of life for future generations.” 

Energy Star products, such as this phone charger, help save money on utility bills. Just remember to unplug chargers when you're not using them! Photo By Handolio/Courtesy Flickr.

According to the Shelton Group, these results diverge from the 2006 and 2007 Utility Pulse findings, when more people cited environmental reasons for buying energy-efficient products. The recession has caused Americans to look for new ways to save money, and the survey found that saving $20 or more in monthly utility bills resulted in consumer satisfaction. About 32 percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their eco-appliances, saying they didn’t save as much money as they’d hoped. 

Reducing utility bills is a two-step process. First, it’s essential to take green measures such as turning off the lights when you leave a room, unplugging appliances from energy sockets when not in use, reducing shower time and lowering your thermostat in winter and raising it in summer. Second, when old appliances are ready to be replaced, opt for Energy Star-certified products. 

Is your home energy savvy? Find out quickly by taking our quiz.

Homeowners beware. Your drywall could be poisoning your home. 

Officials believe that since 2001, drywall imported from China has contained high levels of sulfur that could be leaking into homes and other buildings. The problem first surfaced in Florida, where residents of new homes complained of unusual, persistent odors and corroded air conditioning coils. 

Residents in homes with imported Chinese drywall have complained of damage to their homes and health problems as a result of the drywall’s high levels of sulfur.  Photo By BoneDaddy.P7/Courtesy Flickr   

The problem is widespread. The drywall can be found in every state in single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes and commercial buildings that have been built or remodeled since 2001. It’s even possible that the drywall was used in reconstructing New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. 

The sulfur, which officials believe comes from the gypsum used to the make the Chinese drywall, corrodes electrical wiring in the walls. Because of this, may residents have noticed their air conditioning coils corroding and failing. People living in houses made with the Chinese drywall have experienced mild to severe upper respiratory problems, nosebleeds and headaches—or worse. 

If you’re looking for a safer, greener alternative to drywall, consider Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, structural insulated panels or insulating concrete forms.

More than a decade ago, Calvin Klein predicted that hemp would become “the fiber of choice in both home furnishings and fashion industries.” Hemp is a viable—and desirable—alternative to cotton, which requires pounds of pesticides to grow. This miraculous weed produces a sturdy, absorbent, anti-microbial fiber that’s three times stronger than cotton and naturally resistant to UV light. It’s rapidly renewable and can be grown without pesticides or herbicides—something of a miracle plant. 

Sadly, it’s illegal to grow hemp in the United States.

Hemp is a cousin to marijuana, a different breed of the Cannabis sativa plant—but with only minute levels of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that gets users high. According to a recent article on Alternet.org, “to get high you’d have to smoke a joint the size of a telephone pole.” The U.S. legal system has, however, lumped hemp with pot, and the last legal hemp crop was harvested in 1957. Seven states have introduced legislation to legalize hemp cultivation, but the federal government has refused to grant them the licenses they need under current drug laws. That’s a shame. 

Products made from hemp grown in Canada, China and Eastern Europe (where it’s legal) amounted to $300 million in annual retail sales in North America last year. These include wonderful items for the home, including dish and bath towels, curtains and drapes, rugs and blankets.

Hemp fiber is strong and durable. Photo By  Mike Wade/Courtesy Flickr . 

Hemp is getting more attention these days as tough economic times force Americans to look toward new growth industries. “We’re in the midst of a dark economic transition, but I believe hemp is an important facet and has tremendous economic potential,” Patrick Gogin, a board member on the California Council for Vote Hemp, told Alternet. 

Hemp could help provide the economic stimulus and green jobs we need. Let’s tell Congress and President Obama to take another look. 

As more Americans tighten their belts to save a penny or two, many are finding they can save money by growing food-producing gardens. 

While most sectors of the economy are detracting, seed companies have seen 20 to 30 percent sales growth. Irish Eyes Garden Seeds, a wholesale seed company in Washington, expects to gross $1 million this year. Owners Greg and Sue Lutovsky attribute increasing business in a falling economy to seeds’ value. Greg told The Seattle Times that a person with a limited income could pay $2 for a head of lettuce or spend $2 on a packet of 300 seeds that will last all summer long. 

Seed sales have risen 20 to 30 percent as more people turn to food-producing gardens to save money and feed themselves. Photo By SatrinaO/Courtesy Flickr 

In addition to producing food, seeds can provide income. Many of Irish Eyes’ customers purchase seeds so they can sell the produce later. One customer, a part-time contractor who also sold produce at a farmer’s market, bought 500 pounds of potato seeds, which will result in 5,000 pounds of potatoes. Burpee, the world’s largest seed company, offers a great deal on its website: For $10, customers can purchase $20 worth of seeds, which – according to Burpee – will yield $650 worth of vegetables. 

Gardening is not all about saving money. You get the pleasure of working on a project you created. You can eat fresh, organic food that hasn’t been genetically modified. You can even trade produce with other, garden-growing neighbors in your community.

Turn out the lights. Light the candles. Tomorrow night (March 28) from 8:30-9:30 (in your time zone) is Earth Hour.

The World Wildlife Foundation is urging people from all over the world to turn off the lights during Earth Hour; its goal is 1 billion participants. The first Earth Hour occurred in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for an hour. By 2008, it had become a global phenomenon, with about 50 million participants answering the call to “stand up and take control over the future of our planet.”

The event’s official website lists the following ideas for spending Earth Hour (and they sound like a lot of fun!)

• Attend a local Earth Hour event or organize your own by throwing an Earth Hour street party with your neighbors.

• Gather family and friends for a night picnic in your local park and look at the stars.

• Enjoy a family dinner by candlelight.

• Organize a treasure hunt in the dark.

• Have a candlelit bath.

• Sit in the dark and share stories.

• Organize a family night playing board games.

• Share a romantic night in with your loved one.

So far, 2,712 cities, towns and municipalities in 83 countries have signed on to participate in Earth Hour. Every ferry in Sydney’s harbor is scheduled to sound its horn at 8:30 p.m., followed by a people-pedal-powered concert in Melbourne. In Athens, Greece, people will be given instruments to play as the lights on the Acropolis are shut off.

What’s your city doing?

Difficult economic times mean recycling centers across the nation are seeing demand for recycled items such as paper, cardboard and glass diminish. According to CNN, recyclers in Georgia are now getting $37 a ton for recyclables, down from roughly $160 a ton a year ago. Recycling programs across America are facing similar problems. 

In Atlanta, this has meant that curbside recycling collection has been spotty, and many residents are worried that providers won’t pick up their recycling bins. Some are stockpiling items in garages and driving them to drop-off centers. 

If you’re having difficulties with your recycling company, try these tips: 

• Contact your provider and ask for a comprehensive list of pickup dates. 

• If you live close to a drop-off center, dispose of your recyclables there. 

Before you throw away recycling items, give them a second life with these creative ideas:

• Repurpose old items into new treasures.

• Salvage materials for home renovations.

• Get crafty with so-called “junk.”

• Get to know your recycling symbols. 

The earth—and your local landfill—will thank you.

When the Obama family moved into the White House, many people gave suggestions on how to green the first family’s home. 

The Obamas listened. 

For the first time since Eleanor Roosevelt grew a Victory Garden during World War II, the White House will have a vegetable garden. Michelle Obama, along with 23 fifth graders from an elementary school in Washington, D.C., dug up the soil for the 1,100-square-foot organic garden last Friday. The entire Obama family, including the President, was expected to help pull weeds in preparation.  

Michelle Obama shows elementary school children how to dig dirt for the vegetable garden. Photo Courtesy  The White House/ Joyce N. Boghosian  

The organic garden is one way the White House is going green. The beds for the garden will be fertilized with White House compost as well as crab meat, lime and green sand. Ladybugs and praying mantises will help control bugs. The first family will plant cilantro , hot peppers, red romaine lettuce, spinach, collards, Thai basil and many other seeds for a total of 55 vegetable varieties. 

The kitchen staff at the White House will use the vegetables, herbs and berries to prepare meals for the first family, but Michelle Obama hopes the garden’s benefits will extend beyond that. She believes the children helping out will learn about healthier eating. 

Organic advocates around the country hope the Obamas’ garden will become a national symbol for eating healthier food and , more importantly, growing food locally and organically. Much of the nation’s produce is grown on industrial farms, requiring large amounts of oil to transport and chemicals to fertilize. If more people grew their own vegetables or participated in a community garden, we could cut back our dependence on these farms and live healthier lives.

In this new age of accountability, we all want to do our part to minimize our carbon emissions and resource use—and there’s a lot we can do. But sometimes, I’ll admit, I wonder how big a difference my small steps can make. Sustainability starts at home—but it sure does help to have community backing.

That’s why I was so excited to learn about the Cambridge Energy Alliance (CEA), a program launched this year in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to help residents save money while reducing their carbon emissions. The nonprofit city-sponsored organization offers free energy audits as well as customized plans to make homes and buildings more eco-friendly by reducing consumption of water, electricity, gas and heat.

The Cambridge Energy Alliance aims to help residents save money and reduce carbon emissions. Photo Courtesy Cambridge Energy Alliance.

The City Council launched CEA to help reduce at least 10 percent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2010. Through energy audits, financing assistance and installation and follow-ups, the CEA anticipates that Cambridge could save roughly 164 kilowatt-hours a year and reduce electricity use by 10 percent.

Lilah Glick, community outreach manager for CEA offers these helpful tips for reducing energy, water and gas use.

Water:

• Replace old sink faucets and showerheads with low-flow faucets.

• Time your showers; they should be between 5 to 10 minutes.

Energy: 

• Have an energy audit done on your home and install weather striping and insulation as recommended.

• Unplug appliances when not in use.

Gas: 

• Install a programmable thermostat; throughout the day it will adjust the temperature setting.

If you don’t live in Cambridge or in the 20-plus cities that offer programs similar to the CEA, you can start a program yourself. Glick recommends doing your research, assessing your community’s needs and getting to know local organizations, community leaders and nonprofits. Find out if your community has a climate action plan, and find out how you can partner with them. It may take some time—but the results are sure to be worth it.

In February, India put a program into action that will phase out incandescent light bulbs and eventually decrease the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 55 tons. By 2012, the government-sponsored program, called Bachat Lamp Yojana, will replace 400 million incandescent with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which use less energy and have a longer life span than normal bulbs. 

Part of the program’s goal is to make CFLs affordable to the Indian public. The eco-friendly bulbs normally cost between 80 and 100 rupees, but the program knocks the cost down to 15 rupees, making it just as economical to buy a CFL as an incandescent bulb. 

India has joined the ranks of other eco-friendly nations by pledging to replace 400 million incandescent bulbs with CFLs, which use less energy and last longer.  Photo By K. Latham/Courtesy Flickr  

Funding for India’s program comes in part from the cleaner development mechanism — part of the Kyoto protocol — in which developed nations fund developing nations in their efforts to reduce emissions. Further funding could come from the United Nations Climate Summit Change in Copenhagen in December. At the summit, developed nations will decide whether to fund $140 billion a year to help developing nations implement environmentally friendly policies. 

India’s new program puts it in league with nations like Australia, Argentina and Ireland, all of which have light bulb laws. In the last few years more than 10 countries, including the United States, have pledged to do away with incandescent light bulbs. The United States has committed to doing so by 2014. The sooner, the better. 

If Michelle Obama can do for local food what she did for J. Crew cardigans, the locavore nation may have its new poster woman for healthy eating. 

Obama, who praised community vegetable gardens while speaking at the USDA, is using her influence on American culture to further the local food movement. She’s allowed reporters into the White House kitchen to get an up-close look at what the chefs are cooking up for the first family—a mix of fresh fruits, veggies and organic foods that are healthy and nutritious. She’s served fresh food to the needy at Miriam’s Kitchen in D.C. But most importantly, she’s spreading the message about local food: It tastes better and is better for you. 

First Lady Michelle Obama campaigns during election season. Photo By Robyn Vandenberg/ Courtesy Flickr  

“When you grow something yourself and it’s close and it’s local, oftentimes it tastes really good,” Obama says in a recent post on the White House blog. “And when you’re dealing with kids, for example, you want to get them to try that carrot. Well, if it tastes like a real carrot and it's really sweet, they're going to think that it's a piece of candy. So my kids are more inclined to try different vegetables if they're fresh and local and delicious.” 

Local food is also better for the planet. It supports a healthy, clean environment that benefits wildlife and the land. Growing local, seasonal food preserves genetic diversity and reduces our reliance on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Buying local contributes to the community economy and protects our food supply for the future. 

With the spring season upon us, here are a few tips on how to eat in-season and get local food on your dinner table: 

1. Become a member of a community-supported agriculture program (CSA). CSA season is usually from late spring through early fall. Find your local CSA through Local Harvest. 

2. Support local farmers by purchasing fresh food from the farmer’s market. Local produce, honey and jams are widely available. Find a farmer’s market in your state. 

3. Find a food coop (a worker- or customer-owned business) in your area. Coops provide customer control of the foods and products that sell in the store. Bonus: Many coops offer healthy cooking classes.

Of our daily water use, 75 percent is consumed in the bathroom. Changing our habits can cut back on our use. (I’ve long been an advocate of not flushing every time, but some people—my own friends and relatives included—think that’s gross.) So if you have an older toilet in your home, you can greatly reduce your water use simply by replacing it. 

The good news? Many companies now offer high-efficiency toilets (HETs). At least 22 toilet manufacturers currently make about 200 toilets that use 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf) or less—and they’re easy to find. Just look for toilets with the WaterSense label. WaterSense, a two-year-old program sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency, offers certification for a range of water-efficient products and appliances. All WaterSense products have to pass a water-use test. Toilets must be able to dispose of 350 grams of solid waste in a single flush. 

High-efficiency toilets use less water per flush than normal toilets. Photo By  Soaleha/Courtesy Flickr  

Solid waste limits how low a toilet’s water-use can go, however. Some toilets, such as Kohler’s one-piece San Raphael Pressure Lite toilet, use only 1 gpf, but this may be the minimum amount of water a toilet can use. Once you flush the waste, it has to travel at least 60 feet through a drain line before it enters the sewer system, and it needs a little help to get there. If toilets use less than a gallon of water, waste may not make it to the sewer system. 

Although solid waste may need a little extra water to flush down, liquid waste certainly doesn’t. Thankfully, some toilet manufacturers realized this and created the dual-flush toilet. These toilets offer two flushing settings: 1.6 gpf for solid waste and 0.8 gpf for liquid waste. Now, that’s water sense. 

If you’re not in the market for an HET now, you may be soon. A 1992 law forced toilets to a 1.6 gpf standard and now it looks as if we’re on the verge of a new standard. California, a trend-setting state for green initiatives, has declared that all new toilets must be HET by 2014. HETs are mandated in other countries as well. In Australia, for example, all new buildings must use dual-flush toilets. 

HETs aren’t the only way to go green in your bathroom. Check out these other products that can save water and energy in your home. From using nontoxic cleaners to installing low-flow showerheads, we can all take steps to reduce our water use and make our bathrooms more environmentally friendly. 

The Greener Gadgets Conference, held in New York City last week, was a great forum for the types of innovations that we hope to see more of in the coming year. Organized by Inhabitat, a website that focuses on design innovations that enhance sustainability, efficiency, and interactivity in the home, the conference featured inventions that marry form and function while keeping the planet in mind.  

This year’s winner was the Tweet-a-watt, an energy monitor that publicizes your energy use via your Twitter account. Using this invention, you can monitor your own energy use without having to decipher your home’s energy meter (especially good if you rent).  

Microblogging your energy use makes it easier to see how much you consume compared to others. Photo Courtesy Inhabitat.

In this age of accountability, an even more interesting aspect of the Twee-a-watt your energy use becomes public knowledge, carrying with it the potential for public admiration (or scorn—but we hope that’s not the case). The Tweet-a-watt was created by MIT graduate Limor of ladyada.net, but you don’t have to be a genius to make one at home; Limor even provides instructions and diagrams on her site to help you along. 

While the Tweet-a-watt was the winner of the competition, many other designs are worth mentioning. Second place went to the Power Hog, a piggy bank-inspired energy-monitoring system that teaches kids about energy conservation. Just plug the pig’s tail into a wall outlet, then drop in coins to meter out a certain amount of time and energy usage. 

The Indoor Drying Rack, made up of bamboo laminate and recycled aluminum, took third place. It requires no energy to dry clothes, is easy to install and takes up no floor space. 

Fourth place went to The Laundry POD, a portable, hand-operated laundry machine with mechanics similar to those of a salad spinner, saving money, water and gas. 

But these are just the beginning. Check out the top 50 entries and be wowed 46 more times.

Last weekend more than 12,000 people flocked to Washington, D.C., for a three-day demonstration to demand the creation of green jobs, cuts in the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and less dependence on fossil fuels. More than 4,000 lobbyists visited nearly every congressional office on Capitol Hill, and nearly 2,500 protestors gathered in front of the Capitol Power Plant, which burns coal to heat congressional offices. 

This mobilization, one of the largest in history, shows that the Americans are taking interest in their environment and energy sources—in a big way. 

Americans want clean energy now. Photo from Natural Home archives.

Coal plants were a major focus of the protestors and lobbyists. Despite claims of “clean coal,” coal-burning power plants, which produce about half of U.S. electricity needs, emit carbon dioxide. (Check out the May/June issue of Natural Home, on newsstands April 14, for more on that.) After the December coal spill at the Tennessee Valley Authority power plant, coal is under even greater scrutiny these days. 

The fossil-fuel industry certainly won’t go down without a fight. Various companies are hiring their own lobbyists and pledging millions of dollars to counteract legislation from green advocates. Yet some legislators are starting to take heed. Four days before the protest, several congressional leaders called for the end of the coal-burning Capitol Power Plant. 

We truly are on the verge of an energy revolution—and you can be a part of it. Our guide to alternative energy breaks down the pros, cons, costs and ideal conditions for various sources of alternative energy. Whether you start small with a few solar lights for your garden or go large with a geothermal system, you can be a part of it.

I live in a fairly small townhouse, and storage space can be a problem. (Actually, storage space seems to be a problem for everyone I know, wherever they live. We humans just collect a lot of stuff.) The current issue of Natural Home gave me some great ideas for keeping my stuff organized while reusing items that might otherwise end up in the trash. 

Perhaps what plagues me most are the magazines that pile up—in my office, my bedroom and even in the bathroom! So I started my spring cleaning and organizing by making these great magazine holders out of old cereal boxes.

A covered cereal box can be turned into a magazine holder. Photo By Povy Kendal Atchison.

I’m not the craftiest person on the planet, but this project was super easy—just the way I like it. All I had to do was cut away part of a vertical side, and the boxes stay strong enough to hold several magazines. My daughter helped me make them pretty, decorating them with old magazine and newspaper cut-outs and her own unique artistry. 

And now for the hard part—time to clear space on the bookshelves to make room for my magazine holders. Anyone have any great reuse ideas for old books?

The economic stimulus package that President Obama signed last month provides $20 billion for investment in a greener economy. Of that, $500 million will fund training programs for green jobs, which include building a new power grid, manufacturing solar panels, weatherizing homes and office buildings, and renovating schools.

American workers are ready for green jobs. Photo courtesy  Green For All . 

In an op-ed piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Vice President Biden wrote that funding green jobs would pay more—on average, 10 to 20 percent more than similar jobs in traditional employment sectors.  

Biden also points out that a greener nation would mean fewer expenses for Americans. Weatherizing homes could decrease heating and electricity bills by 20 to 40 percent. A cleaner environment could mean healthier families and fewer health costs. 

Vice President Biden isn’t alone in campaigning for green jobs. In 2007, Van Jones, a California-based lawyer, launched the advocacy group Green For All, which works to create new jobs with an environmental focus. Jones campaigned for the 2007 Green Jobs Act, which provides grants for training in eco-friendly trades, and he’s also worked with his local government to secure funding for similar programs in Oakland. 

“If we shut down pollution-spewing power plants and shift to renewable energy, what happens? We reduce asthma,” Jones told Natural Home last year. “If we reduce asthma, we cut expenses. If one kid with asthma doesn’t have health care, it costs the family about $10,000 a year in inhalers, lost wages and ER visits. That means if you clean up the air with renewable energy, you put $10,000 per kid per year back into the pockets of poor people.” 

We like the sound of that.

Learn how to land green jobs.