Home Net 123

Brought to you by the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® 

02/22/10

Power optimize your PC

Power optimizing computer settings can save energy and money. From the start menu, click on "settings" and then "control panel."  To power optimize a PC, double click on "power management." Under "power schemes," choose "always on" from the drop-down list. Then, find two more drop-down lists, labeled "turn off monitor" and "turn off hard disks," and input the desired time for each. 

02/12/10

Deciduous shield

Did you know that planting deciduous trees on the east and west sides of your house can help you save on utility bills? Because they drop their leaves in the fall, deciduous trees allow the sun to warm a home in the cold months and shield it from the sun in the summer months.

02/02/10

Clean cold

Only 10 to 15 percent of the energy your washing machine uses is for actually washing your clothes. The majority of the energy goes toward heating the water. Throw cold water on your clothes and you save on your utility bill.

01/27/10

State adopts greenest building codes

Dubbed Calgreen, the greenest building code in the nation will take effect January 2011 in California and will require builders to install plumbing that cuts indoor water use, diverts 50 percent of construction waste from landfills to recycling, and uses low-pollutant paints, carpets, and floorings among other provisions. Click here for complete details. 

01/25/10

Get Unplugged

Unplug your charger from the outlet when your device is fully recharged. Leaving the charger plugged in, even if the device isn't connected, consumes energy. By unplugging unconnected chargers, you save money and energy.

01/24/10

Paperboard is recyclable

Paperboard is a thicker form of paper used in consumer packaging. Examples include cereal containers, tissue boxes, drink boxes, detergent packaging, and shoe boxes. Paperboard is recyclable--often at curbside--if the plastic liner has been removed and it has not been stained with cooking oil or water. While paperboard often is coated with kaolin clay to improve its printing surface, it’s still recyclable. 

01/23/10

Recycled paint

What happens to all the latex paint that is dropped off at hazard waste centers? It’s recycled and is being resold at your local paint distributors, Dunn-Edwards and Kelly-Moore, for instance. Recycled paint sells for less, but the quality and viscosity is augmented by blending it with virgin materials. For more information and a complete list of distributors, visit
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/ConDemo/Paint/.

01/22/10

Keep Your Laundry on Ice

Washing machines use a ton of energy, but did you know that 90% of that energy goes into heating the water? Forget the warm and hot wash cycles, and instead keep the dial on cold and rub a little eco-friendly detergent on those harder-to-clean stains. Not only are you saving the environment, but using less energy means a lower electric bill at the end of the month.

01/21/10

Put Your Mailbox on a Diet

Every year, 19 billion catalogs are mailed to American consumers. All those catalogs require more than 53 million trees and 56 billion gallons of wastewater to produce -- and many of us don't even know how we got on so many mailing lists! Visit http://www.catalogchoice.org to stop unwanted catalogs from arriving. Within 10 weeks, your mailbox will be empty of these unwanted publications. A less cluttered mailbox means less pollution, less waste and less of the pollution that cause global warming.

01/20/10

MORE ON RECYCLING PLASTIC BOTTLE CAPS

Because plastic bottle caps are made from a different grade of plastic (one that requires more heat to melt) than the actual bottles they seal, they should be removed before being placed in a recycling bin. Otherwise, someone at the recycling center will have to manually remove the caps. For this reason, many municipalities do not collect the caps. Check with your municipality and, if it doesn't accept the caps, contact earth911.org to find a location that does.

01/19/10

GREEN FONTS' HOLES SAVE INK

Ecofont claims it can extend the life of your ink and toner cartridges by up to 20 percent. Ecofont adds small holes to the letters (which are visible in large font sizes but barely noticeable in most office documents), thus striking the perfect balance between a legibility and less ink. Ecofont is free (http://www.ecofont.eu/ecofont_en.html), and works best with OpenOffice, AppleWorks, and MS Office 2007.

01/18/10

PERMANENT FILTERS

Instead of replacing your air conditioner or furnace filter several times a year, consider replacing the disposable filter with a permanent filter. These filters can be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or garden hose and mild household detergents. Plus, these filters carry a lifetime warranty, saving you money in the long-term.

01/01/10

GOOD-BYE PRINT METERS
Shave your business expenses -- postage meter, maintenance, and ink -- by printing your stamps online. Printing your stamps online requires less ink and overhead.

12/24/09

Clean your fridge’s coils

Cleaning the back of your fridge--the coils and electric circuitry--increases energy efficiency.  A refrigerator with dirty coils works harder, and uses 25 percent more energy compared with a fridge with clean coils.   To clean the coils: Disconnect the power; pull the unit away from the wall; remove the grill covering the coils; and use a vacuum cleaner or a bottle brush to clean

12/12/09

Rechargeable batteries

Want an alternative to using disposable batteries, which leak toxic wastes into landfills and ground water? Switch to USB rechargeable AA batteries that do not require adapters or cables, but instead can be inserted into your laptop’s USB port—or other USB port—and be recharged hundreds of times.

Visit http://www.usbcell.com/ for more info.

12/09/09

Green greetings

This holiday season, try online greeting cards or opt for recycled paper and cards that get second lives in the garden. Some cards are infused with seeds, which recipients can plant.  Visit http://www.greenfieldpaper.com to learn more about these and other eco-friendly greeting cards. 

11/11/09

Stop junk mail

You can put a stop to receiving your predecessor’s mail and save a lot of trees in one stroke. The service is free, so ask your broker to sign up. Visit http://www.ecologicalmail.org/ or call (800) 620-3975.

11/09/09

Thanksgiving grease

Recycling cooking grease, especially if you're a fan of those giant turkey fryers, is a better option than clogging sinks and sewers. One use for it is powering biodiesel vehicles. To find recycling centers, visit www.earth911.com and type in “cooking oils.”

10/10/09

It's flu season

It’s flu season and you know you’re supposed to wash your hands, but don’t neglect your feet and your home’s indoor air quality. The germs on your shoes find their way into your home and carpets.  According to one study, 27 percent of the bacteria in the home are the E. Coli

virus. For a healthy home, leave your shoes at the door.

10/09/09

Sustainable Sleeps

If you're traveling, consider staying at green hotels. Hunt for green lodging at http://www.istaygreen.org/.

09/09/09

Drought natives

Save 30 to 60 gallons of water each time you water per 1,000 square feet by planting drought-resistant trees and plants.

08/09/09

Green by design

You can design your mailings to be recyclable by printing with water-based inks, on uncoated paper stocks, and sending windowless envelopes.  Here’s another idea: Print on both sides of the paper to save resources and reduce

08/08/09

Update your database

Regularly update and improve your mailing lists to limit duplication and waste.

07/09/09

Shower Power

To maximize showering efficiency make sure that you have installed a low-flow showerhead in all of your bathrooms. All showerheads manufactured in the U.S. must restrict flow to 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) or less. Some models are designed to use even less water. 

07/07/09

Get out of the kitchen

Keep in mind this summer that your oven and stove generate a lot of heat, which causes your air-conditioning to turn on more frequently. Consider cooking outside on the grill or cook in a microwave.

06/09/09

Sweep versus hose

Save eight to 18 gallons of water per minute by using a broom to clean sidewalks, patios, and driveways.

06/06/09

The two-minute test

If you aren’t sure about the flow rate of your showerhead, you can test it using a five-gallon bucket and a stopwatch. Turn the shower on full blast (hot and cold). Place a five-gallon bucket under the shower and capture all of the flow. Fill the bucket for exactly two minutes. If your showerhead uses 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) or less, the bucket will not overflow during the two-minute test. If the bucket overflows during the test, you do not have a functioning low-flow showerhead.

05/09/09

No dumping allowed

Sure, it’s convenient, but you can save 1.6 to 5 gallons of water when you don’t use your toilet as a wastebasket.

05/05/09

Drought tips for trees

Californians may face water rationing this summer. In response, the California Landscape Contractors Association has provided the following tip for use by homeowners and businesses: Water trees first. If trees are lost, it increases the surrounding temperature, making everything hotter. Trees also are expensive to replace.  Many surrounding plants depend on them, because trees offer shade and protection for some lawns and other plants that may not survive the hot sun without them. In addition, trees often are homes, shelter and/or food to birds and animals, which could possibly die if they perish.

04/09/09

More drought tips

Californians may face water rationing this summer. In response, the California Landscape Contractors Association has provided tips for use by homeowners and businesses.

. Do not use high nitrogen fertilizers during a drought.  They encourage growth but the plants will need more water.
. Heavily mulch all flower and soil beds.  Mulch helps keep water in the soil.  Do not use rocks/gravel because they add heat to the soil and moisture evaporates faster.
. Mow grass higher to promote deeper root growth and hold more moisture. Aerate the lawn and fill the holes with compost so the water can infiltrate deeper.

04/04/09

Use a swimming pool cover

If you have a swimming pool, add a cover. You'll reduce evaporation by 90 percent. If your pool is heated, reduce the water temperature. Warmer water evaporates more quickly. For more water conservation tips, visit www.drinktap.org and http://www.h2ouse.org/index.cfm.

03/20/09

LIGHTS OUT! EARTH HOUR

Around the globe on March 28, when the clock strikes 8:30 p.m. local time, Earth Hour will begin. At this time, people around the globe will switch off their lights to demonstrate their support to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. The Eiffel Tower and other Parisian landmarks will fade to black, as Paris, the City of Light, heads a list of cities and towns that will join the world in making a visual vote for decisive action on climate change during Earth Hour 2009. For more information, visit http://www.earthhour.org.

03/09/09

Forget about clipping coupons and go paperless.

Coupon Sherpa (www.couponsherpa.com), a new iPhone app, allows shoppers to access in-store coupons for more than 100 retailers on an iPhone or iPod Touch. Available for $1.99, the Coupon Sherpa app offers discounts for more than 100 participating retailers including Bloomingdales, GNC, JCPenney, Kmart, Office Depot, TGI Friday’s, and Walgreens.

03/03/09

Water, Use It Wisely

In February Governor Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency because of a severe drought and warned of possible water rationing. For 100 water-saving tips for use by you, your business, and your clients, visit the Water Use It Wisely Web site (www.wateruseitwisely.com/index.php).

02/09/09

Natural gas dryers

Consider switching to a natural gas clothes dryer, which is typically less expensive to operate than electric dryers, often by as much as 50 percent.

02/02/09

Pool Loss

Install a pool or spa cover and save 30 gallons of water daily instead of losing the water to evaporation and filter backwash.

01/09/09

Save time, energy in the dryer

Add tennis balls or dryer balls to your dryer. They will speed up drying time and save you electricity.

01/01/09

12/12/08

Southern California Gas Co. customers can request a free water-saving kit that includes three faucet aerators and a low-flow showerhead.

11/11/08

Install faucet aerator

10/10/08

Use a swimming pool cover

If you have a swimming pool, add a cover. You'll reduce evaporation by 90 percent. If your pool is heated, reduce the water temperature. Warmer water evaporates more quickly.

09/09/08

Check for leaky faucets

Leaky faucets that drip at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year. Not sure if you have a leak? Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, you probably have a leak.

08/08/08

Mulch slows down evaporation

Planting a layer of mulch around trees and plants, such as chunks of bark, peat moss or gravel slows down evaporation. By doing so, 750 to 1,500 gallons of water can be saved a month.

07/07/08

Write stuff

Disposable plastic pens aren’t recyclable or biodegradable. The greener choice is refillable pens, marker, and pencils. When choosing a printer, opt for an inkjet printer, which uses 20 watts of electricity versus 300 watts for a laser printer.

06/06/08

READ, RESPOND, RECYCLE IN THE POST OFFICE

The U.S. Postal Service is unveiling a Post Office Box Lobby Recycling program that places secure recycling bins in Post Office lobbies. All bins are locked with a key and the opening is slim-about the width of a news magazine. Customers are encouraged to remove and open their mail (read), take whatever action is necessary (respond), and simply place the rest of their mail into the bin (recycle).

05/05/08

MORE ON RECYCLING PLASTIC BOTTLE CAPS

Because plastic bottle caps are made from a different grade of plastic (one that requires more heat to melt) than the actual bottles they seal, they should be removed before being placed in a recycling bin. Otherwise, someone at the recycling center will have to manually remove the caps. For this reason, many municipalities do not collect the caps. Check with your municipality and, if it doesn't accept the caps, contact earth911.org to find a location that does.

04/04/08

LOCAL GOVERNMENT GREEN BUILDING ORDINANCES IN CALIFORNIA

In recent years, numerous local governments in California have implemented "green" building ordinances. To learn what ordinances are in effect in your area, see this
document, released by California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr.:
http://ag.ca.gov/globalwarming/pdf/green_building.pdf.

03/03/08

PAPERBOARD IS RECYCLABLE

Paperboard is a thicker form of paper used in consumer packaging. Examples include cereal containers, tissue boxes, drink boxes, detergent packaging, and shoe boxes. Paperboard is recyclable--often at curbside--if the plastic liner has been removed and it has not been stained with cooking oil or water. While paperboard often is coated with kaolin clay to improve its printing surface, it's still recyclable.

02/02/08

USE BEFORE RECYCLING

Collect 8.5- by 11-inch paper that's been printed on one side by your printers and fax machines, designate a paper drawer on each printer, or as many printers as practical, for this paper, and use it to print drafts.

01/01/08

TELECONFERENCE ONLINE AND SAVE

Log in and save money, drive time, and gasoline when a face-to-face meeting is not necessary. There are many ways to conference online, including using Skype, which offers free calls and free conferencing. If visuals are required, try GoToMeeting , a provider of online meeting and collaboration software.

1212/07

NUMBER 7 PLASTIC DEFINED

Any plastic that does not fit into the other six rather well-defined categories of material earns a number 7. Ironically, this category also includes the new bio-based plastics that use corn, potato, or sugar derivatives. However, the most infamous type of number 7 plastic is polycarbonate, a building block in bisphenol-A (BPA), which gained headlines as an endocrine disrupter and health concerns. Because this category of plastics is composed of several types of materials, few municipal or commercial programs accept number 7 plastic.

11/11/07

CONFUSED ABOUT PLASTICS?

You're not alone. Experts have reached a consensus and recommend that you avoid these varieties -- identified by a triangle and number on the bottom of most containers -- for the following reasons:

#3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) commonly contains di-2-ehtylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), an endocrine disruptor and probable human carcinogen, as a softener.

#6 Polystyrene (PS) may leach styrene, a possible endocrine disruptor and human carcinogen, into water and food.

#7 Polycarbonate contains the hormone disruptor bisphenol-A, which can leach out as bottles age, are heated, or exposed to acidic solutions. Unfortunately, #7 is used in most baby bottles and five-gallon water jugs and in many reusable sports bottles.

10/10/07

DON’T THROW OUT YOUR TV

The roughly 110 million U.S. households with televisions are preparing for the switch to digital television reception (postponed until June 12, 2009) by adding a converter box or upgrading to a digital-ready television. The old set may contain as much as five pounds of lead and, in some locales, it may be illegal to simply leave your old set at curbside. Visit the EPA's eCycling site (www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/tv-convert.htm) to learn your local recycling options.

09/09/07

 TOILET DAMS

If water-saving or dual-flush toilets are not in your office or home improvement budget, then place one or two plastic containers filled with stones in your toilet's tank. This intermediary step will displace a significant amount of water use over the course of a year.

08/08/07

DOWNLOAD MUSIC

Whenever you can, download your music, instead of purchasing a CD. If you want to recycle your CDs and DVDs, visit the Compact Disc Recycling Center of America at http://www.cdrecyclingcenter.com/ to find the nearest recycling center, or visit http://www.cdrecyclingforfree.com/.  The latter accepts your mailed CDs and DVDs; you pay the postage.

07/07/07

PLASTIC LININGS IN CANS

Bisphenol-A, the hormone-disrupting chemical found in plastic bottles, is present in the majority of canned foods. The thin plastic lining found in canned goods contains traces of BPA that can migrate into food. One way to avoid BPA-lined cans is to purchase foods packaged in Tetra Paks, aseptic cartons made from layers of paper, aluminum, and polyethylene.

06/06/07

LIGHT-EMITTING NOEL

It's a fact: Christmas decorations will cause a spike in your electricity bill.

This year, consider purchasing strings and strands that contain light-emitting diodes, which use 99 percent less electricity than traditional bulbs.

05/05/07

Inflate Your Tires

Under-inflated tires can lower gas lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every pound drop in pressure of all four tires. So keep'em pumped!

04/04/07

FRONT-LOADED SAVINGS

In the market for a new washing machine? Choose an ENERGY STAR variety, of course, but also opt for an horizontal-axis (front-loader) washing machine, which uses far less water and 60 percent less energy than top-loaders. For more green real-estate-related tips and discussion

03/03/07

CLEAN YOUR FRIDGE'S COILS

Cleaning the back of your office fridge--the coils and electric circuitry--increases energy efficiency. A refrigerator with dirty coils works harder, and that means an extra 25 percent more energy use and CO2 emissions as compared with a fridge with clean coil.

02/02/07

Be Reasonable with the Thermostat

You don't have to be uncomfortable in your home to save energy or reduce emissions, but try to keep it as warm as you can stand it in the summer, and turn it down to 68 or below in the winter.

01/01//07

RECYCLE WITHOUT RESERVATIONS

If you've ever wondered if paper clips, staples, envelopes with adhesive, metal latches, or even plastic windows are recyclable, the answer is yes!

12/12/06

RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES PLUG INTO USB PORTS

Want an alternative to using disposable batteries, which leak toxic wastes into landfills and ground water? USB Cell produces rechargeable AA batteries that do not require adapters or cables, but instead can be inserted into your laptop's USB port, or other USB port, and be recharged hundreds of times. Visit http://usbcell.com/ or
http://www.terrapass.com/green-store/gadgets-chargers/ for more info.

11/11/06

Try a Meatless Monday

According to the New Dream Foundation, for every 1,000 people who cut out just one beef meal a week, we would save over 70,000 pounds of grain, 70,000 pounds of topsoil, and 40 million gallon of water each year.

10/10/06

LOVE THAT LINOLEUM

If it's time to change the break room floor, opt for linoleum instead of vinyl. Linoleum is made from all-natural resources, while vinyl is made from petroleum.

408-275-1798

408-275-1798