Rather than whine about how miserable the current outlook for our environment is, you can actually make a lot of difference by starting your own conservation revolution at home. Apart from implementing your own green initiatives at home, it would also help if you write or call your congressmen and senators and ask them to craft environment-friendly legislation. Here are a few helpful tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint at home.

Set Goals To Reduce Energy Consumption

Before revving up your green campaign at home, first determine a baseline to start your energy conservation activity. Make sure you set specific energy reduction goals, for gas, vehicle fuel consumption and electricity. Create a chart for your car’s fuel-reduction objectives, and chart the kilowatts-per hour or thermal readings at home.

Make Changes In The Products Used By Your Family

Some of the products and items you use at home may actually lead to a build-up in your carbon footprint, as well as to a spike in your electricity and gas bills. Remember to buy only energy-saving products where needed.

It would also help if you get your family involved by asking them to make changes to their daily habits. You could ask each of your family members to check all the lights and appliances before they leave at home, and to reduce water use when watering the lawn or washing the dishes and clothes.

Buy Only Green Certified Products

If you’re headed to the grocery or mall, make sure you only purchase green-certified products. Many non-government organizations and consumer groups have a listing of which green-certified products are available today. A product can only be certified as eco-friendly if it is proven to have come from biodegradable sources, or if it was harvested and manufactured using environment-friendly practices.

How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint While Working

There are lots of ways to cut down on energy costs, and reduce your carbon footprint while working. While significantly lowered power costs are one of the many benefits, you and your co-workers can also do more to save the planet.

First, instead of taking the car with you, why not walk, bike or carpool to work? In the workplace, you can also recycle paper, and reuse office supplies.   When shopping for copiers, printers or fax machines, remember to buy only the products that have an Energy Star rating, so that you will know how they efficiently use energy. If you are still using older products in the office, make sure you install a surge protector, so you can quickly power them down at night and on weekends.

Regularly Check Your heating Equipment

Before winter arrives, make sure you repair and do maintenance checks on your heating and cooling units, to enable them to run at peak performance. Always do the routine checks on your heating or cooling equipment, so you will know when to change filters, or spot any leaks.

In this time of diminishing fossil fuels and the trend toward renewable energy, solar energy has once again taken the forefront of people’s interest. More people are installing solar panels on their homes now, than ever before.

Solar energy is the light and the heat from the sun. Solar energy is free and its supplies are unlimited. There are n air and water pollution caused about by using solar energy. But there is still some impacts on the environment although indirect.

Photovoltaic cells used to convert sunlight into electricity uses silicon and also produce some waste materials. There are also large solar thermal farms and these farms can also be harmful to the environment and desert ecosystems if not properly managed. Read the rest of this entry »

According to the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association there are many ways that we can all do our parts to save energy in our homes.

The typical usage in a New England home looks something like this:

61% goes to heating the interior space in our homes.

4% goes to Air Conditioning that same space.

4% goes toward keeping our food cold (refrigerator).

16% goes toward other electrical loads from various appliances and electronics.

17% goes to heating our hot water.

By tracking your energy bills you can see the fruits of your efforts. It’s certainly reassuring when you see results that actually put money back into your pocket.

EnergyStar® also has a way for you to compare your home’s energy use as compared to others across the country and get recommendations for improving your own energy usage. It’s called the EnergyStar® Home Energy Yardstick. (You’ll need your last 12 months of utility bills or a 12-month summary from your utility co.)

If you follow these 10 suggestions you will be able to realize a significant savings in your energy budget each year.

• Water Heater – Your hot water heater uses up to 17% of your total energy bill.

• • Set your hot water heater to 122° and add an insulating blanket.
  • By using water that’s not OVER heated and adding the blanket you can save up to 7% yearly.

• Lighting – Technology has come a long way since Edison’s light bulb.
  • Replace incandescent bulbs with CFL’s (compact fluorescent lights)
  • By using compact fluorescent lights you can save up to $65 per year.

• Phantom Loads – Many appliances and electronics still draw a load even while switched off.
  • Use power strips to and timers to maximize the efficiency of your efforts.
  • These methods can save you up to 14% yearly.

• Programmable Thermostat – By automating your heating and cooling needs you will use energy more efficiently.
  • Use Energy Star® approved thermostats and save yourself up to $150/yr.

• Air Seal Your House – By sealing all of the gaps and holes in the exterior of your home you’ll increase it’s heating efficiency.
  • Seal the sills, pipes, wires and lights in your basement.
  • Seal the walls, windows, doors and electrical outlets.
  • **USE A PROFESSIONAL** to get the job done correctly and properly.

• Appliance Efficiency – It may just be time to get rid of that second refrigerator out in the garage.
  • By using Energy Star® appliances you may be able to keep up to $75 in your pocket each year while saving the environment.

• Attic Insulation – Since we live in New England there are considerations that may not apply in other areas of the country.
  • Make sure that your attic is insulated up to 14″ of blown in cellulose to bring it to a level of R-49
  • Get an audit to determine your actual need.

• Wall Insulation – Many modern homes are already up to code but too many older homes still need to be looked at.
  • Ask your contractor to determine your actual needs here too.

• Basement Walls – Your exposed exterior basement walls are like a single pane window without the solar gain.
  • Apply 2″ of sheet insulation bonded to the concrete wall with ½” concrete board outside of that and cap it with flashing.
  • This is a MAJOR project and should only be undertaken by professionals.
  • Doing this can save you anywhere from 5-20% yearly.

• Heating System – Heating and Cooling comprise 75% of your total energy budget.
  • Replace old systems with EnergyStar® compliant heating systems.
  • Be sure to seal all of the ducting in your heating system too.
  • These actions can save you an additional 10-20% as well.

Follow these tips and suggestions and you’ll realize both the monetary savings and benefits as well as the self satisfaction of knowing that you’re doing your part to reduce and sustain the overall reduction on the dependence for oil in this country.

You can find other great resources, calculators and software at the US Dept. of Energy’s “Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy” website.

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This Saturday, June 26, 2010 Cape Cod Holistic will be hosting a local display of support for the national campaign to put an end to offshore oil drilling known as:

HANDS ACROSS THE SAND

Hands Across the Sand is a movement made of people from all walks of life and across all political affiliations. This movement is not about politics; it is about protection of our coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife, marine sanctuaries and the fishing industry.  Let us share our knowledge, energies and passion for protecting all of the above from the devastating effects of oil drilling.

Their Mission Statement is:

1. To organize a national movement to oppose offshore oil drilling and champion clean energy and renewables. These gatherings will bring thousands of American citizens to our beaches and cities and will draw metaphorical and actual lines in the sand; human lines in the sand against the threat oil drilling poses to America’s coastal economies and marine environment.
2. To convince our State Legislators, Governors, Congress and President Obama to stop the expansion of offshore oil drilling and  to adopt policies encouraging clean and renewable energy sources.   America needs legislation that creates tax incentives and subsidies to encourage the growth of clean energy and renewable industries for America’s future.

Cape Cod Holistic will be hosting the group that lives near or is most convenient for folks living in the towns of Brewster, Harwich, Dennis & Yarmouth. Our group will be meeting at Breakwater Beach in Brewster.

There will also be groups forming in other Cape towns; Anna Cullen will be hosting the gathering at Covells Beach in Centerville. There will also be groups at Mayo Beach, Wellfleet Harbor by the Zobel Family , Nauset Beach in Orleans being organized by Melissa Renn, Nobska Beach in Woods Hole which is coming together with the help of Kim Walsh-Carlson and another by Lenore Bavota (508-292-7883 )at Town Neck Beach in Sandwich.

If you’re passionate about ceasing offshore drilling for oil then please do your very best to take a half an hour out of your day to attend at one of the above mentioned beaches. If you’re unable to make it to one of these locales you can always make your voice heard by voting on the Hands Across The Sand Website.

Cape Cod Holistic also invites you to submit your own holistically themed articles or event announcements to be posted on our site.

Also, don’t forget our Holistic Business Directory for Holistic Providers and Green Businesses where you can feature your (w)Holistic Practice or your “Green Business”.

If you have any questions about the “Hands Across the Sand” event or anything concerning our site please contact us at admin@capecodholistic.com

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For the last few years, there’s been quite a bit of hype on “going green“, whether it is about turning our homes or our businesses more environmentally friendly.  Businesses are transforming into “green” businesses for different reasons. There are different studies, like the study conducted & published by Retail Systems Research which is sponsored by Intel, which cited different advantages of  green business.

These studies cited that those companies or retailers who have outperformed their competition have done so by building or practicing environment-friendly strategies.  Aside from that, operation costs were also reduced.  Although for now it appears that going green could actually increase expenditure, since green products tend to be more expensive.

Holistic and green minded businesses and homeowners would say that they are more interested in serving the environment than saving money right now. As more and more people agree and begin using these products, the prices will come down.

Let’s look at the recent example of  a national delivery company.  They shifted to digital record keeping and communication through e-mail.  Eventually, such practices paid off.  Their 30,000 employee strong-company was able to save about $2 million dollars a year just by reducing paper transaction to two pages a day.  Simple practices like this may not be appealing initially or may appear insufficient, but surprisingly they delivers results.

Going green can help your business save more “greenbacks” too.  Even Microsoft is saying that computer owners, both businesses and residential, could save $90 or more every year on electricity just by switching their computers into hibernate mode when not in use.

The government is also recognizing the efforts of the private sector in building a safer and greener environment.  There was a federal stimulus bill in 2009 which offered incentives and tax deductions to businesses who were practicing green methods on cutting their energy consumption by as much as 50%.  This stimulus bill is said to have earmarked about $50 billion in funds to promote cleaner energy.

Aside from that, there are conscious consumers who would stick to brands and companies who they know are taking the environment into consideration.  Consumers are definitely starting to pay more attention to the choices that they’re making.   Which is why it would pay to advertise your company’s  environmental stance.  There are different organizations and PR companies who will help businesses let the world know how they are taking eco-friendly steps.  They could help in sensitively promoting your business and instill social awareness and responsibility among invesotrs and consumers.

Consumers are starting to shift towards green products and companies since it’s been shown that they are safer to use and they’re making a contribution to the environment.  Green businesses are not only getting more attention from possible customers but from possible investors, also, according to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

What caused this shift? According to Forest Reinhardt, disasters from the past have contributed to social awareness like oil spills and gas leaks which killed a lot and at the same time created a geological hazard.  Emerging global problems caused by series of human activities and effects which are possibly irreversible are also contributing factors.

In the end, it will still make sense.  Following green business practices and strategies will benefit not only the business but the entire population.  Business owners and managers are still part of the community which will be at an advantage by making green and smart choices.

As the planetary consciousness grows and more businesses and individuals choose the “green” path for their futures the governments of the world will have no choice but to cater to their demands. At the same time, that population will also move into power in those same governments. The greening and renewing of this planet is virtually inevitable. Are you doing your part?

Join Cape Cod Holistic in our effort to educate and empower the local community (both ours and yours) to be more socially and environmentally conscious. Keep your eye on this blog for announcements and developments as well as opportunities for you to involve yourself on a volunteer level within the community.

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