Project: Greenify | Guide to Going Green in Your Home, Office & Life

2011's Top 10 Hottest Fuel-Efficient Cars: Recap

Over the past few weeks we've compiled a list of 2011's most fuel-efficient vehicles for the best value.  Here is our series in its entireity, in order of ranking, of the cars we thought were the best fuel-efficient cars of 2011.

#10 - Chevrolet Volt

 

#9 - Ford Fusion Hybrid

 

#8 - Honda Civic Hybrid

 

#7 - Honda CR-Z Hybrid

 

#6 - Honda Insight

 

#5 - Lexus CT 200h

 

#4 - Nissan Leaf

 

#3 - Smart Fortwo Electric

 

#2 - Tesla Roadster

 

#1 - Toyota Prius

 

2011's Hottest Fuel-Efficient Vehicles: #1 Toyota Prius

In 1991, most drivers paid $1 a gallon for gasoline. Twenty years later, filling up a car or truck costs at least $3 per gallon, which is putting a strain on bank accounts. Federal and state tax incentives mixed with dealer incentives are making it possible for many drivers to afford a fuel-efficient vehicle.

We've compiled a list of 2011's most fuel-efficient vehicles. Each week, we will highlight a different car that will save consumers on their gas prices. This week, we present the #1 most fuel-efficient car.

 

At $21,600, the Toyota Prius is one of the most affordable fuel-efficient vehicles on the market. In 2012, an all-electric Prius that takes three hours to charge will be hitting the market. The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid car that is estimated to get up to 50 miles per gallon. Some key features of this car include the LED tail-lamps, UV reduction glass winshield, rear window defogger, roof-mounted XM radio antenna, and a top of the line navigation package. This is one of Toyota's best-selling models in the United States, and since it's a great fuel-efficient vehicle with an affordable price tag and great amenities, there is no wonder why.

Annual CO2 emissions (tons): 3.8
Fuel cost: $888
Mileage between fill-ups: 50 mpg

 

 

Giving a Little Consideration to Trees

Trees—biggest and longest-lived of all plants—provide innumerable benefits to humankind and the rest of the biosphere. For one thing, they function as great carbon sinks: They absorb carbon dioxide, one of the Earth’s premier greenhouse gases, in order to conduct photosynthesis, the process by which trees generate their carbohydrate fuel. Recent evidence suggests areas of significant timbered extent, such as the eastern United States, may notably buffer against the large-scale emission of carbon dioxide from human industries.

Trees also provide significant habitat for a host of species, from bark-burrowing insects to denning martens. A forest stringer shouldering a stream and surrounded by open agricultural or developed land may function as an utterly crucial corridor for large mammals negotiating such inhospitable terrain. A tree shelters the nests of songbirds in the spring, provides resting roosts for migrants in the autumn, and services as scouting vantages for raptors year-round.

These magnificent plants also affect the microclimate of a given area—the localized characteristics of precipitation, wind, and other weather factors. By condensing water vapor on their leaves and twigs, and simply by shading from drying sunlight, trees can increase moisture under their canopies. This benefits a plethora of other plants growing at the base of the trunk. As every Great Plains farmer knows, a woodlot can provide a substantial wind break, too; during a big windstorm, the air in the understory interior of a large forest may be quite calm, protecting shrubs and herbs.

Just as significantly, trees are beautiful—and this aesthetic value should not be understated. There’s a reason community activists in inner-city labyrinths often initiate tree-planting events: It brings together neighbors for a productive activity while greening an otherwise concrete- and asphalt-heavy landscape (not to mention imparting some of the ecological benefits mentioned above).

All things considered, trees are one of the planet’s most valuable natural resources, and we’d do well to approach them sustainably. We’ll always use wood products, but a few simple choices can minimize the amount you personally use—and waste. Switching over to paperless billing is one easy idea: Do your banking online, for example, and cut down on all those updates, queries, and notices from your financial institution. Certain companies even reward you for going paperless.

Even in this age of email and smartphones, the sheer weight of junk mail you receive in your mailbox (the physical one) can still be staggering. Take the time to specially request that the offending companies remove you from their mailing list.

Using double-sided pages for printing can substantially cut down on wasted paper. So can requesting, at the ATM, that a bank send your transaction receipt via email or to an online message center, rather than printing out a paper copy you may scarcely glance at.

Our ever more versatile and powerful smartphones can play a role in tree preservation, too, in terms of cutting back on paper. These days you don’t need to print out directions; you can reference the map on your portable screen. The same goes, increasingly, for things like coupons; many smartphones and businesses allow you to pull up the discount offer on your handheld device to be processed.

These are all little steps, but, conducted routinely and by more and more people, they can have a big impact. The deepest message is not that our 21^st-century, computer-technology society has no more use for paper, or that all paper products are inherently unsustainable. Rather, it suggests that paying more attention to where our products come from and how we use them is the right way to move through the world—for the sake of forests and all other resources we depend on. If printing that next report on double-sided paper gives you a moment’s reflection on the myriad benefits trees render for us, it’s been worth it on more than one level.

 

2011's Hottest Fuel-Efficient Vehicles: #2 Tesla Roadster

In 1991, most drivers paid $1 a gallon for gasoline. Twenty years later, filling up a car or truck costs at least $3 per gallon, which is putting a strain on bank accounts. Federal and state tax incentives mixed with dealer incentives are making it possible for many drivers to afford a fuel-efficient vehicle.

We've compiled a list of 2011's most fuel-efficient vehicles. Each week, we will highlight a different car that will save consumers on their gas prices. This week, we present the #2 most fuel-efficient car.

 

At $109,000, the Tesla Roadster is not a car for a driver on a budget, but it is definitely a vehicle that suits someone looking for a fun, flashy sports car that does not look like your typical electric car. The super-sleek exterior combined with a variety of high-end amenities make this a coveted electric dream car. The Roadster's light-weight design makes it possible to go from 0 to 60 in under four seconds. This fuel-efficient car allows you to drive 245 miles per charge. The comfortable seating feels almost like it's been hand-crafted for you body, and the touchscreen controls makes traveling so much easier and pleasant. This zero-emissions ride offers style, class, fun all in a fuel-efficient package.

Annual CO2 emissions (tons): 0

Charging time: 3.5 hours for a full charge
Cost to charge: $561 per year
Mileage between charges: 100 miles or the equivalent of 99 mpg

 

2011's Hottest Fuel-Efficient Vehicles: #3 Smart Fortwo Electric

In 1991, most drivers paid $1 a gallon for gasoline. Twenty years later, filling up a car or truck costs at least $3 per gallon, which is putting a strain on bank accounts. Federal and state tax incentives mixed with dealer incentives are making it possible for many drivers to afford a fuel-efficient vehicle.

We've compiled a list of 2011's most fuel-efficient vehicles. Each week, we will highlight a different car that will save consumers on their gas prices. This week, we present the #3 most fuel-efficient car.

The electric Smart Car comes in a coupe or cabriolet model. The first round of Smart Fortwo vehicles go on sale in 2012 and are already available for lease only. As of September 2011, the Smart Fortwo Electric price has not been announced, though experts believe the price will be in the range of $27,000.

The compact, stylish, environmentally friendly car has zero-emission monitoring and will be available in spring of 2012. The third-generation Smart Fortwo Electric car has upgraded its battery, which allows this car to hit higher speeds than the previous models. Specifically, this boost in acceleration gives the vehicle the ability to reach highway speeds of 75 mph and 0 to 37 in 5 seconds flat. Other amenities include the quick-charging function that allows owners to charge your car in just an hour, and the air conditioning system is equipped with a pollen filter device. This car also offers a Smart Drive app for iPhone, with features that include navigation systems, hands-free phone call system, and the car finder.

Annual CO2 emissions (tons): 0
Charging time: Eight hours for a full charge or 3 ½ hours for 80 percent
Cost to charge: $547.50 per year based on average usage of 40 miles per day
Mileage between charges: 98 highway miles or 63 city and highway miles

If one of your New Year's Resolutions was to be more fuel-efficient and eco-friendly in 2012, then check out the Smart Fortwo Electric car in the Spring of 2012 to see if this is the car for you.

 

2011's Hottest Fuel-Efficient Vehicles: #4 Nissan Leaf

In 1991, most drivers paid $1 a gallon for gasoline. Twenty years later, filling up a car or truck costs at least $3 per gallon, which is putting a strain on bank accounts. Federal and state tax incentives mixed with dealer incentives are making it possible for many drivers to afford a fuel-efficient vehicle.

We've compiled a list of 2011's most fuel-efficient vehicles. Each week, we will highlight a different car that will save consumers on their gas prices. This week, we present the #4 most fuel-efficient car.

 

If you are looking for an affordable, eco-friendly, family car, then the Nissan Leaf may be the car for you. The Nissan Leaf is a 5-door hatchback electric car that is 100% electric and has zero tailpipe emissions, making it a zero emission vehicle (ZEV). This environmentally friendly car provides comfort, class, and safety. Some features include front UV-reducing solar glass, aerodynamic LED headlights, front & rear heated seats, automatic temperature control, Nissan Intelligent key and push-button start, and a state-of-the-art audio and navigation system. The 2011 Nissan Leaf starts at $32,780, but federal tax credits drop the price by as much as $7,500. Additional state tax credits bring the price of the car down to as little as $20,000. If you want to have a "greener" 2012, then check out the Nissan Leaf for an affordable environmentally friendly car.

Annual CO2 emissions (tons): 0
Charging time: Eight hours for a full charge or 30 minutes for 80 percent
Cost to charge: $561 per year
Mileage between charges: 100 miles or the equivalent of 99 mpg

 

Positive Lifestyle Changes That Will Impact Your Health and Your Finances

With fast food restaurants lining up on nearly every street corner in many suburban neighborhoods, people find it difficult to eat healthy. After all, you work all day long and the last thing that you want to do is make things more difficult by having to go home and cook. However, living a healthier lifestyle means eating foods with more nutritional value, such as fruits and vegetables. It also means becoming more active and exercising three to four times a week for 30 minutes. The intake of excessive amounts of tobacco products and alcohol is also not recommended.

To live a healthier lifestyle you should:

Eat healthy. Try to cut out or at least cut back excessively on fast food. If you really feel the need to eat it every once in a while treat yourself no more than once or twice a month. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Try to purchase them from local area farmers. Stop or cut back drastically on alcohol intake.

Stop smoking. Smoking can shorten your life severely or create irreversible damage that will affect your elder years negatively. If you are having trouble quitting, join a support group.

Exercise. Exercise several times a week for 30 minutes. Find an exercise regimen that you enjoy, so that you are more likely to stick with it. Choose something that you enjoy doing, such as biking, walking or aerobics. You can even combine the three doing a different form of exercise each session. Find a buddy to do it with. Go to the gym or join an exercise class. This is often a great form of encouragement and will keep the spirits uplifted. If you hate the exercise that you are doing you are likely to stop doing it altogether.

Exercising will not only tone your body, but will help to decrease your weight if you want to drop a few pounds. Being at a healthy weight will add years to your life.

Changing your lifestyle may be a big undertaking depending on where you are starting out. For some it could mean a complete turnaround. For others it may involve making only minor adjustments.

Here are some tips on how to get started living life healthier:

Start slowly. Wherever you are starting out just remember that lifestyle changes do not happen overnight. The best thing to do is to start out gradually, so that it becomes a way of life. View the changes as lifestyle changes. Avoid using the word diet when you are eating low cal and healthy. Start eating a few meals a week with increased vegetables and slowly build up to more. Start exercising for two days a week and then gradually build up to three or four days each week.

Commit. Make a good effort to change. Remind yourself of the benefits of living healthier. Set up a schedule for exercising. Make up healthy choice menus for meals. Do not allow yourself to slack off. Don’t think too long about exercising or it may not happen. Just get up and start moving yourself in the right direction.

As these changes become more a part of your life you will likely enjoy the changes that take place in your body. You will firmer and more toned. You will likely shed weight and admire what you see in the mirror. If you were a previous smoker you will wake up feeling better in the morning. Your taste buds and other senses will come alive. You will appreciate the financial benefits as well. With a healthier body there will be less doctor visits and a decreased need for medications. You will save money on tobacco if you were a smoker. You will have more money in your pocket to spend in a more productive manner.

Start living a healthier lifestyle today. Don’t put it off a minute longer, so that you can enjoy a healthier and happier life now. 

Tips for Going Green and Being Energy Efficient for the New Year

Each and every year people make resolutions that are design to affect a change in their behavior and life. Some people will resolve to lose weight, others will decide not indulge in certain behaviors and others will decide to spend less money. Each resolution is a notable goal and worth every effort. Resolving to spend less money is one decision that is easy to do and does not take much effort. One of the biggest areas that people can cut expenses is found in energy consumption.

Living Green Makes Sense

The term living green has been thought up to instill within the minds of people a phrase that gets them to think about recycling and conserving resources. There are several areas that people can recycle and conserve energy without putting much effort into each task. Recycling is the first thing that people think about when going green comes up, and the other area is changing small things around the house so there is less energy being used.

Recycling is one of the biggest activities that people can participate in. Recycling takes little to no effort at all. All a family has to have is an area to place items that can be reused. If there is not a bin in the house, then check with the trash company and see if they can provide bins for collection.

Recycling has many advantages that will become evident the more people recycle. One advantage is the amount of trash that is put on curb every week. Some trash company's charge extra for trash that is placed outside of the normal bins. Recycling takes all the extra and moves it from the trash can to recycle bin allowing for homeowners to keep their trash levels down. In some cases recycling makes people money. Aluminum pops cans are one area that some states pay people to recycle. In the state of Colorado, people are paid by the pound for bringing in cans. Young people can earn extra money by collecting pop cans and recycling them. Then there is the benefit of satisfaction. When a person does their part and recycles there is always a sense of satisfaction knowing that they are doing their part to help.

Ways to Conserve Energy and Save Money

Conserving energy is another easy area for people to meet their resolution to save more money and spend less. There are a number of ways that people can cut expenses and see the results from month to month. The easiest way to save on energy costs is keep lights turned off. During the daylight hours open blinds and curtains to let the sun shine in the home. There will be enough light for anyone to carry on their normal activities. During the nighttime hours only turn lights on when there is people in the room.

Heaters and air conditioning units are the top users of electricity and natural gas in any home. Keep the thermostat low in the winter and high in the summer and there will be noticeable savings on every bill. A family that keeps the heater and air conditioner off will see hundred of dollars in savings every year.

Consider changing out old light bulbs for newer energy saving bulbs. Older light bulbs use more energy and do not last as long as newer energy efficient bulbs. Newer bulbs use less energy and last longer. The savings can be seen in the bill each and every month.

Replace old appliances with new energy star appliances. New models of kitchen appliances are marked with an energy star that is blue in color. The tag will also tell how much money the unit will use each year so buyers know how much they will pay over the life of the appliance.

Start the New Year Fresh with a Green Energy Plan from Bounce Energy

It’s almost the New Year and with that, is the time to say good bye to the past and hello to a fresh new year. What better way to start fresh than to start green. And what better way to start green then to power your home with green energy plans from Bounce Energy.

A green energy plan comes from renewable energy sources that are non-fossil fuel or nuclear in nature and can be replenished in a short time frame. The most common types of renewable sources come from solar, hydropower, wind and biomass. Whereas, standard energy comes from nuclear reactors or fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil. 

With Bounce Energy, a Texas energy provider, there are various green energy plans to choose from, one is sure to fit your needs. Bounce Energy's Green plans are as follows:

• Organic Power Fixed 12 - lock in this low rate and get 100% green energy for 12 months.

• Organic Power Fixed 6 - sign up for this 100% green plan and get locked in for 6 bills protecting you from rising energy prices.

• Smart Green - If signing a contract isn't for you then this month-to-month plan is for you. It features a 10% price cap on increases and unlimited rate decreases. With no contract and no termination fee, this 100% green energy plan is for you.

• Organic Power Promotional - Sign up for this ultra low introductory rate to see if going green is for you. There is no contract or termination fee so you can switch plans for cancel your service at any time if necessary.

While you're saving the environment with green energy, you can save some money too with the Bounce Energy Rewards Program. By signing up for any Bounce Energy plan, you’ll automatically be enrolled in the Bounce Energy Rewards Program. It's where you can earn great rewards such as Starbucks gift cards, movie tickets, electricity bill credits, and more – all for paying your electricity bills on-time!

So start the New Year fresh and eco-friendly with a green energy plan with Bounce Energy!

Natural Gas vs. Wood Burning Fireplaces: Pros and Cons

One of the nicest places to be during the winter is in front of a fireplace. Looking into the crackling flames is an age-old human ritual that comforts and soothes children and adults alike. But ask homeowners whether they prefer natural gas or wood burning fireplaces and you'll soon find a wide gulf arrayed along the divided ideas of look-and-feel, cost, maintenance, convenience, and environmental responsibility.

So, we'll have a quick, clear look at this burning issue and compare the pros and cons to discover what the benefits are of both. But first, let's have a quick look at two types of types of fireplaces.

The typical traditional home fireplace is a single-piece brick hearth with an attached brick chimney. The fireplace consists of a small trap door that opens onto an ash pan (to collect fine ash), a wrought-iron grate to hold kindling and logs. Above, mortared into the throat of the chimney is steel damper that can be adjusted by opening or closing to control the amount of air drawn into the fire and exhausted through the chimney. Known as a "throat damper", they can be closed to seal off the chimney when the fireplace is not in use.

Wood stoves and inserts (which slide into an existing brick hearth) or zero-clearance fireplaces have been around for centuries and experienced innumerable improvements and modifications, most notably the Franklin stove built first by Benjamin Franklin in 1741. As far as heating goes, these fireplaces transfer heat far more faster than brick fireplace. Brick fireplaces don't heat very efficiently (in fact, most of their heat is sent up the chimney). However to some extent they do act as heat-sinks, meaning they are big piles of brick mass that absorb heat and slowly release heat energy over time. So, while you can heat your home fairly quickly with a wood stove or insert, they lack the themral mass to store heat. And while brick fireplaces don't heat up very fast, they will retain heat much longer.

Which factor more important to you depends on how you use your fireplace: for heat or as an ornament?

While these two types of fireplaces can burn either natural gas or wood, each fuel has its own pros and cons.

Wood

Wood burning fireplaces offer the dancing yellow flames and orange hot coals that give a room a cozy, warm look and feel. The crackling sounds, occaisonal firework-like sparks, and the smell of the burning wood such as fir really add a nostalgic (if not primal) ambiance to a room. And if the fire place is big enough and the right wood is being used, you can actually cook on it with the right cookware.

First of all, you need wood. Now, folks living out in the country can just go outside and they are surrounded by this sustainable fuel. But if you live in the suburbs, your neighbors will probably sue you for singing lumberjack songs as you randomly cut down trees in the neighborhood. So you will need to buy firewood —either at the grocery store or in bulk from someone who sells it.

It is important to remember one obvous fact: wet (or green) wood does not burn well. In order to burn with the most heat and give off the least amount of creosote (see below), the wood must be allowed to season (or dry out). Softwoods should season for over a year, longer for hardwoods. Softwoods and hard woods have different burn properties. Nicely seasoned softwoods (fir or pine) are easy to start. If allowed to burn hot and fast, they will produce very little creosote. Hardwoods, like hickory, pican, and oak (yes, all nut trees) are heavy and dense and are difficult to start burning. But when they catch, they burn low and long. To learn even more about what wood to use, check out the Mastersweep.com "Best Burning Firewood" page.

Wood burning fireplaces also need to be cleaned after the fire is out and the fireplace cools down. The fine ash needs to be swept up so that any sudden puffs of air coming down the chimney don't blow it out into the room. Plus, fire code standards mandate that chimneys shoud be inspected once a year by a professional chimney sweep in order to prevent the build up of creosote which can cause disasterous chimney fires.

Chimney fires result from layers of creosote building up in the chimney. Creosote is a natural by-product of burning wood formed by carbon compounds and resins in the wood and water vapor. It is a tar-like bad-smelling goo that liquifies when heated and trickles down the sides of the chimney. It is also highly flammable fuel that can burn at about 2000°F. Typically what happens is that fires made with wet wood or little air flow will produce exhaust or "flue gases" that will be cool. Water vapor will condense out and combine with the soot and smoke particulates to form creosote. Over time, the deposit builds up and if it is not cleaned the creosote will dribble down the chimmney until it bursts into a serious 2000°F fire. Heat like that can destroy masonry, melt chimney liners, and quickly engulf the whole roof. This is why chimmney's need to be inspected and kept cleaned.

Natural Gas

Meanwhile, natural gas fireplaces are based on newer heat-efficient technology. They offer many obvious maintanence and installation advantages over wood fireplaces. First of all, there's no mess from gathering logs, cutting logs, and storing logs to season. There's no mess from ash, coal-raking, soot, or creosote issues to clean up after. There's also no mess involved with gathering kindling and building a fire, you just push a button and POOF —flame. You can also install the natural gas fireplace almost anywhere in your house. Because natural gas fireplaces are designed to burn the gas efficiently, the flue gasses are cool enough to be vented through PVC pipe run through the walls. In short, no mess and push-button ease. Total convenience. They radiate heat nicely and some contain fans to circulate the heat efficiently. Plus, natural gas is a cheap fuel —especially since it just through a pipe into your home. It is one less thing to worry about especially if the wood fireplace option mean syou need to buy and haul your own wood. Plus, if there's a power failure, most can be lit up manually. Of course, that assumes the power failure doesn't effect the natural gas pumping stations…which happened in Texas on the night of Feb. 2, 2010.

Sifting the Ashes

Now for some folks, convenience is vital and that's all well and good. On the other hand, there's something about utterly soul-less about blue and yellow flame shooting up around a bunch of ceramic logs that don't change or burn away. Watching a dvd of fireplace somehow seems more rewarding because fire-gazing is a very primal human passtime. The clincher for many, though, is that even though they may enjoy all the work and manly woodsman expertise about selecting firewood, the dirty truth is that wood burning fireplaces emit 28 lbs of particulate emmissions per MMBtus of heat output (soot and ash) as opposed to natural gas which produces up to 99% less (about .28 lbs/MMBtu). This means that natural gas fireplaces pose less of a risk of in-home air pollution or smoking out one's neighbors as well. Wood burning fireplaces might be cozy and soothing (which we all need at some time in the 21st century) and seem a cheap way to heat, but in the end when you look at them terms of expense and efficiency, they are becoming a luxury few can afford to depend on.