Author: easy eco blog
Website: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/easyecoblog/~3/1DHUrhVRxLQ/

photo credit: Conanil

Fireplaces are known to be inefficient ways of heating a home. Some rate fireplaces as being -15% efficient as they suck more heat out than they create. They can create a convection current that can pull heated air out of the room and up the chimney, causing your regular furnace to work harder. Fireplaces also generate a lot of air pollution.

When a fireplace is not in use, make sure you close the damper and that it is shut tight.  Cold air can leak into your home through leaks in a fireplace.  Consider adding a Top Sealing Damper on top of your chimney to prevent heat loss.  A fireplace glass door will also help prevent heat loss from a fireplace. You can also buy blow up Balloon Draft Eliminators that stick in the chimney and prevent air from leaking out. A $50 Black & Decker Thermal Leak Detector can also help you pinpoint air leaks.

If you want to optimize your fireplace’s energy efficient, consider adding a fireplace insert that will prevent hot air…

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Author: Katy Maynard
Website: http://www.thechicecologist.com/2010/09/the-driving-signific…

I am currently undergoing the search for a beautiful new (or used) car for myself. As daunting as the search can be, there are a lot of great facts about hybrid-electric vehicles that I’ve found during the process. Luckily, as the importance of protecting our environment becomes apparent, the amount of research and production of [...]

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5. Solar Powered Electric Lawnmower

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Author: earthpm
Website: http://www.earthpm.com/2010/09/lets-get-sociable-sociable-i-…

Our good friend and EarthPm/Green Project Management supporter Elizabeth Harrin has written a new book and is a must read for every project manager, and for that matter, anyone who is remotely interested in the phenomenon know as “social media”.  Having co-authored a book and just submitted a manuscript for another one, I am always interested in the process (surprise, I’m a project manager).  According to Elizabeth, here is how her book evolved: “I am part of PMI’s New Media Council and at the Congress in Orlando last year we did a presentation on the uses of social media for project teams.  It was really well attended – I was surprised at the turnout.  It made me realise that there was an appetite amongst the project management community to learn about how we can embrace new technology and specifically social media to help with the way we manage project teams.  There are lots of books written about how to use social media for marketing and communication with customers, but…

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Author: Go Green Items Blog
Website: http://gogreenitemsgirl.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/understandi…

Have you ever enjoyed a bath in an old-fashioned tub that relies on a rubber stopper? Once you yank this plug from the drain all of the water quickly rushes away, and this concept of “pulling the plug” is how many scientists are viewing what is occurring at the Earth’s polar regions.They note that over one hundred Arctic lakes have entirely disappeared in only the last few decades. They know that global temperatures have not reached the point where the waters could evaporate, and so they know that another underlying factor is to blame. This factor is the loss of permafrost.

Permafrost is exactly as it sounds “permanent frost”, and it has actually served as a rock hard bowl in which each of the many Arctic lakes are contained. Because of the patterns of global warming, however, the soils of the permafrost have actually thawed and have allowed for the waters to then be rapidly absorbed. Essentially, this is the same as a puddle that has gone from full to completely dry as…

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Author: Go Green Items Blog
Website: http://gogreenitemsgirl.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/think-befor…

There are all kinds of things that people throw away that could have been put to better use. For example, people often toss takeout food containers that could have otherwise been used for all kinds of regular food storage needs or even to bring their lunch along during the work day. People also toss old magazines without considering that places like nursing homes and libraries often have free exchange areas for such items.

There are also all kinds of initiatives for using recyclable materials in very unique and fascinating ways too. For example, the group known as Terra Cycle actually pays consumers to collect very specific types of trash in order to convert it into everything from wallets and handbags to notebooks and clip boards. These might be items made from drink pouches and candy wrappers or even toiletry containers and more.

Before just tossing something into the garbage it is best to really consider if that is where it belongs. For instance, have you ever hesitated to toss…

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Author: Go Green Items Blog
Website: http://gogreenitemsgirl.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/the-arctic-…

Global warming has caused the polar ice caps to decline, and this causes all kinds of problems for plants and animals (including humans) all around the globe. In a more immediate region, however, there are some interesting trends occurring. For example, most Arctic plants and flowers seem to burst into bloom as soon as ice recedes during the traditional summer months. This might mean only six to eight weeks for a full life cycle to occur before it is time to go back into hibernation, but with ice melting earlier than ever and remaining at bay for longer periods too, there are new patterns emerging.

This means that some species are able to spread more rapidly and it also means that soil is going to be enhanced a bit more as well. This is because plants take in nutrients through their leaves and deposit them around their own root systems. This creates healthier soils, and this is not something that has always been possible in the harsh conditions of the Arctic regions. Because…

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Author: Elaine Shannon
Website: http://www.enviroblog.org/2010/09/fcc-softpedals-cell-phone-…

By Olga Naidenko, PhD, EWG Senior Scientist

Battle lines are being drawn. Alliances formed. And as the cell phone industry wages war against San Francisco over its cell phone-labeling ordinance, many are looking east to see if the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will support or hinder consumers’ right to know information about cell phone radiation levels.

When Mayor Gavin Newsom signed into law the Cell Phone Right-to-Know Ordinance in July, San Francisco became the first U.S. city to require retailers to display at the point-of-sale cell phones’ radiation, as expressed by Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), the industry standard measure of radiofrequency energy absorbed by the body of a person using a cell phone.

Surprise! The cell phone industry doesn’t love the new law
CTIA - The Wireless Association filed a lawsuit against San Francisco seeking a federal judicial order to bar the city from enforcing the law. The trade group also announced shortly after the…

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Author: Anna@Green Talk
Website: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/green-talk/jRYI/~3/G0GUHQ5mpz…

Guest poster, Abby Ray,  who used to spearhead media outreach for the Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit organization, wrote this amazing post months ago.   I just found it amongst a series of draft articles.  Time moves so quickly that Abby is now a master’s candidate in the Sustainability Management Program at Columbia University .   Go Abby! (Sorry Abby posting this article took so long.) She also writes a local NJ blog called ecoMotown.com that focuses on eco-friendly living in Morristown and the vicinity.  Welcome, Abby!

When you stop at your local coffee shop to order your large latté, do you ever stop to think about where your coffee beans come from? What about the wood patio furniture you’re lounging on? The flowers you buy for your sweetheart? If you’re like most people, why would you? Those goods are certain to have come from a long way away.

Why should you care about these everyday things? Well, the chair you’re sitting…

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Author: Osea Nelson
Website: http://aessolarenergy.com/blog/index.php/c1/october-solar-ta…

This month in Solar Talk we tackle the microinverter vs. standard inverter debate. Hope you will join the conversation.

http://coloradoenergynews.com/2010/09/solar-talk-a-shady-proposition-micro-inverter-vs-single-inverter-which-one-is-right-for-your-system/

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Author: RyanG
Website: http://www.paolodesigngroup.com/blog/how-to-remedy-a-dysfunc…

Choosing to remodel your kitchen is the first step toward introducing a more creative and stress-free environment for cooking and socializing. The optimal kitchen design is functional, efficient and aesthetically pleasing. Incorporating these qualities into your kitchen design requires a work triangle, optimal cupboard and pantry space, a proper kitchen lighting design, and space for [...]

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