Green Renters Offers Tips, Tutorials, and Workshops For Greening Your Rental

Green Renters is a not-for-profit organization based in Australia that provides sustainability advice specifically for those living in rental accommodations. Over 30% of Australians live in rentals, and Green Renters was established for those interested in sustainable living who aren’t able to conduct structural improvements or extensive renovations. Currently based in Australia, the organization hosts workshops, events and projects – and their website is full of tips, tutorials, product reviews and inspiring stories. + Green Renters The article above was submitted to us by an Inhabitat reader. Want to see your story on Inhabitat ? Send us a tip by following this link . Remember to follow our instructions carefully to boost your chances of being chosen for publishing! Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: “sustainable architecture” , australia , Green Building , green rental , green renters , green tips for renters , home improvement , rental , rental accommodations , sustainable lifestyle , sustainable living        

Read more:
Green Renters Offers Tips, Tutorials, and Workshops For Greening Your Rental

7 Smart and Easy Tips to Green Your Kitchen

Cocina, daidokoro, keuken; whatever you call it, there’s one room that every culture agrees is the heart of the home: the kitchen . There are many reasons we love our kitchens – including the fact that food can be found there – but did you know that they are also one of the easiest places in your home to go green and save your household some money while you’re at it? If you’ve been looking to make your living space more energy-efficient and waste-conscious, the kitchen is a wonderful place to start – and you can see results almost immediately. Read on for our 7 easy tips to greenovate your kitchen , and then use the cash you save to stock up on groceries! Read the rest of 7 Smart and Easy Tips to Green Your Kitchen Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: “energy star” , all clad , All Clad Aluminum Pots and Pans , bobble , bobble pitcher , Bobble Water Purifier , compost , composting , Composting in the Kitchen , eco kitchen , eco kitchen tips , Energy-Efficient Appliances , Foot Pedal Sink , go green in your kitchen , green home tips , green kitchen , green kitchen tips , green tips , green your kitchen , Green Your Kitchen Appliances , how to go green in your kitchen , kitchen appliances , pyrex , pyrex reusable glass containers , save energy in your kitchen , Ways to Green Your Kitchen

Read more from the original source: 
7 Smart and Easy Tips to Green Your Kitchen

6 Easy Tips to Green Your 4th of July!

Read the rest of 6 Easy Tips to Green Your 4th of July! Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: 4th of july , 6 green tips , biodegradable packaging , carbon footprint , corn cups , eco design , green design , independence day , Meatless , organic popsicles , public transportation , recipes , sustainable design , vegetarian grilling

Go here to see the original: 
6 Easy Tips to Green Your 4th of July!

How to Maintain Healthy Household Plants

Having plants in the house is a great idea, both for decorating purposes, as well as for the positive energy and oxygen they breathe into a room. To keep them looking their best, however, they must be properly maintained so that they stay healthy and continue to grow and blossom. The following are a few tips for keeping your indoor plants healthy and vibrant.

Lighting

The amount and intensity of light that your plants receive is one of the biggest factors affecting their growth. Here are some signs that your plant isn’t getting enough light:

* Growth is spindly with long spaces between leaves

* The newer leaves are smaller than existing leaves

* Leaves on the bottom are starting to turn yellow and fall off

* Lack of growth * Flowering plants fail to produce a flower

* Variegated leafy plants turn solid green

It is also possible that your plant is getting too much light, so here are some warning signs telling you to move your plant out of direct sunlight:

* Brown patches on the leaves making the plant look “scorched”

* Leaves look faded or washed out

* Plant begins to wilt around mid-day

* Leaves become too dry and start to fall off.

Watering Your Plants

It’s hard to know exactly how much water your plant needs, especially when the amount changes depending on the species of plant, soil, light, temperature and the humidity in your home. Plants need more water if they have a lot of leaf surface and soft, lush foliage or if it’s their growing season. The only way to really know whether your plant it thirsty or not is to stick your finger into the soil up to your first knuckle. If the soil feels moist, the plant is fine. If the soil feels dry, it wants water.

Grooming Your Plant

To make your plant look more bushy and full, you can pinch off the tip of a stem above the growing point where the leaf is attached. By removing the bud at the top, the plant will branch at that point, causing more volume. When the flowers on your plant begin to wilt and die, you should remove them immediately for two reasons: the decaying material will attract insects and disease, and it will avoid the plant expending energy for making seeds. It is also good practice to wipe down leaves once in a while with a damp sponge to remove any accumulated dust, and remove any dead leaves or branches as you see them.

Raise the Humidity

If your plant looks droopy, burnt at the tips or has flowers that bloom half-heartedly and then die, it may need more humidity. Here are a few tips on how to give your plants the humidity they need:

* Spray them with a fine mister once a day.

* Place your plants on a tray filled with water and pebbles. The water will slowly evaporate and humidify the area immediately around it.

* Group all your plants together so that they all benefit from the moisture they are each emitting.

 

Caring for a plant isn’t rocket science. All you have to do is pay attention to them and try to understand their warning signs. They can’t tell you when they need something, but they can show you if you’re willing to look.

Last-Minute Green Tips For Valentine’s Day

Think you can’t green your Valentine’s Day plans because you waited until the last minute (again)? Don’t fret, planet-friendly procrastinator. Here are six green tips to help you show your love the eco way. 1. Start at the…

The rest is here:
Last-Minute Green Tips For Valentine’s Day

Parties With Principles: Environmentally Friendly Entertaining

In the last few years, everything has changed. You might say it’s the influence of Al Gore’s global warming lectures, the world’s dedication to acting on carbon emissions or even the natural disasters that are starting to occur all the more frequently.

Whatever it is, people are starting to look at every aspect of their lives to determine if they can make it more environmentally friendly and reduce their impact on the earth.

If you’re committed to becoming more a of a greeny, you can help look after the environment in a number of ways, from half flushing the toilet, and recycling, through to only associating with companies, like airlines, that have a focused policy on decreasing their carbon footprint.

Everything you do can be reworked so it is more environmentally friendly. If you are a big party thrower or planner over the warmer months of the year, the pending warm season gives you a great opportunity to start making your impact. And here’s how:

1. Party crockery

Many of us are guilty of using plastic plates, knives and forks for party after party, and while that isn’t necessarily bad, as long as you recycle them, you could do one better. Buying yourself a set of good quality melamine party ware, means each time you have a party, you don’t need to fork out for new items, and also means you aren’t contributing pile on pile of waste to landfill. If you don’t want to buy, think about using crockery provided by event hire.

2. Recycle

With that in mind, if you do use paper or plastic, it is vital you recycle. This goes for everything from your knives, plates, forks, cups and serviettes, through to all your decorations. Make sure everything you use is recyclable and doesn’t just get thrown in the bin.

3. Venue

Big parties are all about your venue, so choose wisely. You could go with your own backyard – you control the party ware, have permanent colorbond fencing instead of temporary fencing venues use for security, and can select the suppliers you work with.

If going to an external venue, select one that is renowned for its environmentally friendly practices, or is associated with suppliers who are.

4. Lighting

Lighting is a big energy user and not always a very efficient one. If you plan parties for a living or are planning a number of large private parties, you may be thinking along the lines of fairy lights or gobos or other feature lights. Think environmentally friendly, and instead use tiny candles or energy efficient bulbs.

5. Party favours

For big events, we often look at giving out party favours as a momento of the occasion. This is a lovely idea and means your special celebration remains strong in the guest’s memories, for a long time. Make sure you aren’t just adding to party waste by getting something people will actually use and keep, as opposed to something they will just throw out. Instead of paper-based items or plastics, which don’t have as much longevity and are likely to get binned, think about small things people keep, like metalic digital photoframes. Try to keep in mind that you don’t want to contribute to waste in any way, from any part of your party.

A Green, Eco-friendly Kitchen for your home! – Family?

The first time you consider having a ‘green’ kitchen for your home, what strikes your mind? Generally, the first thing you would think about is kitchen appliances that can possibly make your kitchen green. Almost everyday we have new appliances being introduced into the market that consume less energy, less water and also emit less or no noise, as compared to the older ones. If these appliances produce lesser amount of wastage of natural resources, they would be considered ‘green’.

Many people today mull over the idea of making their surroundings green, particularly the kitchen. Using green and eco-friendly appliances in the kitchen can also save on the utility bills in the later period. Though the purchase or installation of such appliances may cost you a little high initially, the ultimate savings you reap would be much higher in the long run and you can easily make up for your expenditure in your first year of your savings.

So if you are planning to make a few changes to your kitchen with energy efficient and eco-friendly appliances, you are absolutely on the right track. To support it further, even major appliance manufacturers have been constantly innovating and designing new methods to introduce kitchen appliances appealing to green-conscious consumers.

Most of the large appliances in your home are in the kitchen, and hence, to make these low energy-consuming changes, starting off with the kitchen first would be a wise idea. This will not only fetch you an eco-friendly environment at your home, but also, a better operating remodelled kitchen to beautify your home. Besides, you will also feel good to be contributing towards the energy conservation and environment protection while you cut on energy costs for yourself.

Some of the major kitchen appliances that can be substituted for energy-efficient and eco-friendly ones should include the refrigerator, the Microwave and the dishwasher. An eco-friendly refrigerator can help you save about 40% energy than before. Microwaves, as they are not environment-friendly, should be replaced for energy-efficient models so that it can help in energy saving. Buying a new eco-friendly dishwasher will not only lead to more energy savings, but also lesser water consumption.

How To Move House In An Environmentally Friendly Way

Moving house is one of those things that nobody looks forward to, as shifting all of your possessions from one place to another can be a huge undertaking. Moving day can also end up being an environmental disaster, with often a dozen or so trips in the car and the use of heavy duty cleaning products.

Moving house is one of those things that nobody looks forward to, as shifting all of your possessions from one place to another can be a huge undertaking. Moving day can also end up being an environmental disaster, with often a dozen or so trips in the car and the use of heavy duty cleaning products. Make sure you are organized next time you move and think about how your move is impacting the environment.

Think About How You Pack

As soon as you make the decision to move, start saving boxes, green bags, promotional bags and anything else that will be useful when you go to pack up your house. Even newspaper will be useful for packing up glasses and other delicate items so don’t get stuck having to buy stuff you already have. Think ahead and save things for the move.

Donate Unwanted Items

As you go through and start packing up your house, you are bound to come across items that you either don’t need anymore or that you just don’t want to take with you to your new place. Start packing early so you have plenty of time to find people or places to donate unwanted items. There is nothing sadder than having to just throw perfectly good items away just because you have run out of time at the end. Think ahead, think of others and find a home for unwanted items.

Use Non-Toxic Cleaners

The least fun part of moving is definitely having to clean your old place from top to bottom. Make this huge task a little better by using cleaning products that are better for you and the environment. There are some pretty nasty household cleaning products out there, and while they will make your house look clean, you are better off choosing something less toxic. It might take slightly longer but you will still have your house looking great without jeopardizing your health or those of friends and family helping you clean.

Do It In One Move

Most people spend moving day driving back and forth between their old and new place, ferrying goods and people. Save time, petrol, hassle and the environment, by either borrowing or renting a large truck and doing the move in one hit. It will make moving day way easier to organize, mean less chaos and cut down on pollution.

Snack Wisely

If you want to have the energy to make it through the day, having lots of snacks and a good lunch on moving day is essential. Treat yourself and everyone helping you to some great organic food for the day. There is no question organic food is better for both you and the environment, not to mention it tastes way better, so be sure no one goes hungry helping you out on your move.

Downsize

Deciding to move opens up a big opportunity for you to think about where and how you want to live. Most people live in houses that are far bigger than they need to be and therefore use up way more resources than is necessary, so think about how much space you need and consider moving into somewhere a bit smaller this time.

10 Easy Tips to Cut Your Home Energy Bill This Winter

Brrrrrrr! The weather’s getting colder ( some cities have already seen snow !) and that means that many of us will soon be seeing a big spike on our monthly electricity bills. But it doesn’t have to be that way – there are plenty of simple ways to minimize the amount of energy needed to heat your home and save a bundle of cash doing it. From properly insulating your house to simply dressing for the season , check out our 10 easy tips to cut your home’s energy use – you’ll thank us when you receive your next electricity bill! Read the rest of 10 Easy Tips to Cut Your Home Energy Bill This Winter Permalink | Add to del.icio.us | digg Post tags: “energy efficiency” , 10 Ways to Cut Your Home Energy Bill This Winter , cut your home energy bill , eco design , energy audit , energy efficiency tips , energy efficient lighting , energy monitoring , energy saving , energy saving tips , green design , green lighting , green tips for the home , infrared gun , insulation , LED , led light bulbs , save energy , saving electricity , smart thermostat , super sealed windows , sustainable design

Read the original here: 
10 Easy Tips to Cut Your Home Energy Bill This Winter

How to Keep Your Home Warm During Winter

To keep your home warm during winter install some solar panels, hang curtains or blinds in all your windows, block any gaps and have your windows double glazed.

It is easy to keep your home warm during winter, and without spending enormous amounts of money on your electricity bill. By thinking about other ways of keeping your house warm you can reduce your energy bill and help make your home more environmentally friendly as well. Getting some solar panels for your home can help reduce your heating bill and warm your house, as well as keeping your home maintained.

 

Solar panels

By installing solar panels you can not only keep your home warm during winter buy you can reduce the amount of money you spend on electricity. Using the suns energy you can heat your hot water system too. Solar panels can generate electricity that you can use throughout your home as well as run your heating system. With the cost of electricity on the rise and the need to look to more environmentally friendly methods of producing power, it is worthwhile looking into using solar energy.

 

Curtains and blinds

 

You lose a lot of heat through your windows, even when they are shut. Help trap the heat in your home by putting up curtains or blinds on all your windows and during winter having them shut, even throughout the day if it is cold and grey. Open them up to let the sun in and you might not need to turn on your heater as frequently.

 

Double glazing

 

Help retain the heat within your home by double glazing your windows. The double layer of glass will help reduce the loss of heat from within your home and the inner layer of glass will be closer to the temperature within your house. In between the two panels of glass the space is filled with air or a non toxic gas. This also warms and helps keep your home warm. Double glazed windows are fantastic insulation, and not only do they keep your home warm they reduce the heat in summer as the outer layer of glass absorbs the heat from the sun.

 

Do some baking

 

Using your oven can warm up your house, or at least the kitchen. Instead of eating store bought biscuits and cakes indulge in a bit of old fashioned home baking and warm up at the same time. The heat from running your oven will certainly warm the kitchen, and even the family area. There are two benefits, a cosy room and tasty home baked treats.

 

Maintenance

 

Before winter sets in go around your house and plug any gaps. Any cracks should be filled and make sure there aren’t any obvious holes between tiles and bricks. It is likely there would be lesser of a problem with newer homes, but it is still worth checking. A draught from a gap can

significantly cool down your home.

 

Draught excluder

 

They may seem a bit old fashioned but get a draught excluder for your front and back doors. A draught excluder is a snake shaped length of material, usually filled with small beans, and it is wedged against the gap in the bottom of the door. You could easily make them yourself if you can’t find them in store.

Next Page »