USE POWER STOPLIGHT TO HELP YOU SAVE MONEY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

With the summer heat and the constant humming of the AC unit, everyone is looking for ways to save money.  If you’ve been paying attention to your energy bill you might see the dollars flying right out of your wallet.  Sure there are ways to help save money and energy- programmable thermostats, window coverings, or simply baring the heat.  But to Richard Unetich, creator of Power Stoplight, this is not enough.

Richard has taken the concept of energy conservation and given it a kick in the pants to help people really have control of how they spend their energy in their homes.  Power Stoplight is an app that you can use on your smartphone to allow you to see when the best times are for you to run your appliances.  This idea not only helps save you dollars but also helps to regulate the demand on the power grid.  By reducing demands for energy on the power grid at peak times, we can help eliminate the need to expand these energy facilities.

HOW THE APP WORKS…

The smartphone app, which only costs 99 cents, is really easy to use and understand–don’t worry you don’t have to be an electrical engineer to get it.  The app uses a stoplight to tell you when the best time to run your appliances.  For example, you might check your phone before doing a load of laundry to see how much it will cost you to do that load of laundry and to see how much demand there is for energy.  If the demand isn’t that high you will get a green light.  If it’s some where in the middle, you might want to think about another time, and if you get a red light you should check back later.  Here are some examples of what you might get…

With the Power Stoplight, you can learn the best and cheapest times for you to save money.  You can even make a game out of it and see how cheap you can get your chores done! 

CAN I USE IT???

Since dynamic pricing for energy is limited to certain areas, not all areas can utilize Power Stoplight.  Check out the list of available cities and see if you can start saving today!

You can also check out the Power Stoplight website to learn more about this great, easy to use app that will help save the environment and your money.

Once you give it a try, let me know what you think…

Tips to Saving Energy and Xcel Energy Rebate Offers

From June to September of this 2010 Xcel Energy switched to a tiered or inverted block rate system for all residential customers.  The rationale for tiered rates is to more accurately reflect the cost of providing electricity service to customres.  Costs are generally higer during the summer months, so the tiered rates serve as a price signal to customers who can chosse to use less electricy to manage their energy bills. 

Top Fruits and Veggies to Buy Organic – Gaiam Life.

Here’s an easy to follow guide for which fruits and veggies to buy organic…

1. Peaches

2. Apples

3. Sweet Bell Peppers

4. Celery

5. Nectarines

6. Strawberries

7. Cherries

8. Lettuce

9. Grapes (imported)

10. Pears

11. Spinach

12. Potatoes

Here is a list of produce you need to be least concerned with in terms of pesticides…

1. Onions

2. Avocados

3. Sweet corn (frozen)

4. Pineapples

5. Mango

6. Sweet Peas (frozen)

7. Asparagus

8. Kiwi

9. Bananas

10. Cabbage

11. Broccoli

12. Eggplant

How to Be Organic on a Budget, an article on Giam.com is a great guide to  help you get started on buying organic foods and products.  I just went through the list to see how I am doing and so far, pretty good.  The list is  great way to help you get started and also a good way to check your progress and maintain what you are doing.

On the list, the two things that I agree with most are the #1. Buy direct from the farm, #6. Learn your labels, and #7. Learn what to buy organic and what to not buy organic, and #12. Don’t be a slave to the word “organic”.

The reason these stuck out to me the most is because by buying your food directly from a farm you can have more control as to what your buying.  You have access to the farmer and can ask him/her how they control pests and about their growing methods.  If you don’t agree, go some where else.  Also, buying from a farm means you get lower prices, the freshest in-season fruits and veggies, and most importantly, you help support agriculture in your area.

Learning your labels is also very important.  Make sure you are spending your money wisely and actually buying fresh, organic food.  Labels can be misleading and lots of companies are trying to ride the organic wave.  Be informed, it’s important!

Learning what food to buy organic is also important.  Obviously, if you could buy all organic food that would be best, but that isn’t always the case.  Many of us are on a budget and we want to make sure we spend our dollars effectively.  That being the case, read up on what fruits and veggies are loaded with pesticides and stick to organics for those.

Lastly, don’t be a slave the the term “organic”.  This is really important because there is really great food out there that is grown organically but doesn’t have the money to have the organic label.  This is especially true with farmer’s markets.  Being labeled organic by the USDA is a hefty process, requiring lots of time and money.  Many small, family farms can’t afford to do that.  That doesn’t mean they aren’t organic and don’t let that keep you from buying.  Farmer’s markets are great because you can talk to the farmers and ask about growing practices and decide if it is worth spending your money on.  Also, these farms might be the best and most  environmentally friendly farms to support because they are local and have a smaller footprint than larger, organically certified farms from across the country.

I hope this information helps you navigate your way through the world of organic foods.  Let me know what you think about Giam’s list at How to Be Organic on a Budget, and which items speak to you.

Happy shopping!

I love looking for items made from recycled items but this tops the charts.  This custom handmade jewelry from Etsy is cleaver, beautiful, and amazing!  Take a peak and see if you fall in love too…

My husband is a computer programmer so I love these two pieces…computer nerds meet your nighttime ware.

I love these rings because I “skateboarded” in middle school and I think this might be a better way to sport the skateboard for me:)

I love anything made from recycled rubber but I haven’t seen earrings yet, how fun!  Other items I’ve seen are shoes, purses, purse straps, wallets…the list is endless.

Check out the  Custom Handmade Etsy jewelry  on thedailygreen.com to see more great styles.

Being green has been rising in popularity over the last couple of years and for some it has been a fad and for others a lifestyle change.  On The Daily Green this week I was presently surprised when I read about these actors and actresses and learned that their shift to green is the latter.

You might be surprised who made the list…Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCarprio, Rachel McAdams, Ted Danson, Alicia Silverstone, Natalie Portman, Orlando Bloom, Woody Harrelson, Edward Norton, Ed Begley Jr., and Adrian Grenier.  It’s great to know so many celebrities are spreading the word on being green!

Green Celebrities – Green Actors and Actresses – Famous Environmentalists – thedailygreen.com.

If you haven’t gotten a chance to stop and really appreciate spring, here are some great pictures to help you get started.  If your in spring heaven already these are great to see how life is popping up all over the world.

Check out some more at Spring Photos – Spring Wildlife Photos – thedailygreen.com.

Just about everyone I know loves the idea of a fireplace–sitting with a loved one and cozying up to the fire to ward off the cold weather. These days we are lucky enough to enjoy the warmth of a fire any time of year with a gas fireplace- forget all the wood, kindling and matches, all you need is a switch.

However, as we become more aware and concerned with fuel prices gas fireplaces may not be the best option.  Wood fireplaces are great but they also release smoke, soot, and ash that can create a mess and pollute our indoor air.

My sister Christina, who is an interior designer and a gracious supporter of my blog, introduced me to the Chantico Fire biofireplace, which uses a bio ethanol fuel called Fanola.  The best part about the fuel is that it burns odorless and it doesn’t produce smoke or soot.  The only emissions from the fuel are heat, steam, and carbon dioxide, which is comparable to that of humans.

Biofireplaces also are a great addition to apartments or offices because they don’t require any installation.  You could even set your biofireplace on your coffee table if you so choose.  This is a great solution for me and my husband since we love fireplaces but live in an apartment and quite frankly can’t figure out how to use a wood fireplace.  I know what your thinking but its true.

Let me just tell you really quick why we need a biofireplace, besides all the great environmental perks…We moved into an apartment with a fireplace and couldn’t wait to use it.  We got, and I’m ashamed to admit, one of those duraflame logs to get an easy fire started.  We really wanted to enjoy a fire but it was getting late.  We figured we’d stay up and read by the fire and enjoy the three hours we’d have with our duraflame.  Well, after about an hour we were tired, didn’t feel like ready and were pretty much done with the fire.  We threw some water on the log and went to bed.  Around 2 in the morning my husband flies out of bed and runs out to the main room.  I slowly woke up to the fire alarm and once I realized what it was, thought we set the apartment on fire.  Luckily we didn’t.

Instead, the log kept burning and releasing smoke into the apartment.  Since there wasn’t enough heat to push the smoke out it just slowly filled our place.  We had to open all the windows, our sliding glass door, and front door to try and get rid of all the smoke.  It was crazy!  We finally cleared out the smoke but our place reeked for days and not to mention all of our clothes.  For a better part of two weeks we walked around smelling like a camp fire.

So, what did we learn?  We need a fireplace we can easily shut off and doesn’t produce smoke.  The solution, a biofireplace.  If you’re like us check out the Chantico Fire website . With your purchase you might even qualify for a tax credit up to $1,500!

Living in San Diego for 9 years and not having a true winter I didn’t really realize what I was missing out on.  Fall has always been my favorite season and I missed it very much because I love when the leaves change colors and turn a deep orange or red.  But what I didn’t realize was how much I missed spring and how much I love it.  I might even have to switch my favorite season to spring!

Lately, as I’ve walked my dog Yama I’ve started to notice the world coming to life.  The birds are back and happier than ever.  They sing almost all day to impress each other in hopes of finding a mate. The males are all dressed up for the ladies with their red chests and couldn’t look better.  The other birds that have already paired off are working hard to build their nests.  In fact, the other day I say a magpie carrying the biggest branch, that’s right I said branch.  He swayed up and down, side to side, trying to take that thing back to his nest but couldn’t muster up the strength after almost running into a car and had to give up.  Even the weeds the grounds crew of my apartment work so hard to get rid of have already made their first appearance, breaking through the rocks in hopes of soaking up the warm sun.  I thought the late snow we got last week would surly spoil their early rise but sure enough, here they are, greener than ever.

It’s not only the birds and the weeds, the trees are budding like crazy and look like any day they will have leaves.  A tree outside of my sisters house was swarming with thirsty bees trying to get to the early nectar.  If you stand quietly all you hear is buzzing, it’s amazing!

Today, I drove with my window down, soaked up the heat and loved every minute of it.  I wanted to just keep driving.  As I’m writing this, it’s still sunny and warm.  My heater hasn’t kicked in all day and people are out enjoying the sun.  I even played basketball with my nieces today–come on summer, I can’t wait!

I never enjoyed all these things in San Diego.  I was spoiled by sunny, warm days and didn’t really appreciate them until now, when you get to finally kick off your boots, unzip you jacket and soak up the sun.I never experienced these sensations there was never really a dormant period.  Something is always growing, moving, or starting over in San Diego.  It’s funny what it takes to notice how much life is around you–you have to lose it first and then you notice everything!

So, spring is taking first place for me.  I’m afraid I am going to have to agree with my husband on this one and say that I love spring.  However, fall will always be amazing and without it spring wouldn’t be so breathtaking.

If you haven’t taken a minute to stop and see the new life around you stop listen, watch, and smell all the amazing things around you.  You might be surprised at what you’ve been missing all this time.  I know I was.

Montreal is a great city and they love to celebrate everything and anything.  When I was there last month the city celebrated Nuit Blanche (The White Night), to honor the arts.  It was fantastic because the city offered free access to buses, closed down streets and opened tons of shops and business to the public to experience and participate in art.  In one area we were able to draw a live model, another we listened to a young woman sing with her guitar, outside a cafe we watched performance art in the middle of the street, it was amazing!

One of the best places we stopped was in an operating printing press.  People were invited to listen to music, enjoy food, and take part in decorating the room.  Each person was giving an old record and a etching pen.  From there you were able to etch any design you wanted onto the record and then take it over to the printing press where they covered it with ink, pressed the design on to a piece of paper, and then finished off the poster to hang in the room.  It was really fun and a great way to reuse material that would otherwise end up in the trash.  Don’t worry, the records weren’t good music or anything.  They were old demo records with commercials or something on them, nothing exciting.

Here are some pictures of our design….

Some other great things I ran into during the celebration…a chessboard made from recycled newspaper.  It would take some time to make but a good way to get rid of that growing pile of papers…