Can Renting a Movie Help the Environment?

YES! Renting movies instead of buying them is a significant change that can protect the environment and save you money. Renting movies is one way to go green. By renting movies, you can guarantee those DVDs will be used multiple times, saving people money and help us be good stewards of God’s planet at the same time.

It will help prevent waste. The materials that DVDs are made of are not recyclable. DVDs that are thrown away pollute the environment. Renting DVDs ensure their continuous cycle – providing entertainment, and caring for God’s planet.

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Get a Green Job and Help God’s Planet Go Green

The visible changes in the current climate should have something to say when looking for the right job. Getting a green job is one way of ensuring your role when it comes to saving God’s planet. Green ways of working should be included as your top priority when looking for a job. Working for an Eco-friendly company helps restore natural reserves, but most of all, reduces carbon emissions.

A green job is one small, but important step towards generating economic development, while encouraging a low-carbon path. Moreover, while fighting financial difficulties, being employed by an environmentally friendly company will help us go green as a whole. New renewable energy and fuel efficiency technologies are a fact – and such a fact is actually brought into play in companies that care about the environment.

Our workforce should be encouraging greener ways of living. Green employees should also want their bosses to care for the environment. The more our workforce show interest in green companies, the bigger the statement.

Start seeking your first green employer today. You can go online and access the Simply Hired’s Eco-Friendly Companies search engine (simplyhired.com/ecofriendly) and SustainableBusiness.com’s Green Dream Jobs section (sustainablebusiness.com/jobs). These sites may offer you more information to help you make a green choice concerning your future job.

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Home Made Green and Clean

Contaminants are released into the air when using the conventional cleaning products that are more toxic and dangerous for your overall health. You have to understand that the poor air quality is likely to affect your overall health sooner or later.

It is a better choice to go for the green products.  They will help you to reduce your exposure to toxic contaminants. You are also protecting your family and children by going green and clean.

Make it a family affair…Try making your home made cleaning products as a family unit. It can be a green and fun family activity.

Home Made Green Product Ideas…

• Using white vinegar to soft your fabrics. Even if you have very sensitive skin, you will be pleased with the final results. The vinegar should stay undiluted. Simply add a half cup to the rinse cycle.
• Use baking soda to clean and absorb unpleasant odors. You can also use it to clean the bath tube or the kitchen sink.
• Lemon juice is another green and clean way to go.  It can be sued to dissolve hard water stains and soap scum. Lemon juice can also be used in order to make copper and brass shine. If mixed with baking soda and vinegar it will become a strong and natural cleaner.
• Alcohol and vinegar can be used in order to clean glass. You will need some basic ingredients in order to obtain an awesome green and clean glass cleaner. Mix 1 cup of rubbing alcohol with 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Mix well. This can also be used to clean mirrors and windows.
• Recycle your newspaper and use it to clean your mirrors and scum filled places. It will save paper by not using paper towels…or water by not using rags that will have to be washed!

It is easier and more cost effective to make home made cleaning products. It is also a great way to make God’s planet greener! Remember, all you will need are a few simple ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon, and soap.  Making home made cleaning products can also help bring the family together and increase the desire to help with house cleaning and going green!

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Reusing and Recycling is Good and Green

You can help reduce post consumer waste by choosing to buy recyclable items. When you buy more recyclable products, you are letting big business know that we are serious about the going green thing. They may want to reconsider how they do business and choose a greener alternative.

By using our purchase power to buy more green products, we help protect our natural resources which are wasted by non-green companies. Going green is your way of telling companies that you no longer want to waste God’s planet’s resources.

When shopping, make an effort to purchase products that are  using recycled materials. Check the labels to find out if the material is recyclable or not.

The best way to reduce your contribution to post consumer waste is by making sure no natural resources have been used in as many of the products you purchase as possible.

Becoming more aware of your ability to grow as a green shopper is the best way to reduce your carbon footprint immediately. Plus, many times, green choices are cost effective as well as environmentally friendly. Going green has never been so easy.

Training up up our children now, with green habits, will help ensure good habits and stewardship  of God’s planet for generations to come.

The more resources we have in the recyclable circulation the better!

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Green Start to Your Day

What better way to begin your day than Green? You can start your day glorifying God by taking care of what He placed in your hands…His planet. How?

Simple. Forget about the norm when you wake up each morning. Leave your technological ways behind, and consider something new and green.

Try waking up a little early and having a warm natural bubble bath. Light some candles and spend some time praying and giving your day to God. Taking baths helps save water verses a long shower.

NO time for a bath?

There are other ways you can save water and make your mornings greener…

1. Shorter Showers. Take 5 minute shower and work quickly to get the job done. This will save water.
2. Married?  Consider showering with your better half. Not only will you save water…you will heat up your marriage!
3. Turn off water when shaving, brushing teeth, hands, etc. Only have the water on when you need it. Avoid letting it just run down the drain.
4. Keep Up leaks. If you notice a leak, in the morning, have it fixed before the day ends. Stopping leaks is a great way to make a greener home.
5. Low-flow shower heads and efficient water heaters are also great options to help cut your water usage.
6. Buy a permanent razor versus disposable razors. It is an easy and great way to go green.
7. If you are a woman who wears makeup, consider Eco-friendly products.
8. Clothing. Consider switching to natural organic fibers. This will take time, so you do not break the bank…but remember, every little thing helps!
9. Morning Java. Try a cup of organic coffee in order to get you going in the morning. Or, a green alternative for coffee is green tea.
10. Try using the same glass/cup when you get home. The less you dirty, the less there is to clean. The less water used.
11. Car Pool if you can. If you work far and MUST drive, try carpooling. The less cars on the road the better. Plus, with gas prices the way they are everyone involved will save some money!
12. Ride a bike. If work is not too far and riding a bike is an option for you, it is a great way to green up the environment.
13. Cancel your Newspaper. Go Digital. Save some trees. Keep the oxygen flowing. There are MANY Online news sources.
14. Pray on your way to work. Instead of listing to your radio if you do drive, spend time praising and talking to God. Radios use your engine and more energy. Plus, He sure would love to hear form you!
15. Turn off the Lights. When you wake up in the morning, open the blinds. Use as much natural light as you can.

These are just a few ideas to help you start your day green. If we all do a little it really will be a huge help to God’s planet.

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Organic Pet Food Option – Make Sure You KInow What You Are Getting

One of the latest health food crazes is organic food.  It used to be only a handful of farmers produced organic products.  Even when organics became widespread, only a few different food products were available.  Now there’s an organic alternative to almost every product on the market, snack foods, shampoo, and now even pet food.  You’re probably thinking “organic pet food, that’s crazy”, but consider this: when national dog shows are sponsored by a dog food company, the winner gets free dog food.  Most winners then donate that food to local shelters instead of giving it to their dogs.  Why?  Because they know traditional dog foods are bad for dogs.

Most pet foods contain the same chemicals as the food we eat: pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, and other dangerous chemicals. In addition, many pet food producers add small amounts of chemicals that are known to be toxic to pets.  Most house pets have only recently been domesticated.  That means that until recently, dogs and cats ate raw, chemical free meat and fish.  Their bodies aren’t adapted to deal with all the chemicals we feed them.   Feeding your pet all natural organic foods will help their bodies function more efficiently and keep them from building up toxic chemicals in their systems.  This will help your pet have more energy, stay healthy, and live longer.

Unlike food for human consumption, organic pet food is not strictly regulated.  This means that if a dog food contains organic vegetables, the producer can then use non organic beef and chicken, add preservatives and other toxic chemicals, and still label their dog food as “organic”.  While some certifiers have seals for organic pet foods, that doesn’t mean the pet food is 100% organic.  For example, if there is a USDA seal on a pet food package, that means that 70% (or more) of the ingredients in the pet food are organically produced.

While there is not certification that can prove a pet food product is entirely organic, there are steps you can take to find the safest food for your pet.  First, look for foods that claim to be organic and all natural.  Another step you can do is to talk to other dog owners.  You can find experts at a local kennel club, or go online to find out what other pet lovers say.  Just be sure to verify where you’re getting online info from.  It’s very easy for companies to pay someone to say that their food is better than it is.  The best way to verify the quality of a pet food is to look at the ingredients list.  Words that are not pronounceable are probably not organic or natural.  Also be wary of vague terms like “natural flavors”.

While it might take a little time and effort to find a quality organic food for your pet, they’re likely to thank you for it for a long, long time.

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Save Money and the Planet With Better Laundry Habits

We just added some great ways for you to help laundry go green with our newest article; Laundry Needs to Go Green for the Planet.

Below are a couple more tips to help with the green laundry movement.

5 Clothes Dryer Efficiency Tips

Exercise restraint when tempted to stuff your dryer to the brim with all of your laundry.  When you overload the dryer, you deny the inside of the dryer the necessary air to circulate between your clothing.  The extra space in the dryer allows your clothing the proper space it needs to have the most effective exposure to the heat/air.

If possible, open a window or door near your washer and dryer to increase airflow.  The accumulated, humid air is likely to decrease the effectiveness of the clothes dryer in an enclosed space.

The cool cycle is important and you will have to make sure that the clothes dryer completes its drying cycle with a cool-down cycle.

Make sure that the moisture is removed and the fastest cycle is to be used when your clothes are in the washing machine.

When purchasing a dryer, look for one equipped with a moisture sensor.  The moisture sensor automatically stops the dryer as soon as the clothes are dry.

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Whats Eating your Electricity?

Electricity waste that makes your bills higher and higher.

Almost 75% of the electricity you pay for is used when your home electronics are turned off.  The solution?  Unplug all of your small appliances when you are not using them.  Do you leave your toaster oven plugged into the wall?  The toaster oven is still pulling power from the wall regardless of whether it’s in use or not.

Try equipping your commonly used outlets with power strips. Plug your appliances into the power strip and when they are not in use, turn off the power strip in one simple turn of the switch.  A power strip costs on average $20.  A small investment at the start, this energy friendly tool will save you money in the long run.   Plug your computer and accessories, i.e. printers, monitors, speakers and hard drives into a power strip.  Turn the power strip off when your computer is not in use to save on your electricity bill.   A computer is one of the top energy users among household appliances, and fortunately can be turned off, unlike a refrigerator.  Also note that older appliances tend to use more energy such as analog televisions.

As you begin your foray into energy efficiency, consider bolder ways to save and change your lifestyle for the better.   Buy a windmill, or build one yourself to provide your home with free energy.  The Internet is an excellent resource for available guidelines that can show you step by step how to build a windmill without having to spend a fortune on one.  Solar power is another option to provide your home with free energy. The Internet is full of useful guidelines that can show you the right way to build and install the solar panels.  Saving energy is not only valuable for our planet, but for your wallet too.  With the New Year ringing in, consider including energy efficiency in your home to your list of resolutions.  Start small by unplugging electronics that are not in use and build from there.

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Laundry Needs to Go Green for the Planet

Yes…even dreaded laundry can go green! Most of us have learned our poor laundry habits from Mom who learned it from her Mom and so on. We now need to reteach ourselves and the next generation green laundry habits. The sooner change dirty laundry to green laundry the better!  Green laundry habits will help us preserve the natural resources of God’s planet.

What’s all the Fuss?

The average load of laundry is packed full of negative effects on God’s planet. Below are several reasons why green laundry habits are a must to help God’s planet go green!

• 34 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions that would be saved if every U.S. household used only cold water for washing clothes. 700 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions are saved each year by line-drying your family’s laundry. Plus, you would save money! 99 pound of carbon dioxide emissions saved per household each year by running only full loads of laundry.
• Chlorine should be avoided for so many reasons, including, skin irritations can occur, can form toxic chlorine gas, which can damage our airways, over 25,000 kids were either exposed to or harmed by household chlorine bleach in 2002 alone!
• 90% of  the total energy used by a typical washing machine to heat the water; only 10 percent is used to power the motor.
• Common Laundry detergents and brighteners have negative effects on people AND the planet. Including; rashes, asthma, fish & water life, mammals, skin, burns, cataracts & corneal damage, lungs, and so much more.

Hopefully that is enough information to get you thinking…if not, you may be hopeless!

Go Green Laundry Tips

Avoid Ironing. YES! I love this one! It uses energy that could be used for something more important! If you can avoid ironing, do!

Eco-Friendly Soap. There are many green cleaning companies out there that offer Eco friendly cleaning supplies. Find one and use the products!

Speaking of Laundry Soap. Concentrated detergent is to be best. It uses less packaging and that means a smaller carbon footprint.

Invest in an Eco-Friendly Top-Loading Machine. Sure, this may be a pricey adjustment. However, it is well worth the investment into God’s planet in the long run.

Wash Cold. Whenever possible wash in cold or warm. Try to avoid hot water washing. It will save energy.

Water Heater. Lower the thermostat in your water heater to about 120 degrees. It will save energy and money.

Fill ‘er Up. Make your loads large enough to fill the washer. Do not over stuff, simply use the space available to its fullest.

Dry Together. Dry your clothes in categories. Dry your heavy jeans together and your light items together. Avoid mixing. Doing this will help your clothes dry quicker and more evenly, thus saving energy!

Wet Adds. Avoid adding wet clothes to a load that is already drying. This will cause the dryer to work more and take more time to dry, and use more than necessary energy.

Do Laundry All In One Day. This is especially good for drying. If you dry one load after another, the dryer is hot and will use less energy to heat up than if you put your clothes in a cold dryer.

Use Dryer Less in Winter. Using the concept above will give you an idea of what I mean. A cold dryer takes longer to heat up. If possible, line dry more in the winter.

Clean Lint Trap. You should lean the lint trap after every dry. This will keep your dryer working well and use less energy.

Dryer Exhaust Vent. Keep it clean and clear of debris. Check it at least monthly.

Line Dry. If you can, avoid using a dryer all together. This will save TONS of energy.

Wear Them Out. Make it a point to wear your clothes more than once. Obviously, if they stink, do not wear them again. However, if you wore jeans and a shirt to lunch, do not come home and toss them in the laundry pile. Fold them and wear them again. You should try to wear your jeans and pants 3x – 4x before washing and shirts 2x.

Never Use Bleach. Bleach is horrible for the environment and you. Instead, go the green way! Use 1 cup of borax or 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar instead. Vinegar is awesome. It will not only help your clothes get whiter, it will reduce static cling, lint and sweat stains.

Fabric Softener. Use a natural and better alternative. Again, vinegar will help with this. Put 1/2 cup into your rinse cycle. Or use 1/2 cup baking soda instead.

Avoid Dry Cleaning. If you can, avoiding it all together is best. If not try to find a dry cleaner that uses carbon dioxide (CO2) dry cleaning. Or, at the very least, wear less dry clean only clothing!

These Green Laundry Tips are sure to help make God’s planet greener. Let’s be good stewards of the earth He gave us and help our laundry GO GREEN!

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Launching Green!

This is a very exciting day! We are launching what we feel is a much needed site for Christians. Many Christians do not even realize that we were called to be green long before the current Eco-Friendly craze.

This is nothing new! We serve a green God and have been called to be stewards of His planet! We are looking forward to a Green Christian movement that is NOW beginning!!

We can’t wait to share with you each day/week/month.

Our blog will be updated daily and the site weekly/monthly.

We are currently looking for contributors!

If you are green, a Christian and have a lot to say, we want you! You can be a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly contributor!

What’s in if for me, you ask?

Major link love!

• We will place your image, blurb and link on our contributor page.
• up to 2 links on the sidebar of all pages under “Contributor Links” heading.
• a button in our monthly newsletter
• a spot to blab about you and what you do in our forums
• plus links in any future stuff we do
• and any other ways we can think of to say thanx a bunch

Let us know if you want to be on board!

That’s all for now green peeps. Looking forward to all this site will be!

               

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