Steam Mops – Economically and Environmentally Sound

I’m not big on having chemicals in my house and when I think of my kids playing around areas that have had chemicals poured on them I just don’t like the idea. Where I used to live there was a ton of carpet throughout the house so cleaning floors never brought this issue up for me, but when I moved it was into a house that has nearly as much tile flooring as carpeted. I immediately began searching for a solution to cleaning the tile flooring without having to use tons of chemical agents with my mop and that is when I discovered the wonderful world of steam mops.

Steam mops provide a way to clean that is not only good on the environment but also easy on your pocket book. You can buy a steam mop for anywhere from $60 all the way up to $300. The one I bought is the Shark Steam Mop and it cost just about $70 – not too shabby for something that you will use for years to come. I bought it through a warehouse store so it came at a great price with extra mop pads to boot.

There are two major features with the Shark steam mop that get my attention – the first is that it functions with nothing but water. You pour the water in the spout, close it up, pug it in, and presto – in 30 seconds it is steamed up and ready to go. No harsh chemicals on the floor to worry about with young children. The steam is very hot – in fact it is so hot that you can get burned if you were to spray yourself with it (so don’t do that). Being as it is so hot it gives piece of mind knowing that the floor is getting completely sanitized in the mopping process – and with such heat it actually dries almost instantly!

The second feature that I love is the mop pads – they are reusable. After mopping you just take it off and pop it in the laundry. It is so simple! There are no pesky pads to wad up and throw away and there are no dirty sponges to deal with – every time you use the Shark mop you get to use a clean pad because you have washed it since the time before. This means you don’t have to keep buying fresh pads – your wallet will thank you!

I’ve looked at many other steam mops and most also have the same features that I love about the Shark. I think when looking to make your household more green you just can’t go wrong with a mop that will keep your family safe from chemicals and save you money in the long run. It’s a win win situation no matter what brand of steam mop you choose!

Copyright ©  2009, Becki, Green Christian Network, All Rights Reserved

               

Green Water Heater

Making our home green one step at a time will help our environment for years to come. Let’s take today to look at a very important home appliance, the water heater.

Tips for a Green Water Heater

Check the Temperature. You do not want your water heater to over do it’s job. Make sure you keep it at an average setting of 120 degrees. This will save a ton of energy and it will save you money as well. IMPORTANT: Never set it below 115 degrees though. You will be dealing with some nasty mold growth if you do.

Use Insulating Foam. Wrap the first six feet of pipe with insulating foam.

Wrap the water heater in a foil blanket. Be careful when doing this. You do not want to block important vents or controls. You will want to follow the instructions very carefully. Your water heater may not allow for this idea.

Invest in a Tankless system. These water heaters are designed to be “on demand.” They will save a lot of water and energy.

Keep up with it. Check it regularly. Make sure that it is working properly and repair it when needed.

Go Solar. Another option is to buy a solar water heater. This will save you money on your electric bill, save energy and be a better choice for the environment.

Implementing these tips will help you contribute to the environment in a positive way. It only takes one good choice at a time to begin the trek of becoming a better steward of God’s planet.

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Is it Expensive to be Green?

This is a question many people have asked me and unfortunately the answer is not that easy. While, yes, to buy organic and items that are green can be quite costly, there are also many ways to be green that are very affordable. You do not need to spend a lot of money to be green. It simple requires a willingness to be a better steward of God’s planet and some creativity.

When I first decided that I wanted to be green, I was not swimming in the green…if ya know what I mean. LOL! However, I had a desire to be a better steward of the planet and I started to brainstorm. Out of that brainstorming came Green Christian Network. It helps me be more creative and I am forced to come up with cheap and free ways to be an environmentally minded person.

Yep, that’s all it takes, people. Willingness and effort.

Eco Tips to Get Your Started on the Greener…Cheaper Path

• recycle. most states have recycling programs and they provide the bins and pick up service for minimal cost. It is actually a part of your garbage bill…at least it is in my town. this ONE act can do a world of good for the environment!
• reuse. start thinking about ways that you can reuse the items you use every day.
• limit paper use. stop overusing paper towels and paper products like they are going out of style. make the most of everything and use it more then once. we have many paper tips here.
• stop wasting. waste is something anyone and everyone can stop doing. it is free and simply requires willingness.

These are just a few simple changes to get you started. If you implement even one of them, you are already making a difference!

We would love to hear some of your ideas. Post them below or send them in!

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Get your kids involved!

If you are living a green life, your kids will eventually learn green ways and become better stewards of God’s planet. However, there is a way that you can not only get them involved, but they will be passionate about it! LOL!

How?

Making the green stuff…MONEY!

One of my kids decided they wanted to find ways to earn some money to go on a missions trip. Save soda cans and recycle them to earn cash. Sure, it’s not a ton of money, however, it helps the environment, teaches responsibility to earn own money, and the cans are reused for other purposes instead of helping overflow another landfill!

If you have preteens or teenagers, this is a sure fire way to get them active in the recycling movement. Nothing says “worth my time” to a teenager more than money…at least mine!

If they decide to do this, set up an area where they can store their cans. Then, let them loose. Soon they will be telling their friends and family members not to throw away the cans. Before you know it people who are not even greenies will be helping the environment!

You can help too, by saving the cans your coworkers use and helping them “spread the word” for their new “job.”

Seriously, it is a total win win green idea!

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Green Tip of the Day (3/10/09) – Check Your Tire Pressure

Make sure that your tires are properly inflated. Tires that are only slightly under inflated can add many gallons to your overall fuel consumption over time. By having properly inflated tires, you will be using LESS gas and helping save natural resources and money as well.

You can do it your self  by purchasing a simple tire gauge. You can pick one up at  your local auto parts store for less than 10 bucks. Be sure and check all four tires monthly.

Any other ideas to save gas and money? Post them below!

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Green Tip of the Day (2/28/09) – Open the Windows!

Using the air and heat on your home uses a lot of energy. It is also quite costly these days. However, we can do something to help the environment and our wallets.

This is the perfect time of year to turn off the heat if you live in a warmer climate. The cold fronts are abating and the breezes are fabulous. Open the windows and let the fresh air flow. You will save energy and money. Plus, it is always good to get fresh air! As the air gets warmer and the windows being open do not cut it, start with fans before you close the windows and turn on the air.

If you live in a cooler climate, try turning the heat off if you can and put some warmer house clothes on. Then, when it warms up a bit, open the windows and enjoy!

Do your best to limit the amount of heat and air you consume. Remember, every little change makes a huge impact over time. Additionally, you will be saving the green in your wallet as well!

Any other ideas on to keep the heat and air off more? Post them below!

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Green Tip of the Day (2/27/09) – Buy Used

A lot goes into making new products; energy, fuel, non organic materials and more. If we buy more items used, we will use less of the things that contribute to hurting God’s planet. Plus, we are being good stewards by making the most of everything we buy and use!

Some things we can buy used:

• movies. what’s the difference, really. used is cheaper, the same and better for the planet.
• music. see above.
• clothes. thrift stores can save you tons of money as well.
• books. buy them used or go to the library.
• cars. how used is up to you.
• furniture and appliances. garage sales and eBay are great places to start.
• homes. old houses are cool anyway.
• household items. there are many items you can pick up at a local good will or garage sale that are just as nice as going to the store and buying new.
• electronics. just be careful and always try it our before you buy.
• bikes. have you ever seen the price tag for a new bike recently. yikes! buy used and ride the bike as often as you can instead of driving. Double green for your trouble! lol.
• video games and systems. places like game stop are great. you can buy used, beat the game and then trade it in for another used game. too cool, right?
• toys. obviously clean and good condition are key here. if you look you can find some goodies. i have found a lot of cute items that my kids love.

As you can see, there are many ways we can help contribute to being good stewards of God’s planet. Including, buying used and spending our money wisely!

Any other ideas on things we can buy used? Post them below!

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Green Funds

There is a lot of thoughts and ideas going around the world today about living and buying green which means to stick with the products, companies, and organizations that are for saving our planet. This type of thinking has also gone into major markets such as the stock market. There are funds that are called Green Funds which are stocks from companies that do not pollute the world and are for natural resources. There are many products that are now being sold in order to help save the earth and keep the air that we breathe clean.

It is nice to know that there are Green Funds that investors can invest in order to keep their beliefs about helping our planet stay healthy. The investors like to have a portfolio that states they will only deal with companies and their stocks who not only care about making the money that they are making through the market but also care about what their products and services do for the world that our children and grandchildren are going to grow up in. This actually states just how far the message of a clean world has gotten.

If a message can break the barriers of money, it can just about do anything and these investors that are only investing in Green Funds are continuing the message onto other prospective investors. The more that we do to preserve our natural resources and keep our planet clean, the better off all of us will be. There are many websites on the Internet that will have lists of stocks that investors can invest in that are connected to companies who follow the message of keeping the world clean and green. It is these websites that people who want to invest in stocks should visit to learn about these Green funds.

Most of the Green Funds that you will find are small funds, but they are still on top in today’s market due to the fact that they focus on the green technology that is growing on a daily basis. People should definitely invest in the environment because this is what is our future and these funds are out there waiting for anyone to invest in them. There are many types of these funds that you can invest in that have to do with helping the environment and alternative energy and it is these funds that have sustainable practices.

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Investing: The Green Way to Go

Green investing is a great way to not only find some healthy investment returns but also make sure your money is funding socially responsible companies. Green investing means your money is earning you an investment return while you’re helping to back the companies who are doing the right thing by the environment or by the community.

With green investing you could be making money while you’re helping the environment. An example of green investing could be to invest your money into companies researching and developing alternative energy sources or by investing into companies that make a positive impact on the environment.

Socially responsible investing began by appealing to investors who preferred not to have their money funding companies involved with things like tobacco, gambling or alcohol.

In more recent times green investing now screens out companies who are abusive or irresponsible toward the environment or their communities, companies who might practice poor labor relations or lack corporate integrity. This also means their green investments advocate companies that are making a positive impact on the environment or the community.

So how do you get started in Green Investing?

The simplest way to put your money to work in green investing is to invest it into an SRI mutual fund. A Socially Responsible Investment mutual fund does all the management of choosing green companies with decent returns for you.

A side effect of green investing is that over time as more people pour money into socially responsible companies, this action is sending a message to those companies who are guilty of extreme environmental pollution or poor labor practices that the community has become less tolerant of their corporate practices.

Are Green Companies a Good Investment?

Many governments around the world have begun legislating greener practices relating to a lot of industries in response to public feedback and concerns for environmental damage. As more companies scramble to find ways to comply with legislations and also find ways to meet public approval, green research and environmentally friendly products are on the rise.

This means many green companies are increasing their market share over time, but it may not necessarily make it a good green investment.

As with any other investment, it’s wise to check the individual company for how they generate revenue and whether the company is performing well in terms of available cash flow and overall profitability.

For example, a new green start-up company specializing in green energy research might be funded by government loans, grants and investor money, but may not be producing any revenue of its own, so trying to calculate investment returns on a green investment like this would be difficult at best.

Overall, green investing is a great way to have your investment money aligned to your personal preferences but it’s still important to consider the total investment package and how your money would be put to work before jumping in.

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