Green Energy

 Technology  No Responses »
Dec 152011
 

Trying to save money and stay warm this Holiday season? GreenCupboards.com employees are trying to keep warm in the office using space heaters and blankets wondering if we’re doing everything we can to optimize our energies potential. These three steps are helping us save some green while getting “greener” as well.  They may do the same for you.

  1. Cover cracks – The first step you can take in making your house more energy efficient this Holiday season is to seek out any crevasses where heat could be escaping. The cracks under doors are notorious for letting the hot air out. By making a door sweep this energy loss can be minimized. A door sweep is a piece of material that is laid at the base of a door, coving the space between the door and the floor. You can purchase a door sweep or make your own by simply folding a blanket or towel and placing it at the bottom of a door.

If you have an attic with pull down stairs, you can better insulate it by placing a blanket over the stairs when you fold it up. It should be a no-brainer, yet also make sure your windows are securely shut.

  1. Turn thermostat down, not off – Turning your thermostat off when you leave is surprisingly not the most energy efficient solution. Rather than turning your thermostat off, turn it down instead. All of the stress from turning the heat on and off can damage your energy system and cause it to break prematurely. When you leave, you should set your heat at 50-60 degrees F and when you come home you shouldn’t crank it all the way up but set it at around 70-80 degrees F.
  1. Help your radiator – Maximize your radiator’s potential by placing heat reflectors against the wall behind your radiator.  By using heat reflectors you can get much more bang for your buck from your radiator’s heat. This technique can also work for people trying to heat a room using a space heater.

A GreenCupboards.com Holiday Decorating Competition

 Articles, The Green Life  No Responses »
Dec 132011
 

The Grinch and Max have joined our Marketing team

The GreenCupboards.com team decided to participate in some healthy Holiday competition this year! Our four offices faced off to have the best (and greenest) holiday decorations. Winners we placed according to the categories of “Best Overall Design,” “Most Creative,” and “Most Eco-Friendly.” Here’s the Dr. Seuss inspired tale:

The Holiday Season comes but once a year.
With all the green in GreenCupboards the Who’s in the office thought the Grinch would come here!
Preparation began as we hustled and bustled to the shopping marts,
With hope and spirit we plotted to load up our carts.
With packaged candy and gift wrap, lights and Styrofoam stars,
Then a voice spoke out and an email was sent,
Dan the data team man sent out a cry of lament.
“I know the holidays will soon be here,
A mere 23 days (who’s counting?) but something is wrong I fear,
Instead of buying more holiday stuff,
And then tossing it in the trash as useless fluff,
It might be fun to thwart holiday gloom
By using recycled goods to decorate the room!”
The Who’s of the office looked at one another,
And then smiled at their hopeful Data Team brother.
They got work and soon found out,
That sparkly new products is not what the holiday season is about.
Mitchell from Listings brought in old Santa’s galore,
While Dan and Alex made snowflakes and more!
Lauren strung popcorn garland from wall to wall,
While Sarah and Ciera used old materials to make lollipops to cover the hall.
The GreenCupboards team got to work and soon found out,
That sparkly new products are not what the holidays are about.
And the Grinch?
He came in the door hoping to play,
But seeing our commitment to green he decided to stay.
We hope to spread our holiday cheer this season,
And if you want to recycle here’s a good reason:
GreenCupboards has transformed in the matter of a week,
And now its heart has grown three times its size and is not nearly so meek.

Happy Holidays!  For more photos of our competition click here!

Tossable Decor

 Articles  No Responses »
Dec 102011
 

Oh the Bobbles

Part of the glitz and glamor of the Holidays is decoration. Now, aside from lemon peel and cinnamon stick decor, most Holiday home improvement trinkets aren’t all that eco-friendly. With plastic bobbles and wire wreaths hanging about, the obvious choice of alternative and natural trimming might seem like a greenie’s suitable choice, right?

I think not. Let’s take a look at “sustainability” and how natural decoration flirts with waste. For the sake of comparison, take two wreaths: one synthetic plastic and one freshly cut from the tree. If you’re going for sustainability in the sense that you wish to maintain and espouse practices that protect the environment from harm, then the plastic wreath ought to be the obvious choice for door and mantle beautification. Yes, it’s plastic, but it’s also one and done. That plastic wreath will last you every Holiday until the cows come home. Look at it this way. No annual tree massacres, less shipping of wreaths that you could otherwise store away rather than toss out after the few weeks traditional evergreens last.Yes, douglas fur adornments smell nice, but aren’t you sucker punching Mother Earth by chopping down air cleansing forest and wasting food (back to the lemon peel hanging bobbles)? Maybe synthetic is the way to go for the Holidays. Save a tree, go plastic. Thoughts?

Images:

http://www.geekologie.com/2010/12/ho-ho-holy-god-thats-nerdy-gee.php

http://blog.al.com/living-news/2008/11/personalize_table_to_make_gues.html

Treat yourself!

 Articles, The Green Life  No Responses »
Dec 082011
 

Enjoy your Holiday season!

Before you put on your shopping boots and head to the mall, or make yourself a cup of hot tea to sit down to some online Holiday shopping, take a look at some ideas to slow down during the havoc of the holiday and enjoy some of this seasons cheer!  Here are some activities that can promise to refreshment!
Meditate: If you’re becoming stressed out by shopping malls, think about what you can get online instead. If you’re freaking out about a problem at work, consider the big picture and look at your options. We’re driven to make quick decisions, take this time to sit down, get to know your thought patterns, and organize your mind.
Exercise: Make a few laps around the park, or head to the gym with your favorite playlist.  Whether you’re doing yoga, taking a spin class, or lifting weights this time to yourself can be one of the greatest gifts.  Blow off steam, sweat off stress, and let the endorphins do their work.  You’ll leave feeling accomplished and refreshed.
Read: Author George R. R. Martin, who was considered by TIME Magazine one of the 100 most influential people in the 2011, recently said, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies.  The man who never reads lives only one.” To counteract the stress of this winter season treat yourself to an hour of vacation time and sit down with a good book.
Enjoy the ones you love: Set aside a few hours one day for a special person in your life.  Whether it’s talking on the phone with a close parent or relative, or sitting down for coffee with a friend or a significant other, your time is too valuable not to spend with the ones you love.  Don’t try to multitask. Instead of going to a movie or shopping, grab dinner or a drink and simply enjoy each other’s company.
Go for a walk: Nature has a calming force on the mind.  Bundle up against the cold and get outside.  Stroll through the park, or peruse the holiday decorations in your neighborhood.  If it’s too cold to stay outside, try going to the mall without shopping.  There are plenty of Holiday decorations, Santa’s workshops, and Christmas concerts going on.  Enjoy the sounds and sights of life around you.

Images:

http://www.visualphotos.com/image/2×4755100/woman_making_snow_angel

5 Simple Holiday Habits

 Articles, The Green Life  No Responses »
Dec 062011
 

Make your own bags from old t-shirts!

Santa is at the mall and he’ll be coming down our chimney’s soon!  Until that time, why not pick up new habits to make the world a greener place during this holiday season.  Here are some ideas for inspiration!

Recycle your packaging!

Save your boxes and gift bags from previous holiday events and reuse, reuse, reuse!  Instead of packing all that bright tissue paper into the trash bag hide it in the back of your closet for next year!  Need more ideas? Look here!

Experiment with new transportation!

Bike, Walk, or Bus to where you need to go!  Despite rain, sleet, and snow many members of the GreenCupboards.com staff still pedal to work during these months.  If weather permits we like to save some gas and get some fresh air.  It’s good for us and the planet!

Try reusable bags!

As you load up on groceries, goodies, and gifts be sure to gather your purchases in reusable bags!  Every year over 1 trillion plastic bags are used.  Do your part to cut that number down!

Support Eco-businesses!

Working together is at the core of keeping our world green.  Support local businesses or organizations that practice green habits, provide funding for green initiatives, or include being green in their mission.

Encourage your friends!

The holidays are a time to be with the people you love.  Spend time with friends making eco-friendly decorations or shopping online! Your good habits will encourage them to be conscious of our effect on the planet!

Happy Holidays!

Sources:

http://www.reuseit.com/learn-more/top-facts/plastic-bag-facts

Images:

http://blog.airdye.com/goodforwater/2010/07/16/dont-recycle-that-plastic-bag/

http://www.metaefficient.com/bicycles/top-cities-winter-bicycle-commuting.html

Wrap Smarter: Gift Reform

 Articles  No Responses »
Dec 022011
 

Sweet Wrapping

As the gift groove starts to flow amongst the various holiday traditions, take a tape-crazy chill pill and consider these gift wrap tippers from the GreenCupboards.com Creative Cave.

1.  Paper Savvy: While the majority of paper wrappings are recyclable, pay special attention to whether or not your wrapping is simply made of post-consumer recycled material or whether it is recyclable itself. While a fair number of post-consumer papers are recyclable, don’t be fooled by those that aren’t. Recycle labeling can be tricky because the green arrows can often be indicative of either post-consumer recycled, recyclable or both. It’s a green mess.

2. Escape the Tape: Okay, some awkwardly shaped packing situations require a good ole’ tape treatment, but most of the rectangular gift populous can do without the pesky stuff. Our Solution? Treat sticky bows, tape and non-recyclable wrapping like the plague and steer clear!

3. String em’ Up: Using any sort of holiday hemp fibrous cord or twine is a thumbs-up way to reduce tape usage with a compostable and reusable substitute. After the gifting is done? Toss that hemp string into the compost bin to help maintain much needed moisture in your compost bin. As an added plus, string ties just make it look like you put more effort into your gift … if you’re into competing for your own domestic aesthetic gifting prize.

4. Package News: Yes, newspaper wrapping looks like you had no inclination of making your gift look supercool. The alternative? Instead of using a local newspaper, you may consider snagging a New York Times or Washington Post for that special news wrapping effect. You can scrap the newspaper completely and shoot for a more rustic look with grocery bags!

Observe the video below … however DO NOT use tape as suggested by this “eco conscious” wrapper.

Images:

http://christmasgiftwrappingdesigns.blogspot.com/2009/11/eco-friendly-gift-wrapper-recycled.html

http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/decorations/page/2/

Win Big, Give Bigger: Announcing our December Toy Giveaway!

 Articles, Current Events  No Responses »
Dec 012011
 

Just one of the possible giveaways!

Today GreenCupboards.com will be initiating our first ever December toy giveaway called, “Win Big, Give Bigger”!

This campaign is designed to give back to our Facebook Fans and share in the festivities by giving a toy a day! During this month we will also match EVERY toy we give to Toys for Tots.

Here’s how it works:

  • Go to http://www.facebook.com/greencupboards
  • Enter your name and email for the toy be given that day
  • Only 1 entry per person, per day
  • Entries will be open from 12:00 am to 11:59 pm EST every day

Check out the neat prizes that will be available here!

Want to play a role?  When you buy from GreenCupboards.com in the month of December be sure to use the donation feature in the shopping cart and donate directly to Toys for Tots!

If you are in the Spokane area, stop by our offices to drop off toys for Toys for Tots until December 23rd.

Happy Holidays!

Green Christmas

 Current Events  No Responses »
Dec 012011
 

Sock Snowman Family

If you’re not fortunate enough to enjoy a white Christmas where you live, at least you can make your Christmas “green”.  You can start your greener Christmas journey with your gselect the perfect, green gift for him or her, check out THEcommunity’s top 10 lists:

For Him: http://community.greencupboards.com/2011/11/23/top-10-green-gifts-for-him/

For Her: http://community.greencupboards.com/2011/11/22/10-christmas-gifts-for-her/

We also have several recycling, energy savings and decorating tips for a greener holiday season.

Wrapping paper is really unnecessary waste.  Few people are concerned with what the gift they have received is wrapped in.  They are much more eager to tear through the paper to see what’s inside.   So, instead of wasting money and paper with store bought wrapping paper; why not recycle old newspapers or grocery bags?

Energy bills during the holiday season are generally much higher than the rest of the year.  This is because of the increased use of heat and lights.  Switching off Christmas lights when you go to bed is not only an energy saver but also prevents any risk of fire.

You can even decorate with burned out light bulbs.  GreenCupboards.com would like to show you how you can recycle your old bulbs into hanging flower vases: http://www.youtube.com/user/MrGreencupboards#p/u/84/tK9zkFbBzmA

What will you do with all of the family Christmas cards you receive?  If you don’t have room on the fridge to hang them all, and you don’t want to throw them away, you could make a Christmas card wreath.   GreenCupboards.com can show you: http://www.youtube.com/user/MrGreencupboards#p/u/85/r1QsVXlzADc

If you have some spare socks, string, rice, and a little creativity you could be well on your way to making a holiday craft favorite, sock snowmen.  Check out this GreenCupboards.com video to learn how: http://www.youtube.com/user/MrGreencupboards#p/u/88/T1NVrj1fU9E

GreenCupboards.com thoroughly enjoys the holiday season and invites you to get involved with our festivities.  Starting this Thursday, December 1st, we will be giving away gifts to celebrate the season.   Keep an eye on GreenCupboards.com on Facebook to learn more.

We hope you have a very green Christmas!

Radiant Floor Heat

 Articles, The Green Life  No Responses »
Nov 292011
 

Heating out of sight

Bone chilling winter days are on their way!  Although many would recommend putting on that extra sweater, others take the high heat route keeping their homes as warm as a toaster oven.

In the name of conserving energy, I took a look at other winter heating options for the home.  The options of solar water heaters, EPA Certified wood stoves, and small eco-friendly personal heaters are all viable, but I was intrigued by the new advancements with radiant heat.

Radiant floor heating for the home can be done efficiently through electric or hydraulic systems.  These systems work by running electric cables or hot water tubes under the floor.  The heat from the system rises via convection, warming people and objects in the room much like one that would be warmed by the heat of a stove.  Radiant heating systems can also be installed in the ceilings and walls homes.

These systems work without moving air, therefore less heat is lost making them more efficient and sustainable.  Additionally, less chaotic air floor creates a more comfortable environment for people who have allergies.  Built in radiant heat systems boost a home’s market value too.

If you’re looking into home renovation, look into more ways to keep it green!

Sources:
http://www.greenliving9.com/eco-friendly-water-heater.html
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/energy/stories/eco-friendly-heating-the-heat-is-on#comments-64630
http://www.usheatingsystem.com/heated-floors.html
http://www.usheatingsystem.com/radiant-floor-heating.html

Images:

http://dec0r.org/interiors/tag/decorating/

http://www.homecorpservices.com/blog/

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