Ed currently has a reality show about green living called Living with Ed on Planet Green with his wife actress Rachelle Carson.

He recently offered to be interviewed by Greener Living Today.

Greener Living Today:
Living with Ed has become a very successful television series.
Who came up with the concept for the show and are there new episodes scheduled for the near future?

Ed: The concept for the show had been brewing in our house for years.  My kids had suggested it even before the Osbournes had become a show.  Then my friend Joe Brutsman asked if he could develop it and shoot a presentation video.  His concept was a sort of ‘Green Acres’ for 2007 with some environmental takeaways.  I was pretty reluctant, but what was shot was really funny, and HGTV bought it from that little 10 minute piece.  It seemed like a much better way to get the message across than some of the less-than-compelling documentaries I had been involved with over the years.  Since then, HGTV licensed the existing episodes to Discovery’s Planet Green network where it now airs.  We’re hopeful that Planet Green will ask us to make more episodes.

Greener Living Today:
One of the segments we enjoyed was the visit to Jackson Browne’s home. How long have you known Jackson and what impressed you the most about his green lifestyle?

Ed: I first met Jackson Browne in the early seventies when he opened for Joni Mitchell at the Music Center in downtown L.A.  We all became lifelong fans after that night.  I soon learned of our shared concern for the environment and many other similar causes and he became a personal hero of mine.  He doesn’t just talk about it…he lives it.

Greener Living Today:
How do you prepare for a “green” celebrity interview?

Ed: I prefer spontaneity, so I never prepare for interviews.

Greener Living Today:
Your own home is pretty impressive. How many years did it take you to implement all of the different methods that you are using to become eco friendly and energy efficient, and what do they consist of?

Ed: I bought the home in 1988 – it’s a 2 bedroom, 1 ½ bath home – 1585 square feet.  When I bought it, it was a very energy inefficient house.  I set out to make it as energy efficient as I could.  I started with insulating the attic and walls as best I could, and replacing all the original windows with double pane windows.  That helped a great deal.  Solar hot water was next, and then solar electric in 1990.  I had a really nice draught tolerant garden put in with fruit trees and vegetables, but I got busy and let it go.  When Rachelle moved in, she said it looked like the Addams Family yard, and got me to put some effort in to fixing it up.  We grow quite a bit of food on-site now and it looks really good.  Over the last several years, we’ve done quite a bit more.  We just went through a huge new insulating project using new technology that wasn’t available to me back when I bought the house.  We used an infra red camera and pressure testing equipment to identify areas of the home that still had insulating problems.  We found one area near the door to our basement that was like a chimney leaking air, and we also decided to seal up the crawl space between the foundation and the basement.  With this new level of insulation, we were able to downsize the air conditioning unit and put it a new high efficiency water heater to augment the solar hot water and heat the house.  Lately, I rarely if ever use grid power and our gas bill is down considerably.  Rachelle has worked on the aesthetics, including re-painting most of the inside of the house with non-VOC paints, a kitchen remodel that included great new energy star appliances and a recycled glass countertop, some new light fixtures and some other odds and ends.  The house has never looked better.

Greener Living Today:
How many solar panels do you have installed and are you completely off the grid?

Ed: I have 6 ½ kW of solar – including the fixed arrays on the house and garage and the tracker on the garage.  Since the system is almost 19 years old, I recently had it gone through and re-wired, and I had the batteries replaced and the old ones recycled.  I’m going to have a few of the older panels replaced with newer more energy efficient ones as well.  The system is working really well now.  It is an off-grid system that uses batteries as storage.  I can flip to grid power when I need to, like to charge the electric car at night.  But lately, I haven’t been using any grid power at all.  I wouldn’t say I’m completely off the grid, but I’m as close as I’ve ever been since I was single.

Greener Living Today:
Are there any solar manufacturing and/or installation companies that you would recommend?

Ed: In California, I always recommend my friend John Schaeffer at Real Goods.  He’s been doing it a long time and is very good.  My friend Stephen Gates in Ojai, California is also quite good.  In the Midwest, I always recommend Chad Lampkin at Michigan Energy Works.  He built my system and he’s the best there is.

Greener Living Today:
Do you have an opinion about the recent economic developments of the U.S. auto makers and what kind of an automobile are you driving these days?

Ed: It’s a very tough time to be in the automobile business.  But the U.S. automakers are working on some exciting stuff like the Chevy Volt, and I think they will come out of it ok…it will take some time and there will be some pain.  Currently, I still use my Toyota RAV4 EV that I bought some years ago.  It still works beautifully and has an 80 mile range with its Nmh batteries.  My wife and daughter both drive Priuses – and I’ll borrow them for long distance travel.  I also work with Phoenix Motorcars in California on their new electric SUT and SUV – hopefully I’ll be driving one full-time soon.  Of course, these days, as most of my acting work has been close to home, I either walk or ride my bike or take the bus / subway.  Sometimes I’ll go a week without using the car at all.

Greener Living Today:
In August you were a speaker at the SolFest conference in Hopland, California. What did you speak on at the conference and will you be attending other conferences in the near future?

Ed: I try to go to SolFest every year – again, my friend John Schaeffer from Real Goods.  I spoke about my optimism towards solving the environmental challenges of today.  In the past, I would do my part by telling people “I’m not coming to speak at your event”.  By saving the travel and associated carbon footprint, I felt NOT coming was my best contribution.  However, David Suzuki and others recently encouraged me to get out and speak – so I’ve been doing a lot of it lately.  In 2008 I will have done 40 to 50 speaking events.  I’ll have to cut back a bit in 2009 due to my acting schedule, but I’m going to continue to try and get out.  I put out a book in 2008 and that helped get the message out too.  I have a new book coming out in September 2009 as well.

Greener Living Today:
Can you tell us more about Begley’s Best and are there more products in development?

Ed: I started Begley’s Best because I had sampled several formulas of non-toxic biodegradable cleaners that I really felt worked well.  Cleaning products can be so toxic in the home.  I also wanted to use the model that Paul Newman had started with Newman’s Own, and so Begley’s Best gives a large chunk of our sales revenue to various environmental charities.  Right now we’re focused on three cleaning products, but I could see Begley’s Best expanding its product line in the future if we continue to grow.  My daughter Amanda is handling most of the business of Begley’s Best these days, and Whole Foods Markets is a big supporter of the line.  It can also be ordered on-line at www.begleysbest.com.

Greener Living Today:
How long have you been active as an environmentalist?

Ed:  I started making changes in my life in 1970.  It was the first Earth Day, and I had had a belly full of the smog in Los Angeles.  So I started recycling and composting in 1970, and I bought my first electric car in 1970.

Greener Living Today:
What sort of impact do you think the recent 2008 presidential election will have in relation to environmental concerns and energy efficiency, here and abroad?

Ed: I’m hopeful that the new administration will have a positive impact.  However, as I travel around the country and speak with people, it’s pretty clear that there’s a consensus on certain things.  Reducing our dependence on Mid-East Oil, cleaning up the smog in cities like L.A., Houston and Bakersfield, putting money back in our pocket – these are things we can all agree on.  I’m very hopeful about the future and I think we can overcome these challenges.  We have four times the number of cars in Los Angeles that we did in 1970, yet we have half the smog.  We’ve proven we can do this.  We’ve proven we can have success.  And, we didn’t go broke doing it.  As the great David Brower said, “Capitalism is a great thing – we ought to try it.”

Greener Living Today:
Do you think your wife Rachelle, will ever get her “green” dream home? One where you don’t have to pedal a bicycle to make toast?

Ed: Her “dream home”?  Probably not.  At least not with me in it.  However, to be fair, we do have a small house and our daughter is getting older and we run two businesses on-site.  So, we’ve agreed to expand a little.  Right now, we’re reviewing plans to add on a bit more square footage to the house.  We’re having Susan Colwell at My Green Cottage supervise the project and she’s bringing in some wonderful people to make sure that it’s not only aesthetically beautiful for Rachelle but that we do everything with an eye towards energy and resource efficiency.  I’m excited about it.  Perhaps we’ll even get to see a bit of it on TV.

Greener Living Today:
What suggestions would you make to those people that want to start making an eco friendly change in their own lifestyle?
 
Ed: Start with the things that are cheap and easy.  You don’t run up Mt. Everest.  Climb slowly, get to base camp, get acclimated, and then climb some more.  Energy saving thermostat, energy saving lighting, insulation, weather stripping, recycling, composting, home gardening, rain barrels, public transportation or bicycling – these are the cheap and easy things that anyone can do TODAY to get started.  Then, as you save money, you can do more.  If there was just one thing you could do, get out of your car – even if it’s just a day or two a month.  That’s a great place to start.

You can learn more about Ed and his television series by visiting his official website located at http://www.livingwithed.net

Find out more about Begley’s Best and other products by visiting http://www.begleysbest.com

A Recent Post From: Greener Living Today

Ed Begley, Jr. Interview with Greener Living Today

“The problem seemed intractable,” said Jeff Wilson, father of two, “but we didn’t want to give up this rewarding family experience outright.”  If they stopped traveling, how could Jeff and Sherri Wilson teach their young daughters, Winter and Sylvie, how to admire and respect nature if they couldn’t actually visit wild places?  More than that, how will America produce the next generation of conservationists if the only woods a child sees are on TV?  And just where will we learn to be tolerant of other cultures and ways of living if we don’t leave our backyards once in awhile?  Story after story in the media painted a gloomy picture of the future of family travel.

The Wilsons already minimize their environmental impact at home.  Having chosen a 1000 sq ft home in a small, walkable/bikeable community in the midwest, their simpler version of the American dream produces a relatively small footprint.  Having gone the extra mile in maximizing the home’s energy efficiency, purchasing green power from their utility, and eating locally produced foods, they had made an even larger (or, you might say, smaller) impact.  Still, travel is a sticky problem from an environmental standpoint.

“Instead of being overwhelmed by the problem, we decided to attack each aspect of our travel to find the best solutions,” they said.  Instead of trying to create the perfect green solution, the Wilson’s simply started by trying to improve on what they had.  Their old mode of travel employed a full-sized pickup (the most efficient in its class) and a small, 14’-long, high-profile travel trailer.  This set-up got them 11 mpg – dismal from an unencumbered car standpoint, but respectable for typical RV travel, which averages around 8mpg.  The next, logical step would be to change the vehicle to a hybrid SUV and the camper to a lighter, low-profile version.

Since they travel for a full three months in the summer, and rely on an HD video camera and laptop to make their living, they used a solar panel and a wind generator on the camper to provide power when parked.  This avoided the necessity of using a gasoline-powered generator, saving even more gas and CO2 emissions.  “Still,” said Sherri, “we couldn’t avoid producing some CO2, so we decided to balance out that with third-party audited carbon offsets from TerraPass.”  Until a zero-emission vehicle is available, carbon offsets will work like a self-imposed carbon tax, helping to fund wind-farms and solar fields to charge the electric cars of the future.

Once devised, they realized that the plan they had hatched made a great story.  Friends and co-workers encouraged them to tell their story to a wider audience, so they started the web-site www.greenfamilysummer.com.  As a host on HGTV and the diy network, Jeff had learned video production over his work in hundreds of episodes for those channels.  Since Sherri was a published photographer, they saw the transition to video as the easiest part of the challenge.  “When we started telling people our idea, they really got excited.  They wanted a way to keep up with us as we traveled, and to find out if the solutions we had found would really work,” Jeff said.  They shot HD video and still photos along the way, producing a blog and high-quality web-video series of their travel adventures.

In the end, the technology really made a difference.  “The Chevy Tahoe Hybrid and the Aliner Ease camper got us nearly 19mpg,” remarked Sherri, “that surprised us – a 70% increase in our mileage over last year.”  Jeff adds, “I was skeptical, but it really worked.”  They saved $1500 in fuel costs over their 10,000 mile journey just this summer, and saw a reduction in CO2 emissions of over 40%, the rest of which they balanced out with the offsets.

Their journey took them to many national parks and wilderness areas across the country, with a more active approach to travel than the average American family.  They took the opportunity their blog afforded to visit three Nature Conservancy preserves along the way, highlighting the good work being done by that organization to preserve habitat.  “We hope to introduce more people to the Nature Conservancy,” Sherri said, “and show that there are good people doing good work out there who need our support.”

The Wilsons are optimistic.  “This is just the beginning,” Jeff observed, “If we can support these emerging technologies, it will help spur the demand for better, cleaner vehicles.”  And the benefits aren’t just in the form of saving money on gasoline and reducing emissions – the Wilson’s believe that utilizing the new technologies spurs job creation in clean energy and also reduces our dependence on foreign sources of oil, positively impacting our national security.  “It’s a win-win-win solution,” Sherri offered, “and our family grows closer on these trips – it’s not something we want to lose.”

View Episode One of Green Family Summer

Green Family Summer is a project of the Wilson Family – Jeff, Sherri, Winter, & Sylvie.  You can follow their story on-line at www.greenfamilysummer.com.  When the Wilson’s aren’t traveling, they live simply in a little blue house in a small college town in Ohio.

A Recent Post From: Greener Living Today

Green Family Summer: On the Eco-Friendly Road

Quivira Vineyards is also a solar winery, utilizing a 55 kilowatt solar electric system, which should supply 100% percent of the winery’s electrical needs.

When the sun is providing them with more than enough of their power needs, the remaining power is exported to the utility and they are credited for that extra accumulation of energy. When their usage is higher than normal, or if the sun is not available, that can use up their credits by importing energy back from the utility.

The solar array consists of 297 Sharp solar panels, each of them boasting a 185 watt power rating. The panels feed six inverters that convert the DC voltage to AC voltage. A ‘net’ meter installed by the electric utility keeps track of how much their system has contributed (sold to the power grid) and they receive a statement each month reflecting the balance.

To demonstrate Biodynamic farming practices to visitors, Quivira has created a one-acre Biodynamic mini-farm at the front of the property where guests can witness a working organic market and garden, complete with chickens.

Quivira was recently named winner of Sonoma County’s Business Environmental Alliance’s 2008 Best Practices Award for their commitment to organic farming, solar power, and the Wine Creek restoration project.

A Recent Post From: Greener Living Today

Quivira Vineyards: Organic, Biodynamic and Solar

There are two main factors involved in living off-grid.  First, you’ll need to become very aware of when and how you use electricity.  You won’t have to live without it, but you won’t want to waste it, either. 

Second, you’ll want to become familiar with how your solar power system works, and what kind of maintenance is required.  It would be best if you become an expert on your particular system, so you can troubleshoot anything unexpected that arises.  Becoming an expert is not that hard to do since there is so much information on solar energy available now.  But it will require time and commitment on your part.

A basic off-grid system is made up of 9 components.

First, the photovoltaic array and mounting rack.  Wikipedia describes the array as “a linked collection of photovoltaic modules, which are in turn made of multiple interconnected solar cells”.  The mounting rack allows you to attach them the roof and point them toward the sun.

Second, the array DC disconnect.  This is basically a breaker between the array and the rest of the system.  It allows you to disconnect from the system in order to troubleshoot problems with the array.

Third, the charge controller keeps the batteries from overcharging.

Fourth, the battery bank stores excess electricity.  You will usually need enough batteries for 2-3 days worth of stored electricity in case of a cloudy period.

Fifth, the system meter is like your car’s dashboard.  It reports how the various components in your system are doing,

Sixth, is the main DC disconnect.  This is a breaker between the storage batteries and the inverter.

Seventh, is the inverter.  This is the component that transforms the DC (direct current) electricity, which is generated by the array and stored in the batteries, into the AC (alternating current) electricity that can be used by your household appliances.

Eighth, the AC breaker panel.  This is the same kind of breaker panel that the electric company uses to connect your house wiring to its electrical source.

Ninth, your backup generator.  This is in case you have a stretch of cloudy days that outlast the electricity stored in the batteries.  You can use traditional fossil fuels, but you’ll probably want to use biodiesel to maintain your green lifestyle. 

Now that you’ve seen the components of the photovoltaic system, you can see why it’s not that complicated to become your own expert.  Each component is relatively simple.  The only moving parts are in the backup generator, and you hopefully won’t be using that very much.

A Recent Post From: Greener Living Today

Off-Grid Solar Electric

Ecotourism in Your Area
While many people think of ecotourism and instantly start imagining far off lands like the beautiful South African Coast or the lovely rainforests in Brazil, you can actually experience the wonder of ecotourism in your own corner of the world. In fact, the closer to home you go on vacation, the greener your vacation you will be. Vacations that are closer to home actually known as bioregional vacations help to protect the environmental resources by leaving a carbon trail that is much smaller. Instead of those long international flights that use up more resources, you’ll be able to choose a short flight or even drive to you destination.

There are many great places across the U.S. where you can enjoy an eco-adventure. One of the best ways to make sure that your vacation is eco friendly is to drive to your destination. This is especially helpful if you are driving a hybrid vehicle or a vehicle that will use bio diesel fuels as well.

Not only does ecotourism in your region of the world help to save on natural resources, but it also helps to support the economic stability of your own country. There are a variety of different places across the United States that have suffered economic problems for a variety of reasons, and vacationing in their area allows you the opportunity to help rebuild the economy in the area and experience life elsewhere within your own country.

If you are looking for local travel destinations that are eco friendly and educational, there are many to be found within the United States. Let’s take a look at a few great choices.

- Volunteer Hiking Vacations – If you enjoy the outdoors and you’re looking for a trip with excitement and daring along the way, then a volunteer hiking vacation may be just the thing for you. These trips are organized by the American Hiking Society and they focus on hiking various trails and fixing up shelters and rebuilding the trails at various state parks throughout the country.

- Audubon International Ecotourism Alliance Golf Courses – For those golfers who enjoy teeing off and seeing nature, there are a variety of golf courses today that are not a part of the program offered by the Audubon International Ecotourism Alliance. These golf courses help to support environmentally friendly golf courses and also offer sanctuary programs for birds. You’ll be helping the environment and helping to educate others about it as well when you spend your money on a vacation at one of these courses.

Going Abroad on a Eco Friendly International Vacation
While many people working on helping the environment have viewed international travel as an unnecessary luxury, with wasted time, expensive plane tickets, and the use of natural resources, today international eco traveling opportunities are actually on the rise. Today there are great alternatives for people who want to enjoy an adventure to another culture. There are a variety of volunteer based vacations and nature based vacations available today that support the ideas of environmentally friendly vacations. So, a variety of programs and organizations are not helping to bring about trips that make trips abroad affordable and environmentally responsible as well for those who are eco tourists.

When tourists visit these international destinations that have been non-commercialized, there are two main concerns that need to be addressed.

- Natural Resources Should be Fostered and Protected – It is important that the natural resources encountered should be left alone. Also, travelers should make sure that they don’t leave anything behind either so that they can leave the area they have visited totally untouched by their visit.
- Avoiding American Expectations – Many people travel to other countries with their own expectations. It is important that eco tourists leave their expectations behind them when the visit places abroad to protect themselves and the local communities that they visit as well.

Today there are actually endless opportunities for those who are interested in eco tourism. You’ll find many volunteer vacations available as well as trips that are nature based as well. Some organizations that may be able to help you find some great international vacation options include Sustainable Travel International, The International Ecotourism Society, and the ECOCLUB.

If you are interested in international nature trips, they take place in a variety of countries around the globe. Many people especially enjoy the experiences of culture and nature that are available in Latin America. Other popular places that eco tourists visit include New Zealand and Australia.

For a very different type of experience can be found with a volunteer trip abroad. These trips afford eco tourists the opportunity to provide volunteer work at interesting places around the world, such as helping to save giant otters in Bolivia, working on sites in Indonesia to help protect the orangutans, or even to helping in Thailand with elephant sanctuaries.

Finding Accommodations that are Eco Friendly
In recent years the entire travel industry, including companies that provide accommodations, have been known to have very little concern for the environment, excessively using water and energy. This has lead to many green tourists avoiding these accommodations altogether on their vacations. However, today there are now people in the industry who are recognizing how important going green is in this business and they are now offering alternative accommodations for those travelers looking for environmentally friendly options when traveling today.

So, you may be wondering what actually makes hotels or other accommodations green. Well, they can have environmental practices that they use or they work on environmental sustainability within the entire business. However, when you are evaluating accommodations for your vacation there are three different categories you’ll want to keep in mind when trying to figure out how eco-friendly the accommodations actually are.

- Design and Physical Aspects – This includes the property and the building, including how the resources are used, energy efficiency, and the materials that have been used as well. You’ll want to look for building materials that have been recycled or materials that are sustainable. Also, look for pads, carpet, adhesives, and pains that are low volatile organic compounds. Energy efficient cooling and heating, natural furnishings, lighting that is eco friendly, and the use of alternate energy resources should be looked for as well.

- Daily Operations – This should include how the place is cleaned and maintained. Some of the things to look for include recycling, conservation of water and heat, organic linens, and cleaning products that are non-toxic. You’ll also want to look for soaps and shampoos that are chemical free and in containers that are environmentally friendly. Make sure that the staff is instructed and trained in using green practices as well.

- Impact on the Community – This will include how the business deals with the community, local organizations, the employees, and supply partners. Look for places that offer local employment, and land development that is responsible. Also, make sure that they give back to the community and that they also protect the environment in the area and pay attention to the diversity and local culture and heritage as well.

Now that you know what to look for in green lodging and hotels, you may be wondering how you can find them. There are a variety of places that can help you find a great eco friendly option for your accommodations. You can check out The Good Travel Company, which scores hotels and alternative lodging options scores based on how eco-friendly they really are. Also, you can look for the Green Seal certified hotels in the United States. Sustainable Travel International is another excellent place where you can look for referrals to accommodations that are eco-friendly.

While there are many great green hotel options out there today, you’ll also find that there are a variety of alternatives to the green hotel as well. You can find eco resorts and lodges that are designed for people who are adventurous and who want to travel without hurting the environment. There are also holistic spas available as well for those who want to find a retreat that is relaxing, healthy, and friendly to the planet. One great option out there is the home exchange program as well. People actually can trade homes for a vacation and it keeps them from having to stay in larger hotels that waste resources and damage the ecosystems in the area. Cabins, yurts, and huts are also available for rent to those who are looking for some cost effective accommodations that are environmentally friendly as well.

Environmentally Friendly Luggage for the Vacation Season
If you are going to be traveling this summer, no doubt you are going to need to take some luggage around with you, but if you are an eco-tourist, you are going to want to make sure that you go with the green luggage options that are available. Going green with your luggage can help to save on pollution and it also will help you support those merchants that use fabrics that are organic and those that avoid using child labor and sweatshops for production of their products.

If you take a look at traditional luggage, you’ll find that while it may be serviceable for holding everything you need when you travel, the suitcase has a story that sadly speaks of harm to the environment. Most standard luggage was made with chemicals that are toxic. The two chemicals that are commonly used include polyvinyl chloride, which is known to cause cancer, and Chromium, which is a carcinogen. Not only have these pieces of luggage hurt the environment as they were created, but once they are too old to be used, they end up in landfills and they’ll sit there for years, or even forever if they are plastic. However, today there are more luggage options that are friendlier to the environment so you can travel with eco-friendly luggage.

Today there are a variety of different alternative options that are available to you, including hemp, cotton, canvas, leather, or even nylon. You can be sure that these options are biodegradable or recyclable and non-toxic as well. So, let’s take a closer look at some of the options available to you today.

- Cotton – One great alternative that you may want to consider using is cotton for your luggage needs. You can find luggage today that is made out of organic cotton and cotton is biodegradable as well as natural. However, you definitely want to make sure that you go with cotton that is organic, since other cotton tends to be sprayed with pesticides. Just remember that cotton is not a waterproof fabric. Today there are some waterproofing methods that are green as well, so make sure that your cotton luggage is made to be waterproof with a green method.

- Hemp – One very popular option today is hemp. Many green people are going for hemp luggage since it has a variety of great qualities. It is durable and strong and it can also be combined together with cotton. You’ll be able to find hemp suitcases, duffle bags, and other luggage accessories for travel so you’ll be able to travel in green style.

- Leather – Leather is another great options for those who are concerned about their luggage and how it affects the environment. You can find leather bags that have been recycles, leather that has been tanned with vegetable oils, and there are also luggage tags, bags, and even wallets that you can find made out of recycled leather as well today.

- Nylon – Nylon can be another option for green travelers looking for an eco-friendly luggage option. However, you should only use nylon in a few conditions. First of all, it should be waterproofed using water repellent that is non toxic. Also, you can choose luggage that has been made out of recycled nylon as well.

Green Flying – Tips to Help You Fly Green
Today many travelers end up traveling by plane during the summer, since it is efficient as well as economic. However, traveling by plane leads to a lot of carbon being released into the environment. If you do need to travel by plane, there are some things that you can do to work on reducing the carbon footprint that you leave behind when you travel by air. So, take these tips into consideration to help make sure that you fly as green as possible.

- Tip #1 – Pick a Method of Carbon Offsetting – There are a variety of airways and travel sites today that are working to offset the carbon emissions that occur with air travel. In fact, passengers can even purchase these carbon offsets if they choose to. Some of the practices used for carbon offsetting include planting new trees and increasing the use of wind power. Both of these offsetting the techniques can help to reduce the carbon in the environment. There are several offset providers that you can consider using like TerraPass, CarbonFund.org, and CarbonCounter.

- Tip #2 – Reduce Your Waste on the Flight – Another thing you can do if you want to fly green is to work to reduce the waste while you are flying. You can drastically cut down on the package waste by doing a few important things. First of all, you can decline any drinks that are served in plastic cups to you on the flight. Also, the in air snacks, like bags on peanuts can be refused as well to help reduce the waste. If you need a drink and some snacks, then take long your own snacks or purchase water before you get on the plane that is in recycled plastic. Also, make sure that you recycle your trash, such as magazines and newspapers that you purchase to read on the flight.

- Tip #3 – Don’t Pack a Lot – When you bring a lot of luggage, the plane has to work harder to transport. The heavier planes use a lot more fuel, resulting in more carbon emissions, but lighter planes use less fuel. So, by packing lightly, you can actually cut down on the carbon that is emitted by your flight.

Green Car Travel
Of course not everyone is going to travel by air during the summer. However, if you are planning on traveling by car on land, it is going to be important that you take measures to go as green as possible. If you are going to rent a car to go a fairly long distance, you may want to consider going with a hybrid vehicle. Probably the best choice for fuel economy is the Toyota Prius, since it gets about 46 mpg on average, which is great.

When you are traveling, no matter what type of a car you are planning on driving, there are some things that you can do to get the best possible gas mileage, reducing the amount of emissions that you emit and the amount of gas that you have to use as well. Here are a few tips that will help you out as you travel by land to get the best mileage for a green trip.

- Tip #1 – Keep Tires Well Inflated – Make sure that you check your tires on a regular basis. Be sure to keep them well inflated. Tires that are inflated to their optimum air pressure will help your car to get much better gas mileage.

- Tip #2 – Change Oil Regularly – Another thing you can do to make sure that you get better gas mileage is to change your oil on a regular basis. It is inexpensive to have your oil and oil filter changed and will cost you between about $15-40 depending on where you go and the type of oil you need in your car.

- Tip #3 – Keep Your Car Serviced – You should also make sure that your car is serviced on a regular basis. About every six months is about right. Keeping your car serviced and tuned up can help you make sure that you get the best mileage possible for your car.

- Tip #4 – Don’t Pack Too Much – When you are traveling by car, you’ll want to avoid packing too much into the car. The more weight you have in your car, the more you are going to spend on gas. So, if you want to save on the amount of gas that you have to use, pack a bit lighter when you travel.

- Tip #5 – Ethanol – When you go with a gas that is about 10% ethanol, you can get better gas mileage as well. So, look for gas stations along the way that offer this option. It may cost you just a bit more, but when you save on gas mileage, you’ll find it well worth the few extra cents you pay per gallon.

Of course if you plan on traveling by land, cars are not the only option. If you can, you may want to consider traveling by train. Trains that travel at high speeds actually emit only about half the carbon that cars emit. Also, they are a form of public shared transportation that helps to keep more cars from traveling on the roads as well.

If you do drive your car, try parking the car whenever possible and using public transportation whenever you can. This can help to decrease the reliance on oil and vehicles and it will be a more environmentally friendly way for you to get around.

A Recent Post From: Greener Living Today

Eco Summer Travel Guide

The best way to become eco-friendly and help protect our environment is by recycling.
Recycling is the process of taking some of our garbage and reusing it again and again.  This helps to eliminate the problem of landfill areas becoming filled with junk that could harm the soil as well as the environment.

Here are some simple tips to get you started on the right track with recycling your goods:

Check with your local recycling center and see what items they take. The most common items recycling centers take are paper products, plastic, glass, aluminum and tin cans. Designate an area in your home that can easily be reached to store your recycling products. Keep the items separated by using recycling materials like paper or plastic bags.

Some cities will pick up your recycling for you, while others have a center that you have to take your products to. If there’s pick-up available, make sure you know what day it’s on and don’t forget to place the recyclables on the curb for them to pick up.

If you take your products to a center, pick a day each week or every other week to get them there. If you forget to take care of the products, you’re more likely to just throw them away to get rid of them.

If your city doesn’t have a recycling pick-up option or a center to take your products to, then talk to your city officials. If you can get enough people interested in recycling their products to save the environment, they can contact the local recycling centers in nearby cities to find out how they can arrange a pick-up of your city’s recyclable goods.

Recycle some of the products yourself. Some craft items and even bird feeders can be made from materials you may already have at home. A plastic liter bottle can make an excellent bird feeder. Check your local library for books on making crafts and things from recycled material.

Donate some of the items you want to get rid of.  Libraries may take some of those old books you have, if they’re in good condition. Donate the good clothes to places like the Salvation Army. What may be junk to you, would be a nice treasure for someone less fortunate than you.

If you’re not one to use the grocery store bags for other purposes, consider purchasing some nice sturdy canvas bags to take to the store with you when you shop for groceries. They can be reused for a long time and you won’t have to worry about the room the plastic and paper grocery bags take up in your home – or in the landfills!

A Recent Post From: Greener Living Today

Lighten Up the Landfills!

Making the switch to green living all at once might scare most people away from implementing those earth-friendly changes. There are many ways to ease into this practice and still help save the earth’s environment.

Air pollution is a major problem for some cities. A lot of it comes from the factories, but that’s not the only avenue contributing to global warming. Automobiles give off a fair amount of pollutants into the air.

When you have a lot of cars driving around on the city streets, you’re multiplying the amounts of pollutants being emitted by each car that’s destroying our ozone.  If you want to save the environment, you can start by either car pooling, walking more instead of driving or even purchasing hybrid models that don’t do as much damage.

This small change can bring much relief for the environment for future generations.  There are many ways to adapt green living into your life by taking a look at your home. What kind of bulbs are you using?

The standard bulbs we use only contribute to higher electricity bills and more carbon dioxide. If you switch at least some of your standard bulbs with the compact fluorescent bulbs, you can save the environment while saving on your electric bill.

Make sure to seal any gaps around windows and doors to keep any cold drafts from blowing into the house, which can cost you more money. Make sure the house is well insulated to help cut down on those costs in the wintertime. The less the furnace or heater has to run, the better off everyone will be.

Take a look at your appliances. Are they devouring too much energy? If they’re older models, the answer is probably yes.  While some of the changes are in the appliances that you use, other ways to go green involve your own habits and actions.

Do you open the oven door several times to check and see if something is done? The harder an appliance has to work, the harder it is on the environment. If you keep opening the oven door, the temperature will drop almost 25 degrees. It will then have to work harder to get back to the original temperature.

Recycling is an excellent way to save our environment. Try to buy as many products as you can that can be recycled. Avoid the non-recyclable items such as Styrofoam cups. The less trash that has to be burned - or buried into our soil - the better off our planet will be.

These small changes may seem like they couldn’t help much for the environment, but they can help tremendously. Every little bit we do is a much-needed step toward reserving natural resources for our future generations. Get involved with the environment and start to make a difference in the practice of green living for our earth.

A Recent Post From: Greener Living Today

Easing Into the Green Living Lifestyle