CasaSugar

Casa Verde: Preventing Phantom Loads

CasaSugar — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 05:32:52 -0700

In the high-tech world we live in, power strips are as essential as light bulbs. But just as you turn the lights off when you leave a room, you should also get in the habit of turning off your power strip when you're not using it. This helps prevent what eco experts call the "phantom load."

Basically, any time you have a piece of electronic equipment that is plugged in but in standby mode, it's leaking lots of power, wasting energy, and running up your electric bill. And according to Treehugger, it's not a paltry amount: The EPA estimates that 75 percent of energy used in the average home comes from appliances that are thought to be turned off but are merely in standby mode.

Similarly, phantom loads are also created when chargers for cell phones and other electronics are plugged in with nothing attached to them.

To solve the problem, plug your chargers and standby electronics into power strips, and when you're not using the devices, turn the power strips off. Just make sure that any appliances that need to stay on - like external hard drives, fridges, and so on - are plugged in separately.

Source

How-To: Beat the Heat the Eco-Friendly Way

CasaSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 12:00:36 -0700

San Francisco is in the midst of heat wave, and as much as I love putting on my Summer dresses, I'm not a fan of looking like a stick of melted butter. If the temperature in your 'hood hasn't risen yet, trust me, it will. So, I have a few tips for conquering the heat when it does. Not so fast, they have nothing to do with blasting the a/c: you know that's not eco friendly. To hear my tips, read more.

Prevent phantom loads and the idle emission of heat by plugging your electronic appliances into a power strip, which you can switch on and off when not in use. Use one in your office for gadgets, one in your kitchen, and in any other place your appliances are piling up.
If you haven't already, switch to CFL bulbs, which give off less heat than regular bulbs and use about 70-75 percent less energy.
Ovens give off much more heat than microwaves, so zap your meals instead whenever possible. If you must use your oven, cook consciously by turning off the oven five minutes before the scheduled end time and allow food to finish cooking as the oven slowly cools, and avoiding opening the oven to check on food while it's cooking, which lets heat escape.
Use organic bedding made from breathable fabrics, which will draw the moisture away from your body during those hot Spring and Summer nights.
Plant trees and bushes in front of your windows to block the sun.
Close your blinds or shades on windows that don't face north during the day, to keep out the sun's heat.
Keep your windows closed to keep the daytime heat out.
If you need fresh air, open two windows across from each other to allow a breeze, or even put a fan in each window.

Source

How-To: Green Your Life Without Spending Any Money

CasaSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:00:22 -0700

So, I've told you how to go green in the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room without spending money, and hopefully you'll take note. But, there are a few other ways you can become a better friend to the Earth by making changes around the house and in your lifestyle. To hear them, read more.

Donate any housewares and clothes you no longer need to a local donation center or Goodwill.
Get a library card.
Ride your bike, walk, carpool, or drive at a steady, reasonable speed whenever possible.
Turn your lights off when you leave a room and your house.
Prevent phantom energy loads by plugging your appliances into a power strip.
Set your thermostat at a reasonable 68°F.
Forgo turning on your elliptical machine and do some exercise that requires no electricity! Go for a run. Ride your bike. Lift weights. Work on your garden. Do some Spring cleaning.

Source

How-To: Go Green in the Kitchen Without Spending Money

CasaSugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:00:38 -0700

So, you've learned how to go green in the bathroom without spending any money. But you shouldn't stop there! There's still more eco-friendly business to be done around the house. The kitchen is a hog when it comes to energy use and water consumption, so you should be particularly careful there. To learn some tips for going green in the kitchen without spending a penny, read more.

First of all, I shouldn't have to tell you this, but recycle! Learn what not to recycle and which plastics are recyclable.
Don't use anything disposable if you have a reusable alternative. That means, use microfiber towels instead of paper towels; porcelain or china dishware and utensils instead of paper or plastic; cloth napkins instead of paper napkins, etc.
Use your city's curbside compost.
Use your microwave instead of your stove top or oven whenever possible. It's more energy efficient. But, don't use plastics in your microwave, which can potentially leach chemicals into your food.
Do some Spring cleaning and organize your kitchen storage containers so that you're more likely to use it for leftovers. Cooking at home cuts down on wasteful packaging.
Use household supplies to make homemade and eco-friendly cleaning solutions.
Prevent phantom energy loads by plugging your kitchen appliances into a power strip.
Run your dishwasher on a full load, but not overloaded.
Use a tote bag you already own for grocery shopping instead of plastic bags.
Arrange grocery runs with neighbors or friends. It will make your errands more fun while cutting down on gas expenses. You may also be able to split bulk items with a friend, which will help you to save money. But obviously, don't shop unless you have to!

Source

Nice and New: Pottery Barn Leah Desk

CasaSugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:00:29 -0800

A friend of mine has the Neiman Marcus Mirrored Vanity ($899) and I love its flip-up center storage compartment, but I've been feeling lately that mirrored furniture is heading for the "out" bin. So, I was delighted to come across the Leah Desk ($469) in champagne at Pottery Barn. The desk also has a center section that lifts to reveal a beveled mirror and a faux drawer front that folds down to store accessories. Whether you're using the desk to do work, surf the web, or get all gussied up, it has a has a power strip that provides a central place to plug in your Macbook or your straightener. Aside from the technical features, I'm loving its glam champagne turned-wood legs and unexpected red painted interior finish. What do you think?

Casa Verde: 21 Eco-Friendly Home Improvements

CasaSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 11:02:22 -0700

I'm always looking for new ways to make my home greener, so thanks to Tdamji for pointing me to this list of 21 eco-friendly home improvements. (By the way, if you haven't checked out Tdamji's Minimal Harm - For the Love of the Planet group, I highly recommend it.)

This 21-green salute will help your conscience and your pocketbook, saving money and increasing your home's value. How many of these tactics do you use in your home? Tell me in the comments section below, or share some of your own ideas.

Consider installing solar panels. If you decide to buy some, consider used ones, as they are quite a bargain and even after as long as twenty years have been known to produce a good percentage of the power that was generated when they were brand new.
Replace all the standard light bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent ones. These energy-smart bulbs use 70 to 75 percent less energy than the incandescent kind and last up to ten times longer!
Roof improvements. Believe it or not, research indicates that roof color and the type of material used can help to lower attic temperatures. Light-colored tile roofs outperform the shingle ones when it comes to decreasing temperatures.
Install a motion detector outside to replace your outdoor lighting. Outdoor lights left on all night waste energy and disturb wildlife.

For the rest of the list, read more

Don't waste water. Check your home carefully for leaky faucets and get them repaired as quickly as possible. Use cold water when laundering clothes and adjust your clean threshold if you possibly can. Those jeans of yours can probably be worn a few more times than usual before washing them, and can't that towel be dried off at least one more time before throwing it in the hamper?
Install low flow showerheads. They are a worthwhile investment (especially if you live in a rented space, because you can take them with you). They cut down on water usage and save energy costs.
Create a compost pile in your backyard. Mix food wastes with dirt and use a shovel to turn the pile over every week or so to give it some air. Turn throwaways like eggshells, coffee grounds and spoiled vegetables into soil and garbage into something useful.
Install an aluminum-clad storm door. This type of door is energy-efficient and will help to insulate the entryway of your home.
Some considerations when heating and cooling our homes: Invest in a high-efficiency HVAC system that is Energy Star certified and install it in your home. This will greatly reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted. It will also shave your utility bill enough to make you smile reasonably broadly.
Clean out your air conditioner filters or replace them regularly. A dirty filter will hamper the airflow, costing you more to run your system.
Consider investing in and installing an automated thermostat. High-tech thermostats are well worth the cost, and what you spend, you will get back over time in lower energy bills.
Install glass doors for your fireplace. Glass doors are safer than fireplace screens. They also reduce the amount of heat that escapes through the chimney from your home.
Use power strips for your home computers. Even after you turn off your computer, power continues to flow to peripherals like printers and scanners.
Install more fans in your home. Ceiling fans can help reduce your family's dependence on air conditioning during the summer, and they are also helpful in the winter as they can push heat down from the ceiling.
Do an "energy audit" in your home and make a list of what needs to be done to get things up to "green par." Take that list to your online supplier or local hardware store and enlist their help in buying needed supplies.
Insulate your home. Doors and windows are two of the most obvious areas of concern when it comes to home energy conservation. Use weather-stripping.
Seal off unexpected trouble spots. Sometimes the less obvious spots in your home can be a source of energy loss and you will need to be thorough in order to seek out and destroy them! Check out the areas around light switches and electrical outlets.
Live by the code of the 3 Rs; Refuse, Reuse and Recycle. Keep these three things in mind whenever you buy, use or discard anything.
Stop a leak. Organize a "stop a leak day" on which everyone in your family tightens, insulates, replaces, caulks or does whatever else is necessary to make your home as "watertight" as possible.
Add insulation to your hot water heater. Don't forget that the standard water heater found in most homes is on all the time. Adding some extra insulation will save more energy than you would think and knock up to 15 percent off the costs of heating water.
Consider window tinting to reduce the glare of the sun. First of all, it will reduce heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. Tinting will also eliminate up to 99 percent of damaging ultraviolet rays and reduce the fading of your fine fabrics and furnishings.

How-To: Greening Your Bedroom

CasaSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 07:00:46 -0700

Test to make sure there is no lead paint on your walls, floors, and doors, especially if you live in an older home (before the '70s). If the paint is lead based, hire a professional to have the lead-based paint removed or replace the painted items (i.e. doors) altogether. Or, for a short-term solution, seal it with zero VOC paint.
Sleep with organic bedding, like a buckwheat hull pillow and organic cotton duvet covers.
Pick up a green mattress.
Use a wool blanket instead of turning on the heat.

To hear plenty more of these tips, read more.

Rearrange your furniture each season. Put your bed near the open window to catch the breeze in the hot summer, and near an insulated wall in the chilly winter.
Make a draft blocker to catch the winter drafts coming in old windows.
Wash your bed linens with eco laundry detergent.
Clean your wood floors and natural sisal rugs with vapor, not chemicals.
If you're shopping for a bedside table, get one made from reclaimed wood, like the Pottery Barn Rustic Wood Accent Table ($199).
Switch in a CFL bulb or better yet LED lighting for your bedside lamp, if you haven't already.
Unplug your bedside lamp from the wall or turn off your power strip when not in use.
Get your night time reading from the library. Pass along your used books to a friend.
Get a green-oriented partner (try Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt), so you'll make double the impact.

Source

Casa Quickie: Keeping Track of Cords

CasaSugar — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:15:42 -0800

Have you ever gone to unplug your laptop and accidentally turned off your DVR, right in the middle of recording the latest episode of Project Runway? If so, you're not alone. Given the amount of electronic equipment we all have in our homes, it's not a surprise.

If you get confused by which cord in your power strip leads to what piece of electrical equipment, then try labeling each cord. Just take a printer label and write the name of the appliance or electronic equipment on the label, and then wrap it around the end of the cord. That way, you'll never miss hearing Heidi say, "Auf Wiedersehen!" again!

Source

Casa Capsule: The Week That Was

CasaSugar — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 09:00:28 -0700

You guys weren't really feeling the twisted hunting trophies trend, but everyone loves these new ornate chandeliers.
I'm actually looking forward to cleaning day thanks to your top 10 house cleaning shortcuts.
Build a quiet living room around a very loud rug in this week's Casa Craving challenge.
Get inspired by this week's Su Casas, including Divagwendolyn's crazy-organized clothes storage and Thopunk's cheap and chic computer desk.
An easy way to save the Earth: turning off your power strips.
Discover the delightful online boutique of the Rose and Radish gallery.