When considering the carbon footprint of your meal, you could start by selecting a restaurant that is certified by the Green Restaurant Association. Businesses certified by the GRA have proven to be taking great strides in their efforts to be an environmentally friendly place. Selecting a restaurant that purchases & uses local foods is also a great idea for those concerned about their impact. In accordance with this, you should also lean towards restaurants that serve native dishes; for example, a seafood restaurant in Chicago had to put forth much more effort into receiving the seafood than would an establishment at the beach.

For a list of restaurants near you that are “greening” their establishment, please visit the GRA website.

The Cash for Refrigerators program will differ slightly from the Cash for Clunkers program by being offered at the state level. States must submit plans by October 15th as to how they intend to administer the rebate program in their state. States that already have a rebate program for energy-efficient appliances will simply see additional benefits or will slightly expand upon the guidelines that are already in place. The program will, however, bring this rebate to states that do not currently have such a plan.

This program has not received nearly as much attention as the Cash for Clunkers program, and may not be as well thought out as the clunkers incentive. The Clunkers program required you to trade in an old car in order to receive the benefits on a new one. This program does not require you to trade in an old appliance, which increases the likelihood of people continuing to use their old appliances while also using the new eco-friendly models they are purchasing for the rebate program.

Before you go out to purchase a new appliance, take into consideration what you will be doing with your old unit. If your old unit is still in good condition and is not very old, you may very well be using throwing away good money to purchase new appliances. Although this program is excellent for those will extremely old, inefficient appliances, make sure to calculate the costs before running out to purchase all new appliances just because of a rebate.

One Billion Bulbs is actually part of a larger initiative called Energy Trek. Energy Trek covers a much broader spectrum of issues, not just lighting, which is the main focus of One Billion Bulbs. Energy Trek covers appliances, heating / cooling, wind / solar, and transportation issues.

In addition to trying to get everyone to change their bulbs, One Billion Bulbs also hopes to educate people on the benefits of eco-friendly bulbs and how it will help them, their business, and the environment.

One of McDonald’s green locations in Chicago, IL consumes around 25% less energy than typical MickyD’s locations. Other locations, such as the Cary, N.C. one, are incorporating more environmentally friendly components each day to try to make their restaurant as green as possible. This location has began using LED lighting and low-flow toilets, using eco-friendly counter materials that are made from recycled glass and concrete. This specific location has even went far enough as to provide electric car charging stations. Their goal is to achieve LEED gold certifications from the USGBC.

McDonald’s is making all of these efforts in order to become a more socially responible company.

Your refrigerator is often uses more energy than any other appliance in your home or business, simply because of its function. The refrigerator / freezer is used to constantly keep food at a cool, consistent temperature, which requires round the clock energy consumption. According to PlanetGreen, a refrigerator uses up to 14% of your entire energy consumption. This, however, does not have to be the case. Top and bottom refrigerator / freezers are typically the most energy-efficient units, however there are several new side-by-side refrigerator / freezers that are nearly as eco-friendly as the traditional models.

We encourage you to research several different types of refrigerators and look at the various differences between each type so you can make the most informed decision possible. We recommend looking at selections from Amana and / or Electrolux. These well-known brands have exceptional refrigerators that offer the utmost in savings.

1. Buy and Use Recycled Boxes

When you are purchasing shipping materials, look for recycled boxes. If your company does a lot of shipping, simply purchasing recycled boxes can have a huge impact on the environment.

2. Use Biodegradable Packing Supplies

Any time you ship anything from your business or organization, you will have to pack the box with some sort of packing material to keep the item from moving and possibly being damaged. It is a great idea to use paper or starch based packing materials instead of the typical Styrofoam peanuts that are so often seen in boxes. Starch-based packaging dissolves in water, making them ideal for environmentally-concerned shippers. Paper products can be reused or recycled. I recently read an article about a company called KaTom Restaurant Supply in Tennessee that shreds unneeded paper from the office and uses this for their packing materials.

3. Invest in Plastic Pallets

Pallets are used frequently if you ship large quantities by freight. Instead of using the wooden pallets that are often seen in shipping areas, it is an environmentally sound choice to buy plastic pallets instead. Plastic pallets are made almost entirely from post-consumer products, making them incredibly easy to recycle. Plastic pallets are also sturdier and more resistant to breaking and chipping than their wooden counterparts.

4. Reuse Items Shipped to You

If you receive any type of product at your business or organization, it is highly likely that you will receive the packing materials and boxes that items are sent in. Ship your items in these same boxes with the included packing material. You can even include a note to the intended destination explaining why they should reuse the same box and material.

5. Recycle

Recycle - seems easy enough. If the boxes or packing materials you receive are beyond the point of being reusable, recycle them. Recycling ensures that you have a minimal impact on the environment.

Conventional cleaners have a petroleum base, which is a non-renewable resource and can also leave a toxic film behind on the surfaces you are supposed to be “cleaning.” How can this be prevented? The answer is easy, slightly tweak your cleaning routine to create a cleaner, less toxic environment. The following are a few easy ways you can make a difference:

1. Reduce Your Water Usage

If you are cleaning with conventional cleaning products, chances are it takes a great deal of water to wash away all of the film and toxins left behind. Plant-based, organic cleaners will greatly reduce the need for rinsing. Completely natural cleaners, such as vinegar, eliminate the need to rinse all together!

2. Use Reusable Cleaning Cloths

Most often, people use disposable cloths for cleaning. Paper towels are often seen being used a few times, then thrown away. If you use microfiber cloths (or really any washable cloth), you are reducing the amount of waste that will eventually end up in a landfill. You are also greatly reducing the amount of toxins that are released when paper towels and other such products break down.

3. Purchase Cleaners Without Packaging

When you purchase (or make your own) natural cleaners, you are typically going to see a reduction in the amount of packaging used for each item. Creating your own cleaners nearly eliminates waste by using products that you already have in your kitchen or home.

4. Use Less Chemicals

Reduce the amount of chemicals released into you home and the environment by following all of these steps. Switching to natural cleaners will cut down on the amount of chemicals released into your home, while using reusable cloths will reduce both waste and toxin exposure.

5. Be Kind to Animals

In addition to green cleaning products, you can also take animal friendly products into consideration. You should look for a cute leaping bunny logo. This logo appears on cleaning products that are approved by the Humane Household Product standards. This guarantees you that the cleaning product has not been tested on animals.

One way to help create a positive impact on the environment is to use green cleaning products to ensure the safety of everyone in your household, from your children to your pets. Green cleaning products are a great way to keep your home safe while helping save the environment. Green cleaning products are quickly gaining popularity, yet there are still claims that these eco-friendly cleaners may not be nearly as friendly as they claim. In order to make sure that you, your family, and the environment are protected, you may choose to make your own cleaning products, which are guaranteed to be more green than most products you can find in stores.

Making your own cleaning products is simple, as you can find most of the ingredients in your own kitchen. In general, making your own cleaning products is also considerably cheaper than purchasing them at a store, adding yet another benefit to environmentally-friendly cleaning.

This article will provide you with 7 recipes for creating powerful and effective cleaning products. Please let us know if you use any of these and your opinion on them!

Bathroom Cleaner

Bathtubs are often difficult to clean because of the dirt and residue that build up on the sides, bottoms, and even walls surrounding the tubs. This home-made cleaner will easily take off this residue without leaving a gritty feeling that many harsh cleaners do.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. baking soda
liquid detergent

Directions:

Simply pour about 1/2 c. of baking soda into a bowl and add enough liquid detergent to make a texture like frosting. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge and wash the surface. Rinse.

Window Cleaner

Ingredients:

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. liquid detergent
3 Tbsp. vinegar
2 c. water
Spray bottle

Directions:

Put all ingredients into spray bottle, shake, and use just as you would a commercial brand cleaner. The soap in this recipe is highly important as it cuts through the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.

Oven Cleaner

Ingredients:

1 c. or more baking soda
Water
A squirt or two of liquid detergent

Directions:

Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface is totally white. Sprinkle some more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight. You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn’t work for you, try adding more baking soda and / or water.

All-Purpose Spray Cleaner

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp. washing soda
A dab of liquid soap
2 c. hot tap water

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

Furniture Polish

Ingredients:

1/2 tsp. oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)
1/4 c. vinegar or fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely.

Deodorizer

Ingredients:

Vinegar
Spray bottle

Directions:

Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5% vinegar in your kitchen hear your cutting board and in your bathroom and use them for cleaning. You can spray the vinegar on the cutting board before going to bed at night and let is set overnight. The smell of vinegar will dissipate in a few hours. Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Simply spray it on and wipe off.

Mold Killers

Tea Tree Cleaner

Tea tree oil works wonderfully to remove mold and mildew. This is the best natural cleaner for the two. Tea tree oil is expensive, but it only takes a small amount to clean what you need. The odor is powerful, but will dissipate in a few days.

Ingredients:

2 tsp. tea tree oil
2 c. water

Directions:

Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. Makes two cups.

Vinegar Spray

Straight vinegar kills approximately 85% of mold. Pour some white distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy area, and let set without rinsing if you can deal with the smell. The smell will dissipate in a few hours.

Although we all hope that the price of nearly everything will go back to normal after this tough economic time is finally over, many experts are predicting that the high cost of prepared food might be here to stay, regardless of our economic situation. The high monetary price of food seems to be catching up to the already high price that many Americans are dealing with: the obesity factor. Prepared foods are a major cause of obesity in the United States, and the higher price of prepared foods is leading individuals to eat smaller, healthier meals, which will in turn help to reduce the obesity levels and help the environment. We can all do our part to help support the environment by purchasing locally grown foods or even growing our own.

Green graffiti is an eco-friendly form of outdoor advertising that is completely carbon neutral, which contributes greatly to a healthier, more sustainable environment. Green graffiti provides an excellent form of advertising, as it not only cleans a portion of a sidewalk or building, but also attracts consumers attention and provide a clean, clear message to anyone who may see it. Green graffiti is simple, all that is required is a large stencil and a pressure washer. The advertisement is created by laying the stencil down on whatever surface you are planning to graffiti, then using the pressure washer to clean those areas that are left open by the stencil.

This form of green advertising should be taken into consideration by U.S. companies on a regular basis. What better way to prove yourself as an environmentally concerned company than to go with a form of green advertising. Perhaps we should all consider this before we go printing & handing out flyers for events or specials. Go green - in all forms.