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Posts Tagged ‘eco-conscious’

Sustainable Habits to Adopt this Season

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Eco-Friendly Practices With a Seasonal Twist

Complements of All Holiday Treasures

Complements of All Holiday Treasures

Unfortunately there is no universal formula or “to-do” list to live a more eco-conscious lifestyle. Because there are so many ways to approach designing a more sustainable lifestyle it’s best for households to do an audit on a regular basis to really see where there is room for green improvement.

Timing your eco-lifestyle audit with the change in weather is a great way to ensure you’ve got a customized plan that adapts to the unique seasonal conditions. Below we’ve listed a few of the most popular “green tips” and given them a winter/holiday twist.

Packaging – Avoid purchasing products with too much packaging to go green year round – There are plenty of ways to customize this for the Fall and Winter. Be sure to make a statement when purchasing gifts and ensure they reflect your eco-values. We like this idea from Re-Nest that suggests using apple packaging for ornament storage.

Water Conservation – There’s nothing worse then pulling back the shower curtain or opening the bathroom door after a hot shower and feeling the cold air rush in. At HomeIntel we understand the appeal of long hot shower on a cold day. But with an appropriate exit plan and a little creativity we suggest you push yourself to get out of the shower this winter instead of staying in longer and wasting extra water and the energy used to heat it. We love Dwell’s idea of using a PHID (portable humanoid insulation device).

Energy Efficiency – A big topic when the weather gets colder is how to be energy efficient and have as warm a home as possible. Beyond programmable Thermostats there are a number of efficient options including space-heaters like this one from Vornado. The Daily Green outlines simple practices that make great weekend projects to help homeowners keep the cold out and energy use down.

For more ideas on how to be eco-conscious this winter check out this list of helpful and creative ideas – everything from winterized composting to bringing evergreens indoors to block the drafts.

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The Snackwell’s Effect: Corrupting the Eco-Conscious

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Are consumers sticking to their green diet?

When global warming and the need for greener, more efficient living took center stage, consumers looked to purchase the hottest new items on the market to help them go green, and make living efficiently easier. With all of this newly deemed efficient technology, consumers have slowly lost hold of the initial idea: going green is a lifestyle change; no matter what tools and toys we have to save the earth and our wallets, our day to day lifestyle must transform.

Consumers still need to adopt the idea to use only what is needed, and stop creating waste – this is necessary to avoid the Snackwell’s effect.
snackwells
The Snackwell’s effect can be defined using the old quality over quantity adage.  When going green, simply because a homeowner has installed a quality CFL blub, they are not at liberty to leave this light turned on for a longer quantity of time.  Just like dieting, when living eco-consciously moderation is key.

Since consumers aren’t always using these efficient products properly some are seeing no change in their energy bills or eco-footprint. Efficient appliances and tools can be helpful in living a greener lifestyle only if they’re not seen as short cuts, rather small steps towards living eco-consciously.

How can you make sure consumers are using your products properly?  Educate them with the background and instruction they need:

  1. Part of a complete diet - Most low calorie foods and diet appropriate snacks don’t work alone – exercise is needed to complete the winning formula – tell your consumers green living is the same way; your products will point them in the right direction, but it’s up to them to keep going down that green path.
  2. What’s your active ingredient?  Provide clear labeling and packaging language – if your product is going to help a homeowner go green, tell them why and how.
  3. Calories per serving – Tell consumers how much your products will save them and how much their eco-footprint will shrink over a given amount of time.  Give them the tools to measure.

At the end of the day, CFLs and HE appliances are not what is going to save our earth, consumers dedicated to living a better lifestyle are the champions of efficient living.

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