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Alpine Living Features

Outside In

Outside In

A spate of new finish materials is adding an elegant edge to the lodge-like feel of many Summit remodels.

Alpine Living

Alpine Living

Trends in Home Renovation

Trends in Home Renovation

Designs of the Times

What's Cooking?

What's Cooking?

Hot New Trends in Kitchens

Building a Livable Future

Building a Livable Future

Green Building is the practice of creating energy efficient structures. There are many things that can be done in order to accomplish this feat — by builders and by homeowners, in new buildings...

Beauty in the Back Yard

Beauty in the Back Yard

Creating a colorful, sustainable landscape

thedailygreen.com article feed

Save Money on Laundry Loads

Feb 4, 2012 06:51 am

Save water, energy and cash.

Blow Your Nose – Without Blowing Away More Trees

Jan 28, 2012 03:09 am

The sniffles are going around, and so is deforestation. When you buy tissues, be sure to buy tissues made from recycled paper.

Buy from Bulk Bins

Jan 20, 2012 10:29 am

Packaging makes up more than 30% of all consumer waste.

Eat Seasonally – Even in Winter!

Jan 16, 2012 03:52 am

Even in the coldest, snowiest months of the year, seasonal eating promises surprising and delightful tastes, with a smaller environmental impact.

Consider a Home Water Filter

Jan 14, 2012 06:38 am

Contaminants in water can be colorless, odorless and unhealthy.

Insulate Your Water Heater

Jan 2, 2012 10:00 am

Hot water accounts for 13% of a typical utility bill, so improving efficiency goes a long way.

Compost Your Christmas Tree

Dec 28, 2011 10:05 am

Make a dent in holiday waste this year.

Recycle Your Gift Wrap

Dec 25, 2011 10:32 am

What to do with all that pretty material after you are done celebrating.

Buy Only the Best Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

Dec 21, 2011 06:23 am

Good Housekeeping tests show which CFLs, LEDs and halogens give off the best light - and fast.

Expect New Electronics Unde the Tree? Plan to Recycle e-Waste

Dec 18, 2011 07:06 am

Electronics can be recycled into new products, but the industry has been heavily criticized for dumping waste abroad instead of recycling it. That's why it's smart to seek out certified recyclers.

Check This App Before Ordering Sushi

Dec 16, 2011 04:02 am

This Sierra Club app lets you check mercury levels in popular fish.

Wrap Presents with Recycled Paper

Dec 13, 2011 10:35 am

Cut down on waste, and save money.

Opt Out of Catalog Deliveries

Dec 11, 2011 10:00 am

With just a couple clicks of a mouse, you can save yourself countless minutes sorting mail, declutter your home – and help stop the loss of 100 million trees cut annually to produce junk mail.

Look for the Green Good Housekeeping Seal on Paper Products

Dec 7, 2011 03:33 am

Toilet paper and diapers are among the products now evaluated for both usability and sustainability.

Shop Online, But Avoid Overnight Shipping

Nov 28, 2011 07:01 am

Ground transportation means less fuel use and pollution.

On Newsstands Now

Colorado Summit Magazine

$9

(+$3 S&H)

for 1 year

Advertisement

thedailygreen.com article feed

8 Facts and Myths About Warming Up Your Car in Winter

Jan 28, 2012 05:04 am

Old habits die hard, and one of the oldest—still rigorously enforced by many drivers—is that "warming up" the car for a few minutes is necessary to avoid some kind of unspecified damage.

But idling is totally unnecessary, which is why many communities have enacted ordinances against the practice. Don't take my word about idling being ineffective, but do listen to my mechanic, Rob Maier, who runs Maier's Garage in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He says, "You don't really need to idle your car, because of the efficiency of modern fuel injection, which eliminated carburetors and chokes. The only reason to let the car idle at all is to get the oil circulating, but after 30 seconds that's a done deal. My truck has 150,000 miles on it, and I just throw it into gear and go."

Here are some quick facts and tips that should put the idling question to rest:

woman scraping ice off car

1. Driving Warms the Car Faster than Idling.
If your concern is not the health of the car, but simply your own creature comforts, Bob Aldrich of the California Energy Commission points out that "idling is not actually an effective way to warm up a car — it warms up faster if you just drive it." The coming electric cars, such as the Nissan Leaf, will incorporate a wonderful feature that allows the owner to use a cellphone to tell the car (which is plugged into the grid) to pre-warm or pre-cool the interior. No idling necessary.

Electric Car Parade

Nov 7, 2011 10:30 am

Santa Monica, California drew the stars and cars early on Sunday, Oct. 16 to help celebrate National Plug In Day. The event, a joint effort between Plug In America, the Sierra Club, and the Electric Auto Association, was held in 21 cities, with electric vehicle owners participating in parades, tailpipe-free tailgate parties, and other festive grassroots events. "It's wonderful to see all these cars with plugs," raved actor and eco-activist Ed Begley, Jr. at the Santa Monica parade. "I've had a Rav4 electric for ten years come February and [it has] 94,000 miles."

national plug in day parade 2011

Begley—joined by "Revenge of the Electric Car" producer Chris Paine, former "Baywatch" actress Alexandra Paul, model pitchman Fabio, Los Angeles Congresswoman Janice Hahn, and Air Force veteran Tim Goodrich—snapped photos and spoke to a crowd at Santa Monica's city hall before sending 188 eco-friendly vehicles down the road.

"It was so quiet as we drove that we could talk to people along the route," says parade participant Deb LaCusta, who steered her new bright blue Nissan LEAF alongside her husband, actor Dan Castellaneta (the voice of Homer on "The Simpsons"). "It was fun to be involved and get the message out."

Iraq war vet Goodrich delivered an exceptionally poignant message. "While serving in the Middle East, I quickly realized that America's involvement had a lot to do with our need for gas and fossil fuels." Eventually Goodrich grew opposed to the war and returned to America after his tour to champion electric vehicles.

Not that driving electric makes for an easy cause. Critics are quick to point out the obstacles: they often lack power and run on expensive lithium batteries that only last for several years. Batteries need to be constantly recharged, and the cars aren't great for long distances. "We talk about range anxiety and plugging in, and what happens to batteries," admits producer Paine, "but what really changes people is the experience of driving an electric car."

The Snobbish Wine Guest Switcheroo and Other Cheapskate Wine Tips

Nov 1, 2011 10:48 am

As you might have heard, it's a controversial element the NCPP ("National Cheapskate Profiling Program"). Many, but not all, cheapskates like me love box wine.

In fact, I'm fond of "recanting"—as opposed to "decanting"—the wine I serve our dinner guests. "Recanting: Secretly funneling inexpensive box wines into empty, premium brand bottles kept on hand for the express purpose of impressing guests who care about such superficial stuff."

I've done this for years, and no one has ever questioned the authenticity of the wine I serve. Not even wine snobs have enough confidence in their taste buds to question what the label on the fancy bottle is telling them. If you don't believe me, this study by the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the California Institute of Technology essentially proved the same thing.

> Related: 8 Boxed Wines and Meals to Pair With Them

Not only is box wine a terrific value when it comes to saving money, but there's more and more research showing that—compared to most bottled wines—it's saving Mother Nature, too. According to the American Association of Wine Economists and other industry sources, boxed wine (a.k.a. "bag-in-box" packaging) decreases landfill waste by roughly 85 percent and is more than 50 percent more carbon efficient when compared to wine packaged in traditional glass bottles.

How to Preserve Family Farms, and Critical 'Foodsheds'

Oct 21, 2011 08:05 am

Just as watersheds provide drinking water for thirsty cities, "foodsheds" provide safe, secure food.

5 Frugal Fall Gardening Tips

Oct 7, 2011 08:23 am

digging in the garden

Sure, everybody's green thumb seems to blossom with the first warmish day of spring, just about the same day the green blades of the daffodils pop up in the flowerbed. But by autumn, most fair weather gardeners have long ago hung up their hoes for the season and planted their butts firmly in front of the TV to watch football.

That's a shame, because in most parts of the country the Fall is the best time of year for all kinds of garden activities, including planting and transplanting my types of plants. It's also the time of year when you can save a bushel of cash on gardening equipment and nursery stock, and save even more by properly tucking in your garden and equipment for its long winter's nap. Here's how:

Great deals on end of season nursery stock:
In most climate zones, Fall is actually a better time of year than even spring to plant or transplant trees, shrubs, and many other perennial plants. The soil tends to be warmer which promotes root growth, and — unlike with spring planting — there's not the potential of a long, hot, dry summer facing the young upstarts. And, even though I'm an anti-lawnite, if you're going to put down sod, Fall is also generally the best – and cheapest – time to do it. Many nurseries dramatically discount their remaining container-grown plants and other nursery stock, both to avoid over-wintering them and to make room for the soon-to-arrive Halloween pumpkins and Christmas trees. I've found it's a great time to negotiate an even better deal by simply asking for an additional reduction on already discounted nursery stock.

The Latest Organic Cotton Jeans and Sustainable Denim Styles

Oct 4, 2011 08:00 am

Tips for buying the right sustainable or organic cotton jeans for you.

Natural Eye Makeup: Brands and Buying Tips

Sep 28, 2011 01:06 am

For sensitive skin around the eyes, natural and organic eyeliner, eye shadow and mascara offer an alternative to traditional eye makeup.

Eco Friendly Kids' Shoes

Sep 16, 2011 02:00 am

Made with organic cotton, canvas, rubber and other eco friendly materials, these kids' shoes wear well.

Saving Money, Amish Style

Sep 15, 2011 06:57 am

amish road sign

I've always been fascinated with the Amish

Green Halloween Tricks and Treats

Sep 12, 2011 09:00 am

Everything you need for a safe, fun Halloween, from creative homemade costumes and organic candy to scary facts about bats to impress little ghouls and boys.

Eco-Friendly Back to School Supplies for 2011

Aug 31, 2011 02:31 am

From notebooks made with recycled paper to backpacks made from recycled plastic, we've got your back-to-school shopping list covered.

To Repair or Replace? That is the Question.

Aug 31, 2011 11:29 am

Follow the 50% rule and these four other rules for determining when it pays to repair an item, rather than replace it.

Organic Skincare

Aug 22, 2011 02:09 am

Learn how to make your own organic skincare products — and take care of your skin, the natural way.

Natural Hair Products

Aug 22, 2011 01:19 am

Treat your hair right with natural products that you can buy, or make yourself.

Natural Cosmetics and Beauty Products Buying Guide

Aug 17, 2011 01:13 am