Going Green at FUMC

#85 - "E-Waste" . . .

2010-07-20T10:02:00.001-05:00

Help make a difference by sending your unwanted CDs and other unwanted E-waste to this address to be properly recycled for FREE:

Polysource International Inc.
13505 Yorba Ave., Unit R
Chino, California 91710

#84 - Go Low Flow

2010-07-20T09:08:00.000-05:00

Water is a great example or something that is so cheap--less than a penny a gallon--that we take it for granted. We run the tap when we brush our teeth (at two gallons wasted per minute), we ignore leaks (5 to 10 percent of American homes are losing ninety gallons of water a day through leaks), and the result is that we end up spending $500 a year per household on something that is supposedly practically "free".

Fix leaky pipes and fixtures, see www.hzouse.org

It won't be free forever. As the Environmental Protection Agency points out, water is a finite resource. Even though 70 percent of the planet is covered by it, less that 1 percent is available for human use. The U. S. government predicts water shortages in 36 states between now and 2013.

The good news is it's possible to use up to 35 percent less water by making some fairly simple changes in our homes. Along with conserving this literally life-sustaining resource, you can save about $160 a year in the process.

See ways to save water, www.wateruseitwisely.com/100ways.

#83 - What to do with Dead Florescent Bulbs . . .

2010-07-07T10:38:00.000-05:00

How many environmentalists does it take to change an efficient light bulb?

While your local hazardous-waste authority is the best source for information, many hardware stores will take back your old bulbs--sometimes at no charge if you're buying replacements.

Check http://www.blogger.com/www.earth911.org or call (800) CLEANUP to find a recycling location near you, or visit the EPA's Web site at http://www.blogger.com/www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling for info. It's worth the effort.

Though fluorescents do contain mercury, a highly poisonous element that persists in the environment, burning coal to generate electricity puts almost fifty tons of the nasty stuff into the air each year. Since fluorescents are four times more efficient than regular bulbs--and last at least five times longer--replacing all household incandescents could cut mercury and CO2 emissions while saving the equivalent of at least 4 billion gallons of oil annually.

#82 - Decoding Plastics

2010-06-29T15:50:00.001-05:00

Plastics with the resin identification code #1 or #2 are the most commonly recycled. Here's what all those numbers on the bottom of plastic bottles and containers mean:

#1 Polyethylene Terephthalate--Used for beverage bottles, food jars, and microwavable food trays.

#2 High Density Polyethylene--Used for beverage bottles, bottles for Nonfood items like shampoo, detergents, and household cleaners, grocery bags, and cereal box liners.

#3 Polyvinyl chloride--Used for blister packs, clamshells, rigid packaging, deli and meat wrap and other flexible packaging.

#4 Low density polyethylene--Used for bags for dry cleaning, newspapers, fresh produce, garbage, shrink wrap, coatings for milk cartons and beverage cups, container lids, and squeezable condiment bottles.

#5 Polypropylene--Used for yogurt and margarine containers, takeout meats and deli foods, medicine bottles and bottle caps.

#6 Polystyrene--Used for clamshell takeout containers and other food-service items, meat and poultry trays, yogurt containers, packing peanuts and CD cases.

#81 - Using Cruise Control

2010-06-20T10:11:00.000-05:00

In general, cruise control does save gas, precisely because it maintains a constant speed until you tap the brake and slow down.

Cruise control's main virtue is that it prevents involuntary acceleration, especially on long trips on flat roads--like where you start at sixty and somehow wind up at ninety with the highway patrol in hot pursuit.

Now if you set the cruise contol at ninety, it won't do much good, because gas mileage falls off rapidly when you get above fifty-five or sixty.

#80 - Campfire or Coleman Stove?

2010-06-15T10:23:00.000-05:00

The campfire is a part of American tradition, but you should not rely on campfires for cooking--especially in dry areas or regions that are heavily used. Deadwood plays an important role in an ecosystem's life cycle, providing nutrients to the land as well as habitats for small animals, insects, and microorganisms.

In some cases, land managers forbid fires, so check with the officials first. Take that Coleman or other stove along, and be sure you know how to use it properly.

If there's plenty of downed wood, an occasional campfire is OK, as long as it complies with the cardinal rule of outdoor activity: leave no trace. That means no carbon scars on the ground. See www.lnt.org or call 800-332-4100 to learn more.

#79 - Dry Cleaning is a Concern

2010-06-15T10:22:00.002-05:00

Workers exposed to a widely used dry-cleaning solvent, perchloroethylene, or "perc," have higher risks of skin, liver, and kidney damage, and possibly some types of cancer. Although the EPA requires perc to be treated as hazardous waste, it's difficult to enforce because millions of pounds are used each year at 36,000 dry-cleaning establishments in the United States and Canada. If not handled properly, a small amount of the stuff-which is potentially toxic to plants and aquatic animals--can contaminate a lot of groundwater. Burning it in a hazardous-waste incinerator can generate dioxins and other nasty air pollutants.

Other alternatives are wet cleaning and cleaning with carbon dioxide. The EPA's web site has a list of greener cleaners at www.epa,gov/dfe/pubs/garment/gerg/cleanguide.htm. For shops offering CO2 cleaning only, try www.findco2.com

#78 - Green Laundry

2010-06-15T10:22:00.001-05:00

One laundry problem persisting today is nonylphenol ethoxylates, synthetic surfactants (short for "surface active agents") that help water penetrate fabric more thoroughly and remove oil and dirt. Still used by some manufacturers, these chemicals can interfere with fish reproduction by acting as endocrine disruptors--substances that change or block normal hormone activity in the body, potentially causing illness or interfering with fetal development.

Look for detergents that use natural ingredients (like plant-based surfactants and soy-based softeners) are free of phosphates, nonylphenols, and artificial fragrances, which can exacerbate allergies; and are certified biodegradable by Scientific Certification Systems. While conventional brands often choose not to list their ingredients, crying "trade secret," eco friendly ones like those made by Seventh Generation and Ecover generally let it all hang out.

#77 - Solar Clothes Drying

2010-06-15T10:21:00.001-05:00

Clothes dryers use the equivalent of 58 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year nationally, so there's no question about the virtues of solar clothes-drying.

Hang up a clothesline now; hardware stores carry plenty of clothesline gadgets. And in winter, dry your stuff inside, using a clothes rack.

#76 - Why Attic Fans?

2010-05-20T11:03:00.002-05:00

6Solar Attic fans remove hot air from your attic. Attic fans save up to 30% on cooling costs by getting rid of trapped super hot air that tends to collect in attics and cause heat to back up into the home. Without the fan, the house gets hotter and hotter all day long and the A/C never stops.

Solar attic fans use less than 300 watts, and offer these important advantages:

1. Lowers upstairs room temperatures by 10 degrees.
2. Lengthens roof life by keeping shingles cooler.
3. Saves up to 30% on air-conditioning costs.

#74 - Recycling Unusable Clothing

2010-05-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

There is a fairly large percentage of discarded clothing that goes into landfills. Donated clothes deemed too far gone even for wearing are actually collected from many charities by textile-recycling operators that use them for material in the rag business.

These companies separate cloth by various grades, cut out unusable accoutrements like buttons, and box and bale the material. Thus, castoff clothes end up wherever rags are sold or used, from hardware stores to boat bilges to hazardous-waste cleanups.

One rag maven I talked to was proud to tell how her company sent massive amounts of old cloth to soak up the notorious Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 and to absorb toxic substances in the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans.

Who says the fashion industry doesn't do anything for the planet?

#72 - Where can I recycle #5 and #6 plastic containers?

2010-05-20T10:27:00.000-05:00

The place to go to find out where to recycle almost anything--from aluminum cans to yogurt containers--is the laudable Earth911, a comprehensive online directory (www.earth911.org) and toll-free hotline (1-800-CLEANUP) for concerned recyclers across the United States. Of course, if you have to make special trips to recycle the containers in questions, you may end up devouring more resources and causing more pollution than if you just tossed them in the garbage.

The numbers on plastic containers identify the kind of resin used to make them: #5 is polypropylene (PP), widely used for dairy products; #6 is polystyrene (PS), the lightweight puffed-and poofed-up plastic used for Styrofoam cups, clamshell takeout containers, and egg cartons. Unfortunately, only a tiny fraction of containers made of these plastics are recycled, mainly because it's not cost-effective.

#71 - How Can I recycle my old computer and monitor?

2010-05-20T10:15:00.001-05:00

It's a sobering thought that the very molecules which once hummed with tender love notes or meticulous spreadsheets end up poisoning other human beings. Well over half of recycled computers are shipped to poor countries, where people dig into their toxic cyberguts for resalable metals, wires, and other materials just to make a living. (To learn more about the issues, visit the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition at http://www.blogger.com/www.svtc.org.) In the absense of tough laws against such practices, it's not easy to find safe recycling, but it does exist.

The Computer TakeBack Campaign lists recyclers that pledge not to export hazardous-waste and to follow other safety guidelines. You can also check the bona fides of local recyclers by asking what they do with the computers. If they're dismantling them on-site (and have the shredders and crushers to prove it), they're probably not shipping the machines out of the country. Better yet, if your old computer still works, and is less than five years old, you can donate it to organizations that will refurbish it and find it a new home. Visit http://www.blogger.com/www.techsoup.org/recycle/donate and http://www.blogger.com/www.sharetechnology.org. Printers, keyboards, and other peripherals should be recycled or donated too. Even old inkjet and toner cartridges can be recycled, often benefiting your favorite school or charity.

#70 - 4 Ways to Save at the Pump . . .

2010-03-25T11:54:00.001-05:00

1. Drive smart. When you drive aggressively, you waste gas and put others at risk. Observe the speed limit, avoid rapid acceleration, don't jam on your brakes, and maintain a constant speed on the road.

2. Keep your car in shape. A well-tuned car burns less gasoline. So make sure that you get your oil and air filters changed regularly, and that your tires are always properly inflated.

3. Change your commute. Sitting in rush-hour traffic burns gas and gets you nowhere. If possible, adjust your work schedule so that you avoid the heaviest traffic. Even better, if your employer allows it, think about telecommuting. If you can't telecommute full-time, try for one or two days a week.

4. Never idle your car more than thirty seconds. For every two minutes a car idles, it can waste as much fuel as it takes to travel an entire mile. Even the old practice of idling the engine to warm it up is not necessary with newer cars.

#69 - Bring Your Lunch . . .

2010-02-25T11:59:00.000-06:00

Apart from your health and wealth, takeout food packaging is a huge waste of resources. When you walk down the street at lunchtime, nearly everyone is carrying plastic-wrapped food and plastic utensils in a white plastic bag. Takeout food packaging creates 1.8 million tons of trash in the United States every year. The alternative? Bring your lunch. Find great quick lunch recipes at www.cooks.com.

#68 - Plant Trees . . .

2010-02-25T10:58:00.000-06:00

#67 - Grow Your Own . . .

2010-02-25T09:00:00.000-06:00

Lawns surrounding 85 million U.S. residences take up at least 25 million acres. Digging up just a fraction of this real estate to grow chard, lettuce, peas, and tomatoes would be a maravelous development. You would save money on food, and some of the millions of gallons of oil used to ship it from farm to market.

Apartment dwellers take note: an amazing amount of produce can be grown in containers or window boxes, especially greens you can cut and grow back. For tips, browse University Agricultural Extension Services online (never thought you would be doing that in a highrise) or check out McGee and Stukcey's Bountiful Container (New York: Workman Publishing Company, 2002).

#66 - Skip a trip . . .

2010-02-18T11:43:00.001-06:00

An astonishing 91% of Americans commute to work alone in their car, averaging 30 miles per round-trip. If every person in the United States cut out just one car commute per week by carpooling or taking public transportation, we'd reduce carbon emissions by 149 million tons.

Find a way to replace just one weekly errand or one day's commute with an alternative form of transportation. This is not so daunting when you consider that 40% of all car trips we make in the United States are less than two miles. That's a distance you could easily cover on a bicycle, even if you aren't in top physical condition.

As for other means of transportation, try using public transit or carpooling.

If one driver in your household switched to public transit full-time, you'd reduce your household's carbon footprint by 30%. Walk a mile to work every day - burn your lunch off before you even eat it! Walking to work is free, and it saves the cost of gym membership.

#65 - Environmentally Safe Toilet Paper

2010-01-25T11:54:00.001-06:00

Americans spin 400 million miles of TP off the roll each year. (If none of it were made from recycled paper, we would use up the equivalent of 50 million trees.) When shopping for any kind of recycled paper, make sure the package indicates what percentage is postconsumer waste -- that is, paper that's been recycled after people actually used it. Otherwise, papermakers can use the word "recycled" for scraps and trimmings that never even left the mill. Calling such stuff recycled is like a food label screaming "cholesterol free" on a product that never had cholesterol in the first place.

A number of big-name brands do contain 20 percent authentic postconsumer waste. But the highest postconsumer content -- 80 percent -- comes from Vermont-based Seventh Generation.

If you can't convince your supermarket to stock it, you can order entire cases directly from wholesalers such as Treecycle by calling (406) 626-0200 or visiting http://www.blogger.com/www.treecycle.com. Other brands with a high recycled content available from this distributor are EcoSoft, Marcal, and White Swan.

#64 - Bring Your Own Bags . . .

2010-01-21T09:50:00.000-06:00

Paper or plastic? The best answer for the planet is no, thank you.

One of the easiest things you can do to save the Earth is bring your own bags to the grocery store. Some stores offer a "bag credit" discounts of between 5 and 10 cents a bag if you bring your own. Buy six bags of groceries a week and save up to $31 a year. The positive impact of skipping plastic bags is huge. Between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are used every year worldwide. As many as 30 billion of them end up as litter -- making their way into our oceans, killing birds, marine mammals, and sea creatures by the millions.

Believe it or not, paper bags may be worse. Even though Americans recycle nearly 20 percent of paper bags, one paper bag takes more energy to make and creates more waste than two plastic bags.

See http://www.blogger.com/www.ilea.org for more information.

#63 - Drive Green, Use Overdrive Gears

2010-01-20T12:04:00.000-06:00

When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear. Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $3.74/gallon

#62 - Drive Green, Avoid Excessive Idling

2010-01-03T11:01:00.000-06:00

Idling gets 0 miles per gallon.

Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.

Use cruise control. Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.

#61 - Drive Green, Remove Excess Weight from Your Vehicle . . .

2009-12-24T11:00:00.000-06:00

Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones.

An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your mpg by up to 2%.

The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.

The fuel economy benefit is 1-2%/100 lbs. The equivalent gasoline savings is $0.06-$0.09/gallon.

#60 - Drive Green, Observe the Speed Limit . . .

2009-12-17T10:59:00.000-06:00

While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed, gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.

You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.26 per gallon for gas.

Observing the speed limit is also safer. The fuel economy benefit is 7-23%. The equivalent gasoline savings is $0.26-$0.86/gallon.

#59 - Drive Green, Drive Sensibly . . .

2009-12-10T10:58:00.001-06:00

Aggressive driving can lower your gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds and by 5% around town.

The equivalent gasoline savings is $0.19-$1.23 per gallon.

Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas and money.

Green Your Holidays . . .

2009-12-03T10:31:00.001-06:00

Believe it or not, Americans spend $2.7 billion every year on gift wrap. That's more than the entire gross domestic product of many countries in Africa and Asia. One easy way to green your holidays is to stop buying non-recyclable wrapping paper printed with petroleum-based inks and dyes.

Use gift wrap made out of recycled paper--or better yet, use materials around the house to dress up your packages. Use the Sunday comics.

Next, green your greetings. Nearly 300,000 trees are harvested each year to produce all the holiday cards sold in the United States. That's enough to fill a football field ten stories high! Save money, time, and trees by sending free e-cards instead of traditional cards. Or opt to order from Cards for Causes www.cardsforcauses.com or Good Cause Greetings www.goodcausegreetings.com, where not only are the cards made of recycled paper, but 10 to 20 percent of the purchase price goes to the charity of your choice.

Make Green a Family Value . . .

2009-11-30T14:30:00.000-06:00

Families grow closer to each other as a result of changing their consumption. One of the gifts of going green is that it can actually change the way we interact with our families.

Try this: For the next family birthday, don't just buy more stuff. Instead, spend the day together. Take a trip to a museum or nature preserve. Go for a long bike ride. Cook a meal together. Visit a local farm.

Create traditions together. Maybe every fall you pick apples; every Sunday night you take a long walk; every spring you take a bike trip. Our choices about how to raise our children have a ripple effect, because they shape the decisions they will make when they grow up and have families.

Today, decide to make green a family value.

Join the Green Community . . .

2009-10-30T11:45:00.001-05:00

In 2007, concerned citizens across all seven continents joined together to deliver a world-wide call for action to solve the climate crisis. The event was called Live Earth--a series of worldwide concerts featuring over 150 musical acts in eleven global venues. The event united close to 2 billion fans, in person and via television, broadband, radio, and wireless platforms, as the global warming crisis took center stage.

When we join together with other like-minded people, the support, energy, and goals that we share propel us to achieve greater success than if we "go it alone." This is true in so many areas of life--and also when it comes to going green.

So don't go it alone! Harness the power of the crowd--or, at the very least, a small group with similar interests. Join an online community whose members are committed to living a greener lifestyle--you'll get inspired, learn from their successes and missteps, and be swept up in the spirit of community. Or create your own group, with friends, family, and neighbors--perhaps a book club whose theme is green--and get inspiration while learning incredible lessons about the world around you.

MAKE GREEN A FAMILY VALUE

2009-10-12T10:04:00.001-05:00

Small changes in your Litter Factor . . .

2009-09-03T16:24:00.001-05:00

Small changes such as not buying coffee in a disposable cup or water in a plastic bottle not only are good for your wallet, they actually better the planet. In the same way that "little things" add up to drain your wealth, "small changes" add up to make a big difference for the Earth.

Consider this: Every year, Americans drink more than 100 billion cups of coffee. Of these, 14.4 billion are served in disposable paper cups, enough to wrap the Earth 55 times if placed end to end! Plus, those paper cups contain a plastic lining made from the petrochemical that would produce enough energy to heat 8,300 homes for a year.

Here's the truly crazy part--we drink designer water because we think it's healthier than "free" water from our taps. In reality, 24 percent of the bottled water we drink is tap water repackaged by large drink companies. It also costs nearly 2,500 times more than what comes out of your faucet. To drink the recommended amount of water (8 to 12 cups a day), you'd spend about $2,500 a year on bottled water. The cost for the same amount of tap water? A dollar.

NOTE: Save $500 in a year by breaking a bottle-a-day water habit.

NOTE: Run 100,000 cars each year on the oil saved if bottled water were history.

GROW A GREENER LAWN ...

2009-08-27T11:01:00.000-05:00

For many homeowners, a beautiful lawn is important--it enhances the property, increases the home's value, and some may say that it even improves their quality of life. However, in most regions, a lawn does not come naturally.

Collectively, we use up to 7 billion gallons of water a day on landscape irrigation, a third of all residential water usage. Up to half of that is wasted due to evaporation, wind, or overwatering. (Only an inch of water a week is necessary in many regions. Keep a cat-food size can outside, and if rain fills it to the brim each week, you don't need to water at all.)

Some ways to reduce evaporation: Leave grass 3 to 4 inches long, water early in the morning, and leave some lawn clippings in place after mowing. Native plants require half the amount of water and help keep the local ecosystem in balance.

But, wasting water might not be the worst thing we do with respect to our lawns. According to National Geographic's The Green Guide (www.thegreenguide.com), collectively Americans spend more that $38 billiam each year--on chemical pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides--to keep their lawns (all 30 million acres of them) looking great. A green lawn isn't really green at all. In fact, many of them are toxic.

Building Green . . .

2009-08-20T10:36:00.000-05:00

Generally speaking, the greenest real estate option is using what you've got, so consider remodeling instead of building new. If you intend to build green, start with the U. S. Green Building Council's Green Home Guide (www.greenhomeguide.org). You'll find definitions, resources, and inspiration for building or remodeling a green home.

It is important to consider materials. Sixty percent of all the trees we log domestically are used to build houses, and the average new 2,000-square-foot home requires an entire clear-cut acre's worth of wood (several hundred to several thousand trees). The typical home also uses nearly 17 tons of concrete, which contains cement--a material responsible for 5 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

Use wood that's sustainably grown, or consider alternatives to wood, such as straw bales or structural panels made of recycled polystyrene. Before you buy bamboo, a popular new material, ask whether the bamboo has been treated with formaldehyde and if it comes from a truly sustainable source. For flooring, consider cork--which is sustainable and durable--as an alternative. Skip vinyl.

Finally, to improve indoor air quality, use low-VOC paint, which cuts down on "volatile organic compounds," ingredients that can cause health problems, including cancer.

Go Low Flow . .

2009-07-23T10:20:00.001-05:00

Fix leaky pipes and fixtures, see www.hzouse.org

But it won't be free forever. As the Environmental Protection Agency points out, water is a finite resource. Even though 70 percent of the planet is covered by it, less that 1 percent is available for human use. The U.S. government predicts water shortages in 36 states between now and 2013. As I write this, there are serious drought conditions throughout the southern states, with Georgia actually experiencing a drought emergency.

The good news is it's possible to use up to 35 percent less water by makeing some fairly simple changes in our homes. Along with conserving this literally life-sustaining resource, you can save about $156 a year in the process.

See ways to save water, see www.wateruseitwisely.com/100ways

Got a Green Tip you want to share with others . . .

2009-07-16T15:10:00.000-05:00

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE A GREEN TIP TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE ENEWS, PLEASE SEND YOUR ARTICLE VIA EMAIL TO JAN PARRETT swinefamily@tx.rr.com and put Green Tip in the subject line. The article should be no longer 250 words.

Get a Green Mortgage . . .

2009-07-16T15:09:00.001-05:00

Luckily, the government wants to help you build green. Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs) are available as part of a federal program to help homebuyers finance energy efficiency upgrades and purchase energy-efficient homes. With an EEM, you can take out a bigger loan in order to buy a greener home--or you can use the money in the form of a home equity line of credit (HELOC) to pay for improvements to the efficiency of your existing home.

The idea is simple. An energy-efficient home costs less to operate. With cheaper utility bills, the bank knows you'll be able to afford a larger mortgage.

New homes are eligible for these mortgages if the builder certifies that the home meets certain guidelines required by the lender. For existing homes, you'll need a home energy rating system report (HERS), which costs about $200-$400. The report will rate the home on an index scale, then suggest improvements and costs. But your improvements will add value to your home. According the Energy Star, a HERS certification showing that a home is energy efficient can increase its value by roughly 5 percent.

Get the U.S. Green Building Council's Green Home Guide at www.greenhomeguide.org.

Buy in Bulk . . .

2009-07-09T11:52:00.001-05:00

Buying in bulk doesn't mean purchasing large cases of individually wrapped goods, and it certainly doesn't mean buying things you don't really need because you couldn't resist the bargain. Buying in bulk DOES mean buying the largest size of a product that you were going to purchase anyway. A 64-ounce bottle of laundry detergent is better for the planet than the 32-ounce bottle because it uses the smallest amount of packaging per unit--in this case, per ounce.

Containers and packaging make up more than 31 percent of all municipal solid waste--almost 80 million tons in 2006. Think how much less waste there would be in landfills if we all bought in bulk whenever we could. And it is better for your shopping bill, because the larger size almost always costs less per pill, per drop of shampoo, per flake of cereal, and so on.

The bulk-bin aisle at your supermarket is another way to save. You can dispense dry goods like pasta, rice, cereal, nuts, dried fruit, and spices into your own bags, at much lower prices per unit. Some stores also sell bulk liquids this way, like cooking oil, soap, shampoo, and lotion.

Why Attic Fans?

2009-05-21T11:54:00.000-05:00

Saving energy in your home starts at the top!

THE POWER-SAVE SOLAR ATTIC FAN (10watt or 20watt)removes hot air from your attic (850 or 1350 CFM Airflow)

When hot air rises above 82F and you decide to use air conditioning, you can shut the windows and crank up the air knowing that the attic fan will save up to 30% on cooling costs by getting rid of trapped super hot air that tends to collect in attics and cause heat to back up into the home. Without the fan, the house gets hotter and hotter all day long and the ac never stops. When it gets to 150 degrees in your attic it begins to penetrate your living space. WITH the SOLAR ATTIC FAN, the hot air is removed, allows cool air in and your A/C runs much more efficiently. Attic air is 60 degrees cooler and less heat penetrates the rooms. JUST A LITTLE POWER TO SAVE MONEY BY REMOVING ALOT OF HEAT!

Solar Attic Fans create a positive airflow through your attic that does not rely on wind or require excessive passive venting.

Excessive passive venting can cause excessive moisture infiltration in the form of snow or rain. The attic fan is normally mounted up on the roof of the home toward the back about two feet down from the peak. It goes on and off automatically with a thermostat, so it only runs when it is beneficial.

The attic fan has a flashing that fits in with the shingles. Attic fans use less than 300 watts, and offer these important advantages:

1. Lowers upstairs room temperatures by 10°
2. Lengthens roof life by keeping shingles cooler
3. Saves up to 30% on air-conditioning costs

The exact savings obtained depends on several factors like: The color of your roof, if the home is shaded, the amount of insulation you have, and the efficiency of your cooling system.

Ideally, a solar attic fan installation will pay for itself within 3 years. The high quality Power-Save Solar Attic fan is recommended.

But the benefits don't stop there, in winter the solar attic fan continues to help the homeowner, as many of today's houses have insufficient ventilation and attic air exchange. This causes high humidity levels from everyday activities. This moisture migrates through the ceiling towards the roof where it comes in contact with the cold structure. Here, ice and frost form, causing damage to your roof structure. Additionally, moisture can saturate insulation, promote fungal decay and plywood delamination.

A couple of things to consider when choosing the correct solar attic fan for your home:

1) What type of roof do you have? composition, wood shingles, aluminum shingles, spanish tile, flat tile, metal?

2) Does your roof face either south or southwest and have good sun exposure during the day?

These SOLAR ATTIC FANs dramatically reduce air conditioning costs with NO ADDITIONAL ENERGY

Take a Volunteer Vacation . . .

2009-04-30T11:04:00.000-05:00

Take a Volunteer Vacation: For as little as $20 plus travel expenses.

The Memories: Priceless.

Imagine you and your family, off on a scientific expedition, like studying whales in British Columbia or helping manage a rain forest in Puerto Rico.

Next year, instead of going to a seaside resort or to an amusement park, plan to take your family on a volunteer vacation. You'll save money, have a terrific adventure, and provide valuable manpower on projects that are helping the planet and all its inhabitants.

Many volunteer vacations are a subset of a booming trend known as "eco tourism." That means environmentally conscious travel to places where nature is the main attraction. Many of the places where nature is at its most dramatic are in less developed countries, so eco tourism also aims to benefit the people who live there--by using local services (for example, hiring guides or eating in restaurants) and by helping protect the place you're visiting. While there are an increasing number of high-end eco-resorts, there are also many inexpensive opportunities to stay in comfort surrounded by spectacular scenery--especially if you're willing to volunteer your time.

In addition to the specific project you're working on, there's usually a lot more to enjoy: the company and camaraderie of fellow volunteers; the travel to spectacular locales; meeting, working, and living with local folks; and spending your time off exploring the area.

Here are some volunteer vacation options: Habitat for Humanity/www.havitat.org Earth watch Institute/www.earthwatch.org

Do it by degrees . . .

2009-03-30T10:01:00.002-05:00

My family complains that I'm freezing them out in the winter. Turning the heat up would often cause a situation because I want to keep the thermostat at 67 degrees and tell the family to wear a sweater.

You don't have to freeze to be green. Adjusting your thermostat up or down by just three degrees Fahrenheit all year round will save you about $114 on a 1,500-square-foot home and will keep two and a half tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

The biggest savings are seen during the colder months. For every degree you turn the heat down in winter, you'll bring your energy bill down by as much as 5 percent. According to the Department of Energy, lowering your thermostat by just one degree Fahrenheit--an imperceptible amount--can save up to $40 a year. Melt 3 percent off your energy bill for every degree you turn the thermostat up in the summer.

If you install a programmable thermostat, that's even better. You can set it to turn your temperature way down or up when you're at work or sleeping. It'll cost you about $70, and it could save $150 a year.

Un-Plug It!

2009-03-30T10:01:00.001-05:00

If there is one outstanding example in this country of stuff we spend money on for no good reason and without even realizing it, is the energy drain known as "phantom load." Amazingly enough, even when your appliances are technically turned off, they continue to suck evergy out of the wall and money out of your wallet. The phantom load accounts for more than 27 million tons of CO2 emissions in the United States every year, as well as mountains of resources wasted to produce the power.

Your phantom load, also known as standby power or idle current, totals 5 to 15 percent of your monthly electricity bill. Cube-shaped transformers--those oversized AC plugs-have phantom loads of 20 to 50 percent of their regular energy use. They consume so much electricity that they're sometimes referred to as "vampires."

In all, Americans spend about $4 billion a year on electricity for things they're not using.
To eliminate phantom loads, you've got to unplug your devices and appliances. Make it easy on yourself by using smart power strips with on/off switches you can turn off when you're not running anything, when you go to sleep, and when you go away on vacation.

Grow you own vegetables and fruits . . .

2009-03-30T10:00:00.001-05:00

I once saw a bumper sticker on the back of a truck: "If you bought it, a truck brought it." Our food travels an average of 1,500 to 2,500 miles to reach our plates. That's a lot of gas and fumes--not to mention fossil fuels for pesticides, tractors, processing, cool storage, and packaging.

In stead, get an earth box, and grow your own fruits and vegetables and reap the rewards. You will save money, you will know exactly how your food was grown and what went into it, and you will connect with nature in a way that comes only from planting a seed and watching it grow up into a head of broccoli or strawberries.

A pack of tomato seeds costs about $3.00--about the sme as a pound of tomatoes at the store. But the seeds will produce enough fresh, tasty tomatoes to last you all summer long.

Try "home-grown".

Why Earth Box Gardens?

2009-03-19T15:51:00.000-05:00

System
Acting on the laws of nature, the Earth Box facilitates the movement of nutrients from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration. When the Earth Box is set up, the fertilizer is placed on top of the potting mix-creating an area of high nutrient concentration. At this time, the potting mix around the roots of the growing plant has no fertilizer. When water is added, the moist potting mix slowly conducts the diluted nutrients down the concentration gradient to the plant roots,which absorb optimal amounts of nutrients at any given time.

Water and Fertilizer Conservation
The Earth Box's plastic cover drastically reduces the water evaporation rate and returns condensed water vapor to the potting mix. As the plants draw water from the reservoir, they consume only what they need to stay healthy. Plants cannot be over-watered or under-watered if the reservoir is kept full. The plastic cover also prevents fertilizer from being diluted or washed away by rain.

In addition...
Years of research have yielded the optimal number and arrangement of each type of vegetable, fruit, herb or flower for healthy growing. Home gardeners can: (1) move the Earth Box outside during the day and inside at night - extending the growing season by planting earlier and harvesting later and (2) move the Earth Box around the patio or deck to increase or decrease the amount of time spent in the sun. The container inhibits the growth of disease-causing mold, as well as the invasion of plant-eating pests.

Some of the participants in the Earth Box system are staving off hunger; others are fighting childhood obesity. In each case, the project introduces (or re-introduces) the participants to the joys and rewards of growing fresh, nutritious produce that helps both them and their families.

Earth Boxes . . .

2009-03-19T15:50:00.001-05:00

On March 29th there will be an opportunity for the Earth Box Project to gain exposure at FUMCG. Be watching ENews and the church bulletin for more information.

There will be volunteers standing at tables located in several areas following each of the church services on the 29th as well as in the Family Life Center during our church-wide Pot Luck lunch event from 11-1. The tables will allow folks to see information about the Earth Boxes as well as to sign up for owning their own individually.

Please see friendly faces at the tables on March 29th:
-Friendship Atrium following the 8:50 service
-Sanctuary after 9:00 service Sanctuary after 10:10 service
-Sanctuary after 11:15 service
-Friendship Atrium after Spanish Service
-Pot Luck Lunch Table in Family Life Center

Keep Grapevine Beautiful . . .

2009-02-26T13:07:00.000-06:00

In the effort to promote a Greener, Cleaner, Grapevine, KGVB is proudly hosting a community litter and beautification campaign and recycling event on Saturday, March 7th at both Parr Park (3010 Parr Lane) and Dove Park (1509 Hood Lane).

Registration time: 8-10 AM. Free picnic at Dove Park from 11 AM-1 PM. Live entertainment performed by the Zack King Band. Prizes for all participants.

Items being accepted for recycling include electronics (computer, printer, TV, monitors- no large appliances), tennis shoes, CROCS, batteries (rechargeable, no auto batteries), cell phones, and all printer cartridges.

All recycleable items will be collected at both Dove Park and Parr Park. The electronic recycling is limited to Grapevine Residents with identification.

Please wear closed toe shoes, bring a pair of outdoor gloves, sunscreen, and bottled water. We will provide all other materials for this fun-filled day. To save time, you may preregister on the CONTACT page of this web site, or by email to Mjtellin@grapevinetexas.gov. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or by calling Mary Jo Tellin at 817-410-3490.

Green Your Baby . . .

2009-02-12T11:45:00.000-06:00

The biggest--and stickiest--issue with raising a green baby is what to do about diapers--disposable or cloth?

The National Association of Diaper Services reports that 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown in landfills each year--making up about 2 per sent of the garbage in landfills and taking hundreds of years or more to decompose. What's more, disposables cost parents $2,400 during the baby's first two and a half years.

Cloth diapers cost less--especially if you launder them yourself--but in terms of "impact" they're not necessarily better on the environment, thanks to the water and detergent used to clean them. It turns out that diapers are a matter of personal choice. If you do opt for cloth, be sure to use biodegradable, phosphate-free detergent.

Here are some cost-saving baby ideas that are also green:

*Scout out gently used baby clothes at garage sales and consignment shops, and on Craigslist, eBay, and Freecycle.

*Make your own food instead of buying all those little glass jars. Pureeing vegetables is quick, simple, healthy, and more cost-effective. Find recipes for easy, all-natural baby food at www.wholesomebabyfood.com.

*Nurse your baby instead of feeding formula. You'll save about $40 a week, it's healthier, and there's no manufacturing, packaging, or shipping involved.

Maintenance Matters

2009-02-09T11:47:00.000-06:00

No matter what car you drive, maintaining it so that it's running at its highest efficiency is just common sense--the kind of sense that adds up to dollars.

Keep your Tires Properly inflated. Having your tires inflated to the right pressure can increase your mpg by up to 3 percent, saving you up to 10 cents per gallon of fuel.
Don't haul around unnecessary weight. What are you storing in your trunk? Unnecessary cargo weighs down your car and reduces your mpg.

Get a tune-up. Installing a clean air filter protects your engine and can increase your fuel economy by up to 10 percent, which translates to as much as 32 cents per gallon of gasoline.
Don't drive like a maniac. Aggressive acceleration and braking can reduce your highway mileage by a third. Driving over 60 mph can cost you 20 cents per gallon of gas for every 5 mph increase.

For more information go to www.fueleconomy.gov.

Start a green business . . .

2009-01-29T17:46:00.001-06:00

As the world races to find solutions to climate change, dwindling oil supplies, and many other environmental problems, it's creating vast opportunities for entrepreneurs to earn million while helping protect the planet. In virtually every field--energy, transportation, manufacturing, design, food, health, you name it--there are problems requiring innovative solutions.

Why not come up with one? Pause in whatever you're doing today and ask yourself whether there's a smarter, better, greener way to do it. You might just come up with a million-dollar idea.

That's what happened with Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan, cofounders of green cleaning products company Method. Fed up with their dirty house, toxic cleaners, and poorly designed products that get hidden away under the sink, the two built a company to sell nontoxic, biodegradable cleaners in sleek, recycled containers. Seven years later, they ranked seventh on Inc. magazine's list of the fastest-growing companies--and their products, sold in stores like Costco and Target, are generating $40 million in annual revenue.

What are you waiting for?

Get rid of junk mail . . .

2009-01-29T17:45:00.000-06:00

In America, shopping is a leisure activity. We don't even have to leave our homes. Every day, catalogs and junk mail fill our mailboxes with temptation to buy things we don't need. In 2006, we bought $160 billion in merchandise from catalogs. Recycling your catalogs without reading them is one of the easiest ways to get rich (or at least not get poor!) by recycling.

According to Catalog Choice, more than 8 million tons of trees are used each year to produce 19 billion catalogs, requiring enough energy to power 1.2 million homes for a year and producing as many emissions as 2 million cars. They're then sent to consumers via plane and truck, burning up fossil fuels and adding to global warming. Sears alone sends out more than 425 million catalogs a year--that's nearly a catalog and a half for every single person in the country.

As for junk mail, the average adult is on at least 50 mailing lists, resulting in about 40 pounds of mail sent our way each year. And we forward nearly half of it to the landfill unopened. (Recycle it!)

Luckily, "opt out" legislation now provides web sites and phone numbers that let you just say no to junk mail and catalogs.

Paper of Plastic ???

2009-01-08T11:37:00.002-06:00

The best answer for the planet is "no, thank you."

One of the easiest things you can do to save the Earth is bring your own bags to the grocery store. Some stores offer a "bag credit" discounts of between 5 and 10 cents a bag if you bring your own. Buy six bags of groceries a week and save up to $31 a year. The positive impact of skipping plastic bags is huge. Between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are used every year worldwide. As many as 30 billion of them end up as litter--making their way into our oceans, killing birds, marine mammals, and sea creatures by the millions.

That's because man-made plastics photodegrade, which means that sunlight breaks them down in to smaller pieces--often tiny pieces, perfect for wildlife to mistake for food. And they don't biodegrade, meaning they stick around for thousands of years.

Believe it or not, paper bags may be worse. Even though Americans recycle nearly 20 percent of paper bags, one paper bag takes more energy to make and creates more waste than two plastic bags.

See http://www.blogger.com/www.ilea.org for more information.

Get Green Energy . . .

2008-12-31T12:49:00.000-06:00

Brad Pitt is leading a project in New Orleans to build affordable homes that are completely powered by solar energy. " The idea that we pay utility bills is absolutely unnecessary," he says.

Today, 85 percent of energy in the US comes from fossil fuels. They're called "fossil fuels" because they are the remains of organisms that lived roughly 300 million years ago. They include coal, oil, and gas, so chances are the home you live in is powered by one or more of these sources. There are two problems with that: One, they pollute our air and are the leading cause of global warming; and two, they're nonrenewable resources, and many experts believe world production of oil could peak in the next two to twenty years.

Wait it out? Right now, your home is very likely connected to the "grid" of public utilities, which means you are dependent on whatever energy sources your local utilities provide. The exciting news is that the options are expanding.

For now, clean renewable energy is more expensive for utilities to access than fossil fuels. Massive amounts of money--close to $120 billion are being invested in renewable-energy projects around the world. And much of that research is focused on creating affordable green energy sources.

Be and "Energy Star" . . .

2008-12-24T12:47:00.000-06:00

This is a no-brainer. It will save a ton of energy without much effort on your part at all, and save you a lot of money to boot.

By now you're probably familiar with the blue and white ENERGY STAR label, created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) to help consumers identify energy-efficient products. You can spot it on thousands of approved appliances and equipment in more than 50 categories for your home and office.

In 2006, Americans saved enough energy by using Energy Star appliances to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million cars--and also saved $14 billion on their utility bills.

That's a huge amount of savings, and it is only partly offset by the higher initial cost of these appliances. An ENERGY STAR washing machine, for example, costs about $150 over a less efficient model, but you'll save $50 a year on your energy bill. And it will cut water use by up to 7,000 gallons per year.

Don't go out and replace a perfectly good (but inefficient) appliance for the $400 lifetime savings alone, but when it is time to buy a new one, make sure it has the ENERGY STAR label.

Use Recycled Paper . . .

2008-12-17T12:46:00.000-06:00

The paper products that we use every day in our homes--like toilet paper, tissue, paper towels, and napkins--are made from what's called virgin tree fibers. Consumers tend to prefer virgin fiber for its softness. But virgin fiber comes from old-growth trees, and entire forests of them are clear-cut in order to produce it. As more forests are destroyed, we have fewer trees to help keep our soild and water clean, provide habitat for wildlife, and soak up the carbon dioxide that causes global warming.

Consider what would happen if you switched to recycled toilet paper, tissue, paper towels, and napkins. According to Seventh Generation, if every household in the United States replaced just one four-pack of 400-sheed virgin fiber toilet paper with 100 per cent recycled ones, we could save: 1,450,000 trees, 3.7 million cubic feet of landfill space, equal to 5,500 full garbage trucks, 523 million gallons of water, a year's supply for 4,100 families of four, and avoid 89,000 pounds of pollution!

Seventh Generation's recycled-fiber toilet paper costs less per square foot than most of the leading brands--reason enough to make the switch.

Having a Green Christmas . . .

2008-12-04T10:54:00.001-06:00

Use a real tree. The National Christmas Tree Association reports that most artificial trees are made of PVC--a potential source of hazardous lead. They come with a warning label. Real trees are a renewable, recyclable resource. The best choice is one that's sustainably grown and pesticide-free.

Give green gifts. For lots of ideas--from National Parks Pass to a donation to the Fresh Air Fund in someone's name--check out the NRDC's great Green Gift-Giving Guide. Go to www.nrdc.org and click on "Green Living." You will find the "Giving Green Gifts" link in the "Green Living Toolkit."

Another gift idea: Many conservation groups have sponsorship programs, where you can "adopt" a particular species--polar bears, sea turtles, penguins--to help protect it. Visit the "Wildlife Adoption Center" at www.worldwildlife.org.

Don't forget to "tree-cycle" after the holidays.

Upcoming Mission Green meetings . . .

2008-12-03T11:36:00.000-06:00

Hi members of Mission Green!

It's been a couple of months since the 3 sections of Mission Green met together as a team. We have lots to report.

Please try to be available to attend the meeting on Thursday, 11Dec, at 7pm. The room number will be sent later.

First on the agenda is Armando Alvarado talking about plans for our Mission Green community garden, next is Mission Green Church briefing by Tom Trainer, then will be Sherl Taylor presenting an overview of the results of the survey of our congregationon's green practices. We will end with a look ahead at plans for 2009. It will be an interesting 90 minutes!

Thanks to all of you for your continued interest and support of Mission Green!

Kathy

Green Your Holidays . . .

2008-11-20T11:21:00.001-06:00

Believe it or not, Americans spend $2.7 billion every year on gift wrap. That's more than the entire gross domestic product of many countries in Africa and Asia. One easy way to green your holidays is to stop buying nonrecyclable wrapping paper printed with petroleum-based inks and dyes.

Use gift wrap made out of recycled paper--or better yet, use materials around the house to dress up your packages. Use the Sunday comics.

Next, green your greetings. Nearly 300,000 trees are harvested each year to produce all the holiday cards sold in the United States. That's enought to fill a football field ten stories high!

Save money, time, and trees by sending free e-cards instead of traditional cards. Or opt to order from Cards for Causes (www.cardsforcauses.com) or Good Cause Greetings (www.goodcausegreetings.com), where not only are the cards made of recycled paper, but 10 to 20 percent of the purchase price goes to the charity of your choice.

By David Bach
Go Green, Live Rich

Do it Online . . .

2008-11-13T09:20:00.000-06:00

Go green in your home office, too. Paying bills online is simply a no-brainer. It saves you time and money, saves millions of trees from being clear-cut and used for paper, and saves companies money--savings that may eventually be passed along to you.

If all U.S. households received electronic statements instead of paper, and paid their bills online, collectively we'd save 18.5 million trees every year, enough wood for more than 216,000 houses; 2.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases; and 1.7 billion pounds of solid waste.

Many of the companies you do business with--for your credit cards, cell phones, cable TV, utilities, and so on--will offer you the option to receive an electronic statement. Once you access it (via email or logging in to your payee's web site), you can pay electronically--either through an online bill-pay service, through your online bank account, or directly through the payee.

Having payments automatically drawn from your checking or savings account ensures that you'll never miss a payment and never rack up a late fee--saving you from a few dollars to more than a hundred dollars a month.

Consider reading your newspapers online. The newspaper costs about $330 a year for home delivery, but all content is free online. For a small amount per month (slightly more than half the newsprint delivery price), you can subscribe to an online edition that looks like the print edition--minus the dead trees.

Trash Facts . . .

2008-11-10T09:47:00.000-06:00

The amazing truth is that, depending on where you live, 75 to 90 per cent of your trash can be recycled. Things that can't be collected through curb-side recycling--such as electronics, paints, and batteries--may still be recyclable at a local drop-off center.

Recycling is a special responsibility here in America, where we produce more than a third of the world's garbage: 4-5 pounds of trash per person every day. More than half of it ends up in landfills, where it emits more methane--a greenhouse gas--than any other source. Eventually, those landfills leak toxic materials into the surrounding soil and water.

The aluminum cans we throw away each year use up the equivalent of 16 million barrels of oil, enough to fuel a million cars for a year.

Grapevine's recycling curb-side does not recycle the plastic bags from the grocery store. Every Walmart has a recycling box just for plastic bags.

Nov. 15 - Texas Recycles Day info . . .

2008-11-05T14:10:00.003-06:00

More info about the Texas Recyles Day on November 15 can be found here.

Let's all pitch in and do our part.

Green your pet . . .

2008-10-30T10:30:00.000-05:00

Most of us feel our pets are part of the family. The greenest choice you can make when it comes to your pet is to "rescue" one from your local shelter, where it might otherwise become one of the 3 to 4 million homeless dogs and cats euthanized every year.

A big part of going green with our pets involves the food choices we make for them. Many common pet food brands are made with the lower quality ingredients, often made overseas with little oversight. This means poor nutrition for your pet, or worse, serious health problems--even death.

Look to save money in other ways in order to save up for better-quality food. In 2006, we spent $38.4 billion on our pets, and there are lower-cost, greener solutions for much of what we buy. Like kids' toys, many pet toys are mass-produced using potentially harmful materials. And chances are you've already got great pet toys at home--like Fido's all-time favorite, the tennis ball.

See www.onlynaturalpet.com

From Go Green, Live Rich by David Bach

A note from Pastor Rick . . .

2008-10-27T18:16:00.002-05:00

Greetings all!

Thought I would let you all know about a little experiment I conducted these past couple of weeks.

I actually kept count of the styrofoam drink cups and plastic water bottles I went through in a week of normal activity.

Honestly . . . I was ashamed to total it all up. Totally unacceptable, considering the styrofoam drink cups are not accepted at recycle centers, and that many types of plastic leech, albeit small amounts, of chemicals into the liquid stored inside them.

Time to make a change, and get a little greener in the process.

So . . . I paid out the $18.00 at Backwoods on West 7th Street in Ft. Worth for a 27 oz. Kleen Kanteen stainless steel water bottle. Being metal, it is completely recyclable if damaged . . . and stores all kinds of drinkable liquids.

I am glad I decided to do this.

Telecommute . . .

2008-10-23T15:58:00.002-05:00

More people are working from home than ever before in this country. Employers and employees alike are reaping the rewards--and it's great for the environment!

The number of Americans whose employer permitted them to work from home at least one day per month increased to 12.4 million in 2006, up from about million in 2005.

By telecommuting just two days per week, over the course of a year an employee will drive 3,000 fewer miles, save approximately $430 in gas, and eliminate 3,120 pounds of CO2 emissions.

The benefits to an employee include more flexibility, commuting money saved, less stress, and overall increased satisfaction in his or her job. Employers can reduce office space and operating expenses, and benefit from lower employee absenteeism, lower turnover, and increased employee productivity.

If you dress for the office, telecommuting could save you plenty on your yearly dry-cleaning bill. And less dry cleaning is also good for the planet. Dry cleaning uses perchloroethylene, or perc., a toxic chemical that's harmful to the environment and potentially carcinogenic. When you do need to use a dry-cleaner, go green.

Bring Your Lunch . . .

2008-10-16T17:47:00.000-05:00

Today, Americans spend over $134 billion a year on fast food. While it's convenient, it's not always cheap or healthy. Let's say you spend $9 every day on a chicken sandwich and a soda at your local Subway.

That's $45 a week--and $2,250 a year!

If you were to save that amount every year and invest it instead, in 20 years you'd have more than $111,000!

Apart from your health and wealth, takeout food packaging is a huge waste of resources. When you walk down the street at lunchtime, nearly everyone is carrying plastic-wrapped food and plastic utensils in a while plastic bag. Takeout food packaging creates 1.8 million tons of trash in the United States every year.

The alternative? Bring your lunch. Find great quick lunch recipes at www. cooks.com.

Resource: Go Green, Live Rich by David Bach

Plant Trees . . .

2008-10-09T16:12:00.001-05:00

Here's an incredibly simple way to save on energy costs: Plant trees.

Strategically planting trees and shrubs to shade your home can lower surrounding air temperatures during warm summer months by up to 9 degrees Fahrenheit--and can reduce your wall and roof temperatures by 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, keeping your home naturally cooler.

In winter, trees can function as windbreaks as well, reducing your heating bill.
Over the course of a year, the average home could save between $150 and $250 on energy costs--simply with smart landscaping.

Of course, there are lots of other reasons to plant trees. Besides providing food and housing for insects, birds, and other backyard wildlife, trees protect against erosion and clean the air as they soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Just be sure to choose species that are either native to or well-suited for your location. You don't want your shade-bearer requiring excessive water or crowding out established elements of your garden.

Grow Your Own . . .

2008-10-02T14:31:00.000-05:00

Lawns surrounding 85 million U.S. residences take up at least 25 million acres. Digging up just a fraction of this real estate to grow chard, lettuce, peas, and tomatoes would be a marvelous development. You would save money on food, and some of the millions of gallons of oil used to ship it from farm to market.

Apartment dwellers take note: an amazing amount of produce can be grown in containers or window boxes, especially greens you can cut and grow back.

For tips, browse university agricultural extension services online (never thought you would be doing that in a highrise) or check out McGee and Stuckey's Bountiful Container (New York: Workman Publishing Company, 2002).

Skip A Trip . . .

2008-09-30T13:46:00.002-05:00

An astonishing 91% of Americans commute to work alone in their car, averaging 30 miles per round-trip. If every person in the United States cut out just one car commute per week by carpooling or taking public transportation, we'd reduce carbon emissions by 149 million tons.

Find a way to replace just one weekly errand or one day's commute with an alternative form of transportation. This is not so daunting when you consider that 40% of all car trips we make in the United States are less than two miles. That's a distance you could easily cover on a bicycle, even if you aren’t' in top physical condition.

As for other means of transportation, try using public transit or carpooling. If one driver in your household switched to public transit full-time, you'd reduce your household's carbon footprint by 30%. Walk a mile to work every day--burn your lunch off before you even eat it! Walking to work is free, and it saves the cost of a gym membership.

Source: Go Green, Live Rich by David Bach

Driving Green . . .

2008-09-30T10:46:00.001-05:00

Drive Sensibly.

Aggressive driving wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds and by 5% around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money. The fuel economy benefit is 5-33%. The equivalent gasoline savings is $0.19-$1.23/gallon.

Observe the Speed Limit.

While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed, gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.26 per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer. The fuel economy benefit is 7-23%. The equivalent gasoline savings is $0.26-$0.86/gallon.

Remove excess weight.

Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your mpg by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones. The fuel economy benefit is 1-2%/100lbs. The equivalent gasoline savings is $0.04-$0.07/gallon.

Avoid excessive idling.

Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines. Use cruise control. Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas. Use overdrive gears. When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear. Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $3.74/gallon.

Coffee Cups & Water Bottle info . . .

2008-09-11T17:40:00.001-05:00

Don't buy coffee in a disposable cup or water in a plastic bottle.

Every year, Americans drink more than 100 billion cups of coffee. Of these, 14.4 billion are served in disposable paper cups, enough to wrap the earth 55 times if placed end to end!

Get a reusable water bottle and fill it with water from your tap. To drink the recommended amount of water, you'd spend about $2,500.00 a year on bottled water. The cost for the same amount of tap water is about $1.00.

Visit www.waterfiltercomparisons.com, www.mysigg.com, www.kleankanteen.com and www.newwaveenviro.com for more information.

Recycling info from the City of Euless webpage

2008-08-26T18:03:00.002-05:00

Check out the Euless City Recycling Page. Lot's of great info on how Euless is encouraging and supporting people in their efforts to recycle.

Green Team Congregational Survery

2008-08-22T10:34:00.002-05:00

FUMC Grapevine – Green Team Congregation Survey

Purpose: To determine whether church-led education and example can influence behavior and attitudes towards earth stewardship.

Motivation: Tie to Conference challenge to reduce (x) by 10% over the next year. FUMC Grapevine is going a step further and working to improve the earth stewardship of the entire congregation through measurable results.

Objectives: Benchmarking where the congregation is now with regards to green initiatives will help us to:
1. Guide program development
2. Identify topics of interest
3. Measure impact

Methodology: TBD – Consider Sunday bulletin inserts, Sunday School handouts, web survey, or combination of both. Will need to organize collection for paper surveys, and determine if we have resource to build a web-based form.

Questionnaire: Keep it simple! Just a few questions to determine interest, behavior and attitudes. Each individual can fill out as opposed to trying to restrict to a household.

DRAFT Questions:

Do you currently participate in any of the following activities in your personal life? (Yes, No, Sometimes format, check all that apply)

___Home recycling program
___Use programmable thermostats
___Recycle plastic grocery/shopping bags
___Use reusable grocery/shopping bags
___Drive the speed limit to conserve fuel
___Drive a fuel efficient automobile
___Use solar energy
___Have a compost heap
___Practice conservative water management
___Collect rainwater for reuse
___Energy efficient home improvements (extra insulation, low-E windows...)
___Other: (collect responses)

How would you describe your feelings about participation in the types of earth-friendly initiatives described in question 1? (check all that apply)

___Doesn’t really have an impact to the larger problem.
___Too much work!
___I don’t believe there is a real need to take action.
___There is no Biblical basis for earth stewardship.
___Show me the money! I need to understand the financial benefits (to either myself or society) before I participate.
___I don’t know how to participate (what can be recycled, which bags can be returned, how to compost...)
___I would do more if I knew how.
___It is the responsibility of each individual to be good earth stewards.
___The Bible teaches us the importance of earth stewardship.
___I like the idea of my church being a leader in earth stewardship.
___When I practice earth stewardship, I feel like I am making a difference.
___Many earth stewardship activities are easy.
___Practicing earth stewardship is one way to show my appreciation to God for all he had given me.

A note from Kathy Reece . . .

2008-08-22T10:23:00.004-05:00

Our new name of Mission Green is so wonderfully expressive of our ministry as stewards of God's earth. The beautiful image that has been selected for Mission Green communication is the picture you see here of the earth being held by two hands.

Thanks for your votes and your interest in this ministry!!

Three Actions:

1) CHOOSE A SUB-TEAM if you haven't yet! (Gardens, Greener at FirstChurch, Learning Greener)

2) Send your comments on the Mission Green survey to Sherl (survey attached)

3) Have fun visiting and sharing on Rick's blog http://www.goinggreenatfumc.blogspot.com/

Our next meeting is next Wednesday, Aug 27, at 7pm in room 2007. We have 2 items to cover:

a) agreement on what to do at our table at Ministry Fair

b) initial guess at your sub-team's budget request for 3rd and 4th quarter (we'll break up into our sub-teams to do this).

New Ministry Name

2008-08-21T16:09:00.001-05:00

"Mission Green" is the new name for our going greener ministry here at FUMC-Grapevine!

Caluclating your carbon footprint . . .

2008-08-07T08:39:00.002-05:00

Click here to take a simple survey that will help you determine your current carbon footprint as an individual, and as a family.

Interesting material, and worth our consideration.

"Going Green to Save Green" . . .

2008-08-07T08:28:00.005-05:00

Click here for a great beginners guide on how to "go green to save green" where you will find good suggestions of free or low-cost things you can do to help you go green and save green.

In this guide, you'll find out how to spend less than $1,200 to save over $8,000 over the course of five years.

This is worth the read . . . the little things we do to go green add up significantly over the course of a 5 year period . . . helping to decrease the size of our carbon footprint, and increasing our financial savings.

1 World - 2 Wheels Campaign

2008-07-31T10:34:00.002-05:00

I was perusing the Bicycles, Inc. website, and found this link to the Trek Bicycles "1 World - 2 Wheels" campaign.

It is time well spent reading, and considering what they are suggesting.

How are you living greener?

2008-07-24T14:35:00.000-05:00

So, how are you trying to live "greener?" Please check the "Comments" link to this blog article and share what you are doing in your life, around your home or business to live greener.

5 Ways to Be Green Today . . .

2008-07-24T14:16:00.000-05:00

Check out this Green IQ article for 5 ways to be green today.

Earth Aid Kits

2008-07-24T14:07:00.001-05:00

The Earth Aid Kit™ is a fully customizable collection of products that any American can easily install into their home to immediately increase their energy efficiency and GreenIQ. The options include efficient light bulbs, oxygenating showerheads, aerating faucets, tire pressure gauges, and a slew of other modern products to help save energy and stop global warming.

100 Ways to "Green" Your Life Today . . .

2008-07-24T13:58:00.000-05:00

Living greener at home, and at church campus, begins with a personal decision about what we each individually can and are prepared to do.

The following artice from Green IQ lists 100 things you can do to "green up" your life today.

It all begins with each of us making small changes . . . starting new habits . . . becoming more aware of the consequences of our lifestyle choices.

We can all start today . . . knowing that the environment benefits immediately!