Have a "Green" 4th of July!

The 4th of July is arguably my most favorite holiday. First of all -- I love the summer and the 4th is a perfect way to celebrate the season. I love getting together with family and friends enjoying the weather and lots of BBQ's. Did I mention that I love BBQ's? Seriously I love to grill.

As I've grown older, I've begun to realize how much waste there is associated with picnics and said BBQ's. One of the things I've done is to make a conscious effort to take steps to be more green. I no longer buy paper plates, or disposable utensils. It actually seems wasteful.

It's quite nice to be sitting on a blanket in the shade having a delicious meal and not trying to balance a flimsy paper plate on your lap. Instead, I have a "real" plate and "real" silverware! It's almost decadent. I always bring a couple kitchen towels in my basket to have on hand to wipe off my dirty plates, glasses, and utensils. I no longer buy bottles of water, but I bring a big thermos filled with ice water. Once I learned how much goes into making the bottles for the water and how many end up in landfills -- I have really curtailed my bottled water habit.

This works for me and these steps -- although pretty simple -- might not work for you and your family. That all said, I came a cross 8 Tips for Being Green on the 4th of July and I thought I would share them:

1. Ditch the disposable party ware
2. Get outside!
3. Use propane for grilling
4. Save and reuse your decorations
5. Opt for greener fireworks
6. Gather in groups
7. Use large water containers
8. Recycle

Most everything (if not all) from this list is super easy to do. Do what you can and have a safe and happy holiday!

BK

Billy's Friday Tips!

6 Tips to get you started to being more green! All simple, anyone can do them, and they will yield some big savings in your check book and for the environment!

1.As we enter summer be sure to set your thermostat just a couple degrees higher to save on cooling costs!

2.Wash your clothes in cold water -- as much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.

3.Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying. I recently picked up a very inexpensive wooden rack that I throw out back every time I do laundry. Super easy to store, and when I'm done it rests in that small space between my washer and dryer!

4.Take shorter showers. Do you really need to take a 30 minute shower?

5.It's a great time to think about joining a CSA (Community Sustainable Agriculture) and be sure that your getting local produce. Many CSA's will drop your "share" at your house or office. How easy is that?

6.Stop buying bottled water! You can pick up a reusable water bottle from anywhere. It's that easy. I got one on sale at Starbucks for $6!

Tips for Green Picnicing...

As we kick off this holiday weekend and the unofficial start to summer it seems fitting to have a couple tips for a "greener" picnic!

STAY LOCAL. Drive Less, Walk, Bike, or Take Public Transportation. This helps save resources (gas) and reduce pollutants by putting fewer miles on your car; get exercise walking or biking; get to know more about your local habitat.

USE REUSABLES. Utensils, Napkins, Plastic Containers and More. Over the years you will substantially decrease your use of virgin resources; save money in the long run.

RECYCLE. Give Bottles and Cans a Second Life.

USE METAL CHARCOAL CHIMNEY. Avoid Petroleum-Based Lighter Fluid.

CHOOSE FRESH, LOCAL, ORGANIC WHOLE FOODS. Support Local Farms.

PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT. Take Away Your Garbage and Others’ Too!

OBSERVE AND LEARN. Take Field Guides, Binoculars, and Even a Nature Journal. If you are sticking around the Cayuga Lake Region this would be a great weekend to use James Dake's "Field Guide to the Cayuga Lake Region." You can pick that up online here or at the Museum of the Earth gift shop.

USE NATURAL BUG REPELLENT AND SUNSCREEN. Use Less Toxic Products!

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Green Gardening...

As Spring turns into Summer here in Central New York, I've begun to think a lot about planting and getting my garden in order. I'm sure lots of you are too. I've found a great resource from Planet Green that shows us how to be more green in our gardening. Check it out here: Planet Green.

Happy Gardening!

Tips of the Day

Green Tips for Musicians
Compiled by Scott Callan from the fine folks at the Tape Op messageboard

Many of the musicians I know care about their impact on the environment, but as a group, we buy lots of plastic and electronic things, and then we load them up into a van and drag them across the country. Oh yeah, we plug them in, too – a lot. So, to help lessen the load on the environment and to save a few bucks along the way, here’s a few quick tips that aren’t too hard to accommodate.

• Turn off your stuff if you’re not using it. It’s ok to let amps warm up, but if you’re done for the day…shut ‘em down. Same goes for studio gear…it might look great to make and impress clients to make all the flashy lights go blinky, but if you know you’re not going to be using something on a session, keep it off the grid.
• Install a solar panel or two to help power your studio. It might not keep the whole thing juiced up, but it’ll help.
• Instead of going through lots of bottled water at the studio, invest in a Brita filter. In fact, get two and save one for cheap vodka. You’ll never buy expensive vodka again.
• Instead of using CD-R’s for mix references in the studio, use flash drives when possible. If you do use CD-R’s, reuse old jewel cases or use recycled paper sleeves. You can send old CD-R’s to cdrecyclingcenter.org when you’re done with them.
• Instead of throwing away old drum heads, you can cut a large, thin “O” out of them and use that as a dampening o-ring on your drums…it’ll save you a few bucks from buying those dampeners anyway.
• If you’re touring, bring a thermos or reusable cup with you – you’ll cut down on paper and/or Styrofoam waste when filling up for coffee along the way.
• Speaking of touring, hit up some farmer’s markets while you’re on the road. You’ll be eating local foods, and you’ll probably be eating better because of it.
• Instead of shacking up at hotels on the road, try camping. It’s often cheaper, anyway.
• And make sure that tour van of yours has proper air pressure in the tires – you’ll help maximize your fuel efficiency.
• Get that old touring vehicle modified to run on cooking oil.
• Instead of throwing it away, learn to repair your broken electronics. Fire up that soldering iron.
• And…go totally off the grid…play acoustic instruments!

Save Money...

Lately, I've been trying to switch all the light bulbs in my house to compact fluorescent lightbulbs. It's costly, but we have really made more of an effort to be "green." That said, I just came across a great article on the Huffington Post that really explains the savings you will realize. Enjoy:

The Huffington Post: Same Money Use Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs

Be Green...Tips for Halloween

I was perusing one of my favorite sites, The Daily Green, and found a great article about recycled Halloween costumes. Last year, I bought a costume for $60, and I really only got to wear it once. What a waste...

Here's the story: The Daily Green

Send us your recycled costume photos from this year, or this upcoming year and we'll post them on the blog!

Tips of the Day!

Every Friday, we are going to give our readers some easy tips on how they can be greener, save money, and conserve our precious resources.

Today's tips:

Buy organic or shade grown coffee whenever possible. The production of this coffee is much better for the eco system and better for you!

Use more natural, biodegradable cleaning products. Try this: In the microwave, heat one to two ounces of lemon juice and two cups of water in a microwave safe bowl for two to three minutes. Wait ten minutes, open the door and dunk a cloth in bowl and wipe out microwave. Amazing, non-toxic results!

Are you in the market for a new car? Consider a slightly used car with efficient fuel economy!

Today's tips were found at http://www.greenearthseattle.com/green.htm.

Tips of the Week...

Did you know that if you reduced your speed from 70 mph to 55 mph while driving you could increase your fuel efficiency by nearly 23%?

Did you know that buying a "magnum" bottle of wine is better for the environment? The next time you and your friends are out to dinner consider buying the magnum bottle instead of two bottles of wine! The larger the bottle the smaller the carbon footprint!

Did you know that by leaving your car running while you run into a store, back into the house, or for whatever reason you are getting ZERO miles per gallon? Don't idle people!

Tips of the Day!

Every Friday, we are going to give our readers some easy tips on how they can be greener, save money, and conserve our precious resources.

Today's tips:

Ride your bike more...It's not just a great form of exercise, but it's also a really economical way to get around town!

Print on both sides of the paper! Most printers today give you the option to print on both sides. It's a great way to save on paper!

Keep your car trunk empty! Take out the golf clubs and all that junk to consume less gas!

Tips of the Day!

Every Friday, we are going to give our readers some easy tips on how they can be greener, save money, and conserve our precious resources.

Today's tips:

Looking for good fruits in vegetables to go with dinner? Why not consider only eating what's in season! This will dramatically cut down on your carbon foot print. How super easy is that?

Throwing away ziploc bags that you put your sandwich in for lunch? Why not reuse them. I always rinse mine out with some soapy water and put on the faucet to air dry before my next use!

Moving home from college? Why not consider borrowing boxes or buying pre-used boxes for the move. Just another way to make that move a bit greener!

Tips of the Day!

Every Friday, we are going to give our readers some easy tips on how they can be greener, save money, and conserve our precious resources.

Today's tips:

As summer approaches one of the greenest things you can do is to plant a garden! There's nothing like fresh veggies on a summers day!

Unplug your electronics (DVD player, TV, cell phone and iPod chargers) when you're not using them. This will cut down on your electric bill! Another simple trick to save more money!

Wash your clothes in cold water! Not using the warm or hot cycles will save you money and your clothes will get just as clean!

Tips of the Day

Here are some relatively low cost and easy ways to be a bit greener:

1. Turn off the dishwasher's drying cycle! Let 'em air dry!

2. Say goodbye to Otis and skip the elevator -- take the stairs!

3. Take the bus! Public transportation is our friend!!!!

Tips for the Day

Every Friday, we are going to give our readers some easy tips on how they can be greener, save money, and conserve our preacious resources. Today's tips are how to conserve water...

For the Toilet: Fill bottles with sand or pebbles, and put in the back of the tank. This essentially creates a low-water flush, saving more than 2 gallons a flush!

For the Shower: Install a low flow showerhead, and take shorter showers. You could save up to 40 gallons of water every 5 minutes!

For the Sink: Turn the water off while you are brushing your teeth or shaving. You could save 6 gallons of water a day!

Now those are some pretty good tips! If you have tips that are working in your life, respond in the comments section and we will post them!