As an individual it’s important to try and make your lifestyle more energy efficient and green, this we know. In previous blogs we have discussed many ways you can do this. It can often be accomplished with small everyday actions and lifestyle changes. However, if you’re making these personal changes to do your part you might be wondering what actions large corporations and organizations are taking…

While every small change helps, big changes by large corporations will help even more. Greenpeace has been working on a green campaign to help encourage Facebook to reduce its environmental footprint. Greenpeace has set Earth Day as the deadline for Facebook to stop their coal usage and switch to renewable energy sources.

Facebook plans to use more sustainable and renewable sources in the future and is excited to partner with Greenpeace for this initiative. Currently there is a Facebook group lead by Greenpeace to encourage this green transition. Facebook has already showcased some green initiatives and appears to be accepting the challenge of Greenpeace to go green.

(Article Source: Greenpeace Campaign to “green” Facebook by 22 April. By: Carmel Doyle)

If you knew that cleaning and organizing your home would help save the environment, would you be more inclined to clean and organize? There are many items in your home that may have a damaging effect not only on your home and your health but also on the environment.

To clean out your own life and to contribute to a cleaner earth, try getting rid of some of the harsher products you have stored. For example, did you know that vinegar works as a cleaning aid that can replace the use of ammonia? Or that bleach can be replaced with hydrogen peroxide? There are many chemicals that are unnecessary and only cause harm on you, your family and the earth. But be sure to get rid of these chemicals in an environmentally friendly way. Do not simply pour them down the drain!

To read the nine other tips on how to clean and green your home, click here.

With the fast approach of 2011, New Year’s resolutions are abound everywhere. While many people focus on losing weight, eating healthier and working harder, why not focus on keeping the environment healthy too?  By making simple changes to daily routines that can be followed throughout the year, you can make a difference in helping save our environment.

Below is a list of eco-friendly suggestions that are easy to follow and can get you on the path to sustainable living while making your pocket and planet a little more greener in 2011.

(Article Source thedailygreen.com by NRDC Simple Steps)

1. Give Up Plastic (and Paper) Bags

Cost: $1

Do you opt for paper or plastic when at the grocery store? Neither is a good choice. Twelve million barrels of oil were used to make the 88.5 billion plastic bags consumed in the United States last year. And it takes four times more energy to make paper bags.

The best choice is reusable shopping bags made of cotton, nylon or durable, mesh-like plastic. Put a few reusable shopping bags in your car so you have them handy on your next shopping trip. And if you happen to forget your reusable bag (as we all do!), choose paper if you will recycle it or plastic if you will reuse or recycle it.

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January 3rd…three days into your new year’s resolution. Does your resolution still seem achievable? Or are you looking for a new one? A New York man and his family made a goal to dramatically reduce their environmental footprint for one year. They took new steps everyday to change not only their consumption and environmental impact but also to positively change their lifestyle.

Dr. Colin Beaven and his family, who have taken the challenge themselves, are encouraging everyone to try and complete what they call a “one week carbon cleanse.” They outline a theme or idea for the day, the challenge that arises and an idea to change the pattern. The overall “cleanse” will get you thinking in a greener way and will likely alter your use of materials and energy after the “cleanse” is complete. For example, the suggestion for day one is to create a list of everything you think you “need” to buy, and then eliminate the items that you can live without. To learn more about the “one week carbon cleanse” read the article below. (more…)

In recent years the idea of sustainable living has tremendously developed, and an increasing number of people have become strongly aware of their individual environmental responsibilities—even during the holidays. As the following article suggests, by taking a more green approach, and adding eco-conscious notions, individuals can enrich their enjoyments and save money this Christmas season.

Learn how to stay environmentally chic with these 10 tips on how to decorate and celebrate for an eco-conscious Christmas this year:

(Article Source freshome.com)

1.) Should I have a live Christmas tree: There is mixed information as to whether buying live Christmas trees are harmful to the environment. The majority of Christmas trees that are purchased at retail and home improvement stores are grown in tree farms. Therefore, they are not being cut down from nature’s surplus of trees.

2.) Decorate your home with natural décor: Add fruit, nuts, and pine cones to your holiday centerpiece or fireplace mantle to bring in rich color and an organic touch to your decorations. Simple ornaments strung with dried citrus, apples, pine cones and cinnamon sticks will look great on your Christmas tree.

3.) Recycle your live Christmas tree: When you’re done enjoying your tree for the holidays, take it to a recycling yard where they can be recycled for wood chips, and mulch for landscaping. This gives you peace of mind when enjoying throughout the holiday season. Many neighborhood waste collection agencies will have a plant clippings pickup for your home. Check with them to see if they recycle Christmas trees.

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It is with growing concerns over pollution and alarming disasters that more and more people have come to believe that high environmental standards are not just considered custom, but necessary.  Going green is not only a leading change to help the environment, but it is essential for the future to survive.

An increasing number of business owners in the corporate culture are now starting to realize that they can make a positively huge impact by instituting environmentally friendly business practices into the workplace. As the following article suggests, business leaders can respond to the growing environmental concerns by adopting a step-by-step approach to eco-conscious business practices that are manageable and sustainable.

(Article Source ezinearticles.com by Paul Mullon)

Between all of the Christmas decorating, Christmas dinners, Christmas lights and cold weather we can often find ourselves struggling to remain eco-friendly in the winter months.  There are many easy ways to help the environment despite the holiday bustle and cold weather. Once you get in the pattern of always being environmentally conscious it will become easier to adapt your lifestyle to help save the environment.

Hosting dinners at your home, decorating for Christmas and donating old items can all be done in an eco-friendly way. All you need is the desire to want to try and make a positive impact on our environment.

If you want to learn some tips on how you can make many of your winter activities environmentally friendly, including the best Christmas tree ideas, and weatherproofing your home, read the following article. (more…)

At times, all of the new tasks, ideas, and products that promote environmentally friendly living can seem overwhelming and expensive. Although there is no doubt that these will help contribute to a better environment it can sometimes be difficult to justify the costs.

For those of you who want to make a positive environmental difference today, here is a list of ten things you can do in your home that are great eco-friendly and wallet-friendly actions.

(Article Source ecoliving.scotiabank.com by Kim Shiffman)

Making your home more eco-friendly doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, many fix-ups are simple to do and cost less than dinner and a movie. Here are 10 inexpensive (or free!) ways to green your home.

Ditch your cleaning products

You can guess just from the strong smell of some household cleaners that they include toxic chemicals—chemicals that inevitably end up released into the environment. You can buy less- or non-toxic cleaning products—Nature Clean and Seventh Generation are two eco-friendly brands available at many supermarket chains—but there’s an even better option. “People complain about how green cleaners are expensive, so why not just buy distilled white vinegar and baking soda?” says holistic lifestyle expert Anna Getty, author of Anna Getty’s Green Organic Cook Book and I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas. Vinegar and water in a spray bottle is great for glass, mirrors, countertops and tile. (Getty suggests adding a drop of essential oil if you can’t stand the smell of vinegar.) Baking soda mixed with water is excellent at scouring sinks and tubs.

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Climate change is a global problem that requires real solutions, and if efforts to achieve real environmental and economic benefits, aggressive approaches must be taken. A new study reveals that if the construction of carbon dioxide-emitting power plants, homes and vehicles were put to a stop, disastrous changes to climate could likely be prevented.

The following discusses the recent study made by Steven Davis, an environmental scientist and lead author of the report, as he explains today’s most threatening emissions and assesses the long-term impact energy infrastructure will have if “extraordinary” efforts aren’t taken.

Article Source (Margaret Munro, The Calgary Herald) -  Humans have yet to push the planet past the point of no return when it comes to global warming, according to the surprising results of a new study. (more…)