What Can You Do Right Now?

Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only - not the street or sidewalk.

 

Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)

 

Purchase "Green Power" for your home's electricity. (Contact your power supplier to see where and if it is available.)

 

Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.

 

Cut back on air conditioning and heating use if you can.

 

Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.

 

More Tips »

 

Act Now

* 08/11/2008

New whale Web site let's you keep track of humpbacks
This week, researchers at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Auke Bay launched a Web site devoted to local humpbacks. Researchers are looking for help from the whale-watching public.

* Bush to relax protected species rules
The Bush administration wants federal agencies to decide for themselves whether highways, dams, mines and other construction projects might harm endangered animals and plants.

* Calif. lawmakers weigh chemical ban in baby items
Responding to growing consumer anxiety, California lawmakers are considering enacting what could be the first statewide restrictions on a chemical found in plastic baby bottles and infant formula cans.

07/29/2008

California gets green-hued homeowners policy
California's insurance commissioner says the state is getting its first homeowners insurance policy that focuses on rebuilding with the environment in mind. Commissioner Steve Poizner said Friday that Fireman's Fund Insurance Co. will offer a plan that pays for damaged or destroyed homes to be rebuilt using environmentally friendly methods and materials.

07/28/2008

8 ways to green your camping trip

Summer camp is not just for kids. With warm weather, longer days and TV reruns, a camping trip may be on your summer agenda. Here are eight ways to enjoy the environment while also maintaining it.

07/24/2008

EPA: Few volunteering to cut greenhouse gases
Voluntary pollution-reduction programs touted by the Bush administration as part of the solution to global warming have "limited potential" to reduce greenhouse gases, according to an internal government watchdog.

* 07/15/2008

EPA experts detail global warming's health risks
Government scientists detailed a rising death toll from heat waves, wildfires, disease and smog caused by global warming in an analysis the White House buried so it could avoid regulating greenhouse gases.

07/14/2008

Concerns raised about chemicals in fire-resistant mattress
Researchers estimate a third of your life is spent sleeping, but have you ever wondered exactly what you're sleeping on?

* 07/11/2008

Window coatings can channel energy
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a system that turns windows into a solar collector, letting people see clearly while collecting energy.

* EPA: Smog could get worse with global warming
Global warming could worsen smog and stretch what typically is a summer pollution problem into the spring and fall, government scientists predicted Thursday.

* 07/08/2008

NOAA report: U.S. coral reefs in severe decline
Almost half the coral reef ecosystems in United States territory are in poor or fair condition, mostly because of rising ocean temperatures, according to a government report released Monday.

* 07/07/2008

Standoff continues on global warming, other issues
President Bush encountered resistance on his climate-change policy as he and other world leaders sought to strike a balance between framing a deal on global warming while coping with inflation and slumping economic growth.

07/04/2008

Sheryl Crow urges preservation of wild mustangs
Sheryl Crow is urging people to get involved in saving America's wild horses. "I think it will be a real shame when we look back and we don't have these incredible species, and I guess my best hope would be that people, individuals, step up at this point and really protect these animals," the 46-year-old Grammy-winning singer says in an upcoming documentary, "Saving the American Wild Horse."

* Senator proposes lower national speed limit
An influential Republican senator suggested Thursday that Congress might want to consider reimposing a national speed limit to save gasoline and possibly ease fuel prices.

07/02/2008

Quick guide to composting
Turning your organic waste into useful mulch is more of possibility then you may think. This quick start guide will have you up and composting before you know it. What to compost: fruit and vegetable scrapes, egg shells, lawn clippings, shredded paper or newspaper, straw or hay, tea leaves and coffee grounds. What not to compost: meat scraps, fatty trash, vegetable or other cooking oils, sawdust or large amounts of wood ashes.

* 06/30/2008

8 ways to green your Independence Day
The Fourth of July: summer’s most famous holiday. Fireworks, barbecues and a day off to enjoy the sunshine. But can you make America’s birthday Earth Day as well? Here’s eight steps for an eco-friendly Fourth.

* San Antonio looking to dip into solar pool
With record-high energy prices and a global energy crunch make life tough on those who depend on fossil fuel, San Antonio is starting to turn toward solar power.

* 06/25/2008

Report: Global energy demand to grow 51% by 2030
Despite persistently high oil prices, global energy demand will grow by 50 percent over the next two decades with continued heavy reliance on environmentally troublesome fossil fuels, especially coal and oil, the government predicted Wednesday.

* 06/24/2008

NASA warming scientist: 'This is the last chance'
Exactly 20 years after warning America about global warming, a top NASA scientist said the situation has gotten so bad that the world's only hope is drastic action.

* 06/23/2008

Opposition mounts to clean air change affecting parks
Critics fear the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will adopt a rule in the waning days of the Bush administration that will make it easier to build coal-fired power plants near national parks.

* World population to hit 7 billion in 2012
The world's population surpassed 6 billion in 1999, meaning it will take only 13 years to add a billion people. By comparison, the number of people didn't reach 1 billion until 1800.

* 06/18/2008

Bush to Congress: Embrace energy exploration now
With gasoline topping $4 a gallon, President Bush urged Congress on Wednesday to lift its long-standing ban on offshore oil and gas drilling, saying the United States needs to increase its energy production.

06/17/2008

Western group seeks emergency ESA listing for species
A Western conservation group is seeking emergency protection for nearly three dozens rare plants, animals and insects under the Endangered Species Act, saying all of the species face "significant risk" due to habitat destruction and other threats.

* 06/16/2008

Veganic farmers work without animal fertilizers, byproducts
Farmer Don Bustos said the tradition of working the land in northern New Mexico's Espanola Valley had been passed down from his Spanish ancestors who tilled the same soil centuries before.

06/09/2008

Survey: Support declines among some churchgoers on environmental rules
Environmental messages preached from the pulpit have yet to take hold in evangelical and Catholic pews, according to a recent survey on religion in public life.

* 06/05/2008

Disposable water bottle alternatives
The availability and popularity of water packaged in convenient single serving bottles, has made it easier for us to hydrate while on the go. Several companies are doing their part to reduce the impact of disposable plastic bottles.

* 06/03/2008

Best Buy testing free e-waste recycling program
Under pressure to help dispose some of the electronic waste it helped create, Best Buy Co. is testing a free program that will offer consumers a convenient way to ensure millions of obsolescent TVs, old computers and other unwanted gadgets don't poison the nation's dumps.

Planet Green network not what you might expect
Viewers who tune in the new Planet Green network expecting a sober documentary on the plight of the yellow-breasted whooping finch will be in for a surprise. Instead, they'll see celebrities such as Tommy Lee, Ludacris, Tom Bergeron and Adrian Grenier — and absolutely no lectures, promises Eileen O'Neill, the network's president.

05/27/2008

Eco-friendly fashions by Rogan Gregory available at Target
With the mention of eco-friendly , leopard and giraffe print separates don't come to mind. They do, however, manage to fit seamlessly into avant-garde fashion designer Rogan Gregory's just-released beach safari wardrobe collection for Target.

05/20/2008

Eco-day care center introduces toddlers to 'green'
There are plenty of signs that FIO 360 isn't the typical day care center, but perhaps most telling are the blue slippers visitors wear to keep out chemicals they might track in on their shoes. The center's owners bill themselves as the nation's first "eco-early care" center, and although there's no way to know whether they merit the title, it's clear they have gone to great lengths in the name of going green.

More towns committing to 'going green'
This town, with its vast housing developments and miles of shopping centers lining every thoroughfare, was not designed to go easy on the Earth, but that isn't stopping local officials from going green.

05/16/2008

Starbucks goes ceramic
As part of its re-organization at the helm of founder Howard Schultz, Starbucks has decided it will make ceramic cups the global standard in all stores again, at least for in-store orders.

05/13/2008

Make your backyard grilling greener
As you get ready for spring, it's time to give your grilling tools a tune-up. Check out the latest gear, plus tips for environmentally conscious outdoor cooking.

* Sweet sorghum's sap good for ethanol
A sugary sap inside the plant's stalk, which can grow as tall as 12 feet, can be turned into a potent biofuel, and experts and companies are studying its potential with hopes that farmers will want to plant more of it.

* 05/09/2008

Salt water tested as fuel source
After much speculation, a process that converts sea water into a possible fuel source is gaining legitimacy.

* 05/08/2008

Making the digital switch eco-friendly
In case you haven’t heard, the TV world is changing on February 17, 2009. Television stations will begin broadcasting only in digital format, and analog TV users will have some adjustments to make.

05/06/2008

General Motors CEO touts affordable electric cars
General Motors Corp. Chief Executive Richard Wagoner says global warming is not going to be solved with $100,000 electric cars, and his company is focusing on a vehicle more consumers can afford.

05/02/2008

Goodwill talks to Congress about e-waste
Goodwill stores took in 23 million pounds of electronics in 2004 alone, and estimates that 30 percent of them were unusable. As a result, Goodwill Industries met with the House Committee on Science and Technology to address the challenges facing nonprofit organizations that accept donated televisions, computers and other electronics.

* 05/01/2008

8 ways to green your technology
Technology is a HUGE part of our daily lives. We carry around cell phones and media players, work all day on a computer and come home to watch television.

04/30/2008

Bill would allow roadside farm stands to expand sales
The customers at Bacchini's Fruit Tree orchard like to pick the best-looking cherries, nectarines or plums, leaving those that are split or damaged on the trees. The fruit left behind could be a moneymaker for owner Ken Hagen and others who operate small farms in California and sell much of their produce direct to consumers. Instead, it mostly goes to waste.

* Sam's Club starts online electronics recycling program
Sam's Club warehouse stores are starting a new online recycling program for electronics that will pay for some of the items that customers want to discard. Under the program announced Tuesday by Sterling, Va.-based NEW Customer Service Companies Inc., Sam's Club will help its members dispose of older small- to medium-size electronics.

Youths learn 'green' building
One nail at a time pounded by a simple hammer and three months of knowledge. These are the tools building not only environmentally sound homes, but a bright future for 15 YouthBuild participants whose prospects previously were dim.

* 04/23/2008

Donate cell phones to plant trees
Cell phone recycling company iRecyclePhones.com has partnered with American Forests to plant a tree for each cell phone donated starting Earth Day, April 22.

* 04/22/2008

Awareness building of inefficient plastic recycling
As more communities and retailers consider phasing out the use of plastic bags, more people are understanding how hard they are to dispose of. A look at the problem and how to fight it.

Maryland joins effort to put local food in school cafeterias
The strawberries just turning red on one Eastern Shore field here could end up on plates almost anywhere _ except on cafeteria trays just down the road.

* 04/17/2008

Watchdog: Organic baby formula uses banned ingredients
A Wisconsin group claims organic baby formula commonly uses ingredients that are prohibited by federal regulations and wants the government to stop the practice.

* 04/16/2008

Bush revises strategy on curbing greenhouse gases
Revising his stance on global warming, President Bush on Wednesday proposed a new target for stopping the growth of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.

04/09/2008

Eco-friendly products are going mainstream
Attention, tree huggers: Your values aren't so exclusive anymore. Earth Day 2008, on April 22, marks a paradigm shift in the social consciousness of America as mainstream retail makes it easier for consumers to live a greener lifestyle. Merchandise that appeals to the environmentally conscious no longer requires a trip to a specialty store but is as close as the neighborhood shopping center.

* What do you do with that old cell phone?
According to a study done by Strategy Analytics, 1.1 billion cell phones were sold in 2007. With a current world population of about 6.8 billion, that puts a cell phone in one of every 6 people’s pockets.

8 Ways to green your Earth Day
Let’s be honest: Earth Day is Christmas for the green year. We all start thinking and acting a little more eco-friendly as April 22 rolls around.

Cut down your carbon clutter!
Modernize your life by taking control of your stuff. Monitoring the mail you receive is a great way to cut down your clutter. You’ll have less to dispose of, you’ll feel less overwhelmed, and you’ll take a step towards helping to save our environment.

* 04/08/2008

States using drug 'recycling' programs to help cure budget ills
The struggle to keep soaring medical costs in check is feeding an increase in state programs that collect unused prescription drugs to give away to the uninsured and poor.

04/03/2008

Ikea to ban all plastic bags
Environmental Leader reports that effective October 1, Ikea will no longer be offering plastic bags in-store.

04/02/2008

Central Texas computer giant goes green
Round Rock-based Dell announced it will use green energy to power its entire headquarters. Dell expects the renewable power to become cheaper than fossil fuel electricity during the next three years, saving the company almost $2 million per year

04/01/2008

Dallas plant makes water bottles more eco-friendly
The new water bottling plant just opened by Nestle Waters North America in South Dallas uses sleek bottles that use 30 percent less plastic than standard water bottles.

03/26/2008

Earth Day 2008
What Is Earth Day? Earth Day falls every year on April 22, in celebration of the importance of the environment and to encourage action. It was initiated in 1970 by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, who started a “teach-in” to protest the government’s environmental ignorance. This eventually led to legislation including the Environmental Policy Act (1969), the Clean Air Act (1970), the Clean Water Act (1977) and fuel efficiency standards for automobiles.

Nordstrom to feature eco-friendly shopping bags and boxes
Nordstrom will introduce environmentally friendly packaging options for its customers throughout 2008.

04/26/2008

Adopt a Beach today in Galveston
You can help clean up our local beaches.

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