Welcome to the PowerHouse

Black & Decker has come out with a new Energy Saver Series to help homeowners shave down their energy use. Energy Saver products include the Lights Out AutoSwitch that automatically turns out the lights in rooms not being used, the Thermal Leak Detector to find out where leaks could be costing you energy and money, and the Power Monitor that tracks your energy use in kilowatts and dollars as it's being used. Even if you don't get any of these gadgets, you can check out the PowerHouse Interactive Demo for tips on how to reduce your energy use in the home.

Raise a Green Glass

There is a line that divides this country. It's not between red states and blue states or between the north and the south...it separates those for whom it is more carbon efficient to drink wine from California from people for whom it’s more efficient to drink wine from Bordeaux. That is according to Tyler Colman, otherwise known as Dr. Vino. You may be hesitant to trust someone who calls themselves Dr. Vino, but this guy actually did his Ph.D. dissertation on the politics and economics of wine! Check out his research findings on calculating the carbon footprint of wine for more on how farming practices, distance traveled, packaging and more help determine the carbon footprint of your favorite bottle. Plan on raising a pint instead of a wine glass? Then check out How to Choose Green Wine and Beer from Yahoo Green. Cheers!

Cell-ebrate

Did you get a new phone over the holidays? Lucky you! What should you do with your old phone? Why, recycle it, of course. One way to do this is through Earthworks' Recycle My Cell Phone program. Sending in your old phone (and batteries, chargers, etc.) is free and tax deductable. Your phone will be refurbished or recycled, so you can enjoy your new gadget without worrying about where your old gadget will end up. You can even go crazy and collect old cell phones from friends and family. Cell-ebrate your way to the new year!

Thinking Outside the Big Box

Sometimes it's difficult to know what small, green businesses are in your area. It's getting easier thanks to the Organic Consumers Associations Breaking the Chains Buying Guide. Just type in your zip code and find the little green gems hidden in your neighborhood!

Thinking Outside the Box

Haven't you ever scrounged for boxes before moving day, only to find that they're not as sturdy or clean as you had hoped. Well, before your next move be sure to check out UsedCardboardBoxes.com. There you can order cardboard boxes that have been gently used or that were overruns, misprints or returns. Now you can get the boxes you need quickly and easily without using as many natural resources. As the folks at UsedCardboardBoxes say "you don't have cut down a tree to make a used cardboard box!"

Green Holidays

This time of year you see a lot of information on how to green your holiday season. Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa are almost upon us, so here are just a few of the sites providing ideas ans resources. Whatever you celebrate or don't celebrate, the point of these eco-friendly tips is to think about the choices you make. From the Decorating Diva, check out Eco Friendly Christmas 2008 - Resources and Inspiration Guide. Getting ready to light the menorah? Take a look at Jessica Jensen's Thoughts on a Green Chanukah. For those celebrating Kwanzaa, you may want to look at Eco-Friendly Kwanzaa from the folks at Healthy & Green Living. Happy Holidays!

Now You Can Recycle Your Caps!

Every recycling program has slightly different rules regarding what they will and won't accept. Sometimes plastic bottle caps can pose a problem, but now there is a solution! Recycle Caps With Aveda is a new campaign aimed at providing people with a way to recycle their bottle caps, keeping them out of the landfill. Individuals can go to their local Aveda store or salon to recycle their caps, and schools can collect caps and get special shipping labels from Aveda to send them in for recycling. Any rigid, polypropylene caps (#5) are accepted, so start collecting!

Turns Out That Local is Sexy...Who Knew?

Let's face it...those of us focused on environmental issues aren't used to being on the "What's Hot This Year" lists. Well, times are changing! The National Restaurant Association conducted a survey of more than 1600 chefs to find out "What's Hot in 2009." Eco-minded readers will be pleased to know the following made it on the top-20 list - #20 free-range poultry/pork, #18 organic wine, #10 sustainable seafood, #3 organic produce and #1 locally-grown produce. How's that for a new year to look forward to?

The Think Tank for All Things Warm and Fuzzy

Have you noticed lately that you see a lot of commercials brought to you by some group that you've never heard of and whose name sounds wholesome and vague? The Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow or the Environmental Literacy Council, for example. Consumer Reports has put together a fun little matching game in which your goal is to match the name of the think tank to its mission, and it is surprisingly difficult! Give it a try, and to learn more you can visit frontgroups.org, a joint project between Consumer Reports and the Center for Media and Democracy. Frontgroup.org is based on the principle that, as FCC commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said, "the American public deserves to know when someone is trying to persuade them."

DIY Home Energy Audit

Check out the Home Energy Saver, an online do-it-yourself audit tool that can help you identify ways to save energy in your home and find the resources you need to do it. Sponsors of this cool tool include the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA. By answering questions about your use of energy, appliances and your home's construction, the Home Energy Saver can help you pinpoint what can be changed, how much less energy would be needed and how much money you could be saving!

Ecodriving Tips

It can be frustrating to read a "Top 5 ways to..." list about greening a specific segment of your life only to find that the 5 suggestions listed don't apply to you, you already do, are not possible where you live...you get the point. So, I was excited to find this list from EcoModder titled "108 Hypermiling/Eco-Driving Tips." Surely we can all pick up some new ideas with 108 to choose from!

No More Sushi Blues

Now you can be a sushi aficionado AND an environmental aficionado at the same time! Thanks to a collaboration between the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Blue Ocean Institute and the Environmental Defense Fund, it's easy to make sushi choices that safeguard ocean wildlife and human health. The folks that brought us the easy-to-use seafood wallet cards have a new pocket guide dedicated to sushi. As with the originals, the new sushi guide takes into account fishing and farming practices as well as mercury and PCB contamination that could be harmful to human health. So, pile on the wasabi and go for it!

Peruse Alternative News and Reviews

If you have not already checked out the Alternative Consumer blog, you owe it to yourself to do so! Launched in early 2007, it offers green product reviews and environmental news. Even better, the posts are quick, upbeat and choc full of good information and resources. Find information on books, appliances, travel, alternative energy, food, reuse, recycling...the list goes on and on, so check out the Alternative Consumer already! Go, now...are you still here?

Save Some Green as You Green

Check out the SustainLane GreenSaver for coupons on sustainable products. You can even sign up for weekly e-mails to have the latest deals come to you!