Make Some Music

Don't worry! Thinking about the green-ness of your music does not mean you'll be stuck listening to earthy, hippie music all the time (unless of couse that's what you're into). A recent white paper by folks from Carnegie Mellon University and Stanford University takes a look at the carbon footprint and energy usage of various music acquisition methods. Do you buy CDs at the music store, or do you download music? How you get your music may have ecological impacts that you've never really considered. Learn more by looking at The Energy and Climate Change Impacts of Different Music Delivery Methods!

You Mean I'm Supposed to Observe the Speed Limit?

Go to FuelEconomy.gov for their helpful Gas Mileage Tips. Learn how you can drive more efficiently, keep your car in shape, plan and combine trips and choose the most efficient vehicle possible in order to save fule and funds! FuelEconomy.gov is maintained by the US Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the US Environmental Protection Agency. The information on the site helps consumers make informed fuel economy choices when purchasing a new vehicle and helps them achieve the best fuel economy possible from the cars they already own. If you're looking for fuel economy estimates, energy and environmental impact ratings or fuel-saving tips, go to FuelEconomy.gov!

Looking to Drive Greener? Don't Drive Like my Brother!

Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers, host NPR's Car Talk radio show each week (please tell me you already knew that... SO funny!). Did you know that they also host Car Talk's Eco Area on their cartalk.com Web site? It's full of ways that you can reduce the impact of your automobile. With driving and maintenance tips, new car options, and even "ideas from the fringe," the site is loaded with information and resources to help you drive a little greener. Plus, it's Tom and Ray Magliozzi, so it's hysterical - snort-out-loud funny, in fact! My favorite part are the tips, which are each rated with a "Tree-Hugging Factor" of up to five trees. For example, "stop your idling" gets one tree, while "carpool with the yutz next door" earns four. So, check out Car Talk's Eco Area and, in the words of Click and Clack, "before you know it, you'll be wearing Birkenstocks and eating free-range tofu!"

How Much Is That Rebate In the Window?

Who doesn't like a rebate? Or better yet, a tax credit? Want to find out what eco-friendly rebates are available in your area? Check out the Energy Star Rebate Finder! This easy-to-use resources allows you to type in your zip code and find what rebates are available for appliances, fans, heating and cooling, lighting, office equipment, residential water heaters, and your home envelope (yes, your home has an envelope). Are you considering energy-efficient windows for your home? You could be eligible for a tax credit! Take a look at Energy Star's Rebates and Tax Credit page for more information. So, get a check in an envelope when you check you home envelope...how great is that?!

Because Old is the New Green!

Check out the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Green Home Tips. As they say, "the greenest house is the house already built." So, how can you save energy and save money in your historic home? Learn more about winterizing your home, how to make wood windows more energy-efficient, and much more with these Green Home Tips!

You've Got the Power!

Interested in learning more about green power options where you live? Check out the U.S. Department of Energy's Green Power Network. This great resource, operated and maintained by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, shows you which organizations in your state offer green power. It includes three different green power markets - utility green pricing programs, retail green power products offered in competitive electricity markets, and renewable energy certificate products sold separate from electricity. To learn more about these markets and about how you can help support green power options where you live, visit the Green Power Network!

Have Your CAKE With No Guilt!

The Sacramento-based band, CAKE, isn't just paying lip service to their support of renewable energy. They have taken matters into their own hands! CAKE's sixth album of original songs is being produced with 100% solar energy. The band had solar panels installed on their recording studio. You can even check out the process in a short video on their Web site, and the background music rocks!

Red Light, Green Light...Actually, Just Green Light

The Environmental Working Group has a handy-dandy shopper's guide to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Where should you replace them first? How much money and energy can you save by switching to CFLs? Which bulbs have the lowest levels of mercury? Find out all of this and more! Plus, there's a printable one-page information sheet covering most of what you need to know.

Room by Room

Check out the Green Guide's Room by Room Interactive where you can click on household objects to learn how to save energy and make smart purchasing choices. Each clickable object provides helpful tips and a link to a complete buying guide. From the bedroom to the bathroom to the laundry room and beyond...you'll be making greener choices all over!

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!

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!

Kelley Green Book

Many of us have relied on the Kelley Blue Book to find out the value of a used car or truck. Well, now the Kelley Blue Book folks have gone green! The new KBB Green section on their web site provides all sorts of information on hybrid diesel, biofuel and other alternative fuel vehicles. Have you been wondering whether it's worth it to trade in your clunker for a more fuel-efficient model? Answer a few simple questions and find out the upfront cost of trading in your car for a new one, how much money you'll save on fuel per month, and the time it will take for you to financially and emotionally break even. Yes, this site can even gauge your emotions! It also lets you know how many barrels of oil and metric tons of CO2 you's be saving the Earth. It's definitely a site worth checking out!

Life Is a Highway...What Car Should You Drive On It?

Consumer Reports brings you the Guide to Driving Green. This thorough report contains much more that fuel efficiency comparisons. Learn when it makes sense (and cents) to trade in your current wheels for a more fuel-efficient model. Speaking of fuel-efficient models, find out how the various choices stack up. And it's not only about what kind of car you're driving, but also about how you drive it. Find out what things you can do to make your current car more fuel-efficient. What's in store for hybrids in the future? How do hybrids work, anyway? What about hydrogen fuel cells? An what's the difference between the various kinds of alternative fuels? Discover all of this and more in the Guide to Driving Green!

Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Global Warming...

Did you know that the U.S. Postal Service has the largest civilian alternative vehicle fleet in the nation? In fact, the USPS has been taking many steps towards greening their operations and helping others do the same. Many of their mailing and shipping supplies carry a Cradle to Cradle Certification (not yet an evaluated certification program) which looks at products' impacts on human and environmental health, recyclability, and energy and water demands. The USPS is also testing out several mailback programs that would help consumers responsibly dispose of electronics, compact fluorescent bulbs and unused prescription medications. Oh, and did we mention that they have postage stamps made with soy ink and are upgrading their buildings to reduce energy use? Their colors may be red, white and blue, but the U.S. Postal Service is looking quite green these days! For more information, check out Greener Choices With the U.S. Postal Service.

Vroom Vroom

This week is the beginning of the North American International Auto Show (formerly the Detroit Auto Show). So, what's so eco-smart about that you ask? Well, it turns out that this year there are many automakers showing off their new green technologies. Check out these articles to learn more about them!

• Automakers Tout Green Technologies
  
• A Power Trip With Green Detours
  
• 'Green' Grows From Trendy to Increasingly Profitable

All About Biofuels

What is the difference between ethanol and biodiesel? What is E85? Should you worry that food prices will rise if corn is used for ethanol? Get answers to all of these and MUCH more with Fill 'er Up - A Grist Special Series on Biofuels! Learn why people are for it, why people are against it and then make your own informed decision!