Goal For The Green

The world hasn’t gone to hell in a handbag yet, but scary statistics about pollution and climate change do need to be taken seriously. According to Cleanair.org, each year Americans throw away enough paper and plastic products to wrap around the equator three times, and the oil from one oil change is enough to contaminate a million gallons of fresh water. Paying attention to details and making small changes in our daily lives can make a sizable impact over time.

Recycle Your Cellphone

Your electronic gadgets are pricey because many require precious metals like gold, silver and palladium to work. These precious metals require huge, energy-sucking, toxic mining operations to be extracted, and the outcome isn’t pretty. Gold mines have been equated to nuclear waste dumps in terms of environmental damage, and they’re largely unnecessary. There are 100 to 130 million cellphones carelessly tossed away each year; the amount of wasted precious metals from them equates to more than some gold producing nations. Do the world a huge favor and recycle your out-of-date cellphone.

Photo by MikeFinkelstein via Flickr

Outsource Printing and Scanning

A report by an Australian air researcher revealed that the particulates from many household printers and scanners may be as dangerous as cigarette smoke. Even limited exposure can lodge in the lungs and cause anything from irritation to cancer. The lasers present in some scanners can pose radiation threats and expose you to harmful ultraviolet light. These products require many of the same precious, toxically-mined metals as your cell phone. As technology expands, there is much less need for printers, so a quick run to Kinkos beats buying and breathing printer ink. When it comes to your scanning needs, it’s easier and less expensive to outsource. Let the professionals scan your documents, photos and slides to digital.

Photo by tawalker via Flickr

Cold Water for Your Clothes

Your clothes do not need to be washed in hot water. This is one of the easiest ways you can possibly go green. With the literal turn of a dial you can conserve wads of energy each year. Product-giant Procter and Gamble authorities remarked that if every American used cold water in washing machines, enough energy would be saved to light 2.5 million homes for an entire year. Go cold; your pink laundry won’t care.

Photo by Sharon Mollerus via Flickr

Ditch Bad Bottle Habits

You’ve heard it before, yet plastic bottle sales are still going strong. Stop using disposable plastic bottles. Stop today. National Geographic reports that we use 7 billion gallons of bottled water every year; many of them contribute to the destruction of the ocean and soil. What you don’t probably know is that over 1 million barrels of oil is required to produce the “convenient” little bottles, enough to fuel 100,000 cars for a whole year. Instead of contributing to this industry, use a water filter or simply buy huge bottles that last a very long time.

Photo by Klearchos Kapoutsis via Flickr

You probably already know that installing solar panels is one of the best ways to make your home more energy efficient and environmentally friendly, but did you also know that you could wind up saving money in the process?

English: On 140 acres of unused land on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., 70,000 solar panels are part of a solar photovoltaic array that will generate 15 megawatts of solar power for the base. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The fact that solar can save homeowners money is driving increased interest on the part of consumers. Here are some surprising Facts on Who Goes Solar? According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the U.S. residential solar market grew nearly 62%  (see chart) last year and isn’t expected to slow down any in 2013.

Are You ready to go solar at your home or business? Perhaps you didn’t know that the typical solar customer is changing, too. While solar panel buyers ten years ago focused on environmental benefits, today’s solar consumer is looking at other factors. Many homeowners today are buying solar for the same reason they’re buying hybrids: It saves money, and the choice to go with solar powered electricity these days just makes sense.

If you’ve been paying electrical bills for more than a handful of years, you are already well aware of the fact that those bills continue to increase every year and usually consume a large chunk of your monthly expenses.

The cost of solar panels has declined dramatically in recent years. According to Rhone Resch, president and chief executive of the Solar Energy Industries Association, the prices of solar panels decreased 60% last year, making it a more affordable option for many homeowners to consider.

Federal tax credits for solar installations have helped,too. Solar systems installed from Jan. 1, 2009 to Dec. 31, 2016 can get a tax credit of 30% off the cost. State and local incentives can even further reduce the cost of installing solar panels.

When calculating the cost of solar panels, homeowners should consider how much they’ll save on utility bills. Beware of solar installers though, that are overly aggressive in estimating how much you’ll save. Remember, any projection of utility bill savings is an estimate at best; it’s impossible to know how electric rates will fluctuate or how your home energy usage will change.

It’s unclear whether low solar panel prices are here to stay, but one thing is certain: There’s never been a better time to go solar. Now’s the right time to act on this current information. You can feel good about looking into your options for going solar and saving green.

About the Author: Ryan McNeill is president of Renewable Energy Corporation, which helps homeowners make the transition to solar power homes.

Are you thinking about your next vehicle purchase? There are so many things to consider like gas mileage, comfort, safety, longevity, and perhaps the most important thing is the cost of ownership, for a vehicle that delivers all of these must haves.

Well, you can rest assured that Toyota measures up, FANTASTICALLY well against the auto industry’s other best selling models.

Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Toyota has developed a great cost of car comparison tool to help you determine how well they stack up by comparison to other manufacturers.

When at the site, just choose a Toyota model that you like. Then, you will be taken to a page that features all the details on that particular model,and it will also let you choose other comparable models from other manufacturers to help you determine the best car choice for you to purchase.

According to IntelliChoice and Kelly Blue Book Toyota has the Best Resale Value of all brands for 2013, although a vehicle’s projected resale value (price quote)is specific to the 2013 model year, at this time.

Toyota has always received high marks in safety and in 2013, Toyota has more IIHS Top Safety Picks than any other brand.

“Toyota is the most fuel-efficient full-line automotive manufacturer.” Based on NHTSA Final Industry MY10 CAFE data for Toyota Motor Sales.

Another plus is, every new Toyota comes with ToyotaCare, a complimentary 2 year maintenance program that includes roadside assistance.

Whatever your choice for your next vehicle, Toyota makes it easy to decide with their cost comparison tool. Rest assured, you will always get top notch customer service and attention at any Toyota dealership, making your customer experience and satisfaction an added bonus. Toyota is always a great choice.