Live Green And Live Strong!

Going green is not just about materials, fossil fuels and energy; it’s also about food. Most foods we have around us are so full of chemicals and other ingredients clogging up our bodies, we need to detox from time to time. You can avoid this by staying away from fast food as much as possible and adding these three things to your diet:

Broccoli

The FDA recommends everyone eat at least three cups of dark leafy vegetables every week. This means foods like broccoli, kale and spinach. Here’s a tip: The broccoli sprouts have a lot more vitamins and beneficial nutrients in them than the adult version of broccoli and they taste better as well. Try to add plenty of leafy green vegetables like these to your diet every day.

Green Tea Time

Green tea, aside from being all the rage nowadays, is centuries old and may be one reason for the lower cancer rates in China. Green tea is chock full of antioxidants, which are great for fighting off disease in general. If you really want to get the full benefit from this tea, you can take a green tea supplement as well as drink the tea. The full benefits really kick in if you consume 6-8 cups a day. Another option is to take the equivalent in a supplement and wash it down with a cup of green tea.

Buy Green Organic Foods

When you go to the supermarket, look at the labels on the food as see what’s in them. Chances are you can’t pronounce half of it. Many stores now have organic aisles where all the food is totally organic, which means “green”. These foods are better for you, more natural and have a better taste than something over processed. Try adding more organic, green foods to your diet for your health. You’ll be so glad you did.

I just ran across a DEAL and a HALF on the Mac Mini’s that I had to share with you- The Apple Mac is without a doubt the Greenest computer around, but when you can get a deal like this, it becomes a whole LOT “Greener” if you get my meaning!

Check it out here:

SAVE $288! Apple Mac mini Intel Core 2 Duo 1.83GHz + 17″ hp L1710 display + MacAlly keyboard and mouse NOW only $589.98 (was $877.99)

Apple-Mac mini Intel Core 2 Duo 1.83GHz, 17 LCD Display, Keyboard and Mouse Bundle-Mac Mini

Aluminum construction, low power consumption, tiny footprint yet incredible power…what’s not to like?

And at a savings of almost 200 bucks off, it’s a no-brainer!

Peace, Greenie!

I just got a GREAT e-mail from a user, and I thought it should be answered here for everyone!

Deborah F. wrote:
I have a formica kitchen counter top that needs to be replaced. Can I just cover it rather than sending it to a landfill?

Deborah…KUDOS for really thinking Green! That’s a terrific question, and the answer is a resounding YES.

Even better, this is a project that can be tackled by anyone who’s even a little bit handy, so you can save some serious Green and Do It Yourself!

As long as the formica is still securely attached, you can go right over it with practically anything- new formica, thin corian, tile, etc.

My preference for this is always porcelain tile- hard, scratch resistant, and incredibly durable.

But…I have had some Tres Cool results using Glass Mosaic Tile mats as well: It all depends on the look you want.

Here’s where you start. First, you need to assemble your materials. No matter what surface you decide on, there are a couple of things that will remain standard across the board.

You are going to want the mastic/grout/caulk to be both very durable and highly heat-resistant and waterproof, so we are going to go with a special type for these.

The mastic you want is the Mapei No-Sag formulated especially for glass tile, although it will give superior performance for ANY tile. Not only that, it’s VERY Green! Check the specs and you’ll see what I mean

Here’s where to get it: Adesilex P10 (43 lb. Bag). You will want to mix it with the Keraply Additive as well: DON’T use water! You can also find glass tile, grout, and caulk there for one stop shopping!

If you are going with glass mosaic, you will also need a set of wheeled glass nippers- they carry those too, for around 20 bucks. If you decide to go with Porcelain, you will need a wet-saw. You can rent one just about anywhere, or you can pony up around $99 for this little wonder from MK Diamondthat will do a wonderful job…and you will have it for your next project too! I have this saw myself, and I use it FAR more than my monster 10″ QEP saw.

If you decide to go with porcelain or another material, you can get that here: but you still want to go with the Mapei products for mastic, admixture, grout, and caulk.

You will need to know how much to buy, so we have some measuring to do. Measure your countertop’s length in inches and multiply it by the width in inches. Write this number down.

Then, get the length and width of any backsplash you either have existing or have decided to install- many people remove the existing 4″ splash from the top and run the tile up the back walls to the bottom of the cabinets, which is a VERY nice look indeed! Include the edge of the top if you are going to tile it- many people install a decorative trim board or stone edge instead…It’s up to you.

Now that you have all your numbers in inches, add them up, subtract the sink opening, and then ADD 10% for cutting scrap and waste. Believe me, it’ll happen.

Take that final square-inches number and divide it by 144 and round this number up to the next higher full square-foot. That is your final square-footage needed for the project, and will determine how much tile, mastic, and grout you need to purchase.

OK, so you’ve got your order in. While you wait for it to be delivered (about two-three days if you went with WholesaleUSA) you should get started on the prep- the worst part of the job, but one of the most Important!

Formica is SLICK. Now we want a nice smooth surface to tile to, but not THAT smooth. Use 40 Grit sandpaper to rough-up the surface. A neat trick is to wrap the paper around an 8″ block of 2×4 lumber and staple it to the top to create a sanding block.

We aren’t trying to remove the formica, now…just rough it up good. Wear a mask! And have your vacuum handy for clean-up: a small shop-vac is a very good idea here.

You can leave the sink and/or range top in for this, but when it’s time to start tiling, they will have to be removed. Something to consider: This type of re-tiling of a top doesn’t lend itself well to an “under-hung” sink installation. A surface mount sink is more applicable, although with a bit of finagling you can make an under-hung sink work- this is probably outside of the skills of most do-it-your-selfers, though.

Alright- we are ready to do our layout and start the tile project. We will start on our deck surface: walls come second. The best way for a newbie to do this is by laying your tile or mosaic mats dry directly on the top and spacing them for grout lines. What we want is a layout that forces us to cut as little as possible while maintaining a pleasing pattern.

That said, many people prefer a “Diamond” layout on tops, although this increases cutting dramatically. One big benefit however (besides the cool look), is that the grout lines between deck and walls don’t have to line up- a huge deal when the structures aren’t square and plumb (which is most older homes )

Ideally, the sink will be centered in the pattern- that should be where you start the layout. Take into account any “accent” tiles or decorative edging you will be using, and start with as big a tile as you can from the front edge working in towards the wall.

Now at this point I’m going to send you off for some training- This article is not going to be enough for you to do a really first-class job…and I don’t have time to write a book here, especially when my pal Randy Davis already has!

Randy’s Video series on tiling is a KILLER resource, and will get you through this and many other tile projects in style, and they are a really easy way to discover how to layout and set tile from an industry pro instructor for less than you will pay for a good set of trowels!

I highly recommend you snap up a copy of Randy’s excellent series from Randy’s Tile Made Easy, but feel free to comment here if you get stuck, and I’ll be glad to help you out myself!

Oh…you want to know what the heck I know about tile, etc.? LOL, fair question- you thought I was just some Green Living hack writer, right? Fair assumption…

Fact is, I could give Randy lessons, and on a whole LOT more than just tiling Check out my bona-fides at Goal Electrical & Construction!

Now Go. ReUse. Tile. SAVE.

Peace!

Greenie

One of the biggest problems with recycling plastic is that a lot of cities and towns won’t take #5 plastic, which encompasses a HUGE portion of the plastic waste entering the waste stream.

This is a very REAL problem, but there IS a solution:

A cutting-edge company called Preserve makes all kinds of VERY cool products for the home and building industries out of recycled #5 plastics, but the problem is getting it to them!

Luckily, more and more forward thinking grocers and other businesses are making space available in their stores for pick-up containers for #5 plastic, so it’s a simple matter of taking your bag full of plastic yogurt containers, toothbrushes, etc. along to the market and simply dropping them off.

Do them a favor, though…rinse them first?

For a list of locations near you, go to Preserve and search for the nearest drop-off site, and just Do It! And the next time you go out to buy paper plates (that were made using trees and all sorts of caustic poisons), DON’T.

Buy Preserves Tableware instead, and Re-use. When you’re done…give it BACK to them, and they’ll do it all over again!

Interested in seeing just HOW much energy they save by doing things right? Check THIS out: How Preserve Saves The Planet.

If that doesn’t blow your mind, I don’t know what will. That’s the SH*T, people.

Do It.

Start NOW.

Peace,

Greenie

We’ve all heard about recycling and the things to recycle. We’ve seen the blue recycle containers for plastic, paper, wood, cardboard, aluminum and familiar recyclable items.

Did you know, however, there are plenty of things you can recycle you never thought about before? Here are a few items I know you have that you can recycle (or better, re-USE…remember the Three R’s?!) to make the world a better place.

Pillows

Most pillows these days are made from synthetic fibers like polyester, which does not go away – ever. You can re-use them in interesting ways. One way is to give them to a local animal shelter for the animals to sleep on or use the stuffing to make throw pillows. You can save them and use the stuffing as a packing material for moving or in re-stuffing old toys. Millions and millions of synthetic pillows hit landfills each year – and they are all staying there for all time.

Computers, Cell Phones and Electronics

Modern electronics are made of all kinds of different components that can be recycled and used again. Many companies accept old electronics for recycling. Many landfills have areas designated for electronics as well. If you have old electronic equipment that is still working, you can donate it to charities that will pass them on to less fortunate families, or you can list them at www.freecycle.org.

Toothbrushes!

Yeah…You can take that nasty, brushed out toothbrush you have and recycle it. There is a company out there, Recycline, who makes toothbrushes out of recycled and organic fibers. You can also send them your worn out toothbrush and they will recycle it into plastic lumber. This is a great way to save trees as well as slow the amount of plastics filling up our landfills.

Look around your home and see how you can re-use things instead of just throwing them in the trash. You will be doing your part to help the planet go green, and that’s good for us ALL.

There’s a lot of lip service being given to the whole “go green” thing by a lot of politicians right now, and that has the potential to make you a LOT of cashola if you are following the right paths!

We here at Live Green are all about making money while staying true to our Green lifestyle, so this is a subject that we are going to dive into Head First, especially with the insane opportunities that exist right now…

For starters, we are going to research some great wind and solar power stocks and get back to you with our findings. here’s the deal, though: If you want to get the jump on this, then you need to subscribe to the newsletter- you’ll get the scoop much sooner!

Here’s a tip: I do a LOT of Options trading, as the insane leverage and limited risk is exactly what fits my style. If you are interested in learning more about Options and how they can Supercharge your portfolio with VERY limited downside, then you absolutely MUST check out OptionsXpress.

OptionsXpress is the ONLY broker I will trade with, and believe me, I’ve used them ALL. You can trade ANY security or Option for a stupid-cheap fee, but best of all, they are STRONG. Very Strong. Here’s one reason why (from the OE website):

“Your optionsXpress account is protected up to $25 million (in SIPC and excess SIPC coverage).”

Niiiice. But that’s just frosting- their incredible customer service and lightning fast, on target executions are what really makes them stand out from the crowd.

Rock-Solid financially, Smoking Fast…right in the heart of the Chicago Options Exchange…Darlings of the “in the know” traders.

Yeah- they’re the sh*t.

Go get set up right now- and get ready.

Stay Tuned…

One of the best ways to use and show your “Green” is by getting some re-useable grocery totes, and there’s a VERY cool way to do that for a song right now from our good friends at Queensboro Shirt.

Queensboro is a great company that really “gets it” and right now you can possibly get very high quality and very Green Eco-Totes with your very own embroidered logo for a measly BUCK each!

eco-tote reuseable grocery bags

This promo is only good until Monday 3/2/09, and is only sent via E-mail so you need to get over there right away, sign up for their list, and you may be able to score these stupid-cheap and Green totes for a fraction of their real value…and get your company, Group, Favorite Saying, or just your Name embroidered too – for free – with NO Set-up charge either!

Check it out Right Here:
QUEENSBORO SHIRT COMPANY

These bad dogs go for 12.95 elsewhere, but Queensboro’s NORMAL price is just $6.95, but like I said if you move quick you *may* be able to grab these for just a BUCK.

These guys are also well known for offering killer deals and FREE embroidery All The Time on all sorts of extremely high quality and eco-concious apparel and accessories, so even if you miss this one, there WILL be another!

So sign up to be notified of their deals right away- there’s always some great deal being offered by Queensboro!

QUEENSBORO SHIRT COMPANY

To Living And Saving Green…

A Great way to Go Green is by setting up a solar electrical system to power your home. If done correctly, this strategy can not only reduce or do away with your electric bill altogether, it can even put some serious cash back in your pocket through incentives, tax credits, and even through selling excess power BACK to the electric utility!

But contrary to some hypey claims made by some dubious “information” products out there, you can’t do it for a couple hundred bucks…not even close. But you CAN do it, and make it pay…

Here’s the realities involved in building and installing a residential solar electrical system:

First, let’s do the math. For every square foot of living space you are going to need around 2.2 watts of capacity. So, for the average 1200 square foot ranch house, you would need (2.2×1200= 2,640w) or 2.64Kw.

The system should be slightly upsized to allow for growth, so in this scenario you should plan on a 3Kw solar electrical array. The costs for this vary, but if you aren’t handy and need to hire professionals to do all the work for you, figure around $8-10 USD per watt, or about $30k for our example system fully provided and installed by others.

TIP: There are a LOT of ways to reduce this by procuring the materials and doing some of the work yourself, so if you are even a little bit “handy” don’t despair- that example assumes you are totally helpless with a hammer, and are going to have to hire the whole deal out, and that’s not true of most people…read on and we’ll get to that later.

Now, you have to decide: On Grid Or Off Grid? What this means is are you going to hook your solar electrical system into the main power grid in your area or run it as a stand-alone system for your benefit only?

Let’s explore the pros and cons of each strategy:

Staying off the grid requires that you build an expensive storage array of deep-cycle batteries to store power for later use when the weather won’t cooperate with sunshine or at nighttime.

For extended periods of poor solar production you are also going to need a generator sized appropriately to power your entire house, and that’s another big-ticket item.

Tying into the grid requires that you have special, approved equipment and a system that’s been installed to codes and standards, usually by licensed personnel and that can be costly as well, but much safer too.

Also, as in scenario one, you still need to make a decision regarding storage for night or inclement weather if you really want to reduce or eliminate your dependancy on the power company altogether.

Here’s my favorite way to go solar with the least expense and the biggest payback:

Install a grid-tied system that is slightly oversized for your needs, and forget about a storage array.

During the day, when most people are at work or out of the house, your consumption is way down, and this has the effect of spinning your meter backwards and sending power back into the grid, thereby giving you a credit with the power company.

When you are home at night, the solar power credit you’ve built up during the day gets used by using normal grid power flowing IN to your system.

Here’s the kicker: With a bit of discipline, you can ensure that the net OUTflow (the power you sell BACK to the utility) is considerably more than the net INflow (the power you BUY from them). You can find out more on this strategy at our website below.

And, if you design and install the system correctly, you will find you may be eligible for a bonanza of incentive payments and tax credits that can substantially offset the cost of the solar electrical system itself.

TIP: I have plans and a shopping list for such a solar system in production right now, along with links to various state and federal incentive programs that you can use to practically pay for a full-blown, professional, and realistic solar electrical system for your home: sign up for our newsletter to be notified when they are ready.

For more on the residential solar electrical systems subject, as well as a plethora of other great Green Living tips and strategies, be sure  to sign up for our free newsletter!

You are KILLING ANIMALS because of your gas car. The exhaust from your car is KILLING ANIMALS! However, gas cars are way too much money.

Therefore, the United States is spending too much money buying oil for America because we have no more oil to drill for. In conclusion, I believe everyone should drive a hybrid or electric car.

Innocent animals are dying because of your gas cars. As a result, more animals are endangered than ever before. On the other hand, gas cars are making the ozone layer too thin. To sum up, gas cars are killing animals around the world.

Gasoline prices are off the chart!! Everybody is spending way too much money on gasoline. Why spend so much money on gasoline? Therefore, if you drove a hybrid or electric car you wouldn’t have to spend so much money on gasoline.

The United States Government is out of money to buy gas for us. We have no more oil to drill for! Our economy is in the toilet. As a result, if we drove hybrid or electric cars we wouldn’t have to buy gas from foreign countries.

I think we should stop spending money on gas. If you keep on driving gas cars you could wipe out an entire population of animals! Why not spend your money on something more important. Why should we live with a bad economy? Lets do something! Everybody should drive a hybrid or electric car.

Austin G is a 6th Grader from the Northern Suburbs of Chicago, IL. Austin is very interested in Living Green, and feels everyone needs to “Wake Up” and start helping! Stay tuned for more great essays from this socially concious teen…

In the industry’s first “Green” IT conference event, the publisher of GigaOM, Om Malik and his “co-conspirator” Katie Fehrenbacher are putting on a pretty incredible event packed full of industry powerhouses like Rob Bernard of Microsoft; Mark Zanoli of JP Morgan; Christina Page of Yahoo; Michael Copeland of Fortune Magazine; Rich Lechner of IBM; and many other top IT business leaders and venture capitalists.

The event takes place in San Francisco on March 24th, 2009 and promises great discussion and networking opportunity, so if the IT biz is your bag, I highly recommend you try to attend!

Dozens of key players will be on hand to speak, present, and just mingle, so if you have been thinking how you could get your IT organization to “Go Green”, nows the time to take action!

You can find out more about this keynote event here:

Green:Net 2009

Live Green!

“Greenie”