Our Environment

Having spent the last year in living in the south in a home with a wood heater and no central heat or air I discovered that air conditioning is a wonderful thing. One of the few breaks I got from the heat was driving to and from work. Since I worked in customer service I couldn’t show up for work hot and sweaty so I would drive with the A/C on full blast! It felt great.

Toward the end of the summer I noticed that my air conditioner wasn’t as cold as it used to be. When I called around to see what needed to be done to recharge the A/C unit it was definitely a learning experience. I decided to do a little investigating on the internet to see what I could learn. While searching I came across a link for Enviro-safe refrigerant. There are several reasons why I would recommend it, but a few are to follow:

Safer on the environment than Freon (zero ozone depleting)
Available with leak detection
Extends the life of your compressor and other A/C parts
Colder than other refrigerants
Does not require retrofitting

Enviro-safe refrigerant is even endorsed by GreenPeace and is an organic, non-toxic, non-ozone depleting hydrocarbon compound. Not only is Enviro-safe better for the environment but it is also less expensive to use. One 6 ounce can of it is equivalent to 18 ounces of Freon or 16 ounces of 134a. And since it is extends the life of my automobile’s air conditioning without using a retrofit I can save some money and help save the planet.

I found this handy water quality chart for identifying possible contaminates in tap water.

The chart breaks down to three categories; visual, smell, and taste. Once you have narrowed your water problem down you can then compare to a water contaminate chart and if you have a ppm (parts per million) meter you can see if the contaminate is above safe level. PPM meters can generally be bought for less than one hundred dollars at your local hydroponic or garden supply store.

Due to advances in battery technology and other improvements, Toyota is set to unveil a Prius capable of 94 miles per gallon. This represents about a 160% increase in efficiency over their previous model. The new Prius features a 1.8 Liter Turbo Charged engine that is capable of 0-60 in less than 10 seconds.

The new 94 mpg Prius would offer an improved 0-62 mph time of under 10 seconds. A newly designed 1.8-litre turbo engine will be coupled with the THS-II hybrid system and with ultra efficient lithium ion batteries to greatly improve fuel efficiency.

Toyota is also said to be considering a plug-in capability as as standard feature. Many who currently own a Prius modify the cars for plug-in charging. Although this can decrease dependence on fuel it can also void the car’s warranty.

A new report released by the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice (CHEJ), warns that PVC shower curtains could be releasing hazardous chemicals that contaminate the air and endanger public health. PVC or polyvinyl chloride is the material of choice for many of the shower curtains on the market today.

A PVC shower curtain can be recognized by the strong chemical odor or "new shower curtain smell" that it gives off. Personally I have always liked that smell, but apparently that is the smell of 108 volatile organic compounds (VOC's) being released into the air. The CHEJ is pushing for an out right ban of these type of curtains and our providing individual retailers and distributors with copies of their report in the hope that they may decide to voluntarily pull the products from shelves.

In addition to shower curtains other household products made with PVC include table cloths, back packs, and plastic covers. Most products are not adequately labeled so it is up to the consumer to be aware of the dangers of possible exposure to PVC.

The CHEJ report titled: "Volatile Vinyl: The New Shower Curtain's Chemical Smell" can be read in its entirety at the CHEJ website.

New homebuyers that are looking for a way to increase their buying power and offset energy costs are turning to energy efficient mortgages. These “green” mortgages translate the money saved on energy costs into income, which allows the homebuyer to qualify for a more expensive home or to borrow additional funds for home improvements. Most major underwriters in the US offer green mortgages. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA and HUD all underwrite loans with green elements so options for the new homebuyer are not as limited as they were a decade ago.

To qualify for an energy efficient mortgage, you must obtain a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) report on the home that you wish to buy. This may cost several hundred dollars on an older home but many new homes are rated after construction.

Although green mortgages have been around for over 20 years, they are just now seeing an increase in popularity and are starting to hold their own when compared to traditional mortgages. Choosing a green mortgage does not mean that you must settle for an unfavorable interest rate. When shopping around for your next mortgage, use a mortgage calculator to help you determine which mortgage will be better for you in the long run.