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Friday

Can You Use a Green Energy Source like Water to Power a Car?

BMW Hydrogen 7Image via Wikipedia


For more than a century, we rely on oil to fuel our cars. But did you know that the world’s oil is close to drying up because it is a nonrenewable resource? Well that may not happen tomorrow or next year but we are getting closer because of the demand in the world market. Why wait for that day when we can rely on a green energy source like water to power our cars.

Water can power a car? If you think that’s impossible, well it is already here but this is not yet being made on a commercial scale.

The German automobile BMW has produced the world’s first ever hydrogen powered car. While only 100 of these units were produced, you can already imagine if more of these vehicles are on the road.

The initial model namely the BMW Hydrogen 7 uses the body of the 760i model. Once you pop the hood, you will notice that the engine is different since it uses gas and hydrogen.

This just means we have not yet totally abandoned are dependence on gas. Given more time and money, the current 4.7 miles per gallon it can travel using water alone could hit double digits in the future.

The biggest challenge to using water as a green energy source as opposed to oil in vehicles is the engine. While there are cars around like the Prius which runs on electricity and gas thanks to fuel cell technology, the hydrogen combustion is less than 10 years old so you could say we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

To prevent the water from evaporating, this has to be stored in a large, 30-gallon, bi-layered and highly insulated tank so this does not evaporate into compressed gas. Another safety mechanism is the valves which are designed to open should the pressure within the tank exceed 5 bars.

With the success of the BMW H7, the company came out with a new car that is also partly powered by water known as the H2R. While we cannot yet put our garden hose into the fuselage to fill it up, this vehicle uses liquid nitrogen as a fuel.

(see photo at top)

Tests on this vehicle have shown it can achieve 285hp and reach a top cruising speed of 185.5 miles per hour. It can also accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour under 6 seconds.

But why use water? It is because hydrogen combustion is clean so it does not emit harmful gases into the atmosphere unlike cars that run on petrol or diesel that emit carbon monoxide. Studies have shown that it also weighs less than hydrocarbon-based fuels and burns faster than conventional gasoline.

So when can you expect to buy a car that uses water as a green energy source? Hopefully in the next 10 to 20 years. It is really up to the automakers because all we can do is wait until a better and clear car hits the dealership.

Right now, the best option we have are electric cars. Since its introduction in 1999, more people are using it because they don’t want to spend anymore for gasoline that could hit an all time high of more than $150 per barrel.

If water as a green energy source can be used to power a car, why don’t we do the same for solar power which has been around much longer?





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How to Make Your Own Green Energy Source

Renewable Energies (wind power) along Canal du...Image by Velaia (ParisPeking) via Flickr



Wouldn’t it be great if we can produce our own green energy source? If we can do that, we don’t have to pay electrical bills or gasoline anymore for our cars. While we can buy some of the equipment, the rest will have to be done on our own.

Take solar or wind energy for example. We already know how to harness and make it. If you want to make one, do some research online and then set up the system yourself.

To have solar energy, you will need to buy an inverter, battery, charge controller, solar panels, some wires and support structure. The only difference with wind energy is that you need a fan. Once you have everything you need, you can put it all together.

If you are not skillful, you will be happy to know that some companies sell the entire system. By buying it from them and having it installed by their experts, you are sure that there won’t be any problems the moment you switch it on.

There is one more thing you need before you can use one or the two green energy sources. Before you buy the materials or the system, make sure you have a flat area that is about a hundred square feet or so because it occupies a lot of space.

For those who don’t have the space or the budget to use these two energy sources, another option is to create your own biofuels.

Biofuels are used in many countries and they get it from harvesting corn, sugar and other crops. Luckily, you don’t need a farm to produce it because you can also make your own using some recycled waste.

A good example of this is vegetable oil which we use for cooking. To turn this into a biofuel, we first filter it by warming up the liquid and then filtering this with a coffee filter. The next step is to remove the water also by boiling it again at 100 degrees for a short period of time.

We need to know the amount of lye present in the vegetable oil and we do this by a process known as titration. When we are done with that, we now mix sodium hydroxide to produce sodium methoxide.

The process of converting used vegetable oil before it becomes a biofuel takes quite awhile and it must be heated the entire time. This is done so the fuel we produce is pure and only when this is achieved that we give it time to cool.

Just how much biofuel we make after all the work varies but you will have an idea of how much you have produced since this is the one you see floating at the top. If there is still some glycerin present, filter it again. From there, you already have your own backyard biofuel which you can use and even sell to those who are just as concerned with the environment as you are.

By making our own green energy sources, we make ourselves less dependent on gasoline in its various forms to power our heater, home or car. Why don’t a lot of people do it? Well simply because they don’t have the time to make it and would rather rely on someone else to do it for them.


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Monday

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Green Energy Sources?

GAINESVILLE, FL - APRIL 16:  Damon Corkern, wh...Image by Getty Images via Daylife


Today, we are now aware of the effects of global warming. Fortunately, it’s not too late and we can still change which is why many are pushing for green energy sources.

The advantage of using green energy sources is that it is clean so it does not emit anything harmful into the air which has an impact on the environment. It is also renewable which means we will never run out of it unlike oil which is expected to dry up in a decade or so.

Although green energy facilities are expensive to build, it requires less maintenance so you don’t have to shell out a lot of money to operate it.

It can also bring economic benefits to certain areas even boost tourism.

While these sound good, there are some who say that there are disadvantages to using such technology.

While green energy sources can produce electricity, how much it can generate is not consistent. This is because we have no control of the weather so if a certain area relies on solar energy and there is a weather disturbance, it will not be able to convert sunlight into electricity.

Building these facilities also requires a lot of land so we may have to cut on farmland which is what many are concerned about if more wind turbines are to be put up.

Another disadvantage is the fact that some of the green energy sources cannot be installed in certain areas of the planet. For instance, wave energy can only be utilized if the waves coming from the ocean reach at least 16 feet. The use geothermal energy can only be done in geologically unstable parts of the planet.

But if you look at such arguments, places that cannot use one form of green energy source can be substituted for another. If wind turbines need more space, they can be installed near the coast instead of putting these on land. A study shows that you can generate more electricity while these are in the ocean.

While the weather is something we cannot control, it is not everyday that there is a weather disturbance so this too shall pass. If solar energy is being used and the sun is covered, the emergency generators will be activated and use up the energy that was stored.

The point is that there are ways around the arguments put by certain individuals which discourage the use of green energy sources. In fact, research is ongoing to try and harness other means to generate the power we need.

A very good example of this is called ocean thermal energy. Power is generated by harnessing the different temperatures in the water. It is currently being used on a small scale both in Japan and Hawaii.

In the US, only 7% of green energy sources are used nationally. This was much higher 11 years ago and if we don’t have to worry about the cost of oil or even reduce our dependency on it, we have to invest more in this clean energy.

We can get it from green energy sources such as biomass, biodiesel, geothermal, solar, water and the wind. These are things we have all around us and all it takes is for someone to harness it instead of relying on traditional non-renewable means to produce energy.





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Thursday

Go Green Easily: Recycle

Mr. Don


Go green easily and start recycling.

Recycling is more than rinsing the garbage out and putting it in bins on the curb or going to a center. Recycling is also done by reusing grocery bags for future shopping or poop-scooping. New uses for old items is recycling, as is composting. Searching out post-consumer recycled packaging of your favorite products is also supporting the effort. Reducing our contribution to loading up garbage barges and landfills is becoming more and more important. The less garbage we have, the less fuel is needed to transport it, the less land is swallowed in trash and the more empowered you feel doing your part for your planet.

Go green easily by recycling and get some change.

Recycling in some areas is rewarded with cash and who can't use a little extra green for going green? Many towns, county dumps and grocery stores have a cash back policy for aluminum, tin, plastic bottles, cardboard and other paper products so it's worth checking out before tossing something to the curb.

Call your local trash company, look on line or try asking at the library for information about your local programs. Most phonebooks have a section for newcomers that gives out this information so your resources are out there.

According to the EPA, over 260 million pounds of recyclable items hit the landfills every year in addition to 2 billion water bottles and 16 million gallons of recycle oil. That's an awful lot of energy wasted making new containers that didn't need creating. There are still far too many towns that make recycling feel like a major hassle instead of a needed task. Several areas in Washington state, as an example, charge you for home pick up of recyclables. Seattle, among a growing number of other cities and towns, has patrons just dump all their non-plant matter recycling into one bin and yard/garden waste into another. This creates jobs for the sorters and patrons feel encouraged to do their part.

Go green easily: recycle in as many ways as you can.

Donate items to charities, use consignment stores, reuse jars and other containers in a new and useful way or distress and tap into your creative side. By turning rags into rugs, chipped mugs into folksy vases or wine bottles into candle holders you have lowered your stress with artistic and responsible flair. You can utilize your trash service, turn it into art or get some cash, the choices are there.

We have gotten too used to tossing things out before rethinking their alternate uses. Saddly this same attitude is being re-enacted by our children, who unless we start now to intervene, will pass it on to their children

Not recycling can be hard on our hard-earned paychecks and planet.

Learn what you can do now to begin to recycle in ways that are easy to do and will have a big impact on the planet. Sign up for the Free E-course to get started right away!

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don


Functional Stress Management

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Functional Self Improvement

Friday

Go Green, Grow Your Own Goodies

Mr. Don

Go green by growing your own fresh garden goodies, no matter how small or large your garden area.

All the ingredients for salsa can be grown in two pots on the balcony. Fresh herbs thrive in tiny pots on the window sill as easily as in a side yard. Amaze your guests by letting them pick their own potatoes for the grill at the same time they gather flowers for the salad, no matter where you live. Even tall plants like corn and sunflowers will do well in patio pots. By catching and storing the cold water that would go down the drain when it's heating up for a bath or shower you have provided your garden its life source, cut down on your water bill and stretched another resource that much farther.

Go greener planting goodies you watched grow from seedlings.
Seed companies are increasing their varieties and stocks of ornamental and edible plants for the small-space and backyard gardeners because the demand is high. People want fresh, ripe, toxin-free food that is affordable and readily available. How can you be any more in control of what you eat than by growing it yourself? Patio gardens are easy to plant, care for and are right at your fingertips. Gardening in your backyard isn't as complicated or time consuming as you may think, especially if you join forces with a couple of folks who don't have any more extra time than you. Everybody takes an hour or two, one or two days week to weed or mulch or water and all enjoy the harvest.

Growing fresh flowers, edible or just ornamental, is a very environmentally friendly and neighborly thing to do.

There's no need to buy crop flowers that needed bug-spray or hauling from the fields because those bright beauties are in front of your door. Flower beds or potted plants add sparkle and smiles to your neighborhood, even up on the 12th floor. Everybody likes to see fresh blooms whether they have allergies or not so take pictures of your accomplishments for sneezing friends and share the real deal with everyone else. You can even make potpourri drying your scented bloomers.

Go green and grow your own goodies to eat, admire and share.

Considering all the information available on what grows best where and how you live, why not see what color your thumb is?



There are many benefits to growing even a small amount of your own food supply. While it seems like awhile a go, we all remember the food scares of tainted foods from the growers fields! In addition to the safety factor, food costs go down, stress and blood pressures lower while nutritional value goes up.

Again, this is a great family activity and it is really cool to tell friends that they are eating vegetables that you grew!

Go green all the way around; plant greens to save greens.

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

PS. We are please to let you know that we will soon be offering a Gardening for Health program that take all the guess work out of gardening. Before you invest huge amounts of money into a backyard garden, sign up for the free mini ecourse that we will be making available soon.

As always be sure and visit our sister sites at:

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Monday

Go Green Easily: Organic or Not?

Mr. Don


Go green easily by knowing which foods to buy certified organic and which ones you can pass on. The big push is to eat everything organic in order to save the planet and the human species.

That isn't exactly a clear picture of the situation.

Organic foods are certified in different ways to stand for different qualities. Many foods deemed organic are grown in conditions that still harm the land they're grown on and many are packaged inappropriately. Just because a product flashes the word "Organic" on it doesn't make it worth automatically buying.

Certain plants are naturally bug-proof and get non-toxic treatments that make them invalid for the "organic" label.

It's not too difficult to go green easily within the big Organic Debate. There are websites, local gardening classes and University extension programs that will answer your questions.

How is a product deemed Organic?

What do the different types or certifications actually mean?

Are there some countries, states or counties whose foods you should avoid or buy with caution?

What foods really should be organic and which ones just need a good washing?

As to this last question, the rule of thumb is that root and tuber vegetables, thin skinned fruits and leafy vegetables should be bought at the store as organics. Again, a little research from a trusted source will yield a bounty of important information. Local Cooperative Extension offices are a fantastic resource of information and tips. Also consider contacting your local Master Garderners Group if you have one.

Go green easily within the controversy of what should be organic or not by growing some super simple produce of your own. Grow your own spinach, lettuce, carrots or whatever strikes your fancy. Greens and carrots are very easy to grow and care for plus the savings are astounding. A self grown package of "designer" salad greens costs around $2.75, is ready for picking in 25-35 days from sprouting and keeps producing as long as you have seeds. Three 10-inch pots on the patio will provide a constant supply of salad goodies that can be brought in during winter and kept going year-round. You can do the same with herbs and a windowsill.

Go green easily choosing organically grown foods vs traditionally grown by getting more informed, being more aware and even dabbling in small batches of your own creations.

It is easy to get a small family garden growing, even in the most limited of space. If you have children it is great way to get them involved in growing something that can be shared and was produced with their efforts. It’s a great esteem builder!

There are a lot of different ways that you can begin to educate yourself and your family about becoming more involved in the process of eco friendly living and one of the very best is to sign up for our Free E-course. Learn how easy it is to really make a difference in the health of our planet and ourselves, while saving money!

Sign up right now!

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don


Functional Yoga 4 Families

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Wednesday

Go Green Easily: Reuse Glass Jars

Mr. Don

Go green easily by reusing glass jars from sauces, olives, jams and even spices.

Instead washing jars out and throwing them in the recycling or, say it isn't so, the garbage, use them again and again. It's so easy to soak the label off, grab masking tape (it peels off easily) and relabel them for left-over soup or anything you can think of, really. You go to a warehouse grocery store and see a gallon of artichoke hearts but what to do with that large jar after the goodies are gone stumps you. Put your flour in it to keep bugs out or use it for the jumbo bag of coffee beans you've been wanting to put in the freezer. Glass freezes well as long as you don't subject it to extreme temperature changes and leave room for the food to expand while it's freezing. When freezing liquids always leave 1/2 to 1 inch of room from the top of the jar and keep the lid loose until your food is frozen so the jar won't break.

Go green easily using glass jars and utilize the bulk foods.

Most stores have bulk cereals, pastas, snack foods and other staples that can be bagged there and put in jars at home. They also have spices, honey, nut butters and syrups so why not reuse the same type jars for that? You're saving resources, counter clutter and you don't have to guess what's in the jar; if you use masking tape labels even spices aren't a mystery. When the item inside the jar changes, peel off the old tape, put on a new piece and voila, a used glass jar gets a new life, again.

Go green easily with reused jars and be healthier.

There is a lot of controversy about storing and microwaving food in plastic storage containers. Too many types of plastic leach unhealthy chemicals and vapors into the hot food when it's cooking and also as it cools in the container. Glass doesn't leach, leak or warp when heated so it has a built-in safety feature. Using 8-12 ounce jam jars to store left-over soup will give everyone their own cups of soup to heat and serve, so clean up is a breeze.

Going green is easier than you may have thought and you have the start of a new storage container collection already in your cupboard. Soak off the labels, use tape for new labels, fill them up and reuse them when they empty. What could be easier?

Your health, money, and resources are saved in larger doses for the future. It is really easy to do little things that make a large difference in the amount of waste entering our land fills. When you actively recycle, reuse and renew you are also setting an example for your children that will be carried forward by them to future generations!

Learn what you can do right now to improve the planet and your health with little steps! Sign up for our free E-course to find out how!

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don


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Saturday

Go Green Easily: City Slicker Composting

Mr. Don


Go green easily, be a City Slicker composter.

Sound unbelievable? It's not. The old stigmas no longer apply. Composting won't smell to the high heavens if it's done right. You don't have to fork over hundreds of dollars, either, for a fancy contraption. A little imagination and elbow grease will get you a composter for almost free or with a little extra browsing on the internet you can get one for a serious discount, your choice. There are all shapes, sizes, capacities and material constructions available now. Yes, there are a lot of them out there and with the increasing demand in gardening equipment for the home grower, you should do some homework to get the biggest bang for your buck. You can use all the finished product yourself, share with neighbors or even pitch in and buy 2 tumblers to rotate fresh batches with "cooked" ones for your group of fellow gardeners.

Going green by composting is beneficial in so many ways and where you live makes no difference. The usual thought is that composting is for those folks with a nice chunk of land for the gardens of their choice. It's true that the more ambitious your garden the larger tumbler or more of them you'll need but more and more apartment dwellers are getting on the composting band wagon. Houseplants and potted potatoes a like need the nutrients found in household compost. It enriches the soil, feeds the plant the building blocks it's made of and reduces the amount of trash put into your garbage can.

Go green easily by composting because they can be made from just about anything and they fit just about anywhere. From garbage cans, PVC panels that spin with handles to wood-and-wire crates that you stir up with a pitch fork, your gizmo can be filled with all the plant matter that comes from your kitchen plus eggshells.

The only things that don't belong in compost are any toxic products, animal parts or products and seeds you don't want to grow up. Ground eggshells are the only recommended animal products because they don't attract vermin while adding calcium to your finished "gold". Composting is common sensical. If you don't want something in your body, don't put it in the compost. If something goes into the soil your food is grown in, it goes into you.

Whether you have an acre, a balcony or a pot in the window, go a little greener and compost. A coffee can, a do-it-yourself web find or a pre-built tumbler will keep your plants happy, your garbage can less full and you'll be participating in your own little circle of life.

Composting is the original and best step in recycling.

Learn more about the seemingly small things you can do to help your self, your family, your community and the planet. Sign up for our free E-course while it is still available.

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

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Sunday

Go Green: Go Local

Welcome to the Go Green-Eco Friendly Living for Families program. This program is sponsored by Safe Kidz Educational Services who specialize in providing on-line child safety, health and fitness informational programs.

In this episoide we will be talking about the importance and impact of shopping locally when ever possible. Using local merchants, craftsmen and tradesmen is really one of those activities that with a little effort can really leverage our going green efforts!


Go green, go local.

When you buy anything made within a 100 mile radius of your community you're casting a wide net of green mindedness. Whether you're buying from a farmer, carpenter, winery or a coffee shack, using local resources builds the entire community up. The money you spend stays circulating within your area, keeps small businesses thriving, cuts down on transportation costs to and from the source and a certain pride in the product will show. Local merchants have a positive reputation to nurture if they want to survive so customer care is generally quite a bit better.

Go green, go local and stay happy with the quality of products you get.

A local farmers' market is a treasure trove of unique, personal resources. Hand-crafted edible and non-food items made by your neighbors are one-of-a-kind gems and they're easier to get information about. You can ask the designer or the grower when, where and how it was made. If you see a craft or skill you share with a vendor, you can ask where they get their supplies and why they chose that place. You can visit many of the farms and studios your favorite items, to see where they come from to get an even better idea of the growing or making process.

Go green when you get local products by reducing packaging waste and costs.

Bring your own mug for that morning espresso and grab a bag of fresh-roasted beans or a muffin that was made 2 hours ago by the baker. You kept a paper cup and box out of the landfill and didn't contribute to the use of extra fuel for shipping the beans or muffin across state. How easy was THAT? With all the fresh produce available during the warmer months, why not grab an iced tea, some totes and visit the small farms near you? More and more of these little farms are letting you go pick your own produce if you want. No trucking fees, plenty of foods and flowers to pick from and the only packaging used is newspaper to wrap delicate things in your totes.


Go green when you support your local fairs.

These are usually sponsored by Parks & Rec. Departments or Co-Opts so the venders are normally local crafts artists. Just like getting to know a local farmer can help in getting to know you local food chain and supporting its continuation, you will be supporting the continuation of local artists and craftspeople in their crafts, a part of your local heritage!

Go green, get to know your area, crafts people and resources better.

There are still many local businesses that, once you have a good relationship with them, will even barter some their wares for yours. The more you support your local merchants the more you'll see come back to your community.

To discover more ways that you can support your local community and help the environment at the same time jump on the free E-course that will show you how to get started right away! Fill in your first name and email address. Its that easy to start saving money while helping the planet!

Thursday

Go Green Easily: Got Friends, Buy Bulk

Mr. Don

Go green easily and buy in bulk with friends at a grocery warehouse.

You save time, money and fuel just for starters. Most grocery warehouse stores charge $45-50 for a yearly membership and allow up to three people to be on the main member's non-corporate card. When split three-ways it comes out to a little over $16.00 per person to join. The average savings buying in bulk from these kinds of stores is 33 to 38% on fresh vegetables and fruits, up to 43% on fresh meats or poultry or fish and up to 55% on canned goods and staples such as flour, rice, sugar and coffee. These discounts include the organic foods more of these stores are carrying. While these stores keep a basic inventory of popular items in stock, they do switch brand names, quantity sizes and rotate seasonal items quickly. Most send out flyers in the newspapers or put on their website special deals or things being offered for a short time so check those out before you go.

Go green easily buying in bulk with your buddies and keep your friendships enriched.

One of the beauties of bulk purchasing with people you like is how you spend more time together just by doing a necessity. You get to hang out writing the shopping list, making the purchases and then dividing it all up. The other nice thing about shopping together is that impulse purchases are kept at bay. Having a friend there to remind each of you that it'll be harder to separate out the cost and taxes on that cute bird feeder or the complete Beatles compilation keeps everyone feeling more on task. One important, but often over looked aspect of the adventure, is the exercise that you are getting at the same time. Of course it could just be me feeling like we have wandered around for days!!

Then there is always (I love this part!)the free food samples! They can be a bit distracting but if you go there hungry, after 15 minutes of wandering the aisles, you'll be full; we all know how important it is not to shop on an empty stomach.

Go green easily buying as a co-operative with neighbors, family, or even coworkers.

What's not to like about something that saves you money, strengthens your bonds of friendship and helps the planet? Your bank accounts stay as full as your cupboards, you can reuse containers from past purchases (good for the earth) as you divvy up the goods, take one car and turn a boring chore into a fun day.

For us, storage had always been an issue, but once we started going together with friends and splitting it up between families solved that.

There's strength and savings in numbers so round up your posse and get your "green" on.

Our free E-course can show you more ways that you can get involved and involve your family in helping the environment while saving some “green”! Use the sign up form provided and get started right away discovering how easy it can be.

Until next time,

Take care and be safe!


Mr. Don
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Functional Yoga 4 Families

Tuesday

Go Green Easily: Second-hand Is NOT a Dirty Word

Mr. Don

I love going through consignment and thrift shops. They are a world of treasure. I think I have pretty much got her believing that I hate it, as I do with all shopping (can’t break character and all), but truth be told I have really found some great buys on stuff that would normally run $100s of dollars!

And it really ties in nicely here. While I get pumped about a great buy, the little shops do keep a lot of stuff out of land fills, so please utilize them when possible, and here’s why!

Go green easily by using second-hand and consignment stores.

The current economic downturns that most of us are feeling has taken some of the stigma off buying pre-owned items. Yard sales are hot shopping spots, on line classified ad sites are cropping up in droves and community swaps are growing in popularity. Second-hand is NOT a dirty word. People of all classes are realizing that there are great finds on the racks and shelves of consignment stores and thrift stores. The old adage of "One man's trash is another man's treasure." has taken on new meaning and new value.

Utilizing stores that clean, refurbish, rewire or simply sell items as-is eliminates the need to ship merchandise from around the country. There's no added cost to the price tag for fuel fees, warehouse handling fees, trucking companies fees nor the big charge for buying a name brand article at full price. Donations are tax deductible with receipts from the organization stating the estimated value of the items; you save when you give as well as receive.

Many charitable organizations use their resale stores for training. The developmentally disabled, recovering addicts, the homeless and others in need of marketable skills learn how to rewire appliances or do re-upholstery work or succeed in retail so they can support themselves.

Go green and get greenbacks by putting consignment stores to good use. Last year's fashion staples, brand new stock from retired businesses or an extra toaster oven from a newlywed's gift collection are found treasures. As a rule, only clean, like-new products are acceptable for consideration at these stores. Finding original price tags on packaging is very common. Consignment stores will either pay you a flat rate for your items or take a small fee on what they sold for. Many will even give an in-store credit or let you trade some of your things for same-priced merchandise. Building a good relationship with the owner or manager can garner you some nice perks, like getting a first look at new arrivals before they go out onto the sales floor.

My wife and I have been foster parents for many years now and at various times have had up to 3-4 foster sons plus our two. The consignment shops and thrift stores were a godsend to us! We also taught the kids that good buys could be found if they would look.

The other area I have really utilized consignment shops and thrift stores is in finding great deals on exercise equipment! I usually start checking in June because by then most folks who have gotten equipment for Christmas but are not using it, are also getting tired of looking at it go unused! So they put it in the consignment or thrift stores!

Everybody wins, they got rid of it, the store made a sale, and I got a good buy!

Going green and second-hand buying go hand-in-hand so remember, second-hand is NOT a dirty word. These stores serve their communities by employing from within the area, giving new life to gently-used or even never-used things and keeping their corner of the local economy going. Thrift stores are usually a training and financial source for charities while consignment stores put cash in your pocket but both do the same service; keeping usable items out of the dumps.

If you would like to learn more practical and effective ways that you can help the environment as you go about your daily activities, sign up for our free E-course. It is about 3 weeks long and is designed for busy families who want to do their part to help the environment both locally and globally.

It is also an incredible resource for parents and other concerned adults who want to increase the awareness of environmental issues, in their young people!



Until next time,

Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

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Functional Stress Management

Thursday

Go Green Easier: Plan Out Your Shopping

Go green easier by planning out your shopping and making some very simple changes to your habits.

Simple steps will make a huge impact, and it only takes a few minutes and a little patient rethinking. From reusable grocery bags to buying and selling at consignment stores, a little preplanning will stretch your money and your planet's resources a long way.

Take plastic bags. Do you have a pet to pick poop up after? Unless you're in an area that recently banned plastic grocery bags, why pay extra for tossing out critter waste? These are great for the cat box clean ups or for poop scooping after the dog. Unless you go through a lot of bags every week, opt for using totes instead of the plastic or paper bags. Some stores use mostly-to-fully post consumer recycled materials in their bags, so ask. If the paper bags aren't using post consumer materials, don't use them. Trees still have to be cut down and milled to make those bags. Totes rinse out, tear less, fold up easily and a stack of them isn't unsightly on the backseat of anyone's car.

Go green easily by planning your shopping trips and you can keep your fuel costs down. By making a list of what you have to do and where you want to go you cut down on the amount of back tracking you might have to do.

If you live with others, see if you can't run errands together or even divide and conquer your lists. One trip to the consignment shop can get your items up for sale, some new clothes in your roommate's or partner's closet and a new bedside novel before grabbing some zinnias for the patio. A phone call before leaving work puts a new batch of salad on the dinner table, replacing what got eaten as someone else's snack; one trip, no unhappy surprises and fuel saved. Just grab a tote from the car and grab those goodies on the way home.

Going green is easier than most people think and you don't have to change your political party, your zip code or even your dress code. All it takes to keep a greener planet and wallet is a little "Stop before you shop" thinking.

Need pooper scooper bags, get plastic today. Start paying bills on line; electricity for the computer is cheaper than gasoline and uses no trees; there's no paper check.

Bulk shop with friends to save fuel and food costs.

Get as many errands run in one area of town as you can.

There are internet sites, magazines and local groups devoted to helping everyday people, just like you, get a little greener, a little easier. Our free E-course is one of them. It is easier than you think to make little changes that make a huge difference. Find out how, sign up now!


Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

Functional Self Improvement

Functional Stress Management

Functional Yoga 4 Families

Monday

Go Green Easily: See The Light & Save Big

Go green, see the light and save big.

Taking small steps to improve your planet will mean big steps toward improving your finances, your health and your community. Most people are intimidated by the amount of information bombarding them to "go green." Being told "You have to become a whole new person or else" doesn't usually sit well. They are concerned about adding new expenses or getting tangled up in high maintenance, frustrating activities.

The good news is that products are coming down in price dramatically and many changes can be done at no, or very little, cost.

Go green and save big on energy bills.

The traditional 60 watt light bulb lasts 5,000 hours and costs about 50-85 cents. That sounds pretty cheap when comparing it to a $4.00 florescent bulb. Now look again. That florescent bulb uses 75% less electricity to work, emits no heat and will last close to twice as long.

Count your light bulbs, multiply by that $100 and that's about how much your electric bill will drop in a year without standard bulbs. Three-way florescent bulbs last 6,000 hours vs the standard's 2,500 which will put another $65, per bulb, in your pocket, per year. Since no heat is emitted, you can put a florescent bulb in a lamp that shines like a 75-100 watt standard and only be using 13 watts. (Its not that I am getting older that I can't see, the world is just full of bad lighting! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!)

Go green easily and save big making a few simple adjustments at your own pace. What do YOU want to rearrange in your life? How to save on your use of fuel running errands? Cutting back on the amount of trash you generate? Adding recycling into your life? Saving on clothes costs? There are community programs and resources to help you find the way that best fits your lifestyle and most information is on line. Get your family involved by letting the kids do some research.

Helping the planet while taking care of our families doesn’t have to be life changing and hassle filled. There are many, many things that we as individuals and as families can do that little by little will add up! Check out our free E-course to find out how


To take an even more active role in reducing your utility bills, there is a just released video series available that provides homeowners the information that they need to design and build a wind/solar power system for their homes! With prices in technology dropping it is possible to design a hassle free system that generates enough electricity to power your home! Stop paying high energy bills and help the planet at the same time!

Check them out at: Earth4Energy teaches everyday consumers how to build a solar power and wind power generator. Energy is a world wide crisis right now and people want a solution. Earth4Energy provides a solution which makes this a WIN/WIN situation for consumers and the planet.

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

Functional Yoga 4 Families

Functional Stress Management

Functional Self Improvement

Friday

How Living Green Can Save Money

We all want to live green and save money at the same time, and we can too. Kermit the Frog was wrong when he said, "It ain't easy being green." It's really easy, and highly effective too, if you know how. This article will provide you with 5 essential steps you can start taking today to live green and save money.

1. Turn your heater thermostats down one or two degrees in winter, and turn your air conditioning thermostats up one or two degrees in summer. If we all did this, the combined difference would be phenomenal. We'd still feel warm in winter and cool in summer, so learn how to live green and save money with your heating and cooling appliances.

2. The other appliance that needs your attention is your washing machine. Start washing your clothes in cold water. Modern powders work just as efficiently in cold water as hot. Most of the energy that goes into a clothes wash is in heating up the water, so you will save on electricity, live green and save money too.

3. When your clothes are nice and clean, don't throw them into the dryer. Unless it's pouring rain, hang them out to air dry. It's what your grandmother did, and she managed just fine. She may have liked having a dryer, but they weren't around back then, so she just had to live green and save money. You can too!

4. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are a dream come true for anyone who wants to live green and save money. They burn just 25% of the electricity that a standard light bulb burns, and they can last up to 10 times longer. Change your old bulbs today!

5. Try to consume a little less of everything, from electricity, to gas in the car, to the food you eat. Take time to write out a shopping list, and stick to it. If you feel the impulse to buy something you don't really need, get into the habit of waiting 24 hours, then review it. The chances are you either won't want it any more, or you will have forgotten about it.

It's easy to live green and save money. You just have to give it some thought. Get into a routine that works and before you know it, you will find yourself in the situation where you live green and save money every day.

Everyday there are many, many ways for us to save money and help the planet. Sign up for our free eCourse to find out more easy steps you and your family can take today!

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

Tuesday

Driving To Save Gas - 5 Great Tips!

Everyone should be driving to save gas, or more accurately, driving in such a way that you do save gas and therefore money while also helping the environment by creating less pollution. This is all part of being green and saving money. You kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Your car lasts longer, costs less to run, and you feel good about the cleaner air around you, for you are now driving to save gas. Here are 5 great tips to help you.

1. Slow things down. At 70 miles an hour you are not driving to save gas. A car engine operates most efficiently at around 55 miles an hour. At that speed you will burn the gas you need and waste as little as possible. You will also get to where you are going just fine, so keep the speed down.

2. Every time you drop your foot to the floor, or brake hard, you are not driving to save gas - you are wasting it. Sure, it may look macho, but everything about your car suffers, and so does your pocket. When you are driving to save gas you will drive gently. You will accelerate moderately and brake smoothly. Always try to anticipate the need to slow down so that you don't have to slam the brakes on at the last moment, or corner harder than you meant to. Driving to save gas comes easy when you think ahead.

3. Keep your tires properly inflated. Your engine uses some 20% of its efforts just overcoming the resistance of tire rolling. That percentage figure increases when the tires are under-inflated. The amount of gas you burn increases too. Keep your tires inflated at the manufacturers recommended level at all times, and only then will you start driving to save gas.

4. Lighten the load in your car to a minimum at all times. We're not talking about passengers here, but the junk that most people carry around with their cars. Go through the trunk and dump anything you don't absolutely need. Do the same in the car's interior. You will be surprised at just how much you have accumulated. It could be as much as 100 pounds. Carrying that much excess weight is not driving to save gas!

5. Only run your car's engine when you actually need it. Consider this: it has been estimated that customers sitting in line in idling cars at Burger King waste an amazing 16 million gallons of gas a year. That's certainly not driving to save gas! Starting your car uses about the same amount of gas as it will burn in one minute when idling. If you think you will be waiting longer than a minute, switch off. Driving to save gas is mostly common sense with a little thought. We can do it!

Want to find out more cost effective and simple tips that will save you money? Sign up for our free eCourse and get started today!

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

Saturday

How To Go Green At Work And Save - 5 Great Tips

Every business, small or large, should be thinking of how to go green at work in order to save money and the environment at the same time. Workers can be wasteful at work. Sometimes it's because they are not paying for their carelessness, or maybe because their boss doesn't care either. Knowing how to go green at work, at least a little bit, is invaluable. We should all be doing it and we can easily do it too. Here are 5 simple tip to help...

1. The office printer is one appliance in the work place where you can start learning how to go green at work. Paper comes from trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, preventing it from accumulating in the atmosphere and adding to the global greenhouse effect. You can cut paper usage in half at a single stroke by simply printing on both sides of every sheet of paper. That's one example of how to go green at work and save money too!

2. Business travel costs a huge fortune every year. This is not how to go green at work. No one travels by bicycle, or walks to meetings. No, they travel in huge gas-guzzling jets, or along highways in comfortable cars. Business travel puts a considerable strain on the planet. The answer? Use video conferencing as much as possible. With a good high speed Internet connection and a decent web cam, you can speak to anyone anywhere in the world. There's a good choice of conferencing software available, and all at a mere fraction of jet travel.

3. Work from home. That answers the question of how to go green at work by cutting down on office expenses. You heat your home anyway, and as long as you have the necessary communications needed to do your job, then why not work from home! Of course, if you're a truck driver, or a circus clown, it may be more difficult.

4. Invoice by email. This is one of the simplest ways of how to go green at work. As in tip number one, you save on paper, and a lot of paper too. Let your customers have the option to pay online of possible. The more you can do electronically that has traditionally been done with paper, the more the planet will benefit, and you'll save money too.

5. Use laptops rather than stand alone computers and monitors. A laptop will consume around 50 watts of energy while in use compared to a computer and monitor, which consumes around 270 watts of energy. Also, have all laptops set so that they go to sleep if not used for more than 15 minutes. Screensavers do not save money. Quite the opposite; they use more! How to go green at work and save a lot of money? Switch off all computers and laptops when not in use. If all businesses did this they would save enough to power the city of Chicago for one year!

When we are doing what we can at home and at work the effects are huge! Pretty soon we start to see those around us doing the same! If you are looking for other convenient ways to reduce your personal carbon foot print, sign up for the free E-course before it is gone!


Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

Functional Yoga 4 Families

Functional Stress Management

Functional Self Improvement

Friday

How To Go Green And Save Too With These 7 Simple Tips

At a time when the world faces increasing global warming, as more and more harmful greenhouse gases pour out into the atmosphere, more and more people are wondering how to go green and make it cost effective too. The good news is that it's very easy to do. In fact, done properly it's hard not to save money while helping the planet recover. So, here's how to go green (and save money) in 7 simple tips.

1. Lower your winter heating by at least one degree. If you can stand two or three degrees lower, then all the better. You will use less energy and still feel comfortable. Then in summer, let the air conditioning cool the house a little less. That's a great start in how to go green.

2. Set your washing machine to wash clothes in cold water. Modern cleaning powders don't need hot water, and heating the water is what consumes most of the energy that the washing machine uses.

3. Don't use the dryer to dry your clothes! That's not how to go green. It uses far too much energy and it's expensive too. Hang your clothes out to dry. The air is great at drying clothes - your grandmother could have told you that.

4. Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs use 10% of the energy that a standard bulb needs and they last 10 times longer. So, change your light bulbs. And if you want to know how to go green in a bigger way with lights, check out the new LED bulbs. They can be twice as efficient as the CFL bulbs.

5. Use less water. Check all faucets for leaks and fix any you find. Take shorter showers, don't bath, and consider getting a new toilet cistern that will use less than two gallons of water per flush. Standard cistern use some three and a half gallons. Using less water uses less energy and saves you money!

6. Walk rather than drive for very short trips. Use a bicycle for moderate trips, and only use the car if you really have to. Gasoline is expensive and it pollutes the atmosphere. Save on burning it and you will save on your money too, as well as help the environment.

7. When you have to drive, keep your speed down to around 55 miles per hour if possible. Your car's engine will be running at its most efficient at that speed burning the minimum amount of gas. Practice driving smoothly as well. Don't accelerate fast from a standing start, and don't brake hard. This is how to go green with your car, though using public transport, walking and cycling is even better.

These are also the little lessons that we are passing on to our children. We must show them how to take care of the environment and the planet. Learn how to by signing up for our free E-course!

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

Functional Stress Management

Functional Self Improvement

Functional Yoga 4 Families

Thursday

Go Green In Your Home - And Save Even More

If you want to go green in your home, and save a little money at the same time, it's never been easier. As the planet faces an uncertain future of global warming, which is believed to be the result of us all burning fossil fuels indiscriminately, we all have a duty to do the best we can to redress the balance. Here are some vital tips to help you get started...

Your home is where you spend a lot of your income, so it makes sense to be spending it as efficiently as possible. You can start to go green in your home by insulating the house. Loft insulation, wall cavity insulation, double or even triple glazing on your windows - it will all make a tremendous difference. Yes, there is an investment to consider, but you will save in the long term, and save a lot too.

We all use too much water. Go green in the home by cutting back on your water usage as much as you can. We could all, collectively, save one billion gallons of water a year by changing our old flush toilet cisterns. The old ones use three and a half gallons per flush and the new high-efficiency ones use just over one and a quarter gallon. It makes a big difference! If you did only this to go green in the home you would save 20,000 gallons of water every year, and pay a lot less in water bills.

The standard light bulbs that most homes have are very inefficient. Compact fluorescent light bulbs burn around 5% of the old bulbs do and they last 10 times longer. They may cost slightly more to buy initially, but this is an obvious way to go green in the home and save a bundle in the long run. But you can do even better, The new LED lights are almost twice as efficient as even the compact fluorescent light bulbs, and they will last even longer too.

Heat leaks out of a house in winter and into the house in summer. Better insulation all round is a great way to go green in the home. Look at your loft, your wall cavities, your windows and your doors. Sort out all of these and you can go green in the home and really save too.

Home utilities are a drain on energy. Did you know that modern washing powders are so good that they don't really need hot water? Your washing machine uses most of its energy heating the water, so wash your clothes cold. They will clean great while you go green in the home. You may think your dishwasher is also an energy drain, Strangely, it isn't. If you use it fully filled it uses less resources than if you wash by hand. Once you know these little tips and tricks, it's easy to go green in the home!

Check out the free E-course for even more substantial ways that you can save money by going green to save green!

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

Functional Self Improvement

Functional Yoga 4 Families

Functional Stress Management

Wednesday

Go Green And Save Money Today

Everywhere you look these days it seems that the main message is, "go green and save money." This is an appealing message for most people as we are constantly warned of the dire consequences of global warming out of control. People want to do their bit to help save the planet, and if they can save money at the same time, then it just obviously makes sense all round.

You can go green and save money just about anywhere. Your home is probably the most obvious place to start, but you can also do wonders with your car, in the office, out shopping, traveling on vacation, and much more. The opportunities are almost endless; going green doesn't have to be more expensive, you can definitely go green and save money at the same time.

Your home probably leaks heat out during the winter and leaks heat in during the summer. For this reason most of us have winter heaters and summer air conditioning units. This should be the first place you investigate of how to go green and save money. Are all your windows tight? Are the door seals tight too? This is where heat can leak out and make your electricity bills soar.

If your house doesn't have good loft insulation heat will pour out in winter and pour in during the summer. Insulation is one of the best ways to go green and save money. Your walls can have their cavities filled with insulating foam as well, all keeping the heat inside in winter and outside in summer for more comfortable living.

The water you use in the home is perhaps the easiest "go green and save money" source you have. Look for leaks first. Leaking faucets, even just the occasional drip, accounts for a lot of money wasted over time. You could waste as much as 140 gallons in a week!

Are your hot water pipes insulated? They should be if you aim to go green and save money. Insulated pipes let the hot water reach the faucets faster, thereby saving water, while you go green and save money too. Low flow toilets are another way to save water. You don't need to flush gallons of water away every time, just what you need.

Edison was a genius, but his light bulb invention has been superceded by the new compact fluorescent light bulbs. These are bulbs that use a mere 25% of the energy that a traditional light bulb uses. They also last 10 times longer. Replace all your traditional bulbs for compact fluorescent light bulbs and instantly go green and save money!

It isn’t hard when you have the information you need! Get everything you need to get started right with our free E-course. Sign up today!

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don


Functional Stress Management

Functional Self Improvement

Functional Yoga 4 Families

Tuesday

Driving To Save Gas - 5 Great Tips!

Everyone should be driving to save gas, or more accurately, driving in such a way that you do save gas and therefore money while also helping the environment by creating less pollution. This is all part of being green and saving money. You kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Your car lasts longer, costs less to run, and you feel good about the cleaner air around you, for you are now driving to save gas.

Here are 5 great tips to help you.

1. Slow things down. At 70 miles an hour you are not driving to save gas. A car engine operates most efficiently at around 55 miles an hour. At that speed you will burn the gas you need and waste as little as possible. You will also get to where you are going just fine, so keep the speed down.

2. Every time you plunge your foot to the floor, or brake hard, you are not driving to save gas - you are wasting it. Sure, it may look macho, but everything about your car suffers, and so does your pocket. When you are driving to save gas you will drive gently. You will accelerate moderately and brake smoothly. Always anticipate the need to slow down so that you don't have to slam the brakes on at the last moment, or corner harder than you meant to. Driving to save gas comes easy when you think ahead.

3. Keep your tires properly inflated. Your engine uses some 20% of its efforts just overcoming the resistance of tire rolling. That percentage figure increases when the tires are under-inflated. The amount of gas you burn increases too. Keep your tires inflated at the manufacturers recommended level at all times, and only then will you start driving to save gas.

4. Lighten the load in your car to a minimum at all times. We're not talking about passengers here, but the junk that most people carry around with their cars. Go through the trunk and dump anything you don't absolutely need. Do the same in the car's interior. You will be surprised at just how much you have accumulated. It could be as much as 100 pounds. Carrying that much excess weight is not driving to save gas!

5. Only run your car's engine when you actually need it. Consider this: it has been estimated that customers sitting in line in idling cars at Burger King are wasting an amazing 16 million gallons of gas a year. That's certainly not driving to save gas! Starting your car uses about the same amount of gas as it will burn in one minute when idling. If you think you will be waiting longer than a minute, switch off.

Driving to save gas is mostly common sense with a little thought. You can do it!

It is easy to find lots of little ways to save money while helping the planet and the environment. Sign up for our free E-course while it is still available and get started today, even if it is 3am in the morning!

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don


Functional Self Improvement

Functional Yoga 4 Families

Functional Stress Management

Monday

Examples Of How Going Green Saves You Money

There are many examples of how going green saves you money. Kermit the Frog was wrong - it IS easy being green, and it saves you money at the same time. As the planet faces a period of warming, where our actions are believed to be the prime cause, it makes sense to seek out examples of how going green saves you money and act on them.

That cell phone charger that stays plugged in, the DVD player that waits for the occasional playing, and the TV that sits on standby all night, these are prime examples of how going green saves you money - if you unplug them, that is. For even if the items are not working, they are consuming energy!

Another of the prime examples of how going green saves you money is switching from bottled water to filtered tap water. The average family spends some $1,400 a year on bottled water. And the worst part is that 95% of the plastic bottles are not recycled! For less than $100 you could get a high quality staged water filter to make your tap water perfect.

Examples of how going green saves you money are everywhere. Do you drive as fast as the law allows? You shouldn't. Car engines perform most efficiently at around 55 miles an hour. If you combine that with gentle driving on properly inflated tires, you will save money and help the planet too.

You could always use a bicycle to travel around town. Or you could simply walk for those short trips. You won't be pouring hydrocarbons into the atmosphere, warming the planet, you will save money, and you will get some good exercise at the same time. Walking and cycling when you can are excellent examples of how going green saves you money.

Some 65 million newspapers are printed every day in the US. Some 70% of them will not be recycled. What a waste of trees! You can do your bit to help, and read whatever news you want to read at the same time simply by going online. Very few newspapers don't have an online presence these days, so save some money and read from the web pages.

Do you want more example of how going green saves you money? They are all around you. Just look and you certainly will find them.

Jump start your efforts by signing up for the free E-course available through the handy sign up form. Get started and see how quickly the savings begin to add up!

Until next time,
Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

If you would like to learn more about easy little changes that you can make in your daily routines that will have a major impact check out our featured resource:

125 Ways to Go Green and Save Green - Available now at the low price of $17.00, but can't promise how much longer it will be available at that price, so if you are interested don't delay, order now!




Check out our sister sites to find other valuable tips that real families can use to improve their lives!

Functional Stress Management

Functional Yoga 4 Families

Functional Self Improvement

Welcome to Go Green-Eco Friendly Living for Families!

This site is being sponsered by Safe Kidz Educational Services. Safe Kidz is dedicated to providing parents and other concerned adults with the information that they need to truly show the young people in their lives, how to be fit, safe and resilient as they interact with the world around them!

While our primary focus is youth safety, it has been our experience, that many of our parents were interested in expanding the information that they were able to introduce their young people too in a non-threatening, fun and exciting manner . In response we expanded our available to resourse base to include many of the topics that a large percentage of families were asking about.

Go Green-Eco Friendly Living for Families is one such resource.

Parents were asking about practical ways that they could, if possible have any sort of meaningful impact in helping the global situation.

Specifically the questions boiled down to:

  1. Was there any thing they could do to help in reducing the damage being done to the planet?
  2. How could it be done in away that didn't require expensive equipment and large amounts of time?
  3. If possible, could it be done in away that could save some money at the same time?
  4. How could they start to show their families how to be more enviornmentally friendly?

Thus Go Green-Eco Friendly Living for Families was developed. We will regularly post informative and helpful, articles and videos that will help families lessen their global impact.

These will give you "real world" tips and suggestions that you can use right away.

Going "Green" doesn't mean that you have to run off to the mountain tops to a minimalist lifestyle, nor do you have to spend $1,000's to install the latest and greatest gadget to save the planet.

There are many, many different ways to Go Green and Save Green at the same time and we will show you how!

That having been said, let's get started shall we;

Drive Smart, Save Green - 5 Great Tips

Drive smart, save green. It's a great phrase, and if more people took up the challenge, the whole country - no, the whole world - would benefit immensely. How can you make a difference to the environment with your driving? This article provides you with 5 great tips that you can put into action right away. You'll save money and help the environment too. OK, time to drive smart, save green...

1. It has to be said: the very best thing you can do to help the environment with your car is stop driving it! However, you may not have that option, so drive slower instead. Most cars perform best at speeds of between 50 mph to 60 mph. Not too slow and not too fast is how to drive smart, save green.

2. A staggering 20% of your car's fuel consumption is used up just overcoming tire roll resistance! How can you drive smart, save green in these circumstances? Buy quality tires that get great reviews. They may cost a little more, but they will perform better. And remember too that under inflated tires will cost you more in gas bills!

3. Lighten the load in your car. I'll bet there are things in your car's trunk that don't need to be there. Go through each item you regularly carry. If you don't really need it, dump it. You can drive smart, save green with a lighter load. That will let your car be more fuel efficient.

4. Switch off your engine while you wait if you are likely to be waiting more than one minute. Restarting your engine burns roughly about the same amount as one minute of idle time, so if you think you will be idling for more than a minute, cut the engine. You'll save gas and money - drive smart, save green.

5. Drive smoothly. This one shouldn't need to be mentioned. It should be the unspoken part of drive smart, drive green. Erratic driving with sudden accelerating and hard braking uses up extra gas. It puts extra wear and tear on your car, which means extra costs to you and the environment.

Learning to drive smart, save green is largely common sense. If you really need your car, then learn to drive it responsibly and sensibly. However, if you can walk easily to where you need to go, then do so! Only drive smart, save green when you can't walk.

Contributing to the well being of the planet is a responsibility we all share and must be prepared to pass on to our children. Learn how you can do your part, what ever part that is when you sign up for our free E-course by using the form provided.

Until next time,

Take care and be safe!

Mr. Don

Be sure and visit our sister sites, for tips and suggestions that real families can use!!

Mom~Z~Mean Business - Tips to help busy women address the issues that todays fast paced life style present.

Functional Stress Management - Useful tips and suggestions to help families deal with the stress that these times are bringing! Don't let stress tear you and your loved ones apart! (Check out the free mini eCourse!)

Functional Yoga 4 Families - Yoga as a system of health and fitness has been around for a long, long time. Learn how to harness its life enhancing and health promoting qualities into your everyday activities and show your loved ones how to do the same! (Free mini eCourse available!)

Functional Self Improvment - Self Improvment and over coming bad habits does not have to be difficult! There are many different ways to approach any self improvment project, and here you will find many tips, suggestions and resources that will make your journey just a little bit easier. There is no EASY button, but there are easier buttons!

Mr. Don Recommends - This was set up as a means for those that are interested, to pursue further information on many of the topics and resourse that are mentioned at our different sister sites. This information is gathered and conveniently located all in one area.

Take a look at them, there is sure to be some information that is useful, and take advantage of the free mini eCourses.