In ever-increasing numbers, American consumers are deciding that it’s important to be clean and green. A recent survey from the Soap and Detergent Association shows that Americans are taking numerous steps to make their laundry habits more environmentally friendly.

The National Cleaning Survey reveals that more U.S. households are laundering in cold water and switching to multi-purpose cleaning products. Echo Research questioned 1,000 American adults, including 500 men and 500 women, asking what changes, if any, they have made to their cleaning routines in the past year.

According to the survey:

• 58 percent are washing laundry in cold water more frequently.

• 41 percent have switched to multi-purpose cleaning products.

• 38 percent use refillable cleaning products.

• 36 percent bought high-efficiency or energy-efficient washers or dryers.

• 29 percent do laundry less frequently.

 

• 12 percent make their own cleaning products.

“Consumers are making conscious decisions about cleaning products and practices that support their beliefs,” says Nancy Bock, SDA Vice President of Education. “They are not choosing products as they did in the past.”

Additionally, Americans seem to be reading their detergent label directions a lot more than in the past. The 2010 SDA survey shows 62 percent of respondents say they have read the directions on a package of laundry detergent, vs. 38 percent who say they never have read the package. When SDA last asked that question in 2003, 49 percent said they had not read the detergent directions.

“Cleaning products are changing. Reading the label takes the guesswork out of dosage,” says Bock. “With newer detergent products introduced in recent years, it’s more important than ever to read the label and use the proper amount of detergent in the washer.”

Visit SDA’s website for information on laundry and fabric care products at:

http://www.cleaning101.com/laundry

One of the most common kitchen appliances is becoming more affordable for those who are green conscious, especially in the area of energy savings, and will soon be available in the United States with models that cut down on chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) or hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant emissions.

Known more commonly as Freon, the CFC emissions were common in refrigerators that Americans purchased prior to 1966 and considered a threat to the ozone layer. More recently, refrigerators have used the HFC refrigerant that has been tied to global warming. Since the 1990s, environmentalists have been pushing to stop emissions of CFCs or HFCs into the atmosphere by encouraging the use of a hydrocarbon refrigerant, which is a more natural combination of hydrogens and carbons that do not degrade the ozone and are easily broken down by the sun.

Refrigerator manufacturers have responded in recent years by making it more affordable to purchase a “green” refrigerator, one using high-efficiency motors and vacuum insulated panels that consume less power. Within the next year, the use of hydrocarbons will become more commonplace as well. Germany is credited by environmentalists with starting this trend toward hydrocarbon refrigerants in 1993, which was about the same time that the U.S. began embracing HFCs as a replacement for CFCs.

Although refrigerators account for far less global consumption of HFCs than air-conditioners in automobiles, it is believed that an HFC refrigerator’s impact on the climate is nearly 4,000 times more potent over a 20-year period than the far more common greenhouse gas of carbon dioxide.

Since the first Greenfreeze refrigerator was sold in Germany early in 1993, it is estimated that more than 400 million hydrocarbon household units have been sold by major manufacturers such as Whirlpool, Haier and Sanyo.

While Americans wait for that option, they can still obtain energy-efficient models and do their own maintenance to keep the appliance from draining unnecessary power. Vacuuming the refrigerator coils at least once a year helps maintain energy-efficient operation. The seal around the refrigerator door can be checked by closing the door on a dollar bill. Replace the gasket if the bill falls out or can be easily removed without opening the door. Keep door gaskets clean of mold and mildew with mild detergent and water, not bleach, say the experts.

The Obama administration has proposed a FY 2012 budget of $8.973 billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—a 13 percent decrease—as part of its effort to cut federal spending.

“As millions of families are cutting back and spending less, they expect the same good fiscal sense out of their government. That is why this budget reflects the tough choices needed for our nation’s short- and long-term fiscal health—and allows EPA to maintain its fundamental mission of protecting human health and the environment,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.

Some key 2012 budget initiatives include:
• $350 million for projects strategically chosen to target the most significant threats to people’s health in the Great Lakes ecosystem.

• $2.5 billion—a decrease of $947 million—combined for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs). EPA will continue to work with states and communities to enhance their capacity to provide clean water and safe drinking water to Americans. Federal dollars provided through SRFs will help spur efficient system-wide planning and ongoing management of sustainable water infrastructure.

• $1.2 billion for the Superfund program to support cleanup at hazardous waste sites. While EPA will be exploring efficiencies in the program, the $70 million reduction to Superfund programs will slow the pace of new projects and completion of projects.

• A $27.5 million increase in enforcement and compliance, to be used for the latest e-reporting and monitoring tools. EPA will increase oversight and inspections at high risk chemical and oil facilities in order to protect Americans’ health.

• $16.1 million more to reduce chemical risks, increase the pace of chemical hazard assessments and provide the public with greater access to chemical information so they can make better informed decisions about their health.

• $1.2 billion for state and tribal grants—an overall increase of $84.9 million. This funding will help communities take steps to meet the pollution standards EPA has developed under the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.

• An additional $46 million for regulatory efforts to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and implement GHG reporting requirements under the Clean Air Act.

• $67.4 million to support EPA’s efforts to clean up America’s great water bodies, specifically the Chesapeake Bay. This water body serves as an economic engine for an entire region of the country, and millions of Americans rely on it for access to clean, safe water.

• $584 million to support research and innovation into new and emerging environmental science. This includes a $24.7 million increase to Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grants to ensure that EPA is using the best science to protect our air, water and land.

For more information on EPA’s proposed FY2012 budget, visit:

http://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/annualplan/fy2012.html

When an international food service makes a change in its process that is “green friendly,” it can equate to saving money as well as the environment. This is of particular importance for school districts, and the Geneva School District in Illinois is about to benefit from a new policy by Sodexo, Inc., a leading provider of integrated food services and facilities management.

The district recently announced that Sodexo will begin using reusable plastic baskets instead of the disposable Styrofoam trays that were used to serve lunch in all of the district’s six elementary schools.

Sodexo estimates that it feeds more than 1,000 elementary students and goes through approximately 195,000 Styrofoam trays in a school year. In addition to keeping all of those trays from ending up in landfills, the school district stands to save about $8,000 a year in food service costs.

A press release from the school district cited the benefits from a Sodexo official at the district.

“Using the plastic basket will reduce the amount of waste we produce, reduce garbage collection, and save time in the lunch room at clean-up,” said Sodexo General Manager Becky Selcke.  “This is a positive direction for us to be moving in and a positive step for the environment.”

A plastic food basket is common at fast-food and family restaurants, or bars and pubs that offer food, and the baskets used in the elementary schools will have some of the same features.

The baskets will be lined with wax paper and will be washed and sanitized daily.  Students’ hot lunch items will be placed on the wax paper, and sides like salads can either be put in the basket or into a paper “boat,” which is poly coated to prevent food from leaking out. The school district reported that its middle schools already use plastic baskets for lunch service, and its high school has also replaced the use of Styrofoam plates with paper “boats” to serve pizza, deli sandwiches, and other meal choices.

Sodexo policies can have significant impact on environmental initiatives as it carries out green-friendly measures with many of its clients. The company employs 355,000 people worldwide and is present on 30,600 sites (private corporations, hotels, hospitals, schools, military bases, correctional facilities, etc.) in 80 countries. In North America, the company employs 120,000 people.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is recognizing two companies for innovative new products that recycle wasted energy and turn it into usable electricity in homes or small buildings. Micro combined heat and power (CHP) systems are an emerging technology that can help change how we use and produce energy in our homes while protecting people’s health. When offsetting purchases of coal-generated electricity in cold climates, this emerging technology can reduce energy use and curb carbon dioxide emissions by 20 to 30 percent.

As winners of the 2011 Energy Star Emerging Technology Award, the Freewatt micro CHP system made by ECR International, Utica, N.Y., and the Ecopower micro CHP system made by Marathon Engine, East Troy, Wis., are helping home and small building owners, particularly in the Northeast region, produce their own electricity, reducing their utility bills. These technologies capture wasted energy from space or water heaters and turn it into usable electricity from a single fuel source.

Although the technology has been successfully used in larger applications for many years, micro CHP systems have only recently been commercialized for small scale use in residential homes, apartment buildings and small office buildings. This year’s winning micro CHP systems met strict criteria for efficiency, noise, emissions and third party-verified performance. In addition to submitting laboratory test results, products were monitored in the field for a minimum of one year to be eligible for recognition.

For more information, visit

www.energystar.gov/emergingtech

The federal government would like to see all incandescent bulbs replaced with more energy-efficient lighting by 2014. Most people have begun replacing traditional bulbs with new compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)—and making the adjustment to the “new look” of the energy-saving and longer-lasting bulbs. Slower to gain acceptance are LEDs or light-emitting diodes, as the bulb of the future. Many home developers know that the LED light fixtures, especially for outdoor lighting, are readily available, but in many cases too costly for the consumer, even though they are money-savers over a long period of time.

Those who sell LED lighting to developers and consumers also admit there is some concern over the fixtures, which are thrown out when the bulb goes out, even though this could take years. More waste in the landfill offsets the environmental benefits of the energy savings to some degree. But as these issues are ironed out, LED will eventually become a standard feature of lighting in home and commercial buildings, say the experts.

For now, however, the replacement of incandescent bulbs with CFLs is an excellent choice, especially for outdoor lighting fixtures because they are more energy-efficient and handle cold well, plus they throw out a lot of light. The key remains to keep the light pointing downward, to illuminate the human activity, rather than at an angle that wastes light and contributes to light pollution in the sky—a cause taken up by environmental activists primarily in the West Coast states.

The future of the U.S. energy supply is a topic of fierce debate in the political and business arenas, and consumer opinion is a vital component of the broader discussion about the pros and cons of various paths toward a clean energy future. According to a new survey from Pike Research, consumer support for renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, is extremely high.

In a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults, the cleantech market intelligence firm found that 79 percent of consumers have a favorable view of solar energy, and 75 percent have a favorable view of wind energy. In terms of overall support, these were the top two highest ranked areas in a survey that asked consumers about their views on 12 energy and environmental concepts. The results are summarized in a free white paper, which is available for download on Pike Research’s website, www.pikeresearch.com.

The percentages of survey respondents stating that they had either a “very favorable” or “favorable” view for each of the 12 concepts were as follows:

• Solar Energy:  79 percent
• Wind Energy:  75 percent
• Hybrid Vehicles:  64 percent
• Electric Cars:  57 percent
• Biofuels:  47 percent
• Clean Coal:  47 percent
• Nuclear Power:  42 percent
• Smart Meters:  37 percent
• Smart Grid:  37 percent
• Carbon Offsets/Credits:  24 percent
• LEED Certification:  19 percent
• Cap and Trade:  15 percent

Cap and Trade and Nuclear Power were tied in terms of the largest percentage of “strongly unfavorable” or “somewhat unfavorable” views from survey participants, each with a 19 percent unfavorable rating, followed closely by Carbon Offsets/Credits with 18 percent.

LEED Certification, the green building certification program administered by the U.S. Green Building Council, suffered from a very low level of familiarity among respondents. Fifty-three percent stated that they were unfamiliar with the program, the lowest level of familiarity of any of the 12 energy and environment concepts.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates as much as 30 percent of the energy used in a typical office is wasted. Imagine if you could put 30 percent of your energy bill in your bottom line instead of the utility’s pocket! If you pay $2500 a month for power now, you would save $750 per month if you could cut out the waste.

One of the first energy draining culprits to consider is your office hardware. Your PCs and peripherals, printers, and copiers need only be turned on during office hours. In addition, even when these units are off, they still can be drawing energy. This is called the “vampire effect,” because your equipment sucks energy and savings. Plug your equipment into Eco-surges to truly turn them off and kill the vampire effect.

As with homes, ensure that your office space is properly insulated. Consider turning down the thermostat a few more degrees in winter–everyone looks good in a sweater, after all–and up a degree or two in summer. There are more intricate ways to save. Energy audits are a quick and long-lasting means of obtaining verifiable savings. Try contacting your local utility for an audit.

If you rent, talk to your landlord about saving energy. It’s in his best interest to keep costs to a minimum and retain you as a tenant.

Do you provide bottled water for your employees? Time to get back to the tap. Invest in a 4-stage or higher reverse osmosis system. Bottled water is expensive, and there is no proof that it is any safer than tap. Transporting it via dirty diesel and unsterilized plastic is not a cost-effective nor environmentally friendly solution. Within a few months, the new water filtration system will pay for itself.

Don’t overlook the energy saving potential in your company fleet or vehicles. With the average price of gasoline now over $3.00 per gallon and heading ever higher, it’s time to outwit and outmaneuver that oligarchy called OPEC. Experiment by using a trial version of fleet software to help manage, maintain, and cut your fuel costs. We’ve all heard of carpooling, but what about delivery- pooling? How many times have you sent just a single box/pallet or two on a delivery?  Consider halving your delivery schedule and pass the costs savings on to your customers. At a time when everyone else is being surcharged for fuel, your customers can receive rebates.

For 2011, let’s implement conservation solutions and benefit from the savings.

Volunteer helping to prepare the organic pesticides. Photo by Maggie Puniewska.

The quick six: lemon grass, ginger, onion, garlic, pepper, and lemon juice. Dice. Put in blender. Voila! A homemade pesticide recipe. Because Cabanas Siempre Verde uses organic gardening methods, pesticides are no exception. “It’s actually not that much more work to use this organic pesticide,” said Marcos Garcia, founder of the organization. “Probably the most difficult part is to get all the ingredients and put them in the blender.” Even though this recipe lacks the harsh chemicals found in traditional pesticides Garcia assures they are just as effective and definitely more environmentally-friendly. Having eaten from the garden daily, I can attest that flavor was absolutely superior to that of our American grocery stores. Coincidence? I think not.

What comes in, must come out and it’s put to good use. Cabanas Siempre Verde encourages volunteers to use a compost toilet to take care of business, even though a regular toilet is provided. Sawdust is sprinkled after each visit, to mitigate the odor as well as enhance the composting process. After 4-6 months, the compost is ready to use.

“We use it for big trees as well as in the garden,” said Garcia. “It’s better for the Earth because you’re not using water and the springs are not getting contaminated.”

Eco-friendly and not at all smelly. Photo by Sonia George.