It took Al Gore a few days but he eventually blamed cyclone Nargis on global wamring. Cyclone Nargis was a strong tropical cyclone that caused the deadliest natural disaster in the recorded history of Burma (aka Myanmar). The cyclone made landfall in the country on May 2, 2008, causing catastrophic destruction and at least 80,000 fatalities. Global warming? Not so fast Al!

We’re into the MANIA time on global warming so it seems.

Global warming is causing more hurricanes, more intense tornadoes, and CAT 5 cyclones- or so the story goes. But the truth is, as I’ve said before, while the carbon footprint might be larger, there are things out there in the universe that are far more capable of global warming- BIG TIME!

Ah, but back to the earth facts! What about the Greenland Ice Sheet then?

A new model of Atlantic hurricane activity for the last two decades of this century projects fewer hurricanes overall, but a slight increase in intensity for hurricanes that do occur. Hurricanes are also projected to have more intense rainfall, on average, in the future. The findings are reported in a study by scientists at NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, N.J., scheduled to be published online on May 18 in Nature Geoscience.

Tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures have increased over the past century and several studies have reported strong correlations between increasing tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures and measures of hurricane activity since at least 1950. This new study suggests that in the Atlantic basin, global warming from increasing greenhouse gases will have little impact, or perhaps cause some decrease, in tropical storm and hurricane numbers.

In fact, over the past year, anecdotal evidence for a cooling planet has exploded. China has its coldest winter in 100 years. Baghdad sees its first snow in all recorded history. North America has the most snowcover in 50 years, with places like Wisconsin the highest since record-keeping began. Record levels of Antarctic sea ice, record cold in Minnesota, Texas, Florida, Mexico, Australia, Iran, Greece, South Africa, Greenland, Argentina, Chile….etc.

What we need is more like a global warning!

John McCain admitted when battling in the New Hampshire priamry that he knew little about economics. Well, with his latest global warming rants, we now know that he doesn’t know much about global warming or cooling either. McCain badly needs to educate himself on the debate currently raging over the climate. The left wing of the party has many things going for it in this election cycle, and McCain doesn’t need to join them in the global warming “lack of knowledge”.

What’ll happen if the Pacific Decadal Oscillation turns out to be a fact, which I believe it will?

Solar system to earth! Universe to earth. Wake up!

Global warming is said to be the greatest challenge of the 21st century.

With a quarter of UK carbon emissions emanating from road transport, fleets

are at the forefront of efforts to drive down CO2.

This message was underlined by the Budget in March 2008. Alongside new carbon-based tax measures designed to raise more than £2 billion from vehicle users, the Treasury published a major report on the future for low carbon cars – the King Review.

If formally adopted by the Government, the King Review is expected to become the roadmap for

cutting CO2 emissions from passenger cars by an ambitious 30% in the next five to ten years. It

urges the Government to create a framework in which low carbon vehicle technologies can go

from ‘shelf to showroom’ as quickly as possible and where fiscal incentives and public education

create a ready market for new, low emission products.

Currently, the Government’s policy is to ‘encourage the polluter to pay.’ Drivers can expect rising

BIK taxes on greenhouse gases and higher operating costs for environmentally inefficient vehicles, for example higher congestion charges and VED. For businesses that reduce their carbon footprint there will be opportunities to take advantage of tax breaks, as well as a lower fuel bill!. For example, a fleet of 200 drivers, averaging 15,000 business miles per year produces over 700 tonnes of CO2 during a year. If the fleet reduced its annual emissions by 20%, through measuressuch as mileage reduction and buying lower-emission vehicles, it could save over 140 tonnes of CO2 (and around £60,000 in fuel purchases).

How do I know what my fleet’s current CO2 is?

Wanting to reduce your fleet’s carbon footprint is one thing, but knowing what it currently is, is

essential. Fuel cards are a powerful tool in this respect, they enable fleet operators to capture and

analyse data on CO2 emissions, worked out on the actual fuel consumption of every vehicle, and

the fleet as a whole. This gives companies a starting point, and from this, plans and targets can

be set and monitored over time.

What can I do to reduce my fleet’s carbon footprint?

There are a number of ways to reduce carbon emissions, mainly surrounding vehicle choice,

maintenance, driver behaviour and the journey taken.

By looking at each area in detail it will allow you not only to reduce CO2 but to enjoy additional

business benefits – such as a reduction in repairs, wear and tear costs, an improved driver risk

rating and a lower fuel bill.

What can my drivers do to reduce their C02

footprint?

Your drivers play a very large role in determining your fleets’ CO2 emissions. They do this through the way they drive; their attitudes and expectations; and the cars they choose.

Let drivers know that reducing CO2 is an important goal for your business, and that they are

expected to drive efficiently and avoid making unnecessary journeys. Include statements to this

effect in the fleet policy and driver handbook.

Drivers must start to realise the link between fuel consumption and C02,

it is therefore essential for them to understand and act on the following points:

Check your revs – Change up between 2000 – 2500 rpm. Revving your vehicle’s engine wastes fuel; Avoid fast getaways at the traffic lights – accelerate slowly when the light turns green. The faster you accelerate the more fuel you will consume. Avoid revving your engine before you turn it off.

Anticipate road conditions and drive smoothly – Avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking. This saves fuel, tyre wear and reduces accident rates. Drive smoothly – aggressive driving increases fuel consumption and produces more CO2. Avoid accelerating or braking too

hard – this can reduce fuel consumption by more than 10% in urban areas.

Use air conditioning sparingly – As it significantly increases fuel consumption.

Drive away immediately when starting from cold – Idling to heat the engine wastes fuel and causes rapid engine wear. Turn the engine off when you’re in a queue for a long period of time, or waiting for someone. Restarting a modern engine uses effectively no extra fuel.

Avoid short journeys – A cold engine uses almost twice as much fuel and catalytic converters can take five miles to become effective.

Avoid excess idling – Idling gets you nowhere but still burns fuel. Turn the engine off when you’re in a queue for a long period of time, or waiting for someone.

Stick to speed limits and make your fuel go further – Driving at 85 mph rather than 70 mph uses 25% more fuel. It may be tempting to drive fast over long, empty roads but fuel-efficiency drops significantly over 70 mph. Use cruise control if you have it – on major roads this helps you maintain a constant speed and, in many cases, will improve fuel consumption.

Plan your journeys – To avoid congestion, road works and getting lost.

Check your tyre pressure regularly – Under-inflated tyres are dangerous and can increase fuel consumption by up to 3%.

If you’re stuck in a jam, switch off – Cutting the engine will save fuel and stop emissions.

Plus – before you drive:

Remove roof rack when not in use – they increase drag significantly. If fully loaded, a roof rack can push up emissions by 30%. Keep your boot or back seat clear of unnecessary items that add weight to your vehicle.

Despite being the second smallest country in the world Monaco has established herself as the natural European home for many of the world’s wealthiest men and women due to her tax haven status, with many more visiting on holiday while cruising the Mediterranean for the Monte Carlo casino – and Monaco has managed to stay as a top destination by cleverly spotting and exploiting trends ahead of her competitiors.

And world class yachts and its industry has blossomed over the last ten years, with multi millionaires and billionaires buying yachts in the tens of millions of Euros price range – and when it comes to some billionaires they seem intent on buying a fleet that would put some small countries navies to shame.

The Monaco Yacht Show is part of the attraction for the super-rich, and has firmly established itself as the leading super yacht show in the world over the last fifteen years. For Monaco itself the Yacht Show is second only to the Monaco Grand Prix for visitor numbers. Combined with the Hotel de Paris and other Monaco hotels the principality has successfully secured her position as a natural environment for the wealthy to live or visit.

Monaco is showing that cuts in carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases are possible in a land of plenty, and the Monaco Yacht Show has successfully achieved carbon neutral status for the 2005 and 2006 events, with plans to repeat this for 2007, establishing itself on the map of Monaco as an environmentally friendly event.

To attain carbon neutral status last year, the organisers sponsored various projects in Europe and further afield to offset carbon emissions generated by the show.

The show paid for wind turbines In New Zealand, generating enough electricity for 45,000 homes and in Brittany France paid for a heath to be planted with chesnut and oak trees to protect water catchments and provide a recreational area, while in the USA paid for a methane capture system, reducing the amounts being emitted by some 95 per cent.

The leadership for the move to a greener State has come from Sovereign Prince Albert, who has been successfully campaigning among world leaders since his inauguration two years ago to move the environment up the political agenda, and it has brought the issue to the fore at home.

Prince Albert of Monaco signed the country up for the Kyoto Protocol shortly after becoming Sovereign, and a few months later left behind the comfort and glamour of his palace and Casino Square for the wilds of Antartica to see for himself the damage being caused to the glaciers because of global warming.

Upon his return he set up a foundation with his own money to study the impact of rising sea levels, and since then has been active in the attempts to publicise the need to cut CO2 emissions in the industrialised world.

In recent months he has met both Prince Charles and President Chirac of France to discuss global warming. Although he spent some time in the US in his early years and speaks English fluently, he hasn’t had to learn Italian and can converse with leaders the world over without the need for a translator.

Close to the Fontvieille harbour where the yacht show takes place, a new island is to be built, and the bidders have been told that a successful application must be environmentally friendly, and some proposals indicate that the island will be a floating one to avoid any disruption or damage to marine life.

With Monaco real estate the second highest priced in Europe after London, the new apartment buildings will be welcomed by the property sector as there is a very real shortage of property for new residents, forcing prices even higher. One bedroom apartments are currently exchanging owners at over a million Euros.

The environmentally friendly island will also include new hotels in Monaco, a university and possibly a museum, with the winning bidder due to be announced towards the end of the year in Monte Carlo.

Taking care of the environment has become a priority today. Many generations did not realize how large an impact people were having on the environment. Today a great deal of damage ha been wrought upon the Earth and people are looking for ways to help it heal. Many different inventions that have helped to modernize mankind have unwittingly been a detriment as well. Electric tumble dryers are no exception.

 

While they helped to speed the process of doing laundry they were also helping to add to the problem of global warming. So, what can you do to reduce the impact that you are having on the environment? By using a clothes airer you will make a big difference in the size of your carbon footprint. An airer has little to no impact since it has no emissions at all. Where the manual dryer is hard on the environment during its creation and when it is used the clothes airer has no emissions to add to the problem of global warming.

 

Another aspect to clothes airers is that many can be found that have been made from recycled materials. This can also take a great strain off of the environment by keeping the materials out of landfills and putting them to better use. The airers of today are made out of either wood, polycarbonate material, or metals all of which are highly recyclable. This means that if any were to happen to your airer it could be recycled itself.

 

Why not consider using a clothes airer and helping the environment rather than continuing to increase your carbon footprint? It is both easy to do and you can feel better about taking care of the Earth so future generations can enjoy it as well.

Cooper asked:


  Carbon footprint is one of the latest buzzwords that is used by the press and the media but it is not always explained as to what it means. Our carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide that we are directly or indirectly responsible for producing and emitting into the earth’s atmosphere.    Carbon dioxide is regarded as a greenhouse gas which when absorbed into the atmosphere in large quantities can be extremely damaging to the environment and be a contributor towards global warming. Global warming is the warming of the earth’s temperature. This may sound appealing to those wanting hotter temperatures, but it would actually be disastrous. This is because it would cause the ice caps to melt which would cause the sea levels to rise which could end up flooding a lot of land that is close to the sea.   There are many ways that we can work to reduce our carbon footprint. We can start to consider the transport that we use. Do we fly a lot? Do we drive a lot? Do we need to use these methods of transport? It could be that public transport could work just as well for us as a car. It may also be that we could take our holidays in our own country.   We can start to purchase more eco friendly products. These could be products that have not travelled long distances to reach us. Or they may offer the ability to offset the carbon that was involved in the manufacture of the product. Carbon offsetting is the process of working to negate the carbon that was emitting during a process. This could involve planting a tree or investing in a renewable energy plant.  

A Culshaw asked:


In today’s society the environment has become an important subject, we are always being asked to “do our bit” to try and reduce our “carbon footprint”. There are several options on the market to choose from if you wish to lower the impact your usage of IT has on the environment.

Firstly there are computers designed with low-power components which consume less electricity. Within the last two years a new category of PCs known as “netbooks” have gained popularity. These are small notebooks which typically include a low-power Intel CPU that consumes as little as 2.5 Watts of power. The payoff for using energy saving components is a battery life of up to 7 hours, compared to a typical laptop which will last a maximum of 2 hours; this means less plugging in to recharge and a lower carbon footprint as a result.

Due to the runaway success of these “netbooks”, PC manufacturers like Dell and Asus are now starting to release desktop variants of netbooks called “nettops”. These desktop PCs are extremely compact with typical dimensions of 22cm by 17cm and have a power consumption of around 20 Watts, which is 90% lower than a typical desktop computer.

Another option for saving energy is using a “thin client”. A thin client is a small, low-power computer which is connected to a remote server that performs the majority of processing tasks for the thin client. The server can also have software installed on it that can be accessed by the thin client; such as an office suite or accounts package.

There is also a new, revolutionary option for going green and reducing your organisation’s carbon footprint – Miniframe SoftXpand, a multiseat computing solution offered by Lucid IT Services. SoftXpand transforms a single desktop PC running Microsoft Windows XP into up to six fully independent computer workstations using standard monitors, keyboards and mice. With SoftXpand you can easily lower your organisation’s carbon footprint. Rather than having six separate workstations all requiring their own power source and generating heat, SoftXpand only requires one computer to be switched on, which reduces power consumption by up to six times.

SoftXpand is based on a simple fact; today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. MiniFrame’s Multiseat computing software SoftXpand taps this unused capacity so that it can be simultaneously shared by multiple users, spreading out the cost of the PC, and providing six times the number of seats for the same money. SoftXpand’s unique resource sharing & intelligent balancing system allows the full utilization of a PC’s power and cleverly allocates resources. Modern Video cards are equipped with a powerful Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and Video Memory (VRAM). SoftXpand uses this power and automatically balances it between the workstations according to the applications’ needs.

SoftXpand lowers electricity consumption drastically; a single SoftXpand machine will use 1/6 of the electricity of six standard PCs – which helps to reduce your electricity bills and carbon footprint. As a result of these lower power requirements, it also generates less heat; a single SoftXpand machine will produce 1/6 of the heat of six machines – meaning you won’t need to turn on the air conditioning as often. And when the system reaches the ends of its useful life, only one PC will need to be replaced instead of six and less hazardous computer equipment will end up in landfill.

For more information on MiniFrame SoftXpand, visit http://www.luciditservices.co.uk/green

Catherine Harvey asked:


Thanks to their efficient dynamics programme, BMW have been declared the cleanest premium cars. Research has been conducted into Co2 emissions across the industry and data shows that this particular manufacturer have made the biggest improvements in environmentally friendly vehicles that maintain excellent performance.

Working on averages for the first half of 2008, BMW were found to be emitting an average 161.64g/km. Compare this to the 177g/km from Audi and 192g/km from Mercedes, this is a pretty good standard. BMW’s improvements have shown to equal 11.34 percent whereas Lexus showed only a 2.14 percent improvement and Jaguar a pretty poor 2.04 percent.

An average output of 161.64g/km is a good average but by no means typical. The BMW 1 Series 118d emits a mere 119g/km, bringing it under the 120g/km that is required to avoid the London Congestion Charge. With 143hp this makes it the top performing car in such a low emissions category. The congestion charge was introduced to encourage people to purchase cars that were more eco-friendly. It currently stands at 8 pounds per trip but the Government have plans to increase this to 25 pounds for the extreme gas guzzlers.

Some researchers have claimed that driving a car that has low emissions can save you up to 400 pounds per year. This is surely changeable. Cheaper road tax, freedom from congestion charges and lower fuel costs all mean financial savings.

Co2 emissions are worked out by putting a car on a rolling road. Varying road conditions are simulated and the Co2 emitted is measured in grams per kilometre. This doesn’t take into account car weight or drag and is therefore not entirely accurate but at the moment, it’s the best thing we have.

The general thinking is that the larger the size of the engine, the higher the emission levels will be. More oxygen is needed to burn more fuel to provide the car with the extra power needed for it’s bigger engine. But people still demand powerful cars with bigger engines. They like the luxury that this brings but it also comes with a high price, not just in fuel but to the environment. So, the onus is on car manufacturers to come up with the most powerful engine possible that releases the least pollution.

This is where BMW have been working hard. They are responsible for 48% of the Co2 reduction in the car industry over the last twelve months and that’s some statement. If all car manufacturers could reduce their carbon footprint by 48% then the world would be a cooler place.

There has been much debate over the years as to just how much harm Co2 does to our environment. People are reluctant to believe that our cars are so heavily responsible when you look at the emissions of airlines and large factories. However, we cannot do much about them. He can be responsible for our own part and while there are cars on the market that produce lower levels of pollutants then we have a responsibility to do what we can. If, at the end of it, it hasn’t helped that much then the larger industries and airlines will simply have to reconsider their part in it.

The world has opened up thanks to modern technology and there is virtually nothing that is inaccessible. To this end, people will not stop flying. To put extra tariffs on flying because of the carbon footprint doesn’t stop the emissions having an effect, it just makes it more expensive for the consumer. Not many people take regular flights simply because they enjoy flying, it’s more out of necessity.

The same applies to cars. We won’t stop using them, we just end up paying more for the privilege. If manufacturers and consumers come together on this at least we can do our bit, thus bringing down the inevitable charges that the Government will bring on us.

Jo-Ro Haffenden asked:


As more of us begin to worry about our carbon footprint, employers and householders are increasingly realising that “sustainability” is becoming a very hot topic, both in the working environment, and the home.

Mark Austin, Marketing Director for leading home improvement specialists Hazlemere Windows, Doors & Conservatories says: “This is a subject that is growing in importance to employers. Thinking more about the future today is now an essential part of the planning process for businesses, as it can affect staff productivity, if the right impression is not given in the workplace.”

As Mark says, “with the majority of us in the UK being householders we all realise the importance of protecting the environment for future generations, but thinking “green” at work will improve a company’s image, reduce its operating costs and impact positively on productivity with a happier, healthier workforce. Plus there is 100% enhanced capital allowance in the first tax year on investments in energy saving equipment.”

Some simple steps can help greatly with reducing energy usage. By using high efficiency fluorescent lights, more of the consumed energy is converted to usable light and less to heat, which also means less work for air conditioning units. Dimmable and individual controls help to reduce unnecessary usage, or consider automatic switching by movement sensor in open plan areas where practical. You can also lower energy use by making the most of the natural light available, rather than relying totally on artificial lighting.

Having well insulated windows and doors can make a vast difference to premises as each part of a window and/or door contributes to its overall insulation, dependent on their quality, design of the seals and the thermal performance of the frames and type of double glazed unit.

A building prone to heat gain can reduce reliance on the cooling system with the use of specialist paints. You could always go literally “greener”, the right trees and shrubs outside can provide shade for a building where heat gain is a problem and of course indoor plants aids air purification. Often overlooked but an effective measure is to simply check your systems’ timers are adjusted to the optimum for how the building is actually used.

Windows and doors that have the largest expanse of glass will naturally allow more light into the home and workplace, and therefore benefit the most from “solar gain”. Heat gained in this way reduces reliance on central heating, reducing both costs and emissions.

Last year Hazlemere Windows, Doors and Conservatories became the first company in the UK to design, manufacture, supply and install a dual frame aluminium window system that achieved an ‘A’ Window Energy Rating from the Energy Saving Trust, who estimate that up to 20% of energy lost through un-insulated homes is through windows.

Hazlemere’s Eco-friendly windows are made from aluminium which has a positive environmental effect. Apart from having a long life in use, once aluminium reaches the end of its life it can be infinitely recycled. Recycling aluminium uses just 5% of the energy needed to produce the original material, plus the finished product has all of the same qualities as the original, so can be recycled time and again.

Pilkington manufacture a self-cleaning glass which is excellent for the environment, as only small amounts of cleaning agents are ever needed. This highly efficient self-cleaning glass called “Pilkington Activ” can be combined with other glass products in insulating glass units to provide benefits such as thermal insulation, noise reduction, solar control and fire protection.

Other ways to reduce your carbon footprint include fitting washrooms with efficient low flush toilets, reduced flow taps and sensor taps to save on water consumption. Purchase energy efficient kitchen equipment as appliances are replaced and even simpler; avoid overfilling kettles when preparing tea and coffee. Ensure any furniture you purchase is hardwearing and easy to maintain to ensure longevity plus do your bit for the environment/ those less fortunate by donating unwanted furniture, IT equipment and appliances to charity. So don’t be mean “go green”.

Jess Ray asked:


mmon misconception that living green is more expensive than not. But, if you look at it from a different perspective you can see that you can do so with out too much effort of with out spending a lot of money.

I have found 5 simple tips to help contribute to reducing your carbon footprint without lightening your wallet…

1. USE COMPACT FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS – This is an item that is a little pricey but if you attempt it bit by bit or room by room its not as hard on the wallet. Focus on rooms that get the most use : living room, kitchen, family room or office.

In the beginning, pay attention for a day or two to find which room you spend the most time in and change those blubs. Then try to find the second most used room and when you can afford it change out those bulbs.

Its all about small steps that in time can be very effective. Here are some statistics I gathered from the Energy Star website:

If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. ENERGY STAR qualified bulbs use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb’s lifetime. CFL’s Produce about 75 percent less heat, so they’re safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling.

2. UNPLUG ELECTRONICS WHEN NOT IN USE – This tip is a great way to save energy usage that essentially costs you no more than a bit of time.

I’m sure we all have some appliances that are plugged in and are drawing electricity even though we are not using them.

Do you shut your computer down every night? Do you have a clock in every room? Do you have a VCR or DVD player with a clock and memory to maintain?

Did you know that even if your TV is off it is still drawing electricity to power a memory device? Coffee makers are another culprit.

A good rule or thumb is to ask yourself what appliances need to be re-set after a power outage. These are items you need to address. If you’re not sure if an appliance is an energy sucker, just unplug it. If its not plugged in, it can’t draw electricity.

3.USE CLOTH SHOPPING BAGS – This is one of the easiest tips I have for you. You would be astonished at how many folks don’t do it.

My suggestion is to buy a few and keep them in the car (I have a knack for forgetting them). Most supermarkets have displays of them for $1.99 with a lower price if you buy more than 3 or 5.

Not a big investment and I have to say it makes unloading the groceries much easier. It is so nice to have 2 nice strong bags instead of a dozen flimsy plastic ones and you can get everything into the house that much faster.

Here are some great facts I found about plastic shopping bags:

* Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine mammals die every year from eating discarded plastic bags mistaken for food. * Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photo-degrade – breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways.

* As a part of Clean up Australia Day, in one day nearly 500,000 plastic bags were collected.

* Windblown plastic bags are so prevalent in Africa that a cottage industry has developed using the harvested bags to weave hats and bags. According to the BBC, one group harvests 30,000 per month.

* Plastic bags are among the top 12 items of debris most often found in coastal cleanups, according to the nonprofit Center for Marine Conservation

4. USE NATURAL CLEANING PRODUCTS – Now don’t go and throw out all of your cleaning products, that would defeat what we are trying to do. Use up what you have and before you run out, go through this list, stock up and prepare your solutions so you’ll be ready to go.

I would advise to purchase some new plastic spray bottles rather than try to reuse the old ones from the other cleaners, there will be some residue left behind that would require a lot of rinsing to remove.

I don’t use everything on this list but I do use a lot of white vinegar and baking soda as well as some commercial enviro-friendly products that I purchase from a reputable company.

Baking Soda – Baking soda is a great all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. It cleans, deodorizes, scours, polishes and removes stains. (Note – There’s a great article on this site about baking soda, “The Manifold Magic of Baking Soda”)

Borax – It deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. It prevents odors and mold too. Great alternative for those who do not want to use bleach.

Cornstarch – cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs, and can be used in place of baby powder.

Ketchup -cleans copper.

Lemon juice – great for whitening items and removing grease and stains on aluminum and porcelain.

Pure Soap – cleans almost anything and is mild.

Salt – regular table salt makes an abrasive, but gentle, scouring powder.

Washing Soda – A great disinfectant and cuts grease well too.

White Vinegar -great for whitening, cleaning hard surfaces and windows, and shining metal surfaces. Also removes mildew, stains, grease and wax build up

For even more helpful and natural cleaning products go to www.frugalfun.com/cleansers.html

5.STOP USING PAPER TOWELS – This is a tough one when you have little ones, I know, but I found some great alternatives.

Cloth napkins are one way to at least cut back on paper towel use and if you bargain shop you can usually find some decent ones for less than .50 a piece.

Another great product is those chamois style towels that suck up so much liquid. I have a bunch and love them, they wash up easily and hold up well too.

James Bratley asked:


Over recent years, society has been exposed to the idea of the carbon footprint. The carbon footprint is a measure of carbon dioxide emissions from an individual, family, or business over a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly time frame. People who lead very busy lifestyles tend to have a greater carbon footprint due to the transport and power consumption they require.

With global warming predicted to rise over the next century, some people are attempting to offset their carbon footprint in a bid to lead more environmentally friendly lifestyles. Some of the methods involved with reducing a carbon footprint are explained below.

Some famous and/or wealthy people decide to commission large plantations of new trees once a year according to their estimated carbon footprint. The idea behind this relates to the trees allowing the absorption of the same (or near enough) amount of carbon dioxide in the following year.

With hybrid cars becoming ever more popular, and city’s becoming increasingly congested, many more people are opting to purchase a hybrid car which is perfect for inner city areas.

Some of the most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint start at home, and don’t cost a penny, in fact, some of these methods can save you money and are explained below.

Many households nowadays use too much energy in heating, and just turning your thermostat down by one or two degrees can not only reduce the amount of energy you consume, but reduce your heating bills quite considerably.

Another good example of the simple energy saving methods that start at home is the well known stand-by technique. All appliances when not in use should be turned off at the wall. This will save you money on your electricity bill and allow you to lower your carbon footprint in a very effective way.

We have discussed the very basic methods in reducing a carbon footprint. If you are looking for alternative energy saving techniques, you may find some by searching the energy content at the following website on natural energy