chickenlittle

Good resources for emission reductions

www.thegreenguide.com This guide has in-depth product reports (on light bulbs, diapers and so on), blogs and a comfy feeling; especially good on health and nutrition.

www.dannyseo.typepad.com Mr. Seo, an eco-friendly designer, blogs about ways to greenify your home, inside and out.

www.energystar.gov Good conversion data is available here. Also, while some may find their eyes glazing over at descriptions of Energy Star-rated appliances, it’s interesting to check out differences between what you have and what’s available now.

www.aceee.org The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy offers refreshingly straightforward information for both regular folks and wonks.

www.nrdc.org The National Resources Defense Council weighs in with good policy papers on almost every aspect of the environment — air, water, cities, waste, etc.

www.stopglobalwarming.org This site lets users join the Stop Global Warming Virtual March (in about as much time as it takes to read this sentence twice). It also has consumer tips. ANDREW POSTMAN

Mercury in Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Does anyone know if  you need to be concerned with the mercury in compact fluorescent light bulbs?

I know they should be recycled when they die, but do you have to be concerned about them breaking inside your home?  Currently, I'm only using them in outdoor fixtures or interior fixtures where the bulb is well protected (like dome ceiling lights).  Most of the lights in our house, though, are standing desk lamps, and with a toddler, baby, and dog (soon?), so a bulb is bound to break at some point.

Any insight would be appreciated.

GEOFF SWIFT COMMENTS

FROM GEOFF SWIFT

-Bring your own bags to the grocery store. We've found the totes from

the Weaver Wedding to be perfect, albeit a little dorky/waspy at the

Brighton Star Market.

-High Efficiency washer and dryer. Sure, there's a cash outlay, but

they are supposed to use 17 gallons of water per load vs 40 in a usual

washer (40!!), require less soap, and dry the clothes more thoroughly

than usual washers, requiring less energy for the dryer. So, less

water, less soap, less gas/electricity (depending on dryer use).

-Don't buy a house with super high ceilings that make it impossible to

heat in the winter and cool in the summer (opps, we screwed that one

up...).