In this tight economy, businesses are increasingly looking for ways to cut operational expenses and provide service to their customers. One area that offers opportunities to save now is lighting for your offices and buildings.

Starting in January 2012, all lamp technology sold in the U.S., including both incandescent and compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) will be required to meet efficiency requirements set by the Energy Independence Security Act.

Currently most incandescent bulbs do not meet these requirements leaving room for the growing CFL market to brighten. A money-saving and environmentally friendly way to do so is to start to convert your building's lighting to CFLs.

According to Energy Star,each CFL bulb installed saves an average of $5.41 in energy costs, 51kilowatt hours and 78 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year. The number of CFL shipments has grown tremendously from 21 million lamps in 2000 to 397 million lamps in 2007.

Below are some tips from testing and certification organization CSA International on what to look for when purchasing CFLs:

1. Choose only a CFL that is certified by a nationally recognized testing and certification organization to ensure it has been tested and certified to the applicable standards for safety and performance. A certification mark should appear on both the product and the packaging.

2. Choose an Energy Star qualified CFL to ensure it will provide the greatest amount of energy savings.Energy Star Qualified CFLs also have a minimum two-year warranty.

3. Choose the bulb that best suits the fixture. CFLs with globes are available in various sizes and shapes to fit most fixtures. They look similar to traditional incandescent bulbs and may look better in fixtures with exposed bulbs.

4. Determine how much light is needed. Check you fixture to ensure the light is the proper size and wattage. Light output is described as"brightness" and is measured in lumens.

The chart below shows the energy use in watts of an incandescent light compared to the energy use of a standard CFL for the same amount of brightness.

 

        

   
The Solar Wild Grass is a great product to bring a unique lighting effect to your landscape. We put the lights in place just over 6 weeks ago and are pleased with the consistent performance and overall quality of the product. After initially charging the grass for 1 full day, the lights have received enough sunlight  each day to provide hours of  lighting in the evening hours.

The fiber design of the grass allows you to shape the grass into the shape of your choosing, even tying multiple strands together to create a bouquet.


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This was one of our most anticipated product tests. We decided to test the Looflighter during a tailgate event to light the charcoal and flavor kindling for a smoker grill. Following loading of the charcoal, the Looflighter was plugged into a nearby power source. By holding the end of the Looflighter within a few inches of the charcoal for around 4:30 minutes, we began to see the whitening of the edges of the charcoal. Within minutes several briquettes were lit and the smoker was up and going, without the us of any lighter fluid or and other accelerant. Several hours into the process, it was noted that several coals were not lit and the strength of the fire was decreasing. We were able to point the Looflighter at the unlit charcoal. This would traditionally be an issue once a fire is in progress, but with the Looflighter this posed no problem and the test was a complete success.

Please note that that the Loofligther comes with a 10" cord, so the need for an extension cord may be necessary depending upon distance from a power source. The Looflighter would also be a great tool for lighting fireplace or chiminea  fire.


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The Smart Faucet product test has been an ongoing trial to realize the effectiveness of the product. Out of the box, the installation of the Smart Faucet took less than 4 minutes. 

Almost immediately, it was evident that the the amount of water used was reduced when brushing teeth, washing hands and shaving. This was especially evident as children utilized the faucet.

The Smart Faucet is a water conservation device that eliminates nearly all water waste at the faucet. After installation the Smart Faucet, no water will run down the drain unused and wasted. The Smart Faucet is a perfect tool for water conservation. 


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Product Test: ShowerTimer

If you're interested in a way to reduce your water and power bill, a shower timer is a simple way to start saving with little to no effort. Showers times in the US tend to range from 8 to 10 minutes. Since 40% of the electricity use in homes is dedicated to water heating, a family can easily save over $100-$125 year by reducing the average shower time by 2 minutes.

For our test we placed the cute little Shower Timer (shown in picture) in a shower area utilized by multiple children. Prior to conducting our test, we estimated that the average shower was 9 – 11 minutes.We set the timer for 6 ½ minutes, which we felt would be an attainable goal.The showers ran over time the first few times, but after while they got use to the watching the timer and it became a fun game. Mission accomplished and we will save money along the way. Our next goal will be to try to reduce shower time to 5 minutes.

Note: Not only is this device a timer, but a fully functional digital clock. The product can be programmed up to 99 minutes and 99 seconds and can be programmed for as little as 1 second.  The alarm sound was very audible and easy to hear over the shower noise.  In addition to the yellow duck, the timer is available in a green turtle, blue shower drop, green house, blue star at www.greenlivingeveryday.com.

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Along with fuel efficiency, water conservation, and reduction in meat consumption, home composting is one of the most environmentally beneficial activities of modern society. Yard and food wastes make up approximately 30% of the waste stream in the US. Not only does composting successfully divert a significant portion of your family's waste stream from the landfill and water treatment facilities, it is a natural method of recycling organic materials into valuable humus.

        

Welcome to the Green Living Everyday blog! Our blog is designed to be a link between the store, the eco awareness community and  resources that provide for valuable information for living more wisely. While the focus of this blog will be to introduce information from a variety of great contributors, it will also serve as a platform for our community to share information.

Check back often as we will continue to feature guest contributors across many social and eco-conscious backgrounds.


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