How to Save on Gas

Gas prices are rising as Memorial Day, the official start of summer, approaches. So, here are some tips on how you can save money and cut down on greenhouse emissions by using less gas.

Let's start with the most obvious . . . drive less. Walk, bike, use public transit, and carpool when possible. Check with your local public transportation authorities; they often have carpooling information as well as their regular services. If you own more than one car, choose the one that gets the best gas mileage whenever possible. Make the most of each car trip by combining as many errands as you can.

How you maintain your car can have a significant impact on gas mileage. Make sure to get regular tune-ups. Stick with the recommended maintenance schedule found in your owner's manual. Keep tires properly inflated (again, check your owner's manual) and aligned. You can even improve your car's gas mileage by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. Selecting oil labeled "energy conserving" can also help.

When it's time to gas up make sure to fill the tank so you don't waste time, money, and fuel driving back to the service station for another small purchase. Never top off the gas tank though. Once the nozzle clicks off the first time the gas you're paying for is not going into your tank. Waiting until you have just a quarter tank (but no lower) can improve your gas mileage because you are carrying a lighter fuel load.

The way you drive is also important. For optimal gas mileage drive at a constant speed and avoid quick accelerations and hard braking. When there is little traffic use cruise control. You can also improve your gas mileage by 15% if you drive at 55 mph instead of 65 mph. When it comes to manual transmissions the lower the shift speed the better the gas mileage so remember to shift up early and shift down late.

Avoid idling. Turn off the engine whenever you will not be moving for a minute or more. If you're stuck in traffic or in another scenario where you can't turn off the engine, shift into neutral instead.

Keep your car light to boost fuel efficiency. Take out any unneeded items from the trunk and reduce drag by carrying items inside the car rather than on a roof rack.

On hot days seek out parking spots in the shade to reduce gas evaporation as well as your need for air conditioning. Investing in a good windshield shade will help keep your car cool which also reduces your need for AC. If you have a garage, make sure to use it to park your car. Parking in your garage helps your car stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer, reducing your need for heat, defrost, and AC. When you do use the heat or air conditioning remember to turn it off 5 minutes before you reach your destination.

If you're in the market for a new car, get only the options you really need. Optional features, such as four-wheel drive, can significantly decrease your gas mileage. Manual transmissions have better fuel economy than automatic transmissions. Get only the size of car you truly need since the bigger the engine the lower the fuel efficiency. Decide on your required model size and compare the gas mileage of cars in that category at fueleconomy.gov – the official U.S. government source for fuel economy information. Consumer Reports released its list of the most fuel-efficient cars tested just this past February.

Turning Your Yard Into a Wildlife Habitat

Whether you have a small spot on a porch or deck, a community garden lot, or acres of land, you can create a beautiful garden that provides food, water and shelter to local wildlife. Your wildlife habitat can be your own simple pleasure or you can boast a bit and encourage others around you to follow your green footsteps by becoming a certified Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation.

Here are the basics of a Wildlife-Friendly Garden:

Food. Planting native plants is the easiest way to provide the nectar, leafs, seeds, and nuts local wildlife needs. You can also supplement with elements like squirrel and bird feeders.

Water. Wildlife needs clean water to drink and bathe. If you are not near a natural water source such as a pond, lake, or wetlands, you can provide an artificial one like a bird bath, puddling areas (for butterflies), or rain garden.

Shelter. Wildlife needs a place to hide from people, predators, and bad weather. Little critters also need a place to raise offspring. Dense shrubs, thicket, rock piles, and birdhouses are a few options for shelters you can include in your wildlife habitat.

Keeping it green. Using Green Gardening practices will keep soil, air, and water clean and safe for local wildlife (not to mention you and your family).

Once you have these basic elements of a wildlife habitat, you can apply to be part of the National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat program. For $20 you get a personalized certificate, a one-year subscription to National Wildlife magazine, 10% off all NWF catalog merchandise, a subscription to Wildlife Online — Habitats (a quarterly gardening and wildlife e-newsletter), an optional press release for your local newspaper announcing your certification, your name listed in NWF's registry of certified habitats, and the opportunity to purchase a Certified Wildlife Habitat yard sign (see picture below).

Spring Clean the Green Way

Spring is here! If you're ready to throw open the windows and do some serious spring cleaning, why not do it the green way? You don't need to subject yourself to the high prices and caustic chemicals that come with so many store bought cleaning products. With a few simple ingredients like vinegar, peroxide, lemon juice and baking soda you can get your whole house fresh and clean.

Let's start with vinegar.
Thanks to its acidity, distilled white vinegar is effective at killing most mold, bacteria and viruses. Put full strength vinegar in a spray bottle to create an all-purpose cleaner you can use on glass, mirrors, doorknobs, sinks, appliances and countertops (just avoid using it on marble). Instead of harsh bathroom cleaning products use undiluted vinegar on toilets, bathtubs and showers. Add a little baking soda for extra scrubbing power. For stubborn soap residue in the bathroom or grease stains in the kitchen let the vinegar penetrate for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping clean. To eliminate residue on a showerhead mix 1 part baking soda with two parts vinegar in a bag and wrap it around the showerhead. Let it sit for at least an hour. Then remove the bag, give the showerhead a quick wipe and run the water. To keep your dishwasher clean and odor-free, fill the detergent dispenser with vinegar and run it empty once a month. Mix a cup of vinegar with a gallon of water to clean vinyl and linoleum floors.

Break out the peroxide for serious disinfecting.
Hydrogen peroxide (the 3% solution you can pick up at pharmacies and grocery stores) is a nontoxic antibacterial that kills viruses, mold and mildew. You can think of it as an all natural bleach. Anything you typically clean with bleach can be cleaned with peroxide. This includes countertops, sinks, cutting boards, bathtubs, showers, toilets and garbage pails. Simply spray it on, allow the bubbles to subside (hydrogen peroxide needs time to disinfect) and wipe. To clean and disinfect vinyl and linoleum floors mix equal parts peroxide and water to mop. No rinsing necessary. For laundry you can replace bleach with an equal amount of hydrogen peroxide. You can also soak items like toothbrushes, sponges, cleaning cloths, retainers, thermometers and loofahs in hydrogen peroxide to disinfect them. Using vinegar and peroxide together (spray with vinegar and then peroxide) creates a one-two punch that is as effective as bleach at killing bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella, but is safe enough to use on produce without so much as an aftertaste.

Clean, shine, and bleach with lemon.
Lemon juice is a fresh-smelling, all natural cleaner. You can clean non-marble countertops by wiping them with lemon juice and rinsing with water. Bleach stains on countertops, dishes, cutting boards and other surfaces by pouring lemon juice on the stain and allowing it to sit before sprinkling baking soda and scrubbing. Lemon can clean, shine and remove rust stains from solid brass (never on brass plated), copper and stainless steel. Simply sprinkle half a lemon with salt and use it as a scrubber. Continue adding salt and buffing until all stains are removed. Finish by rinsing with water and buffing dry with a cloth. Shine aluminum by buffing it with a cloth dampened with lemon juice or half a lemon. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice to dishwasher detergent for extra grease-cutting power and make easy work of cleaning the inside of the microwave by heating a mixture of lemon juice and water for a minute before wiping down the inside of the machine. To freshen up the garbage disposal toss some lemon peel into the disposal while running hot water. Mix equal parts lemon juice and water to create an all natural air freshener.

The best way to dust wood furniture is with a damp cloth. Commercial wood polishes can contain harsh chemicals and leave a very hard-to-remove residue. For an all natural polish mix two parts olive oil with one part lemon juice and apply it to your wood furniture using a soft cloth.

Lemon is also a powerful bleaching agent. To bleach white clothes soak them in half a cup of lemon juice mixed with a gallon of hot water for at least an hour. Then launder as usual. To remove rust stains from clothes, pour lemon juice on the stain and then rub in cream of tartar. Let the mixture sit until the stain disappears. Then launder as usual.

Finally, when cleaning with vinegar you can always add a bit of lemon juice to neutralize vinegar's strong scent.

Boost your cleaning power with baking soda.
Baking soda is best known for its power to deodorize. All you have to do is keep an open container of baking soda in the refrigerator, freezer or any cupboard to prevent odors.

Sprinkle baking soda on anything you want to deodorize, including (but not limited to) garbage containers, hampers, gym bags, sneakers and the dishwasher. To remove odors from carpeting or upholstery, sprinkle the area with baking soda, let stand for at least twenty minutes and vacuum. Repeat as necessary.

Baking soda's texture and absorbency make it good for cleaning, degreasing and scrubbing various surfaces. Clean and polish silver, stainless steel and chrome with a paste made of 3 parts baking soda mixed with one part water. Simply rub on the paste, rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth. Degrease dishes, ovens and other surfaces by sprinkling baking soda on the grease and rubbing with a dry cloth. The baking soda will soak up the grease making it easier to rinse messes away. To remove burnt on food, sprinkle cookware and grills with baking soda, add hot water, let soak overnight and wash as usual. To clean bathroom floors, mop with half a cup of baking soda mixed in a bucket of warm water and rinse. Clean walls and laminate furniture with a damp cloth dabbed in baking soda (the homemade equivalent of Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser). Clean toys with a solution made from 4 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in 1 quart of water. To clean stuffed toys, dust on baking soda, let it sit for 20 minutes and dust off.

Baking soda is also very effective as a stain remover. You can remove tea stains on teapots and cups by soaking stains in a mixture of ¼ cup baking soda and 1 quart warm water overnight before washing. To remove scuff marks or grease spills from floors, sprinkle with baking soda and wipe clean with warm water.

Use these all natural cleaning solutions with rags you make out of old towels and t-shirts (saving money on paper towels and reducing waste) and you’re ready to clean green!

Prefer to buy green cleaning products instead of making your own? Learn what to look for in “green” cleaning products before you buy.