Graphic: Gift of Green Web site

For your environmentally conscious friends – or maybe, better yet, for those who still throw burning cigarettes out their car window and drive Hummers, often simultaneously — here is a truly green holiday present. You can send a friend a special seed ornament in a holiday package for around $10 and a tree will be planted in his or her honor. Check it out at the Gift of Green Web site.

Photo: Tanakawho 

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is kicking off a 13-month effort aiming to double green power purchasing among the country’s Fortune 500 companies. Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Staples, Starbucks and Wells Fargo have jumped aboard the green bandwagon, embracing the Green Power Challenge, the EPA said today. The EPA is launching the challenge to help reduce the environmental impacts of electricity use and raise awareness of green power options and build demand to stimulate the construction of new green power generation.

Photo: bitride

 If the inside of your home resembles this photo, you need help heating your home, eh? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, air leakage accounts for 20%-45% of the energy used for heating and cooling a typical home. And, according to General Electric Sealants & Adhesives, a $25 investment in four tubes of home sealant and one afternoon of work could result in hundreds of dollars of energy cost savings.
1. Determine where air is escaping: Visually check for gaps, cracks or leaks around window and door frames, in the attic and basement, anywhere building materials join, and any areas where the walls are penetrated, such as electrical and plumbing fixtures. 2. Choose the right home sealant. There are a variety of sealant options including acrylic and silicone. Silicone sealants provide an excellent seal against water and the elements because they typically do not shrink or crack and remain flexible.  Paintable silicones, such as GE Silicone II XST, provide the benefits of a silicone sealant for applications that require painting. 3. Properly apply your home sealant. Make sure that the surface you are sealing is clean and well-prepared.  Clean any dust or dirt particles with water. Do not use soap. After you have removed most of the old caulk with a blade, clean any remaining residue with a mild abrasive or rubbing alcohol. Place the sealant tube at a 45° angle to the surface.  When the sealant begins to come out of the nozzle, carefully move the tube at an even pace along the gap to be filled. Smooth the sealant and allow it to cure. More information on how to properly seal a home, including windows, doors, kitchens, bathrooms, basements and other areas, can be found online at www.gesealants.com.