It’s hard to ignore those cautionary labels (even the misspelled ones). Do we dare wash a delicate garment at home and risk ruining the texture or shrinking it beyond recognition?

Warnings are warnings, but there are exceptions to every wash ‘n wear rule.

With the help of our blog readers, writers and the experts, we have put together a list of myths we are happy to debunk to save you some precious bucks.

1. Washing sweaters will ruin the texture!

“Hogwash,” says EcoSalon’s Caitlin Fitzsimmons, whose mama passed on the tried and true method. …

Tags: air dry , conservation , cotton , detergents , DIY cleaning , dry , dry cleaning , energy , fabric , fabrics , fashion , fold , frugal , garments , hang dry , labels , recession , shrinkage , silk , sweaters , textiles , textures , warnings , wash , water , wool

8 Comments |

Link to this post |

|

Bookmark

Fighting for a hybrid in every garage is cake compared to the battle to allow an outdoor clothesline in every yard. Still,  advocacy groups like Project Laundry List are urging a return to the days before newfangled cleaning machines drained our electric bills and resources – a time when nobody flinched at the sight of a big bra or jockey shorts flapping in the wind.

Why do these soldiers refuse to fold?

The advocacy group New American Dream calculates that if every American home switched to cold water for four out …

Tags: advocacy , air drying , America , carbon , clotheslines , cold water , electricity , energy , laundry , Obama , ordinances , savings , White House

6 Comments |

Link to this post |

|

Bookmark

The Department of Energy was asleep at the wheel, but  tough new national appliance standards for 26 common household and business products during President Obama’s term could slash total U.S. electricity use by over 1,900 terawatt hours (1.9 trillion kilowatt hours) by 2030.

The savings to the consumers and businesses: Over $123 billion.

This was the findings of a report released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP). It  figures the standards will make a huge contribution to our efforts …

Tags: appliances , battery chargers , Coal , Congress , consumers , Department of Energy , electric grid , emissions , energy , furnaces , Greenhouse Gases , heaters , Obama , power plants , refrigerators , savings , standards , taxpyers , terawatt hours

1 Comment |

Link to this post |

|

Bookmark

How do I love thee? Let me count the watts!

And so it goes when betrothed to a well-meaning eco sentinel, a man on a mission to recognize the dangers and combat the plagues of global warming.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m very committed to a greener lifestyle. I write for EcoSalon (Exhibit A) and turn off the tap when brushing my teeth (Exhibit B). I recycle, compost, carpool and use bath towels at least twice before washing. I rest my case.

Still,  I never figured the “other woman” in …

Tags: biking , David Yurman , eco mania , energy , environment , flip flops , green fashion , husbands , knives , Life in the Green Lane , marriage , Neiman Marcus , organic , pinky rings , walking

13 Comments |

Link to this post |

|

Bookmark

If you want to look at the history of American energy, just consider T. Boone Pickens.

When Pickens founded Mesa Petroleum in the 1950s, he took $2500 and turned it into a three-billion-dollar oil empire. He’s Texas old school oil, currently running Dallas-based energy investment fund BP Capital. He is a close, personal friend of the Bush family, and he also funded that little Swift Boat incident that turned John Kerry into election road kill.

But then, a few years ago, something seemed to turn. Pickens is a …

Tags: alternative , energy , fuel , T. Boone Pickens , wind

Add Comment |

Link to this post |

|

Bookmark

Like many of us, I rely on the computer and internet for work and, increasingly, for pleasure. Switching it off is not really an option.

Yet, I am also concerned by the fact that the IT industry is a growing contributor to the world’s greenhouse emissions. I am trying to do my part – cutting back my usage (curbing my addiction) and not indulging my love of gadgets by upgrading to the shiniest new toys as soon as they become available.

Now I have found another solution. Click …

Tags: carbon , Click 4 Carbon , energy , impact , internet , search , social activism , web

Add Comment |

Link to this post |

|

Bookmark

Window tints are optical grade polyester sheeting with colored dye and/or metal particles embedded into its surface.

For years, homeowners have applied the film to their glass to add privacy and security to bare windows in a modern setting, and to keep expensive furnishings from fading.

But as our energy conservation needs grown, consumers find the film to be a fairly inexpensive way to add or block heat and greatly reduce their electricity bills.  According to the U.S. Department of Energy, an estimated $30 billion or more of energy is lost per year …

Tags: blinds , conservation , decor , design , eco window film , energy , energy bills , glass , glass tints , solar

Add Comment |

Link to this post |

|

Bookmark

I can’t say I’ve ever given much thought to the humble banana skin. Once I peel the banana, the skin is simply thrown into the compost. But work currently being done by scientists at The University of Nottingham has opened my eyes to the fact that it has the potential to do more than simply rot away.

Joel Chaney, a PhD student at the university, has developed a method for turning banana skins (and leaves) into fuel briquettes that could be used for cooking and heating.

The process involves using a …

Tags: banana , energy , fuel , innovation , technology

2 Comments |

Link to this post |

|

Bookmark

The U.S. is one very carnivorous nation. But what if, just for one day, everyone went vegetarian?

Well, according to a Huffington Post article by Kathy Freston, just one meat free day in the U.S. would save nearly 100 billion gallons of water, 1.5 billion pounds of crops, 70 million gallons of gas, and 33 tons of antibiotics.

Wow. All that just for eating pasta instead of pork chops. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. After all, the Livestock’s Long Shadow report, released recently by the UN, has already concluded that the …

Tags: consumption , energy , meat , sustainability , vegetarian

3 Comments |

Link to this post |

|

Bookmark