Save Money and Save the Planet

Whether you're remodeling your current home or designing a new one, you have a great opportunity to incorporate some green design principles into your space.

Kitchen: Buy ENERGY STAR qualified appliances and equipment-they are up to 40% more efficient. Check your local utility company to see if they are offering rebates on your new appliance purchase.

Carpet: 4.7 billion pounds of carpet is dumped in landfills annually because its synthetic components can't be recycled. Synthetic rugs and carpets can release harmful fumes in your home for weeks after installation. Try using carpets and rugs made from natural fibers, which can often be recycled.

Wallpaper: Look for wallpaper made from fast-growing, renewable resources or recycled paper. It takes 70-90% less energy to make recycled paper and prevents deforestation worldwide.

Paint: When painting walls, make sure you buy just enough paint to eliminate waste. Use an online paint calculator (try www.artsparx.com/paintcalculator.html) to help determine the right amount for the job.

Landscaping: Plant trees on the east and west side of your house to keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The right tree in the right place can reduce the sun's heat by 20-50%, and evergreen trees, shrubs and vines can offer natural insulation in the winter. For resources, go to www.gardeners.com and www.gardensalive.com.

Content provided by Sandra Park, Realtor: Mill Valley, CA 415-381-9696

Think globally, buy locally.

Did you know that the average distance your food travels from farm to plate is nearly 1,500 miles?  A huge amount of fossil fuel is used to transport foods such long distances, contributing to global climate change.  Even the refrigeration required to keep your food from spoiling consumes a significant amount of energy.

Consider buying from local farms or by visiting farmer's markets.  Local foods from small farms are fresher, undergo minimal processing and contain fewer preservatives than food shipped long distances.  When you shop, remember to bring reusable bags to tote your purchases.  Every year, Americans throw away 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags, and less than 1% of them are recycled.  The bags take up 1,000 years to dissolve; when they do, they leave dangerous toxins behind.  Experts say the bags also kill millions of animals every year.

Content provided by Sandra Park, Realtor: Mill Valley, CA  415-381-9696

Announcing West Coast Green 2008

The largest Conference and Expo on green building innovation will be held at the San Jose Convention Center in Silicon Valley, CA from Sept. 25-27, 2008.  Over 400 exhibits will showcase the most current residential building products and technologies in the area of affordable Green Single & Multi-family housing, CleanTech & Venture Capital, Sustainable & Values-Based Business Models.

Visit westcoastgreen.com for more information.

Celebrate Being Green at the Aquairum on Earth Day

Come celebrate being green on Sunday, April 20! EarthFest is a free outdoor festival at the Aquarium of the Bay's front plaza featuring organizations dedicated to the conservation and protection of our environment, live children's music, free giveaways, and lots of opportunities to learn more about how you can be green.


Each of the 20 exhibiting organizations will be highlighting easy "green" or earth-friendly actions that you and your family can do at home. EarthFest is a fun, free way to enjoy the beautiful San Francisco waterfront and learn more about how you can help better care for the Bay area and save our planet!


Take MUNI and get 50% off admission to Aquarium of the Bay all day on EarthFest day! Just show your MUNI pass or transfer to get a discount for being green.

Aquarium of the Bay is pleased to announce that KGO-TV will serve as the broadcast media sponsor for EarthFest. Check out the following announcement and make sure to mark your calendar for EarthFest on Sunday, April 20!

EarthFest
April 20, 2008 12:00 noon - 4:00 PM
Aquarium of the Bay's front plaza
Aquarium of the Bay

San Francisco Bay Area Aquariums -
There are 3 main Aquariums in the San Francisco Bay and surrounding areas, click on the links below to find out more information.

• Aquarium of the Bay at Pier 39
  
  
• Monterey Bay Aquarium
  
  
• The Steinhart Aquarium
  
  part of California ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

Announcing Print Green!

We are 'going green' with our printing company, Print Green! Visit our website @ www.greenprintingproducts.com for all of your printing needs. We use 100% recycled stocks and soy-based inks!

Need promotional items too? We offer a full line of organic and bamboo tee shirt and corn plastic products that are 100% biodegradeable. Have any questions? Call 415-383-9072.

Green Sense Makes Sense

It doen't take much effort to think green in some form or another. Some of you are probably making an impact without even knowing it. Any little effort you can make such as recycling plastic bags to using eco-friendly cleaning products can make a difference. FACT: Every year, Americans throw away 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags, and less than 1% of them are recycled.

Thinking in Green Fact

FACT: Based on a tree 40 feet tall, the average American employee consumes 5,000 virgin sheets of copier paper each year. One ream (500 sheets) of virgin paper uses 6% of a tree.

SF Bay Digital