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Daily Delight: Trash Made Into Homes? It’s Happening.

by Grant Dudley April 30, 2013 2 Comments

I’ve always been a news junkie. I take time out every morning to read the headlines to learn what’s going on in the world. Frankly, I have no patience for anyone who isn’t up-to-date with world events. In my reading this morning, this “Trash Made Into Homes” story from CNN.com caught my eye. It’s a story that captures human ingenuity at its best!

Waste — what to do with it? It’s a worldwide problem that’s mounting. The city of Karachi, Pakistan produces ten thousand tons of waste every day. Much of that is non biodegradable and is burned or goes to landfills. But one local environmentalist thinks she has found the answer.

Photo From CNN International

Nargis Latif is devoting her life to protecting the environment in the most over-populated city in Pakistan (Karachi). Her project, Gul Bahao, deals with two major issues — reducing waste and an increasing need for housing.

Gul Bahao works in conjunction with local factories to collect clean waste that they simply don’t need. The waste is then used to fill up large sacks (or bricks), which are then bound together to form structures. The homes are low in cost and put up in a matter of hours.

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Daily Delight: Seven Year Pens for Earth Day

by Grant Dudley April 22, 2013 4 Comments

Turning your ordinary writing utensils into your favorite pens, the Seven Year Pen greens up your office supplies, writing up to 6.5 feet a day for 7 years (uh, can you say “hand cramp?”). Available in colorful designs and clever graphics, the best part about these pens is that they’re eco-friendly — reducing waste by increasing the barrel size inside each pen up to six times the amount in your everyday BIC.

EXTRA: Eco-Friendly Home Improvement and Building Products >>

From Seltzer Goods

Happy Earth Day!

Save on Your Energy Bill With These Tips

by Kayla Kitts April 11, 2013 9 Comments

Did you know the average family spends $2,300 per year on energy costs? Think about what you could do with that $2,300. (I, personally, would nab that Gus sectional I’ve been coveting for the past 6+ months.) Matt McGovren, brand manager for Nexia Home Intelligence, shares a few tips and tricks for saving energy and making your home a bit greener. Some are easy changes you can start today, and you’ll instantly see lower bills and more money in your pocket. Plus, each small change makes a great impact on the environment, too.

Save Money on Your Energy Bill With These Tips From HGTV's Design Happens Blog

Maintain Your Interior — About half of energy costs are spent heating or cooling your home. Installing a programmable thermostat that’s compatible with a home automation system can help reduce energy use and save money on those bills each month.

Hit the Lights — Use motion sensors to control both interior and exterior lighting. Using sensors to control lighting is perfect for busy families or anyone who can’t remember (or can’t be bothered) to turn off the lights when they’re not needed.

Don’t Be a Vampire — Appliances that are plugged in but not in use still generate electricity. In fact, vampire power is estimated to account for one percent of global C02 emissions — but it’s an easy habit to kick: just unplug. Schedule your products to only be on when needed using products that control lights and small appliances when you’re at home and away.

Stop Running — Most Americans use between 80 and 100 gallons of water a day. This Earth Day, make a pledge to conserve water by taking shorter showers and turning the tap off when you’re scrubbing your dishes.

Set Reminders — Get email or text alerts when it’s time to change your HVAC filter. Having a fresh filter keeps your system running efficiently, saving you money.

Looking for more tips and ideas? Green your home this spring with energy efficiency updates from HGTV.com.

Home Survival Skills: Have Yourself An Energy-Efficient Christmas

by Jessica Yonker December 4, 2012 3 Comments

Christmas lights are one of my favorite things about the holiday season. This year especially, I’ve been known to frantically scream out “Christmas!” every time I see a holiday light display – I’m certain everyone I know is asking Santa for an early present in the form of earplugs.

Light displays may be a warm and cozy staple of the holiday season, but there’s no getting around the fact that they cost a lot to run. If it’s been a couple of years since you replaced your light set you might be wasting energy – and therefore money.

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Daily Delight: Google Data Centers

by Grant Dudley October 30, 2012 4 Comments

This month, Google lifted the veil off its massive and beautiful data centers. These facilities are typically shrouded in secrecy because they are the brains behind tech companies.

The company has been working on building its data centers for over 10 years. Google’s centers take advantage of renewable energy and are environmentally friendly.

Google

It looks like a child’s playground, doesn’t it?

Home Survival Skills: 15 Amazing Uses for Vinegar

by Jessica Yonker October 9, 2012 11 Comments

Perhaps I’ve been influenced by my very Southern mother, or maybe it’s just from spending too much time glued to Pinterest, but I use vinegar for everything. Ev-er-y-thing. I keep all types of vinegar – white, apple cider, red wine, tarragon – stocked in my cabinets. It’s handy for cooking, cleaning, and what most of my friends refer to as “weird voodoo home remedies” (a spoonful of vinegar a day keeps the doctor away!).

Vinegar is not just for salads.

One of the best things about keeping vinegar in your home is that it’s so cheap. You can usually get a big bottle of white vinegar for under a dollar, and not too much more for apple cider vinegar. On top of that, it’s edible – no harsh toxins, no lingering chemical smell – making it the perfect cleaning solution if you have children or pets.

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Daily Delight: Box Play Stickers

by Marianne Canada July 18, 2012 9 Comments

You know the drill, you buy a kid a toy and they just want to play with the box. So why not skip a step with Box Play for Kids stickers?

box play sticker kid toy recycling

These ingenious (and frankly adorable) stickers allow you to turn your recycling into dozens of new toys, sparking your child’s creativity and lightening your trash load as well. What’s not to love about that?

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Daily Delight: Abandoned Storefront Becomes Library

by Grant Dudley July 10, 2012 7 Comments

Is your city or town littered with abandoned storefronts (while new ones are being built every day)? I’m not even a “green” person and this kind of thing drives me nuts. Why can’t retailers take over an already-established storefront now and then?

I got on that soapbox to provide insight as to why this story from Slate Magazine thrilled me. An abandoned Walmart storefront in McAllen, Texas has recently been refurbished into an award-winning public library.

McAllen Public Library
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Could You Live in a Tiny House?

by Liz Gray September 9, 2011 119 Comments

On Monday’s episode of Design Star, the three remaining hopefuls were challenged to create a functional home — complete with a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living area — all in a “tiny house” of less than 100 square feet. (See the designers’ finished homes here.) That got the team here at HGTV.com thinking: What would it be like to live in a house smaller than some people’s closets? After all, it’s a growing trend. Lili wrote a post about the micro-house movement back in February.

The kitchen and exterior of Jay Shafer’s tiny house. Photos courtesy of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.

We asked Jay Shafer, who’s been living in a tiny house since 1997. He’s also the owner of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, which builds several styles of ultra small-scale prefab homes (including the Box Bungalows used on Design Star.)

Want a peek inside his 100-square-foot home?

Party Trend: Burlap Adds Rustic Charm to Weddings + Fetes

by Kim Stoegbauer August 23, 2011 27 Comments

I love the burlap trend that I am seeing grace parties and weddings everywhere. Think beyond potato sacks and get creative! There are so many ways you can use burlap for your next gathering, whether it’s a dinner party, wine tasting, children’s party or wedding. The natural color and texture add charm to any setting. Plus, burlap is biodegradable and inexpensive.

There are a wide range of products now available for home decorating and entertaining made of burlap. Why not use a burlap runner for your dining table. This printed one is gorgeous. A simple, plain one would be great too, because you could use it everyday or for a variety of events. These embellished votive holders are simple and darling. And present your utensils beautifully in a basket dressed up with a burlap liner.

sources :: burlap table runner, votives, basket liner

When I spotted this burlap wine carrier on Etsy, I knew I had to share. I wouldn’t mind carrying this into a party at all. It’s so stylish and functional!

source :: wine carrier