Got a greenie on your shopping list this year, someone who’s yearning for a composter or a bat house? Here are a few gift ideas for the newly minted or entrenched ecoist.

A Chlorine Filter for the Shower.

Rainfall Showerhead filters out the chlorine and other chemicals

Give the gift of soft skin and hair with this High Output SHower Filter. It will collect the chlorine from your city water before it gets a chance to dry your skin, and seep into your pores. It can be used  with your own low-flow shower head, which some people are quite attached to. Buy a replacement filter when you order and you’re covered for two years.

Or get a spa-like Rainfall Showerhead with a built in filter, a gift of luxury and good health, it contains a filter to get out chlorine and a variety of other chemicals and meets federal guidelines for 2.5 gpm.

($58 and $78 at Gaiam, respectively.)

Envirocycle Composter

Envirocycle composter

Even the earthiest among us can get discouraged composting giant mounds of earth and grass that have to be turned with a pitchfork. This spinning Envirocycle Composter makes it easier to collect and reprocess  organic matter. Instead of grappling with a mountainous mass, you just spin. Not only can you produce fine compost, this contraption collects compost tea in the the base. The tea makes a great foliar treatment, and the solid compost can be spread on flower and veggie beds at any time. This particular composter may not accommodate a large household, but can handle conservative amounts of organic waste from the kitchen. It could be used in tandem with a compost pile. Enclosed it helps keep odor down, and it’s reasonable. ($126.50 at Greenfeet.)

Let’s shop green without being obvious about it, OK? You can, you know. There are many ways to tweak the holiday list this year to skew it toward recycled, socially conscious, energy-conserving goods. Of course, we don’t like to advocate lots of consuming. We definitely don’t buy that theory that it’s our patriotic duty to purchase our way out of the recession.

On the other hand, we are going to exchange gifts this holiday season. With that in mind, here are a few humble suggestions for keeping it green (and affordable), subtly.

A TOASTER OVEN

Black and Decker CTO6301 Convection Toaster Oven

Mom, dad, a kid on her way to college. Lots of people can appreciate the utility and electricity savings of a Toaster Oven. Did you know that the average 1500 watts used by a toaster/convection oven is less than half, or even more, than that used by a full-size oven? How many times have you heated the entire oven just to warm rolls for dinner? Or to bake a couple ramekins of dessert? Or broil a tuna melt? Or brown a small brushetta?

Turn that big oven off, and use a tool that’s sized-right for the job. That’s the very sound idea behind this “smart” appliance. There are dozens to choose from. The Black & Decker one shown here can be had at Amazon and other stores for around $60. It gets good reviews for durability, space and function.

THE WOVEL

THe wovel uses see-saw action to shove snow.

This goofy looking simple machine just might keep some snow blowers off the road. It’s unique enough to keep the relatives marveling about the weird gift Aunt Sally got Uncle Mel, but it’s got it’s serious side: It powers through snow without using fossil fuels.  More importantly to most users, it makes the job of shoveling the white stuff, pound per pound, easier. Easier on the back, mainly, because the motion of pushing and then “throwing” the snow engages leg and arm muscles.

We don’t actually have one, and we wonder if it’s quite as easy as it looks, but the see-saw action does appear to take a load off the back, a victory over bending, raising and twisting to shovel snow the old-fashioned way. The Wovel has made several YouTube appearances since being named on Time’s Best Inventions List in 2006. Check out this video by a convinced user.

It is expensive for a shovel ($119.95 retail), but it solves a problem, without adding another pollution-spewing machine to the household arsenal.

RECYCLED TIRE WALLET

Recycled Tire Wallet made by artisans in El Salvador

Number three on our list is black, but so very green. This completely recycled, vegan friendly wallet is made from discarded tires. But it looks so much like the standard leather version we thought it would qualify as a green gift that doesn’t stand out as different. Each 9 x 3.5 inch wallet has a slot for money and six slots for credit cards, just like you’d expect. A Fair Trade artisan group in El Salvador makes these wallets, helping provide jobs and living wages in their community. You can buy it ($30)  through the GreenHeartShop in Chicago, at their online store.

Green Heart helps promote artisan craft goods, clothing and food from around the world and in the U.S.

In Omaha, Neb., Travis Freeman is a bit of a local Christmas legend. Not only does he own and operate Brite Ideas Decorating – which specializes in both commercial and residential seasonal lighting – but he also is known for his efforts in putting together the Salvation Army’s  Tree of Lights, a big part of the local holiday landscape.

Omaha's Tree of Lights uses LEDs (Photo: Brite Ideas Decorating)

Christmas, of course, isn’t a famously “green” time of year, unless you are talking about the trees we cut down or the currency that seems to fly endlessly out of our wallets and purses. The spirit of the season almost insists that we throw caution (and energy) to the wind when it comes to fancying-up trees and winning the arms race on outdoor decorations.

For years, the Salvation Army was no different.

“When we had our tree outside the Crossroads Mall, Travis used incandescent lights on real evergreen trees offered each year by local residents…not very green!” recalls Susan Eustice, Divisional Director of Publications and Communications for the Salvation Army. “Travis encouraged us to think a bit more green…”

That process started about five years ago, when Freeman began to dabble in new kinds of lighting. This year, he may have outdone himself.

The 2009 Tree of Lights, made of metal, weighs more than 6,000 pounds, stands 75 feet tall, and will be illuminated by 55,000 lights and 100 starbursts. The 10-foot base features an additional 16,000 red and green lights, and the tree is topped by a star illuminated with another 2,500 lights.

An electric bill only Warren Buffett could afford?

Hardly. Freeman’s creation is built entirely with LED (Light Emitting Diode) bulbs. By his estimate, this year’s tree will use about 90 percent less energy than a similar display using traditional incandescent lighting.

“It takes about one-tenth the energy to run LED lights as it does incandescent lights,” he said. “It used to take 180 amps to run that tree. Now, the whole thing draws about 19 amps.”

When you go shopping for lights this season, you’ll find no shortage of LEDs vying for your attention, sitting on shelves right next to their incandescent brethren. Those boxes will tout savings of 80 percent or more over the older technology, an environmentally-friendly edge that could take some of the sting out of those post-holiday bills. Claims that the lights will burn twice as bright and last up to 20 years are pretty attractive, too.

The catch: A significant difference in your up-front costs.

Outdoor LED multi-colored lights

During an early November visit to a local home and garden store, we priced the incandescent mini lights we’ve used on our outdoor display in recent years against similar LEDs. A string of 100 incandescents  on a 25.5 foot length were offered at $4.99. A string of 60 warm white LED minis (20.33 feet) came in at $14.99.

Bottom line:  Making the switch is the “green” way to go on several fronts, but you’ll have to part with considerably with more cash up front to do so.

Bottom line 2: If you can pony up that cash, you’ll probably get your money back over the long haul…and maybe save yourself some other aggravations in the process.

Most folks are accustomed to trudging to the store in November after discovering that a significant number of last year’s strings mysteriously passed away in a closet, basement, or attic. And anyone who has known the joy of seeing that middle string on the tree burn out after the ornaments, tinsel, etc., have been added can appreciate the prospect of more dependable, longer-life lights.

While acknowledging the cost, Freeman says he is finding more and more customers willing to dig a little deeper on the short end.

“It’s an easier sell, because people are keeping their lights. They’re not throwing them away; they’re taking better care of them. With the old ones, they’d buy new lights every year. It’s not even worth it to keep them.”

Mindful of the price gap, some retailers are offering creative incentives. From Nov. 5-15, The Home Depot offered customers a $3 credit on old or broken strings (up to five redemptions) toward purchase of LED lighting. Online retailer HolidayLEDs.com offers a 15 percent discount for shoppers who send in their old strings to be recycled.

For those unfamiliar with the new kids on the illumination block, LEDs are a type of semiconductor that generates light when an electric current passes through positive and negative materials. Different colors and efficiency levels result from altering the composition of those materials. Early on, LEDs found applications in traffic lights, DVD players, cell phones and other electronic devices. Ongoing improvements in the technology are allowing LEDs to expand into new markets.

Today, LEDs seem to be leapfrogging compact fluorescent lights (CFL) as the next significant change in lighting technology. More than a year ago, lighting giant Philips announced it was shifting its focus from CFL to LED moving forward. Others seem to be following suit.

“We know the cost will come down and the technology will improve,” Kevin Dowling, vice president of innovation at Philips Color Kinetics, told the San Jose Mercury News.

While making the monetary commitment to LEDs can be a difficult call for the average consumer, manufacturers find themselves in a quandary as well.  Conventional business has been based on the assumption that customers need to replace bulbs regularly. Philips and others must weigh the advantages of cutting costs with the knowledge that better bulbs mean less frequent sales.

And, like hybrid cars, LED lighting is cutting edge, with all the good and bad that implies. Both have clear advantages, with a few bugs yet to be worked out.

Angel LED light (Photo: 1000Bulbs.com)

“The one thing, and it’s getting better, is the colors,” Freeman says. “Particularly with the whites and warm whites, it’s getting consistency. The reds, the blues, the greens are definitely better.”

Good enough that the citizens of Omaha will be getting an eyeful this holiday season.

“It’s an amazing tree,” Freeman says. “Every year, more and more people are attracted when we light it.”

This year, they’ll be seeing more than colors and holiday cheer. They might just be getting a glimpse of Christmas Future, too.

Copyright © 2008 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

Cobalt Chopsticks by TiStix

You’ve gotten rid of your plastic water bottle. You turn down polystyrene to-go containers.  You ask for local fruit and you only drink Fair Trade coffee.

What’s left to help lower your dining-out carbon profile?

Reusable titanium chopsticks.

Alan Folts’ colorful and gracefully turned titanium “TiStix” chopsticks are made from surplus titanium; they’re durable dining tools that help save a surprising amount of wood.

Disposable chopsticks use up some 25 million trees annually just in China, where residents might use and discard a couple sets of disposable chopsticks every day.

Make that 45 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks that the Chinese alone use every year, adding up to 1.7 million cubic meters of timber or 25 million full-grown trees, according to an account in the The Independent.

Apparently those little wooden sticks could probably be stacked to the moon when you consider a globe of billions of people all hungry for the Happy Family combo dinner (or sushi or Asian fusion or Thai dishes). After reports about the horrific toll on forests created by consumable chopsticks came out about three years ago, China actually began taxing chopsticks in 2006.

Still, the problem is far from solved. Add to China the other Asian countries where chopsticks are the norm, and the Western world, which has a big appetite for Asian food, and you’ve got a needless deforestation issue.

TiStix in rainbow colors

Folts’ idea for a more lasting product predated the fuss over the snap-and-use disposable chopsticks (which we’re still using, why?). He took up a challenge on the Internet to make them out of titanium back in 2003.

His custom-made chopsticks are pricier than some reusable chopsticks, such as those made with plastic  or finished wood. But they’ll likely last a lot longer too. They are made from surplus titanium that’s recyclable, though the metal artist hopes that his TiStix will become family heirlooms (why recycle something that remains usable?).

Buy them online ($65 retail) from Folts’ shop in Greenville, N.C..

And don’t think these are the only high-end chopsticks, Robbe and Berking produce a set made from sandalwood and silver. These are also made for the ages, though they’re not so green.

For a more affordable, though still perishable option, you can find an array of reusable chopsticks made from renewable bamboo at online stores.

Stainless steel chopsticks are reusable and functional, but without the gift appeal of TiStix.

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

From Green Right Now Reports

The EPA announced today it has revised the qualifications for televisions to achieve the Energy Star label, requiring TVs to be 40 percent more energy efficient than conventional models.

The new requirements raise the bar on how energy efficient a TV must be to earn the Energy Star label.  They require TVs to use less energy when turned on, ensure a satisfactory level of brightness and curb power associated with downloading program guide data. The EPA says this will translate to greater savings for consumers and the environment.  If all televisions sold in the United States met the new Energy Star requirements, Americans would save $2.5 billion annually in energy costs while reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the emissions of about 3 million cars, the agency says.

Televisions meeting EPA’s new, more stringent Energy Star specifications will be available in stores nationwide starting May 1, 2010.

With more than 19 million TVs with screens larger than 40 inches expected to ship to American homes in 2010, these Energy Star requirements will offer important savings in larger size TVs.  For example, the new requirements for 46- and 50-inch TV models will deliver almost 50 percent savings over conventional models of the same size.

When it comes to clogged drains, it’s been a struggle to find an effective alternative to the many harsh chemicals that most people rely on to break up trapped debris. But a Houston company has developed a product that is brilliant in its simplicity and has the added benefit of being as green as you can get where brownish goop is involved.

The PermaFLOW Self Cleaning Drain by PF WaterWorks has already won the Best of What’s New Award from Popular Science. It replaces an existing P-trap — that curved section of pipe just below your sink — with an improved version that has been engineered to eliminate the need for secondary maintenance products and procedures such as plunging, caustic drain cleaners and messy drain dis-assembly.

We installed one in about 10 minutes and found it to be easy and effective. The PermaFLOW has a couple of unique characteristics that are hugely helpful. The first is that it is made of clear plastic, which allows you to actually see the problem you have or — more importantly — see the problem that you are about to have. Second, the device includes a swiper that you turn with a knob, which helps you sweep through debris before a major clog can occur.

These are improvements that are “duh” obvious and yet no one else appears to have re-thought the classic P-trap in this innovative way. (PF WaterWorks has a patent on the design).

Created by two serial inventors who are happy to remain behind the scenes, the PermaFLOW has one other critical design detail. “The shape of the plastic generates significant turbulence and actually pushes debris out, so you don’t have any debris settling in the trap area,” says Sanjay Ahuja, vice president of PF WaterWorks.

He also points out that the design works particularly well with low-flow faucets, something that most environmentally-aware consumers eventually get around to installing.

And while we were unabashedly impressed by how well the PermaFLOW works, Ahuja says he gets fan mail and calls for the new product all the time.

“I had a woman who called me from the West Coast and she said, ‘I want to order two more of these. One for me and one for God,’ ” says Ahuja, laughing.

The PermaFlow is available for $29.95 through Amazon.com. You also can buy directly from the PermaFLOW site. Ahuja says Home Depot is rolling it out in select stores and he expects it will be available through most major home improvement retailers by early 2010.

Related video:

View a demonstration of the PermaFLOW:

Still using paper coffee filters? You might be stuck with a caffeine habit, but getting rid of those disposable coffee filters is easier than you may realize.

Permanent filters made of stainless steel mesh (and typically gold colored) can serve for many years. So can filters made of hemp, the same fiber used to make ropes and more recently, a raft of other items from T-shirts to washrags. Hemp is tough and these filters promise to last for years also.

We bought one from Cusp Natural Products, a family-owned Washington company that began making a few hemp items in the 1990s and today finds itself making hot pads, dog toys, baseball caps and even iron board covers from hemp fabric.

We like supporting Cusp because their products are made from a renewable source and constructed in the USA. Their coffee filters are available in all sizes (#2, #4 and #6) and help us reduce throw-away products, like paper coffee filters. We discovered Cusp products at the Twin Cities Green store in Minneapolis. But since we live in Dallas, it’s good to know we can find them online.

If you want to compare coffee filters, try The Find shopping search engine, where a search for “Reuseable Coffee Filter” pops up dozens of options in cotton, hemp and stainless steel. We like the fiber products, but know people who swear by the durable mesh baskets. So check them all out. (One key to good coffee, aside from buying quality beans and keeping the grinder sharp, is to keep the basket and all other parts clean. We use Coke. Its acid eats up residue and it doesn’t leave the next batch of coffee tasting funny, like vinegar does. (This whole process does wonderful double duty as a cautionary tale with kids, demo’ing what happens to their teeth when they drink colas.)

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

If you’re ready to turn over a new, green leaf this school year, there are plenty of opportunities to go eco-friendly, from recycled paper and pencils to lunch boxes and sandwich wraps made of recycled PET plastic. Compared to last year, there are more green school supplies now available and more stores are carrying them. Here’s our guide to some of the basics you be looking for:

Binders: These New Leaf binders are made from recycled paper, not plastic, so they will degrade after use. They are available in 1 inch and ½ inch. We like the reasonable price. Find them at BuyGreen.com. Or look for Terracycle Eco-Binders in 1-inch and 2-inch ring sizes at Office Max.

For report binders, try these 30 percent recycled versions at Office Depot.

Paper products are getting unquestionably more environmentally sensitive. With even big name brands like Kimberly-Clark publicly committing to using fibers from sustainably managed forests, you can expect to see stores make more room on the shelves for at least one “alternative” paper product brand.

One we like to see is the Marcal brand, which has been recycling paper fiber since 1950. We’ve spotted their paper towels at Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores and now we see Marcal paper towels and toilet paper in the main paper products aisles at Kroger grocery stores.

Our local Kroger has carried Seventh Generation paper products, but had cordoned them off with all the other organic foods and products in a special section. The main paper aisle remained a wonderland of fluffy virgin paper products. We see the move to put Marcal front and center as serious progress. Now folks who aren’t looking for environmentally friendly products will at least get an eyeful of Marcal’s bright yellow label and see the company’s appeal to save trees.

Marcal, you see, doesn’t use trees for its paper products, but makes them from reclaimed paper fiber. The Small Steps paper towels we picked up are 100-percent recycled and are whitened without bleach. Also the paper towels come off in smaller sections to discourage waste — in a world where built-in obsolescence and excess have been accepted — that strikes the right note. (Of course, you can reduce your use even more by replacing paper towels with a wash cloth….)

Paper plates are not just paper anymore – they’re made of recycled plastic, or PLA-plastic derived from vegetables, or bamboo, or birch wood.

Now there’s a new entry, EarthShell paper plates made of potatoes. How do you like them paper plates? You may not know yet, they’re just rolling out in regional groceries like Kings Super Markets and Wegmans in the Northeast; Meijer in the Midwest; HEB in Texas and Smart and Finals in California. Find all the venues and pricing here.

Here’s what to like about them, though: No trees are involved (as in paper plates); they’re biodegradable (score one point over recycled plastic) and they used “bio waste” potato starches left behind when potato chips and french fries are made (make that two points).

These new made-in-America disposables are compostable, lightweight to ship, naturally white (so they require no bleach or chemicals) and they insulate hot or cold food (move over poly-sty-rene!), according to Earth Shell, based in Missouri.

So here’s the green dish on these plates: They aren’t as green as taking reusable picnic ware that you wash and, well…reuse. But for those times when that’s not going to happen – chaotic family gatherings, club meetings, last-minute game-day potlucks etc. – and you must cheat, these disposables are about as low-carbon as it gets.

So go ahead, carb-load on EarthShell. And give yourself a pat for keeping away from Styrofoam, that puffed up space age wonder than persists in landfills for, we don’t even know how long because we haven’t been around long enough to find out. Too long.

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

Photo: CDC Public Health Image Library

By Melissa Segrest
Green Right Now

Ahh, the sounds of summer. Birds chirping, food sizzling on the grill, the buzzing and buzzing and buzzing, the slapping, the spraying and, of course, the slamming of the back door as everyone races back inside.

Summer’s biggest bummer is that swarm of mosquitoes heading your way. As if their irritating blood-sucking isn’t bad enough, they can carry serious diseases.

Of the roughly 200 species of mosquitoes in the U.S., according to the fact-filled American Mosquito Control Association website, there are varieties that can transmit West Nile virus, malaria, dengue and Eastern Equine encephalitis.

There are lots of products on the market that promise to repel mosquitoes. The ones considered most effective, since 1957, contain the chemical DEET. It’s been approved by the EPA, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control for use on anyone older than 2 months.

But there are alternatives, derived from natural ingredients, for those who worry about using DEET, which has been known to cause skin rashes and neurological health effects in rare cases.

Aside from DEET, two  more mosquito repellent ingredients top the CDC’s approval list: the synthetic chemical picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus. The CDC considers both to be as effective as DEET.

Picaridin is the most popular repellent in the world outside the U.S. It’s odorless, feels pleasant and, although derived from a pepper, is synthetic. There are only low concentrations for sale in the U.S. Cutter Advanced Sport has 15 percent picaridin and can only be used once daily, or 7 percent Cutter Advanced which can be used three times daily.

Lemon eucalyptus is now the most recommended natural mosquito repellent for consumers. It is sold as Repel Lemon Eucalyptus ($7.50 for 4 oz.) and is a botanical that’s OK for kids at least 3 years old. Consumer Reports, in a 2006 study, said it was the best non-DEET repellent. It’s sold at many large retail stores.

Another CDC-recommended anti-bug ingredient considered a biopesticide is IR3535, a synthetic version of an amino acid. It’s in Bull Frog Mosquito Coast (20 percent IR3535) and Avon has it, along with sunscreen, in their Skin So Soft Bug-Guard Plus.

After these “officially approved” mosquito repellents, there are a cornucopia of “natural”  items  that claim to keep bugs at bay. Determining their efficacy is tricky, if not impossible.

The most familiar among them is citronella, derived from the lemon-scented citronella grass (not the same as lemongrass). We’ve been burning it in candles and coils, or applying citronella oil-infused bug deterrents for years (although it can irritate the skin).  Unfortunately, studies have shown that the lotion works for less than 20 minutes, and if you’re not standing in the candle’s smoke, you’re probably being bitten. It is also sold by major retailers and there are lots of options on Amazon.com.

More recently, other essential oils have been getting attention as natural insect repellents. Among the most popularly: neem, garlic, mint, pepper, thyme, cedar, geranium, peppermint, soybean, eucalyptus, rose, tea tree, castor, basil, cloves, onions, feverfew, cinnamon, lemongrass or rosemary.

There are also lists of natural mosquito control ingredients from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, The Green Guide, Consumer Search and AltMedicine at About.com.

Photo: CDC Public Health Image Library

Mosquito Fish, which can eat their weight in mosquito larvae daily

By the way, just because a product is “botanical” doesn’t make it safe. Products with pyrethrum (extracted from a daisy) have a “caution” rating from the EPA and can be toxic to fish and possibly birds. Other “natural” ingredients that could be risky are nicotine sulfate and sabadilla. Consumer Search says Canada is phasing out the use of citronella and lavender oil because of potential health risks.

A few natural repellents pop up repeatedly in recommended products: Bite Blocker ($9 for a 4-oz. spray bottle), Buzz Away Extreme Natural Insect Repellent ($10 for a 4-oz bottle), Burt’s Bees Herbal Insect Repellent ($8 for 4-oz bottle) and EcoSmart Organic Insect Repellent ($7 for a 6-oz. bottle).

Searching the web will turn up hundreds of other options. There are home-made recipes online, using everything from vanilla extract to soybean oil to catnip oil – but don’t apply oils directly to the skin (dilute them with other ingredients), as they can irritate or cause an allergic reaction.

One approach that’s been around for a few years, but just last year hit the market in the form of a skin patch called Don’t Bite Me, is the use of Vitamin B1. Exuded through the skin, B1 is reportedly offensive to mosquitoes, but undetectable to barbecue companions. Don’t Bite Me patches, available at Rite Aid drugstores and Kroger groceries, claim to fend off mosquitoes for a full 36 hours and provide complete body coverage (because it’s systemic not a lotion or spray there are no missed spots). The scent “forms a protective barrier around the body” says the press release. The product has received some positive anecdotal reviews, but skeptics of this approach abound.

What doesn’t work? Bug-zappers kill mostly useful insects and very few mosquitoes, according to the American Mosquito Control Association. Ultrasonic devices have been proven ineffective in 10 studies. There are new sticky, specially scented mosquito “traps” that may catch some bugs, but the jury is still out on those. Fancy, expensive misting systems may work, and can use less toxic chemicals, but they still disperse a lot of insecticide in the air and on your patio or deck.

Photo: CDC Public Health Image Library

Fertile breeding grounds for mosquitoes — rainwater-filled bottles and cans

And bats? Sure, it could be fun to build a bat house, and the Bat Conservation Society has lots of varieties you can buy. While it’s true that bats mostly eat insects, they generally prefer beetles, wasps and moths. According to the American Mosquito Control group, mosquitoes make up less then 1 percent of the diet of wild bats. Oh, and remember bats can transmit diseases, too.

All of which leads us to common sense ways to avoid mosquitoes:

• Look for standing water in cans, buckets, tires, old plastic swimming pools, rain gutters, puddles and in tarps. That’s where they breed. Keep birdbaths fresh and stock your ornamental pond with fish that like to eat larvae.
• Some bugs like perfumes, lotions, scented deodorant, etc., so you might want to skip those
• Make sure the screens on windows and doors are OK.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants if you’re going to be around the biters for a while. And you can put the repellent on your clothes, too.
• Plant mosquito-unfriendly plants such as marigolds, citronella grass, catnip or horsemint.
• Ready to give up? Just don’t go outside between dusk and dawn.

Hungering for answers to questions about mosquitoes? The Mosquito Control group has a frequently asked questions page. Find insect repellent facts from the CDC, as well as more information on the active ingredients in repellents. They also have a list of practical steps to take to minimize mosquitoes.

Having a plan is a good idea. Consider these facts about the diseases mosquitoes transmit:

• Last year, there were 1,356 confirmed cases of West Nile virus in the U.S., with 44 deaths (California had the most cases), according to the CDC. Last month, the first human case was confirmed this year near Los Angeles. Less common in this country is dengue, which has cropped up in the U.S. 3,806 times from 1997 to 2004. Worldwide, though, more than 100 million people fall ill every year.

• Malaria, also spread by mosquitoes, kills more than 1 million people around the world, most in Africa. About 1,300 cases are diagnosed in the U.S. every year, the CDC says, mostly in travelers and immigrants. More lethal is Eastern Equine encephalitis, which usually only impacts horses or birds. There are only about five human cases in the U.S. annually, but it is so lethal that one-third of those infected die.

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

The promise of energy-efficient LED light bulbs is getting brighter, with technological advancements and new entrants turning up regularly in the retail market.

The latest new bulb comes from GE, and while it may not be the perfect fit for home use, it could work for certain applications. For retailers and commercial customers who need display lights, GE’s new LED lamps could mean big energy savings.

And if that seems like a small matter, check out this tidbit from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy: Lighting uses nearly 40% of all electricity used in commercial buildings, according to the Department of Energy.

The two new GE LED lamps, a 7-watt “PAR 20″ and a 10-watt “PAR 30″ use far less electricity than competing incandescent bulbs and Halogens.

GE says its new 10 watt, 3000K “GE Energy Smart” LED lamp produces 340 lumens while offering up to an 80 percent energy savings compared with a 45-watt standard incandescent R30 Lamp (which puts out 485 lumens).

That’s a lot of numbers. Translation in words: The LED light far out performs the comparable incandescent in terms of energy costs, but with some loss in overall lumens. GE notes, though, that the better-directed focus of the new LEDs means less wasted light, which can make up for the difference.

The LED also lasts “up to 10 times longer than standard incandescent or halogen light sources,” which means both the new 10-watt and 7-watt LEDs are easier to maintain, GE reports in a press release.

Oh yeah, unlike CFLs, which can be buggers to dispose of, the LEDs contain no mercury.

US-based GE, which sells in 100 countries around the world, is one of the globe’s largest LED producers. The company points to its installation of LED refrigerated display case lighting systems at Wal-Mart stores as one success story in its LED commercial business.