March 5th, 2013

So many options, so little time. At least the choices for washers (though not dryers) have become ever more energy and water efficient. Here’s our advisory for 2013.

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March 11th, 2011

Rep. Joe Barton’s last bright idea – to apologize to BP for having to make reparations for the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico – earned him national ridicule.

His pandering may not have misfired (much) in the conservative-leaning Texas district he represents, but it was a rude affront to those who earn a living on the gulf, and anyone who cares about the workers and wildlife there.

U.S. Rep. Joe Barton

Now, less than a year later, Barton again appears to have his finger on the pulse of the mean-spirited minority.

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November 11th, 2010

If visions of a new computer, an upgraded cell phone or a flat screen TV are dancing in your head this holiday season, you don’t necessarily have to feel guilty about it. No one will confuse adding 50 inches of viewing pleasure with planting a tree when it comes to carbon footprint, but bringing that shiny new toy into your home may not be quite the environmental faux pas it used to be.

From design to operation to disposal, electronics are getting a little more eco-friendly. That’s a good thing, too, since we seem to be incorporating more and more of them into our daily lives. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, a typical American household features 24 electronic devices, from clock radios to DVDs and Blu-Ray players to computers and TVs.

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September 16th, 2010

By Melissa Segrest Green Right Now How old are your washer and dryer? If you can’t remember, odds are they’re nearing their golden years: Washers last about 11 years and dryers about 12, according to the Department of Energy. And we usually hold onto them as long as they work. Here’s some household math: The typical U.S. [...]

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June 24th, 2010

You can hear them rattle in the winter, and rumble in the summer. Whether they’re underfoot or overhead in the attic, these unseen monsters can really make a difference in your home’s heating and cooling bills. Yes, we’re talking about your ducts or duct work, and we don’t mean to be personal when we say, you’d better have your ducts in order when it comes to saving on cooling costs.

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June 8th, 2010

Data centers, those energy-consuming machinery hives that keep the Internet and so much else aloft, can now earn an Energy Star label.

To receive the Energy Star certification, a data center must rate in the top 25 percent of its class in terms of energy efficiency, according to the EPA, which announced the new designation this week.

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April 20th, 2010

By Melissa Segrest
Green Right Now

The world’s water supply needs protection on all sides. Industrial pollution and human waste contaminate water supplies across the globe, while chemical- and pharmaceutical-laden runoff compromised the water re-supplying our streams and aquifers.

Water: It's limited.

Deforestation and development have drained wetlands, half of which disappeared in the last century.

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April 14th, 2010

Following criticism that it was too easy for manufacturers to get an Energy Star label, and that some appliances had slipped through the system with less-than promised energy savings, the EPA today announced that it was tightening the Energy Star product certification process. The changes aim to ensure that only products that truly meet the Energy Star label requirements will receive the federal endorsement.

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March 2nd, 2010

By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now

We are often hardest on those we like. It’s because our disappointment is somehow greater when we’ve been conditioned to expect better.

Like when your once cuddly child becomes a teenager. Or your beloved hairdresser turns your hair green. Cognitive dissonance sets in, followed by betrayal, followed by disappointment (and in the case of the green hair, mortification.)

And so it was last year when I went to Lowe’s for my usual spring garden supplies — a humble gallon of vinegar weed treatment, several bags of organic mulch, some greensand etc. I count on Lowe’s to have these things. This time, though, I also was looking for a second rain barrel.

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March 2nd, 2010

From Green Right Now Reports

Who sells more Energy Star appliances than anyone?

Well, we don’t know. Stores typically won’t reveal their sales figures, which they consider to be proprietary.

But if Jeopardy asks, you might answer: Lowe’s. The retail home improvement chain is being honored later this month for its longtime commitment to energy efficiency, particularly for its emphasis on selling ENERGY STAR appliances.

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January 19th, 2010

From Green Right Now Reports

The modern consumer’s penchant for buying the latest electronic gadget has certainly contributed mountains to landfills worldwide and led to other ecological sins, from chemical leaching to demand-driven, warp-speed obsolescence of products.

But the electronics industry once again showcased several eco-conscious items at the recent Consumer Electronics Association tradeshow. Aside from lower energy TVs, the newbie offerings foretell of a world where we will control the power we use, much like we control personal electronics now, but with more precision and far less waste.

Here’s a look at some of the most intriguing green offerings:

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December 11th, 2009

By Harriet Blake

Energy Star appliances have become commonplace. But did you know that buildings can be certified as Energy Star structures? This week, the EPA is celebrating 10 years of Energy Star for Buildings.

The first Energy Star building, Ridgehaven in San Diego

The buildings program got its start with the EPA’s Green Lights program in 1991, which addressed the need for energy efficiency through a voluntary, public/private energy partnership by promoting efficient lighting systems in commercial buildings.

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