Choose Green Sleds This Winter
What ever happened to sleds that last a long time which aren’t made of cheap plastic? It’s time that we begin buying green sleds which are made from natural or green materials.
Wood Sleds
The classic flyer sled made of sturdy wood and are still on the market. I remember when I was a kid, I would use an old wood sled that my dad used a kid. They cost a little more upfront, but these things last for a long time.
They still sell the original Flexible Flyer Sled that is constructed with the same quality as the original. They also sell a new Wood Flyer Sled which is also made of wood, but just flat with a foam base and handles on the sides.
Recycled Plastic
Not all plastic sleds are bad. There are some on the market that are made from recycled plastic. Mad River Rocket makes sleds out of recycled plastic yet are some of the top performing sleds on the market. These sled received great reviews and the only negative was the fact that they are a little heavy. This is probably attributed to their quality construction.
Make Your Own
Since there doesn’t seem to be a lot of green sleds on the market, you could always make your own custom sled. What better project to do with your kids than a custom sled? The most basic type of sled would be a wood sled similar to the flyer mentioned above. But you can get really creative when making a sled, check out some of these cool sled designs for ideas.
If you have made your own custom sled or bought a sled that is made from eco-friendly materials, please share.
Marcal Paper Products Review
Marcal is an “Earth-Friendly Paper Goods Company” that strives to provide quality recycled paper products at an affordable price. Marcal uses 100% recycled paper to make all their products, saving millions of trees from being cut down every year.
What Makes Marcal Different?
For over 60 years, Marcal has been providing recycled products. Though their brand name has changed names over the years, their products have remained as strong and environmentally friendly from the beginning. I really like their saying:
By purchasing Small Steps by Marcal brand, you are taking a small, easy step to a greener earth.
Marcal separates itself from the normal paper products on the market by providing only post consumer recycled paper in their products. Many of the major paper companies use virgin paper, with only a small percentage coming from sustainable forests. There are also no harmful chemicals and have refined their process to make it as environmentally friendly as possible.
The company also is ahead of many of the other paper companies using recycled products. While there are many products using recycled paper, Marcal uses only a large portion of post consumer recycled paper in all of their products. There products also are far cheaper and can be found in many local grocery stores around the country. You may be surprised, but their prices are even cheaper than the major brands.
Want to know how Marcal makes their products, check out the great in-depth look into their manufacturing process or check out this great video:
My Review
My main criteria for paper products many years ago was that it was soft to the touch and held up strong. After realizing how much of a waste most paper products were, I switched over to recycled products. The main frustration with many of those products is that they are not durable at all or were almost twice as expensive. I found Marcal not too long ago and have yet to be disappointed. Here are the products I have tried and my feeling about each.
Toilet Paper
Marcal’s does a great job with their toilet paper. Whether it’s one or two ply, they both are great. They are much softer and more durable than most other brands.
Paper Towels
I always try to use reused clothes to handle most of the cleanup jobs in the kitchen. There are time that I do need to use a paper towel and have found Marcal to be great. Their paper towels are extremely durable for a recycle paper towel. They aren’t soft, but who cares when dealing with a paper towel.
Napkins
When it comes to napkins, Marcal feels exactly the same and works just as well as many other napkins on the market. I can’t even think how other companies justify their napkins not being made from recycled paper when they seem like the same product. They also have dinner napkins for special occasions or parties.
Tissues
Their tissues don’t contain lotions or are extremely soft, but they get the job done. If you want a softer product, stick with an old-fashion handkerchief.
Final Thoughts
Marcal has done a great job to make their products as environmentally friendly, yet affordable as possible. If you are in the market for paper products, give Marcal a try and you won’t be disappointed.
Silexium Could Change Solar Panel Manufacture
Sixtron has recently developed a thin coating for solar cells called Silexium. This anti-reflective coating could make solar panels much more affordable.
The manufacture of solar cells now requires the use of saline gas to make anti-reflective coating, that is extremely dangerous as well as expensive. Silexium does not require silane to be present and could reduce the complexity and money required to make solar cells. This new coating would also provide more protection over the cells allow for possibly longer life and more power generated.
Sounds like a promising product that could help expand the usage of solar panels.
Nissan’s Leaf Electric Vehicle
Nissan has finally come with an electric vehicle that separates itself from the other major manufacturers. The Nissan Leaf was released late last year with a lithium-ion battery system which has a range of 100 miles. The production version of this vehicle has already been released and should be available in markets later this year.
The Leaf is the first electric vehicle on the market that offers both a fairly long range and affordable price. Let’s take a look at some of the features of this vehicle:
- Battery: 24 kWh lithium ion battery
- Battery Life: 100 miles per charge
- Speed: Up to 90 miles per hour
- Seating: 5 seat hatchback
- Charge: Quick charge of 30 minutes at 440V / Full charge in standard US home, 8 hours
- Monitor: Dash mounted system monitor
- Cool Feature: Mobile connected to charge battery.
- Cost: $25,000 – $33,000
All these features cover the majority of American drivers today. It may not be practical yet for a drive across the country, but it would cover most people. The average driver doesn’t even get close to 90 mph and 100 miles is plenty for the daily commuter.
The Leaf recently won Green Car Journal’s Vision Award because of the practical pricing of this vehicle. Unlike many of the other electric vehicles in America, it was able to achieve an affordable price, yet still get good speed and range.
There are still two major challenges that electric vehicles still have to face: better battery technology and charging stations. Battery technology is constantly getting better, so that problem should resolve itself as times passes. The bigger problem is to get charge stations set up throughout America. Until that day comes, electric vehicles will not be the car of choice for the average commuter.
For a fully comprehensive look at the Nissan Leaf, check out Autoblog’s in depth look.
Tesla Motors Filing for IPO
Tesla Motors is easily one of my favorite car companies out there. They only currently have two models, the Roadster and the Model S, but their cars are light-years ahead of anything the big car manufacturers are offering. Both of their models are stylish and fast, yet get several hundred miles per charge.
In an effort to raise more funds to continue manufacturing its vehicles, Tesla is filing for a $100 million IPO. The goal is to starting making more Roadsters and having the Model S out by 2012 with the help of a federal loan along with these investment funds.
Their new Model S will cost $50,000 after a federal tax credit and are in the works of making a more practical model in the not so far future. As with any stock and especially a smaller company like Tesla, there is a chance in losing money. If you are interesting in buying stocks, this is one company that looks really promising though.
Steps to Making Green Coffee at Home (while Saving Some Green, too)
Anytime you brew your coffee at home instead of buying it at a coffee shop or drive-through, you are saving energy and resources. If you are willing to put in a little extra time and effort, there are some other things that you can do that will make your coffee-making even greener. Here are a few steps to get you started:
1) Buy Organic and Fair-Trade Coffees
While organic and fair trade coffees can be much more expensive than traditional brands, it is possible to find more affordable alternatives. If you have a local coffee roaster in your area, you might give them a look. Often, local roasters will offer their own fair-trade certified and organic blends that are cheaper than those carried by major chains and grocery stores. Plus, buying local is always a good idea. Additionally, some of the larger grocery, natural foods and discount stores even offer generic versions of fair-trade and organic coffees (like Nature’s Place, available at Hannaford Supermarket and Wild Harvest, available at Shaw’s Supermarket.)
2) Roast and Grind Your Own
For a step-by-step guide to roasting your own coffee beans, you can refer to www.breworganic.com/Coffee/HowToRoast.htm. Not only are green (unroasted) beans about half the cost of roasted beans, they last longer when stored. You can roast your beans on the stovetop, which will use less energy. Apparently, it is even possible to use an old-fashioned,stovetop popcorn popper to do the job. You can also roast beans in the oven, but this will use a little more electricity. Grinding the beans after you roast them is a sure-fire way to brew the freshest coffee imaginable.
3) Buy a French Press
If your household sticks to one or two cups of coffee each morning, then you might want to invest in a French Press, or press pot, as they are sometimes called. A French Press uses no paper filters or electricity and word has it if you like strong coffee, then nothing beats the taste. While some resources are obviously used to manufacture the French Presses themselves, using one to brew your coffee at home is a greener practice than using an automatic coffee-maker. Heating the water in the microwave will also use less electricity than heating the water on the stove. While the French Press does not keep coffee hot after it is brewed, you can avoid this problem by transferring it into a thermal container.
4) Use a Reusable Filter
If you want the convenience of using an automatic coffee maker with a timer, you can use one with a reusable filter to eliminate the need for paper ones, which create more waste. Or, if you prefer, there are brown paper filters that do not use bleach in the manufacturing process and are also compostable.
5) Use a Thermal Carafe
If you are shopping for an automatic coffee-maker, buy one with a thermal carafe instead of a burner. This way, when the coffee stops brewing, it will turn off automatically, rather than using electricity to keep the coffee hot. The down side of these kind of coffee-makers is that the coffee does not always stay super hot.
6) Recycle your Grounds
In addition to composting paper filters, coffee grounds break down quite nicely in a compost bin as well. Coffee grounds even make an effective compost on their own when placed around your garden plantings.
Cleaner Household Air with Plants
According to Susan McGinnis, in her article, Breathe Easier with Purifying Plants, featured in Kiwi Magazine, www.kiwimagonline.com/articles/articlepage.php?art_id=114&cat_id=3&full=1), choosing the right indoor plants can be an effective way to combat indoor toxins and chemicals that can interfere with our breathing. This can be especially important if you or your family members have allergies and or asthma. Instead of investing in an expensive air purifier, which also runs on electricity and must be kept on all of the time, the author suggests trying out one or more of the plants on her list, which include spider and other common plants. She also lists some of the common major offenders to our indoor air quality, such as paints, carpeting and adhesives.
