Last week I wrote about what a difficult choice Peter and I had faced recently when buying a new car. In our small town one green choice families have been making, especially since the credit crunch hit, is replacing their second car with a golf cart. They use these for all local journeys e.g., taking the kids to school, going to the sports club, church etc. They are obviously a cheap alternative to a second car and are very energy efficient. The other evening we were at a small exhibition by local business and I was surprised and delighted to see a booth advertising Solar Powered Golf Carts. They were comparable in price and power to electric versions, what a fantastic option!

Now we, at It’s Eco Time, are not intending to sell these Carts but we can supply you with a contact number for futher information should you want it. Just contact us at info@itsecotime.com and we will be happy to help.

As you know Peter and I are committed to making choices in our lives to ensure we lead as healthy and eco-friendly a lifestyle as possible without being obsessive.

Recently we decided we needed to buy a new car. Sometime ago we had taken the decision that we really did only need one car so this new car had to meet both our needs. We researched various models and made a list of dealerships to visit with a view to purchasing a Hybrid as we believed that would be our “greenest” option. Soon it became clear that Hybrid design had quite someway to go before we could sensibly make this choice. I am not particularly tall but in some cases I couldn’t sit in the back without my head touching the ceiling. Apparently this is because, in this particular model, the battery pack is located under the rear seats. In other cases the battery meant that the trunk space was so reduced we couldn’t fit more than one set of golf clubs in.

So, sadly, we have had to content ourselves that we have made a difference by only having one car and the move to a hybrid will have to wait for technology to catch up with our family needs.

Cooking with Waterless Cookware is not only the healthiest way to cook it provides you with additional benefits. It saves time and energy therefore saving you money!

Waterless Cooking can benefit you in the following ways:

• More nutriants are retained due to the lower temperatures used and the absence of added oil and water. Low temperature cooking retains more of the natural vitamins and minerals in food, it also means less oxidisation which results in the food retaining maximum flavour and colour.
• Saves time because food cooks faster, no need to stir during cooking. This method also makes cleanup easier.
• Lower temperatures mean savings on energy costs.
• Almost any recipe for the oven can be cooked in this cookware on the top of the stove, e.g., Lasagna, Pineapple Upside-Down cake. Again, saving on energy costs and time.
• This cookware comes with a lifetime guarantee.

If you would like more information on this method of cooking then contact info@itsecotime.com. To view the cookware visit www.itsecotime.com and click on the waterless cookware link.

Most of us are still suffering from the downturn in the economy but there are so many little things we can do each day to save money, many of which save energy too!

Unplug your chargers (cell phone, cordless tools, battery chargers, cameras, etc.) while not actually charging.

Use a power strip or surge protector to turn off TV’s, stereos, home theatre systems while you are not using them. They are still consuming energy even in “standby” mode.

Use a programmable thermostat to lower the temperature during the day while out of the house or active in the house and also lower at night for sleeping.

Set the water heater to 120 degrees.  This should still provide plenty of hot water but still save energy.

Most electricity suppliers offer a peak/off peak schedule.  Set up to use washing machines, dishwashers, etc. during off-peak periods.

Wash only full loads in the dishwasher and use short cycles for all but the dirtiest loads.  Setting to air dry will also provide good savings.

Use cold water in the washing machine.

Swap out standard light bulbs for energy saving compacts. Use solar powered lighting in your garden and on your patio.

Check for gaps around windows and doors.  Caulking, weather-stripping and “door-sweeps” can stop significant air leaks.

And finally, don’t forget when replacing appliances or buying electrical goods always check the energy star rating.

In today’s economic climate it is even more important that we are efficient in saving energy whenever possible. You really should consider installing a programmable thermostat NOW!! ………..

Obviously, this has the added effect of greening your lifestyle. We, at It’s Eco Time, don’t believe in quirky, gimmicky ways to green up your lifestyle. We believe that to make a difference you need to look at long term sustainable changes you can make to safe money and improve the quality of your lifestyle.

Our programmable thermostats can save you as much as 30% on heating and cooling costs. They are Energy Star compliant, there are separate programmes for heating and cooling and you will have the ability to programme for weekdays and weekends separately too.

Check out these products at www.itsecotime.com and don’t forget to leave us your comments or share any tips and advice with us.

Those of you who follow our Blog regularly, or receive our newsletters, will know that Peter and I have been enthusiastically waiting for solar panels to be installed in our home in Arizona. We thought the idea of leasing the panels made this a very affordable option which became even more attractive when we learnt that if we didn’t use all the energy we generated we ended up with a credit on our bill. We have now learnt that installation has had to be delayed again. This is because of the credit crunch. The companies leasing the panels are finding that their financing is being restricted and the proposed stimulus funds are still not available. So sadly we are not as energy efficient as we’d hoped to be at this moment in time.

Recently I have read lots of articles with quirky tips on how to save energy, reduce costs etc. While they are all very commendable I’m sure, at It’s Eco Time we believe that, to make a sustainable difference and to green up your lifestyle on a permanent basis, the changes you make need to be embedded into your home environment. For instance I read a recommendation from someone who said that to reduce the water consumption in her shower she put the radio on and only let the water flow for the duration of one song. I’m sure this works but how to you get your husband and kids to sign up for this? Isn’t it better to invest a small amount of money in a water saving showerhead and forget about the issue? Likewise, making a stand and turning the heat way down, then suggesting everyone wears an extra sweater can become confrontational within the family. Purchasing a programmable thermostat means you can programme your heat or air, not only for different times of the day but for different days of the week. The advantage of this is that once installed you can forget the issue and still be saving money on your fuel bills. At It’s Eco Time we believe there should be no “pain” involved it leading a healthy green lifestyle - only gain.

Using waterless cookware  really is the most energy efficient, healthiest way to cook. The food cooks in its natural juices, it tastes terrific and it retains approximately 98% of its vitamins and minerals, compared to only 58% when using conventional cookware. Cooking with waterless cookware is easy once you understand the fact that you simply don’t use as high a temperature as with regular cookware, and it seems to take less time than conventional cooking. Since the heat is so evenly distributed there’s less chance of burning or sticking, which makes the pots easier to clean. And of course you don’t have to use oil to prevent sticking. A Special Steam-Release Valve Lid is used to keep water from escaping. The lid forms a seal with the pot, and locks in the natural moisture that normally escapes from the food during the cooking process. Once the natural juices have created a sufficient amount of steam, a whistle sound is heard coming from the steam valve. At that time the heat is turned off or down, depending on the foods you’re preparing. This, of course, saves much energy, and the foods cook at a more constant temperature, because of the cookware’s heat retention capabilities and the steam heat inside the pot.

Our Governments maintain they are committed to developing green industries and projects over the next few years.  This is certainly good news! However, I feel that the most efficient and effective way to make a difference in the short term is for us to take individual responsibility for day to day actions and develop individual green programmes for our home and family. For instance, recycling programs are a patchwork of different rules and regulations for each city, town or district. Neighboring areas do not collect the same articles in the same way, and we often hear reports of a build up of recycled material having to be used for landfill as there are no buyers for it. Individually we can help be trying to reduce the NEED to recycle. Just because containers and packaging can be recycled does not make it the greenest option.  We should be looking for reusable items or reduced packaging. Composting is another way we can make a big difference.  It is estimated that food and garden waste make up around 30% of the waste stream in the US, so reducing this would have a marked impact on landfills.  Energy saving in the home not only has an environmental impact but is cost effective as well. Installing programmable thermostats,  LEDs and energy saving power strips will not only reduce your energy comsumption but your utility bill as well. There is a great deal of satisfaction to be gained from managing your own lifestyle and developing green practices that work for you and your family.

I have been reading a lot of posts recently about how much energy is wasted because we allow our electronic appliances to stay in “standby” mode instead of switching them off. Although TV screens and computer monitors are blank the appliances still consume significant amounts of energy unless they are turned off at the socket.  Obviously this was of concern to me because although we try to be as energy efficient as possible, we do, like many other modern families have a significant amount of electronic equipment in our home and I wondered how much this inefficiency was costing us. So you can imagine how delighted I was to find a product that solves this problem. It’s an energy saving power strip. Autoswitching technology in these power strips turns off all peripheral devices as the PC goes to sleep mode or the TV is turned off, then automatically turns everything back on as the computer is activated or the TV turned on. We are installing them in the home office, media room and in our children’s rooms. If you’d like more information on these then look them up on www.itsecotime.com or contact me helen@itsecotime.com