Go green this holiday season.

It’s hard to believe, but according to Robert Lilienfeld, co-author of the book, “Use Less Stuff: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are,” between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, Americans throw away a million extra tons of garbage each week. During the season of giving, it sure seems like we’re taking a lot from Mother Nature. Here are some suggestions of ways to go green this holiday season, and you just might save some green in the meantime.

Start with your gift giving. You may not have ever thought about it before, but some gifts are certainly more eco-friendly than others. Giving an experience, like tickets to a ballgame or an art exhibit, create much less waste than complicated toys and gadgets. And some of the best gifts can be homemade like cookies and cakes, or having guests over for a full home-cooked meal.

As you do begin wrapping up those presents for family and friends, consider recycling gift wrap. You can easily reuse gift bags, tissue paper, bows and even wrapping paper. For gift wrapping alternatives, think about using reusable items like scarves, handkerchiefs or bandannas. And if you just look around the house you’ll probably find old posters, maps, sheet music, wallpaper scraps, magazine and newspaper cutouts, and comic pages which all work very well as wrapping paper.

If you need to ship your presents this year, avoid Styrofoam packing peanuts and try the biodegradable kind instead. You can also use crumpled up newspaper, or even dry, popped popcorn (insert a note inside the box letting the receiver know that they can later treat birds to it).

For many folks, the holidays just wouldn’t be the same without a live, fragrant Christmas tree. As you search for that perfect tree, keep in mind that if you purchase a tree from a tree farm you’re not damaging forests. Another option is purchasing a potted plant that can be enjoyed year round such as a Norfolk pine, fig or fichus. Artificial trees are also a good choice since they are reused every year and that saves on the gas you would spend driving to the tree farms.

To ignite your family with holiday cheer, be sure to purchase Christmas lights made with light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. These lights have been around since 2001 and are ninety percent more efficient than traditional Christmas lights. They also release little heat and last about 200,000 hours. According to one U.S. Department of Energy study, if all families replaced their conventional holiday light strings with LEDs, at least two billion kilowatt-hours of electricity could be saved in a month. The savings alone would be enough to power 200,000 homes for a year.

Once you’ve chosen your tree, get creative with the decorations. Give it your family’s personal touch by decorating it with memorabilia such as a child’s first shoe or grandma’s hankie scented with perfume. There’s no need to go out and purchase pricey ornaments when cookie cutters, pinecones, stuffed animals and toys, and miniature toy cars work just as well.

And to start the New Year off on the right foot try treecycling. By recycling your fresh tree you can make a huge difference in reducing holiday waste. Instead of ending up in a landfill, Christmas trees can be ground into wood chips and be reused as mulch gardens, or to prevent erosion. If you visit Earth911.com, you can search your zip code to find the nearest Christmas tree recycling center near you.

Written by Tara Darby as found in Craig Lilly’s Newsletter.

Maintaining your thermostat is important for energy efficiency.

One of the most important things you can do to keep your heating and cooling systems working efficiently is to make sure they are regularly maintained. Some maintenance practices are basic and can be performed by the average do-it-yourselfer.

Among the top heating supplies you can use to maintain your heating equipment are fresh furnace filters. Furnace filters are easy to replace, and a clean filter ensures proper air flow through the furnace or air conditioner.

Filters are readily available at various HVAC parts supply stores and heating supply stores. They can even be found at department stores. A low-end, average furnace filter can cost as little as $1.00, while better filters, such as HEPA filters, can cost $10.00 or more. A HEPA filter removes more particles, cigarette smoke, and pet dander from the air than a regular filter.

Another piece of HVAC equipment that is helpful in maintaining your heating system can be found in most homes and businesses: a shop vac. A regular vacuum will work just as well, provided it has a hose that can be used to vacuum debris from the blower wheel, the flue, and the motor. All of the air in the house flows through the blower, and if too much debris builds up in the blower, the motor may seize up and burn out. Regular vacuuming will help the blower to continue to work smoothly.

While the above maintenance practices are easy and essential to the life and efficiency of your heating equipment, there are maintenance tasks that should not be attempted by the average do-it-yourselfer.

In order to tune up a furnace properly, the furnace must be shut off so that there is no electric current running through it, and gas burners must be removed and cleaned. Only a certified HVAC technician should perform this task, and it should be done annually.

Additional annual service tasks that a tech performs are checks of the many HVAC controls (safety controls) that are present in heating equipment. These controls must be working properly to prevent fires, gas leaks, and other potential hazards.

HVAC technicians also test for carbon monoxide emissions. Average store-bought carbon monoxide detectors do not read low levels of carbon monoxide. Many of these detectors will not go off until emissions of carbon monoxide are at dangerous levels. One of the HVAC supplies a professional technician uses is a carbon monoxide sniffer that detects low levels of emissions.

Maintenance and service on any kind of radiant heat system should never be attempted by the average do-it-yourselfer. Radiant system maintenance involves many specific components and should always be performed by a certified HVAC technician who has been properly trained in radiant system service and in the use of radiant heating supplies.

When it comes to maintaining air conditioning equipment, the average do-it-yourselfer is limited in what he can do. A broom may be used to remove grass clippings, cobwebs, and other debris from the back of the air conditioner. All other cooling equipment maintenance and cleaning should be performed annually by a certified professional.

Air conditioning supplies consist of different kinds of acid cleaning solutions and hydrochloric and sulfuric acids that are only available to legally certified technicians or professionals licensed to use them.

Another HVAC supply a technician uses is a certain guage that he plugs into the cooling system to check refrigerant levels. You must be EPA certified to plug gauges into the cooling system.

R22 refrigerant is made of a chemical which is detrimental to the ozone layer. It is illegal to open the air conditioner and attempt cleaning or maintenance unless you are legally certified.

If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can perform basic tasks to help keep your furnace and air conditioner working properly: replace your furnace filter once a month, vacuum your furnace flue, blower wheel, and motor, and sweep debris from the back of your air conditioner. But for your safety and the safety of your home and family, and to get the highest efficiency from your heating and cooling systems, you should keep an annual appointment with your professional HVAC service tech to have your heating and cooling systems cleaned and tested.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

DIY Home Improvements

A few months ago, my husband wanted to research raised bed gardens. In the past, he would have headed for the bookstore or library for books on the subject. This time, he turned to YouTube where he found many how-to videos. Some were helpful and presented the exact information he wanted.

DIY Network, affiliated with the television HGTV channel calls itself the “go-to destination for rip-up, knock-out home improvement.” Its 2857 subscribers and millions of visitors must agree. The site shares tips, an archive of HGTV shows, experts and hosts, a video library and hundreds of home improvement ideas from the basics to more complex projects. DIY Network is one of the largest and fastest-growing digital networks and leader in ratings for home improvement.

DIY Network is user-friendly, easy to navigate and you can find exactly what you need for your project. The only downside is remembering the instructions, and following step-by-step if your project is not near your computer. At DIY Network, you can find more than 20,000 projects with detailed instructions.

Expert Village is another highly visited and popular YouTube channel presenting a wide variety of videos and answers to household dilemmas. Expert Village claims to have had 19 million visitors to its site.

Calling itself the “World’s Largest How-to Site on How to Do Just About Everything,” eHow.com offers 100,000 how-to tips and ideas on every subject. The disadvantage is not knowing if the person posting the how-to is an expert. At DIY Network, you can put more trust in the knowledge base of the hosts.

Finally, Helium.com has opened a zone for how-to articles, some featuring YouTube videos. Growing in popularity, this site provides how-to guides on many different topics, some of them related to home improvement.

Whatever you choice for instructions, use the video and information to supplement what you have found in other resources. There is no substitute for having thorough written instructions and photos that you can take with you to the site of your home improvement. Depending on having a computer present and running might not be possible. And always choose video instructions with an eye toward safety. If the “expert” isn’t wearing goggles when using power tools, or giving safety instructions along with the step-by-step directions, seek a different video.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

Kitchen Garbage Disposal

The first step is to check to see what the problem is. If you turn on the disposal and it makes a noise, then most likely it is just jammed. If it doesn’t make a noise, then there is a possibility that the circuit breaker has been tripped. Check your electrical panel, and reset the circuit breaker. Now look under the unit, and you’ll see a small red reset switch. Press this button or flick the switch and it will turn the unit back on. Turn on the disposal again and it should either hum to designate that it is jammed or it should work properly. If it still doesn’t turn on, then you have a much bigger issue and should contact a professional in order to remedy the issue.

The first step when doing anything with the disposal is to ensure that the power is shutoff to this area of the house. This means that you are going to wait to turn off the circuit breaker, located in the electrical control panel. Once this is in the off position, flip your disposal to on to release any remaining power in the line. You’ll hear you disposal slightly engage, hum, then nothing. This is a sign that it is completely off and that all the power is purged from the line.

After doing this, I generally turn off the water as well. You really don’t need to do this, but as a common practice, I have just gotten used to doing it. This prevents you from accidentally turning on the water in the process and creating a mess to go with your problem.

After you have done both of these steps, take a long handle, like a broom handle or something similar and place into the disposal. NEVER USE YOUR HANDS! While placing it in there, gently try to rotate the blades. If you can easily rotate the blades and don’t feel anything in the way, there is something bigger wrong with your disposal and you should call a professional. If you notice blockage, then you have an obviously jammed disposal.

To clear the jam, take an allen wrench and attempt to clear the jam manually by inserting it into the bottom of the disposal spinning the blades until they come free and can rotate completely. Now again take the broomstick handle and jab at the jam downwards to make sure you clear it from the blades. After you have done this, you can reach down inside the disposal with a set of long nose pliers and pull out whatever is causing the blockage. I generally wear nose plugs because I often get sick by the smell and sight of what comes out. It can be pretty disgusting at times.

Now, turn the water back on and turn on the cold water. By doing this, you will harden any grease inside the disposal, which will allow the disposal to break it up, which it can’t do when the grease is loose and warm.

Turn on the electric, test it out and it should work. If it doesn’t work, then repeat the process ensuring that you have indeed removed all of the blockage. If the problem persists it is a sign of a much bigger issue and will require a professional for assistance.

WARNING : Never use chemicals to clean out your disposal, this could cause a variety of issue within the system.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

Electrical Tools

1. A multimeter (Volt-Ohm-Ammeter), and learning how it is used. Some may say this is an unnecessary luxury for the handyman, but I would disagree with that. These have come down in price (around $20) to the point that their benefit far outweighs their cost. This is the tool that allows the average person to check, BEYOND ANY DOUBT, that the circuit they are working on is de-energized, and this alone is worth many times the price. Also, I would recommend the multimeter over simple probe-type ‘circuit checkers’ because of the functionality gained at a modest increase
in price over the cheaper alternative.

2. Diagonal wire cutters, also called “dics” (NOT “dykes”!, even though that is how it is pronounced). Buy a midrange pair or better; cheap ones rust easily, dull quickly and are hard on the hands. Some better pairs have a crimping tool built into the area behind the pivot joint.

3. Electrical tape. They’re all about the same, although if you buy 3M then you know it insulates properly. When using, remember that ‘length is more important than thickness’. What this means is that most amateurs think they are doing a good job by wrapping a connection 8 or 10 times around (thickness), but commonly make the mistake of not covering past the *ends* of the exposed wire far enough, with the also common occurrence of a joint becoming exposed when the wire is pulled or moved a little bit. Electrical tape is rated to 600V per thickness, so it is better to use that ‘extra’ amount to cover at least 1.5″ or more past the exposed wire, than to wrap it around and around so many times. Also, make sure to pull the tape tight while you are wrapping.

4. A good razor knife. Some folks like ‘dedicated’ wire-stripping tools; I use them occasionally myself. But day-in-and-day-out I prefer a sharp razor knife, for several reasons. First, a razor knife can strip any wire that wire strippers can, and it is useful for other things – fewer tools to tote. Second, I find I am much less likely to nick a wire I’m stripping when I use a razor knife: I can ‘feel’ it better. Third, the razor knife is only a blade change away from being fully sharp; a wire stripper has to be replaced when it gets dull. Fourth, it is cheaper, and to me is easier on the hand. Fifth, A razor knife can be used to slit wires and cables, and strip large cables (like your car’s battery cable) that are much too big for a wire stripper.

5. A probe and clamp set for the multimeter. These are available pretty cheaply, and allow you to work much more safely and easily, by letting you attach one lead to the device with the clamp, leaving one hand free, or by allowing you to reach hard-to-access terminals using fine-point probes.

6. A cheap plug-in radio. Yep! A radio! This is very useful when rewiring switches, or cutting circuits on and off. Plugging the radio into an outlet you’re working on allows you to throw a switch or breaker from far away, and tell whether power was restored or not. Saves a lot of walking back and forth, and stair climbing.

7. A fuse puller. I prefer the scissor type made of bonded layers of phenolic. Very cheap, and provides a huge leap in safety when removing fuses over the ‘shadetree’ method of prizing it out with the blade of a screwdriver.

8. A couple of straight- and Phillips-blade INSULATED screwdrivers. Never shy away from buying quality tools: you’ll thank yourself in years to come.

9. A good pair of needle-nosed pliers. Besides the obvious uses, these are great for picking up itty-bittys that invariably get dropped in inconvenient places when doing electrical work.

10. A telescoping inspection mirror (the small, round kind). Indispensable for reading part numbers and labels in inaccessible places, and for looking around and under to search for scorching and loose wires. SINCE THESE ARE METAL, ALWAYS WEAR GOOD, DRY LEATHER GLOVES WHEN USING THIS AROUND ANYTHING LIVE.

11. And the least obvious? A flashlight – maybe two, if you want to include one of those headband-mounted kind that leaves both hands free.

For more articles by this author, go to Helium.

Weatherization reduces heating bills by 32 percent

“The programs are funded by both state and federal governments, and the purpose is to raise consumer awareness of the types of upgrades that are needed to make homes more energy efficient,” said Neil Parsons, vice president of sales and marketing for Mark of Excellence Remodeling, West Long Branch (NJ).

Weatherization is a term to describe various improvements made to buildings and homes to optimize energy efficiency. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), on average, weatherization reduces heating bills by 32 percent and overall energy bills by about $350 per year at current prices. Through an evaluation known as an energy audit, homeowners are given a detailed report identifying problem areas in the home.

Typical energy improvements include air sealing, insulation, ventilation systems or installation of green appliances approved by Energy Star. “As consumers become aware that our energy resources are depleting and costs are rising with each year, energy efficiency is becoming a relevant topic in home improvement projects,” said William E. Carter, president of NARI.

Even though each state provides slightly different programs with a variation of incentives, all of them provide the same benefits to homeowners. “Homeowners notice their return on investment instantly after making energy upgrades in their utility bills. The other benefits are the rebates, the increase in home value from making the improvements, increased performance and durability and helping out the planet by conserving energy for future generations,” added Parsons.

It’s important to make upgrades now because soon most of the country will be entering the time of year when most of a home’s energy consumption occurs. The DOE estimates that 56 percent of the energy use in a typical U.S. home comes from heating and cooling, making it the largest energy expense for most homes.

“Most believe that remodelers are busiest during the summer, but in actuality, the busiest time is during the fall when temperatures drop and homeowners start to feel drafts in their homes and are worried about heating costs,” explained Parson. Another time factor is the program deadlines.

Many state programs last until the end of the year, and energy-efficient improvements must be made within the specified time period to be eligible for rebates. To learn more about your state weatherization programs, visit dsireusa.org. However, Parsons doesn’t think any of the weatherization programs will be going away for good. “Most likely, programs will be extended or modified after deadlines as the government continues to put a high premium on increasing energy efficiency,” he said, adding that if homeowners are considering an energy upgrade, there is no better time than now. “Homeowners who are considering this should seek out a certified contractor that you can trust to give you sound advice about making your home more efficient.”

Written by Peter L. Mosca as found in Craig Lilly’s Newsletter.

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