You may have learned to sleep through that leak but that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. A single leaky sink faucet can waste up to 3 gallons of water a day! When you picture all the leaking faucets in America this can be catastrophic. Leaks can be fixed quickly and painlessly, so don’t hesitate to bring that silence back into your life!

The easiest way to save energy this summer? Lose the AC. Air conditioning is an unbelievable strain. To cool down instead, invest in a Energy Star rated fan. The cooling breeze will keep you comfortable and before you know it you’ll never need air conditioning again.

A broken iPod spurred a recent discussion in the LivingHomes office about electronics recycling. Almost everyone has that pile of old cell phones, mp3 players, and miscellaneous gadgets lying around. We certainly do! So I’ve gathered these items from the entire staff to recycle them all in one swoop.

It is important to recycle as much of our waste as possible, but it is extra important to recycle your computers, cell phones, and mp3 players in responsible ways. Toxins from these electronics can seep into the soil and groundwater, which is both unsustainable and unhealthy! The good news? Many of the precious metals, copper, and high-end plastics can be reused using less energy than it requires to make them, which results in lower emissions and greenhouse gases. According to the EPA, the energy saved by recycling a million cell phones could power more than 19,000 US households for a year!

Unfortunately, there is no city-run roadside electronics recycling in most places, but there are plenty of local programs that accept them. If your electronics are still working, it is even better to donate them than to recycle them. The EPA also hosts a list of nonprofits, retailers, and manufacturers that will accept your used, functioning electronics.

So collect all those old gadgets and join LivingHomes at your local e-cycling center!

Hop on the train: The days of coal-burning locomotives are over! Today’s trains still offer the nostalgia of crossing the country by railroad and at the same time they’ve become one of the most eco-friendly ways to see the world. Whether you are taking a train journey across the United States or simply taking a trip 45 minutes away, a train is an enjoyable and eco-friendly way to accomplish your route.

Book Direct Flights: Everybody hates a layover, and now you have an excuse not to book one! Flights with stopovers use much more fuel for multiple take-offs and landings. So help your environment – and your sanity – and try to find a flight to take you directly to your destination.

Hang Up Your Towels: Leaving your towel on the floor is a signal that you want it washed. Each year hotels use up phenomenal amounts of energy by washing towels alone! Do the Earth a favor and use a towel for a couple of days in a row…we promise nobody will notice!

Book Locally: Fall in love with the place you live! One great way to “green” your vacation is to stay close to home. Not only does this cut down on carbon emissions from your travel but you are also likely to save a considerable amount of money. One great rule of thumb is to plan a “one-tank” vacation. In other words, limit your traveling to a distance that will only use one tank of gas.

Local Souvenirs: Let’s face it…you really don’t need another touristy t-shirt in your closet. Instead, opt for a unique souvenir made by local artisans. Not only will they illicit better memories of your trip but they will also leave less of a carbon footprint. When you take into account all the shipping and manufacturing effects your standard plastic toy will cause on the environment this becomes a no-brainer!

Fly Virgin: Virgin Airways chairman, Sir Richard Branson, has gone a long way to attempt to make air travel more environmentally feasible. He has committed all profits from Virgin’s transportation to help discover a renewable energy source. In addition, he’s put up a $25 million dollar prize for a greenhouse gas removal solution. You can fly easy knowing your money is going to such a good cause! Just don’t go to the bathroom on the plane…a single airplane flush is equivalent to wasting six gallons worth of gasoline!

Record your memories digitally: No vacation is complete without a slew of pictures to bring home to friends…but invest in a digital camera. Picture it now: no energy spent developing the film, no hard copies that will be headed to the landfill in a couple of years and no gas wasted driving to the developers. When you take into account the better picture quality, a digital camera is the clear choice to record your family’s trip.

As always, sustainability is not just about hype, it’s about what you do. So when you’re on vacation follow these rules of thumb:

BYOB: Bring Your Own Bottle: To avoid waste and minimize resources, bring your own refillable water bottle on vacation. It will help you save money (often buying food and drink on vacation can be expensive), it can help your health (many plastic products leak toxins into your drink when heated) and it reduces the amount of waste you produce on your green vacation.

Bring a solar charger – charge your electronics with the power of the sun to minimize your energy load on the road. As much as 40% of the power we use on a daily basis can come from polluting sources like coal.

Bring the ‘good’ green habits you may already have at home! The little things you can do to conserve energy and reduce your impact such as re-using hotel towels and sheets Hang up your towels and request that the hospitality staff don’t change the sheets — it saves water and reduces energy and chemical usage. Use water sparingly — it’s very precious in many countries and tourists tend to use far more than local people. Take local transportation. And look for organic food and products.

Biking saves money on gas and car expenses, prevents emissions, and lessens traffic congestion. Besides that, it’s healthy, fun, and depending on your commute, faster!

Here are a few comfort and safety tips from our team for biking to work in an urban area:

1. Check to see if your city has a map of bike paths and designated bike routes to make your commute safer and less stressful.
2. Layer, since it can be cold, windy, and wet. Keep an extra change of clothes at work.
3. If you think it might rain and you are parked outside, tie a plastic bag over your seat.
4. Make sure your bike has fenders to prevent your tire from slinging mud onto your clothes and face.
5. Wear a helmet to protect your head, and attach lights and reflectors to your bike if you plan on riding after dark.
6. Always makes sure to lock your bike tires and frame to something secure.
7. Get one of those squeaky horns with the tassles. They’re fun, old school, and can warn peds that you’re coming!

To learn how to compost, vegweb.com or howtocompost.org.

So beautify your house while keeping your family healthy. Tropical plants can be some of the most effective as they are naturally super-efficient plants, due to their natural location under a sunless canopy.

For more information on growing indoor plants for better air quality view the links below.
http://www.zone10.com/tech/NASA/Fyh.htm
http://www.plant-care.com/indoor-plants-clean-air-1.html
http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h110Indoorair.html