1. Ever notice how hot it gets in your laundry room, especially with the door closed? Washers and dryers emit a ton of heat, so wash only full loads to cut down on run times. Also, try to eliminate using the dryer altogether by hang-drying on a clothesline. This way you won’t have to use your AC as much, and you’ll be saving money on water and electric bills from less dryer use.

2. Time your showers to help you cool off throughout the day. There’s a reason why pigs and elephants roll around in the mud when it’s hot out. I’m not saying to take a mud bath, but you can take a cue from these animals and use shower time as cool-off time; taking cool showers at the hottest times in the day will help you stay cool when you want to use your AC the most.

3. To go along with #2, don’t blow dry your hair. Not only does the blow dryer heat up your hair and head, which can make your whole body feel warmer, it blows hot air into your home.  Better yet, get a cool, shorter haircut!

4. Watch what you wear. Synthetic materials like polyester can trap heat, while natural materials like cotton and linen breath more easily. Try to wear clothes that aren’t too tight and allow air circulation between your skin and the fabric.

5. This is an interesting method, but it works! Wet your pulse points, like your wrists, with cold water, and keep them cool by applying ice or cold compresses wrapped in cloth. This could cool you down as much as three degrees!

And of course, if you absolutely must use the air conditioner, do so sparingly, and be sure to turn it off when you leave the house and at night. Also look for Energy Star products when purchasing an air conditioning unit.

I got this in my inbox yesterday and had to share it with all of you, in case there is anyone reading that is an innovative architect, urban designer or just has some cool ideas about the future of suburbia! Inhabitat and Dwell Magazine have teamed up for the REBURBIA design contest. They are asking for ideas for reinventing the American suburban landscape. “What would a McMansion become if it weren’t a single-family dwelling? How could a vacant big box store be retrofitted for agriculture?” Inhabitat and Dwell are asking.

Winners will be showcased in Dwell Magazine, Dwell.com, and Inhabitat.com, as well as receive a $1,000 cash prize. To enter, visit www.re-burbia.com.

The results don’t completely surprise me, because the survey asked if people were willing to give up items “if [they] thought these things were harming the environment.” Well, many people continue to excessively use many things even though they know they are harming the environment, such as automobiles. However, I do think that the survey brings to attention current society’s collective mentality when it comes to environmental issues and taking action. While many people are buying green products and claim to be concerned about the declining state of the environment and the rise of global warming, most consumers are more concerned with their own personal comfort and will be “green” as long as it isn’t an inconvenience, which isn’t very green at all, in my opinion. So what do we do with this information? Does it mean that companies need to create greener products with less of a carbon footprint? Do we need to work to change the collective mindset to pick the environment over comfort and convenience? Or is a combination of many things?

What do you think? And what would you give up for the environment?

So what side do you agree with? Is climate change something you feel that we need to worry about now?

There are many ways that you can save energy around the office, but turning off your computer and monitor when not in use is one of the fastest and easiest. So I was surprised when I read that many of the facilities’ computers were not set to turn off after periods of non-use.

As you probably already know, billions of dollars from the latest stimulus bill have been dedicated to energy efficiency and alternative energies, but the DOE’s offices are not even turning off their computers after use. What do you think of these findings? Are you surprised?

To read the full report from the inspector general, click here.

As someone who has been in the business of energy efficiency for some time now, I think Earth Day is great for bringing awareness to environmental issues, but don’t make the common mistake of thinking that Earth Day is the only day you should do something great for the planet. Take the tools, tips and tricks that you learn today along with the knowledge you gain about the Earth and apply it to your everyday life! And don’t freak out about having to be green head to toe; make the effort to make small changes each day, week and month, and before you know it, you will be greener than you ever thought you could be.

There are a lot of Earth Day promotions going on right now, and I have picked out a few of my favorites that I thought that you should know about, particularly if you live in California or Arizona.

-At Sears, you can get a home energy audit for only $99 between April 20 and April 26. An energy audit is the best way to find out how you can save energy in your home. They will send someone to do a walk-through in your house and find out where you can save energy by insulating, replacing/fixing appliances and many other factors that improve energy efficiency.

-Solar City is offering a “Think Half” promotion, where they will install solar panels at your home for half price, which includes services, monitoring, installation and guarantee. This offer is good for those who live in California and Arizona, and you could potentially save even more if you factor in utility rebates. I did a post awhile back on this company and they are doing some really great things with making solar energy options available to a wider population.

-This offer isn’t necessarily restricted to today, this week or this month, but I had to throw in a plug for my company, Equity Thru Energy, which has special energy saving programs for commercial properties, specifically restaurants, hotels/motels and mutli-family properties with pools and spas.

Happy Earth Day everyone! Earth Day can really be every day, if you make the effort!

The National Center for Atmospheric Research also reported that if we cut greehouse gas emissions by 70%, we would be able to greatly reduce the affects of global warming. But as carbon levels continue to rise, how is this affecting us? How will it affect us in the future? One reason many people remain apathetic about the issue of global warming is because most of us, in our everyday lives, are unaffected by it. Sure, we feel good after setting the thermostat one or two degrees up in the summer or down in the winter, and it’s nice to know we’re helping the environment by flipping off the lights when we leave a room, but what are we actually helping to preserve?

As human beings, we may feel no more than a little warmer as a result of climate change, but many species of animals around the world build their lives around temperatures, and the changing of the seasons. The migration lengths of some birds are lengthening, putting their lives at danger because they may not be able to adapt to traveling such long distances without food. Another study concluded that over a million species could be driven to extinction from global warming since so many animals are affected by even the slightest temperature shift.

If that isn’t enough, there’s always the deadly, more immediate effects of global warming on humans, including the spread of disease because many disease-carrying insects will migrate north because they can survive in the now-warmer weather. Hurricanes become more frequent with warmer oceans, there will be increased droughts, and these natural disasters could have tremendous effects on the world economy. If that’s still not enough, go through this list of things that we could have to learn how to live without if global warming continues to progress.

Fortunately, there is still hope for the future if we continue to push for lower emission standards as well as do our own part by saving energy every day. But as these studies show, it’s important to start now, before it’s too late.