KIMBALL, Neb. - Larissa Thomas, director of Keep Kimball Beautiful, is not afraid to tackle a dirty job for the sake of the environment.
Several months ago, she was among volunteers at the Kimball Recycling Center who put on gloves and prepared to dive into a data collection project.
On the floor in front of the volunteers were bags of trash collected from Kimball-area households. To one side was a scale. Behind them were multiple bins. The task: household waste audits.
A waste audit is a process in which the amounts and types of waste are measured with the aim of learning about disposal patterns and identifying ways of reducing waste.
In Kimball, 40 households were asked to gather their garbage for five days, leaving out any perishable food waste. The volunteers then took each household’s trash, sorted and weighed it by category and tallied the results.
One of Thomas’ goals for the waste audit was to substantiate the need for recycling programs in Kimball and identify materials for which a new recycling program could be established. This data is helpful for grant applications, she explained.
Another goal of household waste audits is to give people “a front-row seat to their consumption,” Thomas said. She believes that the amount of material Americans consume and discard - about 900,000 pounds over a lifetime, according to United States Environmental Protection Agency figures - is so high in part because it is an out of sight, out of mind problem.
“People throw it in the trash can and they never have to look at it again,” Thomas said. “If you had to stack your garbage in your garage for a year, you would run out of room.”
A waste audit can provide a bigger picture of household waste and lead people to change their behaviors to reduce the amount of waste they generate, either by recycling more or making different purchasing decisions, she said.
Thomas said she audited her own household waste and found a big component of her trash was plastic food bags. She is trying to reduce the number of bags she discards by putting food into reusable containers instead.
One household that participated in the waste audit generated 33 pounds of trash over the five days. Of that amount, only about 13 pounds were truly trash. The other 20 pounds were materials for which recycling programs already exist in Kimball.
Thomas said that sometimes, people would like to recycle their trash, but they don’t know how. The two most common questions the Kimball Recycling Center gets are ‘what do we recycle?’ and ‘where do we take it?’
She said education programs, such as those funded in part by Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality grants, help make community members aware of what recycling programs exist.
Overall, of the material collected from the 40 Kimball households, 51 percent of the weight came from material that can be recycled in Kimball and 40 percent from non-recyclable items.
Some of the non-recyclable items that turned up in the audit were things that should not be put into the trash - like electronic devices and batteries - because they contain toxic materials that could leak from the landfill into groundwater. Electronic devices can be disposed of during special collections that Keep Kimball Beautiful sponsors. She asks that people store the electronic devices at home until there is an electronics drive because there is no room in the tiny Recycling Center to store the items.
The remaining 9 percent of the weight in the trash audit came from non-corrugated cardboard, much of which comes from grocery packaging like cereal boxes or toilet paper tubes. While people in the Kimball area cannot currently recycle this type of cardboard, Thomas is looking into the possibility of developing such a program in the future.
Aside from data about the trash habits of Kimball area residents to support grant applications, Thomas said she has gained another benefit from the waste audit process.
Many of the people who participated in the audit suddenly became aware of the true amount of waste they generated and the difference they could make by changing their habits. They started asking for advice on how to set up recycling bins at home and how to get their families involved in the recycling effort.
Thomas would like to encourage as many people as she can to perform their own household waste audits and analyze how they might change their habits to reduce waste. She said many online resources are available to help walk people through the process.

One way to take action is to go solar. By installing solar panels, you protect yourself against future energy rate increases and add value to your home. In fact, The Appraisal Journal states that in the United States, a home’s value increases about $20 for every $1 decrease in energy costs. Therefore, if solar panels decrease your energy bills by $1,000 a year, they could potentially increase your home’s value by about $20,000.

Understanding solar systems need not be daunting. Here are the ABC’s to get you on the path to saving money and lowering your energy bill:

About solar power
Solar power systems turn sunlight into electricity that is connected to your existing home electrical system - as well as the electric grid. It may surprise you to know that even on cloudy days, solar systems can generate electricity. Optimum electrical production occurs with bright and sunny weather conditions, but solar panels also work on cold, cloudy days because they work on light, not heat.

On sunny days, you not only benefit from using electricity directly from your solar system, but you may be able to send electricity back to your provider, building credits that offset your nighttime electric use. At night, your home draws on utility company power.

Through building up credits for solar electricity, solar electricity saves you money through either replacing the most expensive rates of utility electricity, or through racking up solar electricity credits in the day when electricity rates are highest - using utility electricity at night when it’s cheaper. In short, you sell high and buy low.

As a bonus, those credits roll over monthly. This means if you generate excess power during the summer and use more power during the winter, you will first use up any credits before paying for additional electricity. Some states let you even sell back the excess power.

Always keep in mind the shade around your home when installing solar panels. Look for a reputable installer who can work with you on designing rooftop installations to avoid structural shading so you can get a quicker return on your investment.

Benefits without disruption
All solar power panels are not created equal. Westinghouse Solar offers innovative solar power systems that feature built-in technology that delivers safe AC power and provides consumers with what they are looking for most: high performance and reliability.

“We have always used award-winning technology in our patented panels and are proud of their continued superior performance and dependability,” says Barry Cinnamon, CEO of Westinghouse Solar. “Our panels are sleek and attractive. Most importantly, they come with the trusted backing and quality of a name synonymous with reliability.”

Solar panels require little upkeep, which means you get the benefits of solar without disrupting your everyday life. The only maintenance they may require is a semiannual washing, accomplished by simply hosing them down. Some solar system manufacturers also offer computer-based real-time monitoring systems that allow you to track the performance of your system from any Web browser.

Cost savings
Solar energy savings can be a smart investment and cut your electricity bill by 75 percent or even completely. With electricity rates increasing an average of 6 percent a year nationwide, your bill stays low and your savings rack up.

Government programs can also offset up to 50 percent of a system through a variety of tax credits and rebates. With immediate savings and tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars of savings over the next 25 years, solar electricity is one of the most cost-effective ways to save money, cut down pollution and still fit the way you live today.

To arrange a free, on-site solar evaluation of your home from a qualified solar representative, visit www.westinghousesolar.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

As you start to design your bathroom remodel, you immediately put comfort at the top of your priority list. You want a beautiful shower with superb water pressure that feels oh-so-good in the mornings or a sink that allows you to quickly and efficiently wash your hands and face so you can wake up and get started for the day.

Another notion to put at the top of your list is water efficiency. In fact, high-efficiency is now the standard for bathroom showers, sinks and toilets. In the United States, products with the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense label are high-performing, water-efficient and tested by a third, independent party to be certified.

It’s a misconception that high-efficiency products don’t perform well. Technology is so improved that you can get the same invigorating stream of water in your morning shower while using less water. Another mistaken belief is that high-efficiency products are very expensive. Most green products don’t cost any more than regular showers, sinks or toilets.

Toilets are the biggest source of water usage in your home - representing almost a third of your family’s total indoor water consumption. And high-efficiency toilets, like TOTO’s high-efficiency Double Cyclone toilets, only use 1.28 gallons of water per flush, which could save a family of four more than $2,000 over the lifetime of the toilet. These EPA WaterSense-labeled toilets make water work harder by marrying flawless performance to exceptional bowl cleansing action to create a green, clean flushing system that saves you money, water, and time cleaning the toilet, always a thankless task.

Of course, as you redesign your bath, you get to choose the style and look. Your taste might be a large, claw-foot tub that allows you to immerse yourself in a froth of bath bubbles, or you might go for a more modern design with glass shower walls and bold tile colors. Either way, make sure you upgrade your faucet and showerhead. TOTO’s Guinevere high-efficiency faucets and showerheads offer stylish, high performance that can cut water usage by more than 32 percent compared to standard models.

Conserving water in your newly redesigned bathroom allows you to be green, save money, save time, and be conscientious about the environment - without losing the advantage of that great performance you have come to expect. So enjoy the comfort and luxury of your bath space, and reap the money-saving rewards at the same time.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Part of the reason could be that mid-range kitchen and bathroom remodels now recoup more at sale time than do up-scale projects, according to the National Association of Realtors’ Cost vs. Value Report. “A mid-range kitchen remodel brings an average 72.1 percent return on investment, while an upscale kitchen re-do returns only an average of 63.2 percent of the money invested,” the NAR reports on its website. Mid-range bathroom remodels recoup an average of about 71 percent, while upscale projects return only about 61 percent, the site says.

“Given the decline in ROI for major remodels, it makes sense to get the most value out of upgrades for the least amount of money,” says Joe Patrick of skylight manufacturer VELUX. “Installing a skylight is one cost-effective, energy-efficient upgrade that’s becoming increasingly popular for kitchens and baths.”

Kitchens and baths are logical candidates for natural lighting and passive ventilation upgrades. Along with laundry rooms, they tend to have higher moisture and humidity levels than other rooms in the home, making them among the most popular locations for venting skylights.

“Skylight installations can start around $800 each or range up to more than $2,000 each for electric venting models with remote control and blinds. The complexity of the shaft and other application specifics make a difference too, so it is best to get a qualified contractor or skylight specialist to give a detailed quote,” Patrick says. Adding a skylight can help lower energy bills by reducing the need for artificial light in a kitchen or bath, and, when used for ventilation, can help remove humidity, cooking smells and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

“Venting skylights in a kitchen can release hot air and odors, lessening the need for energy-consuming mechanical ventilation, while providing better light for brighter days and more pleasant cooking and dining,” Patrick points out.

Another kitchen- and bath-specific issue that skylights help address is the need for privacy. “Light from windows is rarely enough, especially in places where lot sizes are small,” says Jennifer Powers of design firm Scott-Ulmann. Many modern homes have been built on small lots, in very close proximity to neighboring houses.

“A clear window in your bathroom might fill it with natural light, but it can also give your next-door neighbor a view you don’t want to share,” Patrick says. In fact, 65 percent of homebuyers request skylights in their bathrooms, according to a National Association of Homebuilders survey.

“In bathrooms especially, venting skylights reduce condensation build-up while providing a beautiful view of the sky above, without affording anyone the opportunity to see in,” Patrick says. “You get privacy plus the use of wall space, where a window isn’t necessary, for decorating, storage, or another form of space utilization.”

Modern skylights also eliminate one of the biggest fears of homeowners considering the upgrade - leaks. VELUX markets an Energy Star-qualified “No-Leak Skylight” that is guaranteed for 10 years not to leak when installed according to instructions. Today’s skylights also contribute to energy efficiency with light and heat control as much as with ventilation by offering easily installed accessories to adjust and control light, as do vertical windows.

“Venetian blinds are available to adjust light, as are roller blinds to diffuse light and blackout blinds to block light,” Patrick says. “And the accessories, as well as the units themselves, can be operated by remote control.” Solar blinds are also available that qualify for a 30 percent federal tax credit.

“From an economic standpoint, venting skylights admit light from above and reduce energy costs. It’s also a way to stretch dollars,” Patrick says, “with a one-time purchase that pays long-term benefits by reducing energy bills.”

For skylight selection or installation information, visit veluxusa.com. For government information on window and skylight energy efficiency, visit energystar.gov, and for independent agency information visit nfrc.org or efficientwindows.org.

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“For both financial and environmental reasons, life is all about making do with what we have,” says Sophie Uliano, whose latest book, “Do it Gorgeously,” was designed to help even the most DIY-challenged women reduce, reuse, recycle and repair nearly everything. “You’d be surprised how many common household items can help us reduce our impact on the environment, improve our quality of life and even our health.”

Fortunately, going green also goes hand-in-hand with saving money. Uliano offers some advice for doing your part for the environment - and your pocketbook year-round:

* Save money and reduce the eco-impact of your housework by creating and using your own furniture polish. Mix 1 cup of olive oil, 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon each of orange and lemon essential oils in a measuring cup and pour the polish into a small squirt bottle. You can reuse an old shampoo or conditioner bottle with a flip top.

* While you’ve got the vinegar out, don’t forget it’s a great way to brighten dingy dishcloths, sock and rags. Just add a cup of vinegar to a large pot of boiling water. Drop in the items, remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to sit overnight.

* No need to waste rolls of paper towels cleaning up spilled egg or tomato seeds. Sprinkle salt over the spill and then wipe it up. You’ll use a lot less cleaning materials.

* Post messages around your home to help you and your family remember the “must-do’s” for going green. “It is so easy to forget some of the small everyday tasks that really make a difference on the environment. To keep my family’s green routine intact, I leave eco-smart messages around my house reminding everyone to turn off the lights or bring reusable bags to the grocery store,” says Uliano. “I’ve founds a great way to multitask by using Post-it Greener Notes that are created with 100 percent recycled paper and a new plant-based adhesive. The new notes allow me to cross off my “to-dos” while minimizing my impact on the environment.”

* Get creative with your recycling/repurposing efforts. Find new ways to use items that you might otherwise throw out. For example, instead of disposing of the cardboard tube once the roll of paper towels is done, why not use it to store and protect your child’s homework assignments or artwork? Simply roll up the papers, slip them inside the tube, and label the tube according to subject.

* Return to nature when it’s time to clean house. Everyday household products like lemons, lemon juice, baking soda and even hydrogen peroxide can help you clean up in an environmentally friendly way. Lemons have many uses, such as cleaning a wooden cutting board by rubbing it with half a cut lemon. Baking soda is a natural odor neutralizer - sprinkle some in your kitchen garbage pail to remove odors before you insert the liner. And hydrogen peroxide, mixed with equal parts of distilled water, is a great general home disinfecting spray.

For more ideas on how to get Gorgeously Green, visit www.GorgeouslyGreen.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Whether you are looking to conserve energy or save money, reviewing the EnergyGuide label on appliances and looking for the ENERGY STAR label on appliances, electronics and other energy-using products is a great way to identify the most energy-efficient products on the market. By making a few adjustments in your home energy use, such as choosing ENERGY STAR qualified products, you can save on your utilities bills and make a positive impact on the environment as well.

“From switching your light bulbs to your appliances, there are many ways to reduce your energy consumption,” says Ty Pennington, the host of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and spokesperson for the Sears Big Switch program, which aims to help families make the switch to 5 million ENERGY STAR qualified appliances.

The Big Switch will help educate even more Americans about ENERGY STAR and encourage them to make the switch to more energy-efficient appliances and electronics. You can find out more about the Sears Big Switch initiative, take the ENERGY STAR Pledge, view videos and learn more ways to be green at www.SearsBigSwitch.com.

Here are a few tips from Pennington on how to conserve energy in your home:

* Switch out your incandescent light bulbs for compact florescent light (CFL) bulbs, which use 75 percent less energy and last about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. An ENERGY STAR qualified CFL bulb will save about $40 over its lifetime and comes with a two-year warranty. Also, you can use motion-sensor lights in outdoor areas so that you aren’t leaving lights on overnight.

* Consider buying energy-efficient, ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, electronics, heating and cooling equipment and more. In fact, by switching out non-ENERGY STAR appliances that are more than 10 years old for the following ENERGY STAR qualified counterparts - refrigerator, dishwasher, clothes washer, room air conditioner and water heater - you could save more than $2,500 over five years.

* Remove and recycle your old, inefficient appliances. Every year, Americans throw away 9 million refrigerators. Collectively, that’s more than a billion pounds of metal, glass and plastic, as well as more than 18 million pounds of harmful toxins like CFCs, CPBs, mercury and oil. As the first retail member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) program, Sears will remove and recycle inefficient refrigerators and freezers and take them off the energy grid for good. In fact, by removing 5 million inefficient appliances that are at least 10 years old and replacing them with ENERGY STAR qualified models, Americans could see savings that are equivalent to taking more than 600,000 cars off the road.

* Unplug electronics you aren’t using. Many electronics products for your home are consuming energy even when they are not on. Using a power strip can make this easier. If you are considering buying a new electronic, such as a TV, DVD player, computer or any home theater or office product, think about buying ENERGY STAR qualified models. According to the EPA, TVs that carry the ENERGY STAR label are about 40 percent more efficient than conventional models. In fact, if all televisions sold in the United States met the new ENERGY STAR requirements, Americans would save $2.5 billion annually in energy costs while reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the emissions from about 3 million cars.

* Be smart about your home climate. Depending on where you live, replacing your old heating and cooling equipment with equipment that has earned the ENERGY STAR label can cut your annual energy bill by more than $200. Lowering the heat or turning off air conditioners and fans when you are gone can also help keep your energy use down. You can learn more about HVAC equipment by visiting searshomepro.com for additional details.

* Consider conducting an energy audit on your home. During an audit, a professional comes into your home and makes suggestions about things you can do to make your home more efficient. It may be as simple as sealing a few holes, which could end up saving you big bucks in the long run. According to the EPA, in a typical house with forced-air heating and cooling systems, about 20 percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks and poorly sealed connections.

To learn more about the environmentally friendly changes you can make in your home, take the Sears ENERGY STAR Pledge and register for a chance to win a suite of ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, visit SearsBigSwich.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

You hear stories about your ultra-conscientious neighbors trading their old energy-devouring water heaters and HVAC units for the new energy-efficient models, putting up solar panels and installing the dual flush toilets. Suddenly your effort to cycle out incandescent light bulbs starts to feel trivial.

And you start to wonder, if you are more confined by budget than your earth-friendly neighbors and pals, is going green worth it?

The trick is figuring out what works for you and your lifestyle, according to Mark Lewison, academic director of the Interior Design Department at The Art Institute of California - Hollywood. “Find an improvement that makes sense for your bottom line and then look for green options in that area of improvement.”

Reducing energy costs and decreasing wear on the planet over the long term is as easy as turning the lights down low. “That’s where you get the most bang for your buck,” says Joan Jackson, associate professor of interior design at The Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago. “Dimmers are cheap and extend the life of the bulb five to 10 times.”

Interior design associate professor Eve Fineman adds that a simple and inexpensive switch in the type of bulb you use makes an impact. “An LED light has a really long lamp life and draws much less energy.”

Jackson also suggests insulating your windows as a simple way to keep down costs and keep your home comfortable in both the cold and heat. And what’s the easiest way to conserve energy? According to Jackson it’s as simple as unplugging items when you’re not using them. “Most people don’t realize that your appliances are using energy when they’re plugged in, even when they’re off,” she says.

Going green is not just about saving energy and the outside environment. Your indoor air quality counts too. Fineman says the paint most of us used in the past was actually filled with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are bad for you to breathe in. That new paint smell was actually toxic. Luckily, most paint sold today has low or no VOCs.

If you do decide on more costly upgrades like energy-efficient appliances or sustainable and rapidly renewable materials like bamboo flooring, you can still see long-term savings, says Fineman. “Now there are ways to assess and compare your cost up-front versus how much the cost savings over a 10-year period will be,” she says. “Most of the time consumers see that it’s definitely worth the investment, because they’ll save a lot over the long term.”

“Any green or sustainable improvements that can be made to a home should increase a home’s value as a whole in addition to helping the owners save money,” Lewison adds.

All three experts agree, whether you’re trying to help your bottom line or the environment, the way to go is green.

To learn more about The Art Institutes schools, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Rae Osenbaugh has a Smart Car that is so smart …

The only place in Nebraska to purchase a Smart Car is Omaha, so “you have to know that’s what you want,” to buy one in Nebraska.
Osenbaugh’s “middle-of-the-line” Smart Car cost about $13,000.
One of the most common misconceptions, Osenbaugh said, is that her car is electric.
“When I go get gas, I can only use 91 or higher octane. It doesn’t take the lower stuff,” Osenbaugh said.

“There will always be at least two or three people every time I go get gas. Half of people think that it runs on electricity, the other half think it’s a hybrid.”
Even as she pumps gas into her car, concerned citizens ask her whether she ought to be putting gas in an “electric” or “hybrid” car.
No matter where Osenbaugh is, if she’s driving Little Smart, she’s bound to make a few new, curious friends.
“We (Osenbaugh and Little Smart) were over at the cemetery one day visiting a grave site there, when a couple of young workers apologized and asked if they could look at my car.”
Osenbaugh said she has no problem showing people Little Smart, no matter where she is.
“Come on over and say hi,” Osenbaugh said. “We’re both friendly.”