Installing a programmable thermostat in your home is a simple way to save energy and money. If you get an ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostat and use it properly your household will save about $180 a year on energy bills. That, along with all the other energy saving steps you take can add up.
Also, a good programmable thermostat saves you time. ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostats come with four pre-programmed settings that regulate your home’s temperature in both summer and winter and even when your family is asleep or away. This means a programmable thermostat automatically help to reduce heating …read more

Earth Hour again….
So, last year we posted about Earth Hour here at Tree Hugging Family. Of course that’s when Peggy, who was, I believe, pro-Earth Hour was still blogging here. Now it’s just me – and I don’t participate. I’m not an Earth Hour fan.

However, instead of posting my issues with EH here, I’ve got a post all about it over at Blisstree Green Living. You can check it out – Are You On Board With Earth Hour?
IF you happen to be an Earth Hour fan, I’d read Peggy’s post from last year her also on board post this …read more

The New York Times recently ran an interesting piece; Trashing the Fridge. The article (not surprisingly) focuses on individuals who have decided to save energy by dumping their fridge. Folks in the piece note that “The refrigerator is unnecessary, as long as one is careful about shopping choices and food storage.”

One of the families covered in this article get around fridge use by keeping a small freezer in the basement along with a cooler upstairs. They keep the cooler cold with “Two-liter soda bottles full of frozen water, which are rotated to the freezer when they melt.” This family’s fridge …read more

When it comes to powering up your house it can take a lot of energy and cost some big bucks. Nowadays we power up everything from lamps, to laptops, to toothbrushes, and more. To save energy and money try the following…

Use rechargeable batteries whenever possible. This not only saves you cash but saves landfill space as well. Some studies show that it can take as many as 1,000 regular batteries to cover the lifespan of one rechargeable battery.
Install light sensors that automatically turn off when people leave the room.
Use voice mail service vs. an answering machine. If you have only …read more

Want to learn how to be the sexiest green geek on the planet? Or maybe just at your workplace? No matter the level of sexy geek you’re aiming for, Geeks are Sexy has a killer series going on right now about greening your geekdom. Is geekdom a word? Hmmm.
No matter; green is sexy as you may have guessed I’d say, and this series is in-depth, useful, and entertaining so far. I’m giving it an A+.
Hit it:
Sexy Green Geek: Part 1 – Reduce
Sexy Green Geek: Part 2 – Reuse
Sexy Green Geek: Part 3 – Recycle

November current events at Tree Hugging Family …read more

In honor of Halloween why not watch a video? Yeah, it’s not Buffy, still, the treehugger tv message is a little more upbeat than, “Here comes another apocalypse!”

I’m one to talk; here in Washington it’s seriously sweater weather. Kind of chilly. For the rest of you, here are some beat the heat ideas that can help your house and you stay cool without blasting the AC. And no, none of them involve you surprising me with a visit here in WA. I’m not up for cleaning the bathroom for company.

Turn on the bathroom vent fan. This allows that warm shower air to escape. If all you’ve got is a bathroom window, take an early morning shower, or late evening shower, and open the window.  You could also …read more

If you’re having an evening reception, outside party, or just want to make your wedding dinner tables sparkle, LED is a great choice. Energy efficient, safer than lit candles, and clear and beautiful, LED lights are the best.
Here are some ideas…
For a winter wedding: Blue Starburst! LED Light String

For table tops: LED Tealights – these are silver plated, but they come in different base colors, and some with color changing flames.

For outside eating: Umbrella Nights Lights or Soji Lanterns.

For added beauty: White Led Cherry Blossom Tree in the UK or U.S. – also available in multiple colors.

You can also …read more

Earth Hour will take place this year on Saturday, March 29 at 8 pm (your local time).
What does World Wildlife Fund want you to do during Earth Hour? Well, turn off your lights! The rest is up to you. People in six continents will be in the dark with you.
Here are some suggestions on what to do during this hour in the dark:
-Think about how to implement some of the ideas from Earth Hour: More than Just an Hour.
-Give up a disposable product you currently use. (Ideas: Replace paper napkins with cloth. Use a gold filter instead of paper coffee …read more

Many of us are welcoming spring today, so I thought it would be nice to go over some nature loving, tree hugging, eco-friendly ideas that will carry the entire family through the better part of spring and into summer.
1. Quit looking at nature through your frosty windows. It’s warming up, so get out there and enjoy nature in real time, in real life, in full blown color.
2. Throw open your windows wide and let in the fresh air. Natural ventilation is actually a really effective green home goal to aim for. Proper cross ventilation naturally helps to remove any indoor …read more