In the past, I've given you the lowdown on which plastics can be recycled and told you 21 surprisingly recyclable things. But aside from the question of pizza boxes, I haven't gotten around to telling you what not to recycle. We all know that recycling is important, and San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom even thinks those who fail to should be punished.
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According to an Associated Press article, Texas has preliminarily approved "a $4.9 billion plan to build new transmission lines to carry wind-generated electricity from gusty West Texas to urban areas like Dallas," and "build a slew of new turbines." The Lone Star State already stands as the nation's leader in wind power, generating about 5,000 megawatts with the nearly 4,000 wind turbines already in place, but a lack of transmission lines has prevented that energy from being used. The new plan will mobilize about 18,000 megawatts, "enough to power more than 4 million Texas homes." Texas electric customers will see a $3-4 price increase on their monthly bills, but it is likely to be offset by lower energy prices. The plan awaits final approval later this year, and the lines won't be ready for use for three to five years.
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Of course, you know that if you're going on vacation during this endless Summer, you don't need to use as much energy at home while you're away as you would normally. But, I thought I'd give you a few reminders about how to cut back your energy use while you're off soaking up the sun.
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Last night I picked some of the Empress plums from the tree in our backyard. Empress plums, also known as Italian prune plums, have a sweet, yellow flesh and purple skin. This variety is an easy grower, too — our tree is dropping plums faster than we can harvest them.
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I hate to be macabre, and I know the last thing on your mind this summer is where you'll be laying "when I lay me down to sleep" for good. But for those of you who want to be green-to-the-grave, I thought I'd let you know that there's an environmentally-friendly coffin alternative out there for you. Creative Coffins are made from cartonboard produced from unbleached pulp.
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Seattle-based design collaborative Graypants designed Scrap Lights (inquire for price), a series of pendant lights made from salvaged pieces of corrugated cardboard. I love how the reused cardboard's grooves and folds reflect dreamy, cloud-like patterns on the wall. The truth is, these days it's not hard to find beautiful furnishings made of reused or sustainable materials; however, Scrap Lights' design makes use of corrugated cardboard's unique structure, which is really appealing to me.
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Great news: You can now carry your flatpacked Ikea goods home on your bicycle — at least if you live in Denmark.
According to Inhabitat, Ikea has partnered with the Danish bicycle company Velorbis to provide Danish customers with bikes outfitted with special trailers. Ikea decided to do so after discovering that about 20 percent of its Danish customers already ride bikes to Ikea stores. Now, customers can borrow a trailer and bike for a small deposit fee and load up their wool rugs, bookshelves, and other products in the trailer.
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LivingHomes builds houses that appeal to the eco-minded modernists of the world. The designs of the homes are focused on simple, sustainable, modernism, and start at $185 a square foot. LivingHomes are made with natural, non-toxic, and sustainably derived materials, and are built in specialized factories that ensure superior quality, lower construction cost, a quick turnaround, and minimal waste.
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Interested in buying a green home. Then try searching through Listed Green, the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) exclusively for green, energy-efficient, sustainable homes and housing developments for sale worldwide. Committed to reducing global warming by promoting sustainable, energy-efficient, healthy-building design, the service helps to elevate the market value of new green homes and eco-friendly residential developments.
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