SanJoseGreenHome.com

When most people hear about “Greening” their San Jose home they automatically think solar panels. While it is true that getting off the grid is fun and rewarding there are many more simple steps we can take towards a more greener home.  In fact, installing expensive solar panels may not make sense if we have a drafty, energy leaking house.

Since homes produce twice as more greenhouse gas emissions than all passenger cars, giving your San Jose house a green energy tune-up may be the best place to start.  It is incredible how much money you can save by simply implementing a few tips: 

1.      If your heating bill is higher than your mortgage and your Persian cat is wearing a sweater it’s time to change those windows.  By replacing old single pane windows you will not only be more comfortable in your house but also put a plug into one of your main enegry leaking sources.       

2.         Switch all of your light bulbs to fluorescent type. They are four times as efficient as traditional incandescent bulbs, and they last 10 times as long.  You can find them (more…)

Yes, making your home more energy efficient actually pays.  When Congress passed the financial bailout bill late last year, it included a range of federal tax credits and cash gifts for businesses — but also a suite of new and renewed tax credits for individuals who want to make energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements to their homes.  When President Obama signed the economic stimulus bill in February, the federal government expanded and extended some of those credits.  So what’s in it for homeowners and other regular taxpayers?

Alliance to Save Energy Website provides specific details:

For improvements made in 2009 and 2010, you can get an income tax credit of up to $1,500 for installing efficient new windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment in your home. However, efficiency criteria will vary dependant on when these items are “placed in service” (installed).

Who gets it? Individuals who install specific energy-efficient home improvements.

What energy-efficient home improvements are eligible? The overall $1,500 cap can be reached in several ways with the purchase and installation of energy-efficient products that meet certain efficiency criteria: (more…)

Did you know that millions and millions of dollars are spent each week on advertising campaigns to give us the perception that bottled water comes from some pristine mountain spring or magical underground aquifer, assuring purity and quality?  So I decided to put a couple of our local delivery services to the test and… it seems like the two services available in San Jose area like Alhambra and Arrowhead Water are not all what they are cracked up to be.

This time I was only concerned with the PH levels of the water and not the impurities or the taste.  There is a growing awareness that our bodies are way too acidic because of our life style, pollutants in the environment and our diets.  Human body’s normal PH levels are about 7.4 and we have a “perfect” PH balance when we’re born.  But after we’re able to visit the potty room on our own and independently reach into the cookie cupboard we start exploring foods that are much less friendly than our moms would put in our mouths when we were babies.  We then start eating what “tastes good” instead of what really is “good” for us.  Then come the pizzas, fried foods, coca colas, burgers, steaks, beer, and of course… fried calamari.  Combine all this with an acid pumping stress day at work and we are now bathing our cells in acid bath.  The body’s natural defence system kicks in and it does everything it possibly can to compensate for the acid by introducing alkalinity back into the blood stream and try to pump the acid out with liquids – water.  But where does the body store the alkaline substances to compensate for this acid influx of acid?  Well, most proponents of this theory say that it comes from our cell tissue and our bones.  Our body borrows it from our flesh and bones.  And what happens when it can no longer do that? (more…)

If it sounds a bit that “Green Living” is my favorite topic it is because its true…  Laundry detergent made from flowers!  Flushable diapers! Potato chips fried in organic oils! Have you noticed how these days, everything seems to be marketed with an eco-spin – even products that are notoriously bad for people and the planet? So are companies truly seeing the green light, or are they just “greenwashing”?  Here are a few red flags and shopping tips that will help you choose products that really make a difference.

Vague claims. Words like “natural,” “green,” “eco,” “nontoxic” and even “biodegradable” don’t mean much on their own. They’re easy to slap on a product, and they’re not currently regulated. Look for more concrete terms like “organic” and “recycled,” which are overseen more closely by the feds and verified with a symbol on the package. (And note that “recyclable” just means you might be able to recycle the product in your community, while “recycled” actually means the company has incorporated recycled materials in the product.)
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