Make this holiday season greener than ever with Green$ense

Celebrate Valentine's Day on the Cheap

Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA

I'm probably the last person who should be posting about Valentine's Day, because I regard this quasi-holiday as a complete scam. I've even told my husband that if I see so much as a hint of chocolate or roses on February 14, that I'll sock him one in the nose-after devouring the chocolate first, of course; I'm no dummy.

If some of you lovebirds out there are planning to coo and woo on V-day, you have this Grinch's blessings to go ahead and be a cheap date. The Center for the New American Dream has some frugal, non-consumerist suggestions, including a walk through a botanical garden in lieu of flowers. What about crafting a mix tape chronicling the highs and lows of your relationship, or making a night of it with a play at the community theater? And, rather than spend mucho dinero on an expensive dinner at a fancy restaurant, consider lighting a few candles to create a romantic backdrop for an intimate home-cooked feast.

(Source: planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/cheapskate-valentines-day.html)

5 gifts that leave (almost) no waste behind

I started thinking about the amount of resources that go into gift giving. There's the present packaging itself, the wrapping and trash bags to contain the mess once the gift opening frenzy is completed. One of the best ways that I came up with to reduce waste this Christmas was to give the gift of a service. Sure, you could donate money in someone's name but who wouldn't prefer a present? Here are five great gift ideas that go easy on the environment.

1. One completely organic housecleaning. I can think of no better gift than coming home to a clean house -- especially if I didn't have to pay for it. Some housecleaning companies have actually started using organic cleaning products to compete in the marketplace. This is a great benefit to the homeowner. Even if the cleaning service you select doesn't come with their own green products, you could attach a gift card for a free cleaning to a basket of eco-friendly cleaners.

2. One full body massage. A good pair of hands are really the only thing required for a massage. Many masseuses have their own organic massage oils or you can bring your own.

3. One professional shave. If the man in your life will feel strange walking into a spa, you might want to consider a professional shave. The art of the straight razor is still practiced in many barber shops and the shave itself is close enough to last for a couple of days.

4. Continuing education classes. Do you have someone in your life who has always wanted to speak French or learn how to play the guitar? One round of classes would be a great gift for the person who has everything.

5. One organic home cooked meal. It seems like personal chefs are all the rage these days. They are able to meet any dietary demands when creating a menu which is perfect for the vegan in your life. Personal chefs are also willing to use whatever ingredients you ask for so specifying a 100% organic meal is definitely an option.

(Source: www.greendaily.com/2007/11/24/5-gifts-that-leave-almost-no-waste-behind/)

Tips For a Green New Year's Eve

It's hard sometimes to come up with ideas to green traditional things that we do every year and New Year's Eve is no exception. You can try buying organic food and liquor and using eco-friendly dishes but that is the kind of thing you do every day (or you should be trying to, at least).

New Year's Eve is a special night, so it seems like you should do something out of the ordinary. But what exactly?

• Make your own confetti to toss at midnight. You can use colorful paper from your recycling bin and run it through your shredder or have the kids cut it up into little bits.
• Use public transportation to go out or encourage those coming to you to carpool or use public transportation. It's not a night to be out driving around anyway.
• Turn down the thermostat if you're having a party and let all those guests keep your house warm.
• If you like to wear New Year's party hats and use noisemakers, buy some you can keep and reuse year after year.
• Instead of using bamboo dishes or dishes made of corn that will biodegrade more quickly, ask guests to bring dishes or ask someone if you can borrow their real dishes. Then all you have to do is wash them and they can be reused over and over again.

If you aren't into parties, use the evening to do something good for the environment. Sew cloth napkins your family can use, double check on what can be recycled in your town and make sure you aren't throwing things into the recycling bin that can't be recycled locally. Or, break out the games and have fun with your family. Starting the new year off spending quality time together is never a bad idea.

(Source: www.greendaily.com/2008/12/30/tips-for-a-green-new-years-eve/)

Spring forward - How Daylight Savings Time Saved Energy.

One of the biggest reasons we change our clocks to Daylight Saving Time (DST) is that it saves energy. Energy use and the demand for electricity for lighting our homes is directly connected to when we go to bed and when we get up. Bedtime for most of us is late evening through the year. When we go to bed, we turn off the lights and TV.

In the average home, 25 percent of all the electricity we use is for lighting and small appliances, such as TVs, VCRs and stereos. A good percentage of energy consumed by lighting and appliances occurs in the evening when families are home. By moving the clock ahead one hour, we can cut the amount of electricity we consume each day.

Studies done in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of Transportation show that we trim the entire country's electricity usage by about one percent EACH DAY with Daylight Saving Time.

Daylight Saving Time "makes" the sun "set" one hour later and therefore reduces the period between sunset and bedtime by one hour. This means that less electricity would be used for lighting and appliances late in the day.

We also use less electricity because we are home fewer hours during the "longer" days of spring and summer. Most people plan outdoor activities in the extra daylight hours. When we are not at home, we don't turn on the appliances and lights. A poll done by the U.S. Department of Transportation indicated that Americans liked Daylight Saving Time because "there is more light in the evenings / can do more in the evenings."

While the amounts of energy saved per household are small...added up they can be very large.

In the winter, the afternoon Daylight Saving Time advantage is offset by the morning's need for more lighting. In spring and fall, the advantage is less than one hour. So, Daylight Saving Time saves energy for lighting in all seasons of the year except for the four darkest months of the year (November, December, January and February) when the afternoon advantage is offset by the need for lighting because of late sunrise..

Tax Time

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Green Tax Guide: Make Your Home Energy Efficient and Save Taxes Too

If you paid for home improvements to make your home more energy efficient in 2007, you may be eligible for tax breaks as well. Federal Tax Credits are available for home improvements that include installing energy efficient windows and doors, roofing, insulation, central air conditioning, water heaters, solar energy systems and fuel cells.

Tax credits are subtracted from the amount of tax due, which can be a lot more valuable than a tax deduction. A tax deduction is subtracted from the amount of income earned and then you must pay whatever taxes are due on that income at your current tax rate.

Tax credits can total up to $500 for home improvements, but if you add a solar energy system or fuel cells the tax credit can be a lot higher. For solar energy systems you can write off up to 30% of the cost up to $2,000. For fuel cells the tax credit can be as high as 30% of costs paid up to $1,000. To get these credits you'll need to file Form 5695 with your tax return.

You may find that your state also offers additional tax incentives. Go to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency at www.dsireusa.org and click on your state to find the incentives available to you.

(Source: www.greendaily.com/2008/01/22green-tax-guide-make-your-home-energy-efficient-and-save-taxes/)

Introduction to Tax Credits

The consumer tax credits for energy-efficiency home improvements have been revived with a few tweaks for the calendar year 2009. To be eligible, most qualifying products must be purchased and installed between January 1 and December 31, 2009. There also are some new eligible products. Please see below for additional details. Efforts to have Congress further extend the consumer tax credits continue!

A recent law expands and extends valuable federal tax credits for consumers who purchase fuel-efficient hybrid-electric or diesel vehicles and who make certain, specified energy-efficiency upgrades to their homes.

Consumers who employ energy-efficient products in their homes or drive fuel-efficient vehicles enjoy multiple benefits. At home, these benefits include lower home energy bills, increased indoor comfort, and reduced air pollution. On the road, consumers will increase their gas mileage so they lower their gasoline costs, and they will dramatically reduce the amount of air pollution from their vehicles.

In addition to helping savvy consumers lower their energy bills at home and on the road, the energy-efficient products eligible for the new federal tax credits actually lower the amount of federal income taxes that these taxpayers must pay Uncle Sam.

What is a tax credit?
You don’t receive an income tax credit when you buy the product, like an instant rebate. You claim the credit on your federal income tax form at the end of the year. The credit then increases the tax refund you receive or decreases the amount you have to pay.

Tax credits vs. tax deductions:
In general, a tax credit is more valuable than a similar tax deduction. A tax credit reduces the tax you pay, dollar-for-dollar. Tax deductions – such as those for home mortgages and charitable giving – lower your taxable income. If you are in the highest 35-percent tax bracket, the income tax you pay is reduced by 35 percent of the value of a tax deduction. But a tax credit reduces your federal income tax by 100 percent of the amount of the credit.

Please note: you should consult a tax professional regarding your individual tax situation.

Consumer Tax Credit Information
Details on the tax credits for hybrid vehicles and for home improvements are located below. In addition, there is a consumer tax credit for solar energy and fuel cells.

The tax credits took effect in January 2006. The credit for home improvements expired in December 2007 but now is reinstated for all of 2009. The hybrid vehicle tax credit phases out at a different time for each manufacturer.

Here is how much you could save on your taxes if you took advantage of some of these tax credits. But remember that your energy savings each year may be greater than the one-time tax savings.

Selected Tax Credits

* Maximum of $500 total for home improvements.

(Source: Alliance To Save Energy, www.ase.org/content/article/detail/2654 )