Let in natural light into your homes by adding windows and save money on artificial lighting costs. Daylight optimization can lower your electricity use by 15%. North- and south-facing windows are your best daylighting bet, since they let in lots of even daylight. East- and west-facing windows provide more daylight in the morning and evening, but cause more glare. They don't help with temperature regulation during the hot and cold months. Open shades and curtains during sunny periods and close them at night for heat insulation.---Ideal Bite

Don't forget to turn back the clocks this Sunday, 04 November!

With oil prices reaching a record-breaking $93/barrel, let your lawmakers know that you want clean energy sources. The House and Senate passed different versions of the energy bill this past summer. One raises gas mileage standards to 35 mpg and the other requires power companies to generate 15 percent of our energy from renewable sources. Spread the word to your friends and family so they can sign the petition for a unified energy bill that can make its way to President Bush's desk.

I've been wanting to replace our old Olympus digital camera (circa 2003). Finally, we found the cameras we like. So what happened to the old one? Thankfully, Olympus has a "Trade In, Trade Up" program. I used the online estimator to find out how the old camera is valued. Once I completed the form, they e-mailed me the link so I can print the UPS label. After printing and packing the camera securely, I sent the old camera to Olympus. I received an e-mail confirming receipt of the old camera. Now I'm just waiting for the cheque.

Not a bad idea in reducing environmental waste.

Instead of buying a new Halloween costume every year that you only wear once, how about renting one or going to vintage clothing stores? Do-it-yourselfers can also make their own costumes from things they already have around the house. You save moolah and probably win points for creativity and originality. With Yelp, you can also find costume rental places and used clothing stores in your neighborhood. Happy Halloween and have a faboolous time at that costume party!

I love fall...the leaves turn, days grow longer, temperatures dip. Unfortunately, heating bills also rise. Ideal bite says that with the right insulation, the average home can save $245 annually. Heating systems emit 1 billion tons of CO2 per year in America; proper insulation will lower these emissions. Other benefits? The Appraisal Institute said that your home's resale value increases by more than $20 for every $1 decrease in your annual energy bills. Federal agencies will rebate 10% of the price of your insulation, plus your state may offer additional tax credits. Some eco-insulation alternatives include denim fiber, recycled paper spray-in insulation, soy-based spray-in foam. To learn more about the energy efficiency of insulation options, visit the Department of Energy.

As seen on "The Ellen Degeneres Show": The search for the greenest gradeschool in America is on! Here's a response from Treehugger.

The Panasonic World Solar Car Challenge is currently taking place in Australia, and the Philippine team is still in the running!

Team Sinag is composed of 15 students from the De La Salle University. This would be the first time that the Philippines will join the World Solar Challenge. It joined under the Challenge category. Read more.

Hope the rest of the challenge goes well for the team!

This site can give you some pretty neat ideas if you've got quite a lot of junk lying around your house. Recycling at its best! Thanks to TJ for the link.

Are you crafty/creative? A do-it-yourself-er ? A tinkerer who likes to make all sorts of neat stuff? Readymade has ideas for reusing and recycling products.

According to this Time Magazine article, certain air fresheners contain phthalates, chemicals that can cause cancer, fertility problems, and in babies, sex hormone and developmental abnormalities. Since 2004,the European Union has banned two types of phthalates in cosmetics and in children's toys. The US FDA does not consider the amounts that Americans are exposed to harmful and thus have not regulated its use. Further studies are needed. In the meantime, instead of reaching for that air freshener or plug-ins, open a door or window and get some fresh air.

I glanced at the container of disinfectant wipes at work today. I usually use it to clean my workspace - keyboard, mouse, phone, desktop - you know how it is. It's only today that I noticed:

1. 'Not for cleaning or sanitizing skin.'
2. 'Precautionary statements: Hazards to humans and domestic animals.'
3. 'Offer empty container for recycling. If recycling is not available, discard container in trash.'

It just seemed ironic that after statements 1 and 2, after giving a product that is laden with chemicals, they still thought of the environment. Kudos for that?

From About.com: Traditional professional carpet cleaning products contain perchloroethylene and naphthalene, chemicals that may cause neurological, kidney and liver damage. They can also pollute groundwater if not disposed of properly. Eco-friendly alternatives include making your own solution of equal parts white vinegar and water, AFM SafeChoice,Seventh Generation's Natural Citrus Carpet Cleaner,Bi-O-Kleen, Capture, Simple Green, NatureClean. Zoots and Home Depot's ChemDry also offer greener options.

Here's something nifty: Local Cooling can help computer users fight global warming!

Download the 100% Free LocalCooling Application and it automatically optimizes your PC's power consumption by using a more effective power save mode. You will be able to see your savings in real-time translated to more environmental terms such as how many trees and gallons of oil you have saved.

Sleep easy with undergarments and sleepwear made from organic cotton or hemp. By spring 2008, Victoria's Secret will launch an eco-friendly line of clothing. (According to Ecorazzi, the company also committed to stop using endangered forests for their catalog paper.) Dreamsacks offers pesticide free clothing and beddings made from bamboo. although they do seem a bit pricey. Sweet dreams!

Ever used a no-staple stapler? I'd love to stop using staplers, but most no-staple staplers I found only "stapled" up to 5 pages. The documents I work on are usually 8 pages or more. Any suggestions? What's more, can a no-staple stapler still be considered a stapler when it doesn't use staples?

Everybody knows that gas prices are skyrocketing. The U.S. Congress passed bills this summer to reduce America's oil dependence. Sign PIRG's petition to to bring a final energy bill to the U. S. House and Senate floors. This will ensure that the bill would increase gas mileage standards, thereby setting a strong standard requiring power companies to generate more renewable electricity.

As the temperature changes, adopt this tip from Ideal Bite: Dress in layers instead of reaching for the heat or airconditioner switch. Regulate your temperature by wearing appropriate clothes and you can save $250 a year. This also helps avoid 1,000 lb of CO2 per person, per year.

Here's a straightforward list you can consult if you want to know how to save the planet, courtesy of Sustainable Environment for Quality of Life
(SEQL).

Ever heard of embodied energy? This refers to the amount of energy it takes to produce, market, transport and dispose of products. Visit How Products Impact to see a product's lifecycle. So instead of buying individual water bottles for example, use a reusable one. Buy organic, but purchase from local farmers to decrease shipping costs. Next time you shop, consider the extras you don't know you're buying.

Our mother and I headed to National Bookstore earlier to look for some magazines with house designs (Digression: We found a horribly ungrammatical one. Nice designs, but embarrassingly poor writing.). To my surprise, there were signs all over the place promoting the R.E.D. Bag, the R.E.D. standing for "Reduce Earth's Destruction."


It costs P65 (or $1.47), but is free with a minimum purchase of P1,000. The bag's tag also encourages people to "please USE this bag instead of plastic." It's a nice first step for National, and hopefully they'll gradually do away with plastic bags entirely, and even look into organic bags. Great job!

Dr. Merle Tan of UP NISMED best sums up how schools should approach environmental matters, and also has some interesting ideas on setting up green schools.

Greening Schools...

... is NOT just about planting trees
... is NOT just about improving waste disposal techniques
... is NOT just about keeping rivers, lakes, and seas clean and safe for humans and other organisms
... is NOT just about keeping the air clean
... is NOT just about protecting watersheds
... is NOT just about using energy resources wisely
... is NOT just about finding technologies that are more energy efficient

It is about ALL of the ABOVE and MORE.

Greening Schools and Communities...

… is also about obeying ecological principles, using indigenous and local knowledge, practicing critical thinking and problems solving skills

… is also about raising levels of economy through sustainable consumption, maintaining peace and observing human rights, practicing good governance and citizenship, and improving human health and the environment.

It is an integrated and holistic program aligned with the UN ESD International Implementation Scheme.

- Dr. Merle C. Tan, "Greening Schools and Communities: The Challenges"

Check out the Yahoo! Group of Green Schools Philippines here and sign up to be a part of it as well! Link via GreenPhils.

Now I'm not going to call myself the biggest fan of Manny Pacquiao, but I do agree with what he's planning for his next project: saving the Philippine eagle.

Filipino boxing icon Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao is the country's newest defender of the Philippine eagle and donated to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) PhP100,000 for its protection and conservation.

"I decided on this since the Philippine eagle is becoming extinct," he said during a press conference Thursday at DENR's headquarters in Quezon City where DENR Secretary Lito Atienza confirmed receiving the fund.

It'll be interesting to see what he can do to raise awareness about the bird's plight. I certainly hope that, given his money and influence, he'll be able to make a difference.

_{Photo by Alejo P. Manaloto, taken from the Haribon page on the "Haring Ibon"}

I was just in Baguio City a few weeks ago. I adore that place; it's still one of my favorite spots ever, despite the urbanization, the traffic, and the alarming increase in pedestrian overpasses. Portions of it still retain their original charm, though I do concede that people who remember Baguio in its heyday will find it a bit too crowded these days.

But the City of Pines (or Summer Capital, whichever nickname you like) looks like it's set for more trouble. The local government has decided to put a halt to garbage collection until residents start segregating their refuse. Only ten barangays (click here to know what a barangay is) have complied with the waste segregation directive so far.

I understand why the city government is adamant about getting the people to segregate trash, but I think they're going about it the wrong way. This effort won't make people give in easily to the ordinance, but will actually cause them to dislike the city government even more. Of course, it would just be easier if the barangays took it upon themselves to start segregating their waste, and it would be very helpful if the community leaders led the way. Unfortunately, a lot of people do believe that waste segregation is inconvenient, and some even say it's elitist, since only the better-off members of the community can understand the need for this and could afford to do so.

Treehugger has a list of the top places that have successfully put a stop to the use of plastic bags. Check it out here. Doesn't it just make you wish your own town or city is taking action to reduce plastic bag use, too?

The Miss Earth pageant is held annually in order to highlight the importance of working for the environment, but most especially, this event features young women--the "beauties for a cause"--who are actively involved in environmental issues. I've expressed my disapproval for this event in another blog last year, and I'm going to repeat it again here, hehe.

Miss Earth is supposed to be all about the environment. Okay, that's a nice and noble thing. But isn't this pageant simply contributing more carbon emissions? I tried to look for any information on the Miss Earth pageant to see if the event itself is striving to be carbon neutral, but the site didn't turn up any details of that sort. You would think that an event touting itself as a promoter for environmental issues would proudly proclaim all its green efforts.

First of all, what they need to do is make sure that their delegates arrive in the host country in a relatively eco-friendly manner. With the women coming from all over the world, flying's naturally the way to go, so the pageant organizers could at least make sure that the flights are being offset. Ditto goes for any personal appearances they will be making.

It would also be nice to see the candidates riding in solar-powered vehicles, or ones that run on biofuels. Even nicer would be to have them on bikes; that would make a really strong statement, although I'm sure it will be hell on their hairstyles and makeup.

And speaking of makeup, it would also be good to have them wear organic makeup that wasn't tested on animals. Same goes for their clothes, gowns, and swimsuits, which should be made of eco-friendly textiles and dyes and should be cruelty-free.

I'm sure making such changes can be very challenging for the pageant, but I think it would be worth it to see them living up to the causes they espouse.

Every year, Blog Action Day marshals the world's bloggers to unite on a single issue, and this year, October 15 will be all about the environment! You don't even have to be an environmental or a green living blog to participate; everyone's welcome! Blog Action Day is only four days away, so make sure to register your blog.

It's about time an event focusing on biofuels was held locally. The 1st Philippine Biofuels Summit will take place from December 4 to 5 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Makati City. Unfortunately, Biofuelshub.com's webpage for the event isn't up yet, but we'll keep you posted on the event. I'm definitely going to try to make it on those days!

I saw a feature on the Diaper free baby movement on the Today Show this morning. These parents believe that babies are able to communicate their need to go to the bathroom and they can go diaper-less. Apparently this is a common practice in rural Asia, Africa and some Latin American countries, mainly because people cannot afford disposable diapers. Aside from forging a stronger bond between parent and child, there is the added benefit of eliminating diapers from landfills. Aboutmyplanet states that:

Roughly two billion tons of untreated diaper waste end up in landfills every year, ending up ultimately in groundwater and nearby ecosystems.
American babies alone require about 80,000 pounds of plastics annually, and over 200,000 trees, for their disposable diapers. Disposables even those which claim to be biodegradable can take decades and even centuries to break down; and some of the plastics in disposable diapers will never fully decompose.

Going diaper-less is clearly not for everyone as it entails a lot of time, patience and commitment. Critics say children younger than 12 months have no control over their bowel and bladder. Earth-friendly alternatives would be cloth or biodegradable, chlorine-free disposable diapers. The debate will continue.

Do you get a receipt after withdrawing cash from the ATM? Do you keep them? Just wondering. I withdrew money today from an ATM and didn't get a receipt. I mean, I chose not to. There were TONS of receipts littering the ATM's vicinity. I felt bad seeing all those little scraps of paper, but I couldn't possibly pick them up to reuse. I wonder if the machines use recycled paper? Maybe banks can put a shredder close to the ATM, so people shred their receipts after looking at them. Better yet, simply decline the ATM receipt.

From Ideal Bite: Save water by installing dual-flush toilets. These give you the option of a low-water flush (for number one) and one with more water (for number two). You can even check with your city district if they'll reimburse you the cost of dual flushers. Rebates may also be available in your area. And stop running the faucet while you're on a bathroom break!

from Ideal Bite: 50 million pounds of plastic toothbrushes end up in U. S. landfills annually. Use recycled (Preserve ) or replaceable head toothbrushes (Fuchs Ekotec, Radius Source) to maintain good dental and environmental health.

How about reducing your carbon footprint by walking around in Ecosneaks? Simpleshoes makes footwear from sustainable materials such as bamboo, cork, organic cotton. They even recycle automobile tires into outsoles and plastic bottles for laces and pedbeds. Bags, sandals , t-shirts and caps are also available.

Seventh Generation offers chlorine-free diapers, wipes and training pants. They don't contain fragrances, latex or other toxic chemicals. Chlorine-bleached materials contribute to dioxin pollution, thus increasing the risk for cancer, birth defects and reproductive disorders. Go to Weegeneration to find non-toxic baby products and raise a healthy child.

Do you live with people who leave the lights on in practically every room?

Sure, you can remind them to turn off the lights when they leave the room. I read about a "Lights Off Fund" somewhere while surfing the net. Every time someone at home forgets to turn off the lights, they have to donate money to the fund.

Another good solution? Use occupancy sensors. No one has to be the Lights Patrol. The sensors will do the job easily.

Better yet, use the money from the "Lights Off Fund" to buy occupancy sensors. Give it a try.