Investing in alternative energies, or “green energy” may seem like the only bright spot on the investment horizon. As stories circulate about peak oil and the prospect of running out of fossil fuel, alternative energy investing seems to make good sense. But here are a few things you need to consider before converting your entire portfolio into alternative fuels.

The wind and solar energy industry is still relatively young and capital-intensive. A lot of research and development is still necessary create products and delivery systems that will be affordable to consumers. When researching new companies to invest in, it’s important to determine whether or not they are sufficiently capitalized for the long term. Many new alternative energy companies were started within the past few years in response to the high cost of oil But as oil prices decline to more affordable levels, the demand for alternative energy softens, and some of these newer alternative energy companies are finding themselves with cash flow problems.

This means that due diligence before investing is just as important in the alternative fuel sector as it is in any other sector. Recently there seems to have been a misconception that any stock that was “alternative” or “green” was a sure winner. That’s simply not true. A strong balance sheet and healthy cash flow is as important as ever. Maybe more so, due to the volatility in the energy markets right now and for the next few decades.

It also makes good business sense to remember that most alternative energy companies are start-ups without long tracks records of success. That simply means that they are inherently higher-risk than established companies, no matter how attractive the thought of “green” energy may be. So treat them as you would any higher-risk growth stocks in terms of our overall portfolio strategy.

A good way to invest in alterative fuels if you are philosophically motivated in that direction, yet sill mitigate some of the risk is to invest in established energy companies that are expanding into the alternative fuels sector. Although the thought of investing in one of the major oil companies may not appear to be very “green” on the surface, the fact is that they are actively participating in the research and development of alternative fuels as well. So finding the existing energy companies that are putting the most effort and resources into providing viable alternatives in the near future may be the smartest way to safely invest in alternative fuels right now.

Best answer:

Answer by Doreen C
what is green cleaning tip, do you mean plants, money ,grass,there is tons of green stuff?I hope you are not asking for money laundering tips, hahahaha lol.

Add your own answer in the comments!

So what’s some good tips that can help our enviroment without making our wallets empty?

Best answer:

Answer by captain12x
In the long run, you will actually SAVE money.

Fluorescent light bulbs will lower your energy bills

Solar panels will pay for themselves – any excess power is sold to the power company for full retail value

Hybrid cars will cut down your gas bills

in the long run, you will save money

Give your answer to this question below!

1. Recognize neighborhood recycling policies.

Being aware what can and should not be recycled in a district is the first step to to become a more effective recycler. Several programs accept all recycling in one container, referred to as “single stream” recycling. Some other programs require the recycler to segregate various items which include paper and plastic. At times some types of plastic materials or glass may not be taken and in most cases items contaminated with food items slow down recycling efficiency. Looking at with local agencies on recycling guidelines like in Louisville Recycling aid keep the recycling system affordable and allow the recycler to create purchasing decisions based on these procedures.

2. Shop for goods with recyclable packaging.

Most sorts of paper, cardboard, plastic, glass canisters, tin and aluminum are able to be reprocessed in your neighborhood. Nevertheless, things like styrofoam, waxed cardboard and glass cookware in many cases are not reused. Rigorously, looking for goods that use highly recyclable containers can help reduce waste and improve remade material sources.

3. Find out how to recycle specialty items.

Local curbside recycling programs will not take specific items which may contain contaminated materials like batteries, electronic items, ink cartridges, fluorescent bulbs and oil. Unique recycling programs or manufacturers like Louisville Recycling will usually recognize these items. Car parts shops will usually acknowledge oil products and car batteries and home and office supply depots regularly take batteries, ink cartridges and light bulbs. Learning how to recycle some of these more specialized things helps enhance recycling greatly by minimizing toxic compounds which go into dumps.

4. Make recycling containers simply reachable.

Among the least difficult things to do to becoming a better recycler is to make the trash can closer and convenient. Always have a recycling container next to the waste basket. Placing the recycling trash can on the right of the waste basket is an excellent method to be consistent. Blue colored containers specific for recycling can also be a great way to easily identify the two bins.

Recycling such as Louisville Recycling is a good way to help look after the environment and promote saving money simultaneously. By means of knowledge of recycling guidelines, careful buying habits and uncomplicated recycling containers, it is easy to become a much better and more effective recycler.

Thanks

Best answer:

Answer by ksukelley
Here is a recipe from Discovery/Planet Green:

All-Purpose Cleaner

1/2 tsp washing soda
A dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

Tip: If you’re out of washing soda, use 2 1/2 tsp of borax, instead.

See Planet Green for more @

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/green-clean/assemble-a-green-cleaning-kit.php

Kudos to you for making the switch!

Give your answer to this question below!

Recently, residential solar power is has become not only doable but highly desirable. Previously the cost of taking it up had been prohibitive but this is not the case any longer. It\’s never been in doubt that solar power can reduce your electricity bills, and sometimes even totally eliminate them. These days with the drop in price for panels and also the proliferation of DIY solar panels, it\’s currently affordable for nearly all people.

There are four different sorts of solar power for homes: passive solar, thermal solar, photovoltaics and thin film. Solar electricity is currently a mainstream alternative for home improvement since photovoltaic costs have been driven down in recent times, resulting in increased savings. Solar power for homes is one of the most reliable renewable energy sources. It\’s a glorious way for saving money. No surprise it\’s rapidly turning into one of the top ways to conserve energy and go green.

Solar power for homes has several important benefits for you and your family. One of the most reliable of the renewable energy sources that you will be able to use to make free energy, solar power for homes is good for the environment because it will not contribute to green house gas emissions.

Solar power for homes is a concept that we have had the technology and know how to use for decades. However, the concept never really caught on. As it begins to spread more widely, here are some tips to make installing solar power for homes effective and painless.

1/ Before you take any other action, do your due diligence in seeking out any state or federal government rebates or tax breaks for installing solar power for homes.

2/ Get quotes from at least 3 registered specialists in installing solar power for homes.

3/ When adding solar power for homes, be sure to install the maximum number of panels that you can fit onto your roof. Obviously, be sure they are pointing in the direction that can get the utmost quantity of sunshine, avoiding positioning them near any shade from trees etc.

4/ Be certain you\’ve obtained the relevant local council building and electrical permits before you add solar power for homes. If you live in a very big town, it is probable that your solar power for homes contractor can prepare this for you. If installing solar power for homes is not a common occurrence in your neighbourhood, you may need to make some phones calls and a visit to the local council offices to get everything rubber stamped.

5/ If your solar power for homes system is going to be connected to the grid, your utility company will want to inspect your system before it can be switched on. It\’s imperative that you get your solar power for homes system officially inspected by qualified professionals.

6/ Don’t forget to protect your investment by adding your new solar power for homes system to your home insurance policy.

7/ Now that you have installed your solar power for homes system, be certain to use energy efficient eco-friendly appliances and take all possible steps to conserve energy wherever possible.

Because the effectiveness of solar panels scarcely reduces at all over time, you may be enjoying uninterrupted solar power for homes for thirty years or more.

Installing residential solar power provides you the freedom to live your life independent of the power grid. It\’s a brilliant, straightforward way to make your own electricity and thereby scale back your electricity bills.

There are plenty of guides on the internet to show you how to install solar power for homes. Of course, the sooner your solar power for homes system is in place, the sooner you can get rid of those scary electricity bills!

But you don’t have to follow that crowd. In fact, establishing a greener lifestyle can actually save you money if you go about it the right way.

My focus is very much on how consumers can save money as they go green. And it makes sense to create your green lifestyle this way. Cutting back on energy use, conserving water, driving your car less, and buying certain items second-hand are all actions that reduce your consumption of resources. Why should that cost you more?

In fact, it doesn’t. Here are 3 tips for living that greener lifestyle that are guaranteed to save you money.

1) Replace all incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). CFLs use only one-quarter of the energy of an incandescent and last up to 10 times longer. It is easy to understand why. Incandescent light bulbs convert only about 3-5% of the energy they consume into light. The rest is dissipated as heat. Incandescent bulbs are essentially little heaters that happen to generate some light. Because CFLs generate less heat, using them will reduce your cooling costs in the summer. Another advantage of CFLs is the following: although the earliest version of CFLs did not work with dimmers switches, the more recent versions will.

2) Buy power strips to switch off electronics when they are not in use.Most people probably do not remember the days when you switched on a television set and then waited 30 to 60 seconds for it to warm up and turn on. Nowadays, we have the instant-on feature, which become so much a part of our modern world but which costs us in so-called “vampire power.” Why? Because in order to deliver the immediate gratification of instant-on, the device (television, radio, computer, etc.) must stay in a constantly warmed-up mode, and it must continually draw a little bit of power to accomplish this.  Electronics have become so pervasive that this vampire energy draw is estimated to account for around 10 percent of residential energy use in the United States. By plugging your electronics into a power strip that can be switched on and off, you can cut the power completely, saving all that energy drain. In addition to televisions and VCRs, computers and printers should be switched off at night or whenever you are not using them for an extended period of time.

3) Reduce hot water use by taking showers instead of baths. A bathtub will require 40-70 gallons of water to fill, and all of that water is heated. In contrast, a shower uses about 2 to 3 gallons of water per minute (less if you use a low-flow showerhead). A 7 minute shower, therefore, uses only 14 to 21 gallons of water. You get a double benefit, saving not just on water, but also on the energy required to heat that water.

These three simple steps are guaranteed to make your greener lifestyle cost you less, not more.

Gardening can be done professionally or own your own. However, if you are looking for a hobby, this is should be the perfect one to do. It is challenging but when you see the outcome, it can be fulfilling. 

However that is not all there is to it. Gardening is not only a mere hobby or for beautification purposes. It is also a chance to grow your own food and get limitless supplies of vegetables and fruits. 

The only concern is, gardening in this manner would normally call for fighting pest and insects. Every person has to accept the fact that growing a garden would normally mean battling these little creatures. That is why others would push for using pesticides and other chemicals as a defense for these crop-destroying creatures. However, this also poses a great danger for those who will eat the product. 

If you are into gardening, the best option to do is to do it organically. Organic gardening eliminates the use of chemicals and other synthetics in cultivating plants. This also means you will be doing natural ways to fight pest and insects that could harm your plants. 

Tips in Organic Gardening 

When you grow the same crops in a year, make sure you do not plant them in the same area. Consider planting insect repellants with your crops. Never leave a soil bare. You can try to grow green manure to avoid the negative effects of a bare soil. Create your own soil feed by using your own waste from garbage bins. You can find a lot of waste that is perfect for making compost. Weeds can compete with your crops in obtaining nutrition from soil. You can control them with the use of garden tools. 

Why do organic gardening? Here are some reasons why you should do it: 

1. Products harvested are healthier compared to those that are grown with synthetics. Eating organic products are also proven to be safer. You will also never run short on nutrition because organic products are proven to be high in nutritional value. Moreover, food grown organically are also known to be tastier and more delicious. 

2. Exposure to pesticides has been linked to development of diseases, deformities in fetuses and even poisoning. Come to think of it: you really do not have to eat the product just to have these problems. A mere exposure or handling may trigger these health problems. If you want to avoid these health hazards, grow your own food and do it organically. 

3. The use of chemicals and synthetics in gardening has also contributed to the destruction of the environment. In their presence, various species would also be killed. Even the essential insects will be harmed. Aside from that, chemicals used can also seep into bodies of water, causing water species to be intoxicated. When you do organic gardening, you avoid all of these problems. 

Everything about organic gardening is good. Although there will be a heavy challenge in protecting your plants from pests but control is possible. What is important is that you get to enjoy traditional gardening activities without posing harm upon yourself and the environment.  If you are still doing the non-organic way, it is time to switch to healthier and eco-friendly methods in growing plants and food.

It may seem that one individual can make little impact in helping to preserve our wonderful  planet however, this is not true. Your actions to help preserve our planet can motivate and inspire others to do the same and that collective movement can make a huge difference.

Helping to save the planet does not mean that you have to go to the rainforests and protest you can make a difference from the comfort of your home.  To help you get started here are a few tips for going green:

1) If you have central heating in your house turn the thermostat down one degree. One degree will not make too much difference to the temperature of your home but it could save you up to 10 per cent on heating bills because you are using less energy.

2) If you live in a cold country make sure your home is fully insulated. Insulate places like the loft as this can help reduce the loss of heat by up to 45 %.

3) Do you spend a long time in the bath?  For example, if you take a five minute shower everyday rather than a bath you could save between 400 to 425 litres of water a month.

4) If you use a washing machine and a dryer only fill it up with a full load and use the economy setting to reduce the power output.

5) Do you leave the tap running when you are brushing your teeth? Make sure you turn it off when not in use as you can save a lot of money that way.

6) Do not leave the lights on in the house when they are not in use. If the light is on in the room get into the habit to switch it off as you leave the room.

7) You can reduce your consumption of energy by using energy saving light bulbs. These special bulbs use less than a quarter of the electricity needed by ordinary bulbs. They also have the added benefit that they last much longer.

If you are interested in getting more involved with environmental issues you can volunteer with the Voluntary Services Overseas who have jobs available in overseas aid projects around the world. For further information check out their website at vso.org.uk