Surprisingly, compact fluorescent lamps are not a new invention. There were originally developed in response to the 1973 Oil Crisis. Since these new bulbs were far more energy efficient than the traditional light bulbs, there were high hopes for their success. However, the compact fluorescent lamps were far from cost effective and could not compete in the marketplace.

For the past several years, the prices for compact fluorescent lamp bulbs were quite stratospheric. As recently as only a few years ago, the cost of the bulbs was around $20. That put them well out of the range of affordability for most people. Recently, the bulbs have dropped significantly in price and can be purchased for around $5.

Yes, it is true that that $5 is more than the cost of an incandescent light bulb. However, there is a significant benefit to purchasing compact fluorescent lamp bulbs. Namely, they last upwards of ten times longer than a traditional light bulb. That means for every ten incandescent bulbs you purchase, you will only need one fluorescent lamp bulb. Over time, that can be a significant savings!

Speaking of savings, compact fluorescent lamps use significantly less energy than a traditional bulb while delivering the same results. For example, a 25 watt compact fluorescent lamp bulb provides the same amount of light of as a 100 watt incandescent bulb. This leads to an enormous amount of savings on your electricity bill. Again, this is a bulb that truly pays for itself.

Of course, the compact fluorescent lamp bulb low use of electricity also aids in conservation. Electricity is mostly derived from coal. When you overuse electricity, you contribute to the further depletion of coal resources. You are also contributing to all the environmental problems burning coal is known to cause. Through using a compact fluorescent lamp bulb you significantly cut back on energy expenditures which, in turn, reduce many threats to the environment.

Some concerns about the presence of mercury have been raised. This is understandable as mercury can be a hazardous substance. However, the amount of mercury present in a single bulb is rather minimal. If a large volume of bulbs were broken and placed in trash bins, for example, the collection of mercury could prove very dangerous. So, a little common sense needs to be employed with the disposal and storage of the bulbs. But, once again, a single bulb will not yield enough mercury to present a serious, dangerous hazard.

Currently, compact fluorescent lamps are slated to be the primary light bulbs used in Great Britain. Simultaneously, the usage of the lamps in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere is experiencing great expansions. Perhaps, in only a matter of a few years, the compact fluorescent light bulb will completely replace the traditional bulb. Then again, why shouldn’t it? It has a lot of value.

Many school administrators think that they’ve effectively drained the pool of potential cost cutting and green measures, but green ideas are emerging up from untapped springs of student creativity.  Here are a few favorites:

Landscape maintenance:  Families volunteer for weekend duties like weeding, trash collecting and seasonal maintenance.  Some resourceful parents even take their lawn tractors to the school to maintain playing fields.  Science and environmentally minded teachers rotate weekends with the families to keep the team focused and manage the legal requirements from the school district’s standpoint.  These “grassroot” groups are tossing out the chemical cocktails utilized by the commercial industry in favor of natural herbicides, fungicides and insecticides.

Janitorial services:  Students are getting involved in cleaning up the cesspool of toxic agents traditionally used by school maintenance crews.  Science teachers work with the students to develop green products in science labs that disinfect, clean and shine using non-toxic, all natural ingredients in distilled water bases.  Some innovators even set up mini-stills in their labs to produce their own distilled water and kids get extra credit for participating in the experiments.

Paperless classrooms:  In an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of the classroom, some innovative teachers have established electronic homework and study manuals.  Students are encouraged to spend free time in school libraries or tech centers where they have access not only to course materials, but also to internet resources.   Students can file their homework online and receive private, electronic feedback from their teachers.  This allows students and teachers alike to devote more classroom time to exploring new ideas.

Parent/teacher conferences:  It has always been challenging for parents to take time from busy work and home schedules to obtain routine updates on their child’s school performance.  It’s imperative that parents know how their kids are doing, but is there a better way?  Yes!  Some schools offer parent/teacher conference calls or instant message services as alternatives to face to face meetings that guzzle precious fuel as the parents travel from work or home to school and back.

Healthy meals:  If your school does not already maintain its own fruit and vegetable gardens for its lunch program, suggest that they start one.  Take some time to look around campus for likely garden plots, and then talk with your teacher, school counselor or an administrator to find out how to make your idea take root.  Students can devote time … say, 10 minutes a week … to weeding, watering and picking the bounty that will reduce food costs and improve the nutritional value of school meals.

Bathroom habits:  By far, the greatest water consumption of any school (or business, for that matter) is in the bathroom.  It also has the potential to harbor huge colonies of bacteria.  Many local big box businesses or even independent plumbing supply houses are willing to pitch in with devices that virtually eliminate “hands on” activities.  Auto-flush toilets, sensory driven faucets and touch-free paper towel dispensers reduce water and paper consumption and can save a school thousands in operating costs each year.

Think you have a good idea?  Talk it over with your parents or a trusted teacher.  Ask your friends if they’d get involved or join one of your school’s civic groups.  It’s a great opportunity to experiment with passive power sources, such as wind and sunlight, while setting the bar higher for other schools and businesses in your area.

Sadly, there is little that can be done to cure acronymitis, but its effects can be mitigated by immersion into the culture.  Carry a note pad and pen to jot down every cryptic term and keep your blackberry close at hand to search the net for clarification at the first opportunity.

The earthy world of green living has unfortunately succumbed to the condition and those testing the waters may well become mired in confusion before they ever have a chance to select their first EnergyStar™ appliance.

ACT:  Association for Contract Textiles: A non-profit professional group of companies that strive to source and promote the use of sustainable natural textiles for domestic use.

Authentic:  Guarantees that food was grown and produced within 50 miles of its end retail point.  The term “organic” has been diluted in recent years primarily through the successful lobbying efforts of major corporations.  Recognizing that consumers were riding the organic wave to new shores, corporate farmers and manufacturers succeeded in watering down the term to include their products, much to the confusion of the consumer.

Biofuel:  Alternative combustion engine fuels derived from grain production or recycling of used vegetable oil.  Combustion engines are easily modified to run on biofuel, but may not meet emission standards in certain states.

Carbon Neutral: Any entity or person who manages resources to eliminate carbon production.  This can include offsetting the emissions from activities in one location by green restoration or enhancement of others.  Akin to paving one paradise and planting another in the next town.

Certified Organic: Means that the producer has paid copious amounts of money and submitted their materials to rigorous testing to meet increasingly limiting governmental restrictions.  Small producers almost certainly cannot afford the high cost of certification, so sell their products under the less restrictive “authentic” or “non-certified organic” label.

Fenestration:  The energy efficiency of windows.  Considerations include square footage of windows in relation to structural surfaces, thickness of glass, gas barrier and tinting.

GREEN:  GrassRoots Environmental Effectiveness Network:  Nationwide group devoted to supporting activists committed to protecting wildlife and the environment.

Green Business: Any business that employs eco-friendly processes to reduce its carbon footprint.  Measures include alternative power sourcing, paper reduction, recycling, use of recycled materials, incorporating water and power saving devices, and processing and reusing gray water.

Green Collar: No, not Mr. Green Jeans, but a rapidly growing workforce devoted to sustainable agriculture and organic or authentic farming.

Green Pricing: For a slightly higher cost or periodic upcharge consumers can choose to have their power supplied by green power producers, such as wind, solar and water driven energy suppliers.

Net Metering: Allows a home’s utility energy meter to cycle in reverse when the home’s energy consumption is less than the amount purchased by installed green energy devices, such as solar or wind generators.  In these cases the energy stream flows in reverse and the home unit supplies additional energy to the utility’s power grid.

Phantom Power: Trickle power drawn by “sleeping” devices such as computers, ovens, telephones and entertainment equipment.

Our society is experiencing yet another dramatic adjustment in business, finance and lifestyle.  Everyone is looking for ways to cut back … to do more with less, or even to have less and be satisfied.  This requires reassessing priorities and returning to basics.

In these lean times more and more people look for ways to cut back without losing their sense of self.  They don’t want to lose social status or sacrifice their own enjoyment of the finer things in life.  But now, in the 21st Century, we are operating on a heightened social consciousness.  More importantly, vital earth’s resources are being consumed at an alarming rate by a growing population whose excesses denude not only the landscape, but the basic molecular structure of the earth.  So how do we fix such a broken machine?

The world’s population continues to grow exponentially each and every day.  Major natural adjustments, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and hurricanes may well be the earth’s efforts to shake the fleas off its back.  You’re not a flea, you say?  Then let’s take a serious look at how your life could be improved by downshifting and becoming part of the solution.

Stress:  Hypertension and heart attack are the most controllable cause of death for modern man.  “Keeping up with the Joneses” has stimulated us to earn more, have more and be more than any generation before.  Look around you.  Does your 38-year old boss look 50?  Do they have a sense of humor?  How about your own sense of humor … where did it go?  These are all signs that you might need to downshift.

Joy:  What brings you joy?  Is it a memorable sale at work, or is it a hug from your significant other?  If you had to measure the two on a scale, which would win out?  Many individuals choose to downshift when they realize that their life priorities have fallen out of balance and they’ve lost their joy for the truly important moments.

Overabundance:  Modern society has promoted consumerism, driving us to want the newest, biggest and hottest toys on the market as proof of our success.  We are imparting these values in our children.  Is that the generation that we truly hope to inspire … a society of super-consumers?

Downshifting does not require a sloughing off of all of our values, only those that reek of excess and unnecessary consumption.  It is akin to putting your lifestyle on a diet.  Desired losses are balanced by increased freedom and newfound potential.

Some families have downshifted back to essentials … cutting off all financial outlays for six months and learning to barter and deplete needed resources.  This shift in reality allows them to cut back to basics and divest themselves of unnecessary excess.  Others take a less stringent approach and limit their attention to entertainment or fast food excursions.

If life has you over a barrel and you wonder where it’s all taking you, pick one convenient aspect of your life and cut it out.  Crossing that first hurdle may prepare you to embrace a new way of life free of the shackles of expectation.  Others’ as well as your own.

Helping the environment? Don’t cars burn fuel and send emissions into the air? Yes, they do and if you car pool to work you will dramatically cut down on the impact vehicles have on the environment.

Car pooling is a relatively simple process. Instead of driving to work individually, a group of people who work together and live close to one another will drive to work in a single car. Each member chips in for gas and makes sure to punctually pick everyone at agreed an agreed upon time and location. Yes, it is that simple! And it certainly helps the environment….

The price of a barrel of oil is based on supply and demand. When cars are consuming significant amounts of gasoline, the supply of oil will drop. This means the finite oil resources the world has will further deplete. This will not only raise the price of gasoline, it will necessitate further oil drilling and exploration. Again, much of these fossil fuels could be conserved if people opted to carpool. After all, fewer cars on the road would mean less demand for oil.

Moreover, when a car’s internal combustion engine burns gasoline, the emissions have to go somewhere. Where the emissions go is right out of the tailpipe and into the air. Depending upon the size of the vehicle, upwards of 1.5lbs of carbon dioxide can be released into the environment per mile. That means three vehicles on the road traveling on a 20 mile round trip could pump out 90lbs of carbon dioxide per day! Why not carpool and cut that number down by at least a third?

Reducing the number of cars on the road also helps maintain infrastructure. The less cars traveling on a road, fewer repairs on the road will be required. That also helps the cause of conservation because fuel and energy expenditures will be needed to perform any repair work.

Then, there is the issue of safety on the road. As far as simple math goes, the less number of cars congesting the highway the less chance there will be for accidents. No, you cannot eliminate the potential for accidents but you can reduce the probability. Car pooling is one war to do this.

For those on a budget, an enormous cost saving that can be derived from car pooling. If you are carpooling with five different people with each one alternating cars each day, you will cut down on your car’s usage by 80%. This means less wear and tear on your car, less mileage on the engine, and fewer trips to a mechanic. Such limited use will extend the life of you car by many years saving you a great deal of money in the process.

Lastly, one of the most overlooked benefits of carpooling is the social advantages. Driving to work all alone can be solitary and boring. Why not spend your drive time telling stories, discussing the news, or laughing at jokes with your colleagues? It is a lot more fun than sitting in traffic in solitude!

Local libraries dot even the smallest towns.  It’s the age-old adage of “share and share alike.”  For the price of a few minutes of your time you are awarded a library card … the “golden ticket” to the greatest tomes of all time.  You check them out, read them at your leisure, and return them in exchange for the next best-seller on your list.

Keep an eye out for your library’s book sales, as well.  These are fabulous opportunities to comb through the thousands of books they are clearing from their shelves for good reads at bargain-basement prices.  Most libraries hold annual book sales that are well advertised weeks in advance.  A well packed bag of 20 or 30 volumes can be carted away for as little as $5 in many locales.

Modern libraries have gone “high-tech” and offer members videos, DVDs, tapes and internet access that many cash-strapped enthusiasts find difficult to purchase on their personal budget.  Electronic media rarely undergoes the kind of dog-earing that so often mars the pages of treasured tomes that attract the interest of avid readers.  When sourcing media from the library, one can also take pleasure in knowing that they have reduced the demand on dwindling forests as well as limiting the carbon production of electronic media manufacturing by sharing these treasures through a common source.

Book sharing is experiencing a resurgence, and many “mom and pop” businesses devote a corner of the store to book exchange.  Here the consumer browses the shelves of books, magazines, videos and DVDs for interesting tidbits and purchases them for a nominal fee.  Many shops maintain customer files that track the purchases and returns, ultimately wiping out the cost of the exchange completely.

Friends and families have participated in exchanges for years, often lamenting the loss of a favored volume, but such is the way of sharing.  We retain the memory of a good read, and perhaps will have the good fortune of hearing how our generosity touched the heart of another.  Reduce waste by sharing magazines, newspapers and, yes, good reads with others and make room on your home bookshelves for a new mystery or bit of history.

Many publishers are offering eco-friendly production runs of books by modern-day authors.  These are often available through lesser-known private publishing houses that print books to order.  Search the internet for vanity publishers that cater to new authors and select the books that speak to your heart.  Alas, the manufacture of recycled products also pollutes and is an energy-hungry prospect, but if public demand for cleaner processing continues, we may achieve great strides in reducing humanity’s carbon footprint.

Share your magazines and other publications with your physician’s offices.  Rather than increasing the drain on resources – and increasing the cost to your physician (and hence you) –distribute your once-read materials with them.  Not only will you help the environment, but you will make the office visit much more enjoyable for the next patient.

Books on tape or DVD were launched a few decades ago to allow those with visual or reading difficulties to experience the magic of storytelling.  Millions of books have been written, and only a fraction of them have been converted to film.  Sadly, the reviews follow a common thread “not as good as the book.”  Books on tape now convert the most popular modern tales to audio plays, with actors breathing life to the characters that unfold on the page.  They fill the hours at stressful jobs and quiet the mind for peaceful sleep, and are readily available at most bookstores.

What you need to understand when it comes to energy subsidies is that every form happens to be subsidized. There are not any types of energy, including nuclear, renewables, or any others, that can stand on their own without having loan guarantees, tax preferences, or even research grants on their behalf. Of course, this really doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The biggest questions is which problems are we dealing with when it comes to energy and in order to solve them, what energy subsidies need to be used?

Trying to pin down what really is and is not a subsidy is not that difficult. There really isn’t a definition of subsidy that is accepted universally, according to the U.S. Information administration back in 2008. This makes it even easier for people to get confused on what subsidies are all about. Since there are benefits and costs with all programs from the government, many times the term subsidy ends up getting connotations that are derogatory.

When you keep this in mind, several reports need to be kept in mind which try to calculate the subsidy amounts and their beneficiaries. Back in 2004, several energy worthies that are bipartisan, came up with estimates that ranged between 27-64 billion dollars each year. They included tax incentives, cleanup of sites that are polluted, R&D grants, royalty relief for gas and oil, and oil supply line protection by the military. They did note within their reports that the numbers they came up with were really only estimates.

Another estimate was done by Earth Track about three years later, which was done on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development federal subsidies. Their estimates were that there is $49-100 billion each year, with conservation getting only 2.1%, about 2/3 going to fossil fuels, ethanol getting 7.6%, , 2.4% going to nuclear, and 7.5 percent going to various other renewables. Then in 2008, there were even different numbers that were come up with by the Department of Energy, saying that the total was only about $16.6 billion. Of course, it was made clear that this report shouldn’t be the last word and didn’t include the cap on military protection of supply lines for oil and nuclear power plants.

Depending on policy preferences, subsidies can be described and defines in different ways. Those who advocate renewable energy sources say that the tax preferences that are for the tax codes happen to be permanent tax code provisions, while the ones for renewable energy forces have been off and one for some time. On the other hand, those who are champions of nuclear and coal power feel that the cost of subsidies for the renwables are much higher than the costs for plants that run on a constant basis. So, numbers on subsidies can easily be manipulated and used as weapons for either side of the argument, and it is important that you understand that.

Since the purchase of carbon credits cannot exist without some selling them, there will be instances where less than honest sellers enter the fray and do not exactly promote carbon credits in an ethical manner. Sadly, such an element will always exist in any sales venture. The key is to look for those sellers that have a stellar reputation and will not undermine your ability to get the most out of the venture and offset the footprint of carbon dioxide emissions.

Once you do find a reputable and reliable carbon credits professional, you can get right down to the proper business at hand. You can seek out someone that will help you sponsor the planting and care of trees that will neutralize the negative impact your own personal carbon footprint would have on the environment. And, as previously mentioned, you will want to go about this the right way and seek out those members of the industry that are legitimate and can help facilitate the proper acquisitions.

First and foremost, you really need to perform more than cursory research on the company you consider making the carbon offset purchases from. You do not want to buy from a company that has complaints lodged against it. Rather, you will want to stick with a company that has a strong reputation and is known for delivering on what it promises.

What is the process in which the company plants trees? Where will the trees be planted? What kind of trees will they be and who will be taking care of them? These are vital questions to ask because you want to be sure that you are sponsoring a ‘tree planting’ service that does more than just plant trees. It is designed to promote what is necessary to significantly boosting the improvements in the environment to a significant degree.

One way to make sure the carbon offset service is legitimate is to examine the totality of its promotional website. If the site is notorious for merely containing sales pitches then it is doubtfully all that great of a carbon offset service. Rather, it would come off more like a sales venture that is looking to take advantage of current cultural trends. That does not speak highly of the overall value or long term commitments of the company.

When the website is promoting all many of tips and helpful information designed to improve the environment or to reduce your carbon footprint, the company may very well be the one you want to work with. This is because the serious commitment of the company will shine through the enthusiastic presentation it delivers. This would clearly be a positive attribute and a major endorsement of the value of the site. 

Ultimately, you will want to stick with those sites, services, and sellers that are seriously committed to the improvement of the environment. Purchase your carbon offsets from these legitimate venues. You will definitely be pleased with the results.

Walk the Talk

Well, if you are going to talk about doing your part in environmental conservation, you might as well walk the talk, literally.  Instead of driving your car for a few blocks, you should walk to your destinations.  You will get your exercise, save the air from more noxious fumes coming from your car and set aside the money on fuel, toll and parking fees. Did we mention saving yourself the hassles of being stuck in traffic?

Run, Forrest, Run

If you are running late, then you should run.  This is an extension of walking the talk although you will be burning more calories over the same distance.  Besides, running is free on public areas like Centennial Park so take advantage of the sunshine, fresh air and green grass. Now, contrast that with running on an expensive treadmill.

Ride Your Bike

For longer distances, you can ride your bike.  Again, there are many parks that offer bike paths alongside pedestrian areas.  Since riding is also a cardiovascular activity, you can get your heart rate up and still ensure that you do not up the ante in environmental destruction.

Take the Stairs

The elevators are for wimps.  Well, at least, you can tell yourself this is true while you take the flights of stairs going to your office.  Your legs and derriere will get a real workout while your whole body will be buzzing with adrenaline, just enough to let you start your day on a high note.

Pedal Power

If you have the extra money, you can always purchase a pedal-powered generator.  The general rule with these generators is that the longer and harder you pedal, the greater energy is produced.  You can save on your power bill while powering up your health.

Grow a Garden

Gardening is beneficial in many ways.  You can get your exercise especially where your upper arms are concerned while ensuring that you have organic food at a lesser cost in a few months’ time.  Plus, organic gardening is very good for the environment because of lesser toxic leaks from commercial fertilizers and pesticides seeping into the ground water.

Community Clean-up

For a more comprehensive effect, you can volunteer or initiate a community clean-up.  Go to the beach, the parks and even just your neighborhood to pick up litter.  Start a recycling drive to lessen garbage being thrown to the landfills and donate the proceeds to the community food bank to help out those hit by the recession. In fact, even just educating youngsters about the value of reducing, recycling, and reusing materials will benefit present and future generations.

There are many ways to burn calories while not burning the environment through careless use of resources.  Get on them today and reap the benefits in the very near future.

Do Your Part, Use Less Paper

Trees and only trees can be used to make quality paper.  If you don’t know it yet, the world uses an estimated 93 percent of paper and a ton of paper requires two to three times its weight in trees.  Sadly, it takes 55 percent of cut trees to supply the world with paper and it takes years before a seedling grows to maturity.  Can you already imagine the magnitude of it all?

If you use paper like there is no tomorrow and shoot a lot of paper to the trash bin, it is about time to think about the implication of your actions on the environment.  Now, if there were millions of paper consumers like you, how would the paper story end?

It does not take so much of your time and energy to do your part to save the trees.  Minimizing the use of paper to only important documents and using electronic mail for your communication greatly reduces your consumption of paper and slashes the budget for office paper.

Encourage your co-workers, family and friends to stint on paper.  In the workplace, reuse paper for inter-office communication or bind used paper to make logbooks.  Your logbook, post-it, and interoffice memo may not be cool but that is a small price to pay to save trees.           

At home, explain to your children why they should not waste paper.  Show the delicate relationship between the environment and the survival of the planet and demonstrate how trees give living things air to breathe and to survive.  Ration paper after checking out how much paper they need everyday for school and homework and reward them for their gallant participation to save the trees. 

Recycle

Recycling is an environmental buzz word.  Recycle your paper or reuse them.  Check out if there is a recycling facility in your area so you can dump your old magazines and newspapers, carton, and other articles that use paper.  The recycling facility will pay you for your efforts and sell these items to a bigger facility which processes the discarded items.

Used paper is recycled into paper bags; take a cue from this.  You can create beautiful bags and Paper Mache art for your home.  Check out online sites giving away free instructions to make paper bags, origami décor, and other items that can be salvaged from old magazines and newspapers.

Using less paper, reusing paper and recycling paper are great ways to help save trees.  If a million people will do what you do, think of how much it can do to save the world’s trees.  The best time to act is now, not tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year.