eco friendly living Archives - Pea of Sweetness

Saving Money and Energy with ENERGY STAR Sound Bars and Dryers

October 31, 2016 by Emilee Evans

When we decided to make the commitment to be an eco-friendly household I learned there is so much more to it than just finding organic and eco-friendly products. Everything we do and use has some impact on our health and environment. That’s why I love that Best Buy is committed to providing sustainable products!
Disclosure: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.
Best Buy offers ENERGY STAR® certified products which help protect the environment by using reduced energy. This alone is something I feel good about, but there really are savings on the utility bills as well! ENERGY STAR certified products come with two price tags: the price for purchasing the product as well as the cost of operating the product. ENERGY STAR appliances and products can help save money on operating costs by reducing energy expenses without sacrificing performance. Who doesn’t love to save money?
In 2015, Best Buy customers purchased enough ENERGY STAR® certified products to collectively save $67,120,515 in annual energy costs! Amazing, right? Plus Best Buy customers purchased ENERGY STAR® certified products to collectively save enough energy to help power 70,538 households for a year.

ENERGY STAR Audio/Video Equipment – Sound Bars

ENERGY STAR Sound Bars are just some of the great ENERGY STAR certified audio/video equipment available at Best Buy. They are up to 50% more efficient than conventional models! Plus they look great, too! You can save even more energy when you pair them with other ENERGY STAR certified televisions and devices.
Find Sound Bars on the Best Buy Website.

ENERGY STAR Appliances – Dryers

I run my dryer almost every day. That is why I love ENERGY STAR dryers! They use up to 20% less energy than conventional dryers, but they still have amazing features and work well! Plus they have additional features like shutting off when they detect clothes are dry, which is what helps save energy! Many even include handy features like steam cycles, so you can save on ironing time (and energy) as well!

Here is an interesting fact: If all dryers sold in the US alone were ENERGY STAR certified, Americans could save $1.5 billion each year in utility costs! WOW! Plus, we could prevent greenhouse gas emissions that would be equal to more than 2 million vehicles. ENERGY STAR dryers are definitely the way to go!
Find ENERGY STAR dryers on the Best Buy Website. They offer other great ENERGY STAR appliances as well!
Another great benefit for using ENERGY STAR certified products is that you can generally find rebates as well!
Do you use ENERGY STAR certified products? Now is a great time to add some of the great ENERGY STAR certified products at Best Buy to your wishlist! You could kick off the new year with a goal of saving energy and money! Here are more great tips to save energy.

Toxin Freedom Fighters #FightToxins

April 7, 2014 by Emilee Evans

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Millennial Central for Seventh Generation. I received a promotional item and product samples as a thank you for participating. Regardless, all opinions are my own.

Ever since my husband’s cancer had come back I started digging deeper into not only the foods we were eating but the products we were using as well. What I was finding out was really disturbing to me. Because we also have three special needs children I was thinking about the impacts these products could be having on them as well. I knew that to be healthier, we needed to start getting away from all these chemicals, and so our eco-friendly journey began!
The eco-friendly journey isn’t always easy. Even still I find myself getting hung up on products that appear to be eco-friendly only to discover they’re not at all. The problem is that chemicals aren’t well-regulated here in the United States. In fact, Congress hasn’t evaluated the Toxic Substances Control Act since 1976! Do you know how much things have changed since then? Our products contain more chemicals and harmful ingredients than they did all those years ago (80,000 more chemicals actually), and reform is well overdue.
That is why I’m teaming up with Seventh Generation to help spread awareness about the importance of chemical reform in the United States.

When I thought about the health concerns our family had and how many chemicals we’re exposed to on a regular basis, I was disturbed to realize how many we have already been exposed to and how that can affect their health, and I knew it was time to make a change. I also determined that I would share my journey with others to help them eliminate toxins in their lives as well because it matters to me. My husband’s battle with cancer is hard, and if I can raise awareness on the importance of ingredients in our products, I may save another family from going through that.
In addition to cancer, scientists have also linked exposure to toxic chemicals to many other health risks such as learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s, asthma, birth defects, and various reproductive problems. Another scary fact? The EPA has required testing on less than 10% of those 80,000 new chemicals introduced to our products since 1976. Chemicals that can do that much harm haven’t even been tested!
It’s important to spread the word about these facts and make small changes every day to rid our homes of toxic chemicals. So where do you start? First, I want to invite you to sign the petition with me. The best way to invoke change is to spread the word about the importance and stand up for it! If we can collect 100,000 signatures (we’re so close!) the Toxin Freedom Fighters will deliver them to Congress on April 30, 2014. Our signatures strengthen this movement and help spread awareness as well!
So how can you make changes in your life? I invite you to check out my Natural/Eco-Friendly Living category for more on our story and how we have made small changes to get to where we are today. It starts with a decision to learn more and take what you learn to move in the right direction. When in doubt ask questions and dig deeper. I know I am always willing to answer questions for those that ask and point to helpful resources! We’re all still on our journey as well, and we can learn together!

Sign the Petition!

Please join the Toxin Freedom Fighters and sign the petition! You can make a difference! Don’t forget to use all of the sharing tools they have available as well!

For More About Seventh Generation:

Visit the Seventh Generation Website
Get Social! Connect with Seventh Generation on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube.

Is the Eco Friendly Lifestyle More Expensive?

May 29, 2013 by Emilee Evans

Making changes in your life to become more environmentally friendly is a worthwhile goal, but it can be a challenge at first to overcome to the costs of some eco-friendly options. Fortunately, there are many ways to lead a sustainable life while also saving money. This means that you save the planet while increasing your savings at the same time! Here are four inexpensive ways to be eco-friendly.

Don’t Let Your Energy Leak

The Department of Energy estimates that a fifth of energy consumption comes from heating and cooling your house. While it is understandable that you want to feel comfortable in your home, there are ways to do so while lowering your monthly energy bill as well as your environmental footprint. Much of your energy consumption is wasted because of the gaps and cracks that let the cool or hot air escape your house. To avoid this you can insulate you house to seal the air leaks, which will save you energy and money.

Install Solar Panels

Although in the short term solar panels can be costly, they are well worth it when it comes to saving on your electricity bill in the long run. Solar roofing will allow you to take control of your electricity expenses, especially as the electricity rates increase nationwide at an average increment of 6% a year. You will soon see returns on the money you spent on solar panels, because you will be guaranteeing a lower cost on your electricity expenses. You can contact a local roof repair contractor and asked about local saving and financial support you can get when getting solar panels installed.

Don’t Waste Energy on an Empty House

Investing in a programmable thermostat will allow you to regulate the temperature of your house based on the times that your family is in the house. It is a waste of energy and money to pay for a cool or warm home when there is no one home. Programmable thermostats will pay for themselves very quickly by cutting your electricity bill potentially in half. You should also consider lowering the temperature you keep your house at, as this will save you money and energy as well.

Use Hot Water Sparingly

The Department of Energy states that water heating is one of the largest energy costs in your house. Hot water accounts for about 12% of your utility bill; so to lower your energy expense, try to use less hot water. You can turn down your water heater’s thermostat, buy a more efficient water heater, or insulate the pipes and heater.
*Thank-you to Dave Smith for this great guest post!*

Nordic Naturals Back-to-School Promotion

August 7, 2012 by Emilee Evans

We have been on our going green journey for about 2 years now, and it truly is a learning process! I was already using cloth diapers as a means to reduce waste and the chemicals that can be found in disposable diapers and was slowly switching to re-usable products, but the real awareness of ingredients began shortly after my husband’s cancer diagnosis. I always had negative reactions to harsh chemical cleaners where I would feel short of breath, get itchy, and sometimes get a rash, but I was under the incorrect assumption that it had to smell strong and contain harsh chemicals to actually “do the job.” Wow, have I learned A LOT since then! Plus with having 3 special needs children as well the last thing we need are more harsh chemicals and harmful ingredients. I am now more aware of ingredients in not only our household cleaners but everything around the home including what we eat! Not only do I not have reactions, but I don’t feel sick and rundown all the time anymore, which blows that whole idea of you need harsh chemicals to “do the job” right out of the water! 😉 I look for ingredients that are plant-based, natural, and organic, BUT I am also aware that anyone can put “natural” or even “organic” on their labels. Unfortunately it’s not as easy as just looking for key words. My best advice is ALWAYS read the labels, shop from stores (including online) you trust that specialize in natural products, and when in doubt – research! That’s why I love to share what I’ve learned in hopes of helping others on their own personal journeys and love to share resources that have been valuable to me along the way as well!
Healthy Child Healthy World has been a great resource for our family! Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Healthy Child Healthy World began in 1992 after five-year-old Colette Chuda died of a rare form of non-hereditary cancer linked to environmental factors. Playing a leadership role in one of the most important public health and environmental movements of the 21st century, Healthy Child Healthy World today ignites the movement that empowers parents to protect children from harmful chemicals. Healthy Child Healthy World is a national, nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization headquartered in Los Angeles, CA.
For the past two decades Healthy Child Healthy World has been the nation’s leading organization of its kind. They:

Expand awareness of unnecessary toxic risks to children’s health;
Encourage easy actions and responsible lifestyle choices;
Advocate for corporate policies and government legislation that protect children from environmental health risks; and,
Engage communities to take collective actions to create a healthier world.

They have encouraged me to learn more and become the best advocate for our household by just becoming more aware and making better choices! Their tips, education, etc. is awesome, and I’m so grateful to have found them!
Nordic Naturals, recognizing the issue of our children being exposed to more chemicals than ever – with new ones being introduced each day – is teaming up with Healthy Child Healthy World in a Back to School Promotion to raise awareness about this important issue! Based in Watsonville, CA, Nordic Naturals is committed to delivering the world’s safest, most effective omega oils to help provide the essentials of an extraordinary life. Distributing to more than 35 countries, Nordic Naturals offers over 150 products in a variety of flavors and formulations, all in line with leading standards for safety, efficacy and sustainability. By providing omega oil supplements for adults, kids, athletes and pets, Nordic Naturals helps everyone do more of what they love.
Here’s just one way that Nordic Naturals plans to help: Their Special Back to School Promotion To raise awareness about this important issue, Nordic Naturals will donate a portion of proceeds from selected Nordic Naturals children’s products to Healthy Child Healthy World during its Back-to-School promotion, which will run from August 1st through October 31st. One dollar of every bottle sold of the following products will be donated to Healthy Child Healthy World:

Nordic Berries™ – chewy, sweet-and-sour multivitamins provide 100% of the daily value of the most essential nutrients
Nordic Omega-3 Gummies™ – easy-to-chew, omega-3 tangerine treats for ages 2+
Children’s DHA™ – chewable, strawberry-flavored omega-3s support brain and visual function for ages 3+
Baby’s DHA – omega-3s for babies 5-35 lbs. with a measured dropper for easy addition to formula or food

How great is that?! We know how important vitamins are, particularly the Omega-3 for our special needs children, and by purchasing a bottle you also are helping Healthy Child Healthy World!