Forget drawers of files.
Forget stacks of cds.
Forget the thumbdrives.
Forget rooms of servers.

An easy way to green up your business is to utilize an online storage system. It can save you a bundle of cashas you can use a free online backup system to store much of your every files.

No more lost files, no worries about a crashed computer, you can safely store documents, files, even photos online saving up precious space in your office and your office files.

Using an online service greens up your business by cutting hard drive costs, cutting office labor costs, and over limit fees from your server hosts.

In many ways, using an online storage system saves you ‘green’.

Short list of ways to save money around the office and help save earth’s resources at the same time.

• Turn off lights when not in the room. Particularly little used areas like meeting rooms, conference rooms, break rooms, empty offices.
• Replace burnt out light bulbs with new compact fluorescents,
• Use direct deposit.
• Have recycle bins for most used items, aluminum, plastic, toner, cell phones.
• Provide small recycle bins at each work station for paper.
• Set your printers to draft mode for most paperwork.
• Choose biodegradable supplies for the break rooms, paper plates over Styrofoam for instance.
• Replace Styrofoam cups with reusable bottles.
• Buy recycled paper.

The recipe that most people use, when making their own is:

A bar of Fels Naptha soap

1 ½ cups washing soda

1 ½ cups borax

Most instructions say to grate the soap into a sauce pan, add 6 cups of water and heat until the soap melts. Add the soda and borax and mix until it’s smooth.

You’ll need a large bucket or other container next. Add 4 cups hot water to the bucket, add the soap mixture and stir. Now add a gallon to water to the bucket and stir again.

Let this sit overnight and you’ll have laundry gel. You use about a half a cup to a load of laundry.

This ‘gel’ doesn’t really look like liquid laundry detergent. In my opinion it resembles pudding.

If you’ve saved an old liquid laundry detergent container you can pour this into it before it sets up. It’s easy to store that way.

Personally, I found all that too much trouble. What I did was melt the soap in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. I then poured the glob into a large plastic pitcher, added the rest of the ingredients and slowly added water. I then used a long bullet hand blender to mix the stuff up. I did not use the entire gallon of water so mine was a little stronger. I then poured it into an old liquid detergent bottle and used about a quarter cup per laundry load.

Some folks even find that is too much trouble. You can mix the three dry ingredients together and just use a couple of tablespoons per load. Now that’s easy!

This homemade laundry soap doesn’t suds much at all. Don’t worry – you don’t need the suds to get your clothes clean.

When looking for the ingredients to make the laundry soap please note that washing soda is NOT baking soda. You’ll find washing soda in the laundry aisle in a big yellow box made by the same company as the baking soda. The borax is on the same aisle. If you can’t find Fels Naptha, use any ‘real’ soap. Ivory is real soap and works great in this recipe.

Try it, at least once. See if you don’t like saving money.

]]> http://www.earthfinds.com/energy-conservation/homemade-laundry-soap-saves-money.html/feed 0 http://www.earthfinds.com/energy-conservation/eight-ways-to-save-energy-and-save-money.html http://www.earthfinds.com/energy-conservation/eight-ways-to-save-energy-and-save-money.html#comments Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:49:05 +0000 admin http://www.earthfinds.com/?p=19

1. Saving energy helps save you money
   • Set that thermostat back a few degrees in the winter and up a few degrees higher in the summertime to help save on heating and cooling costs. Some folks even turn theirs off during the day. This only works if your house is insulated enough to keep pipes from freezing in the winter or insulated enough to keep the heat from getting so hot inside that you’d never get it cooled down in the summer.
   • Try those new compact florescent light bulbs (CFL’s) when your regular old light bulbs burn out. You’ll be amazed at what using these will shave off of your electric bill.
   • Unplug appliances when you aren’t using them. Many of today’s electronics suck power even when turned off. Consider a power strip for an easy “unplug.”
   • Do your wash in cold water whenever possible. MOST of the energy used in doing a load of laundry is consumed by heating the water.
   • Line dry or use a drying rack whenever possible. This saves money obviously by not using the dryer, but saves wear and tear on your clothing as well.
2. Save water to help save money
   • You know the drill. Spend less time in the shower! This lowers your water AND heating bills at the same time!
   • Consider a low-flow showerhead. They are relatively inexpensive and they work. You’ll likely not notice the difference, at least in the shower. You’ll notice a difference in your water and energy bill though!
   • Check those sink faucets. Do they have an aerator on them? Clean and or replace them. (It’s easy, the end piece of the faucet – where the water comes out – typically unscrews. Remove and clean or replace the screen.)
   • Save more water by using native drought tolerant plants outside. Find those that need minimal water naturally.
3. Less gas use equals more money in your pocket
   • How can you use less gasoline? Walk more. Bike more. Ride the bus. Carpool when available. Combine errands.
   • Is telecommuting available? Have you considered moving closer to work?
4. Eat smarter
   • Try some lower cost options for meals. Try going meatless one night a week. Beans aren’t your only option here (although they are really yummy on a cold winter’s night).
   • Have breakfast for dinner sometimes. Pancakes, flapjacks, and waffles make a great evening meal.
   • Have a crock-pot hiding in the back of your cabinet? Dig it out and put it to use. Nothing is better than a roast that cooked all day! You’ll get a home cooked meal without heating up the kitchen.
   • Buy local when you can. Try your local farmers market for really fresh produce. You might even try your hand at growing some of your own. Start with something easy, say a potted tomato. You’ll love the fresh picked taste!
5. Skip that bottled water
   • Yes, it’s easy to use, easy to carry, it’s just easy. The problem is it isn’t green.
   • Buy a high quality water filter and purify your own tap water instead of buying bottled water. Bottled water is pricey and creates way too much waste.
   • Consider buying a reusable water bottle and carry your own purified water.
6. Buy smarter
   • Buy things you use in bulk. Know what your family uses. For instance if your family is really particular about shampoo, and you know exactly how much you use in your home, and what the average price is, so that when you find it on sale at a bargain basement price, you can then do a little math in your head and buy enough for a year.
   • Look for clothing that can be washed at home. Forgo dry-cleaning forever!
   • Buy quality. That dollar packet of steak knives looks like a bargain (yes, I bought a set of steak knives for a dollar), BUT, how long before the handles start coming off? Or they bend and break or rust? Buy quality – invest a few extra dollars into products that are meant to last.
7. Recycle
   • Recycle, not just plastic, glass and aluminum cans. Recycle cell phones, computers and other electronics. There are companies that take these items and reuse or refurbish them. Just Google it for a local resource. Some even pay postage to get it to them!
8. Make your own non-toxic cleaning supplies
   • You can clean a lot with just vinegar. I once had a part time job at Long John Silvers, and that is what they used to clean the tables. I thought it strange at the time, now I know better. Vinegar cuts grease, and cleans beautifully.
   • Baking soda makes a great scrubbing powder.

Let’s add to this list. What’s your suggestion to help save energy and money?