muchapedia ^{green living hub}

you are in the muchapedia ^{GREEN LIVING HUB}

It's time to start living like it. Renewable, sustainable, green living is the new black... and not a moment too soon. Never, in the history of modern civilization has this been more important than it is now. We are in a race against time, weather, and fossil fuel supply. If we lose the race, we could potentially face the end of the world as we know it, and I don't know about you, but I don't feel so fine about that. So, in the interest of improving our chances, what d'ya say we green it up a bit, and start to change some of our more environmentally unfriendly habits? Come on! It'll be fun! Plus, living green can save you money, and make you feel good. (Ya look good doin' it, too!) So, what've you got to lose? (Aside from health risks related to pollution, a nasty fossil fuel addiction, dependence on less than friendly foreign governments, melting icebergs... you get the picture.)
Here, we have assembled a wealth of information for people on all shades of the green color spectrum. Already living off the grid? No problem. New green living products are invented all the time, and we will provide you with the most up to date breaking news as it becomes available. Don't even know what off the grid means? Not an issue. Muchapedia will take you step by step through the gamut of green technology and tips for going green from green recipes to green computing to how to build your own solar panel and everything in between. So, sit back, pour yourself a nice tall glass of recycled rain barrel water, flip on that energy efficient light bulb, and let muchapedia provide you with your very own online living green expo. Join the green revolution today.

KERMIT THE FROG WAS WRONG...
It Is Easy Being Green
(It's also cheaper and far more hip)

Green Living is all about changing the way that we think. It's about consciousness. More to the point, it's about being conscious. (Read the Humanifesto on SuperForest.org to get another very clear, very cool perspective on this.) If we have an awareness of what our actions actually entail, then we are more likely to consider the actions that we take. In other words, if we really thought about what happened every time we flipped on a light switch, in terms of how much CO2^[glossary] we're releasing into the atmosphere every minute that light is on, and what that means for our health and the environment, we would figure out a way to make that light bulb more efficient toot sweet!

Now, that doesn't necessarily mean that we have to run out and buy a bunch of home solar panels (though that is a very good idea). Many of us can not afford to make such a substantial investment right this second. However, there are some inexpensive (and completely free) things we can do right now to offset this particular element of our carbon footprint, and thereby advance our goal of green living. For starters, we can turn the lights off when we're not in the room, or when the sun is providing enough light for us to see by. This is so simple, so free, so cost effective, and yet, so many of us fail to do it so often. So sad.
Another thing we can do is purchase energy efficient light bulbs. Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL's) emit the same type of glow as normal incandescents - not at all like the fluorescent lighting we normally associate with hospitals and supermarkets. While these bulbs cost a little more at the store, they actually save A LOT of money in the long run, because they use only 1/3 of the amount of energy, and they last 10x longer than their incandescent counterparts. Meanwhile, Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs are primed to bring a new generation of energy efficiency to home lighting fixtures. Thanks to recent developments by researchers at Purdue University, a process that uses inexpensive silicon wafers in lieu of the sapphire-based technology currently used in LEDs, promises to bring a cost effective solution to homeowners everywhere in the very near (very bright) future. Click Here to read a muchapedia Visitor Submission about LED Lighting.
Again, this is all about our level of consciousness... once we become consistently aware of the fact that we left the light on in our bedroom even though we're in the kitchen cooking dinner, we truly begin the process of green living. When we are conscious, we are active participants in our own destinies, and we are free to choose a sustainable future here on this beautiful blue planet through the process of green living.

• Want more "Going Green Tips"? We've got 'em! Have some to share? We want 'em!

FROM GREEN JEANS TO GREEN SCREENS
Products and Technology for Green Living

The basic tenets of green living can be summed up in three words:

These principles can (and should) be applied to just about anything from airplanes to appliances, bathrooms to backyards, clothes to computers, and everything in between. The key is to be conscious about what we use and how we use it.
As consumers in America, we hold all the power. Wherever our money goes, business grows. Billions of advertising dollars are spent each year to tell us how to spend our money, but the truth is, how we spend our money tells big industry what to produce and how to produce it. We are in control. You and me. We hold all the cards, and they know it. You can basically think of big business as puppets on strings; strings which are attached to our fingers. When we spend the almighty dollar, they dance.
Yet, somehow, the puppets have taken over the show. We keep spending money the way they tell us to, so they continue to produce products that are not environmentally friendly in ways that are not environmentally friendly. In this way, they keep us dependent on hostile governments and feed our fossil fuel addiction simultaneously.

As soon as they see our dollars going toward green living products, they will produce more green living products. The more we spend, the more they'll manufacture. It's that simple. Competition will come into play, new jobs will be created, prices will go down as our chances of survival go up, and we will live in a more stable, sustainable environment as a result. It's in our hands. We hold the most powerful weapon of all in the fight against global warming and fossil fuel addiction in America... our wallets.
So, join the green revolution today! This is a call to arms. Get out there on the front lines and fight! Go ahead and get that iPod solar charger you've had your eye on. Update your wardrobe with some cool new recycled clothes. Remodelling the bathroom? Don't forget the dual flush toilet! Whatever you need, you can choose green. Not sure where to find it? No problem. Muchapedia has you covered. We have a comprehensive list of green living products, green technology, and green businesses to get you started, and we update it often. Choosing green living, does not mean going without.

• Find a wealth of Green Living Products on muchapedia.


• Learn about all the latest and greatest Green Technology on muchapedia.

STOP THE GRID, I WANNA GET OFF!

What is the grid? In this context, the term "grid" refers to the power distribution grid, which supplies the light, heat, a/c, internet, television, etc. to most homes in America.
Without the energy that travels to your house from the power plant via "the grid", life would be somewhat unmanageable these days. In other words, we are heavily reliant upon it. This applies to the municipal water supply, the sewer system, and other public utilities like natural gas as well. They all function through a series of interconnected grids to provide us with the creature comforts to which we have become accustomed.
We don't even think about it anymore. We just flip the switch, or turn the nozzle, or push a button on a remote control, and voila! Instant gratification. What pollution? What global warming? What fresh water supply? What fossil fuel addiction? None of this computes, because we are able to maintain a state of complete and total unconsciousness of the way our energy works. All we need to know is how to push a button. It isn't until the power goes out that we stop to think about the fact that the electricity isn't actually coming from the light switch.
As we know, the green living tenets of reduce, reuse, recycle are determined by one thing above and beyond everything else, and that is the conscious awareness of how our actions impact the planet. When we waste water and electricity that is created by the burning of fossil fuels, we are doing ourselves a major disservice. Because of this, many people are opting to find ways to begin living off the grid. Through current solar, wind, and other alternative energy technologies, they are lessening their dependence on conventional electricity sources. They are also conserving water by using a rain barrel and/or dual flush toilets. These techniques are generally feasible, both economically and functionally, for everyone.
If you are interested in taking the next step in your green living journey, don't miss our pages on water conservation, and home energy solutions. Together, we can kick this dirty habit of fossil fuel consumption, and pave the way to a cleaner, brighter, sustainable tomorrow.

• Learn more about new ways to Conserve Water, on muchapedia.


• Find out about your Home Alternative Energy options, on muchapedia.