Green Tips: New Freedom Laser

By Jim Cavan

This week's Green Tips come from New Freedom Laser, a Kittery, Maine, practice that specializes in laser hair removal and skin rejuvenation.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Check out these green-focused tips to help you protect your skin.

1. Be sure to apply sunscreen 20 minutes before prolonged sun exposure. It takes a while for most lotions to kick in, so don't let your first application go to waste.

2. Avoid fragrant products. Under federal law, makers of skin products don't have to disclose the chemicals that give certain skin-care products their fragrance. When choosing skin care products, make sure you know what's in them.

3. You are what you eat. Reducing your intake of foods high in sugar and saturated fats and avoiding artificial ingredients can help your skin avoid reactivity and inflammation.

4. Make sure "natural" is really "natural."

5. Your skin is your largest organ, so treat it well with all-natural sunscreen alternatives.

For details about New Freedom Laser, visit www.newfreedomlaser.com. For more green tips, visit www.greenalliance.biz or at the Green Alliance blog at seacoastonline.com.

Green Tips: New Freedom Laser

This week's Green Tips come from New Freedom Laser, a Kittery-based practice specializing in laser hair removal and skin rejuvenation.

1. Be sure to apply sunscreen 20 minutes before prolonged sun exposure. It takes time for lotions to kick in, so don’t let your first application go to waste!

2. Avoid fragrant products. Under federal law, makers of skin products don’t have to disclose the chemicals that give certain skin care products their fragrance. When choosing skin care products, make sure you know what’s in them!

3. You are what you eat! Reducing your intake of foods high in sugar and saturated fats and avoiding artificial ingredients can help your skin avoid reactivity and inflammation.

4. Make sure “natural” is really “natural.” Hylunia Skin Care products are natural, organic, and vegan – and you can get them at New Freedom Laser!

5. You skin is your largest organ, so treat it well with all-natural sunscreen alternatives. Tropical Sands sunscreen – available through New Freedom Laser – is a great biodegradable, eco-friendly solution.

Also, in honor of Mother's Day, New Freedom Laser is offering some sweet deals. Now through May 10th, you can give Mom a Microdermabrasion for just $50! (normally $80). Or, give her a one-hour massage for just $60 (that's $10 OFF)!

Learn more at www.newfreedomlaser.com.

View the original tips and learn about more Mother's Day deals here!

5 Green Tips: Any Season Painting

This week's Green Tips come from Any Season Painting, a Portsmouth outfit committed to green products and practices for interior and exterior jobs alike.

1. You get what you pay for. Low VOC, higher-quality paints are not only made with better components, but they cover far better, requiring less paint. Spend a little more on two gallons of a better product rather than three gallons of cheap paint.

2. Every paint store has an area with "mis-tints" often sold at deep discounts. Even if you can't find the exact color you want, try mixing a couple of different ones for a shade that's all your own.

3. Reuse and repurpose. All it takes is that dresser or chair in the garage, and some leftover paint and you have a new addition to any room.

4. Go recycled. Many sundries such as rolling trays and dropcloths are made from recycled materials for close to the same price as metal/plastic/new canvas.

5. Does your kitchen need an update? There are some great low-VOC cabinet enamels you can use to prime and paint your cabinets, rather than throwing them out.

For the full article in Seacoast Online, Click Here!

Jenaly Green IT Item of the Month

Jenaly Technology Group provides excellent IT services with a personal touch that no other IT company recreates quite as well. Jenaly strives to be "Your Technology Concierge" for small and mid-size businesses, and is committed to enabling the success of every client by leveraging its own expertise in ways that help clients realize profitable results from their technology initiatives. Further, it provides a Green IT Tip in every one of its monthly newsletters. This month’s tip has been released, and is included here:

Turn Your iPhone into a Thermal Imager!

Thermal cameras are invaluable tools for spotting heat leaks and winter proofing your home. The Mu Thermal Imager is a compact, affordable accessory that turns your smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer into a thermal camera! The device is the first of its kind to offer the resolution (19,200 pixels) and software capabilities to make it useful for DIY home improvements and professional construction. Up until now, thermal cameras of this quality have cost anywhere from $2,000 to $22,000, or up to $150 a day to rent – the Mu Thermal Imager will have a MSRP of less than $325 and it’s currently available on IndieGoGo for only $125 for early adopters.

To learn more about Jenaly, its services, or to sign up for its newsletter, go to www.jenaly.com.

Remember to use your Green Card and receive 10% off all services at Jenaly!

Green Tips: Zev Yoga

This week's Green Tips come from Zev Yoga. With locations in Portsmouth, Exeter and Dover. Zev offers an affordable, in-depth curriculum aimed at helping Seacoast residents find their own "inner sustainability."

1. Take probiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria that are beneficial for overall health, and are a great alternative to supposed "cure-all" chemicals and pills. Most health food stores carry them, so give them a try, and watch your health improve.

2. Speaking of natural health remedies, how about PREbiotics? PREbiotics are plant-based, fiber-filled foods that support the growth of good bacteria — raw onions, garlic, bananas, peas, asparagus, honey and burdock root, and the like. PREbiotics can also improve absorption of minerals, balance your pH, and improve heart health.

3. Give yoga a try. More and more people are eschewing expensive health clubs for the holistic benefits of yoga. At Zev Yoga, we help you cultivate an inner sustainability, while offering an affordable option that can help enable you to make your life even greener.

4. Bring your water bottle to the studio. Most studios will have complimentary water stations, but if you're visiting a studio in another city, don't get stuck buying bottled water.

5. Looking for a new yoga mat? Companies like Manduka (www.manduka.com) have a great selection of sustainably rendered options.

For information about Zev Yoga, Click Here!

5 Green Tips from AutoBeGreen and Green Alliance!

The GA Green Tips campaign is designed to keep you informed about the many things you can do to lower your carbon footprint, while introducing you to our over 100 local, green-minded businesses throughout the region!

This week’s tips come from AutoBeGreen, a family-owned purveyor of eco-friendly car products and accessories! Learn more at www.autobegreen.com

1.) Monitor your fuel consumption in real time with the EcoMeter. While many new car models come equipped with fuel consumption monitoring, many older models don’t. Eco Meters are a great way to be more conscious of how you drive, helping you save money and lower your carbon footprint.

2.) Switch to environmentally friendly motor oils. New “green” motor oils are not only biodegradable and non-toxic, they are API Certified and outperform most standard brands. Whether you change your own oil or have it done, this is an easy opportunity to go green! Now through the end of May, GA members enjoy special deals when they get a green oil change at one of three Seacoast locations. Click here to learn more!

3.) Replace your spent wipers with Tripledge® Green Wiper Blades, the world’s first fully recyclable blades. Not only are these blades made of non-petroleum based materials and easy to recycle, they also come in eco-friendly packaging!

4.) Keep your tires inflated! Even though this is one of the most oft-cited tips for improving your fuel consumption, many people still don’t make an effort to keep their tires properly inflated and balanced. Spend five minutes once a month to properly inflate your tires, and watch your fuel use go down!

5.) Keep your car maintenance local. The family-owned AutoBeGreen offers these and many other cutting edge green products that can help you reduce your environmental footprint, while supporting the Seacoast's growing green economy!

Have green tips of your own? "Like" us on Facebook, and share them on our wall! Better yet, join the Green Alliance. We can't do it without you!

Earth Day green tips from Green Alliance

This week's Earth Day Green Tips come from the Green Alliance.

Today is Earth Day, but we believe every day of the year should celebrate our green planet. Don't limit your support and nurturing of the planet to one day a year; check out these five easy tips for making every day Earth Day.

1. Plant a tree. For just $1, you can join the more than 13 million people who have already taken this fundamental earth-healing step. Go to www.plantabillion.org to learn more.

2. Attend a beach cleanup. The Surfrider Foundation's New Hampshire chapter hosts regular beach cleanups throughout the year, with the next one slated for May 25. Check out the organization's Web site, www.newhampshire.surfrider.org, for more dates.

3. Stop junk mail. Take control of the mail that floods your mailbox and cut down on paper use in the process. Sites like www.catalogchoice.org can help point you in the right direction to start eliminating unwanted junk mail.

4. Drive wisely. With summer right around the corner, everyone is starting to plan yearly road trips. When driving, keep in mind that even going 10 mph over 60 can make that gallon of gas cost as much as 50 cents more. Keep it around 60, enjoy the drive, and help the Earth.

5. Get involved. Organizations like the Green Alliance and Seacoast Local are a great way to meet other green-minded businesses and residents to share ideas about how to bolster our local green economy. No one can do it alone, so let's work together.

For more green tips, visit www.greenalliance.biz or the Green Alliance blog at www.seacoastonline.com.

Volatile oil markets put spotlight on geothermal

Middle East tensions might be far too complex for the average citizen to fully comprehend. But anyone who’s had to fill up at the pump or have his or her home oil tank topped off over the past few years understands at least one consequence of the turmoil.

According to the Office of Energy and Planning, New Hampshire currently spends $2.6 billion every year importing petroleum products. What’s more, over half of New Hampshire homes require conventional oil for heat.

Some would argue that Granite Staters – and New Englanders writ large – have little choice but to ride out the markets and hope for cheaper fuel in the future.

Not so, says Melissa Aho, owner of Barrington-based Ultra Geothermal.

“To say that oil is the only way amounts to a false choice,” says Aho. “We’re just failing to acknowledge that there are bountiful, clean resources right beneath our feet.”

Aho should know: to date, her company has installed over 800 systems in the Granite State alone – including 48 for the University of New Hampshire’s new student dorms back in 2009.

That doesn’t mean geothermal systems are cheap; in fact, they typically cost 20-30% more than standard fossil fuel systems.

Still, Aho maintains that down-the-road savings make it more than worth the initial cost – if a household is willing to make the initial investment.

“With oil so volatile and unpredictable, geothermal is becoming more relevant and making more sense as an option every day,” explains Aho. “And you don’t get the kind of corrosion with a geothermal system that can ruin a typical fossil fuel system.”

Green Tips from Green Cocoon

This week's Green Tips come from Green Cocoon, a Salisbury, Mass., company specializing in super efficient insulation options.

1. Install a programmable thermostat. For every 2 degrees Fahrenheit you lower your thermostat, you save 2 percent of heat energy used. Reducing the room temperature in the evening and when the building is vacant can have a large impact on your heating costs.

2. As the weather gets warmer, save on cooling costs by keeping the windows closed as long as possible.

It might sound counterintuitive, but doing so can actually keep your house cooler longer.

3. Switch to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) to not only save energy, but to prevent unwanted heat as well. Incandescent light bulbs generate more heat than their energy-efficient counterparts. As summer gets closer, consider making the green switch.

4. Consider your options before replacing your existing hot water system. An on-demand water heater provides hot water only when needed, and doesn't use energy to keep water hot in a tank. These systems have been used extensively in Europe and can save up to 30 percent in energy costs.

5. Upgrading your insulation. Upgrade the insulation in the walls, basement and attic to retain heat.

In an older home, insulating your basement walls and attic with spray foam can reduce your heat energy bill by as much as 75 percent.

Green Cocoon is a business partner of the Green Alliance. GA Green Card holders receive a free estimate and consultation! For more information, please click here!

Green Tips: EZ Bikes

The GA Green Tips campaign is designed to keep you informed about the many things you can do to lower your carbon footprint, while introducing you to our over 100 local, green-minded businesses throughout the region!  This week’s tips come from EZ Bikes & Scooters, a family-owned purveyor specializing in electric bikes! Learn more at www.ezbikesandscooters.com.

1. Think green when cleaning your bike chain. If you don't keep them clean, you may end up having to replace the entire drive train. What a waste! Instead, make sure you regularly clean your chain using an environmentally friendly solvent. And be sure to dispose of the waste properly!

2. Take the time to pump! CO2 cartridges may be convenient, but they're nobody's idea of green. Use a floor pump with a gauge instead!

3. Don’t throw those tires out! Most inner tubes can be patched many times before they need to be recycled. Not sure how to fix a flat? Ask about classes at your local bike shop or cycling club.

4. Avoid overly-sugary sports drinks. If you’re out for a long ride, chances are you’ll need some electrolyte replenishment. But that doesn’t mean you need a sports drink! Instead, you can purchase flavored electrolyte tablets to put in your water. Less packaging, better for you – what could be greener?

5. Consider an electric bike! Electric bikes offer the best of both worlds – an electric boost when you need it, and pedal power when you want it. What’s more, they consume about 1 kilowatt hour of electricity for every 100 kilometers, while getting over 100 miles per gallon, making them the true green machine of the future.

Remember: Green Card holders save $100 on a new bike or scooter, $50 off a used bike or scooter, and 20% off parts for repair at EZ Bikes!

Have green tips of your own? "Like" us on Facebook, and share them on our wall! Better yet, join the Green Alliance; we can't do it without you!

Ten Easy Sustainability Tips from Site Structures Landscape

Site Structures Landscape is a full-service landscaping company that started with little more than a one-ton dump truck and a wheelbarrow full of landscaping tools in 1996. Ever since, the company has been providing landscaping services along the Seacoast with two simple goals in mind: to do the projects right, and treat customers honestly. Sustainability is a core value in the company’s business practices, and is considered in all the work Site Structures does. Below are ten easy tips that Site Structures has provided to help everyone lead a more sustainable life.

What is Sustainability?
sus•tain•a•ble:
Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.

10 Easy Ways to be Sustainable:

Use mulch to reduce water evaporation + weeds
Compost your garden + kitchen waste
Choose pest resistant plants– think native
Avoid broad spectrum chemicals like Sevin + Round UP
Raise your mower deck higher to reduce weeds
Water smart- at root zone in morning
Right Plant, right place
Minimize use of impervious surfaces
Collect rain in barrels or in rain gardens
Weed regularly and by hand– the weeds compete with your plants for water and nutrients in your soil

If you would like to learn more about Site Structures, please visit www.sitestructureslandscape.com.

GA Members: remember to use your Green Card and save $150 on an order for the installation of trees, shrubs, perennials or any combination totaling $1500 or more! Also receive $300 off a patio, wall or walkway installation of $5000 or more!

Green Tips from Ecotech Pest Control by Jim Cavan

This week's Green Tips come from Tom Pray and Ecotech Pest Control, an Eliot, Maine-based company specializing in efficient, low-impact alternatives to pest control for ants, ticks, termites and more.

1. If you have gutters, make sure you calibrate them so they drain away from your home's foundation. This will help reduce the kind of damage to decks, steps and wooden siding that ants and termites feed on.

2. If you have wood mulch around your house, make sure it's not touching the foundation. Placing an 18-inch barrier of crushed stone around the foundation will prevent unwanted insects from making their way into the home.

3. Trim the bushes surrounding your home so that they aren't touching the sides of the house. Otherwise, you're giving carpenter ants and other insects a ladder from which to enter the home.

4. Don't allow the wood siding of the home to directly touch soil. Doing so allows termites easy access.

5. Be sure to caulk openings for air conditioning and oil tank piping. Mice and other rodents can crawl into the tiniest of spaces, including small cracks or holes around piping.

Ecotech is a business partner of the Green Alliance. GA Green Card holders save 10% on mosquito, tick, and ant mitigation services! To learn more, please click here!

GUEST BLOG: 7 Hidden Benefits of Sustainable Living

By Carrie Van Brunt-Wiley
HomeInsurance.com

With Earth Day around the corner, we invited Carrie Van Brunt-Wiley of HomeInsurance.com to discuss how some major insurance carriers are now rewarding green homeowners and drivers for their earth-friendly initiatives. Check out these suggestions for ways the green choices you’ve made are – or should be – preserving your bank account.

Also, don't forget to check out GA Business Partner Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance! Located in Portsmouth, PAI -- family owned and with in-house green initiatives to boot -- is your trusted local alternative, offering personal and commercial lines of insurance, along with life, auto, home and renters insurance, as well as health and financial services. All told, Portsmouth Atlantic insures over 1,500 clients throughout the Seacoast, Maine and Massachusetts region. Check them out!

What you might not know about carpooling

You’ve made the responsible choice to carpool to work with a friend. You enjoy the company, for one thing. But there’s more. You’ve also cut the amount of carbon emissions you and your friend generate and the amount of fuel you use. Here’s why it’s important: In a single year, the average car in the U.S. emits almost 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide and guzzles about 500 gallons of gasoline, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. You’re reducing emissions and saving money on gas.

Here’s what you might not have considered. Most top insurance providers reward responsible policyholders who drive less. Carriers use a number of factors to determine the risk you pose and the rate you pay. One is how much you drive. If carpooling means you put less than 12,000 miles on your vehicle each year, make sure your insurance agent knows it and that your premium reflects it. Other ways to help reduce the mileage on your vehicle include walking or riding a bicycle whenever possible for short trips. The additional reward from this also is valuable: You’ll be healthier.

The ‘other’ advantage of your hybrid car

You bought a hybrid car because they’re as much as two-thirds more fuel-efficient than conventional vehicles... Read Carrie's full piece by clicking here! 

Jenaly Green IT Item of the Month

Jenaly Technology Group provides excellent IT services with a personal touch that no other IT company recreates quite as well. Jenaly strives to be "Your Technology Concierge" for small and mid-size businesses, and are committed to enabling the success of every client by leveraging their own expertise in ways that help clients realize profitable results from their technology initiatives. Further, they provide a Green IT Tip in every one of their monthly newsletters. This month’s tip has been released, and is included here:

Alternatives to Packing Peanuts

By now people are pretty well aware of the wasteful and environmental hazards of packing materials. The folks at GreenUpgrader.com have some clever alternatives when you absolutely have to send something that requires them:

* Shredded paper

* Linens and towels

* Newspapers

* Popcorn

* Scraps of fabric

Read more here!

To learn more about Jenaly, their services, or to sign up for their newsletter, go to www.jenaly.com.

Remember to use your Green Card and receive 10% off all services at Jenaly!

Jenaly Green IT Item of the Month

Jenaly Technology Group makes a point to advocate environmentally friendly practices in their business services, including digitizing all possible documents and promoting dynamic “solid ink” technologies. Further, they provide a Green IT Tip in every one of their monthly newsletters. This month’s tip has been released, and is included here:

Green Tea & Cucumber for your Electronics?

To keep your electronic devices’ screens germ free this flu season, be sure to check out these wipes:

www.wirelesswipes.com/index!

Jenaly is a company that provides excellent IT services with a personal touch that no other IT company recreates quite as well. Jenaly strives to be "Your Technology Concierge" for small and mid-size businesses, and are committed to enabling the success of every client by leveraging their own expertise in ways that help clients realize profitable results from their technology initiatives.

To learn more about Jenaly, their services, or to sign up for their newsletter, go to www.jenaly.com.

Remember to use your Green Card and receive 10% off all services at Jenaly!

GUEST BLOG: Jenaly Green IT Item of the Month

From Jenaly Technology Group, Inc.

By Ellen Sargent

What’s Your Carbon Footprint?

With everyone thinking about new year’s resolutions, you may have “reducing your or your business’ carbon footprint” on the list. To figure out what your carbon footprint is, visit this web site and use their calculators (one for business use and one is for household use):

http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator1.html

To view the original tip on Jenaly's website, click here!

GUEST BLOG: Solar Panels and Snow - Should I Be Concerned?

By ReVision Energy

With another New England winter upon us, we've started getting questions from customers concerned about snow accumulation on their solar panels. While it's true that solar panels drop in production when they're covered with snow, as a percentage of overall yearly production the loss is very small.

Solar arrays tend to shed snow pretty well (as they are mounted to face the sun, and on a slope). They also tend to be in difficult or even dangerous areas to access on the roof. Given these two facts, our general recommendation is do not manually clear snow from your solar panels.

Now, some customers have solar arrays that are easier to access and are willing to put in some effort to optimize their system for every possible ounce of performance. If you fall into this camp, there are a few tips we've received over the years we can share.

If you have a roof rake, use it to clear the area beneath the panels so that snow has a place to slide to when it sheds from the panels. Without being raked, the sun will hit the snow and cause it shed from the panels and onto your roof, but with a little extra help this process will speed up.

If you have flat plate solar hot water collectors, or solar photovoltaic modules, you can also attach a piece of foam pipe insulation on the edge of your roof rake and use it to gently clear snow from the actual panels (we've also heard that a few strips of duct tape to dull the edge of the roof rake works). But be careful! While customers report success using this technique, any damage caused to your panels will not be covered under warranty.

Absolutely do not try to clear the snow from collectors with the sharp edge of a metal roof rake (and never use any type of rake on evacuated tube collectors). Also, be mindful of your safety - a few extra hours of production in the shortest daylight times of year are not worth you injuring yourself. We think your time is better spent indoors enjoying a cup of hot chocolate and looking forward to the next sunny day!

5 Holiday Green Tips from the GA!

1. Each year, 35 million Christmas Trees – each of which can take up to 10 years to grow – are cut down, used for a few weeks, then thrown away. Meanwhile, millions more plastic Christmas trees end up in landfills, where they’ll take centuries to biodegrade. Looking for an alternative? Check out the Eco Xmas Tree book, which gives you step-by-step instructions on how to create your own Christmas tree with pine branches!

2. The average American couple sends out 50 Holiday card each year. Not only is that a lot of paper; it requires a lot of energy to deliver. Consider electronic greeting cards instead – they have 1/16th of the carbon footprint, and in many cases they’re much more customizable!

3. Time to get new lights for the Holidays? Choose LED lights. Not only are they more efficient, they also last longer. It might cost a few dollars more, but this simple seasonal investment can add up to big savings down the road!

4. Shopping for electronics? Make sure they’re EnergyStar certified. These days, everything from lighting to televisions to heavy-duty appliances include EnergyStar options. When your friends and relatives start seeing the reduced electricity bills, you’ll know they truly are the gifts that keep on giving!

5. Save all that wrapping paper. Instead of tearing the package open, make sure everyone opens their presents gently and the boxes, paper, and ribbons are saved. This not only helps save resources, but will also help save you the time and hassle of having to run out for wrapping fodder next year!

Interested in receiving our regular Green Tips email campaign, brought to you by a new GA Buisness Partner each month? Email tricia@greenalliance.biz and request to be put on our mailing list!

Green Tips from Minute Men Painters

The GA Green Tips feature advice, ideas, and suggestions from various green businesses. Below are a few of this week's tips from Sean Sturk of Minute Men Painters, New Hampshire's own green painting service. 

1. Use all your paint, even if you have to add an extra coat. The extra coat will provide walls with more protection. Keep in mind that a typical gallon can cover about 300 to 400 square feet.

2. Use quality water-based acrylic-latex paints. Because they contain low levels of solvents, these paints are more environmentally friendly.

3. When doing small projects or touch-ups, purchase used paint. Stores like Habitat for Humanity ReStore will sell them for a fraction of the cost of new paint. If stored properly, used and unused paint will last forever, so you know you won't be sacrificing quality.

To read all of Minute Men's Green Tips visit here!

Jenaly Green IT Item of the Month

Jenaly Technology Group is a company that provides excellent IT services with a personal touch that no other IT company recreates quite as well. Jenaly Technology Group strives to be "Your Technology Concierge" for small and mid-size businesses, and are committed to enabling the success of every client by leveraging their own expertise in ways that help clients realize profitable results from their technology initiatives.

Jenaly also makes a point to advocate environmentally friendly practices in their business services, including digitizing all possible documents and promoting dynamic “solid ink” technologies. Further, they provide a Green IT Tip in every one of their monthly newsletters. This month’s tip has been released, and is included here:

How Healthy Are Your Local Waterways? New EPA App Tells All

If you’ve ever wondered about water pollution in your local waterways, look for the EPA’s new app: How’s My Waterway? Simply enter your zip code into the app and it will load maps within a 5 mile radius with detailed info on the health and status of waterways!

Read More Here!

To learn more about Jenaly, their services, or to sign up for their newsletter, go to www.jenaly.com.

Remember to use your Green Card and receive 10% off all services at Jenaly!