The popularity of green toys is growing because of the following reasons: • Prices are dropping • Toy stores are embracing them • The selection is expanding Green toys were featured on their own pavilion at the annual toy fair in New York, despite the fact that they represent a small fraction of the $22 billion toy market. In addition to this, Germany’s upcoming toy fair is planning on making sustainability a big theme. Consumer demand for green toys has led to the industry pushing for more eco-friendly products for kids. Consumers are concerned about toxic chemicals found in traditional toys, after a series of recalls of toys manufactured overseas. Many parents are now on the market for toys that are environmentally conscious and they are willing to spend an extra few dollars to ensure that the toys were made with safe products. Amazon.com is now selling numerous green toys that use recycled materials, organic fabrics, reclaimed wood, or vegetable dye paint. Amazon has separated green toys into a Green toy store section on their website. There is also increased demand for toys that educate kids about the environment. Some examples include Elenco snap circuits green alternative energy kits and Thames & Kosmos’ global warming science kits. There ...

T. Boone Pickens is an oil tycoon, who in 2008 came on very strong in his television commercials purporting his idea to break the United States free of foreign oil imports and replace them with wind energy and natural gas. The plan for wind energy has since lost some traction after Pickens plans for the world’s largest wind farm in the Texas panhandle didn’t work out. Now Pickens has modified his plan, known as the Pickens Plan, to focus on natural gas, his other big business interest. The Pickens Plan is backed by 1.7 million supporters, which Pickens is leveraging in order to persuade Congress to pass legislation that would offer incentives to convert fleet vehicles and 18-wheelers to run on compressed natural gas rather than diesel fuel. Pickens suggests that converting just 8 million of said trucks could cut the amount of foreign oil imported by the United States in half. The Pickens Plan is backed by $80 million in promotional funds as well as 2 years of advertising, lobbying Congress and visiting the White House. Critics suggest that Pickens aim is purely financial gain, while Pickens suggests that money is not his main goal, evidenced by the fact that he ...

Many people believe that it’s important to allow their car to warm up before taking off, meaning they turn on the engine and let the car sit idly for a few minutes while the car warms up. This is an old idea that was spread to prevent some unknown problem. As it turns out, leaving the car idling is completely unnecessary, and has led some communities to enact ordinances to stop the practice of idling. Cars do not need to idle after being started because of the efficiency of modern fuel injection, which eliminated carburetors and chokes. The only real reason to let the car idle is to get the oil circulating, but that process only takes 30 seconds. The California Energy Commission explains that idling is not an effective way to warm up a car, but that a car warms up faster if you just drive it. A new electric car, the Nissan Leaf, has a feature that allows the owner to use a cell phone to communicate with the car to pre-warm or pre-cool the interior of the car, without having to put the car into idle. The Environmental Defense Fund started the Idling Gets You Nowhere campaign and advises ...

There are significant developments that have come from the technology sector in the last few years when it comes to going green and being environmentally conscious. Global warming and a whole host of other environmental issues are a major concern around the globe and it’s no wonder that the computer industry has made efforts of their own. New Zealand launched an ambitious plan to get 90% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. Kohl’s, JC Penny and Office Depot have announced green building plans. General Electric has doubled sales from environmentally friendly products in the last few years. Computers are difficult to recycle which is a problem considering that computers are made with a decent amount of lead, cadmium, brominated fire retardants and plastics. Processor speed has followed Moore’s Law causing energy use to increase. Out of the $250 billion spent around the world annually powering computers, an estimated 85% of that energy was wasted idling. As a result, computers have been blamed for causing as much global warming as the airline industry. Fortunately, the computer industry has been working on going green the last few years. Computers have sophisticated power saver and hibernation modes as well as laptops that don’t ...

Dryer sheets offer a variety of uses. Check them out: 1. Dryer sheets help to keep bugs away. You can put some in a picnic basket when eating outside to keep bugs off the food, or under lawn furniture to repel bees and other pests away from you. 2. Use a dryer sheet to scrub the bugs from your car by wetting the sheet and wiping the dead bugs on the exterior of the car with a gentle scrub. 3. Rub a dryer sheet on your bare skin to discourage bugs from biting you. 4. Put dryer sheets in your drawers to keep your clothes fresh. 5. Put a dryer sheet in your hamper to keep the odor of dirty clothes in check. 6. Put a dryer sheet on your air vents to scent the air that circulates around your house. You can also do this with a ceiling fan or portable fan. 7. Pat your clothes with a dryer sheet to reduce static cling. 8. Wipe your dogs or cats down with dryer sheets after they’ve been outside to help get rid of odors. 9. Place a dryer sheet in your cat’s litter box to help cut down on odor. 10. Take a used dryer sheet to wipe down ...