So, I live in Naperville, Illinois and was driving around about a week ago when I noticed a new solar panel on a 6 acre park.

Hobson West Ponds, Naperville, IL

There is no plaque anywhere in the park explaining what the solar panel is for. I tried looking at the city of Naperville’s website, and Googling around and found no information about the panel. I didn’t notice anything electric located at the park that the panel could be locally powering, so I’m quite unsure what it is for. Regardless of any of that, it has to be a good thing, and I am looking forward to finding out its purpose.

How green is Judge Sonia Sotomayor? Quick answer: it’s hard to tell – Legal Planet

Planning on going to Charlotte in late 2009? Bank of America is opening up an LEED Gold Ritz-Carlton by the end of the year – Luxist

I know it can be hard for artists to find eco-friendly art supplies. But here is a list of 6 green friendly art supply companies – Alease Michelle via The Green Phone Booth

GreenDaily has a new toolbar with the Green Wizard Utility. This utility “will help you fine-tune your computer to save energy.” I’m lazy, and have enough toolbars as it is so I have yet to install this, but if anyone has something to say about it please leave a comment – GreenDaily

“Michigan Will Lead the Green Industrial Revolution,” and all it took was the complete collapse of the automobile industry. – The Huffington Post

Just for fun: the extremely cool looking zeroHouse – zeroHouse via dornob

Sneezing Season

Allergy season is upon us.  It is a challenge to use natural remedies instead of shots or drugs to alleviate allergy symptoms.  cnn.com had some interesting information on coping with allergies.  Did you know you can go to pollen.com to find out your area’s daily pollen count?  If you or your children are really affected by allergies, plan your daily outside activities based on your area’s  pollen count.  

Four common sense allergy relief tips are listed:

1. Use air conditioning, keep the pollen outside.
2. Avoid activites  outside in peak pollen times - early morning and late afternoon.  The best outside time is noon till 2 pm.
3. Shower before bed, the pollen will be washed off your body and hair, keeping it off your bed linens.
4. Wash your bed sheets weekly, to keep them pollen free.

Share with us your medicine free remedies to alleviate allergy symptoms or any ideas you have to cope with allergies.

Skunked

It’s that time of year to beware of the skunk.   Spring time is when skunks are busier than ever spreading their scent during courting season.

I live in the suburbs but fairly close to a  river and woodsy area and as I learned last year our yard is not immune to critter visits from skunks, possums,  foxes and an occasional deer or coyote, strange for a Chicago Suburb.

I have a large yellow lab , and she cornered a skunk in our yard who was not too happy and sprayed her directly.  The windows were open and I thought a stink bomb went off in the back yard it was so smelly. 

One thing to remember: do not let your animal inside after being skunked the smell will linger for a long time.

To clean your dog, I found a remedy that worked and I always have the ingredients handy.  It may take multiple applications but it is good.  Just a side note, tomato juice does NOT work ( your dog will turn pink, lick the juice, and still stink).

ANTI SKUNK SOLUTION:

• 1 quart hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda, 2 tablespoons Dawn dish soap
• mix all the ingredients together, they will bubble
• apply to a dry dog – do not wet the dog first – let sit for 10 minutes to neutralize the smell
• rinse and repeat

I hope you never need to use this remedy but it does work, I have tried it. Let me know if you know of any other remedies.

Canada is trying to make the 2010 Olympics the ‘greenest’ ever – treehugger

“China will spend more than six times America’s green stimulus spending as a percentage of their respective economies – or $13 million an hour” – Business Insider

The Evil Empire that is Walmart is making their suppliers go green – Huffington Post

Nicole Richie is going green! The battle against environmental waste is over! – PopCrunch

When you look at your electricity bill you probably don’t think much of it. It usually hovers around the same amount with some seasonal changes depending on where you live. What if your energy bill would hover $10, $20, or even $30 less a month. Energy efficient lighting can do this for you. If you don’t believe me, check out a green calculator. There are a lot of bad ones out there so be careful. Try to find one that shows you the math and uses government figures. This one here does both: GREEN CALCULATOR

I did this for my own home today. Some things you should know before I give you my results: I live in a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, with a basement. I estimated 7 one hundred watt bulbs and 45 sixty watt bulbs. I counted everything, from closet lights to garage lights.

Here are my results:
After 5 years I would end up saving over $1000! Also, my carbon footprint was reduced 94kg CO2.  94kg CO2 is not very much because I live in an area powered by Nuclear, but if I lived in a place powered by coal it would be reduced 15,000kg CO2!  The initial investment would be higher but in the long run it would be worth it.  You can save the environment and money if you are smart about it.

After Using A Green Calculator

Why buy harmful cleaning supplies? Here are recipes for 16 home made cleaning products – Pioneer Thinking

The EPA’s composting page offers a lot of tips of how a first time composter can get started – United States Environmental Protection Agency

Conservation recommendations for shelter, transportation, and consumables. Plus they even let you track your conservation efforts! – Brighter Planet

I can’t help myself. I really love the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lose Your Excuse commercials. This one is called “Malcolm”

Did you know that leaving a phone charger plugged in without a phone attached wastes energy? I guess I had never thought of it until I saw this hilarious commercial from the Department of Energy today.

The commercial is called “April” and it is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lose Your Excuse program.

Make your own hummingbird feeder and food – Ranger Rick Magazine

Maintain a chemical free lawn according to the National Wildlife Federation’s guidelines – National Wildlife Federation

Global Warming, Fact or Fiction? – Hickory Daily Record

“I suppose the question is not, ‘Are you green?’, but, ‘What shade?’”
- The Daily Loaf

What is the Greenest washing machine? – Green Life

Sony Ericsson’s head of corporate sustainability believes that adding solar panels to a phone can in fact have a net negative effect on the environment – omio

One organization is helping former female child soldiers emancipate themselves economically through sewing cooperatives. Or as they put it, “Starting a fashion mutiny by giving high style a soul.” – Green Cotton