Check the star rating before purchasing an electrical appliance

Energy star for your appliance plays vital role in saving energy and reducing your carbon footprints. Energy Star is an international standard for energy efficient consumer products.The Energy Star program was created in 1992 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in an attempt to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission by power plants. Energy Star specifications differ with each item, and are set by either the Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of Energy.The star labeling was made mandatory for refrigerators, AC's, tubular fluorescent lights and distribution transformers from January 2010.


How many of you actually check the star rating before purchasing an electrical appliance? The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has started a national education program on star labeling for AC's. They, along with Emerson Climate Technologies and International Copper Promotion Council of India, launched a program on Wednesday to train 450 salesmen across 120 showrooms in Bangalore. They will be trained by BEE on star-rated products. These salesmen will help customers choose energy-efficient AC's. BEE will also provide 24 touch screen energy calculating kiosks for designated showrooms.

Window AC's have got up to three star rating and may soon get a four star too. However, other models have already got five star rating. From January this year, one to five-star labeling, depending on the energy efficiency of the appliance, has been made mandatory for refrigerators, AC's and tube-lights. The room fitted with AC should be fully covered on all sides, with a firmly closing type door. If you are air conditioning your living room, which is open to the kitchen on one side, then you need to provide a partition.If any windows are exposed to direct sun rays, use a drape or venetian blind to keep away the radiation heat from entering the room.

Spread Green Living Ideas

Please share this Green Living Ideas with your friends and help spread the Green Consciousness.

Hazardous waste should be segregated separately : Fluorescents bulbs or tube contain mercury, which is highly toxic.each homeowner be required to have a garbage can labeled hazardous waste and only hazardous waste could go into it. Then contact hazardous waste garbage disposal company to pick it up in a separate truck, possibly only once a month.

Say No to Bottled water : Bottled water takes money from your pocket and adds an even greater amount of waste to landfills. Purchase a reusable water bottle to use at work or when traveling so you don\'t have to buy bottled water.


Get a Fuel-Efficient Car : Not only will a fuel-efficient car pollute less and use up less gas, it will save you money too.

Common Area Lighting : Solar Lighting is a useful source of renewable energy which used properly for common are alighting will save a lot of Energy(Power). Automating the Lighting system will further saves More Energy enabling us to contribute to resolve ISSUE OF GLOBAL. WARMING.

Live Closer to Your Destinations : Living close to your destinations helps to explore neighborhoods that are near your workplace, have public transportation, and offer easy access to the places you visit most often.

If you have Green ideas to share please add them at http://www.commonfloor.com/green-living

Going green to save environment

Today green living or go green is buzz word. The business, organizations and NGOs are conducting awareness program to go green. You can go green by changing your lifestyle or reducing your carbon footprints you leave on earth or environment. Here are some green tips for you.

Shorter the route more the traffic: The shorter the route more the traffic which in turn makes pressing the clutch and brakes more often, which in turn consume more fuel.So it is always advisable to take a route where you can drive without much hassle on your way.

Go green with e-statements: One simple way you can reduce your global footprint is to sign up for e-Statements – saving paper, trees, postage and delivery costs. Online banking, paying bills online, say no to postage or courier are good way to reduce clutter and good for the environment too.

Plant a sapling and make your world Greener: Plant one little sapling for each and every little occasion you celebrate for it grows to remind you of the happiness time and again

Limit your Balloon Release to 5 or fewer: Many people are-unaware that balloon releases can result in littering and harm to wildlife. Once balloons are out of sight, they don't disappear - what goes up must come down. Small-scale releases and balloon races may have a disproportionate effect on the environment.

Say No to Chewing Gum: chewing gum is the second largest littering item in the world.Chewing gum is not biodegradable and will stick to its surface for many, many years until treated.

Do not dispose of food waste in kitchen sink:Do not dispose of food waste in kitchen sink as it requires lots of water for disposal and also increases unnecessary load on septic tank.

Read More Green Tips at commonfloor.com/green-living

Eco-friendly methods to control pests

Pest problems in one apartment,if left unchecked, can spread to neighboring apartments.Like any other living being, pests tend to move to a place where they can survive and their needs are met.Here are some tips for Eco-friendly pest control.

Tips for Eco-friendly pest control

Clean your apartment at regular interval and avoid storing newspapers, paper bags, and boxes for long periods. Also, check for pests in packages or boxes when you carry them to your home.

Don’t let garbage stack up or pile up in your home. Make sure that you don’t have bowls of water, discarded tires, and other receptacles that can contain rain water.

Baking soda and powdered sugar mixed in equal parts is a good Cockroach killer.

Cucumber is natural and non-toxic pesticide to get rid of bugs such as ants, wasps, mites etc.

Soak a cotton ball in the oil of peppermint and place it at a suspected entryway. Mice cannot stand the scent of peppermint or peppermint oil.

Caulking crack in your kitchen or bathroom doors and windows help to minimize the shelter of pests in your home.

More tips and preventive methods are at www.commonfloor.com/articles/pest-control-home-apartment

Green Tips-Simple Things We Can Do

• If you are buying charcoal, make sure it's made from a sustainable source. Enormous areas of tropical rain forest are destroyed every year to produce the 400,000 tons of charcoal burned annually in the U.S.
  

• Create a workable system to always have your cloth bags with you for purchases. Re-use paper and plastic bags, and when they wear out, recycle them.

• Place your air conditioner or thermostat away from lamps, TVs, or any heat-generating appliance. Outdoors, if you shade your air conditioning unit, you could save 10%-15% a year on energy use and costs.

• Cover pans with lids to save 2/3 of the energy used in cooking. Use your microwave rather than the stove and save as much as $50 a year

• CD cases are often made with polyvinyl chloride, which doesn’t recycle easily. By downloading new music you reduce production costs, packaging and CDs that eventually end up in the landfill.

• By watering less, you can make your grass grow roots that are deeper and healthier.Daily watering produces shallow roots.

Reduce waste and Save environment

The majority of the waste ends up in landfill or as litter. Either way, household waste is an environmental problem. Here are tips for you to reduce waste and promote green living.

• Food scraps and garden waste can be composted:The easiest way to deal with food waste is to set up a worm farm and/or a compost heap at your home. And you don't necessarily need a big garden to do this. Apartment dwellers can set up small worm farms on a balcony or a communal compost heap on the ground somewhere.Most food scraps (but not meat or dairy) and garden waste can be composted.

• Reusable products or packaging: Try to only buy products that are reusable or come in reusable packaging - and actually reuse them. Take your own cup when buying a coffee or drink.The best solution to waste is to avoid it in the first place.Avoid altogether items that are designed to be used once only

• Avoid an air-based holiday: Aeroplanes are one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse pollution. In particular, they emit high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and water vapor. For your next vacation discover the secrets of your own state rather than taking an air-based holiday, or travel overland by train or bus.

• Think about what you need: Throwing food away costs more than just the money you paid for it, you're also wasting all the water, energy and other resources that went in to producing the food in the first place.Think about what you need and use what's in the fridge, freezer or pantry before you eat out or get take away.

• Switching to Green Power: Switching to Green Power is the best way to cut your greenhouse pollution in the home. When you switch, you'll see no change in the way electricity comes to your house and there is no supply disruption. The only difference is that for a small extra charge, some or all of the electricity that you use will come from a renewable energy source and directly reduce greenhouse pollution.

Support green living and teach your kids to support green living

Supporting green living is not just healthier for the environment - it's healthier for people, too.

• Stop using Lysol or air fresheners of any kind - Whether it's diaper duty or stinky gym shoes, moms use a lot of air freshening sprays to make their homes livable. Think about the harsh chemicals and the aerosol cans used for conventional air fresheners.

• Use biodegradable, concentrated, plant-based cleaners - You have probably seen some concentrated cleaning products and detergents, in grocery stores, but very few of them are made from plant derived products or are biodegradable. So, concentrated versions of harmful or harsh solvents are still not truly green, although they are a bit better because you use less of them.

• Dress appropriately for the weather:The bulk of your energy bill is NOT going to lighting, but to heating and cooling.You use less heating power in the winter and less cooling power in the summer if you simply teach your children to dress appropriately for the weather.

• Spend more time at home - The less gas you burn driving around town when you spend more time in home.spending more time at home is healthier for mind, body, soul, and planet. It gives you more control over what influences your children, and it saves you money.

• Say no to plastic bag: Say "No bag, thank you." Whether you're buying toys, snacks, or clothes, tell the checkout person you don't need a bag.

• Eat more raw foods - Simply put, if you cook less, you'll use less energy. You will also retain more vitamins and nutrients in the food you and your children eat.

Eco-friendly lifestyle for safe environment

Environment and living beings depends each other for its existence. Eco-friendly lifestyle enables you to reduce carbon foot print and minimize damage caused to environment. Here are some tips for you.

• Avoid transportation that uses air-polluting fuel whenever possible. Walking to the store can provide exercise while saving money and being better for the environment.

• Check out manufacturers that use rapidly renewable resources when building furniture, mattresses, flooring and more.

• When it's time to add a little color to your walls, know that some companies produce low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint

• Work with your local waste management company to properly dispose of these materials.

• Avoid the waste of materials and fuel involved in shipping by purchasing locally.

• The use of compact-fluorescent lamps (CFL) is encouraged as they reduce power consumption by as much as 70 per cent.

• Depend less on your electricity company and use self-generated electricity using biogas as fuel.

• Use no geysers and air-conditioners. Use solar water heater water heater.

• Harvest rain water for recharging ground water and storing rainwater for future use.

Make green living a part of your daily life

Green Living helps to minimize wastage and reduce carbon foot print. Green living must be part of your daily life and educate others on need of green living or support green living.

Quiet the photocopier: Instead of leaving the photocopier on all day, keep it on during a specified time, maybe three hours during which you and your colleagues can copy what you need.

Make it a habit: Make it a habit to turn off the lights when you're leaving any room for 15 minutes or more and utilize natural light when you can.

Carpeting from natural fibers: Choose carpeting, rugs, window treatments and other textiles made from natural fibers, such as cotton or wool, which are untreated and free of toxins, such as pesticides or chemical cleaners.

Dinner together: have food - breakfast ,lunch , dinner together all at the same time to reduce reheating / cooking time , saves fuel and u also invest quality time together, and remember to switch off the TV.

Green office for minimizing waste and saving environment

Whether it is home, school, college or office, green living is important for minimizing wastage and saving environment. Green living helps you to save money and minimize wastage. Here are some simple tips that you can follow in your daily life.

Bring your own plates and cutlery to work:Paper plates, paper napkins, and plastic forks, spoons, and knives have been a mainstay in the office for a long time, so it might be difficult at first to make the switch. Reusable dishes and cutlery can significantly cut down on paper waste and pollution.

Quiet the photocopier: Instead of leaving the photocopier on all day, keep it on during a specified time, maybe three hours during which you and your colleagues can copy what you need.

Buy used furniture: Before buying any new office furniture, investigate buying quality used furniture, which is much cheaper and keeps another desk or chair out of the landfill.

Recycle: Think of the money you and your company can save by recycling paper. And you don't have to wait until it comes back to you in the form of a ream of paper to help the environment. Any sheet of paper that does not contain proprietary information can be turned into scraps that can be used for notes or memos.

Quit smoking: Second-hand smoke is a major indoor air pollutant and health hazard. If you have to smoke and continue to harm your own health, at least do it outside so you don’t force your visitors to be exposed to this pollution you choose to be around.

Make your business environmental friendly

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle is secret of green living and conserving resource. Adopting green living in your business or office helps you to save energy and cutting down waste. Here are some tips for you to adopt in your office or business to make your business environmental friendly.

• Encourage communications by email, and read email messages onscreen to determine whether it's necessary to print them.

• Save Paper:Reduce fax-related paper waste by using a fax-modem and by using a fax cover sheet only when necessary.

• Switch off monitors:Save power by switching off computer/laptop monitors whenever you are away from your desk.

• Turn off lights and fans: Turn off lights and fans when not in use or you leave your office.

• Use natural light to save on electricity bill: In daytime, don't make the room dark.Instead, use the Sunlight in the daytime. One can reduce the electricity bill to a great extent.

Green Homes create healthy environments

A green building is one which is energy efficient, uses natural and renewable energy and causes the least amount of damage to the environment. In India, Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Green Homes is the first rating program developed exclusively for the residential sector.

The biggest advantage is, the well designed green building may accrue life-long benefits at small make-up costs and reduction in water and operating energy costs. Climate sensitive building envelope includes better solar shading and insulation, solar water heaters.

Energy efficient lights in the common areas save energy and lower electricity bills. Layouts of green projects ensure adequate natural light and cross-ventilation in all. In addition, use of high performance glass will cut down heat gain and translate to direct energy savings for the residents.

It is always preferable to use native, drought-resistant species which require minimal water. Waste water can be treated on-site and re-used for irrigation and flushing translating to water savings for residents, possibly reducing the purchase of water from outside sources.


In India, there are two mechanisms for evaluating the energy efficiency of a building. The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), that was formed in 2001, set up the Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) India committee that rates buildings based on five environmental criteria. The second system is that devised by the Energy Resource Institution. The Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) has been endorsed by the government as the national rating system for buildings, based on their predicted performance over their life span.

Green homes create healthy environments by using interior paints that are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). High levels of VOCs as found in oil-based paints can emit vapors for a long time after application causing adverse impact.

These green homes are built on the principle of waste segregation and organic waste composting.

Spread the Word to Save Environment

Your word has power of saving the environment. We all know that our country is one of the nations that are facing the problem of global warming. You can share your tips with your friends, teachers, neighbors or relatives. You can ask more tips from them. This enables you to spread green living or ideas among your friends and neighbors. Here are some tips for you to share with your friends, relatives or neighbors.

• Don’t place your fridge in a warm spot-near a heater or in direct sunlight.

• For efficient operation clean the condenser coils on the back or bottom of your fridge at least once a year.

• Unlike refrigerators, with freezers size does matter. Larger freezers do need more electricity.

• Don’t waste energy preheating your oven, most ovens don’t need it.

• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs). Compact fluorescents use four times less energy, and last eight times longer than incandescent light bulbs.

• Wish your friends and relatives on special occasion with e-card. This is cheapest and easiest way to wish them. Save paper by sending e-card.

You can share your tips with your friends, teachers, neighbors or relatives. Learn one green tip each day and adopt green living in your life. Reduce wastage and reduce your carbon footprint in the world. Your word has power to change the world. Help friends and seek help from your friends to save environment.

"R" factor for saving Energy

Replace old drafty windows with new ones that have insulated glass. Check all of your doors and windows to see that they are properly fitted and that there is no missing stripping. If there is something wrong, fix it now instead of later.

Replace older water heaters with a newer energy efficient model and be sure to wrap it with a special water heater wrap. Conserving water is another way to conserve electricity.

Replace old showerheads with new ones or use flow restrictors. Check your plumbing for signs of leaks and if there are any leaks fix them immediately.

Replace old appliances with new energy efficient models and be sure to look for the Energy Star rating. Cover all foods and liquids in your refrigerator and freezer to help avoid compressor overload.

Replace all of the old light bulbs in your home or office with new energy efficient ones. Electricity conservation can be easy when you stop to think about it. Unplugging small appliances when they are not in use, turning off phantom power by unplugging electronics such as television sets when they are not in use and shutting down your computer when it is not in use are all great ways

Simple tips for reducing your carbon footprint

Here are some tips for reducing you carbon footprint and save environment.

Your television area can usually have a plethora of cords: The television, cable box, stereos, DVD players should all be plugged into a surge protector that you can easily switch off when you are not using them. This way, your appliances do not sap electricity while they are not in use.

Common Area Ligting: Solar Ligting is a useful source of resuseable energy which used properly for common area lighting will save a lot of Energy(Power). Automating the Lighting system will further saves More Energy enabling us to contribute to resolve ISSUE OF GLOBAL. WARMING.

Send an e-card instead of a paper card: Wish your friends and relatives on special occasion with e-card. This is cheapest and easiest way to wish them. Save paper by sending e-card.

Use public transport on your way to airport:Most hub and regional airports have good public transport links, which means you can catch the bus or train instead of driving to the airport and adding to your carbon footprint even more


Dual piping for apartment: Residents can use one pipe for drinking, bathing and utensil cleaning where other pipe will bring in rain water and treated water for toilet, lawns, washing cars, floors etc. This will enables to save 40% of potable water.

Green living in your daily life

Watch that idle time: Letting your engine idle for more than 30 seconds will burn more gasoline than restarting the engine, so turn the engine off if you expect a lengthy wait.

Take a break from driving. Consider walking, biking, taking a bus or carpooling whenever feasible. And if you have more than one vehicle, drive the one with the best gas mileage whenever you can.

Use pressure cooker: Using pressure cooker saves the LPG consumed & your gas cylinder runs for a longer time.

Say No to Polythene bags: Polythene bags are a complete menace to environment through its whole life cycle. They block air and hence does not let your fruit and vegetables breathe.

Plant trees in waste lands: Small pieces of unused land should be used to plant trees.

Reduce Carbon Footprint with Green Home

Green home reduces wastage of natural resource and save environment and your money. Green living is the mantra or secret of saving earth or environment. Green home enables you to reduce your carbon footprint. Here are some tips for making or converting your home to green home.

• Eat Organic Food: If you have a chance to eat organic food, do so because it will prevent food producers from using pesticides and other dangerous chemicals. Choose local organic food where available, because organic food uses less energy to produce than non-organic alternatives.

• Clean Your Fridge: Refrigerators use a tremendous amount of energy every year. To cut down on waste, clean the condenser coils every year. Also, do not keep the temperature unnecessarily low.

• Buy Recyclable Products: When deciding between products, pick the one that can be recycled rather than sent to a landfill when you are done using it.

• Close Vents and Doors of Unused Rooms: Close all the air vents and the door in the unused room. By doing this, your heating and cooling systems will not have to work harder to regulate extra space that just goes unused anyway.

• Donate Goods: If you no longer need something that might be useful to someone else, try to donate the goods rather than throwing them away.

• Use Compact Fluorescent Lamps: CFL lamps can be used instead of using traditional bulbs. CFL consumes less electricity and emits less heat. This helps to keep room temperature cool and make a good saving on your monthly utility bills

Green living for saving money and saving earth

Environment and living beings depends each other for its existence. Living being needs adequate air, water, food and shelter for living comfortable. Green living is lifestyle which reduces wastage of natural resources such as water, energy and helps to reduce pollution or polluting environment. Green living not only helps to save environment but also helps to save money spend for acquiring them. Here are some tips for saving money and save environment.

• Carry your own shopping bag: Instead of accepting polythene bags to hold the stuff you buy routinely from shops carry your own shopping bag. Your shopping bag can preferably be recyclable (cloth or paper based).

• Use pressure cooker for cooking food: Using pressure cooker saves the LPG consumed & your gas cylinder runs for a longer time. You save money too. Also the nutrition of food is preserved.

• Use natural light to save on electricity bill: In daytime, don't make the room dark and then use the Electric lamps. Instead, use the Sunlight in the daytime. One can reduce the Elec.bill to a great extent.

• Take care of trees and plants in your neighborhood: Don’t be oblivious to trees and plants around you. Adopt a tree in your area and water it regularly.

• Reduce, Re-Use and Re-cycle: In short, Just Remember, Reduce, Re-Use and Re-cycle should be the mantra in each one's life for Green Living.

Simple and useful green tips

Earth gives water, air, food and everything that a living beings needs. It is our duty to give our what it needs. Here are some tips for saving environment

• Say No to Polythene bags: Polythene bags are a complete menace to environment through its whole life cycle. They block air and hence does not let your fruit and vegetables breathe. Then they don't burn and create lots of smoke. The unburnt Polythene bags block sewage pipes too and create havoc like Mumbai floods. In the sea or in river also they block air to the plantations and animals.

• Use natural light to save on electricity bill: In daytime, don't make the room dark and then use the Electric lamps. Instead, use the Sunlight in the daytime. One can reduce the Elec.bill to a great extent.

• Take care of trees and plants in your neighborhood: Don't be oblivious to trees and plants around you. Adopt a tree in your area and water it regularly.

• Reduce, Re-Use And Re-cycle: In short, Just Remember, Reduce, Re-Use And Re-cycle should be the mantra in each one's life for Green Living.

Green Lifestyle for Saving Nature

It is duty of one and all to save environment and bring balance in nature. Never pollute or waste natural resource, avoid generation of waste by recycle, reuse and reduce.

• Healthy ideas - Save water / electricity: Use the water left after rinsing your clothes to wash off the balconies / toilets - save water guys...Use a mud pot to cool water instead of storing it in the refrigerator - will save power and also good for health.
• Plant trees in waste lands: Small pieces of unused land should be used to plant trees. They look beautiful and help bring down the heat.
• Save waste at work - use a mug or glass for your drinks instead of disposable cups, and encourage your colleagues to do the same.
• Car pool to your workplace, it only needs a small adjustment in your schedules. You can socialize and get to know your neighbors and colleagues while driving, reduce your driving stress and save the money spent on fuel and maintenance.
• Exchange your old appliance for newer one which consumes less energy. New appliances are designed to save electricity and meet your requirements. Exchange your old appliances and best utilize the offers. Check for labels and efficiency of appliances.
• Walk, ride a bicycle, use public transportation, or carpool whenever possible. Save environment from getting more pollution