askplenty
by
Q.
I’m dying to get a Prius,
but it’s just not in my
budget right now. So I’m
stuck driving a hand-medown car-boat. What can
I do in the meantime?
—Julie, TX
Chin up, Julie. There are lots of
ways to earn green stars in the
automotive category. First, keep
your tires pumped up like Ahnold; for every three pounds your
tires fall below the recommended pressure, your fuel economy
drops by about one percent.
Properly inflated tires will last
Tobin Hack
I’m thinking of having solar panels
installed on my roof. What’s the best way
to find out exactly what tax credits are
available to me? —Nicole, NJ
Lots of states offer fantastic incentives for solar panel installation, and on top
of that, up to $2,000 in federal tax credits are available today. Monique Hanis,
director of communications for the Solar Energy Industry Association, recommends “at least three estimates from reputable firms,” and points the solarcurious to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency
(dsireusa.org). Also, your very own Garden State offers some of the best incentives around—so make sure you cash in.
longer, too. Then, put a lid on it:
According to the Car Care Council (carcare.org), loose, missing,
or damaged gas caps cause 147
million gallons of gas to evaporate every year. Next, practice
good venting. Not the venting
that sparks road rage, but rather,
cleaning out your vent when you
get home. A clean air filter can
improve your gas mileage by as
much as 10 percent and can save
you up to 15 cents a gallon. Lastly, park in the shade—leaving
your car in the sun will cause
gas to evaporate.
I hear it’s easy to make our
own cleaning mixtures at
home, but will they really
kill germs?
—Mike, MN
This may come as a surprise,
but you don’t need to sterilize every square inch of your
home—and probably shouldn’t.
All you need for an effective,
full-house scrub are these simple ingredients: baking soda,
borax, distilled white vinegar,
hydrogen peroxide, lemons, olive oil, vegetable-based castile
soap (we like Dr. Bronner’s), and
washing soda. And okay, maybe a bit of extra elbow grease
to make up for the toxins you’re
not dumping. The three germkillers on the list are borax, hydrogen peroxide, and vinegar;
and yes, they work. According
to Michael Mullen, a spokesperson for Heinz, studies show that
a straight 5 percent solution of
vinegar will kill 99 percent of
bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and
80 percent of germs. For greener
cleaner recipes, go to the Green
Guide site (thegreenguide.com)
and search for “cleaners.”
Pressing eco inquiries, conundrums, snafus? Write to [email protected].
14 | february-march 2008