The "B" Word Blog

Rebates, Incentives & Services

You've probably seen their commercials; Flex Your Power is an organization trying to get people to go green the right way...they provide all the tools and answers for you all you have to do is type in your zip code. Now that's what I call service! When on this site I found out about the Free Tree program in Burbank and a $500 rebate offered to Burbankians who switched to Energy Star products! Had I only known before we replaced our pool pump. To save you from this feeling of "missing out" I'm letting you all know...go check out this site, put in your zip code and find all the money waiting for you.

Plant a Tree for FREE!

Trees are good. We all know this. So yes, they make air, and we all like air...but you know what I like about them? They add value to real estate property, they provide shade for outdoor barbecues, they invite little critters like Scrub Jays and Squirrels to hang out with me in my yard, and they make my yard look pretty.

I'm sure you've heard a million times that planting a tree is good for the environment, but did you know that Burbank will pay for the tree?? It's true! Burbank will provide up to 3 trees (including much of the maintenance of getting the tree into the ground and trimming it once it's too big for you to handle) for any one residence and up to 20 trees for commercial properties. How cool is that?! So start planning your landscaping and contact the Burbank Water & Power peeps to get your free tree.

Reuse A Bag

I have cats...they poop...a lot. One of the ways I found to Reuse came to us simply because I was tired of buying small garbage bags for the container I use to "store" cat poop. I always thought to myself, "Really? Do I have to spend money on poop? I already buy the cat litter...shouldn't that be enough!?"

So one day, I was out of store-bought bags and decided to use a plastic Target bag that was left over from a recent purchase. Let me tell you, those Target bags are strong and perfect for using as mini trash bags. Now, we never throw them out. All plastic bags go into one bag and are stored near the cat litter. We line all of our small trash cans (like the little cans near the toilet of most bathrooms...you know you have one) with these bags. Reusing the plastic bags I get from shopping makes me feel a little less guilty about forgetting my reusable shopping bags and I save a little money.

(Those really are our cats, Maude and Mortecai)

Business Bucks from BWP

Maybe you've been thinking your business should start going green so that you can run with that ever popular marketing angle...but how to "go green"? I say the best way to go green in Burbank right now, is the way where someone else pays for the upgrades!

Low and behold, this is actually an option: Burbank Water and Power will come out to your business, do a little survey to see what can be done to increase your energy efficiency (survey is free of charge), then let you know what you should do to get "greener" and "save some green".

IT DOESN'T STOP THERE! They will also pay for up to $2000 worth of upgrades! Seriously, I'm not kidding. They do this for up to 200 businesses in Burbank a year and it's all first come first serve. Check out the details on their website:

"There is no catch. The program is truly this good. BWP pays for the cost of the energy survey of your facility and BWP pays for the first $2,000 of retrofits you select. You pay nothing, just reap the rewards of a more efficient building and reduced energy costs."

Make Scratch Pads

Pay for NOTE PADS?! You've got to be kidding me, not this budget conscious tight wad.

A trick my computer-geek mother taught me at an early age: Scrap Paper Scratch Pads. Since the dawn of printers in our house, we've always had a space next to the printer where we put used sheets of paper (sheets that didn't print correctly, copies that ran out of ink, extra sheets spit out of the printer with just one line of miscellaneous info along the bottom, faxes from people who have yet to learn about email, informational papers that we only read once then don't need anymore, etc).

Once the pile is nice and tall, we cut those sheets in half (or quarters) and make little scratch pads to keep on our desks for notes. Simple trick that cuts down on our office supply budget significantly.

Sweating Out The Carbon Footprint

Electrically powered exercise machines at fitness centers and home gyms require a lot of energy to operate. But by taking your workout outdoors, the only energy required is yours. Walking, hiking, biking, swimming and jogging are all great cardiovascular activities. Along the way, stop to strength train by using your body weight for resistance with lunges, squats, push-ups, pull-ups, dips and step-ups.

If your are a gym butterfly and just can't give up your addiction to sweating in front of total strangers, at least try walking or biking to the gym instead of driving. This will increase your calorie burn per session and decrease your big ol' treadmill-walking-carbon-footprint.

In all seriousness, if you are exercising regularly then my hat it off to you, keep up the good work no matter how you do it.

Fried Green Tomatos

PLANT A GARDEN and get your food by walking into your backyard instead of driving to the market!

About a month ago we planted a tiny tomato plant and now we're getting about 10 tomatoes a week out of the now not-so-little sucker. I highly encourage anyone and everyone with a little space in their yard to start a garden. Not only are we eating fresh (salmonella free) tomatoes, we are also saving grocery dollars every month when it comes to produce.

Tip: We pick our tomatoes before they turn red and slice them up. Throw them in a frying pan with a little balsamic vinaigrette for a minute or two...and get ready for some deliciousness in your mouth!

My Green Plan

As promised, here are the 30 things I commited to on Yahoo's "My Green Plan":

1. Switch 3 lights that you use for 4 hours a day with compact fluorescent bulbs. (Done)
2. Replace a porch light that's always on with a compact fluorescent bulb. (Done)
3. Turn your heater thermostat down 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in the summer. (Done)
4. Replace bathroom and kitchen sink faucets with low-flow models. (Bathroom done - and I love my new low flow aerators, which came in the mail from Burbank Water & Power, Thanks!)
5. Replace 500 sheets of 0% recycled computer paper with 100% recycled paper. (Done)
6. Go from 500 sheets of 0% recycled computer to 200 sheets of 100% recycled paper. (Done, I send everything by email now, no paper reports or paper invoices.)
7. Drive less aggressively -- don't accelerate and brake rapidly. (No problem for me...but I'm working on my boyfriend with this one.)
8. Drive the speed limit. (A work in progress...)
9. Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. (I added a monthly alert on my phone.)
10. Drive 10 miles less per week. (We are starting to walk to downtown Burbank for our weekend outings.)
11. Go meatless for one meal each week. (We buy tons of Veggies at the Farmers Market every Saturday and grill them up.)
12. Go meatless for one day each week. (See above)
13. Recycle all glass containers in your garbage. (Our regular trash can is always too full every month, so recycling for us is a must.)
14. Buy locally grown foods. (Hurray Farmers Market!)
15. Use a washable mug for your morning coffee instead of a Styrofoam cup. (Done)
16. Get a reusable water bottle instead of disposables. (Done)
17. Bring your own canvas bags to the store instead of using plastic or paper. (I get reusable bags from every event as swag I attend so I have a bunch and they all sti next to the back door, ready to go whenever we go shopping. I got my favorite one from my sister, thanks Emily!)
18. Buy vintage clothes instead of new stuff at the mall. (I've done this since middle school. It's the only way to shop in my opinion. Magnolia Blvd is a blessing for those of us who adore used/vintage clothes!)
19. Unplug electronics when you're not using them. (I'm focusing on unplugging my hair dryers everyday, yes plural, hair dryers.)
20. Turn out the light when you leave the room. (Done)
21. Shut down your computer and peripherals each night. (Working on it...)
22. Run the clothes washer with only full loads. (No problem, I hate doing laundry...my loads are always full loads.)
23. Wash your clothes in cold water. (Done)
24. Run the dishwasher with only full loads and let dishes air-dry. (Um...not sure how I feel about this one yet)
25. Take showers instead of baths. (Done)
26. Take shorter showers. (I love long showers...but I'm trying to cut it back to 10 minutes.)
27. Insulate your water heater. (Done)
28. Clean or replace dirty air-conditioner filters every three months. (Done, and added a phone alarm)
29. Replace your lawn with native plants. (I LOVE this one, we try to get some gardening in every weekend. Our lawn is slowly disappearing and so is our water bill.)
30. Turn off the car instead of idling. (Done)

Wish me luck! I'm doin' my best and with this list "going green" seems all the more doable :)

Make a list and check it twice...

Yahoo! launched a going green initiative and their site breaks down exactly how much carbon you could save by making simple changes to your everyday life. You can also select whether or not you want to make Easy/Moderate/Hard changes to your lifestyle. They offer suggestions for Students, Families, Offices, and Individuals so all their suggestions are targeted to you...meaning, you don't have to do much scrolling or clicking to find options that are appropriate for you. Check it out!

I was the 78117th person to set up "My Green Plan". I agreed to make 30 small changes and according to their calculator I'll save 2.17 TONS of CO2/YR. I'll let you know which changes I agreed to make and update you on my progress next week.

Avoid Fast Food

It's not just about your waistline anymore. If you are trying to be lean for the environment's sake, then it's time to start avoiding those tempting fast food drive thru's. Most fast food is overpackaged and many fast-food companies produce mountains of trash.  By avoiding fast food whenever possible, you'll help reduce this needless waste.

Window Up or Down?

Quick and easy rule of thumb: If you are driving over 45mph then turn on your air conditioning in the car and keep the windows up, however if you are driving slower than 45mph, save yourself some gas by just rolling down your windows and keeping the air off.

Explaination: If you are driving over 45mph then the drag on your car (with the window open) will cause you to use more gas to maintain your speed. Below 45mph, the drag is insignificant with the window open so you'll use more gas turing on your air conditioning.