Time to turn that old “icebox” into a “nice box” of money.

Okay, bad pun.  But the point is: yep, cash for refrigerators.  The new measure from the Obama Administration’s national economic stimulus plan will provide you with a rebate for replacing your old “clunker” of a fridge for a shiny, new, high-efficiency model.

While the act will give consumers a nice cash break, it’s doubtful it will do much to revitalize the ailing appliance industry.  The more efficient appliances will also help consumers cut down on their monthly electricity bills, while eliminating millions of tons of CO2.

Program Details

This new act is based on the popular Cash for Clunkers program for old, inefficient cars, except this one will include refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, air conditioners, and other energy-hogging household appliances. …read more of Cash for Refrigerators here

Consider Packaging for Savings at Landfill and Check Out Register

One dollar of every ten-dollar purchase goes to the cost of packaging, and package waste accounts for more than half the trash in the U.S. These days, clever packaging can influence a purchasing decision and can be an important component in building brand recognition.

The purpose of packaging is to prevent damage and provide important information to the consumer about ingredients, usage, manufacturer and country of origin. Unfortunately, the ongoing quest to find new ways to safeguard food and transport products has become a slippery slope on the road to overload.

Smart shoppers know that packaging can add as much as 45 percent to the cost of a product. Shrink-wrapped, pre-cut produce on a plastic tray is twice as costly. Choosing popular prepackaged salad mixes can take a bite out of your food budget while adding to the avalanche of unnecessary package waste clogging our landfills. …read more of 5 Smart Strategies to Save Money, Reduce Waste here

Causes More Rain to Fall
Rainwater is absorbed by the roots of trees and transpired by leaves so that it can cycle back for use again as rainwater. Rain waters crops and refills drinking water supplies in reservoirs.

Just to see the way things are so highly connected and interlaced with each other, lets follow the wind. The sun’s heat drives the winds, then, the winds and the sun’s heat causes water to evaporate. When this water vapor turns into rain or snow and flows downhill into rivers or streams.

Trees Improve the Soil
The roots of plants hold soil in place. Fertile soil that is needed to grow crops would otherwise be washed away in rainstorms, decreasing the amount of soil available for agriculture. Rich soil transfers nutrients to food, which contributes to human health.

Fallen leaves and branches, by decaying, replace minerals in the soil and enrich it to support later plant growth. Roots also aerate the ground by helping air get beneath the soil surface. …read more of Trees Give Many Gifts here