PaperlessKitchen Blog

Social Security Goes Paperless

2013 has brought many changes to the U.S. Social Security system, and these go beyond the increase in Social Security taxes that most Americans are noticing in their paychecks.

 This year, the Social Security Administration is transitioning to a completely paperless system. The motivation behind the change is two-fold. By eliminating the use of paper, the administration stands to save $70 million each year and improve efficiency in the process. Plus, the reduction in paper waste will have a profoundly positive environmental impact.

 If you currently receive paper Social Security statements by mail, you can expect those to stop. You can still monitor your contributions and coverage, however, using the SSA's online site. Once you register, you can view and print the statements with the My Social Security service.

The second major impact of the SSA's new paperless policy is the discontinuation of paper checks. Currently, about 5 million paper checks are mailed to American seniors and disabled citizens each month. Now, these payments will be made by direct deposit. Seniors have until March 1 to contact social security to provide bank account information and continue receiving payments without delays.

If you, a parent or other family member is still receiving paper checks, you can make the change easily on the SSA website, by phone at 1-800-772-1213 or by completing and mailing in a form. 

Direct deposits for social security are typically issued on the same day that current checks are mailed and are usually available anywhere from immediately or up to 24 hours after the date of deposit. For more information, about the move to a paperless Social Security System, visit the SSA site.

The Future Is Bright for Green Energy Jobs

Earlier this month, the Pew Charitable Trust published the results of a study that shows a promising future for the clean energy industry.

The Pew study examined data from green energy companies in the United States collected from 2009 to 2011 and used this data and additional information to create projections from 2012 to 2018. The results show that by the end of the six-year period, the clean energy industry could create up to $1.9 trillion in revenue.

 The U.S. Department of Energy released a statement following the results of the study that reiterates the importance of the clean energy industry to our nation's economy. Currently, around 237,000 Americans are employed in the biomass, wind and solar energy sectors, and DoE predicts those numbers to increase by thousands over the next six years.

DoE also anticipates that the number of clean energy power generation stations will grow by more than 200 percent. This will bring revenues not only to the companies who establish them, but also to businesses in communities in the surrounding areas of these plants.

If you believe like we do that clean energy is important to the future as a nation, we recommend that you let your senators and state representatives know your position. To find your senators, use this search tool on the Senate's website. The House also has its own search tool.

Five Ways to Make Your Home Eco-Friendly

It doesn’t cost a lot of money to make earth-saving changes to your home and with just a few simple fixes you will be able to promote a healthier living style! Make sure you try these innovative ideas given by The Daily Green to create a greener home for you and your family.

1)   Install compact fluorescent light bulbs

    CFLs use less than a third of the energy that regular bulbs use and they last much longer. You will have lower energy bills within months and these bulbs even come in a variety of colors and styles to suit your needs!

2)   Turn down your water heater

    The higher the temperature of your hot water heater, the more energy and money you use each month. If you lower the temperature from 140 to 120 degrees, you can reduce your water heating costs by 6-10%!

3)   Unplug unused chargers

    Even if they are not charging anything, plugged in chargers for cell phones, laptops, tablets, etc. continue to drain electricity. Americans in total waste billions of dollars every year by leaving their chargers plugged in so either unplug them or connect them to a surge protector that you can switch off!

4)   Install a programmable thermostat

    By installing a programmable thermostat, you can have much more control over the heating and it will always turn down the heat at night so the average family is able to save around $150 a year with these thermostats. They are easy to install with the instructions included and can be purchased at basic home improvement stores for between $50 and $100.

5)   Use low VOC paint in your bedroom

    Regular paints release volatile organic compounds (VOC) that can cause potentially dangerous indoor air pollution. Wherever you sleep, you want to make sure you use low VOC paints to help reduce this pollution!

These are just a few cheap and simple ways for you to help reduce the carbon footprint of your home. Follow these steps and you will not only save money, but save the environment as well!

Green Personal Care and Beauty Products

If you're dedicated to decreasing the size of your eco-footprint, establishing your paperless kitchen is a great first step. You can also turn your attention to greening other products that you use every day. When you stop and think about personal care and beauty products, you'll quickly see that many of the materials that they are made from are anything but eco-friendly.

 Fortunately, there are green alternatives available that can help you look and feel your best while being better for the planet. Here are some great places to start:

 - Toothbrushes are made of plastic, meaning their manufacturing uses up petrochemical supplies. Preserve offers a recycled plastic toothbrush for both adults and children that is completely free of toxins. The toothbrushes also come with envelopes that allow you to return them to Preserve for recycling.

 - Hairbrushes are usually made from plastic, though some are crafted from nonrenewable metals or wood. Olivia Garden offers a collection of round and paddle brushes made from sustainable bamboo instead of aluminum, wood or plastic.

 - Makeup brushes, like hairbrushes, often have plastic or metal handles. Designer lines may have animal hair bristles, while others feature synthetic bristles that may contain toxic additives. Eco Nvey has recently introduced the world's first completely compostable makeup brush collection with nontoxic, synthetic bristles.

 - Blow dryers can use a tremendous amount of energy and also emit radiation that some studies suggest could pose health risks. BARBAR makes an eco-friendly alternative, the BARBAR Ceramic ECO 8000 Blow Dryer, which uses a ceramic heating element. The model saves 40 percent more energy than ordinary blow dryers and reduces radiation by 98 percent.

 - Curling irons are traditionally made from nonrenewable and non-biodegradable metals. The Pure Heat 3-in-1 curling iron is crafted from biodegradable ceramic tourmaline and contains 14 percent recycled components. The packaging also is made of at least 50 percent post-consumer recycled content.

 Do you have a favorite green personal care or beauty product that we didn't mention? Share it with us in the comments!

What is Inside Your Cleaning Products?

If you want to find out what's contained in your shampoo, bar of soap or can of spaghetti sauce, you can simply turn the product and look for the ingredient list.

Ever tried that with a cleaning product?

Unlike foods and beauty products, cleaning product packaging is not as strictly regulated by federal laws. The Federal Hazardous Substances Act does require products to bear warning labels that indicate if a substance contains poisons, is flammable or could harm the skin; however, the law does not mandate that ingredient listings be provided.

Unfortunately, many of the ingredients in green cleaning products that are legal under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act are known toxins and have been proven to pose health risks to certain population groups.

Examples are:

 - Sodium nitrate

- Propylene glycol

- Oxalic acid

- Ethyl alcohol

- Triethanolamine

- Sulfuric acid

- Acrylic acid

- Para-dichlorobenzene

- Bromine

So what can you do to protect your family from toxins? Here are some easy tips:

- Use the National Institute of Health's Household Products Database to look up the full ingredient lists of household cleaners. 

- Research ingredients that you're not familiar with.

- Look for the warning symbols posted on packages. If a product can burn your skin or is poisonous, it's very likely to contain toxins.

- Switch to natural brands of cleaning products like Method or Mrs. Meyers.

- Use cleaning tools that work with just water like e-Cloth cleaning cloths or steam cleaners.

 Curious about an ingredient or a particular product's safety? Post a question here in the comments and we'll try to help you find answers.

Encouraging People to Steal Your "Trash"

Last week, my trip to the market coincided with garbage day. As I walked along the sidewalk, I saw trash bag after trash bag after trash bag. My mind went to the landfill, the ultimate destination for all that trash. I wondered how much of the things inside were biodegradable, and how much of it was metal and plastic that would linger in the dump for decades to come.

 Just as I was beginning to feel despondent about the trash, I saw something that made me stop in my tracks. There, beside a trash bag was a vacuum cleaner. Taped to it was a piece of cardboard with two words written on it.

 "I work."

 I paused for a moment, wondering if anyone who happened by like I had would see the sign and take the vacuum home. After a moment's consideration, I continued on to the store. On my way back, the trash bags loomed as ugly as ever in front of each house, but the vacuum cleaner was nowhere to be seen.

 I always knew that people took things from the curbside when they were left out for the trash, but it had never occurred to me to leave trash out with the intention of having someone take it. When I got home, I thought about the matter more and wondered how many things were in those trash bags that I saw could have been useful to someone else.

 When I was catching up on green news yesterday, I found this interesting story about the Goedzak. This is a special type of trash bag available in the Netherlands that is meant to encourage "trash shopping." The bags are made from heavy-duty clear plastic, so you can fill them up with all types of things. In the pictures on the news article, I saw computer keyboards, books, coffee mugs and all types of other items.

 Although you can't buy Goedzak trash bags in the states, you can easily create your own version by purchasing clear construction waste bags or clear biodegradable bags to hold items that could be useful for others. This is great for people who live in areas where recycling programs are limited. I bought a supply of compostable clear bags online and plan to start using them as soon as they arrive, and I wanted to share the idea for any Paperless Kitchen blog readers who might like to do the same.

 If you do try this new technique of encouraging others to steal your trash, tell us about your experiences in the comments section. If you’re already doing something on your own, we’d love to here about it, too.

Choosing Steam Cleaning to Protect Yourself from Scams

This week, the founder of Angie's List, Angie Hicks, spoke out about carpet cleaning scams. Hicks' was prompted to comment on the problem due to a high number of complaints about unscrupulous carpet cleaning companies appearing on her website, which allows people to leave reviews about local service providers in their hometowns.

Hicks cautioned consumers to look out for warning signs of scams. One of the biggest indicators that a carpet cleaning company is out to take consumers for a ride is a low cost special, such as offering to clean multiple rooms in a home for $5, $10 or $20.

With this scam, consumers call the company and set up an appointment. Then, the representative of the company comes to the home and does an inspection. When finished, he or she tells the homeowner that their carpets are excessively soiled and do not qualify for the special. A much higher rate is then quoted and the representative uses high-pressure sales tactics to try and force homeowners into agreeing.

Among the tips provided to help protect consumers from carpet cleaning scams was to attempt to clean products on one's own. Often times with the right equipment, carpet stains can be removed without needing to enlist the help of a professional cleaning service.

Steam cleaners are one of the most effective methods for cleaning carpeting and use only water to remove stains from carpeting. For families that are concerned about the presence of toxins in their homes, steaming cleaning carpets is preferable to professional carpet cleaning, as often these services use chemical-based cleaning products along with their equipment. You can learn more about steam cleaners here on our site.

Hicks also advises consumers to read reviews for carpet cleaning companies, do research and be wary of prices that seem too good to be true.

Have you ever had a bad experience with a carpet cleaning company? Tell your story in the comments.

Benefits of Paperless Performance Reviews

 This is the time of year when many companies conduct performance reviews as a part of determining pay increases and annual bonuses. The traditional performance review is paper-based with employers, managers and HR departments each getting a paper copy.

 Switching to paperless performance reviews can add up to a major reduction in paper waste and costs for paper, toner and printer cartridges, particularly at large companies. There are some other great benefits to going paperless with your employee reviews.

 ·      Increased confidentiality Paperless performance reviews eliminate the risk of someone discovering a review left sitting on a printer or out on a desk.

 ·      Faster process Many of the software programs that are available for creating paperless performance reviews allow HR departments or management to create forms that greatly shorten the length of time needed to write reviews.

 ·      Simple changes and commenting. If a last minute change is necessary prior to a performance review, an electronic form can be amended or edited very quickly without the need to reprint (and waste more paper). At companies that require or permit employees to leave comments on their own performance, these can be easily added to electronic document.

 ·      Easier record-keeping Employees and HR departments can easily retain copies of their performance reviews on their computers.

 There are several software programs and web-based services that can help you create paperless reviews, including:

 Halogen eAppraisal

TrakStar

BlueAppraisals 

WingSpan

TalentGuard 

Paperless Kitchen wants to know: Does your company use paperless performance appraisals? What are your thoughts on the process? If you own the company, what system do you use?

6 Ways to Stay Healthy this Winter

 Due to the serious flu outbreak and the recent freezing temperatures, I’m sure many people are worried about staying healthy this winter. So what can you do to keep the doctor away? Here are a few simple steps that Practically Green has outlined to help you:

1.     Drink water

    Staying hydrated is extremely important even in these cold temperatures so make sure you drink plenty of fluids by keeping a reusable water bottle on you when you’re out or even making your own sparkling water at home.

2.     Eat a healthy diet

    Maintaining a balanced diet is important for any time of the year, but when the flu is all around you it is especially important during this season. Avoid eating out, fill your plates with organic fruits and vegetables, and try to eat organic foods when possible.

3.     Get outside

    As miserable as that sounds in this weather, getting 5-10 minutes of sunlight a day can provide enough Vitamin D to help reduce high blood pressure, immune-system abnormalities, and osteoarthritis among other things.

4.     De-Stress

    Dealing with a lot of stress can damage your immune system and your ability to fight off viruses will be lower. So to de-stress try engaging in relaxing activities like going to a spa, curling up under the covers with a good book, watching a movie, or whatever you find enjoyable stress free.

5.     Get enough sleep

     We’ve all hear that the recommended dose is eight hours of sleep a night so try to plan your days around these eight hours. When you don’t get enough sleep your body is more susceptible to viruses so make sure you’re sleeping at least seven or eight hours a night!

6.     Wash your hands

    Try to stay as far away from germs as possible! Germs are constantly spreading so you need to wash your hands with soap and warm water or keep a natural hand sanitizer on your when you can’t go to a sink and wash.

These are just the most basic ways to help your body stay healthy this winter so make sure you follow them to avoid being cooped up with the flu this season!

Traveling with Cloth Diapers

We know that many of our Paperless Kitchen blog readers are moms and dads and that a big part of green parenting is opting for cloth diapers instead of traditional disposables. When I talk to parents, one of biggest roadblocks to entirely cloth diapering that they describe is travel.

 Whether you're just going on a day outing or planning a vacation, you can easily take cloth diapers with you on the road with some planning. Here are some tips for traveling with cloth diapers to help you take your kiddos anywhere with little hassle.

 - Invest in a waterproof laundry bag that fits inside of your diaper bag. Use it to hold soiled diapers until you return home or can hit a laundromat while traveling.

 - To cut down on smells, store your laundry bag in a nontoxic plastic or stainless steel food storage container with a tight-fitting lid. We recommend Preserve Large Food Storage Containers, which are crafted from 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic.

 - Dress your baby in loose clothing, which is less likely to draw moisture away from diapers.

 - Carry a spare cover for your car seat in your diaper bag and make sure you pack an extra change of clothes in case of accidents.

 - If you'll be away from home for an extended period of time and will need a place to wash diapers, use the iPhone/iPad app Laundromatic, to find laundromat locations near you.

 - Some hotels that offer laundry service for guests may be willing to wash cloth diapers upon request as a complimentary or fee-based service.

 Do you use cloth diapers? Share your tricks for traveling with cloth diapers in the "Comments" section.