Topics: Gardening, Wind Energy, Honeybee Population, Green Businesses, Energy-efficient Roofs

Guests:

Cheryl Long , Editor-in-Chief, MOTHER EARTH NEWS

Cheryl discusses keeping your garden soil in tip-top shape for the winter by planting cover crops; harvesting veggies sooner by using low-cost "quick hoops", a mini-greenhouse for your garden; the declining honeybee population; and home-scale wind turbines.

John Simonetta , Owner, Proforma Simonetta Freelance

John educates about the many print and promotional item solutions available for businesses and organizations wishing to go green, to show that businesses do have eco-friendly options — from clothing to printing to promotional items — to meet any business need. John has been in the marketing business for more than 10 years and writes a twice-weekly blog on the greening of the promotional items industry.

Keith Lyles , Owner, Superoof

We talk with Keith about upgrading existing roofs after an insurance claim; investment grade roofing; Energy Star roofing for tax credits, and more.

Listen Now!  

Dishwashers will soon be using less water now that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) changed the water use criteria for any such product bearing the Energy Star label. This is the first dishwasher-related change that Energy Star has ever made, and it could save American citizens more than $25 million in energy and water bills in the first six months it takes effect.

The changes will be made in two separate phases; one by Aug. 11, 2009 and the other by July 1, 2011. The first change will require Energy Star dishwashers to be at least 48 percent more efficient than federal standards require, saving more than 500 million gallons of water per year. The second will require dishwashers to be at least 13.5 percent more efficient than the previous restrictions, saving another 330 million gallons of water per year.

Please comment below and discuss any other ways that you and your family save water when washing dishes.

With the holidays right around the corner, and broadcast television stations changing to digital signals early in 2009, lots of people will be looking for a new TV set. So the timing couldn't be better for televisions that meet the new Energy Star criteria to arrive in stores.

According to the Energy Star site, "TVs that earn the Energy Star label under these requirements will be up to 30 percent more efficient than non-qualified models." When you're shopping, be sure to check for the label.