The roofing tiles, which run $500-1000 above the cost of average tiles, are made of titanium dioxide, which serves a as a photocatalyst. The tiles catalyze fossil fuel pollutants when exposed to light. The titanium dioxide becomes calcium nitrate, a harmless natural garden fertilizer that runs off your roof and into your garden below.

Much like the catalytic converter in your car converts toxic combustion materials into less toxic materials, these tiles convert pollutants through direct contact. In a catalytic process such as this, there shouldn’t be any risk for waste products or other environmental impact.

The technology has been used in Japan and Europe, but it is new to the US. Some studies have shown that nitrogen oxides are a major pollutant. Often present in exhaust gases and other forms of fossil fuel waste, the European Commission’s environmental technologies action plan showed that similar products to the roofing tiles could lead to a decrease in these pollutants of 20-70%.

Too many pollutants in the air have been shown to have negative health effects, including lung disease and risk for stroke.  The American Lung Association ranked Los Angeles as one of the most ozone-polluted cities in the nation.

According to Boral Roofing, the roof of a 2,000 square foot home can eliminate the same amount of nitrogen oxide that a car produces driving 10,800 miles every year. This can possibly go a long way to reducing an individual’s carbon footprints without having him or her decrease consumption or bad habits.

To have a lasting impact, the ideal would be to install these types of tiles throughout a community or to install them on larger factories and buildings.

As more and more people are looking to build green homes, it is nice to see another option for home owners to choose from. While many people consider solar panels in their roofs, few may have considered these tiles. Adding catalytic tiles can be a quick, long-lasting solution to reducing some of our ever growing footprints

The Houston Rockets are one such team that works together with their home arena, Toyota Center, to set an example for environmental best practices. Some of their key goals are:

1) Recycling – Working to recycle paper, cardboard, plastic and aluminum in both employee areas and areas where people attend events.

2) Lights – Sensor based lights to make the center more efficient. You don’t have to turn off lights when you leave a room; they go off automatically.

3) Annual electronics recycling event and recycling item of the month. These items can include shoes, mobile phones, or clothing. The events encourage everyone to get involved.

Basketball teams are not alone in their environmentally friendly efforts.

The Oakland A’s have been working towards more sustainable operations with Mendocino Forest Products. For Earth Day this year, the A’s distributed 10,000 redwood saplings to fans. The idea of planting a tree to help the community was just part of the A’s earth friendly initiative to raise awareness among their community and fans.

The NHL has collaborated with all their teams to help raise attention for environmental issues. Their focus has been the impact global warming has on ice. The NHL has put together a resource guide they distribute to teams, and they also work to personally adapt to different regions.

Mike Richter, former Rangers goalie, says sports teams can be a great resource to facilitate discussion. By starting to discuss environmental issues, the conversation could spread from sports teams to fans. The possibility exists to reach an audience that may not be getting environmentally friendly information.

In football, the Eagles sets a shining environmental example. They produce all of their energy onsite using solar panels and wind turbines. They also use recycled paper and biodegradable cups.

These teams set a great example for fans and visitors as to how you can make small changes with a large impact. Making these types of changes at large venues, such as arenas, can have an immediate impact, but the long term impact will be if some of the visitors bring the ideas home and initiate them there.

A staple when it comes to household cleaning, baking soda also has a place in the pet-cleaning routine. One advantage to using baking soda to bathe a pet is that water is not required. Thus, Clovis the Siamese cat would be less likely to be angry with its owner for forcing it into an unwelcome bath.

The owner only has to sprinkle a quantity of baking soda on the pet (taking care to avoid the eyes), rub it into the coat thoroughly, and then brush it through until the baking soda is no longer visible. Moreover, and similar to human use, adding a small amount of vinegar to a (wet) bath rinse minimizes soap residue, and is purported to deter tick or flea infestations.

Rather than purchasing brand new pillows and beds made from organic materials, it would be easier to reuse old bedding or clothes from around the home. The benefits of doing so are two-fold: it minimizes the carbon emissions created when transporting new products from their point of origin to your home, and items that would otherwise be discarded will be kept out of the landfill a while longer.

By the same token, pet toys made with scrap fabric are a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative to brand-new rubber toys. It also pays to go the extra mile for your cat and grow a small pot of catnip for use “as needed.”

The disposal of pet waste can be a contentious issue. Responsible dog owners know to scoop dog poop into poop bags, but plastic poop bags can last for years. The alternative is to use biodegradable bags that will break down over time. Clumping clay litter is not advised for cat litter boxes as its obtainment is detrimental to the environment, and the clay itself contains elements that can harm a cat’s health. Instead, use biodegradable kitty litter, such as that made from newspapers or corn fibers.

Most people assume that growing potatoes requires a substantial plot of land, but they can be grown in the smallest of garden plot or even in containers. They do fine with relatively poor soil or layers of mulch, so there is no need to enrich the soil before planting. And, when it comes time for harvest, you have the “Easter egg hunt” joy of digging up the hills and seeing how many potatoes you can find!

There are three basic methods for growing potatoes:

1. The Hill: To grow potatoes in a hill, simply take your seed potatoes, cut into pieces that each contain at least two eyes, and bury each piece in the ground about as deep as your fist. In a couple of weeks, you will see the potato vine start to break the surface of the ground. Because the new potatoes will not form any lower than the original seed potato is buried, you will need to continue to add mulch or soil (or both in layers) around the vine as it grows, creating a hill. Continue to build the hill until the vine flowers and dies back, then dig in to find your new potatoes.
2. The Trench: The trench is very similar to the hill, but it starts much lower in the ground. To use this method, dig a trench about 12-15 inches deep in which to bury your seed potatoes; cover the seed potatoes with about three inches of soil, and wait for the vine to appear. Then, continue to replace the soil you removed from the trench around the vine as it grows, interspersing the layers of soil with mulch or leaves if you wish. You are essentially still building a hill, but you are simply starting your hill down in a trench. This method requires some up-front work in trench digging but then allows for easier hill-building as you pull the removed dirt back down into the trench as the potato grows.
3. The Container: Think you can’t grow potatoes because you have no land? If you have enough room for a large container or barrel, you can grow potatoes. Simply put about four or five inches of soil in the bottom, and then layer on your seed potatoes. Cover with another three inches of soil, then proceed as above, adding soil and mulch or hay as the vines appear. When the container is full and the vines have blossomed and died back, either dig into the container or up-end it into the garden to gain easy access to your potatoes. I know one gardener who claims to have grown potatoes over the winter in the garage by this method. I’m eager to try that this winter.

The reason for this is due to the methods required to extract raw aluminum from ore. Aluminum is the third most common material in the crust of the Earth, and it is the most common metal of all. It was unknown to ancient people, although the Greeks, and later the Romans, used natural aluminum salts in wounds, preventing them from becoming infected; however, it was not until 1825 that the first pure aluminum samples were produced in a laboratory, and not until the end of the 19th century that methods for extracting the metal became available for mass production.

The aluminum we use today comes from bauxite, a material which is mined mostly in Guinea, Australia, and Vietnam. It takes four and a half pounds of bauxite ore (as well as half a pound of petroleum coke as fuel) to produce one pound of aluminum, as well as a large amount of energy to run the extensive refining process.

Recycling aluminum, on the other hand, uses 90-95% less energy than producing raw material, and recycling just one can could save enough electricity (read: money off your electricity bill) to run your television for up to four hours. But there are other benefits as well. Due to the great energy savings of recycling aluminum, it is one of the materials that you can still sell to recycling centers and make some money off of what would otherwise be refuse. With a couple medium-sized garbage bags full of cans, you may get $15 or so in return, which is still enough to buy a few groceries (or maybe more drinks in cans).

Aluminum can also be easily worked and reused. From simple sculptures or pyramids to intricate soda can castles, they can be used to decorate a room. Or try stringing together pull tabs with strong string or leather lacing, and make a belt out of aluminum. Done right, this can have a great, expensive look. Or try (carefully) cutting designs or logos that you like out of cans, and use a common button maker to turn them into pins to add style and flair to your outfit.

Whatever else you do, make sure to reuse or recycle your aluminum. It can be used for fun decorations or clothing accessories, or it can make you a little money when you recycle, even in today’s economy.

If you’re an enthusiastic gardener, making seed pots out of newspapers is one way to reduce the height of the pile, as is incorporating them into the compost or as mulch. Similarly, newsprint, both grayscale and colored, can be used for origami projects. Though not very useful, the rough-hewn appearance of newsprint offsets the clean elegance of an origami folding, and you can pat yourself on the back for being good with your hands.

Speaking practically, newspapers can be used in place of wood as fireplace logs. In addition to merely rolling them up tightly, said newspaper rolls can be inserted into toilet paper rolls for uniformity and ease of storage. Newspaper logs are said to burn for up to an hour, but that would depend on how tightly they are rolled.

You can also turn to old newspapers if you’re looking for an absorbent material to keep grease, water, snow, or mud off the floors. While not the most beautiful welcome mat, newspapers can also be folded up and woven into actual mats for a neater appearance. These can be sent for recycling once they’re worn out.

Since they’re absorbent, old newspapers can also be crumpled up and stuffed inside wet footwear to help it dry out. Naturally, absorbent newsprint can be used to line the kitty litter box, rabbit hutch, or birdcage. It absorbs odors to an extent as well, and the size of the sheets makes cleanup easier.

Newspapers are also cost-effective gift-wrapping material. For some reason, items wrapped in rough-and-ready looking newsprint and string/yarn/twine/coiled newspaper appear more desirable than those wrapped in glossy, store-bought wrapping paper (if you’re me). If you are so inclined, newspaper wrapping can be further embellished with potato-stamp prints.

The Green Builds Business program was developed by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and it has toured many cities presenting their one day coaching session of environmentally friendly ideas.

Since the program began last year, there have been many success stories. A small hydroponics company in New Jersey developed a strategic alliance with a  local college. Another thermal imaging technology company learned to identify energy cost opportunities.

Founder Bill Roth explains that the Hispanic market is expanding, and by incorporating Green practices into many Hispanic businesses, they can create more jobs and make a positive difference in the community.

While many may be surprised that cash flow can be so positively impacted by best practices, there have been many positive results from the program.

The Walmart green program has been documented in a variety of forms. It involves working with suppliers, sustainable leadership, and employee involvement, among other things.

By getting the whole team involved, from the supply chain to the people working in the store, to the management team, changes made at every level can have an effect. Obviously, the changes in a small business may not be quite as substantial, but there are many places in a small business where little changes can be made. The effect can be greater than anticipated.

Material evaluation is also key. What are you relying on, and how can you make it more efficient? Is it lighting? Heat? Spare parts and components? How far away are these items transported from? Do they have to be? Often times little cuts here and there can really add up.

There are many ways to help small businesses and big businesses develop more green best practices, and this Green Builds Business initiative is inspiring. Hopefully, there will be similar programs starting up aimed at other groups of entrepreneurs who maybe have been on the outskirts of the green movement. Green isn’t just about crunchy hippies anymore, it is about involving everyone.

Plant Native Plants. This piece of advice has developed into a movement among gardeners in the past few years. As native plants are vastly different in different parts of the country, it is eco-friendly to plant native plants instead of factory-generated or non-native species. Native plants provide adequate food and protection for the bugs in your home area, and they are well adapted to local soils and weather conditions. This means that the plants require less water and attention than non-native plants, lessening the need for extra care and harmful growth toxins.

Natural Slug Control. Slugs are one of the most annoying pests that a gardener can encounter. Because controlling slugs can be difficult, many gardeners opt for harsh chemical killers; however, there are plenty of eco-friendly ways to keep slugs out of home gardens. Orange halves actually deter cats and slugs from entering gardens. Coating plants near the base in a light mix of water and coffee grounds is also an effective way of keeping out slugs and other pests. Physical barriers such as crushed eggshells, sawdust, wood shavings, or even hot pepper will keep these pests out.

Natural Weed Killers. This is an important and oft-repeated tip for eco-friendly gardening. Try to use a natural weed killer instead of harsh chemicals. This is especially true if growing vegetables or fruits for consumption, as the harmful chemicals will seep into the produce. There are hundreds of natural and organic weed killers on the market, and a quick survey of many websites will provide many helpful hints.

Start from seeds. Nothing is more gratifying than to watch a seed you planted sprout into a healthy plant. This saves plenty of energy from not using greenhouses, and it also saves an incredible amount of store-bought packaging. Sprouting seedlings in organic eggshell containers is a great way to protect the environment and to get the satisfaction of growing a plant from a seed.

Plastic Container Covers. An easy way to cover a young seedling once planted is by cutting a plastic bottle in half, and placing it over the budding plant. This cloche, or bell-shaped container, creates a mini greenhouse that helps little plants grow faster and healthier. Not only is this an eco-friendly way to help plants grow, it is a great way to repurpose used plastic bottles. Be sure to check out the web for more great ways to reuse plastic bottles when gardening.

Although it may be hard at first to become an eco-friendly gardener, it is worth the effort.

Newspapers or magazines can be used as seed pots. To do so, first fold a sheet of newspaper in half along its width. Roll the paper around a cylindrical object, such as a drinking glass or soup can to shape it, and fold in the bottom to form the “pot.” The same can be done for magazine pages.

As magazine pages are made of thicker material than newsprint, seeds can be scattered in the pages of the magazine itself, and the magazine can be rolled up to form a soil-less seed starter. An amazing example of the latter is the manga garden grown by the artist Koshi Kawachi.

Toilet or kitchen rolls, which are found in every household, can also be used as seed pots. These are flattened lengthwise to form a rectangle shape, and 0.5-inch long cuts are made along the creases. Next, the tabs are folded in as you would with a box to form the base of the pot.

The paper-based approach ensures that water will be drawn up via capillary action. A major difference between newspaper and magazine seed pots is that newspaper pots can be planted directly in the ground, where they will decompose. By contrast, the heavier pages of a magazine will not break down as quickly.

Eggshells can also be used as seed pots. You don’t need a delicate touch or a liking for soft-boiled eggs for this to work as long as the egg shell is broken more down the middle. To avoid the soil becoming waterlogged, poke some holes in the bottom for drainage. As with newspapers, these decompose easily, so you only have to plant them directly in the soil when the sprouts appear.