So, we did it! We made our first major energy efficiency investment by purchasing new windows for our home… and despite having spent some cash, I’m actually very excited.
Home heating can account for approximately 27% of our carbon footprint and 25% of a home’s heat escapes through windows… pretty significant, I’d say. Our installation technician told us that he’s had customers that literally saved half on their home heating bill after installing new windows. Sure, the windows that had to be replaced were probably a disaster(!) but I’m excited to see what kind of savings are in store for us. It’s hard to forget that heating bill of $533 not so long ago.
We always put the most productive heating and cooling tips in place, (for my best home cooling tips click here or my best home heating tips click here) but I believe this is the final significant step of putting it all into place. The windows are Energy Star, Argon-filled, Double Glazed Low E glass and although those are a lot of fancy-schmancy terms, their combined definition is “efficiency!”
With the tax credit we’ll receive and projected annual heating and cooling savings, I’ve figured that the windows should pay for themselves in about five years. In addition, we purchased from a local owned and operated manufacturer so a minimal footprint was created to get those windows as well. I’m feeling mighty green today!
So, have you ever made a major replacement to “conserve”? What was the result? I’d love to know!
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Eggs have been getting a lot of bad press these days, and for good reason. Two massive egg farms, Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farm (that house 7.5 million(!) egg producing hens kept in cramped, filthy conditions), are to blame for over 1,500 people contracting salmonella poisoning. I can’t say that I’m surprised.
Ahh… laundry day. It’s looming in the MGG household and it happens to be one of my least favorite of mom-duties. (I’m fine with the washing/drying part but I deeply dislike the putting-away part!)
You should also occasionally “deep clean” the screen, the trap and the tubing. Scrub the screen with a soft brush, mild soap and water (because there is build-up, I assure you, even if you’ve removed the fuzzy!). Use your vacuum cleaner extension tool or long skinny brush to give a good cleaning inside the trap area. And don’t forget the vent tube… remove it from the back of the dryer and clean out any lint or obstruction. After you’ve done this, run the dryer on air fluff for about 10 minutes to clear out anything that remains.
I’ve never seen research that would either prove or disprove our belief, but I can’t help believing it is true. Not so much with organic grains or more processed foods, but especially with fresh fruits, veggies, meats and dairy.
I’ve really, consciously, tried to put more seafood into regular rotation on our menus around the MGG house… not always easy with little kids, but most of the time they go along with the program!


Some people find comfort in ironing… I happen not to be one of those people. But who hasn’t pulled something out of a closet or drawer and thought “okay, if I wear this ‘as is’, someone will think I slept in it!”
mer is dwindling… it’s the countdown to the “end”… sounds dramatic, doesn’t it? But this is truly my least favorite time of year. Sure the weather is wonderful and there is so much fun to be had, but I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach when I have to send my kids back to school. I actually happen to be a mom who loooves to have my kids at home!
u get teary-eyed at the idea of sending your kids back to school, or the first day couldn’t come soon enough (I will be a teary-eyed one!) be sure to earn a “green star” for your efforts before they go!
So, Mom Goes Green just returned from a nice, long vacation at the OBX with my fantastic family! There is nothing like fresh ocean air each and every morning, noon and night. We experienced everything again this year… from dunes to surf, to sun to moon…
go on and on about all of our practices but, for me, the shining moment was when I took time to sneak to the beach in the late-night, moonlit hours while everyone else was fast asleep and stood there, awestruck. How amazing and peaceful.
Sometimes it’s easy to get so consumed with planning and preparing for a vacation that we forget about the home we’re leaving behind.
I'm not perfect. My life is far from being as green as I would like it to be, but I’m trying…and I’m learning. I just want to leave this world knowing that I did all I could manage to do. This blog will be my journey…both the good and the bad, mistakes included. 

