In her attempts to do as her blog name suggests, the GreenDweller has examined ways to reduce the environmental impact of taking a long, hot shower. It turns out that reducing the temperature of your shower by as little as 10 degrees can save a significant amount of carbon. If you're not a believer, read her assessment for proof.

I’m the kind of person that fights off the cold morning chill with a scalding hot shower.  However, I’ve learned that taking showers that are too hot actually cause your skin to be dryer and less healthy.  In addition, although shower length is generally how carbon output is reduced, shower temperature also effects the amount of energy needed.  So by dropping my shower temperature a few degrees I can not only help reduce my carbon output, but improve the health of my skin.  Tricks like this, which improve quality of life while helping the environment, are my favorite kind of green living.

So how much can we save?  My residence hall shower isn’t new in the least, so I can safely assume that a 10 minute shower uses about 25 gallons (200lbs) of water.  Heating it to scalding, about 120 F, from 60 F takes 12000 BTU.  But heating the same amount of water to just 110 F uses only 10000 BTU.

(200lb)(120-60)=12,000 BTU       (200lb)(110-60)=10,000 BTU     12,000-10,000=2,000 BTU

That difference of 2000 BTU is equivalent to .586 kWh a day.   As my university uses coal power, it means 1.227 lbs less carbon released each day.  Over a year, that’s 447.86 lbs of carbon.  Putting this in perspective, with the energy and carbon savings you could instead keep 5 10w CFLs (40w equivalent) on for 10 hours a day.  All for giving up just 10 extra degrees of heat in my shower, ones I likely won’t even notice.

Now this is just one specific way to reduce the carbon impact of your shower.  As I live in a residence hall it’s really the only aspect I can control, besides with the length of my showers.  If I were to reduce that time by even a minute, that’s an extra .36 lbs of carbon saved per day.  But if you want to do more, here are some easy tricks you might be able to use that are even easier:

- Install a low-flow shower head and use 50% less water (1.8lbs of carbon a day with a 10min shower).  Also look for one with a stop valve so you can soap up without wasting water.

- get an insulating blanket for your old water heater

- turn down the heat on your water heater

- get a tankless water heater

- and for the really ambitious, install a solar hot water heating system (no more carbon guilt!)

Pretty nifty, isn't it? That's not all the GreenDweller has to say, so check out her blog for more ideas and information.

» GreenDweller

When alternative band Radiohead kicked off their U.S. tour at the beginning of the week, they sent an important message to fans: please travel green.

The bank is encouraging concert attendees to consider options such as public transportation and carpooling when traveling to and from concerts. There are even some cases where venues hosting the band are providing incentives for those who choose to arrive on a bus or train or in a full car.

The initiative comes after the band had the carbon footprint of their two previous U.S. tours analyzed and the report showed that the fans' commute was the most significant contributor to carbon emissions than any other aspect of the tour. Now Radiohead even has a footprint calculator on their website so people can calculate and compare the impact of their chosen method of transportation. Based on further recommendations of the report, the band will continue to release information about their attempts to reduce their own carbon emissions while touring.

» liveDaily

Want to know how easy it is to make green travel arrangements? As easy as making your way over to a website like Green Travel Hub (greentravelhub.com). The website is run by the folks who brought you RezHub.com, which we introduced you to last year.

The website allows you to add some green to your holiday no matter if you are looking for small, simple ways to add some eco-friendliness to your trip by renting a hybrid car or planning an all-out green vacation with eco-friendly hotels and carbon offsetting.

This news report is a couple of months old, but now that the kids are nearly done school for the year and you're making travel plans, it couldn't feel more timely.

Watch the video clip which includes information about the eco-friendly Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel, located in Orlando, Florida. Then hit the jump to visit Green Travel Hub and begin planning your next environmentally-conscious trip.

» Green Travel Hub

Though many people claim they are trying to lead eco-friendly lifestyles, it seems once they are traveling, good earth-conscious habits go on vacation as well. Randal Savage, the Corporate Director of Tooms at Starwood Hotels and Resorts says he has heard of several instances where housekeeping staff members have found some very non-green behavior from hotel guests, including lights and televisions left on in empty rooms, as well as running water in the shower.

"I don't think anyone is intentionally wasteful on the road, but it can be hard to stay on the straight and narrow when your routine is disrupted by travel. We know our guests want to be eco-conscious; it is our job to make it easy for them," said Savage.

This doesn't come as a huge shock given that a survey conducted last summer saw nearly 60 per cent of frequent travelers admit they didn't let green habits slip while away from home. Seventy per cent of respondents said that even though they made genuine efforts to conserve water at home, only 18 per cent attempted to do so while staying in a hotel. As for leaving hotel room lights on, 63 per cent said they were more likely to do so then when they are at home.

Even if travelers aren't staying in facility classified as "green," there are still measures they can take to  be environmentally-conscious while away from home.

- Unplug cell phone charges, laptops and any other electronics when they are not being used.

- Use natural light whenever possible instead of being tempted to flip the light switch on every time you're in your room.

- Though most hotels are climate controlled, most allow you to adjust your room temperature. The temperature should be set to an average 68 degrees in winter months and 78 degrees during the summer to conserve energy when possible. If you'll be away from your room all day, adjust the temperature accordingly.

- Leave bathroom lights off during the evenings. If you become disoriented in strange places or have children, travel with a small nightlight which is far more energy-efficient.

- If you don't use fresh towels every day at home, why do so when staying in a hotel. Read the hotel's offer about where to place towels you're willing to re-use and use them for  the duration of your trip (unless you're there longer than a few days) rather than tossing them in the bathtub and requesting clean ones every day.

- Do you leave lights and the television on when you've left your home for the day? Use the same common sense you do in your everyday life and switch them off before you leave your room.

» Fox Business

Some of the basic tips we're advised to follow in our every day lives to conserve energy also apply when we're on the road traveling. Yes, vacations are indeed meant to let loose and have some fun, however as Elizabeth Blair York points out, it's still easy enough to follow some green principles even as you down those margaritas while poolside.

Even on the road, there are things mobile warriors can do to help Green the world and save the planet’s resources.

Don’t leave it on
Many of us leave our laptops on so they can receive e-mail. However, that burns electricity. Simply powering down if you’re going to be away for more than 30 minutes will represent significant energy savings.

And even before you leave on a trip, a simple check that the home will be using as little power and heat as possible can go a long, long way over time.

Unplug it
“Phantom Draw” is the power pulled by appliances that aren’t, actually, doing anything for you. And your cell phone charger is one of the biggest offenders.

How big? Up to 90% of ALL the electricity sucked in by that charger happens when your phone isn’t even plugged into it! Just pulling it from the outlet can be a major change in terms of energy consumption.

Don’t Print It
Sure, we need to print boarding passes and the like. But thinking twice before printing the rest would be a great boon to the planet.

There are other ways to be paper-free: downloading podcasts instead of grabbing brochures (like iToors), emailing meeting agendas, and sending itinerary information to a PDA or SmartPhone. I noticed that once I started paying attention, I was coming home with about 40 fewer sheets of print-outs than I had before.

Rent Green
Like many other mobile warriors, I used to get bumped to some very comfortable cars over the years. Ones that burned a lot more gas than what I drove at home, but I didn’t think twice about it.

Now that I do think about it, and so do car rental companies. Three of the major ones are now offering very Green cars for rent. Enterprise, Hertz and Avis all have a Green Collection of hybrids available.

Get Your Power For Free
I never knew that a universal 75-watt car adapter, which plugs into a cigarette lighter, actually draws from the car’s alternator. That makes is “free power” since it pulls from the extra available while driving! Now I carry the adapter instead of all those specially-made car chargers when I travel and help save the planet.

Replace your battery
If you find yourself charging more and more often, it may be time to replace your battery. You can also buy extenders that will help your current battery work longer.

A more efficient battery can make for major power savings - and besides helping the planet, can be a real time-saver on the road.

The knack of saving the planet while traveling comes simply from having the intention to do so. At the end of the day, every little bit does help, and we can each be part of the solution.

» MoGo

Believe it or not, Ed Begley Jr. doesn't ride his bike absolutely everywhere. There are times when the actor/environmentalist has to travel by air, however he tries to minimize his impact on the earth while doing so. Recently he spoke to travel website Fodor's.com and shared his tips for greener travel, whether it be via planes, trains or a automobiles.

Fodor's: Your recommendation to avoid air travel whenever possible echoes a growing concern among travelers these days. But sometimes you just can't avoid getting on the plane, be it for business or visiting Grandma across the country. How do carbon offset credits work, and do you have any favorites?

Ed: Yes– when I have to fly, I always buy a carbon offset. I work with TerraPass, who were one of the first offset companies to create an easy model for consumers. Their Web site allows you to select the type of offset you're interested in, whether it's car, airplane, or home. Plug in your "to" and "from" info, as well as the model of your plane or car, and they'll give you a calculation of the carbon emissions created by your travel paired with a corresponding offset dollar value. Plug in your credit card info and you're done.

Fodor's: But what am I actually buying if I buy an offset credit?

Ed: TerraPass offsets are investments in clean energy projects. There's nothing wrong with planting trees, as other offset credit companies do, but I prefer to have clean green electrons put back into the grid. The idea here is that increased demand for clean energy will shrink the market for dirty power, like coal, and eventually we will build more solar and wind plants to meet consumers' needs. I have TerraPasses for all my flights, my wife's hybrid car, and my home.

Fodor's: What cities/destinations (they could be domestic or international) do you think excel at being green?

Ed: All of the west coast cities are really good– especially San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. I've been to all of them multiple times this year and they are doing really well. Austin, TX is another top performer. But as I travel the country, everyone is really working hard at this. It's great to see. I don't do much international travel anymore, but clearly Europe and Asia are hard at work at solving these challenges too.

Fodor's: What criteria do you use to judge a hotel's ecological practices?

Ed: I ask whether or not they use organic cotton or another organic sustainable material in their linens. I make sure they use non-toxic, biodegradable cleaning products and low-VOC materials in the rooms so they are healthy. I like to see low-flow shower heads, high efficiency toilets, and green switches that shut down the room power with a key card. Also, does the hotel itself recycle, and can guests recycle easily themselves? These are all great features of a green hotel. I also think about the location of the hotel. It needs to be close to where I want to be so I can walk everywhere. A green hotel doesn't do me any good if I have to drive dozens of miles to get from the hotel to where I need to go.

Fodor's: It may be a long time before green travel is an easy thing to do. In the meantime, what are the top three things we should be doing right now, every time, to make sure we have as minimal an impact on the environment as possible?

Ed: (1) Get out of the car when you travel. Walk, ride a bike, take public transportation, but get out of that car. (2) Turn things off. Whether in a hotel or even in your own home, cut your electricity usage and dial back that thermostat. (3) Use less water. Water may be our largest challenge of the next ten years. Staying in a hotel shouldn't be a license for the 20 minute shower. Be water smart.

» Fodor's

In an effort to prove that it is possible to plan a travel adventure that has no carbon footprint, Tom Pendrey will spend the next month or so sea kayaking the length of the Western Isles in the UK. Not only will Pendrey promote sustainable travel by his means of transportation, he also plans to stay warm by burning driftwood, catch his own food and charge his safety equipment via a solar panel he brought along on his adventure.

The folks from the John Muir Trust charity must also be curious to see if Pendrey can pull it off; they've provided him with a grant to fund the journey. The Bill Wallace Grant is distributed to those who are educating others and helping to conserve wild locations. The journey is approximately 150 miles, however Pendrey has not shown any signs of nervousness or doubt.

He said: "I am proud to be sponsored by the John Muir Trust for paddling in what can be one of the most challenging kayaking environments and a stunningly beautiful location. This is sure to be an adventure that I won't forget."

» BBC News

Eco-friendly travel is still a relatively new concept to most people, however when you consider the footprint that taking a vacation leaves on the earth, finding ways to reduce the impact of your travel plans is an environmentally responsible thing to do.

Organic Places to Stay in the UK is a fabulous resource for those who want to plan a green trip but don't know where to begin. Author Linda Moss has taken great care to make the book user-friendly and easy to navigate in one beautifully photographed package. To simplify the process, Linda broke the accommodations down into four categories: hotels, bed and breakfasts, self-catering locations and camping areas. Looking for a small organic farm in Devon? Dying to stay in a log cabin in Perthshire, Scotland that is walking distance to an organic café and organic shops? Seeking a little romance at a bed and breakfast in Yorkshire that uses produce from the kitchen's organic garden? These are just a tiny sampling of over 50 destinations Linda profiles in the book.

All of the boutique hotels, cottages and Victorian guest houses (just to name a few) are accompanied by photographs of beautiful buildings and stunning landscapes, as well as the need-to-know details of the property such as the type of accommodation it is, how many people it will sleep, the estimated cost of your stay and meals, a short description of the amenities you will find upon arrival, and of course, what exactly makes the location organic.

All of the listings contain the name of the certifying body or designation that certifies the location organic. Linda has also included other important details you may be looking for when booking a reservation, including the accommodations that are located within one mile of public transportation and symbols demonstrating which locations allow children and dogs. She even includes some tips such as making sure you check with the property owner to see if they pick-up guests who will be arriving at the local train or bus station (some places actually do!).

If you haven't given much thought to the making eco-conscious travel arrangements in the past, perusing a few pages of Organic Places to Stay in the UK will show you that making earth-conscious travel arrangements does not mean sacrificing quality. In fact it it is exactly the opposite effect, and the beautiful locations and wonderful dining options will have you on the phone booking your reservation before you can say the words "eat local."

Order your copy here and hit the jump to learn how you can win your very own copy of Linda Moss' must-have resource for green travelers.

» Ecollo Contests

Blood sweat and many tears describes the experience of the last year or so, renovating an XVIII century Italian villa, creating a sustainable, eco-friendly environment whilst maintaining original structure.

A dream come true, for some it may be more like a nightmare. But for a brave couple who decided not to pursue a comfortable life in Naples FL , they decided to invest a tremendous amount of energy and their entire life savings in pursuit of a healthier lifestyle in Italy, optimistic to the nth degree!

Like many of Naples residents, they had Italian heritage and travelled to Italy - Puglia to be precise (the heel of Italy) - for many years looking for a suitable property to purchase. After many trips to the area, visiting with estate agents, arranging site visits and seeing property after property, they finally found the perfect property on the Internet from their kitchen counter in Florida! It was back to Italy in spring 2006 to view the property and decide if this was the one.

Walking up the long driveway to the property through the weeds and wild vegetation added to their anxiety. Through the frame of the Magnolia trees, the warm colours hued by countless years of sun, wind and rain gave a feeling of calm, comfort, and hospitality. It didn’t seem to matter that the neglected villa was so old it didn’t have running water (except through the roof) or electricity or sewage! It didn’t have windows or doors either! It did have trees…growing out of the roof tiles. Through all this and the advice provided by others - “you would be better off tearing it down and building new” - they could envisage 'the dream.' So in June 2006, Ron and Lesley finally became the proud owners of Villa Magnolia with 33,000 sq mt of farm land.

It began with understanding the infamous Italian bureaucracy and legal issues of buying a house, then moved on to dealing with the piles and piles of ‘red tape’, finding trustworthy, competent builders, plumbers, electricians, stone masons, and finally locating a farmer to take care of the land and harvest the olives from the 90 ancient trees, the almonds from more than a 100 trees and to prepare an organic vegetable patch! After two years of planning, design, discussions, construction and restructuring, high stress levels and a budget that quadrupled, Ron and Lesley miraculously managed to survive the countless pitfalls, and Villa Magnolia now has a new lease of life.

The original Villa has been totally restored with high vaulted stone ceilings in two of the four unique bedrooms. The greatest of care was given to maintain the same warm, inviting colours on the outside as well as aged interior finishes that somehow show a respect and honour time. In a direct contrast, modern ensuite bathrooms have been added that have solar power for hot water and sky lights that flood the hydro massage area with natural light. The patio area to the rear of the villa opens onto a covered veranda, making it a perfect place to relax as the sun sets behind the Roman temple and enjoy freshly baked focaccia or pizza from the restored wood fired oven.

A short walk to the pool through the column lined “passegiata” is a delight in itself. The sun is filtered through the entwining vines. The roman style mosaic covered pool is filled with salt water - soft on your skin and eliminating the problem of red eyes = as well as a private water jet spa and massage area are inside the raised ‘temple’ area, veiled with curtains that are lazily urged by the soft breezes.

The Villa has outstanding eco-credentials using recycled wood whenever possible for doors and windows, local materials and labour for all construction. The Villa is 90% energy efficient, having solar thermal panels for all the hot water and heating, photovoltaic for energy supply, plus surplus energy is sent back to the national grid! The owners are determined to show how it is possible to live in a healthy , comfortable environment without further polluting our planet.

So for those of you who wish to stay in an authentic Italian villa with period furnishing providing a luxurious, private, comfortable and unique experience, and see first-hand how this amazing feat was achieved, be one of the first testimonials of this unique place. Visit the villa’s website by clicking the link below and contact Ron and Lesley in Italy!

Villa Magnolia is a discreet retreat far from the stress of city life, open for business beginning in June 2008. At Villa Magnolia Italy, relax your mind, pamper your body, replenish your spirit. Private, exclusive, environmentally friendly.

» Villa Magnolia (Official Site)

Hydrogen fuel cells are certainly taking their fair share of headlines in the past 24 hours. First, GM announced they would produce 1,000 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles over the next four to six years and now Boeing has announced the successful launch of the world's first hydrogen fuel cell airplane, the latest and greatest development in the aviation world (ha, take that Richard Branson!).

Though the plane, developed and flown by European engineers, has already completed three test flights, representatives from Boeing hope this is just the beginning of greener, cleaner flying options.

The breakthrough is "full of promises for a greener future," Boeing Chief Technology Officer John Tracy told reporters at the company's research center in Arcana, Spain, where the aircraft was on display. "Boeing recognizes that pollution represents a serious environmental challenge," Tracy added.

The test flights were conducted at an altitude of 3,300 feet and cruised for 20 minutes on electric power that was generated by fuel cells.

Hydrogen may reduce emissions because no pollutants are emitted, however it is still not a cost-efficient option. Air travel experts are hopeful that will change in the future, as fuel cells convert energy two to three times more efficiently than the standard combustion engines. Fuel cells aren't expected to be powerful enough to supply energy to large planes, however they have the potential to be used in small manned and unmanned planes.

"Over the longer term," the company said in a statement, "solid oxide fuel cells could be applied to secondary power-generating systems, such as auxiliary power units for large commercial airplanes."

Boeing added that it "will continue to investigate their potential, as well as other sustainable alternative fuel and energy sources that improve environmental performance."

» MSNBC Environment