Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)

Welcome to Change The World Wednesday (#CTWW)! If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.

There's a lot of great information in this post and I encourage you to read through it ... however, if you don't have the time right now, you might find the following quick-click links helpful:

• The #CTWW Gang
• The Honor Society
• My Final Thoughts on Last Week's Challenge
• This Week's Challenge

Last week we got busy and prepared our homes for winter ... or summer, as the case may be (waving at you AV). We had suggestions about insulating walls, caulking cracks around windows and preparing the water heater. Some folks are grabbing sweaters and blankets while others are making use of the heat from the oven. One participant uses T-shirts creatively while another is thinking about winterizing her yard. It was a great week full of helpful ideas to ensure that our homes are warm, cozy and "green".

The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing a post about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments. Let's see what they had to say this week:

In this POST Jen offers us a whole list of ideas to winterize our homes. One involves Eco-friendly and pet-friendly de-icers and traction materials. Brilliant!

EcoGrrl changed the filter in her furnace, removed the water hoses from outside and covered the faucets to keep them from freezing. She also moved her winter clothing out of storage and, before putting the summer stuff away, sorted all items. The clothing which will no longer be used was taken to Goodwill. She also made a big change this year ... she had new windows installed in her living room and shares that the switch allows her to feel comfortable with less heat (she can set the thermostat at 66).

In Brazil, Argentum Vulgaris is moving into the summer months. In this POST he shares how he's getting his home ready. One of his ideas involves a Papaya tree ... can you guess what he's doing? Head on over ... it's a great tip ... one which I used during the summer months and it really works!

Jen heard that we're in for a hard winter this year so she believes that prepping is especially important this year.

Mrs. Green took an energy reading and set goals in this ARTICLE. Check out her plans for the router ... unique and brilliant! She's also been busy prepping her home for the cold months ahead. One of her ideas involves food ... something I wouldn't normally think about when winterizing. Curious about it? Click HERE.

Sometimes living "green" can be a little overwhelming ... sometimes we don't want to make the effort or feel we can't try something new. This week Katie shared a wonderful post ... one which I think we could call The #CTWW Declaration. Click HERE to be motivated and inspired! For this week's challenge, Katie covered HEATING and her YARD.

Lynn is changing the world in her "jammies" (oh she's so cute). She's also winterizing her home with the use of T-shirts. Yep ... you know you want to read it ... and can do so HERE.

Amity's best tip is to bundle up. It just proves that sometimes the simplest actions work best.

Vaishali left a nice comment on our challenge to go vegan for a day. She shares that a vegan diet not only protects animals but is a delicious way to help the earth. By the way, Vaishali's site is just full of wonderful recipes ... my mouth waters every time I visit her site. Thanks for stopping by, Vaishali ... hope to "see" you again!

My friend and NC neighbor, Kat Magendie stopped by. Nice to see you, Kat! By the way, Kat is an author ... I've read all her books and love them. So (hint alert) ... gift-giving is soon upon us. I'm just saying!

Alicia had great ideas to share with us. In her words "We always keep our filters changed which helps out a lot. We also check around all of the windows and doors to see if we can feel any air seeping through. If so my husband gets out his caulking gun and fills in any cracks, It is amazing how much money a tube of caulk can save you!! We have a crack at the bottom of our front door which can't be caulked but lets in cold air so I took a piece of material sewed it down one side and filled it with beans then stitched the top. It works wonderfully for stopping the air from coming in under that door."

A member of the elite #CTWW Gang crossed over and joined the illustrious ranks of the Honor Society this week. Intellihot shared this POST about how to winterize the water heater. Wow ... I learned something new because I had no idea the water heater needed winterizing. Thanks, Intellihot, for a very informative article!

Kris says that she doesn't deliberately set out to winterize her home but she and her husband do many things, regularly, which accomplish the task. There is one thing, however, that she hasn't done and will do to keep things running well in the cold months. Can you guess what it is? Find out HERE. In that post she also talks about the month-long challenge to reduce energy use and the one thing which is making that challenge hard.

How many of you consider "cuddling" a home winterizing task? Well, Stephanie does (and I do too). Read about that tip, and several more, in this ARTICLE.

The SHOPPING CHARITY picked up several #CTWW posts ... was one of them yours?

Some great ideas and tips were shared via Twitter. Let's take a look:

From @pinkladyapril
-I've changed to our winter duvets & started using the slow cooker once a week which often makes enough for 2 days meals

From @gwened02
-we insulated walls & loft last year & have good windows & doors. Preparing the car for winter was on my to do list

From @givetreegifts
-We're having vegetarian chili for supper tonight. Happy #CTWW
-Have your furnace properly maintained to save energy & reduce risk of no heat when you need it the most. Keep filters on hand.
-If you haven't already, switch to a programmable thermostat & program it with a lower temperature while you are sleeping or at work.
-In winter, wear warmer clothes around the house so you can turn down the thermostat a bit. Cooler indoor temps make you more alert
-Check your fridge door. A poorly sealed fridge door can contribute to heat loss & has to work harder to keep food cool
-Install ceiling fans. They direct warm air back down where its needed.
-Replace your old furnace. Consider a condensing gas furnace, which uses 33 to 38% less energy.
-Clean your vents. Ensure furnace, stove and dryer vents are clean and free from dust and debris
-Upgrade your water heater. An energy efficient water heater performs 40% better, reducing energy costs
-Insulate. Fill wall cavities & attic space with foam insulation to prevent heat loss. Install foam gaskets around outlets
-Protect your windows. If double glazed windows aren't an option, buy plastic insulating kits
-Seal cracks. Check doors, windows and walls inside and out
-Consider a home energy audit to identify areas where heat is escaping, cold is getting in, or energy wasted.
-Install a programmable thermostat. The temperature can be set lower at night or while you're away

The #CTWW Gang are those folks who share our challenges on twitter using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I highly recommend following them ... they have a lot of great things to say. Let's meet them:

@intellihot @tif_hamilton @ggirlggreen @littlegreenblog @whopaysthepiper @givetreegifts @gwened02 @pinkladyapril @groovygreenlivi @beckleecottage @waylandcook @caradafforn @passportfrugal @accessorygal

@noteasy2begreen @nurturedbeauty @oneadayart @blackdogworld @krjuchem @laalicia @tiffanystoybox @thegreenfamilia @greengiftsguide @etsyrocks @alwayswellwithn @lisaborden @peopletowels

@chainedheartdes @bestrawesome @allnaturalkatie @lynn_stone @mom2tle @fivefreeapps @envirofusion @marjoriecracked @ericastflblog @gaiaperspective @greenerideal @cinbrad @upcycledlove

My Final Thoughts: Throughout most of the world, people are recognizing extremes in temperatures. The summers are hotter, the winters are colder. That means that it is now more of a challenge, than ever before, to keep our homes comfortable in an environmentally sound way. Hopefully some of the ideas shared this week have shown us that while it might be a tough task, it's definitely worth the effort.

Great job, everyone! If you wrote an article, I have Stumbled, Tweeted and Facebooked it. And brand new this week, I'm also posting them on Google + ... if you're a member, come follow me. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share feature at the bottom of this post.

This Week's Challenge:

This week's challenge idea comes from Cinella. It's a good one! Here you go:

WEEK-LONG CHALLENGE: At this time of year, many people are planning holiday dinners, family get-togethers, etc. Typically, decorations play into these events. So this week, we'd like your tips & ideas for decorating in a "green" way. And, of course, we'd like you to choose Eco-friendly decorations for your event.

Or ...

If you are not planning to decorate for a special occasion this year, we'd like to know how you generally adorn your living space. For example, do you purchase recycled items (wall hangings, knickknacks, etc.). Is your furniture made of Eco-friendly materials? Again, we'd love your tips & ideas for creating a comfortable, "green" living space ... and if you're thinking of adding anything new to your home, please choose an Eco-friendly item.

And don't forget, we're still working on a month-long challenge ...

MONTH-LONG CHALLENGE: This month make note of the electricity (Kilowatts) used in your home (find this number on your electric bill, by reading the meter, by using a home electricity monitor, etc.). Then, spend one month reducing that number by 10%. In December we'll come back and report on our success including the actions we've taken to reduce our usage.

I'm really looking forward to all your ideas this week!

Until next time ...

WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!