A series of radio spots that I wrote and edited in 2007 for the green search engine GreenMaven.com. Each "Green Maven Minute" included a variety of green tips on an important topic, such as energy efficiency.

1. “The Green Maven Minute”
Radio Spots for CBS Radio in Los Angeles
45 sec – 1 min. each
Copy writing and editing: Melissa Mansfield
Automotive
Has the high price of gas got you down? Get better bang for your buck by improving your gas
mileage.
It's easy, just follow these steps:
Drive the speed limit. Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying 20 cents more per
gallon. So slow down a little, and save some money.
Change your air filters regularly. Replacing dirty filters helps your engine and boosts fuel
economy by 10 percent!
Get the junk out of your trunk. Excess weight reduces your mpg by 2 percent.
Keeping your tires inflated properly also works wonders for your gas mileage.
And if you're going to burn fuel, you might as well get somewhere with it! Don't idle. Turn off the
engine while you wait.
Boosting your miles per gallon saves you money and prevents pollution. So try some of these
simple steps today!
Energy Efficiency
Did you know there is an easy way to bring down your electricity bill? And it only takes a few
steps:
Buy a CFL bulb. Take it out of the package. Screw it in to a light fixture.
That's it! You're done and you're about to save money and energy.
CFL stands for compact fluorescent lights. If the idea of fluorescent lights doesn't appeal to you -
don't worry – it's not the glaring blue light of the public restroom.
Fluorescents have changed. CFLs come in all sizes and styles, and fit in indoor and outdoor
fixtures – just like the typical incandescent bulb.
The difference? They use about 75 percent less energy. You'll save about $30 in energy costs
per bulb over its lifetime. And they last up to 10 times longer. Install a CFL bulb and forget
about it for 5 to 7 years!

2. They're also affordable, costing from $2-8 depending on the style and wattage.
And it's amazing what this one little step can do. If every American home replaced just one light
bulb with a quality CFL bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes
for a year.
Coffee
You wake up. You're groggy, but you make your way to the kitchen for your morning brew.
Nothing starts the day like a hot cup of coffee. And you're not alone: The United States
consumes one-fifth of all the world's coffee.
But have you ever thought about where those coffee beans came from? How much the farmers
were paid? What the impact on the environment was in growing the coffee?
If it's conventional coffee, it's likely that the farmers are underpaid and desperately poor, and
that the coffee was grown using toxic pesticides.
But luckily, you've got a better choices: coffee that is certified fair trade and organic .
Fair Trade coffee means that the farmers are paid a living wage with safe working conditions.
Organic coffee is grown using natural methods that help replenish soil without the use of toxic
pesticides and fertilizers.
When you drink organic, fair trade coffee you'll still get your morning fix – but you'll also be
drinking coffee that is healthier and supports hardworking farmers around the world.
Ask about organic, fair trade coffee at your local coffee shop or grocery store.
Cleaning Products
Your home is your haven. So why fill it with toxic chemicals?
Most cleaning products are full of ingredients that are harmful to people and the environment –
like chlorine bleach, phosphates and other hard-to-pronounce chemicals.
The combination of toxins in the home leads to poor indoor air quality, which contributes to
allergies, asthma and respiratory infections.
But there's good news! There are lots of non-toxic cleaning products available that will help get
your tub squeaky clean without harming you and your family. Start by looking in your kitchen
cupboard.
Did you know that just plain baking soda cleans, deodorizes, and scours? And white vinegar
cuts grease, and removes mildew, odors, stains and wax build-up. Add in some basic soap and
lemon juice and you've got pretty much all the ingredients for your home cleaning needs.
If you don't want to do it yourself, then just check out your local grocery or retail store for
cleaning supplies that are biodegradable, toxicity-free, and not tested on animals. You can find
green cleaners of all kinds – from all-purpose spray to dishwasher detergent.