Green your home.
Spring is here and now is a great time to think about the environment and your home’s impact. When it comes to the environment, being a global citizen starts at your doorstep. From recycling to using alternative cleaning supplies, small changes at home can add up to major benefits for the planet, and your own health and happiness. It may be a cliché, but the best way to be earth-friendly is to limit what you consume and recycle whenever possible. The U.S. generates about 208 million tons of municipal solid waste a year, according to the National Institutes of Health. That's more than 4 pounds per person per day. Every little bit helps; recycling just one glass bottle saves enough electricity to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours. Here are 10 more ways to green your home:
1. Green up your appliances. Getting rid of an old refrigerator in the garage could save you as much as $150 a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Appliance use comprises about 18% of a typical home’s total energy bill, with the refrigerator being one of the biggest energy users. If any of your appliances are more than 10 years old, the EPA suggests replacing them with energy-efficient models bearing the "Energy Star" logo. Energy Star-qualified appliances use 10% to 50% less energy and water than regular models. According to the Energy Star Web site, if just one in 10 homes used energy-efficient appliances, it would be equivalent to planting 1.7 million new acres of trees. Also, consider what you put in that energy-efficient refrigerator. Pesticides, transportation and packaging are all things to consider when stocking up. Buying local cuts down on the fossil fuels burned to get the food to you while organic foods are produced without potentially harmful pesticides and fertilizers. 2. Watch the temp. Almost half a home's energy consumption is in heating and cooling the home. Turn down the thermostat in cold weather and keep it higher in warm weather. Each degree below 68°F (20°C) during colder weather saves 3% to 5% more heating energy, while keeping your thermostat at 78°F in warm weather will save energy and money. A programmable thermostat will make these temperature changes for you automatically – one less thing to remember. Clean your air filters monthly during heavy usage. You may even want to consider a new furnace. Today's furnaces are about 25% more efficient than they were in the 1980s, especially those carrying the Energy Star label. To keep cool in warmer weather, shade your east and west windows and delay heat-generating activities such as dishwashing until evening. Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioners.
3. Save water. The Web site "Water - Use it Wisely," created by a group of Arizona cities, lists 100 simple ways to save water. Here are just a few. Put an aerator on all household faucets and cut your annual water consumption by 50%. Install a low-flow toilet. They use only 1.6 gallons per flush, compared to 3.5 gallons per flush for pre-1994 models. Of course, you don't have to use products to save water – behavioral changes also add up quickly. For example, use a broom instead of the garden hose to clean the driveway and save up to 80 gallons of water, and turn off the water while brushing your teeth to save 4.5 gallons each time.
4. Clean green. Stop buying household cleaners that are potentially toxic to both you and the
environment. Or, skip buying altogether and make your own cleaning products. Use simple
ingredients such as plain soap, water, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), vinegar, washing soda (sodium carbonate), lemon juice and borax and save money at the same time.
5. Let there be energy-efficient light. Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 32-watt CFL can save $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.
6. Save a tree, use less paper. You can buy "tree-free" 100% post-consumer recycled paper for everything from greeting cards to toilet paper. Paper with a high post-consumer waste content uses less virgin pulp and keeps more waste paper out of landfills. Another tip is to remove yourself from junk mail lists. Junk mail adds up nationally to 4.5 million tons. Buy unbleached paper. Many paper products, including some made from recycled fibers, are bleached with chlorine. The bleaching process can create harmful byproducts, including dioxins, which accumulate in our air, water and soil over time. Finally, here's a third answer to the old "paper or plastic" question: No thanks. Carry your own cloth bags to the store to avoid using store bags.
7. Want hardwood floors? Opt for bamboo. Bamboo is considered an environmentally friendly
flooring material due to its high yield and the relatively fast rate at which it replenishes itself. It takes just four to six years for bamboo to mature, compared to 50 to 100 years for typical hardwoods. Just be sure to look for sources that use formaldehyde-free glues.
8. Reduce plastics, reduce global warming. Each year, Americans throw away some 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags – from grocery and trash bags to those ultra-convenient sandwich bags. Reduce, re-use & recycle plastics for one of the best ways to combat global warming.
9. Use healthier paint. Conventional paints contain solvents, toxic metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause smog, ozone pollution and indoor air quality problems with negative health effects, according to the EPA. These unhealthy ingredients are released into the air while you’re painting, while the paint dries and even after the paints are completely dry. Opt instead for zero- or low-VOC paint, made by most major paint manufacturers today.
10. Garden green. First, use compost instead of synthetic fertilizers. Compost provides a full
complement of soil organisms and the balance of nutrients needed to maintain the soil’s well-being without the chemicals of synthetic fertilizers. And healthy soil minimizes weeds and produces healthy plants, which in turn can prevent many pest problems from developing to begin with. Use native plants as much as possible. They use less water and require less of your attention. Focus on perennials. Gardening with plants that live for more than one year means you don't have to pay for new plants every year; it also saves the resources used commercially to grow annuals. Stop using chemical pesticides. Finally, consider using an old-fashioned push mower. The only energy expended is yours.
Water in our Veins–Meet Lake James Real Estate
Please call us if we can help with any of your real estate needs at Lake James – who better to help you than people who live, play and work here!
Polly Leadbetter – Owner/Broker P/ 828-584-9999 C/ 828-443-5407
Shane Cook – Sales P/828-584-9999 C/828-443-3205
Rhonda Edge – Sales P/828-584-9999 C/828-443-6595
Amanda Hotchkiss – Sales P/ 828-584-9999 C/ 828-335-3001
Marc Parham – Sales P/828-584-9999 C/828-443-1337
Denice Rechtiene – Sales P/828-584-9999 C/828-432-6976
