Living 'Greener' at Home . . . How Green Are You?

 Do you buy local and organic?  Turn the water off when brushing your teeth?  Compost food and yard waste? 

You might recycle, eat organic and use only reusable shopping bags, but does that mean you're living a green lifestyle? 

As our world changes to meet the reality of stressed resources, living green is becoming the new normal.  Every green action, no matter how small, moves us forward on the journey to sustainability.  There is no one solution, or one practice, but each new commitment to integrate green products, services and technologies into our daily lives deepens our shade of green.

Wondering where to start?  Just start where you can at home and at work. 

Here are some simple "green" ideas that you can easily implement in and around your home.

1. Switch to biodegradable paper products and use recycled materials where possible.
2. Next time you're dusting, give your light bulbs a good once-over.  You can get 50% more light out of your bulbs just by dusting them regularly.
3. Place your lamps in corners so that they light up two walls at once.  Fewer lamps = fewer light bulbs.
4. Your refrigerator uses about 1/6 of all the energy in your home.  Keep your fridge and freezer full.  Once chilled, food acts as a temperature regulator.  You can also save by disconnecting your ice maker (may save 15-20% of electric resources used by your fridge).
5. Be a draft dodger.  Close the damper on your fireplace when not in use.  An open damper can raise your heating and cooling costs by as much as 15 percent.  Check windows and doors for drafts.  Consider replacing old drafty windows with Energy Star labeled windows.
6. Wash your clothes in cold water now that more efficient detergents are available that clean in cold water.  Put a dry towel in with your wet clothes in the dryer to absorb moisture and shorten drying time.  Hang your laundry outside to dry, weather permitting.  The smell is amazing!  Whether your dryer is gas or electric, you'll save a bundle by not using it much when the weather is good.
7. Reuse styrofoam packing peanuts.  Add them to the potting soil to fill your planters.  They allow good drainage and make the containers lighter and easier to move around.
8. Conserve water by installing low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators.  Low-flow toilets use only 1.6 gallons per flush.  If you have older toilets, adjust your float valve to admit less water into the toilet's tank.  Use a broom to clean your driveway instead of a garden hose.  And, if you're going to be away from home for a weekend or longer, turn off your hot water tank, or turn it down to it's lowest setting.  It will only take about an hour for it to heat up when you turn it back up.
9. Make your car 'greener' by cleaning out the junk from your trunk that are adding weight to your car causing you to consume more gasoline.  Make sure your tires are properly inflated and your air filter is cleaned regularly.  Don't let your car idle for more than a minute, as it takes less gas to restart your car.  If you're considering a new car, then of course consider a hybrid or electric car.
10. When you need to replace any apppliances in your home, look for the new energy-efficient models.  You may also be eligible for tax rebates or utility company discounts, so make sure you do your research.
11. Choose zero- or low-VOC paint, which is readily available from most major paint manufacturers today.  Don't contribute to the toxic metals and VOCs that can cause smog, ozone pollution and indoor air quality problems.
12. Replace traditional cleaners, detergents and soaps with more environmentally friendly counterparts.  Most supermarkets have cleaners made with only natural ingredients, but if you want to go a step further and save some money too, look at homemade cleaners.  Baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar are just some of the products that can replace everyday toxic cleaners.  Look up how to make homemade cleaners for specific purposes on the internet.  There are tons of resources and ideas.
13. Use solar lighting wherever you can.  Spotlights, security lights, landscape lights, fountains and more.

Not only will you be contributing to a 'greener' environment, but you will be helping yourself and your family save money and live healthier by developing habits to make our world a better place.