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EDITORIAL OF THE WEEK
Monday,
April 7, 2008
Author: Long Island Home 411, Home Improvement Specialists
Greener Living
How many times
have you read or heard the word “green” today? Green living, green
consumerism, green construction. Green is not a trend. It is a way
of making choices to reduce our negative impacts on the planet. And
many of these choices are SO simple. Here is a short case for going
green at home.
The fourth “R” is Reasonable
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. What is the correct answer to the question
“Paper or plastic”? Most grocery chains sell sturdy reusable bags
for less than $1, and some credit your register total each time you
use them. Skipping the paper bags saves trees. Plastic bags require
petroleum to manufacture, and they end up in our waterways. Keep the
reusable bags by the door after you unpack groceries. Simple.
Much of the electronic stuff plugged into our outlets draws power
whether or not it is in use. Put your cell phone and iPod® chargers
on a power strip, and turn it off when they are not being used to
charge. Most electronics have internal clocks or lights that draw
power even when the items are off. Use power strips for these, and
turn the switch off when you are not using the items.
Making your home efficient now
Minor changes at home in choices that we make every day also make a
difference. As light bulbs burn out, replace them with compact
fluorescent bulbs. Lower the thermostat by 2 degrees in winter to
reduce carbon dioxide production by 300 pounds and save about $20 in
fuel each year. Raise your AC thermostat by 3 degrees, too, and
double these savings. Even if 600 pounds of carbon dioxide is hard
to relate to, $40 isn’t a bad cash return for temperature change you
won’t notice.
Making green choices when renovating
Install a programmable thermostat, which makes it easy to regulate
temperature hour by hour. When replacing or adding new fixtures and
appliances, purchase energy-efficient products, and consider
purchasing used items, which keeps them out of landfills and saves
you money. When building or adding to your home, use the best
quality insulation your budget will allow, and build smart by
foregoing attics and rarely used formal spaces for a more efficient
structure. And buy smart windows and doors to keep your fuel use –
and your fuel bills – in check.
Tom Mirabella is co-creator of
LIHome411.com, a directory and concierge service for prescreened
home improvement contractors on Long Island. LIHome411.com
represents several green contractors. For additional resources,
check out benefitsofgoinggreen.com online.
Find licensed contractors at...
http://www.lihome411.com.
- Long Island Home 411
http://www.lihome411.com
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