Going Green

Five easy ways to be more eco-friendly

Going green has become a trendy and it looks like it's a mindset that's here to stay. If you're a homeowner, even if you can't build a new home that is energy efficient or remodel your existing home to make it greener, there are still things you can do at home to help the environment. And who doens't want to do that?

First, consider replacing your old incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs use up to 80 percent less energy than the older style bulbs and the come on a variety of sizes to fit any need. As an added bonus, they last longer so you won't have to change then as often. One thing to be aware of is they may contain mercury vapor so it's not a good idea to just put them in the trash, you'll want to recycle them properly!

Second, you can attach aerators to your faucets. These little devices attach to the faucet and mix air into the water streap. The water pressure you feel will be nearly the same as before but you'll use significantly less water. There are similar devices available to attach to your shower heads, which will reduce the total amount of water you use while showering. Want to reduce your water usage even more? Consider showering with your spouse! :-)

Third, replace your old thermostat with a modern programmable one. This will allow you to fine tune your cooling and heating cycles to the times you're at home and really need them. The energy savings will quickly add up when you stop keeping the house cooled or heated for the entire 8+ hours that you spend at work or school. You can set the thermostat to turn off as you leave, and set it to automatically turn on about a half hour before you return home. Your house will be comfortable while you're at home, but you won't be wasting energy (and money) while you're away.

Fourth, install a water filter on your kitchen faucet instead of buying bottled water. Most municipal water systems in the United States provide clean, healthy drinking water, so a filter is usually not necessary. But major beverage manufacturers have spent millions of dollars on marketing campaigns to get us to think that bottled water is cleaner and safer than plain tap water. If you just can't bring yourself to start drinking water from the tap, you can at least buy and install a filter. Then you can stop adding to the inventory of plastic water bottles to your local landfill.

Fifth, start using cloth tote bags for your grocery shopping. Plastic grocery bags are not biodegradable, and are another of the many disposable items that are clogging up local landfills. If you don't want to start a collection of cloth grocery tote bags, you can at least reuse the plastic grocery bags. Many communities also have recycling receptacles for plastic grocery bags. So when you have accumulated more than you can use, instead of throwing them away, you can recycle them.

These 5 tips are easy to implement and will help you get in the habit of looking for ways to be even more eco-friendly. One you get that into your daily mindset, you'll see plenty of other easy little things you can do, I'm sure!

> Older posts >