Live Eco Style
Green Up Your Life…..
To think “green,” you must be open to rearranging your brain. It’s all about determining what you actually NEED to live well and then making smart choices. Here are some helpful suggestions and tips to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle without breaking the bank.
Overall Energy Efficiency
If you’re up for the task, it’s never bad to get an energy audit on your home. It’ll pinpoint your energy loss flaws. In many cases, the culprits are insulation issues, duct leakage and heating and air conditioning system defects. Fixing these sorts of things is the most effective way to reduce resource consumption overall.
I grew up in a house with 4 (yes, 4!!!) air conditioning systems. In the summer, they were on full blast most days. The house was freezing!!! In all reality, you should use the air conditioning system as a last resort. Open the windows. Use fans and ceiling fans. This will save both energy and money. Exterior awnings can also help to keep the sun out, as can indoor window coverings.
Kitchen
It’s both beneficial and cost effective to prepare meals at home whenever possible. Leave that gas guzzling SUV in the garage and break out the organic fare. Buy locally and buy in bulk to help eliminate packaging waste. Use reusable shopping bags and recycle whenever possible. And if your kitchen appliances are old-school 1970s, replace them with newer, more energy efficient models.
Bedroom
In an eco-efficient bedroom, your window coverings give you all the privacy you could ever ask for, while also giving you enough light to keep the lights off during the day. Pick materials that keep the room cool and the peeping toms at bay. Also, do you really need to watch TV in bed? Get it out of the bedroom and pick up a book instead. You’ll be glad you did!
Bathroom
In the bathroom, the thing to do is conserve water. Don’t leave the water running when you brush your teeth. Try to take shorter showers. Buy low flow showerheads and faucets. The H20 Kinetic Technology showerhead from Delta spits a denser spray and larger droplets. It also saves approximately $145 off your annual water bill. Invest in a dual flush toilet (i.e. there’s a different flush for #1 or #2). The version made by Toto gives you the option of flushing 1.6 or 0.9 gallons, determined by you. This can save you 10,000 gallons of water per year. Use natural, eco-friendly cleaning, beauty products and even toilet paper.
Family Room
Replace your lights with compact fluorescent bulbs (Energy Star CFLs). Use non-toxic, natural cleaning supplies like Seventh Generation or Method. You can even unplug your appliances when you leave the house each day.
Laundry Room
Don’t do partial loads of laundry. Wash in cold water. Hang your clothes on a line or rack to dry. These things will both save water and conserve energy.
Garage
Are you that family that has a second fridge in the garage? Get rid of it! Donate it to someone who needs it or make a few extra bucks by selling it on Craigslist. You’d be surprised if you learned just how much of an energy sucker it really is.
Yard
Big, shady trees can protect your house from the beating rays of the sun. Low maintenance plant choices will require less watering than a fat patch of turf grass or any other resource sucking plants. Grass lawns and non-native gardens (gardens that don’t match your local soil or climate) require harmful fertilizers and obscene amounts of water. Maintain your existing dirt through mulching and create new dirt by composting kitchen or yard waste. Plant fruit and vegetables throughout your yard which will provide multiple benefits.
Hope you found these hints helpful and interesting. And of course let me know if you have more to add!
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