| With global warming and other environmental | | | | instance, throw open the windows and turn on |
| concerns increasingly on the minds of Americans, | | | | some fans. If it's incredibly cold, pull down your |
| you want to green your home do your part to | | | | shades and keep windows tightly sealed to avoid |
| save the planet. Here are some easy and fun | | | | heat-leakage. You can also invest in thermally |
| (and cost-effective!) ideas to make your home | | | | efficient windows and sealants to boost your |
| more environmentally sound. | | | | energy efficiency. |
| Chuck the incandescent light bulbs wherever | | | | Get a professional energy audit. You can find top |
| possible. These standard tear-drop shaped bulbs | | | | rated independent energy contractors out there |
| burn out relatively quickly and use up lots of | | | | to come to your home and point out precisely |
| electricity -- creating garbage and using up | | | | where and how you are wasting energy. By |
| resources at the same time. Compact florescent | | | | following their tips to reduce heat waste, you will |
| light bulbs (a.k.a. CFLs) last many times longer than | | | | not only reduce your consumption of fuel, but |
| incandescent bulbs and use a fraction of the | | | | you will also pad your pocketbook in the |
| energy. They cost more per bulb, but money | | | | long-term. |
| you save in energy will outweigh the price | | | | Make it a habit to turn off electrical devices when |
| difference. | | | | you are not using them. Before you go to sleep |
| Give up on the bottled water. Sure, your Aquafina | | | | at night, go around and turn off the lights, the |
| may taste slightly better than standard tap water, | | | | T.V., the computer, and other appliances, which |
| but the cost of bottled water to the environment | | | | can drain energy while you sleep. Also, many |
| cannot be underestimated. Bottled water takes | | | | electronics like DVD players and video consoles |
| energy to procure, distil, transport and package. | | | | stay ‘on’ even when turned |
| Instead, buy a top-of-the-line sink filter or just | | | | ‘off’, so they continuously consume a |
| keep a filtered water pitcher in the fridge. Not | | | | small amount of energy – unplug them. |
| only will you protect the environment by cutting | | | | Landscape in an eco-friendly manner. Put out |
| back on your consumption of plastic, but you will | | | | drums to catch rain water to hydrate your plants |
| also save a bundle over the long-term on drinking | | | | or garden (if you live in an area that's relatively |
| water costs. | | | | drought-prone). Landscape with plants that are |
| Recycle or give away (or sell on the cheap) your | | | | native to your region and soil type. If you try to |
| old furniture. Instead of trucking your old sofa or | | | | keep tropical plants alive in an arid environment, |
| 1999 Sony T.V. to the dump, find your used | | | | you’ll inevitably use up an unseemly amount |
| furnishings a second home. You can use online | | | | of water and natural resources keeping the plants |
| give-away sites like Craigslist to find people in | | | | healthy. You might also want to use your garden |
| your local area who might want your furniture. | | | | to grow organic vegetables. |
| You can also sell stuff on e-bay or give it away | | | | Look for products and services to boost your |
| sell it at a garage sale. Barring that, you can find | | | | green mission. You can find expandable foam to |
| an eco-friendly recycling center near you to | | | | seal up drafts in your insulation. You can get |
| dispose of your furniture with minimal damage to | | | | screens to put in your windows to block out |
| the environment. | | | | some of the solar radiation in the summer and |
| Stock up on natural, organic products. Instead of | | | | thus help you save on air-conditioning costs. You |
| installing a vinyl shower curtain, for instance, hang | | | | can purchase eco-friendly power strips to reduce |
| up a hemp curtain -- it's equally anti-fungal and | | | | your energy bill and general power consumption. |
| does not release small amounts of volatile organic | | | | You can buy hemp grocery bags to transport |
| compounds every time you take a shower. Get | | | | your food (and thus save the planet from having |
| rid of your harsh kitchen and bathroom cleansers | | | | to countenance hundreds of plastic and/or paper |
| and replace those nasty chemicals (which have | | | | bags a year). |
| been linked to all sorts of ailments and | | | | Get your family and friends into the green act. |
| pregnancy-disorders) with safe compounds that | | | | You can’t do it alone. Teach your family |
| won't hurt you, your children, your pets or your | | | | about the value of the environment and establish |
| environment. | | | | “rules of the house” to conserve |
| Reduce your dependence on heating and | | | | resources and treat your local habitat with |
| air-conditioning. You can keep a temperate house | | | | respect. Remember that greening your home can |
| without paying your local energy company an arm | | | | be a fun and educational process. Keep up to |
| and a leg. Turn off the heat and air-conditioning | | | | speed on the latest greening technologies by |
| when you leave for work for the day (or go on | | | | contacting local environmentally concerned groups |
| vacation). Use your windows and shades to adjust | | | | or government agencies. |
| to the weather outside. If it's super hot out, for | | | | |