It’s Easy Being Green
June 26th, 2008 categories: Around the House, Going Green
Kermit the Frog may have a hard time being green, but it doesn’t have to be that way for you. Save energy and the environment with these simple ideas provided by HGTV.
Have a barbecue. Outdoor grills use less energy than electric kitchen stoves and also keep heat out of the house, lowering air conditioning costs.
Upgrade your toilet. Today’s low-flow toilets deliver more flush power with less water, trimming around $90 from your annual water costs.
Lose the lawnmower. Switch to an electric mower and replace some of your sod with attractive, more environmentally-friendly alternatives.
Get a flat screen monitor for your computer. An LCD flat panel model uses as little as a third of the electricity of conventional tube-based models.
Buy organic, locally produced food. You can get fresher food and, by buying items grown or produced within 100 miles, reduce the amount of diesel fuel needed to ship food.
Use safer paint. Choose a product low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or, if you don’t mind paint fumes, try recycled paints.
Get a solar-powered water heater. You can install solar panels on your roof that work with your current water heater and reduce the need for conventional water heating by two-thirds.
Buy new light bulbs. Compared to low-end compact fluorescent bulbs, the premium ones cast a pure white or buttery golden light across your interior.
Become an expert in recycling. Review your local recycling guidelines to make sure you’re doing everything right. And don’t put light bulbs, broken glass or bits of food in your bins.
Invite birds, bugs and bats into your yard. Skip the pesticides and get rid of bugs by using other animals like birds, Praying Mantises, bats and toads.
For even more ideas, read the book It’s Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living.
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