Save Money and Save The Planet
Making your home more energy efficient is not only good for the environment- it's good for your bank balance. ABC News reports that the average family spends nearly $2,000 a year on energy bills, and simply heating and cooling their homes accounts for half of that bill. Sealing your home's "envelope"- ensuring that walls, floors, ceilings and the roof are well insulated- can save up to 10% on your annual energy bill and cut down on carbon dioxide emissions.
Whether you're remodeling your current home or designing a new one, you have a great opportunity to incorporate some green design principles into your space.
Kitchen: Buy ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances and equipment- they're up to 40% more efficient.
Bathrooms: Showers account for 32% of home water use, so consider installing a high-efficiency or low-flow showerhead. Also, get those leaky fixtures repaired and save up to 20 gallons of water per day (or 200 gallons per day, if it's a defective toilet).
Carpet: According to Domino magazine, 4.7 billion pounds of carpet is dumped in landfills annually because its synthetic components can't be recycled. What's more, synthetic rugs and caprets can release harmful fumes in yur house for weeks after installation. Try using carpets or rugs made from natural fibers, which can often be recycled.
Wallpaper: Look for wallpaper made from fast-growing, renewable resources or recycled paper. IT takes 70-90% less energy to make recycled paper and prevents deforestation worldwide.
Paint: When painting walls, make sure you buy just enough paint to eliminate waste. Use an online paint calculator (try www.artsparx.com/paintcalculator.html) to help determine the right amount for the job.
Landscaping: Plant trees on the east and west side of your house to keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The right tree in the right place can reduce the sun's heat by 20-50%, and evergreen trees, shrubs and vines can offer natural insulation in the winter. For resources, go to www.gardeners.com and www.gardensalive.com.
Design materials: Avoid heavily packaged products to reduce wastes and cut down on carbon emissions. Also, chieck into the products you're buying for your home and see how eco-friendly they are. www.thedailygreen.com.
Think Globally. Buy Locally.
Did you know that the average distance your food travels from farm to plate is nearly 1,500 miles? A huge amount of fossil fuel is used to transport foods such as long distances, contributing to global climate change. Even the refrugeration required to keep your food from spoiling consumes a significant amount of energy.
Consider buying from local farms. Local foods from small farms are fresher, undergo minimal processing and contain fewer preservatives then food shipped long distances. When you shop, remember to bring reuseable bags to tote your purchases. Every year, Americans throw away 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags, and less that 1% of them are recycled. The bags take up to 1,000 years to dissovle; when they do, they leave dangerous toxins behind. Experts say the bags also kill millions of animals every year.
150 MPG is near!
GM has built muscle cars like the Corvette for years, but their newest passion is an electric car designed to deliver 150 mpg, named the Volt. The company plans to unveil the vehicle in 2010. The car is designed to run 40 miles solely on electricity before a small gasoline engine kicks in to recharge the advanced lithium batteries.
-Taken from the Buffini and Company newsletter April 2008