Green Living

Ideas, tips and resources for making environmentally responsible choices in your daily life

Bookmark this page and check the "10 Things" list below for seasonally updated actions you can take to live greener right now!

10 Things You Can Do to Help The Environment Right Now -

Get a home energy survey/audit
Get ready for winter before it gets cold. Contact the Home Performance with Energy Star program (see off-site links) or your local gas or electric utility. There are many incentives that will help you pay for recommended improvements. You'll save money and be more comfortable.
Buy a fall share in a CSA

Join a CSA and eat fresh, local vegetables
into the winter.
Keep eating locally through the winter by joining a Community Supported Agriculture farm that offers a fall/winter share. For a listing of NYS CSAs (see off-site links at right).
Be responsible when disposing of car fluids
Waste oil from one oil change can contaminate a million gallons of water according to the EPA. Take used oil, transmission and power steering fluids and back for reuse at a service station. Used antifreeze is toxic and often contains heavy metals. Take it to your local household hazardous waste collection.
Encourage your school to adopt a no idling policy for buses
Exhaust from idling school buses pollutes the air around the bus and can get into school buildings. A three- to five- minute warm up is all that is necessary -- any more wastes fuel and energy. See EPA's National Idle Reduction Campaign in offsite links at right.
Get more from your wood stove
For the cleanest burning, most efficient fire, use only dry, seasoned wood. Burn small hot fires. The smoke coming out of the chimney should be white not dark. If you're looking for a new stove, make sure it's EPA certified (See off-site links at right).
Get your lawn ready for spring now

If you're burning wood cleanly and
efficiently, the chimney smoke should
be white or invisible.
The best looking, healthiest spring lawns start now. Fall is a great time for fertilizing, correcting pH, weed control and re-seeding. See Tips for Lawns and Gardens for details on non-toxic maintenance.
Compost or shred your leaves
Fall leaves are a perfect addition to your compost pile. If you have tons of leaves, run a mulching lawn mower over them to reduce the volume. Shredded leaves will compost more quickly and also make great mulch. Burning leaves can start wildfires and gives off a lot of harmful particulates. See "What to do with fall leaves" at right for more information.
Paint without fumes
Spruce up your home without inhaling toxins. The new paints with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) don't contribute to indoor air pollution. Greenguard Environmental Institute has a listing of certified low- or no-VOC paints. Remember that these paints may still contain other harmful substances. Dispose of paint properly.
Secure your home from rodents and squirrels
Seal all holes and openings over ¼ inch wide with cement, caulk or stainless steel scouring pads. Check floor drains, around pipes, wiring and foundations. Look for cracks where the chimney meets the house. Keep food (including pet food and bird seed) in rodent proof containers.
Enjoy fall hiking and camping

North-South Lake in the Catskill Forest
Preserve stays open through foliage
season and closes in late October.
There are 25 DEC campgrounds that remain open through October 15 or beyond. Take advantage of the cooler temperatures, fall foliage and no bugs! Order a copy of Fall Camping in New York State from campinfo@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Myth Busters

Common environmental misconceptions and myths exposed and explained by DEC experts

Programmable thermostats

Q: If I turn the thermostat way down when I'm out, doesn't the furnace use more energy to heat up the house when I return?

A: No-the energy saved by letting the house cool down and remain at a lower temperature is much greater than the energy used to warm up the house.

It is a popular misconception that it is better to keep your home at a constant temperature because the boiler or furnace will "work harder" to bring the inside temperature back up from a ten degree set-back.

Not so. Your heating system always runs at the same rate when it is on. The main variable is how long it remains on. Studies have proven that turning the thermostat back 10 degrees for an eight-hour period will save you 10% on your heating bill, on average. If you can't turn your thermostat down 10 degrees, try 5 degrees-there will still be energy savings. The longer your home remains at the lower temperature, the more energy you'll save. Programmable thermostats typically pay for themselves in energy savings in the first winter.

Programmable thermostats are not recommended for homes with heat pumps or electric baseboard systems. Steam boilers and radiant systems may take longer to heat the house back up, but a programmable thermostat will 'learn' in a few days when to start heating the house up to reach your desired temperature setting.

More about Green Living:

Keep Water Clean - Tips for protecting New York's water resources from all forms of pollution
Save Energy and Water - A selection of tips to help you save energy and water around the house and in your yard
Keep Air Clean - Tips to use every day to prevent air pollution
Use Less-Toxic Products - Suggestions and tips for less-toxic and non-toxic products for use in your home and yard
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Compost - Tips on recycling, reducing solid waste, reusing and composting
Protect Fish, Wildlife and Open Space - Tips for creating wildlife habitat and preventing the spread of invasive species
Connect To Nature - Different ways to experience and learn about the natural world
Myth Buster Archive - previous Myth Busters