How Can I Go Green?
We all want to do our part to reduce our impact on the environment. In these difficult economic times, we also want to save money. Making a few small changes in your home and yard can help you do both. Please take a moment to explore these simple tips, and links that can provide much more information. Good luck and have fun Going Green!
Simple Steps to Go Green
For More Information
Simple Steps to Go Green
1. Change 5 lights
Change a light bulb, and you help change the world. Replace the
conventional bulbs in your 5 most frequently used light fixtures with
bulbs that have the Energy Star label and you will help the
environment while saving money on energy bills. If every household in
the U.S. took this one simple action, we would prevent greenhouse
gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.
2. Heat and cool smartly
Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your
heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed contractor
can save energy and increase comfort at home, and at the same time
reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to replace your old
equipment, choose a high efficiency model, and make sure it is
properly sized and installed.
3. Seal and insulate your home
Sealing air leaks and adding more insulation to your home is a great
do-it-yourself project. If you are planning to replace windows, choose
Energy Star qualified windows for better performance. Forced air
ducts that run through unconditioned spaces are often big energy
wasters. Seal and insulate any ducts in attics and crawlspaces to
improve the efficiency of your home. Not sure where to begin? A home
energy auditor can also help you find air leaks, areas with poor
insulation, and evaluate the over-all energy efficiency of your home.
By taking these steps, you can eliminate drafts, keep your home more
comfortable, save energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Use green power
Green power is environmentally friendly electricity that is generated
from renewable energy sources such as wind and the sun. There are two
ways to use green power: you can buy green power or you can modify
your house to generate your own green power. Buying green power is
easy, it offers a number of environmental and economic benefits over
conventional electricity, including lower greenhouse gas emissions,
and it helps increase clean energy supply. If you are interested,
there are a number of steps you can take to create a greener home,
including installing solar panels and researching incentives for
renewable energy in Florida.
5. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
If there is a recycling program in your community, recycle your
newspapers, beverage containers, paper and other goods. Use products
in containers that can be recycled and items that can be repaired or
reused. In addition, support recycling markets by buying products made
from recycled materials. Reducing, reusing, and recycling in your home
helps conserve energy and reduces pollution and greenhouse gases from
resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.
6. Be green in your yard
Use a push mower, which, unlike a gas or electric mower, consumes no
fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases. If you do use a power
mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to reduce grass clippings.
Composting your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that
you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Smart
landscaping can save energy, save you money and reduce your
household's greenhouse gas emissions.
7. Use water efficiently
Saving water around the home is simple. Municipal water systems
require a lot of energy to purify and distribute water to households,
and saving water, especially hot water, can lower greenhouse gas
emissions. Look for products with EPA's WaterSense label; these
products save water and perform as well or better than their less
efficient counterparts. There are also simple actions you can take to
save water: Be smart when irrigating your lawn or landscape; only
water when needed and do it during the coolest part of the day, early
morning is best. Turn the water off while shaving or brushing teeth.
Do not use your toilet as a waste basket - water is wasted with each
flush. And did you know a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water
per day? Repair all toilet and faucet leaks right away.
8. Spread the Word
Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for their homes
and good for the environment because it lowers greenhouse gas
emissions and air pollution. If you commit to sharing these tips with
five friends, together we can make a real difference.
For More Information
If you want to do even more to Go Green, please check out the following links.
- www.epa.gov - Find a wide array of tips on how to save energy, conserve water, improve indoor air quality, prevent pollution, maintain a green home, lawn and garden, and much more.
- www.artmarshall.org – The Everglades are a precious natural resource unique to South Florida. Learn more and find out what you can do to help restore and save the Everglades.
- www.sfwmd.gov - Learn tips on how to conserve water, as well as details on what's being done with Everglades Restoration.
- www.floridastateparks.org - Learn about Florida's state parks and take an affordable and educational vacation or daytrip in your own backyard.
- www.nrdc.org - Learn about this grassroots environmental action group that works to curb global warming. Stay up to date on the environment in the news, forefront issues and policy, tips for living and making your business green, and much more.