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.