Monday, April 21, 2008

Going Green is the only way to go!

"Going Green" is no longer just a catch phrase. It is now an obligation - for every responsible citizen of the earth. We need to generate the many, many ways in which we can be a solution to the earth's problems that we ourselves, though unwittingly, have created. As homeowners, renters, designers, and builders, there are new habits to form and what a pleasure to be a part of any gesture to improving the natural environment we live in.

From the time we wake up in the morning till we lay our weary heads back on the pillow at night there are some easy changes we can make and slowly adapt to until they become a part of our daily routine.

Sleep with the heat turned right down or even off, and in the morning pull on some extra warm wraps when you first start moving around. When you do fire up the furnace, keep it two degrees lower and wear a sweater. If everyone did this, the cumulative impact would be significant on the environment and on our energy bills! Also, did you know that cleaning your furnace filter each season can increase it's efficiency by 50%?

When you flick the lights on, feel content that you have chosen low wattage bulbs. Replace some or all of your incandescent light bulbs with CFL or LED bulbs.

When designing or updating your home, install a low flow shower head which uses less water, and hence less heat to warm the water. You can insulate your water tank and set its thermostat two degrees lower (between 60C and 65C). You'll quickly adjust and not notice the difference! You can actually install a timer on your water heater to turn it off at night and on just before you wake up in the morning. In Europe, many people turn the shower on to get wet, turn it off to lather up, then turn it on to rinse. They don't necessarily use the hottest water either! We tend to linger a little too long here, because water doesn't seem like a luxury to many of us.

Home design recognizes the importance of structure, even though we're enthralled by the aesthetics. Weather proofing your home, for example, is a great way to save energy and money. Get double-pane windows and caulk any cracks as you go about your home repairs.

Invest in low or no- VOC paints and paint products as offered by Canvas Home Basics. Clean with their all natural home care products. This company touts an Environmentally Smart policy and works only with suppliers who align with this policy.

As you're updating your home, look for an ENERGY STAR model refridgerator. In the meantime, simply cleaning the condenser coil can improve the efficiency of your existing fridge. Be sure the dishwasher is full before you turn it on. Dry two or more loads of laundry in a row to take advantage of an already warm dryer. Fold the clothes while they're warm to save time and energy ironing!

Take your cloth bags with you when shopping for groceries! Buy local food and produce. Don't purchase anything that's overpackaged. The makers will get the hint! Have one dinner a week that doesn't require heating. Have more meatless meals and get your protein in other ways. It's these small habits that will yield exponentially positive effects on the overall picture of things.

We are facing a real energy crunch! We all need to do our part to meet this challenge. Canvas Home Basics tries to make a difference, one small choice at a time. Check out their publicity and see just how much is available to us to help us with this transition.

© 2007, CanvasCorp LLC.
www.CanvasCorp.com

Going Green is the only way to go!
posted by CanvasCorp LLC on 2:31 PM