Greening Your Home

Since most homes were not built “green” there are many changes you can make to your existing home that will go a long way in improving your own health, comfort, cost savings and environmental stewardship.

Some of these changes are minor and cost nothing or little, while others require significant investment. As Green Realtors, our commitment is to help our clients not only buy or sell a home, but to understand its construction and systems and the environmental and dollar costs – and how to improve upon them.

Recycle. The easiest way to be Earth-friendly is to cut down on what you consume (buy less and, when possible, buy locally-produced products – preferably organic — with minimal packaging) and recycle whenever possible. The U.S. generates some 208 million tons of municipal solid waste a year, or more than 4 pounds per person per day. If you doubt that “every little bit helps,” consider this: recycling just one glass bottle saves enough electricity to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours.

Green your appliances. Getting rid of that old refrigerator in the garage could save you as much as $150 a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Appliance use accounts for about 18% of a typical home’s total energy bill, with the refridgerator being one of the biggest energy hogs. If any of your appliances is more than 10 years old, the EPA suggests replacing them with energy-efficient models that bear their “Energy Star” logo. Energy Star appliances use 10%-50% less energy and water than standard models. According to the Energy Star site, if just one in 10 homes used Energy Star-rated appliances, it would be the equivalent of planting 1.7 million acres of new trees.

Reduce Heating and Cooling Bills. Almost half a home’s energy consumption is due to heating and cooling. Here are some practical suggestions:

* Turn down the thermostat in cold weather and keep it higher in warm weather. Each degree below 68°F (20°C) during colder weather saves 3%-5% more heating energy, while keeping your thermostat at 78°F in warmer weather will save you energy and money. A programmable thermostat will make these temperature changes for you automatically.
* Clean your furnace’s air filter monthly during heavy usage. A reusable hepa filter can also save long-term costs and cut allergen pollution.
* Consider replacing your old furnace. Today’s furnaces are about 25% more efficient than they were in the 1980s.
* To keep your cool in warmer weather, shade your east and west windows and delay heat-generating activities such as dishwashing and oven use until evening.
* Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioners. In Santa Fe, the majority of homes do not have air conditioning because of our altitude, about 7,000 ft, summer day heat is not retained and turns into cool evenings. Here, it is important to learn how to manipulate indoor temperatures.

Save water. There are many ways to save water, from installing low-flow showerheads and toilets to simply changing habits. For example, turning the water off when you brush your teeth can save 4.5 gallons each time. Living in a high mountain desert, Santa Feans are familiar with many conservation methods. For more water conservation ideas, visit the City of Santa Fe’s site.

Stop buying chemicals. Many typical household cleaners are potentially toxic to you and the environment. Reading labels. If you can’t identify complex chemicals, why bring them into your home? Consider using plain soap, water, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), vinegar, washing soda (sodium carbonate), lemon juice and borax to save money and create a healthier environment.

Use energy-efficient lighting. Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 32-watt CFL can save $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

Use less paper. It is possible to buy “tree-free” 100% post-consumer recycled paper for everything from greeting cards to toilet paper. Paper with a high post-consumer waste content uses less virgin pulp and reduces the sheer volume of waste filling up our landfills.

GreenRoads is committed to minimal paper use in our real estate transactions. To learn more about the impact of paper on the environment, watch our quick slideshow, “Why Paperless?”.

Reduce plastic use. Americans throw away an astonishing 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags each year — from grocery and trash bags to sandwich bags. Unfortunately, plastics are made from petroleum — the processing and burning of which is considered one of the main contributors to global warming, according to the EPA. Plastics do not only add to the landfill but most do not break down for hundreds of years. This is also true of ubiquitous one-time-use plastic water bottles. Reusable and biodegradable bags, bottles and storage containers can do much to mitigate this problem. Weaning ourselves from plastics could make a huge difference in our environment.

compiled by Aysha Griffin