Conserving Natural Resources at Home: Saving Water

Part of being environmentally conscious includes saving natural resources and each of us can do our part in our own homes. One important aspect of conserving resources is saving water by finding ways to avoid waste. One simple method was described in a previous article on environmentally friendly tips. Collecting rain water for watering plants, flowers, gardens, and lawns is a good first step. Another good way to avoid wasting water is to capture water when you turn on the faucet and let it run until it gets hot. Between half a gallon and up to several gallons of water … Continue reading

Building a Home? A Few Environmentally Friendly Tips

Okay, to be real honest, I’m not all caught up in man-made global warming hype, especially since I’m old enough to remember the “global cooling” hype from when I was in grade school. Still, there is something to be said for caring for our planet. We should not be reckless with the environment and I believe we have a duty to leave the Earth better than we found it for those who follow after us. When building a home, there are a few fairly simple measures that can be instituted to help protect the Earth. Choosing a building site is … Continue reading

Going Green—Part 3: Tips on “Greening” Your Home

A few days ago I had the chance to tour a “green home” or a home made from environmentally friendly material and practices. It was an eye-opening experience and while I may never live in a “green home” I walked away with some great ideas on how to conserve energy and reduce energy bills in my own home. I shared some of ideas in “Going Green–Part 2: “Green” Paint. Here are a few more: Replace Incandescent Light Bulbs With Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs I learned compact fluorescent light bulbs last 10 times longer and use 50-75% less energy than conventional … Continue reading

Going Green—Part 1: What is A Green Home?

When my friend asked me if I would like to tour a “green house” with her I gave her a puzzled look. After all, she knew I was in the midst of winterizing my yard. Then I thought perhaps she wanted to spruce up her home with some potted plants so I agreed. When she told me tickets to tour this “green house” would run about $10 I knew there was something I was missing. Turns out this “green house” is actually a “green home.” A building made of ecologically correct material. I took the bait and we toured the … Continue reading