So Why Go Green?

By Karen M. Ray, Project Designer, LEED AP

OK, so maybe you don’t want to don a cape and save the planet. What other reasons do you have to “Go Green”?

Well, how about this: Money. More precisely, money in YOUR pocket. Many green practices are more economical than people think. And who couldn’t use more green in their wallets these days?

One of the easiest ways to save money and green the planet is to conserve energy usage within the home. And many of these changes are small projects you can do yourself. Here are a few ideas:

1. Use high efficiency/Energy Star rated appliances. Replacing old dishwashers, refrigerators, furnaces or air conditioners with more energy efficient models can cut energy usage costs by up to 25%.
2. Replace all indoor & outdoor lighting with Compact Fluorescent Lighting or Light-Emitting Diode light bulbs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use 1/3 the electricity of incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times as long. CFL’s and LED’s have also come a long way in simulating more natural light.
3. Install more ceiling insulation if the second floor of your home feels cold in the winter and hot in the summer.
4. Insulate your hot water heater & pipes and reduce the hot water temperature to 1200F overall.
5. Installing a programmable thermostat allows you to reduce energy consumption when no one is home.

So whether you’re looking to become an environmental cape crusader or just looking to have a little more “green”, these ideas will get you running in the right direction.