Home, Green Home

Our homes account for more than 20 percent of our national energy demand and produce more than 20 percent of our national carbon dioxide emissions.

In fact, over the course of a year, the average home creates twice the CO2 of a car, which is about 22,000 pounds. How does this all add up? It may not seem obvious, but homes in our country have almost tripled in size since the 1970s. More than 20 percent of homes in the U.S. today are larger than 3,000 square feet—which means more energy is used to light, heat and cool. Let’s not forget all the stuff we buy to fill and add comfort to our homes. (Yes, this includes that giant plasma-screen high-def TV.) All of this heavily depletes our resources and pollutes our air.

So, does this mean the TV has to go? Well, we’ll let you make that decision.

Living comfortably while using fewer resources and spending less on energy is not a radical notion. You may actually get more out of it than you might think.

Retrofitting | Energy Auditing | Unplugging | Downsizing | Learning More

Retrofitting The first step toward a greener home is to consider retrofitting. A few simple retrofits in each household are all it takes to get your family and the rest of the planet, breathing easier. With each adjustment, a super efficient home can cut bills and emissions by 66 percent. Here are a few ideas to get started with:

Appliances—Look for the Energy Star label on electronics, refrigerators, washers and air-conditioners. Sure, these appliances may cost more, but the money you’d save on cheaper appliances, would eventually be spent on energy bills. Approximate cost savings a year, $80.

Bathroom—You probably didn’t think any retrofitting could be done here. Think again. Try installing a composting toilet. An older toilet may swallow up to 7 gallons (26.5 liters) per flush, while a composting toilet may save more than 6,600 gallons (24,984 liters) of water per person annually. Watch your water bill plunge as you save close to $60 a year. While you’re at it, maybe it’s time to look into fixing that leaky faucet as well.

Flooring—Consider certified woods, natural linoleum, cork, bamboo or earthen flooring. Each has environmental and health benefits. Typically, many of the natural materials used and the installation process are eco-friendly, ensuring little to no volatile organic compounds are (VOCs) released. Besides being biodegradable and highly recyclable, many natural flooring options are also hypoallergenic. Flooring made from marmoleum, cork and bamboo resist dust, dirt, pollen, dander and other allergens, keeping you safer from allergy attacks and other respiratory problems that may arise. For other surfaces like concrete and carpet, proper insulation can easily save you more than $200 on heating and cooling costs.

Insulation—More than likely, your insulation can be improved. Look for “R-value” options—the higher the R, the better the resistance to heat flow. Eco-friendly options include blown-in cellulose, recycled denim and foams like Icynene. Fixing poor insulation and reducing drafts and other air leaks can save several hundreds of dollars or more each year. Fix leaks in attics, basements, crawl spaces and around doors, windows and recessed lighting fixtures with inexpensive tools (e.g. caulk and weather stripping.) Look for double-paned windows with a “low-e” coating that blocks heat and UV rays, which drops energy use by 20 to 30 percent.

A properly-insulated home can save you more than $300 annually. 

Lighting—For years we’ve used incandescent light bulbs, which are incredibly inefficient since only about 5 percent of the energy supplied is converted into light. Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) on the other hand, use 75 percent less energy than their traditional counterparts and last up to 10 times longer. Sure, they may cost more, but the investment will pay for itself 10 times over. Plus, CFLs are softer and easier on the eyes. Making the switch will save you $50 a year.

Landscaping—Never underestimate the power of smart landscaping. Well-placed plants and trees provide shade and block winds—cutting A/C and heating bills by up to 10 to 15 percent. This could save your family between $150 and $250 a year. Plus, each tree will absorb one ton of CO2 over its lifetime. 

Energy Auditing

The results of an energy audit can lead you to make changes that could save as much as 30 percent on your utility bills. First, call your local utility company to schedule a whole-house evaluation, which is often a complimentary service to customers. Most audits include:

1. Review of past utility bills.
2. Thorough room-by-room inspection of heating and cooling equipment, appliances and home fixtures (doors, windows, etc.)
3. Overall home evaluation to identify air leaks, missing insulation, cold air pathways and moisture problems.
4. Comprehensive home energy consumption report and a list of recommendations, including an estimate of how much upgrades may cost and how much to expect in cost savings on future energy bills. Approximately $700 in savings annually.

Unplugging A phone charger left on the electrical socket is equivalent to a car sitting in traffic in idle mode; both are draining perfectly useful energy for no good reason. When your appliances are technically turned off, they continue to suck energy out of your wall and money out of your wallet. This phenomenon is known as standby power or idle current, which accounts for up to 15 percent of your monthly electricity bill. And every year, Americans spend about $4 billion on electricity for things we’re not using.

To be one less contributor to this trend, you can start: Unplugging unused devices and appliances. Use smart power strips with on/off switches. Get yours at any hardware or office supply stores for about $35. Pocket $70 in annual cost savings.

For a greener home and some serious cash savings, consider downsizing. You can pocket the profit from selling a larger house and significantly reduce your monthly bills with a smaller home.

If you’re planning to build a new home, think smaller.  At a cost of $200 per square foot, for every 500 square feet you scale back, you’ll save a whopping $100,000 on construction costs.

Smaller homes are more efficient, and because they have to be planned more creatively to account for traffic patterns, space and storage, they can be much more architecturally interesting than larger structures.

Just do one green thing today—it will lead to many more.

Learning More

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Uncover some common misconceptions about environmental stewardship that inhibit many of us from taking action and the truths behind them.

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Learn how to make your own inexpensive cleaning products, green your décor and more.