Think the green lifestyle is hard, inconvenient, or expensive? Think again. Between added costs to your heating and energy bills and the negative impact on the environment, the lifestyle of modern convenience is increasingly becoming truly hard living.
Living green is about minimizing impact and living smart, eco-friendly philosophies that are conveniently reflected on your utility bills in a noticeable, positive way. Here are three easy steps you can take today to make your home a greener, cheaper place to live.
1. Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs.
You've heard it dozens of times before: switching from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescents is the most effective energy-saving change you can make. Compact fluorescent lights use up to 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, and while they tend to be more expensive, they last on average 10 times as long and generate a fourth of the heat, which can cut your home cooling costs. Government-sponsored watchdog Energy Star estimates that by installing compact fluorescent lights instead of incandescent bulbs in high-traffic areas of your house - like the kitchen or family room - you could save as much as $30 in energy costs per bulb over the bulb's lifetime.
In the past the light generated by fluorescent bulbs has been criticized as being too harsh or cold, but much has changed in the years since fluorescents were first introduced. For a softer, warmer color closer to that of an incandescent bulb, make sure the package indicates a temperature between 2,700-3,000 K.
2. Clean greener
From laundry detergent to disinfectants to dishwasher soap, the majority of modern household cleaners are downright toxic - not just to germs, but pets and people too. For example, aerosol air fresheners contain flammable, nerve-damaging particles that can lodge in your lungs. Many fabric softeners and dryer sheets emit possible carcinogens, respiratory irritants, and thymol, which can cause abdominal distress. Bleach occurs in many disinfectants, and can be fatal if swallowed, especially for pets and small children. And those flowery, intoxicating fragrances in laundry and dishwasher detergents often contain phthalates, which can aggravate asthma and other respiratory issues, and according to one recent study, may even be linked to higher male obesity rates.
Luckily, several brands of eco-friendly household cleaners and detergents, like Seventh Generation and Ecover, have become more readily available over the years. You can now find natural cleaning products at Tops, Wegmans, and Lori's Natural Foods, to name a few. Non-chlorine bleach products like Bon Ami are excellent for stain removal and disinfecting. You can even buy recycled toilet paper and paper towels, which are no longer as rough and grainy as when they first came on the market.
A budget-friendly move is to switch to homemade cleaners. White vinegar is an excellent disinfectant; mixing 1/4 cup with water makes an all-purpose cleaner that you can use to clean countertops, wash windows, and wipe sinks. You can also put 1/4 cup white vinegar in a wash cycle instead of fabric softener to reduce static cling. Baking soda is another great tool; a paste of baking soda and water will remove stains from stovetops, bathtubs, and toilets, and an open box will suck up odors as well as an air freshener would. Lemon juice, citrus oils, and borax can be combined to make effective cleansers as well.
3. Schedule an energy audit
Chances are, when it comes to your energy bill, you're being nickeled and dimed and you don't even know it. Poorly insulated walls, leaky windows, inefficient air conditioners and out-of-date furnaces can silently rack up your energy costs - and that's decidedly not green living.
How do you know where to start home improvements, if you even need to make repairs or replacements at all? An energy audit will tell you exactly what you should upgrade or replace and when, so that you get the biggest bang for your home improvement buck.
You can conduct your own using the Home Energy Yardstick on the Energy Star website (www.energystar.gov), or you could schedule an appointment with a professional, who can use specialized equipment to diagnose your home's energy needs and uses. Call your utility and ask if it offers discounted, or even free, energy audits to its customers. You can also visit the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's website, which has a listing of Home Energy Raters in Monroe County (www.getenergysmart.org).