Be Green @ Home Part 2 0f 2 July 29, 2008

GreenLifestyle Newsletter July 2008
We continue on part 2 of 2. Check it out.

In this issue: from the green book I’m reading

@ Home

In the living room

• Fire place: Keep your fire place damper closed, unless a fire is going.
  
• Junk mail: Rid yourself of junk mail or at least recycle it.
  
• Light bulbs: Dust your light bulbs and change them to compact fluorescent-only when they burn out.
• Matches vs. lighters: When choosing between matches and lighters, choose matches. Lighters are made of petroleum derivate.
• Shades drapes: Close the curtains when it’s sunny in the summer and when its cold in the winter and you could reduce your energy needs by up to 25%.
  

In the utility closet

• Air conditioner and furnace filters: Instead of having to replace your disposable air filter several times a year, consider buying a permanent one that can be washed and reused indefinitely
  
• Dry cleaning: If you most use cleaners, find a green dry cleaner company (Dallas: swiss cleaners by mockingbird & 75)
• Dryers: Clean your drying lint screen and don’t overload the dryer
• Phone books: Recycle them. Better yet, call to stop phone book delivery and then use an on-line telephone directory instead.
• Washers: Set warm wash and cold rinse cycles, and save 90% over the energy used when machine using hot water only.
  
• Water heaters: Wrap your water heater in an insulating blanket to store heat.

In the Garage

• Car idling : limit the amount of time you let your vehicle’s engine  and keep the garage door open.
  
• Car wash:  Washing your car in a commercial car wash is better for the environment than doing it yourself in the backyard.

In the Backyard

• Drip irrigation:  For flower beds and gardens, use drip irrigation, or soaker hoses instead of regular sprinklers. Save up to 70% of water.
• Hoses: Fit your garden hose with an automatic shut off nozzle in order to prevent waste when the water is turn on and hose is not being used.
  
• Lawn care: Cut your grass so it’s two inches high and leave the clippings on the lawn.
  
• Pool: Cover the pool when your aren’t using it and you would cut water lost to evaporation by 90 percent and therefore the cost of replenishing it.
  
• Outdoor lighting: Turn off your outside lights when they are not needed. If possible use timers or motion sensors.
• Sprinklers: Try to use your sprinklers in early morning or evening. The average lawn needs only about one hour of watering per week.

Cool green website you should visit

Ecofoot.org

Quick Actions to make a difference:

1. Get active make happen at least 3 items on the list.
2. Mail this information to your top 3 people in your life

Any comments? visit joinEco.wordpress.com and post. Helps us make the GreenNewsletter better.  We’re open  to comments.

Next month’s:
being green on entertainment