{"id":524979,"date":"2010-04-11T12:11:00","date_gmt":"2010-04-11T16:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/green.yahoo.com\/blog\/daily_green_news\/324\/top-10-ways-to-go-green-this-earth-day.html"},"modified":"2010-04-11T12:11:00","modified_gmt":"2010-04-11T16:11:00","slug":"top-10-ways-to-go-green-this-earth-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/524979","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 ways to go green this Earth Day"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(Photo: BL1961 \/ Flickr)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

So my friend Stacey Geisinger from Stacy Knows<\/a> (whom I met through Heather Flournoy at Katonah Green<\/a> at a Westchester County GreenDrinks) wanted to know what the Green Living Guy<\/a> thinks for this Earth Day. So I said how about the top 10 things? So here we go!<\/p>\n

1. Insulate<\/strong>. Over a year ago I wrote on Planet Green<\/a> a story called: “Adding or Upgrading Your Attic Insulation Will Save Energy and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint.<\/a>” If you were to go up in your roof and add or upgrade your attic insulation you would save money every year you live in that home! Yes, insulation is dirty and nasty; just wear a mask, pants, sweatshirt, and hat.<\/p>\n

Bottom line, you need to add insulation<\/a>. Even if you have a professional do the job, please do not forget to seal the attic with an attic stair cover<\/a>. Now, you might just be thinking about recouping the money you invested to buy the insulation. Here is the thing: Your energy savings will increase over time because utility rates go up and will continue to go up.<\/p>\n

2. Air seal<\/strong>. Get a door sweep. Around the same time I wrote another story called: “Why Door Sweeps and Adjustable Thresholds Are Important for Energy Savings<\/a>.” I wrote the following: The bottom of the door gets the most wear and tear so it leaks. Fix the bottom of the door, save some cash, and green your home.<\/p>\n

When I did weather-stripping<\/a> on the doors in my house, it helped to reduce the draft. Yet, every time we still felt a breeze and I knew it was making the HVAC work harder. The air flow from the bottom of the door was still a problem. Now that I am getting door sweeps<\/a> for myself, I will be saving a lot of money on my energy bills and won’t have that nasty draft. <\/p>\n

Hint: How do you weatherize the bottom of the door? Door bottoms (usually made in aluminum or wood) attach to the bottom of a door and can be adjusted to lightly graze the existing threshold as the door closes. <\/p>\n

3. Get BPA-free products and water bottles<\/strong>. Recently my kids were given recycled water bottles that were plastic and someone asked me if they are BPA<\/a>-free. I said I hope so; meaning, I didn’t know. So I looked into it. <\/p>\n

BPA is serious toxic stuff you do NOT want in your water. Therefore, get a BPA-free plastic bottle or a durable glass water bottle that you would probably find in a Mrs. Greens or Whole Foods-type store. Also, one of my sponsors, A Lot to Say<\/a>, uses recycled plastic bottles that are BPA free. They are also stripped of all the bad chemicals and made into a thread. No water used for the dyes, made in the USA, and also look good. <\/p>\n

4. Buy LED or CFL bulbs<\/strong>. This is the easiest. Bill Brinsky, Brian Clark Howard, and I are writing the Green Lighting<\/em><\/a> book in the Green Guru Guides series I edit. It should be on bookshelves this summer. <\/p>\n

However, in the meantime and for this Earth Day, do like one of my friends did when he moved into his new apartment, he changed all his bulbs to CFL. Not bad, but consider LEDs. You will soon have even more choices for dimmable, durable, safe great lighting from some big-time companies. Just go to the Home Depot, Lowes, or local stores that carry energy-efficient bulbs. You will see more of them when they are ready for prime-time. <\/p>\n

If you don’t see energy-efficient lighting, do like I suggested in my blog talk radio interview with the marketing maven in New York City for the Home Depot, Cate Franklin<\/a>. Bottom line, I said, “Go to the manager and ask for it!” Vote with your wallet. I guarantee you that the manager will get the product if you want it. You’ll probably get a better result than you can imagine. <\/p>\n

While you are at it, change the lighting fixtures in your home too. Most people don’t even realize that the fixtures in your house are probably not as efficient as they could be. Remember, when you screw in a bulb, the watts listed on the bulb is NOT what you generate in energy alone. Yes, the fixture generates energy too. So if you change out the fixture you can save more money per light. For more information on this, reserve my book Green Lighting<\/em>.<\/p>\n

5. Get a hybrid<\/strong>. Yes I know some people think it takes forever to get your money back. Hah. Wait till the price of gas goes up. When I get my hybrid soon enough I will. I am buying out my last car and will trade it in for a hybrid ASAP. Can’t WAIT!! Here is one great reason why you should also get a hybrid. Go to #6. <\/p>\n

6. Plug-in your ride<\/strong>. If you own a Toyota Prius 2nd generation, please consider making it a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), which will get you 100 miles per gallon or more. As my book Build Your Own Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle<\/em><\/a> talks about, you’ll be in the driver’s seat when it comes to hitting the road in a reliable, economical, and environmentally friendly ride. <\/p>\n

The book covers the plug-in hybrids currently on the market as well as hybrid conversion companies, conversion kits, and related resources. Pictures, diagrams, charts, and graphs illustrate each step along the way. With this how-to guide on hand, you’ll be behind the wheel of your own plug-in hybrid electric automobile in no time! <\/p>\n

7. Get paraben-free products<\/strong>. Parabens<\/a> (methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, or butylparaben), the most common class of preservatives used in underarm deodorants and cosmetics, provoke controversy because they are thought to mimic the hormone estrogen, which some studies show plays a role in the development of breast cancer and urogenital abnormalities. <\/p>\n

In fact, a 2004 study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology<\/em> found traces of five parabens in the breast-cancer tumors of 19 out of 20 women studied — admittedly too small a study to prove a causal relationship between parabens and breast cancer, but still notable because researchers detected the presence of intact parabens unaltered by the body’s metabolism, a key indication that the chemical can penetrate skin and persist in breast tissue. <\/p>\n

8. Get Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Audits: 140 Simple Solutions to Lower Energy Costs, Increase Your Home\u2019s Efficiency, and Save the Environment<\/em><\/a>.<\/strong> This book by David Findley from the Green Guru Guides shows you how to access your home’s energy efficiency, and offers solutions you can use right away. <\/p>\n

Inside, you’ll find simple, no- and low-cost measures to identify problems and increase your home’s livability and efficiency — as well as your expendable income — each and every year. Whether you’re moving into a brand new home, buying an existing property, or improving your current residence, you’ll find the practical tips and step-by-step projects inside to reduce your energy usage and boost your savings in no time. <\/p>\n

9. Get Renewable Energies for Your Home: Real-World Solutions for Green Conversions<\/em><\/a><\/strong>. Also from Tab Green Guru Guides. It’s not always easy being green, and sometimes it costs more than you’d expect to get an eco-friendly home improvement project up and running. Renewable Energies for Your Home<\/em> gives you sustainable home energy solutions that won’t drain your wallet or the power grid. <\/p>\n

Get details on generating heat with biomass fuels and other ways to use biodiesel and ethanol in your home. You’ll discover how to harness affordable wind power and soak up free solar energy. Filled with step-by-step instructions and helpful photos and illustrations, this hands-on guide will help you reduce your carbon footprint and increase your cash flow at the same time! One of my favorite ones to use is geothermal heating and cooling from Jay Egg at Egg Geothermal<\/a>. <\/p>\n

10. Get a low -low showerhead<\/a><\/strong>. As I tell my buddy Dominic<\/a> (we always fight about that one; just kidding Dominic). This simple addition can reduce your water usage by 60%. Mention this story to Dom and Bryn Mawr Plumbing and Robison Plumbing and save 15% when calling for an appointment, just tell them promo code SPRING. No they are not a sponsor, but I think Dominic is a cool guy who gets it. <\/p>\n

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Happy Earth Month, and may it teach you that one small step every day is the best way to go green, save cash and create green jobs.<\/p>\n

–This post was previously published at Green Living Guy<\/a> by Seth Leitman, editor of the TAB Green Guru Guides<\/a>. Check out the recent book he edited, Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Also from Seth Leitman:<\/em><\/p>\n