10 Simple Green Tips for Home

It’s hard to remember the simple things we can do in our busy daily lives to help reduce our impact.  Keep a list close by or on your refrigerator at home and remind yourself and your family of the small things that can make a big difference. 

1.       Reduce your time in the shower by 5 minutes and save 25 gallons of water a day.

2.       Hire a professional to provide you with a home energy assessment. 

3.       Opt for e-statements for your bills and pay them online to help save paper.

4.       Wash your clothes in cold water to save energy.  

5.       Change out your light bulbs to more efficient options such as halogen incandescent, CFL, and LED bulbs.

6.       Purchase less meat and choose meat from sustainably raised animals.

7.       Unplug appliances like computers, heaters, fans, etc. when not in use.

8.       Add native and drought-tolerant plants to your landscaping. 

9.       Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120 degrees F.

10.   Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat.

Nuclear No More

Big disasters can create big change.  After the devastating tragedy in Japan this year, the idea of nuclear power as a mainstream source of energy has come under much scrutiny.  Germany has devised a plan to shut down all 17 of its nuclear reactors over the next decade.   Will the U.S. be next?  The anxiety is that we will not be able to provide the same amount of power with renewables and therefore impact the economy.  But how could we not take the chance in light of what can happen like in Japan?  It seems like an even riskier plan to continue using non-renewable fossil fuels and nuclear derived power.   However, some greenhouse-gas reduction advocates indicate that new and improved nuclear power plants will be cleaner and safer.  And they provide a constant power source unlike variable wind and solar technologies. That could be something to consider.  I say let’s see how Germany handles it and hopefully we can model our energy foundation after their success.

Get Plugged In

Weren’t we just recently wondering who killed the electric car? Well, not anymore.  Electric vehicles are back on the scene in a big way.  Ford, Chevrolet, Nissan and others are bringing low- to no-emission mobility back to life.  Many consumers are apprehensive though about purchasing an EV due to the limited mileage before needing to be recharged.  Availability of alternative fuel locations other than at home is scarce at the moment.  Without the mainstream infrastructure in place, EVs will mostly be practical in urban areas where people don’t need to drive as much or as long of distances.  The word is catching on though because plans are already in motion to start installing charging stations along highways.

With the support of federally funded programs like The EV Project and West Coast Green Highway, the vision is becoming reality. Oregon, Washington and California have entered into a tri-state agreement to install charging stations (Level 2) along the I-5 highway from Mexico up to Canada.  Every 40-60 miles, you can fill up!  Eventually, “fast chargers” (Level 3) will be found at private retailers all over.  Imagine this, you pull over to grab a quick bite to eat, park and plug in your car, and in a few minutes, you’re car is charged up and ready to go. I don’t think we’ll be imagining for long.   This is a huge shift from our current perception of transportation.  The end result will help to reduce our dependence of foreign oil and impact to the environment.  Let’s see if this time around the electric car will live a full and prosperous life.   

Environmental Security

Since it is Memorial Day, I have been wondering how our government has incorporated ‘green’ into our defense system.  Green is now a part of most all of our lives in some way or another.  Corporations, schools, households and individuals alike are becoming more aware of what this means and taking steps in many cases to make changes to their lifestyles or businesses.  The government has also taken steps to implement green standard and policies.  I would imagine the Department of Defense, however, may have a more challenging time with this than other agencies. The environment seems to be considered more of a military asset versus something we need to protect; dolphins and bats used as bombs, destruction of sensitive ecological habitat, nuclear weapons.  We could destroy the entire planet so why bother going green at all.  With a growing commitment to the health of our environment, further analysis needs to be created to find a balance between environmental and national security.   Are we willing to accept some environmental damage in exchange for the military gain of war?

According to the E.P.A., the U.S. is taking steps together with the D.O.D. toward environmental protection and homeland security.  Protecting clean, safe drinking water in the U.S. and decontamination of toxic incidents are a few of their main focuses.  In my opinion, national security is increasingly dependent on a global healthy planet.  There are many things on a local level that individuals can do.  Start with the American flag that you put in your front yard today in honor of our fallen service members.  Let’s honor them one step further and instead of throwing it in the trash tomorrow, save it for next year. If even just one whole block chose to make this small gesture, think of all the waste that could save!  

Something's Fishy

Are you a seafood eater?  I am.  And most Americans are because we eat over five billion pounds of fish every year.  My favorite is probably salmon which is a good thing because it’s on the U.S. Environmental Defense Fund’s Top 10 Best Seafood Choices - Alaskan wild caught salmon.  Due to extreme over-harvesting and high levels of toxins in seafood these days, I try to be careful of the type of fish I’m eating.  Luckily, grocery stores and restaurants are starting to catch on that they need to provide alternatives for their seafood conscious consumers.  Read the labels and small print on the signs before buying.  Awareness is key to understanding these issues and knowing how you can take action. 

How do I know what fish to buy?  Many organizations now can provide you with this information.  The Monterey Bay Aquarium distributes a sustainable seafood guide that shows how you can make a difference and why your choices matter.  The Marine Stewardship Council also list the best choices for fish and which ones to avoid.  So when you go to that nice seafood restaurant you’ve been dying to try out, remember these facts and ask if they have ocean-friendly alternatives on their menu.  Eat healthy, eat responsibly and support sustainable fishing practices.          

Go for an Electric Bike Ride

On those warm sunny days, it’s so nice to get outside and take a bike ride.  I was recently in Vancouver and decided to do just that, however, with a twist.  Walking by the wharf where you can rent bikes, I noticed something a little different about these bikes. They were plugged in.  They look like a normal standard bicycle but they had a battery on the back of them that can hold a charge for several hours or more.  So I took one out for a modest rental fee of $20 for 3 hours and had a blast.  You need to pedal once or twice to get the bike going, and then the charge kicks in.  There were 4 levels of power I could choose from depending on how much I wanted to rely on the battery, or how lazy I was feeling.  You can even recharge it while coasting down a hill.  Honestly, I was having so much fun cruising along like I was in a scooter passing by all the other bikers.  There was also red button that you could push to give you and extra boost for when you’re going up an incline or feel like passing the guy in front of you.  What a biker-friendly city, by the way.  It really was so much fun and I’d highly recommend it. 

Not only is this a great way to go spend an afternoon, but it’s a practical alternative to driving.  Why not hop on your e-bike instead of driving a mile to go run that errand.   Save a few bucks on gas, feel good about getting outside and it if you live in an urban city with heavy traffic, it might even be faster.  It’s a win-win!





Amazing View



Traffic Signal for Bikes









Good Looking Cruisers



Green Building

So much is out there these days about green building.  What is it?  What exactly does it mean?  Today, many different standards for green building exist but overall they all have the same goals in mind; reducing our impact on the natural environment and human health.  There are numerous ways to be environmentally responsible and use our resources efficiently.  Water conservation, energy efficiency, waste reduction, and recycling, can all help make a building more sustainable during its life cycle. Here are some additional resources on green building.  Don’t forget to take advantage of the financial incentives available when you decide to go green. 

www.usgbc.org  

U.S. Green Building Council is a non-profit organization that created LEED, one of the most prominent green building benchmarks.

http://www.builditgreen.org/
This site outlines GreenPoint Rated evaluation system and provides training on green building.

www.epa.gov/greenbuilding 

U.S. Government Environmental Protection Agency website offers numerous resources about green building.

https://energyupgradeca.org/overview  

California’s newest program to encourage and incentivize homeowners to ‘green’ their homes.