Go Green

Ideas for Environmentally Sustainable Living

Ultimately, it is up to us as individuals to take action to slow down climate change. Here's how you can help....

RECYCLE - Make a concentrated effort to recycle household goods. Many municipalities make this easy by offering recycling locations or even bins to collect during garbage collection. Whenever possible, recycling aluminum cans, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, or glass, will reduce the energy needed to create new products. To find a local recycling center near you call 1-800-CLEANUP.

SIMPLIFY - Learn to use less, take a reusable bag to the market, or purchase items that have less packaging to throw away. Eat locally produced food. The traffic in worldwide food distribution requires staggering amounts of fuel by refrigerated airplanes and trucks. Food transportation is one of the fastest growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

CONSERVE WATER - Concentrate on using less water in your home to reduce the risk of pollution to nearby lakes, streams and watersheds. Collecting rain water in a Rain Barrel is a great way to start.

REDUCE ELECTRICITY USAGE - The largest source of greenhouse gases is electric power generation. The average home contributes more to global warming than the average car. Much of the energy we use in our homes comes from power plants which burn fossil fuel. When selecting an electricity supplier, pick a company that generates at least half its power from wind, solar, or other renewable energy sources.

NATURAL COOLING - Air conditioners eat up a lot of electricity in the U.S. and on hot summer days, can consume more than 40% of the U.S. peak power load. Learn passive techniques to cool your home like installing ceiling fans and drawing blinds and drapes to keep out heat. Circular fans can improve air flow and the efficiency of your air conditioner. Plant shade trees around your house.

REDUCE LAWN SIZE - Reduce the size of your grass lawn by adding more shrubs, beds, ground covers or mulched areas. Try creating a lawn area small enough to be mowed using a push mower.

ENERGY EFFICIENT HEATING - Nearly half of the energy used in our homes is wasted. Make your home more energy efficient with a few simple fixes. Check and fix drafts through windows and doors. Use drapes to cover your windows and block heat loss. Use ceiling fans to draw the heat down that naturally rises to the ceiling. Put on a sweater and turn your thermostat lower. Programming your thermostat lower for the evening hours can decrease your energy usage, without sacrificing comfort. Change your heater filter every month during the winter to improve your heaters efficiency. Close the damper to your fireplace when not in use. These simple solutions can cut your fuel bill by as much as 50%, while helping to conserve natural resources.

ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES - The average home actually causes more air pollution than the average car. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy estimates that if each of us increases the energy-efficiency of our major appliances by 10-30%, we'll free up demand for electricity by the equivalent of 25 large power plants! Look for the Energy Star symbol when buying new appliances. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy's label for energy efficient appliances. You can find more information at the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network. These appliances will save you money and minimize air pollution.

ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTING - There's been a quiet revolution in lighting. New Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) are available which save energy, reduce pollution and cost less in the long run. For each CFL bulb you use, you'll lower your energy bill and keep nearly 700 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air over the life of the bulb.

NATURAL PEST CONTROL - Before reaching for the chemicals, try safer natural methods.

RECYCLE ELECTRONICS - electronic waste is becoming a serious and increasing problem with the high turnover of computer products. Computers contain significant amounts of lead and heavy metals that are dangerous to the environment. Donate your old computer to a local school or library or contact the National Technology Recycling Project for a non-profit computer recycler near you.

DRIVE LESS - Your personal choices in transportation may be the biggest single influence on the health of the planet. Walk, bike or car share when possible.

HYBRID CARS - The one consumer decision most people make which impacts the greatest on the environment is the choice of car we drive. Consider the fuel-efficient hybrids. The new hybrid cars, using efficient gas-electric engines, can cut global warming by 30% or more.

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Global Warming

Recycling your organic food waste makes your plants AND the earth smile!

Many of our wood garden benches are made from sustainably harvested wood

Collecting rain water is great for your plants and great for the environment!

Reduce your lawn size by adding mulched islands of plants with a bird bath to make your garden more interesting for yourself and wildlife!

Many of our home and garden decor items are made from recycled metals!

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