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ANTON GO GREEN • NOVEMBER 6 - 12, 2019 15A
AN ANTON MEDIA GROUP SPECIAL
GO GREEN Energy Efficient
The Sustainability Institute at Molloy College helps to implement clean living We’ve all been saying it for years, but now more than ever, our environment needs protecting. Demosthenes Maratos is the Communications Director for the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College, Long Island’s first-ever venture housing “sustainability” education and policy analysis within an academic institution. The Sustainability Institute team provides community education on key issues related to sustainability. So let’s have a bit of an education on going green.
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How important is it to educate people about the importance of renewable energy? Fundamentally important. We only have one planet and we encourage Long Islanders to think globally while acting locally. In order for Long Island to meet its energy goals we all need to do our part. Renewable energy in particular is thriving here on Long Island because environmental awareness is strong and thousands of
us have taken it upon ourselves to use energy more efficiently. Not only does it protect the environment, but it can save the individual money and make Long Island a more sustainable place to live.
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Tell me about Long Island Green Homes. Long Island Green Homes is a nonprofit collaborative partnership of Long Island Towns, community organizations and Molloy College funded primarily with a community outreach grant awarded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and PSEG-LI in order to help Long Islanders improve their homes and use energy more wisely. Via one-on-one support from experienced Energy Navigators, Long Island homeowners are connected with government funds and local, certified contractors to receive a free home energy audit, and money saving and energy efficient improvements to their homes. In addition to reducing your home’s carbon footprint and
saving you money, the Long Island Green Homes Initiative stimulates job growth and business opportunities.
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How can homeowners lower their carbon footprint? Long Islanders pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation, so why not take advantage of something New York State is offering for free? We recommend that every Long Island homeowner get a free home energy audit via Long Island Green Homes. It is the first step in making your home more energy efficient and saving you thousands of dollars in energy costs. New York State and PSEG Long Island recognize that having an energy efficient home is not only good for the environment, but also good for your wallet. You’ll learn where your home’s biggest energy efficiency gains can be made; receive a comprehensive report of your home’s energy use conducted by a certified professional; and be able to fix any energy efficiency issues with affordable improvements. In addition, every home energy audit includes a
carbon monoxide safety check of your home’s combustible appliances. This is particularly important as heating systems come on-line during winter months, and cases of carbon monoxide exposure increase significantly.
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How does Long Island Green Homes work? Regardless of the municipality in which you live or your income level, every Long Island homeowner can participate in this program. Long Island Green Homes makes energy efficiency simple and easy. Simply visit www.longislandgreenhomes.org or call 800-567-2850. One of our trained Energy Navigators will pre-qualify your family and assist in identifying rebates, discounts, financing and ensure that you understand precisely what your household is eligible for. Our Energy Navigator will then arrange for your free home energy audit resulting in a report of your home’s efficiency and a detailed plan for the improvements you can choose to have done to save you money and improve the comfort of your home.
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SAVE MONEY, SAVE ENERGY, PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. Lower your home’s carbon footprint while saving money. Join thousands of homeowners who have already lowered their energy bills. PSEG Long Island provides free home energy audits, and New York State provides financing for home energy improvements. Every single Long Island homeowner can participate regardless of your income level.
GET A FREE HOME ENERGY AUDIT TODAY! A $400 Value! Paid for by
Long Island Green Homes makes energy efficiency simple. Call us at 800-567-2850 or visit longislandgreenhomes.org. We will schedule your FREE home energy audit that assesses your home’s energy efficiency and details ways to save you money on energy bills. Long Island Green Homes is a non-profit collaborative project of Long Island towns, organizations, and Molloy College that is helping Long Islanders improve their homes and make Long Island more sustainable. Making homes energy efficient protects the environment, boosts economic activity, creates local jobs, and saves you money. All energy auditors in our program are Long Island-based and certified by the Building Performance Institute. Long Island Green Homes is administered by the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College and endorsed by the Community Development Corporation of L.I., United Way of L.I., and the towns of East Hampton, Huntington, North Hempstead, Smithtown, Southampton, and many Long Island elected officials. 800-567-2850
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GO GREEN Helping Climate Change With Nature BY JOHN SPAGNOLI
into a massive size. Of course, a smaller tree does it on a smaller scale but is still valuable for the earth as a whole. limate change is a serious Smaller trees remove about 13 pounds problem that continues to of carbon per year. affect our way of life. There If your space is limited, try a small now are more droughts, incredible unusually high temperatures, wildfires flowering pear or cherry not only do they bloom beautifully but also helps like those ravaging California due to the environment. A crabapple tree dry conditions, which have displaced thousands of people. Storms are more has nice flowers and produce small apples that can eaten by animals. The severe, causing billions in damages crabapples that are not eaten will go and the ice caps are melting at an alarming rate with inevitable flooding. back into the earth, improving the soil. I would recommend researching Shore-lined beaches and homes will be have a major problem with flooding. different trees and if you love wildlife, choose a tree that provides food and Farmers are faced with many shelter to a decreasing population different weather conditions as well, of birds. forcing them to develop new varieties As for carbon dioxide, scientists have in their crops to allow for a successful been working for years on methods productions. Genetically modified of reducing carbon dioxide from the plants will even be needed in some air. The research involves farming cases to grow enough food if crops as they figure out how to reduce the can’ provide, which will lead to a very carbon footprint. The hope is different serious problem. plants would be able to reduce carbon So what can be done? The earth dioxide at a high rate. works in an ecosystem in which We can only reverse the climate everyone plays a part keeping the change from happening by being planet healthy. Reducing car emismore proactive. Planting trees and sions, conserving water, recycling and other plants are great ideas for climate composting as well as planting trees, change but not the solution as plants are all simple tasks that people can will not solve the climate change start with. by itself. Consider looking into the We can achieve equilibrium by planting trees, which can help balance many nonprofit organizations that are working on planting trees, such as the out our earth. Trees should not be cut Arbor Day Foundation. down if avoidable as some species of We all live on this planet and we all trees can be hundreds of years old. must do our part to protect it. Trees usually take a long time to grow editorial@antonmediagroup.com
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