Bringing in the Green

Eco-Smart Options You Can Live With

By Tracy Ellison

Livin g ec o-f r ien dly doe sn’t h ave to be complicated. Some of the easiest and most efficient ecological solutions are right under your nose – or above your head – take the sun, for instance. This limitless ball of brilliant energy looming large overhead is one renewable resource just waiting to be tapped for its abundance. And Mother Earth never disappoints by providing us with many natural offerings that don’t need to sap the unsustainable. Here are a few favorite ways to get the most from what is plentiful while still giving back to the environment.

Soak Up the Sun Capture the potency of sunrays inside solar panels to generate star power – it’s the cleaner, greener choice over more conventional forms of energy. Today, new innovations in panel designs offer more aesthetic options like solar shingles that mimic traditional ones. The sun’s strength is significant. Incorporating solar alternatives into your home affords you the satisfaction of contributing to the health of our planet. Harnessing its powerful rays, instead of relying on fossil fuels, helps reduce toxins, which positively impacts all living things. Plus, expect to reap the reward of cost savings. If all these illuminating insights have you charged up, then go solar and bask in the light of the sun.

Water Down Consider some of these simple measures for conserving water every day. Turn off the faucet until you’re ready to rinse while washing your face and hands or brushing teeth – it’s money, quite literally, down the drain. Use double-basin sinks as intended. Fill one side with soapy water, the other with clean water – wash, rinse, repeat, conserve. Use ENERGY STAR-certifi d appliances and run only full dishwasher and washer loads. Go low flow while showering with water-saving showerheads and reduce the time spent getting wet. Replace older toilets with modern money-saving ones that use far less water. Finally, capture rainwater and use it in the garden – it’s an easy answer to drought and a free water resource that’s heaven sent. Groundbreakers Go full speed ahead and floor it without consequence when you use renewable resources such as cork, bamboo and linoleum underfoot. These materials make for excellent flooring options and don’t wreak havoc on the environment. Cork doesn’t require cutting down the cork oak tree from which it is harvested, the bark grows back every three years. It has anti-microbial properties, acts as an insect repellant and is fire retardant. Bamboo is a grass with similar properties of hardwood. It’s super durable, easy to install and renews in just three to five years. And making a comeback with a new floor show in exciting patterns and colors is linoleum. It’s a natural material consisting of linseed oil, cork dust, tree resins, wood flour, pigments and ground limestone. Fire-retardant and water-resistant, it’s a perfect choice for rooms with a lot of traffic. Another eco-friendly option for floors is glass tiles. Recycled from bottles rescued from landfills, glass is an easy-to-maintain nonstaining surface that dazzles. And let’s not leave out popular polished concrete, recycled rubber and reclaimed wood. All are great flooring choices that lay the groundwork for responsible homeownership.

Charge It Street smarts drive this idea home: Plug your energy-efficient electric vehicle into your personal charging station to save money and save the atmosphere from exhaust emissions. It’s a convenient way to be sure you have enough power for your commute if public charging stations aren’t nearby. Keep greenhouse gases down even more by using renewable resources to recharge your charging station – now that’s revving up environmental responsibility to a whole new level.

Today, living green is easier than ever. Consider sustainable resources whenever possible and use energy efficiently and wisely. Try to adopt one or more of these forward-thinking influences – the effects are meaningful and contribute to the common good.