Tips for Sustainable Living at Home

By Hong Wolfe, PhD • Owner, Principal Broker, Realtor, CRS, CCIM, SRES, CIPS

There’s always room for improvement in a household’s quest to go green. From how you use your appliances to the way you consume and dispose of food, every lifestyle choice you make at home presents an opportunity to be more eco-friendly.

1. Create a Sustainable Kitchen

The kitchen is responsible for a decent portion of your home’s energy output. Choosing energy-efficient appliances can help to improve your household’s sustainability by using less energy. Reusable materials go a long way in the kitchen as well. Even seemingly small changes like switching from single-use to reusable grocery bags and eliminating paper towels can make an impact. Using natural cleaning products will keep your kitchen cleaner longer while improving your home’s air quality, and being mindful about water usage can save on utility bills.

2. Plant an Herb Garden

To further improve your home’s sustainability, consider planting an herb garden. This helps to cut down on repeatedly buying spices and seasonings at the grocery store while cultivating a natural ambiance in your home. (And they’re fun to cook with, too!) Do indoor plants need sunlight? Of course, so be sure to position your indoor garden in an area where your plants have direct access. Once you’ve picked out a spot, decide which herbs you’d like to grow. Some of the most common herbs are easy to grow and will pair well with whatever’s on the menu—basil, thyme, cilantro, parsley, oregano, etc.

3. Tips for a More Energy-Efficient Home

The first step in becoming more energy efficient at home is understanding your energy output. Once you understand your household’s habits, you can identify which cutbacks will help you chart a more sustainable path forward. Energyefficient lightbulbs can help you save on utility bills. Because they use less energy than standard lightbulbs, they typically last longer as well. Make sure your home is properly insulated and your windows’ caulking and weatherstripping are in good condition. Air leaks and poor insulation waste energy and will cause spikes in your utility bills.

4. Reduce Waste at Home

Every household produces some sort of waste, but it’s how that waste is treated that makes all the difference for the environment. Clean your recycling to make it easier to process and do your best to only buy what you plan to eat. Start a compost bin for extra food scraps or consider other agricultural solutions for disposing of it. Consider buying items like shampoo, conditioner, moisturizers, and the like in bulk to cut down on packaging waste. Reusable glass containers or jars will help you portion out meals and provide a useful way to store bulk items like rice and beans.

5. Use Solar Energy

Yes, making the switch to solar energy comes with significant upfront costs. But an investment in solar is not just an investment in the health of the planet, it can increase your home value as well. The energy savings you’ll generate in the long term will depend on your household’s level of consumption and the power generated by your solar panels. And if you’re generating more power than you’re consuming, you may be able to sell the surplus energy back to the grid. For more information on solar-based incentives and tax breaks by state, visit DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency®).

6. Sustainable Gardening Best Practices

Even for the green thumbs, there’s an opportunity to go greener at home. A garden is only as healthy as its soil. Mulching is vital to soil health and helps to reduce weed growth. Animal manure also has the power to enrich garden soil, both as a fertilizer and conditioner. Organic weed killers made with natural ingredients will maintain your garden’s health while keeping unwanted weeds at bay. Apply this same organic mindset to dealing with slugs as well. Certain types of slug bait may possess certain chemicals that do more harm than good, especially if you have farm animals on your property like chickens or goats.

7. Sustainable Laundry Room Tips

Before you begin your next cycle in the laundry room, consider some methods of reducing energy. Because the heating of water is responsible for a majority of the energy generated by doing laundry, using cold water can help you save on energy costs. Cold water is also gentler on clothing. Clean the dryer vent and filter regularly to keep it unclogged and running efficiently. Consider hang-drying when possible, and in warmer months, air dry your clothes to save a dryer cycle.

By Oscar B. Hult, Haberdasher

AS THE WEATHER STARTS TO WARM UP AND THE SUN SHINES BRIGHTER, IT'S TIME TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT MEN'S FASHION FOR SPRING 2023. This season is all about bold colors, comfortable fabrics, and versatile styles that can take you from work to weekend with ease.

One of the biggest trends for spring 2023 is the return of vibrant colors. Say goodbye to the muted tones of winter and hello to bright, bold hues like orange, yellow, and green. These colors are perfect for adding a pop of personality to your wardrobe, whether you opt for a colorful shirt, pants, or even a full suit.

Another trend to watch out for is the rise of comfortable fabrics. After a year of working from home and lounging in sweats, it's no surprise that men's fashion is embracing comfortable fabrics like linen, cotton, and knitwear. These fabrics not only feel great but also look great in relaxed, easy-to-wear styles like oversized shirts, relaxed-fit trousers, and casual blazers.

Of course, no spring wardrobe is complete without the right accessories. This season, we're seeing a resurgence of vintage-inspired accessories like leather belts, statement watches, and classic sunglasses. These timeless pieces are the perfect complement to any outfit and can add a touch of sophistication to even the most casual looks.

Overall, men's fashion for spring 2023 is all about embracing bold colors, comfortable fabrics, and versatile styles that can take you from work to weekend with ease. Whether you're looking to add a pop of personality to your wardrobe or simply want to feel comfortable and stylish, there's something for everyone this season. So why not embrace the trends and step into spring with a fresh new look?

Note: Oscar and Tamalynne are just back from a trade show and are totally redoing Oregon's greatest men's store for your spring shopping. Make sure to stop in and have a look!