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Consumer Tips
Making your home “green” is important to both your family’s health and the environment. Here are 10 ways to live a greener life:
1. Use Energy Star or other energy efficient appliances and light bulbs Energy efficient appliances save energy. Saving energy conserves precious resources and can lower your household costs. The next time you replace an appliance, ask your retailer for energy efficient options. Replacing your light bulbs with energy efficient ones is a great way to get started. 2. Look at EPA’s WaterSense guidelines for water efficient products By using water efficient products you help reduce the current stress on the world’s water supply and lower your water bill. Reducing your water use also reduces your energy use, which both help the environment. An easy way to improve your water efficiency is to look for the WaterSense Label on toilets, faucets, and showerheads. 3. Look for products made of wood from a recognized sustainably managed forestry program Check out Buying Wood Products for more information. 4. Recycle your waste Recycling conserves resources and reduces landfills. It can have a huge effect on the environment, especially because today, recycled materials can be used for almost anything. Recycling is one of the easiest ways for you to have positive impact on the environment. Just keep a container for recyclables, like paper, bottles and cans, in your home near your trash can and ask your waste collector for a separate recycling bin to be picked up with your trash. If you have children, be sure to incorporate recycling responsibilities into their everyday chores. Also, keep an eye out for special recycling programs, like those for ink cartridges and old computers. 5. Buy recycled or organic products Today, there are so many recycled and organic products available, whether its food, a pair of jeans, or carpet made from plastic bottles. Organic products are made from natural materials that are often better for you and gentler on the environment. Recycled products reuse materials allowing us to conserve resources. By choosing to use these products you are not only being environmentally conscious, but also making healthier decisions. With so many products to choose from, it’s easy to be environmentally friendly. 6. Use natural or low toxicity cleaning products The EPA’s Design for the Environment program is working with the consumer cleaning products industry to make sure the ingredients that go into your cleaners are green. Cleaning products tend to use many chemicals that are neither good for the environment nor your health. Instead, look for the variety of natural or low toxicity products that are now on the market. Or make your own from household materials like vinegar, oil, or lemon. Click here for DIY cleaning products “recipes”. 7. Use EPA’s GreenScaping practices to landscape your lawn and garden GreenScaping allows you to reduce waste, conserve water, and save energy. These practices lower your impact on the environment, as well as your costs. Many of the GreenScaping methods are easy to do and create a beautiful landscape. 8. Buy hybrid or fuel efficient vehicles Driving a hybrid or fuel efficient vehicle not only saves you money on gas, it helps save the environment as well. These vehicles conserve precious resources, such as oil, and reduce air pollution, including green house gases. By purchasing a hybrid or fuel efficient vehicle, you can drastically increase your positive impact on the environment. 9. If you’re building or remodeling, check out the NAHB Green Building Program NAHB’s Green Building Guidelines offers great ideas and methods to build an environmentally friendly home. The guidelines give information ranging from lot design to resource efficiency and indoor environmental quality. 10. BUY ESP CERTIFIED CABINETS!
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