All those years ago, Kermit may have had a point. But times have changed and these days it couldn't be easier to be green - especially in the most eco-friendly of the big cities, Chicago! Celebrate this Earth Day by taking a minute to think about your home and whether or not it might leave a big, gaping environmental footprint after you're gone. If you're looking for a new home, buying green is easy! According to the National Association of Home Builders new homes consume less than two-thirds the energy of older homes, per square foot. And if you have no plans to leave the home you've been in for years - fear not, Earth-lovers! Here are some easy tips to help you re-green your home!
1. Lighten up! If every home in America switched just one lightbulb in their home to energy-efficient compact flouresents (CFLs), it would prevent greenhouse gasses equal to about 800,000 car emmissions! Not to mention, CFLs last about 10x longer than those old-school bulbs. (And for even more savings - get dimmable CFLs and put those babies on dimmers!)
2. Check up on your air filters. The filters in your home typically need to be changed once every three months - but if yours looks dirty, change it more often. Dirty filters are harder to push air through - hence, using more energy.
3. Seal it up! Making sure the seals around your doors and windows actually work can save lots of energy - and lots of money - on your heating and air conditioning.
To read more about becoming a greener homeowner, click here!
Happy Earth Day!
Rochelle Vayo
