Going Green: How to Up the Ante

Going Green: How to Up the Ante

You already: Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and shaving
Next step: Install a low-flow shower head (2.5 gallons per minute or less). You'll save as much as 10 percent on water costs and reduce energy costs (from heating the water) as well, Helmer says. Low-flow showerheads are inexpensive and easy to install (just twist the old one off and screw in the new one). Helmer offers this test for your current shower flow: turn on the shower and see how long it takes to reach the one-gallon mark in a bucket. If it takes less than 20 seconds, it's not a low-flow.

Going Green: How to Up the Ante

You already: Turn down your thermostat (when you remember)
Next step: Install a programmable thermostat. It's one of the easiest ways to curb energy use, says Jodi Helmer, author of The Green Year: 365 Small Things You Can Do to Make a Big Difference. Look for a simple unit with a time so you can program your thermostat to lower the heat down at night and when you're not home during the day. (In the summer, lower the air conditioning during the day.) Set the heat or A/C to adjust back room temperature a half-hour or so before you come home so that the house is comfortable as soon as you come in the door.

Lux Products TX9000TS Touch Screen 7 Day Programmable Thermostat

Going Green: How to Up the Ante

You already: Turn off lights when you leave a room and unplug chargers and small appliances
Next step: Do an energy audit, say Stephen and Rebekah Hren, authors of The Carbon-Free Home: 36 Remodeling Projects to Help Kick the Fossil-Fuel Habit. For one week, keep track of how much energy you're using every day. The easiest way to do your audit is with a kilowatt reader (a $40 gadget) that you can plug into appliances and see how much energy each thing uses. It also tells you where your phantom loads are. Once you identify sources of wasted energy, you can usually reduce your use by 15 – 20 percent, the Hrens say.

Energy Meter w/ LCD Display - EM100

Going Green: How to Up the Ante

You already: Participate in your community's recycling program
Next step: Plastic bottles and aluminum cans aren't the only household things that can be recycled. Helmer says you can keep computers, VCRs, cell phones, and other electronics from going into landfills by recycling them too (more than 1.5 billion pounds of electronics equipment end up in landfills every year). Check out www.eiae.org to find recycling centers near you.

Going Green: How to Up the Ante

You already: Buy recycled paper
Next step: Start reducing the amount of paper you use by printing on both sides of the paper, and keep a pile of scrap paper near your printer. Also, make sure that you recycle your ink cartridges too, Helmer says, because around 240 million of them wind up in landfills each year. Extend the life of your cartridge by choosing "draft" mode on your printer for less important documents.

Going Green: How to Up the Ante

You already: Avoid planting invasive species in your garden
Next step: Investigate using native and drought-tolerate plants instead of high-maintenance, thirsty plantings that aren't generally native to your area, says Wes Duren, vice president, landscape and construction for
Marvin's Organic Gardens . Your local extension office is a great resource to learn about native, drought tolerant plants. Not only will you use less water, your plants will be happier because they're right where they belong.

Going Green: How to Up the Ante

You already: Use organic potting soil and fertilizer
Next step: Start a compost pile. Compost is like oil for the soil, Duren says. Not only does it keep your yard waste and kitchen scraps out of landfills, it also nourishes plants and soil life. Build your own compost bin, check out your local gardening or hardware center, or browse online retailers that specialize in organic gardening products, such as
Clean Air Gardening.

Going Green: How to Up the Ante

You already: Buy organic produce from farmer's markets
Next step: Join a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. For a fee, you can buy shares in a local farm. In exchange, you'll receive a box of fresh produce (whatever they're growing at the time) each week. CSAs are great because they are locally-based-not only do you know exactly where your food is coming from (versus it being shipping thousands of miles), you're also supporting small farms, Helmer says. Find a CSA near you at localharvest.org.

Going Green: How to Up the Ante

You already: Turn down the temperature on your hot water heater
Next step: Consider an investment in a solar water heater, the Hrens say. On average, they cost around $7,000-not cheap. However, you'll get a fairly sizeable federal tax credit, plus any state/local credits. The savings increase over time, the Hrens say. Heating water accounts for as much as 30 percent of your electricity costs, and you can get up to 90 percent of your hot water from your solar water heater (you still need a traditional supplemental one)-which definitely adds up over time.

Going Green: How to Up the Ante

You already: Wash your laundry in cold water
Next step: Hang every other load on a clothesline (either outside or inside) to dry, and switch to a gas dryer (if you don't already have one) when your electric one conks out. Electric dryers draw a lot of energy, the Hrens say-around 6,000 watts (gas ones draw about 720). It's great if you can avoid a dryer altogether, but any little bit you can do helps.

Going Green: How to Up the Ante