The Myth Behind Being Green

Every so often I get the feeling that some people think that being green or conserving energy means they have to give up something [like bathing] or work harder [like grow their own food].

To those who think that you have to radically change your lifestyle to be kind to the environment here are just a handful of things that you can do that will not impact your lifestyle, but will have a positive impact on the world and possibly even your pocket book.

In no particular order:

1) blinds on the windows. Use them!

In the summer if you pull the blinds before you go to work in the morning [especially those windows that get afternoon sun], then your house will not get as hot inside so your air conditioner will not have to work as hard or as long to keep it cool.

In the winter, open the blinds to allow the warmth of the sun in during the day and close them at night to help insulate against the cold of the evening.

2) Compact Fluorescent lightbulbs [CFL's]. Use them!

There are now CFL's available for almost any type of lighting and design requirement. The only major exception is that to my knowledge CFLs are still not all that great with dimmer switches.

Not only will CFL's cut your electricity bills significantly, but in the summer they do not provide additional heat [frankly, sometimes in the winter I miss this additional heat source].

3) Programmable Thermostats. Use them!

Programmable thermostats have got to be the perfect blend of being lazy, saving money and being green!

Think about when you really need the furnace on. Spend five minutes and program your thermostat for when you want the house to be toasty warm and when it really does not matter.

For example, if you are snuggled under your quilt already, do you really need the furnace to be chugging away? Similarly, not only do the dogs have fur coats, but all they do is sleep all day when you are at work [trust me I know], so why are you keeping the house warm for them?!

As an added bonus, once the thermostat is set, you do not have to worry about it. The furnace will go on and off, the house will get nice and warm just at the right times, all without you lifting a finger.

I admit it, none of these things will save the world, but they might just help a little bit [see my earlier blog on "a drop in the ocean". I was tempted to put a link to it here if for no other reason than to be annoying] .