Green for Dummies (or just Newbies)

Going Green is a good idea. But, as in all things, moderation is the key. If you want to find ways to help the environment, cut down on waste and cost, and become conscious of your lifestyle—The New York Times has an article you should check out.

A recent Internet search for “green home” resulted in more than 15,000 book titles. But with so much information available; and so little time: The New York Times and The Green Home tracked down Eric Corey Freed, the author of “Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies,” and asked him to shorten the list to five steps. Here are three of the suggestions and part of the interview conducted by Julie Scelfo.

#1

Freed: Look at all the vampire loads that are sucking energy even when you’re not using them.

Scelfo: You mean like the toaster with a digital clock and the cell phone charger?

Freed: Yes. Anything with a ready light. Collectively, vampire loads cost Americans about $3 billion a year. The biggest culprits are stereos, DVRs, game systems and plasma TVs. Simply unplug them when they’re not in use. Or purchase smart power strips, which cost about $25 and shut off automatically.

#2

Freed: Install an ultra-low-flow shower head. A 1992 federal law requires all shower heads to be “low flow,” which means 2.5 gallons shoot out every minute it’s on. Switching to ultra-low-flow means you could go anywhere from two gallons all the way down to half a gallon a minute.



Ultra-low-flow shower heads mix outside room air into the water so the pressure is surprisingly good. The technology has really advanced. The old stigma of not having enough pressure — do you remember the old “Seinfeld” episode where Kramer couldn’t get enough water, so he switched to an elephant hose? — that doesn’t really apply.

#3

Freed: This is probably the most important: replace old thermostats with a programmable one. It’s kind of like a TiVo of thermostats. It lets you turn the heat down when you sleep and back up before you wake. It can also tell the difference between Monday and Friday, so you can turn down the heat while you’re at work. A good one costs about $20, and saves about $180 a year on energy bills.




I know that this information may be a little more technical than you are comfortable with—I will be honest, I would need my dad to help me implement these steps. But, life is about learning, so here is your chance to learn something new and become more “green” in the process.