Suggestions for reducing your carbon footprint.
The hot topic, the cool color, in today’s real estate is green, built green, sustainable materials, carbon footprint, LEED certification. These are all becoming familiar terms.
On my Kirkland blog, I wrote about a free Built Green seminar at Kirkland City Hall. Ironically, I was already signed up for a “Green Built” class through Windermere Real Estate’s education program that same day. Not only did I learn a great deal at the class, I earned 3 credits for continuing education. Realtors have take continuing education classes.
Since most of you reading this blog are not running out tomorrow to find a built green home or remodel your current home with built green principles, during the class I asked the question:
”What can people do if they aren’t planning a “built green” remodel? What can be done everyday for minimal cost?”
Some suggestions to reduce carbon footprint on a daily basis:
Listen to Eastern cultures and remove your shoes. Shoes are the single biggest home polluter in homes. Shoes bring all kinds of dirt and toxins into a home.
Have a “walk off” mat at the front door that can be hosed down.
Household cleaning products are just as important as building green. Use cleaning products that are natural substances such as baking soda, vinegar, water, citrus and Bon Ami. Bon Ami is a product that has been around for decades. ( those of you over 50 may remember your mother cleaning with this when you were a kid)
Read the labels on cleaning products. If a label says something is harmful if swallowed, think about whether to clean with it.
Use compact fluorescent bulbs. Make sure they’re energy star certified. Recycle these bulbs properly as they contain mercury. (I didn’t know this one)
Put bathroom fans and thermostats on timers.
Weatherstrip the bottom of entrance doors.
Use low flow showerheads.
Go natural and buy wool carpet. Carpet is one of the worst home pollutants. The Carpet and Rug Institute will certify carpets as “green”,however, the carpets are not third party certified.
Solar tubes provide light in dark spaces and are more energy efficient than a skylight.
Is there more you can do to limit your carbon footprint? You bet. This list is just a start. Some of the things are common knowledge and others are not. Feel free to add suggestions. I will do another article listing some great free resources and books on reducing your carbon footprint and built green ideas.
Eastside Real Estate Buzz
Definately green construction is growing but if your not buying there are things one can do and you have listed some great ones. Consider shades in East and West windows for sun in warm months. Using draught tolerant plants when gardening. Make your own cleaning products. Remove your name from junk mail list. Go paperless as much as possible.
Great suggestions. There are so many things we can do on a daily basis to save our resources. I love the fact that so many more people are buying bags to carry their groceries in rather than using a new paper bag each time.
Junk mail is the scourge of the earth. I believe there is a website in which you can sign up to be removed from catalog mailing lists. If I find the email address, I will add it in a comment.
One of my favorite cleaning products is white vinegar. It’s good for lots of things–from shining chrome to killing moss. And for scrubbing porcelain sinks I use Arm and Hammer baking soda. Amazing what those two products can do. And they are safe for the environment.
Sandy, Great ideas. Baking soda is an amazing thing. You can bake and clean with it!
[...] resources and sources for built green and sustainable living. I wrote a post a few weeks ago with some suggestions from a Built Green classI took over at Windermere Real Estate taught by Rachel Shindler and Thor [...]