Tips & Tools : green

Green Movin' Without Losin'

RE.com Tips & Tools — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:19:00 GMT

By Gina Cappiello www.123Movers.com

One task most of us face every few years can create loads of garbage and pollution. That task? Moving! Everyone is hopping on the hybrid green bandwagon lately, here are some ways to keep your move a little greener:

Don’t Trash Everything: Before packing up your belongings, take a few hours every day before you move to sort through it all. Pack away everything you want to keep and put aside everything you do not want. Take everything you do not want and get rid of it in a green way. Set up a moving day garage sale, sell your items online, or donate them to a charitable organization. Not only will you be greening up your life, but your “trash” could be someone’s favorite find.

Rent Reusable Boxes: Sturdier, stackable, and more reliable than their cardboard cousins, reusable boxes are a great way to green up your move. Not only are they delivered to you, but they are also picked up when you are all done unpacking them at your new home. This means no boxes cluttering up your new home or extra waste being thrown into our already overflowing landfills. Along with renting reusable boxes, utilize your suitcases and bags for packing. You’ll be surprised how many things a purse can hold!

Avoid using Non-Biodegradable Packing Materials: Styrofoam packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and foam are useful during a move, but not for the environment. If you’re looking to go green on your next move, try utilizing old newspapers to wrap fragile items, and then recycle the paper when you unpack. Wrap pieces of furniture and art with blankets to ensure they do not get damaged during your move instead of packing them in foam. If you must use non-biodegradable packing materials, ask around to see if anyone has any from a past move to give you. Reusing is always better than buying new for the environment and you wallet.

Use Eco-Friendly Movers: With the green movement in full swing, movers are getting in on the ground floor. New specialized green moving companies are springing up all over the USA to help end useless pollution from moving. Some provide eco-friendly packing services while others only use trucks fueled by BioDiesel that only drive where they must. Less air pollution and waste, here we come!

Offset Your Carbon Footprint: If you are unable to be green during your move or just want to contribute more to the cause, you can donate money to an environmental group to “offset” your carbon footprint. There are calculators you can use online to figure out what your footprint is and how much it would be to “cover” it up. Your donation goes towards protecting land, animals, or planting trees. It is an easy way to contribute even more to the green cause without moving.

Being green during a move does not have to be pricy or difficult. Follow the tips above to keep waste and toxins from polluting your moving day and the Earth.

Reducing Waste on Moving Day

RE.com Tips & Tools — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:40:00 GMT

By Aldo Singer, 123Movers.com

Protecting the environment is something that can never go out of style. At moments it’s trendy and other times people don’t think anything of it.

Moving day is an event that can contribute gigantic amounts of waste to the Earth. People are normally stressed out during this event and throw environmental concerns by the waste side (pun intended). You don’t have to. There are plenty of ways to move to a new home without contributing to the pollution of the world.

Most of the waste products that come as result of moving day are paper products or cardboard materials. This doesn’t have to be the case though. There are many options lying around your soon-to-be old home.

It all starts with the packing process and dealing with moving boxes. Whether or not you’re moving yourself or using a moving company, do not let movers push tons of moving boxes on you. Chances are you probably won’t need to use all of them to begin with. Do your best to find old boxes. You will have a good chance to find several boxes that will just be disposed of at your local grocery store. If you can’t find enough old boxes to use during moving day, try and locate boxes composed of recycled materials. Don’t forget that you can recycle the boxes as well once you’ve completed your move entirely.

Another alternative to boxes that you might like to consider during your move are your own suitcases and bags. Why not load some of your clothes and other fabric materials in accessories meant to hold them? Makes sense right.

If you’re worried about the old boxes not being strong enough, try contacting your local movers and see if they have any storage crates available. These items are durable and last a very long time and can be recycled once you’ve completed your use of them.

If you’re an avid newspaper reader, then you’ve got plenty of wrapping paper for fragile items, like your glass cups. Some other packing materials that can help prevent more waste from your move is bubble wrap. You can place the bubble wrap around a lot of sensitive equipment like your TV or computer.

You’ll probably notice while you’re going through all your belongings that you don’t need all your clothes that you have or all those DVD’s you’ve compiled. A nice friendly affair that will make you some money and meet some new people would be a garage sale. You can sell your possessions at a low price and reduce your overall stash that you’ll be moving.

These ‘green’ moving tips will also help you save some greenbacks. It’s a win-win for everyone involved, you and the world.

Hot New Trends in Bathroom Design

RE.com Tips & Tools — Sat, 19 May 2007 15:14:00 GMT

No more a utilitarian water closet, today's trendiest bathroom designs create true personal relaxation sanctuaries.

Bathroom remodels are one of the most popular renovation projects and with good reason. Besides the pleasure of creating a private retreat, they modernize the look of your home and can enhance its resale value. If you’re planning a bathroom renovation, consider the following emerging trends:

Live large
Today’s master bathrooms are getting bigger all the time. Many come complete with furniture and entertainment systems. Recliners, chaises, decorative armoires and TVs are among the added features. Manufacturers are also starting to create bathroom fixtures that mimic the look and feel of furniture, such as two-person tubs encased in wood frames.

Divide and conquer
The latest trend in upscale bathroom renovations is to divide the bathroom tub and shower by installing an open whirlpool bath and separate glass-enclosed luxury massage or steam shower. Double sinks are a popular addition for bathrooms shared by two or more people, as are toilets physically separated from the rest of the bathroom, either hidden behind a wall divider or secreted away in an alcove with a door.

Replace old standards
In place of standard porcelain, non-traditional materials such as glass, rock, wood, chrome and china are leading the way in fixture and countertop design. Glass tiles in blue or grayish-green tints are a popular way to create a soothing, natural ambience.

Introduce color
Color is hot -- bold shades and warm earth tones are replacing bathroom white. Bright reds and blues, forest greens, terracotta and rust are among the more popular hues, as are relaxing chocolates and creams.

Go shiny and bright
Iridescent and reflective materials like pearlized glass tiles and mirrors are proving popular. Even stainless steel, long considered unacceptable in the bathroom, is starting to make inroads with renovators. Look for stainless steel medicine chests, bathtubs and shower walls, usually offset with natural stone to temper the metal’s clinical feel.

Unite form and function
Stylish wall-mounted taps are in and serve to reduce unsightly pipe work. Also, above-counter basin sinks set into wooden cabinetry are starting to take over from pedestal sinks and offer the added benefit of providing extra bathroom storage space.

Think green
Conservation is an important consideration in new bathroom renovations. Since 75 percent of all household water is used in the bathroom, there’s a growing trend towards eco-smart fixtures such as water-efficient taps, showers and low-flow toilets.

Indulge in luxuries
Heated towel racks, wall-recessed gas fireplaces and other high-end amenities are coming into vogue with homeowners looking for the complete home-spa experience. One of the most popular luxuries is radiant-heat flooring, which warms the floor tiles and significantly reduces the shock of early-morning cold floors. Most come equipped with a timer that can be set to heat the tiles in the early morning and late evening, when your bare feet are most likely to hit the bathroom floor.

Updating your bathroom with a good bathroom redesign will likely pay off not only in terms of your own personal enjoyment of your home but also as a popular feature to market at resale time.

A Green Home Is Within Your Reach

RE.com Tips & Tools — Wed, 02 May 2007 19:21:00 GMT

Even a few changes can help you save energy and protect the environment.

It isn’t easy being green, a famous frog once lamented, but when it comes to your home it’s getting easier and easier to go green.

You can go big or you can go small when you go green, but even small changes can help you reduce your carbon footprint – your personal impact on global warming based on the amount of carbon-based energy you use.

About 80 percent of consumers say they want a green home -- but less than 50 percent said they were willing to pay more money to get one, said Stephen Melman, director of economic surveys for the National Association of Home Builders, or NAHB.

The NAHB recently approved green-building guidelines that are adjustable for different parts of the country. The organization argues green homes don’t have to cost more than other homes, or look like an experiment in alternative living.

“When a house is green but looks like other houses in the neighborhood – and can be replicated by large-scale building companies – then we know green is mainstream,” NAHB President Kevin Pressly said in a release. “We’re seeing that happen right now.”

The more popular green building becomes, the more companies will manufacture green products, and the less they will cost, Melman said.

Here are some ways suggested by the NAHB to make your home more green:

Install energy-efficient windows that use technologies including low-emittance (low-E) glass coatings, gas filler between layers and composite framing materials.
Use recycled plastic lumber and wood composite materials instead of hardwood for decks, porches, trim and fencing.
Install more efficient heating and cooling systems that are properly sized based on your home’s square footage, and consider a tankless water heater. A geothermal heating and cooling system uses renewable energy to provide heating, cooling and even hot water at little monthly cost.
Increase the amount and quality (based on R-value) of insulation to reduce heating and cooling losses. (Heating and cooling represent at least half of the energy used by a home.) Some newer types of insulation can be healthier, with little or no emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and more efficient.
Don’t stop at the attic and walls when it comes to insulation. Foundations and crawl spaces can be insulated, too.
Install low-VOC carpets to improve indoor air quality. Other environmentally friendly flooring choices include linoleum, a natural product, and laminates that look like hardwood.
Buy more-efficient appliances. ENERGY STAR-rated appliances use an average of 30 percent less energy than standard models. Front-loading washers use 40 percent less water and 50 percent less energy than top-loading washers.
Install plumbing fixtures that use less water. Early low-flow toilets didn’t flush very well, and old low-flow showerheads didn’t provide much water pressure. New technology has solved those problems.

Find more tips on how easy it is going green at the NAHB’s Web site, www.nahb.org. You can read up on ENERGY STAR homes and appliances at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Web site, www.energystar.gov. The EPA offers additional green-building tips for homes at http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding.

Go Green at Home and Save

RE.com Tips & Tools — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:22:00 GMT

Making your home more environmentally friendly can save you money and boost your resale value.

It’s no wonder more Americans are going green at home. It can help protect the environment and leave more money in your pocket. Plus, you may be able to get tax credits for adding insulation, energy-efficient windows and certain heating and cooling equipment (check with your financial advisor for more details).

Going green may also boost the value of your property:

A 2006 survey by the American Institute of Architects found that about 90 percent of those surveyed would pay an extra $5,000 to buy or build a more eco-friendly home.

Since most green homes are virtually indistinguishable from standard homes, it may be worth your while to tout your energy-saving investments when listing your home on the market. Mention any appliances or improvements you’ve made to your agent and factor them in to your asking price. With today’s high fuel costs, an energy-efficient home’s lower heating and cooling bills are an obvious selling point.

Steps you can take to create a green home:

Heat and cool efficiently
Up to half the energy you use in your home is for heating and cooling. Here’s how to cut down on your usage, and your costs:

Service your heating and air conditioning systems every year to keep them running efficiently and prevent small damages from turning into major costs down the road.
Regularly change the air filters in your air conditioner and furnace. A clean filter lets through more air, prevents dirt build up in the system and helps equipment work more efficiently. You get more bang for your buck and save on maintenance costs.
Install a programmable thermostat. You can then set it to keep the temperature lower in winter or higher in summer during the times when you’re not at home.
Install a high-efficiency furnace and/or central air conditioner. Furnaces and air conditioners that qualify for the government’s ENERGY STAR® certification use electricity, gas or fuel oil more efficiently and can save you up to 20 percent of your heating and cooling costs. For maximum savings, make sure the units are the recommended size for your house and installed correctly.
Cool your rooms with ceiling fans. They cost less to run than an air conditioner.
Open the windows and curtains to let the sun warm your home during the day; close them to keep the heat in at night.

Seal your home

Seal joints in the ducts that carry hot or cold air to and from your forced air furnace, central air conditioning or heat pump. Use duct sealant (also called duct mastic) or metal-backed tape (with UL-181 label) on all seams and connections, then wrap them with insulation. You’ll improve your heating and cooling system’s efficiency by up to 20 percent.
Seal your home from drafts and moisture leakage. Close all holes, cracks and openings by adding weather stripping or caulking to window and door frames. Spray foam or install foam board or caulking where pipes, wires and vents leave your house.
Add insulation to walls and ceilings to help retain heat in winter and cool air in summer.

Use efficient lighting
Did you know the cost of lighting your home accounts for up to a quarter of your electricity bill? You can slash this expense by using ENERGY STAR® compact fluorescent bulbs. They’re 75 percent more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last 13 times longer. Replacing just five frequently used incandescent bulbs with ENERGY STAR® bulbs can save you more than $60 in energy costs annually. You can also install dimmer switches that will enable you to reduce lighting when you don’t need it.

Buy energy-efficient appliances
Upgrade your refrigerator and/or clothes washer. An ENERGY STAR® refrigerator uses about half the energy of most 10-year old models, while ENERGY STAR® clothes washers use half the water and 70 percent less energy per load.