Tips For Green Living

... For an Eco-friendly Summer

It’s summer time and we're ready to kick back. Luckily, it’s easy to be green and laid back at the same time. Here are some ways to care for the Earth while still letting go of your worldly cares.

In the summer, it’s a great idea to cook out on the grill, since it saves heating up the kitchen and cuts down on indoor cooling costs. But it’s time to re-think the ways our dads used to do it: pull out the grill, squirt a bunch of lighter fluid on the charcoal briquettes, and poof! Fire!

It might disappoint the pyromaniacs in the family, but it’s much more eco-friendly to use a gas grill. Of course, propane is a fossil fuel and net contributor to atmospheric CO2, but a gas grill doesn’t create nearly as many harmful fumes as charcoal grills do.

However, if you must enjoy an open fire style, switch to hardwood charcoals and use an electric fire starter that you bury into the coals.

In fact, it matters a lot what kind of charcoal you use. Some brands are made from carelessly harvested wood and are loaded with coal dust and other unhealthy additives. They may produce 105 times more carbon monoxide than burning propane, plus lots of harmful VOC's. Look for greener charcoals like " Wicked Good Charcoal," which contain no pollutants.

To help keep the indoors cool, switch the AC off and your fans on whenever possible. Between June and mid-September in North Carolina, such times are rare indeed. But we’ve been incredibly lucky to have had a number of mild, low-humidity days in July when we could actually turn on the ceiling fans and sleep with the windows open.

Ceiling fans can do a great job of cooling, they cost much less than an air conditioner, and are easy, breezy to install, too!

Of course, if you must use the air conditioner, remember to keep doors and windows closed to maximize cooling. Also make sure you’re using an energy-efficient Energy Star model, and clean the filter every so often to improve the air flow.

You can supplement the AC by using it with an electric fan. Some estimates say that you can adjust your thermostat 9 degrees Fahrenheit higher and still get the same resulting temperature. This can save you up to 30% of your total energy consumption.

For more great summertime savings ideas, please visit here!

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Every little bit makes a world of difference.