You Don’t Have to Purchase a New Home to be Green:

            Many homeowners retrofit existing home systems so that their home is more energy efficient, has better air quality, and uses less natural resources (fuel and water). Here are a few ways you too can be green.

Replace regular appliances with:

• ?  High-efficiency water heater
• ?  Energy-efficient toilets
• ?  Energy-efficient dishwasher
• ?  Energy-efficient washing machine

*    When shopping for new appliances look for “Energy Star” brand appliances, which use the least amount of energy possible.

Consider shifting your homes power source

            Many energy providers are beginning to offer electricity that is generated by wind, hydro power, or other renewable resources.

Consider sealing your home with energy-efficient products

            Your windows, insulation and roof can all become energy-efficient if you choose Energy Star brand products.

Benefits of Green homes

Economic Benefits:

• ?  Reduced Material Consumption
• ?  Lower Energy Costs
• ?  Lower Water Bills
• ?  Low Maintenance Due to Durability
• ?  Increased Home Value
• ?  Potential Lower Insurance Costs
• ?  Potential Tax Credits & Incentives

            Green Homes may save up to 34% on their total energy bills. Heat will be deflected up and away from your home in the summer lowering you A/C bill, while cold air will be deflected down and back during the winter months lowering your Heating bill.  In most areas you will see your biggest savings during the summer months.

Does it Cost a Lot More to Be Green?

No!  That’s the quick answer.  Some builders pay less than 1 percent more for outside materials and labor. As green building becomes more mainstream the costs goes down. Building green is not a trend, it’s the new way of building.

Interesting Facts About Your Home

Water:

• ?  Older toilets use 3.7 - 7 gallons per flush
• ?  Dishwashers use 8-14 gallons per cycle
• ?  Top-loading washers use 45 gallons per load
• ?  A dripping faucet waste 15-21 gallons per day
• ?  US water users withdraw enough water to fill a line of Olympic-size swimming pools reaching around the world every day (300 billion gallons)!
• ?  Although our planet is 71 percent water, humans depend on a mere .65 percent of the water for survival - much which is polluted.
• ?  About a quarter of the nation’s largest industrial plants and water treatment facilities are in serious violation of pollution standards at any one time.
• ?  An estimated 7 million Americans are made sick annually by contaminated tap water; some rare cases result in death.

Indoor Air Quality:

• ?  US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) ranks indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks.
• ?  W.H.O. (World Health Organization) reports that indoor air pollution causes 14 times more deaths than outdoor air pollution (2.8 million lives).
• ?  Of hundreds of EPA regulated chemicals, only ozone and sulfur dioxide are more prevalent outdoor than indoor.
• ?  20 percent of all housing in the US has too much lead dust or chippings (causes kidney and red blood cell damage, impairs mental and physical development, may increase high blood pressure).

Wood:

• ?  Although the US is home to only 4.5 percent of the global population, it is responsible for over 15 percent of the world’s consumption of wood.

Pesticides:

• ?  In the US, pesticides poison 110,000 people each year. More than one-third of calls to animal poison control centers result from pets exposed to pesticides.
• ?  The volatile organic compounds (including pesticides) found indoors are believed to cause 3,000 cases of cancer each year in the US.
• ?   According to the New York State Attorney General’s Office,  95 percent of the pesticides used on residential lawns are considered probable carcinogens by the EPA (a component of Agent Orange is used in about 1,500 lawn care products).