Being Green at Home

Smart set your thermostat. Set your thermostat to 68º in the winter and 78º in the summer, and save 2,000 lbs. of CO2 per year.  Get a programmable thermostat to reduce CO from your home by 10% to 20% a year.

Conserve fuel by turning down the heat at night and while you are away from your home — or install a programmable thermostat.

Insulate your home against heat loss and periodically check insulation.

Fix leaks. Fix air leaks with weather stripping and caulking. Fix any leaky faucets, toilets or water pipes. Even a small drip can add up to a lot of water over time.

In the winter, change your furnace air filters once a month. The heater uses more energy when it is full of dust.

Insulate your electric hot water heater and pipes. Do not, however, insulate gas heaters. When insulating gas heater pipes, start about six inches away from the heater.

Use non-toxic cleaning alternatives in your home. Look for products that DO NOT contain: petroleum, phosphates, phthalates, antibacterial agents and chlorine bleach. CO2

Furnish your home with furniture made out of natural fibers, wood, metal and glass.

Avoid the use of PVC (polyvinyl chloride or vinyl) in your home. The entire life cycle of products made from PVC pollutes the environment and your home. PVC items include shower curtains, flooring, and even some children’s toys.

Choose water based latex paints over solvent based paints when painting your home. Never use lead based paints.

If you have a furnace, fireplace or gas heater, have them serviced regularly to prevent deadly fumes. Install a carbon monoxide detector.

Ensure that you have good ventilation and balanced humidity in your home to prevent the growth of mold and mildew, which can be harmful to your health.

Do not throw your toxic household wastes, such as paint, paint thinner, and car fluids, in the garbage or down the drain. Check with your local facilities for proper disposal and avoid these products in the future.

Compost your food waste and use it as nutrient rich soil for your lawn.

Take shorter showers and install low-flow showerheads. Taking shorter showers that use less energy for heating water, and switching to low flow showerheads can save 700 lbs. of CO2 per year.
Replace your toilet with a low-flow option that uses less water. You will conserve water and trim as much as $90 from your annual water costs.

Use Compact Flourescent Bulbs (CFLs). Replace three frequently used light bulbs with CFLs and save 300 lbs. of CO2 and $60 per year.  Ask PG&E or your electric provider about rebates for these and other energy-efficient products.

Unplug electronics. Stand-by power accounts for up to 10% of home energy use.  Use a power strip and turn off TVs, DVD players, stereos, and computers when you’re not using them to save 1,000 lbs. of CO2 per year.

Recycle more – Recycle 50% of your household waste and save 2,400 lbs. of CO2 per year.  

Buy Energy Star appliances and electronics – At the end of their life, replace old appliances with Energy Star models, saving money and reducing home CO2 emissions by 20-50%.

Weatherize – Sealing doors and windows can lower heating and cooling-based  emissions by 20%.

Purchase Green Power- Contact PG&E or your power provider, about purchasing power produced from renewable sources like wind and solar power.  These sources do not rely on fossil fuels and have no net carbon emissions.

Avoid anything battery operated, or use rechargables or solar rechargables if batteries are unavoidable.

Avoid the use of aerosols.

Use castor or mineral oils to lubricate switches and hinges instead of lubricants containing solvents.

Slow the flow of junk mail to your home by ordering a free junk mail reduction kit from the County of Santa Clara.  This kit compiles many of the key phone numbers to call, as well as pre-printed, ready-to mail postcards that you can send to major generators of junk mail.  Simply send an e-mail with your mailing information at www.recyclestuff.org or call the hotline at (800) 533-8414.  You’ll save about 40 lbs. of wasted paper each year.

Replace your gasoline-powered lawn mower with an electric one to reduce CO2 emissions as you maintain your lawn. Also, consider replacing your lawn with more environmentally-friendly options such as ornamental grasses, clover or strawberries..

Plant a tree. To organize a tree planting for your neighborhood, school, or work site, type “urban forestry” and your city’s name into a search engine to find a local program.  A single tree will absorb one ton of CO2 over its lifetime. In addition to storing carbon, trees in urban areas can provide much-needed shade in the summer, reducing energy bills and fossil fuel use.