Green Energy At Home

We spend a good portion of our lives at home, even more for the growing legion of freelancers and telecommuters. There needs to be a serious reconsideration of every aspect of the typical home before a serious stab can be taken at reducing carbon emissions and reducing environmental pollutants.

Green Energy In The Kitchen

The kitchen itself uses a great deal of power to keep food cold. Relocating the refrigerator to a location as far away from the stove as possible decreases the amount of work it needs to do. Getting a relatively new refrigerator that has a high efficiency rating will also help a great deal.

When appliances break down, unless they are too old to be made efficient, repair and retrofit of old appliances also saves a great deal of carbon. If it must be retired, make sure it is sent somewhere to be parted out and recycled. Nearly every part of an old appliance can either be recycled or needs to be handled by professional hazardous waste handlers.

Green Energy In Bathroom

Water saving devices in the bathroom is just one step. Lights can be replaced with fluorescent bulbs or the ultra-efficient LED composite lamps. We can also choose to use bathroom materials that are made from sustainably grown and harvested renewable crops such as organic cotton and bamboo.

Green Energy In Bedroom

We spend a third of our life in the bedroom. The health and carbon cost of our bedroom has a lot to do with eliminating toxins for our better health and redecorating using as little carbon as possible.

Choose linens, curtains and floor coverings that are made from natural, renewable resources. In addition to organic cotton and bamboo, wool, hemp and silk are all healthful options that have unique properties that makes each useful for a given need. Silk, for instance, has the ability to wick moisture away from the skin, besides feeling lovely. The discarded pupae also provide an important source of protein for fish farming.

Mattresses and furniture contribute a lot to the carbon footprint and toxin load of our bedroom. Some sensitive people chose natural rubber mattresses. Pillows made of seeds or seed hulls can provide a uniquely relaxing sleep experience.

Green Energy In Back Porch

For many, a porch is the entire yard they’ll have or even need. Grey water reclamation systems are a great choice for keeping a back porch garden. We can also collect runoff water from the roof into a rain barrel and irrigate a significant portion of a family’s more expensive fruit and vegetable purchases.

It’s very handy to have a covered and secure place on the porch to chain up our bicycle. In a future where garages may be converted into living spaces, it’s prudent to make plans to keep from having to haul our bicycle inside every day.

Green Energy In The Yard

If we’re lucky enough to have a yard and garden, we are hereby given permission to rip it up and plant a garden. Urban and suburban agriculture has the potential to skim about 20% off the current grocery bills. Most cities have enough workable nooks and crannies to supply their own produce needs as the cost of transport makes such purchases difficult.

By digging up the lawn we reduce the use and eventual flushing of pesticides and herbicides into the water system. We also free ourselves from the tedious chore of mowing our pasture. The use of the mostly 2-stroke cycle engines for mowing releases more particulate matter into the atmosphere in a few mows than a typical car emits in a whole year. Eliminating their use is a great way to remove that bother and cost from wer life and get something far better in return.

Green Energy In The Garden

Organic growing pretty much requires that we have a compost pile in the yard to digest leaf debris and kitchen scraps. Some people even keep urban chickens in their yard to assist with pest control and “recycle” scraps. Their litter is also very goof fertilizer when decomposed. There is a lot of literature about how to do it right, but if we avoid putting weed seeds or diseased plant material in the pile, there is little if any management to do other than to try and keep a balance of “brown and green” items going in.

Native plants that don’t require unseasonal watering (as long as the weather remains seasonal, which it may very well not) allow a landscape to use far less irrigation water, once established. There are native fruiting plants in most areas, but don’t expect farm-like yields.