Author: Stephanie Kling

Categories
Eco Tips Furnishings Home Design Home Improvement

The Easiest Way to Conserve Water and Save Money

With a lot of the country in a serious drought (Kansas, Texas, Nebraska just to name a few), it is nice to know that the average consumer can make a difference saving water and money by just switching their showerhead! When you get a low-flow showerhead you are able to save you and your family some money and a lot of water.

The average American uses about 2,500 cubic feet of water every year, that’s the equivalence of about an Olympic sized swimming pool!  A typical shower uses up to 25 gallons of water and on average the typical American uses about 100 gallons of water daily (this number can change depending on the length of the shower.)

A low-flow shower head has the ability to cut your bathing water consumption by up to 70%. According to the EPA by “letting your faucet run for five minutes uses as much energy as it takes to keep a 60-watt light bulb lit for 14 hours.” Just by switching your shower head to a low-flow model you can save a lot over the course of a year:

  • With a traditional, 2.5gpm showerhead, you’ll use 5,250 gallons of water on showering in one year.
  • With a 1.5gpm, low-flow showerhead, you’ll use 3,150 gallons of water over the course of one year.

(Remember these numbers are an estimate and are based on a single person household, these numbers can double and triple depending on the amount of people in your home.)

Low-flow showerheads are super simple to install and start around $10. There are so many styles and variations you can choose from, there is bound to be something that you end up loving. For instance some models have “flow-adjusting dials and a pause button, which allows you to break for a bit of lathering up, then return to the same temperature and pressure.” If you are looking for a simple way to improve your water consumption and help reduce your water footprint, it’s time to take a trip to your local home improvement store!

Sources: lowflowshowerheads.org, (http://lowflowshowerheads.info/water-saving-stats/), hometips.org, (http://www.hometips.com/buying-guides/showerheads-low-flow.html).

Categories
Green Building Home Design

6 Surprising Benefits of a Green Roof

A green roof or a living roof is the roof of a building that is covered with vegetation (such as grass and flowers) which is planted over a waterproofing membrane. A green roof has many different and intricate layers that all combine to create a living roof. When a rooftop has a garden with potted plants, it not considered a real green rooftop.

Why are roofs going “green?” Believe it or not green roofs significantly help reduce a buildings heating and cooling costs as well as helps with the urban heat island effect. The urban heat island effect is when a metropolitan area is warmer than its rural counterparts due to human activity.  Also green roofs are taking an otherwise unused space and making them environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing. See our list below for some benefits of a living roof and how you can get one for your building!

Some Benefits:

  • With green roofs, water is stored by the membrane and then taken up by the plants from where it is returned to the atmosphere through evaporation.
  • Through the daily dew and evaporation cycle, plants on vertical and horizontal surfaces are able to cool cities during hot summer months and reduce the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect.
  • The plants on green roofs can capture airborne pollutants.
  • Community gardens (e.g. local food production or co-ops)
  • The greater insulation offered by green roofs can reduce the amount of energy needed to moderate the temperature of a building, as roofs are the sight of the greatest heat loss in the winter and the hottest temperatures in the summer.
  • Noise pollution reduction – studies show noise levels in a building can be reduced by as much as 40 decibels

(Facts and benefits taken from greenroofs.org)

Here are some useful websites that you can find out more information and where you can inquire about getting a green rooftop for your building or home!

http://www.greenroofs.org

http://www.greenroofs.com/depot.htm

Categories
Eco Tips Featured

5 Natural Alternatives to at Home Air Fresheners

According to recent studies conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), most store-bought air fresheners contain formaldehyde, petrochemicals, p-dichlorobenzene and aerosol pollutants (these chemicals can cause asthma, watery eyes, respiratory problems and more)! Store-bought air fresheners release pollutants more or less continuously. Upon reading about all those harmful chemicals in air fresheners I immediately started researching natural and eco-friendly ways to freshen my home without risk of potentially putting myself at risk. Here are three ways to leave your home smelling fresh without using harsh chemicals and most of the ingredients can be found in your pantry!

Simmer Spices. You can simmer spices such as whole cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg on the stovetop or place them in a crockpot for all day smell.

Use Essential Oils. Dab a little on a light bulb or a warmer to gently scent a room. You can also combine then with other scents and make one uniquely your own!

Cooking Odors. Eliminate cooking odors by placing a shallow bowl of vinegar nearest the scent. It will help “capture” the scent and rid it of your house!

Create Your Own Potpourri. Create your own potpourri from bulk herbs, flowers, and spices and leave a little in a bowl or place them in sachets. You can use your left over herbs from your herb garden and flowers from your flower garden as well!

Odor Absorbers. Use a neutral odor absorbent such as a box of baking soda in a stinky area (especially in the refrigerator to help capture smells). You can also sprinkle especially smelly spots (such as the garbage can) with a little vinegar and baking soda to help with the smell.

Sources: kimberlysnyder.net, (http://kimberlysnyder.net/blog/2012/03/10/the-danger-of-air-freshener-and-10-alternatives-for-a-great-smelling-home/)