Green Living Tips-Simple Steps to green your home and your wallet

Lighting and Electronics:

Replace standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs.

• If all Californians replaced five bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs, it would be the equivalent of taking 275,000 cars off the road.
• If all Californians unplugged electronics when not in use, it would be the equivalent of taking 120,000 cars off the road.

Heating and Insulation:

• Lowering the temperature 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit can save you up to 20 percent on heating costs.

Using Appliances Wisely:

• If a family of four replaces their 3.5 gallon per flush toilet (Pre-1994) with a Water Sense-labeled toilet, they could save $90 a year and as much as $2,000 over the toilet's life.
• Laundry-Do your laundry efficiently by running the washer only when it's full, and by using the warm or cold water setting for washing your clothes. always use cold water to rinse clothes. About 90 percent of the energy used by a clothes washer goes to heat the water.
• If all Californians replaced their inefficient clothes washers with energy-efficient ones, it would be the equivalent of taking 30,000 cars off the road.
• Kitchen-if Californians replaced their inefficient dishwashers with energy-efficient ones, it would be the equivalent of taking 62,000 cars off the road. If you unplug or recycle that spare refrigerator in the garage you can save up to $150 per year!

Think Globally, Buy Locally

• When you choose a product that is local to your area, you reduce transportation energy usage and help sustain your local community!
• When you're through with an item, sell or "Freecycle" (www.freecycle.org) it rather than throw it away! "Away" means the landfill!

Every Drop Counts

• Did you know that as much as 19 percent of California's electricity is used to pump, transport, and treat water.
• Did you also know that your water bill expenses are basically costs to get water to your home from the Colorado River? The cost of the water is basically inexpensive, it is the expense of having it brought directly to you that is what you are actually paying for!

A Special Thank you goes to Arlene Baxter of the California Association of Realtors who wrote this booklet and is on the Green Task Force.

You can reach her in Berkeley California at Berkeley Hills Realty.

Arlene Baxter [eastbay.bungalows@gmail.com]