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Sustainability -- Information for Homeowners
We all care about our environment and want to do what we can
to take care of it, but with the busy lives we lead, that isn't always as
easy as we might like. Nonetheless, there are things you can do and
changes you can make that are affordable, easy, and good for the
environment no matter how busy you are.
This page will be an ongoing resource to help you make those
choices, with information and tips that you can readily incorporate so you
can start making a difference today.
LATEST TIPS
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Efficiency downloads. With rising prices and increasing evidence of
global climate change, we're all doing what we can to save energy and cut
costs. Even with our computers, which don't use as much energy as the real
energy hogs our homes (like our refrigerators), doing what we can to curb
wasted energy use can make a difference.
For most of us, that means using the Sleep mode on our computer to make it
shut down after a period of inactivity. But there are
some great -- and fun!-- options out there to manage your computer
even more efficiently.
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"Spooky" insulation. Traditional housing insulation can be pretty
scary -- the chemicals used to make them are hard on the environment. Many
insulating materials include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are
ozone-depleting compounds and a source of pollution. Instead, consider
insulating materials made from recycled materials.
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Warmcel 100 insulation is made from 100 percent recycled newspapers. It's
non-toxic, non-irritant, and presents no health hazard. The insulation can
be disposed of safely without creating toxic waste and it uses very little
energy to manufacture, much less than other insulation materials.
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Thermafleece is manufactured from pure British sheep's wool. Wool is a
natural fiber derived from a fully renewable resource and the production
process takes a fraction of the energy required to produce glass fiber
insulation. It's safe to handle, has a life expectancy of more than 50
years, and is also recyclable.
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UltraTouch Natural Cotton Fiber insulation contains 85 percent
post-industrial recycled natural fibers making it an ideal choice for
anyone looking to use a high quality sustainable building material.
UltraTouch consists almost entirely of natural denim and cotton fibers
that are 100 percent recyclable. The product requires a minimal amount of
energy to manufacture.
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Hung up on hangers. Clothes hangers seem pretty harmless, don't
they? Chances are, we don't think twice about how many we use, nor
pitching them when they're no longer useful or we have too many of them.
But did you know that
8 to 10
billion plastic and wire hangers are manufactured every year, and only
about 15% of those ever get recycled? That's a lot of hangers! In fact,
it's enough to fill the Empire State Building...four times!
They're not easily recycled, either. Plastic hangers are often made of
different types of plastics that make them hard to separate, and wire
hangers often get mangled into a knot that gums up the works at a
recycling plant (and plastic hangers do this, too). Which doesn't mean you
shouldn't recycle them, but a better answer is to reduce your use of them
and reuse them as much as possible.
Give them to your local second-hand store where they can be used for
merchandise or given/sold to folks who need them. (And when you need more
hangers, buy them at a second-hand store instead of buying them brand
new.) Dry cleaning vendors can also make use of them. Or look up some good
craft projects for the kids that make use of old hangers. There are even
biodegradable hangers made of
corn
and
wheat and
recycled paper. You might even consider folding more of your clothes
or better yet, cleaning out your closet and getting rid of some clothes
altogether....
Sustainability ·
Sustainability ARCHIVE
Homeowners ·
Communities ·
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