Green Guru Network

54% of home energy use goes into heating and cooling.  Now is a great time to do a mini energy audit while it’s comfy in your garage, basement, and outside.   Fixing “it” now could save you from fixing “it” later when it’s 35 degrees Fahrenheit out and you have numb fingers and are getting grouchy.

Here’s a 5 minute check list: 

Water Heater- Is it very new?  If not consider replacing it NYSERDA has a host of incentive programs designed to put cash back in your pocket for buing energy efficient equipment.  Check them out at:

http://www.getenergysmart.org/

Windows- Switch storm windows to screens allowing air in will postpoen how the first day of air conditioning.

Air- Remember which parts of the house was drafty last year?  They probably will be again this year.   Mapping out areas that need insulation and calking and getting it done early can save you money and keep you domicile cozy next winter.  Try scheduling a BPI survey to figure out where tose leak really are. 

Switching your heater filter will save you energy and you can make the “first night the heater goes on” smell a lot better.

Breathe Easier This Fall

Kids are back to school, the days are getting shorter and the leaves are starting to turn.  Of course all those leaves will be coming down soon.  The last few years leaf blowers have become all the rage and their droning will soon be heard from the Bronx border to the Connecticut border to the mighty Hudson and everywhere in between.    If you are the unfortunate user of such a device you may want to know that the fumes coming off of the engine are not filtered and contain far more particulate matter and carcinogenic pollution than come off of any gas burning vehicle.  (Now picture that within say 2 feet of your head for an hour or so every weekend.)     

 But they are so convenient?   Don’t forget to figure in the time it takes you to drive to the gas station, pump the gas, (inhaling gas fumes), transporting the gas back home in your vehicle, (inhaling more fumes), finding a “safe” place to store the fuel, filling the blower, occasionally maintaining the blower, getting the darn thing started when it’s feeling finicky, and the time it takes you to say “What?!?” to everyone who attempts to speak to you for a few hours after you use your blower.  Even if all that takes less time how good is that “extra” quality time you think you earned when you are hacking up dust and leaf chunks in front of the TV at night?

 If you are one of the lucky ones who has someone to do lawn care for you, think through this:  While you are at work blissfully unaware, back at home where your kids are, ther is a cacophony of sound, dust, particulate matter and exhaust fumes being spewed about your yard in the name of tidiness.  Your family, the neighbors, and all who pass by are getting their dose of blower byproducts.   

The solution?   Behold the humble rake, a tool that has been around since the dawn of civilized man.   Look at the side benefits:   Minimal dust (while no method of leaf and lawn trimmings removal is dust free the rake kicks up a small fraction of the dust)   Exhaust free (except your breathing).  When used well a great upper body work out (Caution: You may end up with Pecs like Arnie).  Avoiding the “You blow leaves into my yard on Saturday and I’ll blow leaves back into your yard on Sunday feuds”, leaf piles for your kids to jump in.  (Blowers just can’t match the piling power or beauty of the rake) Economy for about 15 bucks you can buy one of these that will last you until your raking days are over.  And the blessing of peace as you quietly commune with the lawn that you worked so hard to come by.     

You would have to drive 1000 miles in a late model car to create as much air pollution as your lawn mower produces in just half an hour’s running time.   Imagine pushing your Honda (with the engine running) to see the Rolling Stones exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in Cleveland Ohio and back.    Since you would be pushing your car you’d be breathing in all those fumes as you go.   You would still come out creating slightly less pollution that you would than mowing your average suburban lawn!

 Your time is a very valuable commodity a “scarce world resource” in fact.   Perhaps you could pursue your favorite hobby during the time you are not mowing the lawn (there is no significant negative environmental impact for learning to belly dance or stamp collecting or listening to the Yankees on the radio)    For every inch you let your lawn grow it repays the favor by producing more oxygen for you to breath.   Realocate your resources take it to the movies instead of the gas station.

 Want to eliminate fumes altogether?   There are wonderful cordless electric mowers now available.   They are reasonably priced and work great on average sized lawns.   They are quiet, smog free, and light.   You can plug them into the wall socket at night or companies like Real Goods carry solar panels that will charge your mower with the power of the sun. Electric mowers are not for the realy tough over grown lawn.  It's a choice mow less or mow electric.