| Most people think there is little they can do | | | | |
| to reduce their home's environmental impact | | | | 4. Grow plants that like the weather in your |
| or control power and resource usage. The good | | | | location. Natural native plant landscapes, |
| news is there are things any home owner can | | | | called "xericapes" are easier on resources |
| do to save on power bills that are a lot less | | | | than more exotic plants. Also make lawns |
| expensive than covering the roof with photo | | | | smaller. Lawns need hazardous chemicals, too |
| voltaic panels at a cost of $20,000 or more. | | | | much water, and too much maintenance. If you |
| Not that it is not a good strategy and a good | | | | got rid of the lawn you wouldn't need the |
| way to free Americans' excessive dependence | | | | riding mower, either. |
| on foreign oil. Many homeowners just can't | | | | |
| afford solar panels. | | | | 5. One of the most overlooked cheap ways to |
| | | | protect a home from weather is to build or |
| Many good ways of controlling heat gain and | | | | utilize square feet in basements or earth |
| loss in structures and water usage are good | | | | shelters. Earth is there and can protect a |
| science that many of us have forgotten or | | | | structure from both heat and cold and |
| never knew. Here are seven suggestions that | | | | ...no...it doesn't have to feel like a cave. |
| any homeowner can choose from to help with | | | | It can feel like a good place to ride out a |
| the ever-rising costs of home utility bills | | | | storm and a sturdy place to live less |
| that go beyond buying more insulation. More | | | | expensively. Most good contractors are |
| insulation is good, but there are other | | | | capable of building a waterproof basement |
| things you can do. | | | | foundation that could be a great space for |
| | | | family living. |
| 1. Lots of houses were equipped with cisterns | | | | |
| before municipal water services became the | | | | 6. Lots of conventional houses need more |
| norm in most communities. You can catch gray | | | | storage. One way to make your older home more |
| water from your house in a cistern attached | | | | energy efficient is to cover the interior |
| to drains that release bath and shower water | | | | walls with cabinets and shelving. You could |
| with some plumbing work. You can also capture | | | | make it out of salvaged windows, doors, |
| rainwater in barrels from gutters and | | | | shutters and wood from your local recycled |
| downspouts to feed to landscaping and drip | | | | materials location. The look could be really |
| irrigation systems and water features. | | | | rich. The covered airspace would give |
| | | | functional storage and insulating space, too, |
| 2. You can purchase appliances that are more | | | | the ultimate double whammy benefit. |
| efficient than others or make cooking less | | | | |
| expensive with things like slow cookers and | | | | 7. Use compact fluorescent lighting. While |
| small toasters running on 110 outlets rather | | | | the mercury present in these lights is not |
| than a big oven attached to a 220 outlet. | | | | great for the environment they are much |
| Appliances and HVAC that run on 220 outlets | | | | cheaper to run over the longer life of the |
| are the power hogs in your structure. A | | | | bulb. Another alternative is to get fiber |
| burner pulls less power than an oven so maybe | | | | optic cable for ambient lighting in your |
| stir-fry is a better choice than pizza. Also | | | | home. Though the cable is expensive, the |
| turn off and unplug all those appliances when | | | | power usage for one light bulb and some cable |
| not in use. All those little timers pull more | | | | is a great way to light a home more |
| power than you think. | | | | economically. You then need just a few task |
| | | | lights for close work and feature lighting. |
| 3. Use landscaping or roof overhangs to shade | | | | |
| your structure from the heat in summer. | | | | There are more good ideas out there. One that |
| Deciduous trees that lose their leaves in | | | | interests us is solar panels that are less |
| winter can serve the dual benefit of shade in | | | | expensive to purchase. It does still pay to |
| summer and heat gain in winter after the | | | | shop around and it's good for all of us, and |
| leaves fall. Use evergreen windbreaks to | | | | the environment if we need less oil. |
| protect your home from winter's winds. | | | | |