Colorado Springs Real EstateThe Real Estate Resource

50 B. E. S. T. Green Things to Do Now
Select from this list those measures you find to be most affordable, and you can get off to an excellent start greening your lifestyle. Listed are approximate money savings and avoided environmental impacts based on CO2.
1. Change your lightbulbs- use compact fluorescent bulbs (just 3 CFL bulbs will save 300 lbs of carbon dioxide; approx: $80.00 per year.)

2. Adjust your thermostat down, 2 in winter up 2 in summer. (Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide; approx. $98 to $200 a year.)

3. Check your waterheater; set it no higher than 120 degrees (Save 550 lbs of carbon dioxide and $30.)

4. Take shorter showers, avoid full tub baths (350 lbs of carbon dioxide and save $99 a year).

5. Install a low flow shower head; (700 lbs carbon dioxide; save $150 a year).

6. Buy home products locally. (big savings on transportation costs; helps the local economy rather than sending profits away to mega-corporations)

7. When you buy new appliances, try to buy Energy Star qualified models.

8. Plant a tree… trees suck up carbon dioxide save 2,000 lbs of carbon dioxide.

9. Insulate your water heater and save approx $40 a year.

10. Unplug unused electronics (up to 1000 lbs; save approx $256 a year.)

11. Turn off your computer when not in use.

12. Air dry your clothes…. and save approx. $75 a year.

13. Change out single pane to double pane windows (save 10,000 lbs of carbon dioxide; approx $436 a year.)

14. Switch to a tankless water heater.(save approx $390 a year)

15. Insulate your walls and ceilings (save 2,000 lbs; approx $245 a year).

16. Replace old appliances… save hundreds of lbs of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars.

17. Buy minimally packaged goods could reduce your garbage by 10%. (Save 1200 lbs of carbon dioxide a year and $1000.)

18. Fill the dishwasher before running (fight water waste and save approx $40 a year.)

19. Install a programmable thermostat. (700 lbs carbon dioxide; save $150 a year).

20. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner… saving 350 lbs of carbon dioxide a year; about $70 savings).

21. Get a home energy audit… (save about 30% of energy bills; over 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide a year depending on home size.)

22. Recycle…. (one of the top performing environmental options! save 2400 lbs of carbon dioxide a year.)

23. Recycle your organic waste (compost).

24.Buy recycled paper products.

25. Buy fresh instead of frozen… frozen food takes 10 times more energy to produce!

26. Eat less red meat… methane is the 2nd most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale when they breathe.

27. Support and buy at your local farmer’s market.

28. Don’t leave an empty roof rack on your car… this can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 10%.

29. Keep your tires inflated; improves gas mileage by 3%.
Plant a bamboo fence.

30. Use bamboo for floors, bowls, cutting boards, etc.

31. Unplug your electronics when you are not using them.

32. Install drip irrigation in your landscaping.

33. Use a lap top rather than a desktop it uses much less power.

34. Buy shade grown coffee, and gold reusable filters.

35. Install a ceiling fan to improve heat and cooling circulation.

36. Repair your leaky indoor and outdoor faucets.

37. Upgrade your toilet to a low flush model. (save about 1,200 gallons of water per year per toilet)

38. Collect rainwater and use it for gardening.

39. Buy low-VOC paint and donate the leftovers.

40. Wash clothes in cold water; use biodegradable detergents that are manufactured for this use.

41. Carpool when possible. Bike when possible. Walk when possible.

42. Plant flowers and shrubs that are Xeric (avoid need for irrigation).

43. Teach kids to be green by making them responsible for the recycling and match whatever they make in deposit.
44. Refrigerators eat up the most electricity in the household. Maximize efficiency by keeping the freezer at 0F. Replace with Energy Star models

45. When its time for a new car choose a more fuel efficient vehicle. Many new cars now offer greater than 30 MPG ratings.

46. Bring cloth bags to market. Avoid plastic shopping bags.

47. Join The Stop Global Warming Virtual March. This is a non-political effort to bring people concerned about global warming together in one place.

48. Add your voice.

49. Fly less if possible or offset your travel by investing in renewable energy projects.

50. Share this list, do as many things as you are able to do, and talk to everyone about our environment. Let’s make a better world for current and future generations together, one household at a time.

Revised from source: Santa Fe Green Realtors (2006)

Going ‘green’ and staying eco-friendly while decorating is a trend seen this spring and is one that is likely to continue. So if you want your home to have a lasting design, going eco-friendly is perfect and with toxic-free house paint, antique cabinet hardware and eco-friendly furniture stores, you will have no problem finding exactly what you are looking for to go ‘green.’

Vintage light fixtures and cabinet hardware are a great way to make a statement in your home this spring. Chandeliers and brushed metal hardware, are great for giving your home a romantic feel. If you can’t afford antique store prices many home improvement stores and consignment stores may have what you are looking for, even IKEA and Walmart have inexpensive options.

According to Pantone, which is considered the world-renowned authority on color, Splashes of Sunshine is the color palette for this spring. However instead of having bright and colorful accent pieces, the bright colors are being seen in the furniture and wall color. Some of the popular colors this spring are turquoise, violet, coral and bright yellow.

Be inspired by the outdoors, this spring beaches, mountains and coastlines are a huge inspiration for this spring’s color palette. Ocean blue, mossy green and turquoise (voted color of the year by Pantone) are colors that are perfect for decorating your home this spring.

Mix up your colors, mix bold and bright with neutrals. If you are a bit worried about painting an entire room a bright color don’t worry you don’t have to, instead paint your walls a neutral color, pink champagne and violet gray are popular this spring and then keep the bright color choices for furniture and accent pieces.

With nature as a popular theme for this spring don’t forget about natural fabrics, from your throw pillows to area rugs natural fabrics are in this spring. Wool, jute and seagrass are perfect materials if you want your home to have a natural appearance without going completely ‘green’ (which is much more costly then simply buying new accent pieces and throws and giving your walls a fresh coat of paint).

Metallic accent pieces are great for creating contrast if you have a room that is overall pretty neutral in color. A great way to do this would be to add a metallic framed mirror or picture frames to a neutral wall for example, a pink champagne wall with a brushed gold mirror or picture frames would give your room a vintage warm appearance. This would be a perfect for any master bedroom.

BEHR also has another way to create contrast with bright colors this spring, which is to mix colors of the same color palette, for example a dark blue with a light blue. A way to do this is to use one color on the wall and use the other color for the accessories. To keep the room from going to color overboard beige and cream furniture work great to offset the color.

The recession may have you staying put instead of moving up. How can you upgrade your current digs and see a return on your investment?

The American Institute of Architects reports that “without the rapid appreciation in home values seen between 1995 and 2005, design of kitchens and bathrooms has recently been somewhat more modest. Functionality is now preferred to more and larger kitchens and bathrooms within U.S. homes. Households are placing a premium on products and features that promote energy efficiency, and adaptability in the use of space for seniors and those with accessibility concerns. … Integrating kitchens with family space remains a design priority, as does including areas devoted to recycling, pantries, computer workstations, and spaces devoted to recharging laptops, cell phones and PDAs.”

This kind of “reverse growth” is a blessing when it comes to cost savings. The average U.S. household spends around $1,900 a year on utility bills. The U.S. Department of Energy says green ways can cut your bills by up to 25 percent. Functional design is a good place to make big changes. Other energy saving ideas include:

•LED lighting: The abbreviation for “light-emitting diode,” these environmentally friendly lights give off the same light as regular 40 watt bulbs, but they last 50 times longer, making them a cost-effective option for lighting your home.

•Water saving toilets: Low flush toilets use only 1 to 2 gallons of water per flush compared to the usual 3 to 5 gallons.

•Renewable flooring: All renewables are not made the same, and a savvy homeowner should explore what option best fits their needs. You can choose from bamboo, natural linoleum, cork flooring, and even wood floors.

Special Rules for Members of the Military, the Foreign Service
and the Intelligence Community

Congress has acknowledged the unique circumstances affecting members of the military, the foreign service and the intelligence community by making the following exceptions that apply to both the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers and the $6,500 tax credit for repeat home buyers.

Exemption From Tax Credit Recapture Rules
•Typically, homes that are sold or that cease to be used as a principal residence within three years of the initial purchase are subject to recapture of the tax credit.
•However, qualified service members who sell or move from a tax credit home within three years of the initial purchase due to official extended duty are exempt from the recapture rule.
Extension of Tax Credit Deadlines
•The home buyer tax credit is available for qualified purchases with a binding sales contract in place on or before April 30, 2010 and closed by June 30, 2010.
•However, for qualified service members who are ordered on a period of official extended duty, these dates are extended for one year. For these home buyers, the tax credit applies to sales with a binding sales contract in place on or before April 30, 2011 and closed by June 30, 2011.
•A person who is forced to return to the U.S. for medical reasons before completing an assignment of at least 90 days of qualified official extended duty outside of the United States may qualify for the one-year extension.
Definitions
•“Qualified service member” means a member of the uniformed services of the U.S military, a member of the Foreign Service of the U.S., or an employee of the intelligence community.
•“Official extended duty” means any period of extended duty outside of the United States for at least 90 days during the period beginning after December 31, 2008 and ending before May 1, 2010

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry recommends that home howners assume lead is present if their home was built before 1978 unless they’ve had it tested and found it lead-free. Certified remodelers are required to display their EPA-certified training certificate to home owners.

For a compliance guide, search for “lead paint renovation rule” at REALTOR.org

The Toxic Substances Control Act resulted in the EPA creating a new rule dealing with lead-based paint (LBP) hazards created by repair, painting and renovation activities that disturb lead-based paint in affected housing constructed prioer to 1978. It also applies to a public/commercial facility of similar date where children are present on a regular basis (e.g., school or daycare facility). The rule, passed in 2008, becomes effective April 22, 2010. This is in addition to the existing rule that requires disclosure by the seller of LBP hazards and records in the sale of pre-1978 homes.

The rule affects general and specialty contractors by requiring them to be certified if they are performing work on a taget property, and requiring them to provide warnings to let people know of the potential hazards.

Exemptions to the Rule include:
1. Repair/maintenance work where the disturbed area is no larger than 6 sq.ft. of interior painted surface or 20 sq. ft. of exterior surface.

2. A certification that the work area is free of lead-based paint (as determined using an EPA recognized test kit, and the kits they sell at Home Depot & Lowes do not qualify).

3. Renovations by an owner to their own residence. This assumes that the owner is doing the work, not having it done by a property manager or contractor “friend”.

4. Some housing may be exempt if it is shown that no child under the age of 6 or pregnant woman resides or regularly visits there. Check with your attorney to see if you are exempt.

You can view the rule at:RULE and you can also find information and sample checklists at EPA Checklists.