“Free” plastic bags?

“Free” plastic bags?
The cost of plastic bags to the environment and the wildlife we love is horrific, as revealed by this slideshow. Check out this slideshow to learn more.

Winter is coming…are you ready?

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=721213

 

Checklist: Fall Home Maintenance

 

Before the weather grows colder it’s important to prepare for the winter months to prevent costly damage later on. Below are the fall preventative home maintenance steps that every homeowner should follow.

Gutters and Downspouts
Clean gutters and downspouts frequently throughout fall to prevent build up of leaves and other debris. Neglected gutters can lead to wood rot problems, pest infestations, wet basements, foundation damage and many other expensive complications.
Be sure water is not coming down behind gutters and that all support brackets are securely in place.
Check to ensure water drains properly and doesn?t pool, which can cause damage to foundations, driveways, and walkways.

Windows and Doors
Change summer screens to cool weather storm windows and doors.
Inspect and repair any loose or damaged window or door frames.
Install weather stripping or caulking around windows and doors to prevent drafts and lower heating bills.
Clean and lubricate garage door hinges, rollers, and tracks and be sure screws are tight.

Heating Systems
Replace the filter in your furnace.
Consider having a heating professional check your heating system to ensure optimal performance and discover minor problems before they turn into costly major repairs.
Clean your ducts to better your heating system?s efficiency as well as to reduce household dust and to provide relief to those with respiratory problems. Also check for air leakage especially around joints.
Clean your thermostat?s heat sensor, contact points, and contacts. Check accuracy and replace if necessary.
Lubricate hot water heater?s pump and motor. Bleed air from radiators or convectors.

Plumbing
To prevent pipes freezing and bursting, ensure that the pipes, as well as the wall cavities where they reside, are well insulated.
Be sure that you know how to locate and turn off the water shut-off valve in case pipes do freeze.

Chimney and Fireplace
Call a professional in to inspect and clean your chimney. Fireplaces that are regularly used during the season should have an annual cleaning to prevent dangerous chimney fires.
Test your fireplace flue for a tight seal when closed.
Consider installing a carbon monoxide alarm near the fireplace and furnace.

Attic ventilation
Be sure attic insulation doesn’t cover ventilation vents in the eaves to prevent winter ice dams on the roof.
Be sure ridge vents and vents at eaves are free of plants and debris.
Check bird and rodent screens for attic vents to prevent any unwanted guests.

Landscape and Yardwork
Although grass appears to stop growing in the fall, the roots are actually growing deeper to prepare for winter. Now is the best time to fertilize and reseed your lawn.
Prune your trees and shrubs after the leaves turn to encourage healthy growth in the spring.
Trim any tree limbs that are dangerously close to power lines or the roof of your house. Heavy snow and ice can cause damage in the winter.

 

Other tips:

Plug Your Home’s Costly Leaks Before Winter-

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=9244445

Link to free Duke energy “home audit”-

http://www.greenmadesimple.com/incentives/details/duke-energy-indiana-home-energy-house-call-program

Seventh Generation

Here’s a site that has everything green from cleaning supplies to baby diapers to laundry detergent.

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/

Enjoy!

More winter tips

Check (and maybe replace) your furnace filter

Dirty filters block air flow and can make your heating system work overtime. According to the Alliance to Save Energy, that can cause faster burnout and higher heating costs. Old-style furnace filters (inch-thick fiberglass panels) typically need to be replaced monthly, while newer pleated, electrostatically-charged filters usually last about three months. For both types, experts recommend checking for buildup every month and being especially diligent during months of heavy use.

 

Insulate your attic

If you’ve managed to stop heat from escaping downstairs, you may still be letting it seep out through your roof. To make the most of energy saving efforts, consider checking insulation levels in your attic. According to the Alliance to Save Energy, households with less than 6 or 7 inches of insulation in the attic generally benefit from adding 6 to 10 additional inches. Energy Star recommends distributing insulation evenly, with no low spots out near the eaves.

Share your tips: Have you improved your home’s insulation recently? What other changes have you made to keep heat from going to waste?

 

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=diy.diy_index

From the Alliance To Save Energy

No-Cost Low-Cost Tips for Saving Money & Energy

Download a printable PDF file of this information. NO-COST WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY & MONEY Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers, etc. Check the furnace or air conditioner (AC) filter each month, and clean or replace it as needed. Dirty filters block air flow through your heating and cooling systems, increasing your energy bill and shortening the equipment’s life. During hot months, keep window coverings closed on the south, east, and west windows. In winter, let the sun in. Glass fireplace doors help stop heat from being lost up the chimney. Also, close the fireplace damper when not in use. Activate “sleep” features on computers and office equipment that power down when not in use for a while. Turn off equipment during longer periods of non-use to cut energy costs and improve longevity. When cooking, keep the lids on pots. Better yet, use a microwave oven instead. Dress appropriately for the weather, and set your thermostat to the lowest possible comfortable setting. On winter nights, put an extra blanket on the bed and turn down your thermostat more. In summer, use fans whenever possible instead of AC, and ventilate at night this way when practical. Using fans to supplement AC allows you to raise the thermostat temperature, using less energy. Fans cost less to use than AC. About 15 percent of an average home energy bill goes to heating water. To save hot water, take five-minute showers instead of baths. Do only full loads when using the clothes washer or dishwasher. Switch to cold water washing of laundry in top loading in top-loading, energy-inefficient washing machines to save energy and up to $63 a year—detergents formulated for cold water get clothes just as clean. Lower the temperature on your water heater. It should be set at “warm,” so that a thermometer held under running water reads no more than 130 degrees. Only heat or cool the rooms you need—close vents and doors of unused rooms. LOW-COST WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY & MONEY Install low-flow showerheads and sink aerators to reduce hot water use. Seal and weatherstrip your windows and doors to ensure that you’re not wasting energy on heat or air conditioning that escapes through leaks to the outdoors. A water tank insulation wrap costs about $20 and helps hold the heat inside. Add pre-cut pipe insulation to exposed pipes going into your water heater—it is cheap and easy to install. If you’re starting with an uninsulated tank, the energy savings should pay for the improvements in just a few months. Duct tape works well on lots of things, but it often fails when used on ductwork! Use mastic (a gooey substance applied with a paintbrush) to seal all exposed ductwork joints in areas such as the attic, crawlspace, or basement. Insulate ducts to improve your heating system’s efficiency and your own comfort. Storm windows can reduce heat lost by single-paned windows by 25–50 percent during the winter. As an alternative, you can improve your windows temporarily with plastic sheeting installed on the inside. When buying new products, look for the ENERGY STAR® label, found on more than 40 different products such as TVs, furnaces, cell phones, refrigerators, air conditioners and more. Incandescent light bulbs are outdated; 95 percent of the energy used goes to heating the bulb, adding unwanted heat to your home in the summer. Replace your five most used light bulbs with ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent bulbs to save $60 each year in energy costs. These light bulbs use two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer. Use dimmers, timers, and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting. Consider safer, more efficient ENERGY STAR torchiere lamps rather than halogen torchieres, which can cause fires. Halogen bulbs are expensive to use. THE ULTIMATE CHECKLIST: For Saving Money by Reducing Energy Bills WEATHERIZE & INSULATE Save up to 20 percent of your heating and cooling costs. Warm air leaking into your home during the summer and out of your home during the winter wastes money. A handy homeowner can seal up holes to the outside by weatherstripping doors and sealing windows and other gaps along the home’s foundation. A combination of air sealing and adding insulation to attics, basements, and crawlspaces provides tremendous energy savings and increased comfort. The easiest and most cost-effective way to insulate your home is to add insulation in the attic. If you have less than 6 or 7 inches, you can probably benefit by adding more. Most U.S. homes should have between R-38 and R-49 attic insulation. In order to achieve this, many homeowners should add between R-19 to R-30 insulation (about 6 to 10 inches). Other effective places to add insulation include unfinished basement walls and crawlspaces. Insulating walls can be more complex, but it can be worthwhile to do if you have little or no insulation now. Check with a contractor for advice. Consider the ENERGY STAR® Home Sealing Program—the government’s information for sealing your home: www.energystar.gov/homesealing

Green Tip on “Winterizing”

 

 

Sealing air leaks and adding more insulation to your home is a great do-it-yourself project.

The biggest leaks are usually found in the attic and basement. By taking these steps, you

can eliminate drafts, keep your home more comfortable year round, save energy that would

otherwise be wasted, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

IU Sustainability Podcast Series

A series featuring sustainability initiatives at Indiana University.

Listen and subscribe here: http://podcast.iu.edu/portal/PodcastPage.aspx?podid=b5e91b11-5cac-4623-8c18-ddd84c291001