Grober Green

What?
Reduce waste by using a reusable coffee mug at work as well as at the coffee shop.

How?
1) Take a mug that expresses your personality to the office – and leave it there.
2) Bring a travel mug with you to the coffee shop.

Why?
16 billion disposable cups are used for coffee each year in the US, which is equivalent of cutting down over 6.5 million trees.

Did You Know?
Starbucks offers a 10-cent discount if you bring a reusable mug. It may not sound like much, but it adds up. No wonder Starbucks customers brought their own mugs 22 million times in 2008.

Okay, But How Hard Is It?
As easy as getting a feel-good buzz with every cup of joe.

What?
Save energy and money by washing your clothes in cold water.

How?
Avoid using the hot or warm water modes unless it’s truly warranted, such when you need to disinfect something. Otherwise, leave the dial on “Cold.”

Why?
According to the EPA, approximately 90% of the total energy consumed by a standard top-load washing machine goes to heating the water.

Did You Know?
The average North American household does 392 loads of laundry per year. That’s more than once a day. No wonder using cold water 80% of the time can save you $60-100 per month!

Okay, But How Hard Is It?
As easy as keeping your family out of hot water.

• 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.

What?
Reduce heating and cooling costs – as well as global warming – with a green roof (also known as an ecoroof).

How?Consult with a structural engineer to confirm that your roof can support vegetation. Once cleared, install grasses and plants that fit your needs (i.e. no maintenance versus regular maintenance).

Why?Green roofs have been found to reduce heat gains by 96% and heat losses by 26%. That means you use less A/C and heat, therefore saving big on your energy bill.

Did You Know?Just 1.5 meters of uncut grass can produce enough oxygen to supply the year intake requirement for one human.

Okay, But How Hard Is It?
As easy as using unused space to grow your savings.

A green roof, also known as an ecoroof, is a vegetated roof system that applies the use of plants and natural growth to replace the conventional roof. Ecoroofs use shallow, lightweight soil held in place by a waterproof membrane to support vegetation to turn your roof into a beautiful living ecosystem. There are many advantages of an ecoroof: they can absorb rainwater, trap pollutants that fall onto the roof, produce oxygen, provide a wildlife habitat, lower heat temperatures in the building, and reduce the urban heat island effect, not to mention providing aesthetic benefits for human users.

There are two types of ecoroofs: extensive and intensive. The extensive ecoroof is planted with very drought-tolerant plants, such as Sedums and other succulents. Extensive roofs require little maintenance and almost never need watering. The intensive ecoroof however, is more like a roof garden, with a wide variety of plants that often times need to be watered and groomed. Intensive ecoroofs are ideal for areas that can be visited, like roof terraces on top of apartment buildings or upper story decks.

Ecoroofs can be as elaborate and grand or as simple and small as you want them to be. From tiny sheds covered in grass to the world’s largest, which covers 10 acres over a Ford Motor Company plant in Michigan, ecoroofs are sprouting up all over the country. One thing to keep in mind though is that ecoroofs should not be installed without professional help. First you need to make sure your roof can handle the weight of vegetation; a structural engineer can help you with this. Dangers of an ecoroof sliding off or even squashing your house should inspire you to do your research and planning first.

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• My Great Outdoors: Bruce’s DIY Rooftop Garden (thekitchn.com)

What?
Keep your pool from draining energy through responsible practices.

How?
Use a pool cover, run your pool pump for no more than six hours per day and invest in an energy efficient heater. (Or, better yet, don’t heat your pool at all!)

Why?
A study by the Department of Energy found that Florida residents who ran their pool pump only three hours a day shaved 60% off their electric bill and remained satisfied with their water quality.

Did You Know?
Each degree you heat your pool over 78 degrees Fahrenheit incurs an additional 10-30% in energy costs, depending on your climate.

Okay, But How Hard Is It?
As easy as lowering your bills – as well as your contribution to global warming.

What?
Cut lawn care costs and maintenance by planting native grasses, plants and trees.

How?
Do a little research and consult with your local nursery.

Why?
Then contemplate what you’d like to do instead of mowing the yard constantly. Native grasses require little water and fertilizer and only have to be trimmed a few times each year!

Did You Know?
Lawn mowers consume 200 million gallons of gasoline each year, while lawn care is responsible for 30-60% of all water usage. Make a dramatic reduction on both fronts with native species.

Okay, But How Hard Is It?
As easy as spending less time maintaining your yard – and more time relaxing in it.

When it comes to green living, reducing the amount of energy you use is one of the easiest and most effective things you can do. While electricity itself is not unfriendly to the environment, the production of it is as most of the facilities we use to generate electricity are powered by fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are not renewable and the output from these facilities produces carbon which leads to global warming.

Luckily, there are several things you can do to reduce your energy consumption and the bonus is that you’ll also save money on your utility bill!

•  If you’re not using it, then unplug it.
  • Many electronic devices today have LED’s that draw energy even if the device is not powered on.
  • Your DVD player, Coffee Maker and even your electric toothbrush all use a little bit of energy when plugged in.
  • Those little bits can quickly add up, so when your appliances are not in use, try to get into the habit of unplugging them. 
•  Shut down your computer.
  • While it’s nice to have your computer always ready for use, it also uses a lot of electricity.
  • When you go to bed at night, power off the computer, monitor and printer.
• Get a programmable thermostat.
  • Getting an automatic thermostat can be a great way to reduce your heating costs, be it from oil, gas or electricity.
  • With a programmable thermostat you can set it to the optimum temperatures and then forget about it.
• Make your water heat more efficient.
  • Set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit and get an insulated sleeve for it to insure it is working as efficiently as possible.
• Use your lighting wisely.
  • Switch to more energy efficient lighting like LED lights or compact fluorescent lights and be sure that you don’t leave lights on overnight or when no one is in the room.
• Energy efficient laundry.
  • Even doing laundry can be an opportunity to save on energy.
  • Make sure you always clean the lint basket after each load and be sure to set the appropriate water level in your washer.
  • Doing these will help your washer and dryer run more efficiently.
  • Use Cold Water with special detergent or luke warm water to save energy. 
•  Set the right temperatures in your fridge.
  • Your refrigerator should be set to around 40°F ( 4°C) and your freezer between 0- 5°F ( for most efficient use.  ( -18°C  to -15°C)
  • Also, make sure you clean out all the dust bunnies behind and underneath the fridge.
• Don’t run the dishwasher until it is full.
  • Make sure there is a full load in the dishwasher before you run it and use the energy saving cycle.
• Buy energy efficient appliance.
  • Using energy efficient appliances can help reduce energy usage as well as your electric bill so the next time you are in the market for a new appliance, make sure you look at the energy star rating and buy the most efficient model you can afford.

What?
Dramatically reduce food mileage by turning your balcony, patio or windowsill into an organic container garden.

How?
Get some containers and soil, and start growing herbs, veggies and more. A container can be anything from a pot to a tub to a discarded shoe.

Why?
You don’t need a backyard to grow things. If you lack outdoor space, organic container gardening is a great way to go. Plus, it’s the only portable form of gardening that exists.

Did You Know?
According to the US EPA, over 38 states have contaminated topsoil, which leaves a toxic residue on the food you buy.

Okay, But How Hard Is It?
As easy as giving your plants some individual attention.

What?
Preserve resources – and keep toxins out of your home – by choosing natural fiber carpets installed with low-VOC sealants.

How?
Forgo synthetic carpets in favor of those made from sustainable fibers such as wool, cotton and seagrass. Also, look for Green Label certification from the Carpet and Rug Institute. This seal indicates that a carpet emits lower levels of chemicals.

Why?
According to the EPA, a typical carpet sample contains at least 120 toxic chemicals, many of which are neurotoxins.

Did You Know?
There’s a reason for that terrible new carpet smell. It’s the VOC sealants. “Offgassing,” or the release of harmful fumes from sealants, can last up to three years after installation.

Okay, But How Hard Is It?
As easy as thinking about what’s under your feet.

What?
Reduce your “farm to fork” time – and support your local economy – by shopping at Farmers’ Markets.

How?
Visit www.localharvest.org to find farmers’ markets in your area. Then bring your own bags to cart home your uber-fresh produce.

Why?
Locally-grown food is better for your health and better for the planet. It’s usually cultivated with organic methods, and it reduces both transportation and packaging waste.

Did You Know?
Over 3,000 acres of farmland are lost to development every year. Help slow this trend by keeping local farmers in business.

Okay, But How Hard Is It?
As easy as getting to know your food – both where it came from, and how it was grown.