Austin’s new single stream recycling program allows customers to mix recyclable paper, plastic and glass in one bin. In addition, residents will be able to recycle more and more types of items.
The program will unfold at the beginning of October 2008 and extend through the end of the year. Small blue bins will no longer [...]
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Need a new appliance? Time to replace an old one?
Appliances account for approximately 45% of a home’s energy costs. Here are some factors to consider for higher energy efficiency and cost savings:
-Unplug appliances when they are not in use. Appliances continue to draw power even after they have been turned off. This is called a [...]
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Conserve Water, Saving Money!
by Jerry Naiser of Real Green Lawns
There are many ways to conserve significant amounts of water inside and outside the home, and doing so makes sense because it lowers water and sewer bills, extends the water supply and helps the environment. Homeowners can take many simple steps to help preserve this precious [...]
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Green Lighting Tips
Daylight
Daylight is by far the best option. Open blinds or to take it a step further, install skylights for some beautiful natural light.
CFLs
According to the federal government, if every American home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star approved compact fluorescent bulb (CFL), the US would save enough energy to light [...]
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While 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, 97.5% is salt water. Only 2.5% is fresh water, with less than 1% readily available for human consumption. One out of five people in the world are without access to safe drinking water.
We hear about conservation and sustainability, but we need to start moving towards [...]
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The Calvert Group Ltd, in collaboration with the Boston College Institute for Responsible Investment, conducted a survey of the 13 largest publicly traded U.S. homebuilders.
The study focused on four major ‘green’ indicators:
1. Energy Use
2. Building Material Use
3. Water Use
4. Land Use and Conservation of Open Space and Habitat
The Homebuilders ranked as follows:
1. KB Homes
2. D.R. [...]
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Austin Energy Green Building’s™ Green Home Checklist
Make Your Home a Greener Place to Live
A green home is an earth and people-friendly [...]
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Kyoto Accord or not, it seems clear that Canadians are preparing to help lead the way in learning to live “green” - by adopting new habits and ideas that reduce the impact our lifestyles have on the planet. And if you make some changes as a homeowner, you’ll have the added benefit of a healthier [...]
If you’re remodeling your home, or building your dream home from scratch (lucky you!), installing a brand new floor might be on your list. There are many materials to choose from, each with different pros, cons, and looks. If you are trying to live green (make environmentally friendly remodeling choices), you may want to consider [...]