GOING GREEN


PREMIUM RESIDENTIAL building & REMODELING FIRM
IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA

 

If you're thinking about greening your home, the kitchen is a great place to start. The appliances and sink in your kitchen use very large amounts of water and energy, and in many homes the kitchen is used throughout the day.

 

  1. Use Energy-Saving Appliances. You can greatly reduce your energy and water usage and your greenhouse gas production by using ENERGY STAR appliances. You'll also save money! Start with your refrigerator - make sure it is an Energy Star version. And, do you really need two refrigerators? If so, make sure the second is efficient too, especially if it is in your hot garage. Your dishwasher is a quadruple opportunity: you save energy (1) and associated emissions (2), water (3) and wastewater(4). Look for an Energy Star dishwasher or better.

  2. Use skylights / solar tubes, compact fluorescent or LED lighting. A standard or tubular skylight saves energy for as long as you own your home. For kitchen light fixtures, make sure to use compact fluorescent or LED bulbs. They last much longer (5-20x) and use 25% or less electricity compared to standard bulbs.

  3. Get green cleaners. Use non-toxic, organic dish soap, detergent and cleaners. They are healthier for your family and work as well as standard products.

  4. Recycle and re-use. Can you rinse that Ziploc & use it again? And don’t get plastic bags every time you go for groceries–use durable reusable sacks.

  5. Fill your dishwasher as full as possible. Fewer big loads save you money and energy. And, only wash things in the sink if they can’t be washed in the dishwasher (the machine uses less water and energy than you would!).

  6. Get an aerating faucet attachment. These easy screw-on upgrades aerate your water so that you get the same cleaning power with much less water. Putting one on your kitchen sink can save hundreds of gallons of water, significant amounts of energy and hundreds of pounds of carbon dioxide per year.

 

Rain Forest