We've All Heard Often Enough That It's Time To

According to the EPA, toilet flushing accounts for 30-40% of in home water use. Like any other appliance, if you shop for the Energy Star, you'll be buying a hot water heater that is highly rated for efficiency. Check with salvage companies nearby to find out what's available. In many cases, the greener alternative costs no more than or even less than the traditional option. Despite all the public knowledge about the importance of sustainable and renewable building practices, there's still a lot of resistance to the idea of "going green".If you're redesigning your outdoor space, you'll find some surprising ways to reduce your use of energy and increase the efficiency of your home. There are a lot of things that you can do on a shoestring budget (see my article from last week for some ideas) that don't require any major investment of either time or energy. In Florida, you can get a code credit if you replace your current roof with a white tile or white metal roof.Obviously, it's not financially feasible for most of us to completely gut our homes and replace them with totally green and environmentally responsible buildings, but that's not the only way to accomplish the goal of living a greener life. In addition, many Florida utility companies offer incentive programs to encourage the use of solar hot water heaters. You can take bigger steps toward living a greener life when you're ready to make major renovations to your home. According to the Department of Energy, you can save up to $600 a year in energy costs by replacing your current appliances with Energy Star rated appliances. Light colored paint costs no more than any other color, but it can significantly reduce the amount of energy you'll use to cool your home because it reflects heat instead of absorbing it.Additional cost: depends on appliances and styles chosen Savings: Up to $600 annually Buying a new clothes dryer? One that uses a sensor to time drying rather than a timer can save you up to 15% in energy costs by reducing the amount of time your dryer runs. A solar pool heating system can virtually eliminate the $500-$1,500 per year that it costs to heat an outdoor swimming pool in Florida. Bathroom RenovationsMultiple shower heads at different levels may be temptingly luxurious, but you get points as a greener home if each shower in your home has one shower head. In addition, there are other things you can do when replacing a roof that will cut energy use and conserve resources. In addition, the Florida Green Home Standard from the Florida Green Building Association suggests that you install a sanitation system that reduces the need for chlorine and other chemicals. You'll also see a bonus when it's time to sell - kitchen upgrades and new, energy efficient appliances are a huge selling point with home buyers. Take a look at what it will cost you to choose green in some of these popular home renovations:Repainting/Re-siding. Make it a low flow shower head to reduce water usage, and add a low flow toilet to reduce water use even further.We've all heard often enough that it's time to start thinking and acting green. If you're not ready to make the plunge to solar, there are low energy electric and gas alternatives. Xeriscaping can save you the cost of a sprinkler system since native plants are designed to flourish on Nature's sprinkling with no assistance from manmade irrigation. Depending on the program, you could receive a credit of up to $450 on your electric bill to.