Quality Handyman Services

Things You’ll Need:
CFL bulbs
Power strips
Solar lighting
Common sense

Step 1
CFL bulb
Install CFL bulbs throughout your house. This is as easy as “screwing in a light bulb!” If you don’t know what a CFL bulb is, see the picture. Personally, I wait until my old incandescent bulbs die. Which actually doesn’t take long. No sense in throwing away money already spent.

Step 2
Power strip
Unplug all electrical devices when not in use. Many devices, such as cell phone chargers televisions and computers continue to use energy even when they are shut off. You know, that little red lit or the digital clock on the DVD player? That’s extra power use, and you get charged for it. This is a simple fix! Plug these items into a power strip that can be shut off when use/charging is done.

Also, turn that light off when not in use. My parents hollered at me all the time for this one, so I was going green since I was old enough to turn on a light switch.

Step 3
Solar light
Install outdoor solar lighting. Many home improvement stores now sell a wide variety of outdoor solar lights that use no electricity at all. Path lighting, motion detection lighting all work well for lowering your electrical usage.

Also, take advantage of natural sunlight. Open your blinds or drapes, install skylights or sky tubes. I installed a sky tube in my very dark kitchen last year and kept hitting the switch, thinking someone left the light on.

Step 4
Ceiling fan
Your air conditioner wastes alot of electricity. Set your thermostat a couple of degrees higher in the summer and use ceiling fans to supplement staying cool. Yes, I know, ceiling fans use electricity also, but they don’t use as much as your A/C unit does.

Step 5
Hang your clothes out on a clothesline. Electric clothes dryers are a big electric energy waster. Hanging out your clothes uses only sun, wind and your energy! And even if you have a gas dryer, you can save on your gas bill also!)

These are a few simple, inexpensive ways to start saving on your electrical bill. Why not go ahead and try a few and go green for the planet.

By temptfate
User-Submitted Article

Tags: Green home renovations by Jerry
Comments Off

An organic garden brings a vibrant and colourful touch to any eco home. But instead of just the run of the mill vegie patch out the back, having a garden professionally conceived by a landscape architect can add a unique aspect that highlights your own green passion.

“Landscape architecture is a combination of science and art,” says landscape architect Steve Batley from Sydney Organic Gardens. To Batley, the process of designing a sustainable garden for an eco home involves a world of creativity while employing good practical design that works with nature.

A well designed garden is a living ecosystem that encourages animals and people to interact with nature. Children love connecting with the earth and gardening is a great way to teach them to cherish the environment.

Here are some handy tips to consider for your own organic garden:

Eco Home Tip #12 – Save water – Use water wise plants that are native to the area. Water tanks are also great water saving devices.

Eco Home Tip # 13 – Organic smorgasbord – Mix in your vegies with native plants. Including edibles with native plants is “good for pest management,” says Batley.

Eco Home Tip #14 – Passive solar for the greens – consider passive solar principles in your garden. Make the most of sunnier areas for plants, while shady spots are great for benches and relaxing.

Eco Home Tip #15 – Farmer knows best – Farmers periodically rotate their crops to maximise the use of the soil. You can do the same in your vegie patch, try rotating your vegies through different parts of the garden to make the most of the nutrients in the soil.

With the right planning and care, your garden can be the perfect organic haven for both you and native wildlife. Find more great organic gardening tips in the Green Pages <a onClick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(‘/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.thegreenpages.com.au”>green</a> directory.

Tags: Green home renovations by Jerry
Comments Off

Setting up a good green home starts with energy efficiency. Traditional incandescent light globes lose almost 90 per cent of their energy in generating heat – only 10 per cent of the electricity used is actually going into lighting your room. And because of their various filaments and parts, incandescent bulbs generally have a much shorter life span than their more energy efficient counter parts.

Installing energy efficient globes is one of the most cost effective and easiest options available for a good green home. Some companies had even traditionally given out energy and water saving “packs” for people to try out. Nowadays, these energy saving globes are available everywhere – so the question becomes, which light fitting is right for you?

Eco Home Tip # 36 – The lowdown on CFL – Compact Fluorescent (CFLs) are the most common energy saving fitting. CFLs use just about 20 percent of the energy required for the same amount of light from an incandescent globe and last 10 times as as long. All in all, a CFL will help reduce the cost of lighting your home by as much as 60 %.

Eco Home Tip # 37 – Keep your CFLs close, if shaded – a British study last year revealed that CFLs produced a small amount of UV radiation when used unshaded and in close proximity. Open globes were of note, which “encapsulated” globes were considered safe. So if you’re using a work lamp with a CFL, keep it shaded of opt for an encapsulated globe instead.

Eco Home Tip # 38 – Recycling your CFLs – The typical CFL contains a minute 4 mg of mercury sealed in its glass tubing. Some manufacturers have lowered its CFL mercury content to as little as 1 – 2.5 mg. Handle your CFLs with care and take advantage of recycling programs for CFLs to keep mercury from ending up in landfill.

Eco Home Tip # 39 – Leading by example with LEDs – Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are another popular energy efficient lighting option, especially to replace halogen globes and downlights in your home. The small cluster of diodes can be arranged in a number of configurations and sizes to suit your home. LEDs have been traditionally found in electronics including clocks, and have a variety of uses in terms of producing a broad spectrum of bright coloured light. LEDs are the perfect substitute to the more heat intensive halogen globes and last for over 50,000 – 60,000 hours and uses 70 percent less energy than standard halogen globes. LEDs are also mercury free.

Lighting a home can account for as much as 20 percent of a home’s energy use. Energy saving lights are simply a bright idea for your green home.

Looking for more eco home tips and ideas? Visit the Green Pages directory for more great eco home tips and ideas!

Tags: Green home renovations by Jerry
Comments Off