EBook Excerpt: The Professional Home Audit

Here is the last in our weekly series of excerpts from the EBook, “6 Weeks to a Greener Lifestyle.” See the note at the end of this post for more information. — Paula

Even if you are a seriously dedicated DIY (do it yourself) enthusiast, you are best served in the long-run by hiring a professional to perform a home audit. A well-done audit requires special knowledge and skills, and even some special equipment.

Special recommendation: check with your local utility provider to see what audit services it provides or recommends. Often your local utility will offer a free home audit (mine does). If so, this is a great way to get a start on improving the energy and water efficiency of your home without spending a dime out-of-pocket.

A high-quality auditor will visit the location and do a complete and formal inspection of the property. They might request utility bills from the previous year, and they will assess each and every system and appliance in the home. Their goal will be to show the homeowner how to reduce the costs permanently while also making the home much greener. Remember, this is not some sort of mold or toxin inspection, or some other form of home inspection, for that matter. It is simply an energy usage assessment, which will involve a look at everything from doors and windows to light bulbs and caulking. Continue reading “EBook Excerpt: The Professional Home Audit”

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EBook Excerpt: Home Energy Consumption Breakdown

Here is the next in our weekly series of excerpts from the EBook, “6 Weeks to a Greener Lifestyle.” See the note at the end of this post for more information. — Paula

What are the biggest consumers of energy and resources in and around the home?

On average, most homes existing within modern industrialized nations will use their energy in approximately the following percentages:

· Heating – 31%
· Cooling – 12%
· Water heating – 12%
· Lighting – 11%
· Computers and electronics – 9%
· Appliances – 9%
· Refrigeration/freezing – 8%
· Other – 8%

This data indicate that improvements in the efficiency of these various areas of the home will automatically lower costs. Many of the improvements that lead to a “greener” home can be made without a lot of out-of-pocket expense.

How? Continue reading “EBook Excerpt: Home Energy Consumption Breakdown”

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EBook Excerpt: What Does It Mean To Go Green?

Here is the next in our weekly series of excerpts from the EBook, “6 Weeks to a Greener Lifestyle.” See the note at the end of this post for more information. — Paula

I know you have heard the terminology many times, but can you give a clear explanation about the meaning of the phrase “green lifestyle”? What does it mean to “go green”? What are the implications of “going green” on your current lifestyle?

Living a green lifestyle means focusing on using resources – energy, water, materials – more efficiently. It also means reducing waste and minimizing the negative environmental impact of your activities. The lifestyle choices you make will affect both your local environment and the global environment. You can live greener through both your consumer choices and your lifestyle choices.

Generally speaking, anyone who is trying to establish a green lifestyle will consider both the short-term and the long-term implications of their day-to-day choices. This could mean something as simple as making a concerted effort to commute in a greener way by carpooling, bicycling, or taking public transportation or it could involve planning errands so that trips by car for groceries and basic shopping needs each week are minimized in order to save gas and reduce emissions. Continue reading “EBook Excerpt: What Does It Mean To Go Green?”

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E-book: 6 Weeks to a Greener Lifestyle

One of our bloggers at Village Green, Steve Stillwater, has written an EBook entitled, “6 Weeks to a Greener Lifestyle.” The book lays out a plan that most people can follow to create a greener lifestyle, including how to conserve water, reduce energy consumption, increase recycling, and reuse many items. In addition to establishing a greener and healthier lifestyle, another happy result is a significant savings of money. We like the book so much at Village Green that we are going to run a series of weekly excerpts here on our blog to give you an idea of what the book contains. If you like what you see, follow the link provided to learn more and, if you choose, buy and download the entire EBook in pdf format. And remember, EBooks are green!

To your greener, healthier lifestyle,

Paula

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How Green Are E-Books?

E-books are a wonderful invention.

They are the ultimate in simplicity. Literally – there is no physical product. No paper. No book cover. No ink.

An e-book is just a digitally formatted version of a print book. Nothing more than some computer code on a hard drive. A thousand or more e-books can be carried around easily on a small laptop computer or a magazine-sized reading device like the Kindle, Nook, or iPad.

So, are e-books green? How green? In two words:  yes, very.

In my opinion, there is no greener way to read.

Here are the facts. Each print book requires resources that include paper, ink, and other materials, plus energy for manufacturing, transportation, and delivery. There are also greenhouse gas emissions, estimated at Continue reading “How Green Are E-Books?”

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  • Paula Gallagher
    Paula Gallagher
    Paula is a highly qualified and experienced nutrition counselor on the staff at Village Green.
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    Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, ND is a pioneer of integrative medicine and a leading authority on science-based natural medicine.
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