Go green in three easy steps

By Holly Weatherwax

This advertorial article was supplied by the Dulles Area Association of REALTORS.

Everywhere you turn, you hear that you should be "greening your home" or becoming more "environmentally friendly." For many of us, there is so much information to absorb that we tend to do very little.

Whether you’re a homeowner or renter, there are some easy things that you can do to reduce your carbon footprint that take very little extra effort. Here are three things you could do this week:

  1. Change your thermostat by one degree. Studies show that for every one degree you adjust it (up in the summer, down in the winter), you can save up to 3 percent on your energy bills.

  2. Install a programmable thermostat. Available on the Internet and at home improvement centers, some of these are priced as low as $21.99. If your house sits empty during the day, wouldn’t you rather pay less to keep it warm or cool? For renters, the case could be made to landlords that a professionally installed improvement to their property would be beneficial in the long-run.

  3. Recycle: Most trash companies offer curbside recycling of glass, plastic, aluminum and cardboard. Even if yours does not, local governments have center-based recycling that you can take advantage of while out doing errands (combining errands is a great way to save fuel). For information on locations, visit www.loudoun.gov and http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/living/recycling/

Although taking these three steps may not be as significant as installing solar panels or a geothermal heat pump, they are small ways to work toward minimizing your impact on the environment and preserving our earth for future generations. Maybe it’ll save you some money too.

For more information, visit the Dulles Area Association of REALTORS Green Real Estate Tool Kit at www.dullesarea.com (type “green” in the search engine).

Holly Weatherwax, associate broker with Momentum Realty and EcoBroker, is a member of the Dulles Area Association of REALTORS Green Real Estate Work Group and Communications Committee. She can be reached at 571-643-4902 or hollyweatherwax@mris.com.