Go Green At Home

Check out these tips for going green in your home and garden:

Building green

Go Solar!
Add solar panels to your home and experience a long-term reduction in electricity costs. Ask us about reduced financing to add solar to your home.

Never wait to insulate!
Add insulation to lower energy bills during the hottest and coldest times of the year. Common types include fiberglass, cellulose, rigid foam board and spray foam.

Choose Paint wisely
Choose low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints and primers. Check for products certified by Green Seal.

Install Marmoleum
Available in a variety of colors and styles, this natural, durable flooring can be installed without using glue. Marmoleum is also recyclable and biodegradable at the end of its life.

Seal your ducts
You can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20 percent when you seal your ducts, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Energy

CFL light bulbs
Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, which use 25 percent of the normal light bulb wattage, last up to 10 times longer and save you $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb’s lifetime, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ENERGY STAR
When you purchase a new appliance or electronic product, make sure you choose an ENERGY STAR-certified product to save the environment and your pocketbook.

Unplug it!
Unplug electronic products when not being used. In the average home, 40 percent of all electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Landscaping and gardening

Native plants
When you plant flowers and shrubs that are well-suited to the Colorado climate, you'll end up using less fertilizer and pesticides.

Reuse grass clippings
Leave your grass clippings on the lawn. Since these clippings release nitrogen, you'll avoid the cost and environmental impact of fertilizer.

Go Solar...again!
Try solar-powered lighting in your yard or on your patio.

Water

Plant a rain garden
These amazing, specialized rain gardens soak up water from nearby roofs, driveways and sidewalks. The naturally filtered water ends up in local aquifers, rivers and other bodies of water.

WaterSense toilets
Today’s average toilet accounts for one-third of home water consumption, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA’s WaterSense label certifies high-efficiency toilets that could reduce water bills by about 10 percent.

Measure your use
Calculate your water use and find ways to conserve more water (and money), using the online calculator from Regional Water Providers Consortium

Install a rain barrel
Collect natural rainwater to use in your garden. You’ll spend some money on the rain barrel itself, but it won’t take long to recover the cost, thanks to a lower water bill.

Fix the faucet
A dripping faucet can waste gallons of water every day! Install washerless faucets and update the washers on your sinks and showers.