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16
green house
by JYL DEHAVEN
Color Your World Green
CHANGE JUST ONE THING, AND YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO GOING GREEN
Going Green — yawn. As I sit at the computer trying to put
this article together, I realize that we may be reaching the point of
over saturation when it comes to “green.” Every paper, magazine
and new TV show seems to have something about going green. We
are constantly reminded that energy savings is at a critical stage, and
everyone has felt the burden of high gas prices. So, what should a
person do? Is this really all the fault of the big oil companies and
their need to make more money?
In this first Green House column, you will see how shifting your
lifestyle choices can be one of the most powerful things you can do.
Why should you care about going green? Most of you are either
parents or have children that hold a place near and dear to your
hearts. I have a 15-year-old son who believes that we grownups have
screwed up the world almost beyond repair, and he is probably
right. What pulled me into this wild and crazy world we call
“green” was the need to be able to look him in the eyes and know
that I am in fact trying to fix what is broken. It isn’t too late. The
technology and commercial availability of products, as well as the
volume of knowledge out there on going green is huge. So, this is
my way of giving you yet one more tool in your tool chest to make
it easier to go green, starting with just one thing.
Have you ever stood in the hardware store and debated whether
to spend the extra money to purchase compact fluorescent light
bulbs, filled your car’s tank and wondered if it was time to buy a
hybrid, or pondered the concept of organic milk and produce versus
mainstream? For many of us, this green movement is a lot like the
adventures about 10 years ago when all of the nutrition articles were
coming out. One day we were all supposed to eat a certain fruit,
and the next day someone had found that if eaten in excess, it
would cause cancer. One day bacon was good, and the next bacon
was going to kill you. One day organic was hype, the next it was a
good thing. Over time, we realized that it was up to us to figure out
what was true.
Going green and being sustainable are just ways that humans
need to figure out how to keep the earth healthy and how to manage
its resources, both natural (earth, air, water) and living (humans,
plants, animals), while adding the resource of economics to the picture.
As much as I love living in a Pollyanna world, money is still a
very valid part of that world. The good news is that it now makes
economic sense to become a green consumer.
It can be as simple as changing a few light bulbs. It is one of the
best things you can do for the environment and your budget.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs use at least two-thirds less energy
than standard incandescent bulbs to provide the same amount of
light, and they last up to 10 times longer. CFL bulbs also generate
70 percent less heat, so they are safer to operate and also can reduce
energy costs associated with cooling homes and offices. CFL bulbs
actually are beneficial to the environment. According to Energy
Star, if every American home replaced just one light bulb with an
house& home | August 2008 | house andhomeonline.com
ABOVE:
Make a difference by switching out
your light bulbs for energy-efficient
Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs
(CFLs). Photo courtesy U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency,
ENERGY STAR Program
Energy Star-qualified bulb, we
would save enough energy to
light more than 3 million homes
for a year, more than $600 million
in annual energy costs, and
prevent greenhouse gases equivalent
to the emissions of more
than 800,000 cars.
A minor drawback to the CFL
bulbs is that each bulb contains about
5 milligrams of mercury. This simply
means that the disposal of the bulbs
needs to be handled slightly differently,
no big deal. The bulbs should be
recycled, depending on your local
recycling program, as to prevent them
from ending up in landfills where
they could contaminate soil, air and
groundwater. So, now it’s on your todo
list. Change out light bulbs and
give the swirly guy a try.
Now your homework assignment:
As you are changing out one or
a dozen light bulbs, think about what you want to learn next, and
e-mail your questions to gogreen@goinggreenusa.net.
Jyl DeHaven resides in Fort Worth, and is CEO of Green Urban Development. For the past
eight years, she has focused on the rapidly growing green industry and has become a
regional expert in the integrative approach to developing sustainable and smart growth
development projects. She is also co-founder of a nonprofit organization, Green Collar Vets.
Create Mood With the Right Light
Energy Star-qualified CFLs can produce varying shades of white light. The
shade of white light is identified by the correlated color temperature, which
is measured in kelvin (K).
Lower kelvin numbers mean the light has a warmer color, while higher
Kelvin numbers mean the light has a cooler color.
The majority of CFLs available in the market offer soft or warm white
light (2700K–3000K), which is comparable to an incandescent bulb. This
color range works well in most residential settings and enhances warmer
colors (red, yellow, orange) found in your home.
Qualified CFLs are also available in higher kelvin color temperature
CFLs (3500K, 4100K, 5000K, 6500K) and will emit more white to bluishwhite
light. These products are usually identified with the terms “bright
white,” “natural” or “daylight.” These colors will enhance cooler colors (blue,
green, violet) in your home.
Source: Energy Star