Home Improvement Tips

  • When building your home -- or upgrading your current home -- install energy-saving windows and doors.
  • Upgrade to a low-flow toilet. Old toilets use 5 to 7 gallons of water per flush. New ones use 1.6 gallons.
  • Upgrade your washing machine. Old washing machines use 50 gallons per cycle. New ones cut it almost in half, to 27 gallons.
  • Upgrade your refrigerator. A bottom-freezer refrigerator, for instance, is not only cheaper to operate (a refrigerator is a major power eater for houses) but provides more interior room in a better configuration than a side-by-side.
  • Put in a hood fan and vent to avoid heating up the kitchen and making your AC work harder.
  • Renovate your home with recycled and reclaimed materials. Use reclaimed flooring, vintage light fixtures and products from recyclers.

Get the whole family involved!

  • Have your family establish one day each week as Energy Savers Day. Turn off TVs, computers, video games and any other electronic gadgets.
  • Use the time to read or play games.
  • Have your children research ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. Many organizations feature Kids Pages on their websites.
  • Have a family picnic to avoid using the stove or microwave.

Other Great Ideas

  • Plant bamboo. Bamboo produces more oxygen and sequesters more carbon then trees. Non invasive types for Florida are available.
  • Buying locally grown or produced foods, whether organic or not, is a boost to local farmers and it saves on gallons of transport fuel.
  • Cook in bulk. If you have to heat up the oven, do it for more than one dinner and freeze meal-sized portions. This saves energy and frees up your time.
  • BYOB - Bring your own bag to the store.

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