subject: How to Green Your Apartment [print this page] Living green, being green; even if you aren't a talking frog it's all the rage these days, but what does this mean for people who live in an apartment besides separating glass and plastic and recycling newspapers? With the number of products and small adjustments that can be made to your apartment, you can green your space and see the savings in your wallet in no time!
Lighten Up
Did you know that if every home replaced just one light with a bulb that's ENERGY STAR certified, like a CFL (compact fluorescent light bulb) there would be enough energy to light 3 million homes for a year, save about $600 million in annual energy costs?
CFL bulbs are easily available and can save more than $40 in electricity costs over the lifetime of the bulb and it produces less 75% less heat than a standard bulb, decreasing the cooling needs of your apartment.
Ease Off the Waterworks
There are a number of ways to save water and reduce your consumption. Obviously the easiest is to turn off the faucet when you're brushing your teeth or washing your face. You can take this one step further by placing an aerator on all faucets in your apartment and cut your annual water consumption by 50%.
Clean With the Power of Green
Toss out your old cleaning supplies and replace them with products that include grain alcohol instead of toxic butyl cellosolve, commonly found in carpet cleaner and some window cleaners as a solvent; coconut or other plant oils rather than petroleum in detergents; and plant-oil disinfectants such as eucalyptus, rosemary or sage rather than triclosan, an antifungal agent found in soaps and deodorant.
Another idea is to skip the cleaning supplies all together and make your own using simple ingredients such as plain soap, water, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), vinegar, club soda (sodium carbonate) and lemon. This will save not only the environment, but your wallet as well!
Creating a living space in your apartment that's environmentally friendly doesn't have to mean a total life change, it just means being more mindful of your every day tasks and the products you purchase. By following these tips, you'll be saving money and the Earth in no time!
View 14 is a new, luxury apartment building located in the U Street Corridor of Washington, D.C. that provides pet-friendly apartment homes with sustainable features.
