Living "green" in Atlanta (Gray: appliances, how much, house)

[LoufromNewYork]

I was reading this article on AJC (http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/fayette/stories/2008/07/18/solar_powered_home.html - broken link) about someone that shed some light to me about the idea of incorporation more eco-friendly ideas (ex. solar panels) into our daily lives. It helps out the earth, but can also help us out by lowering our electric bills and helping us keep some green in our wallets.

I wanted to find out what other people were doing, and see if I can follow someone else's lead.

[Pcola110]

Adding solar panels to roof is very expensive (if you have the means too by all means go right ahead) and you need to be in an area where you get plenty of sun throughout the year. Too save on electricity, I suggest setting your thermostat between 65-67 degrees or whatever the highest temperature (< 70 degrees) you can comfortably deal with in your residence, changing the air filters for hvac really helps to keep dust from building up in air ducts and cuts down on how offen you a/c turns on and off during the day while it's running, adding ceiling fans (if you don't already have them install) to circulate the air in your house, limiting family members from standing with the refrigerator door open staring at the same contents over and over for 20 minutes or more. Upgrading your appliances to energy efficient ones (be sure to look at how much electricity it would cost to operate on a yearly basis) if your own your residence.

[rswlguy]

Originally Posted by LoufromNewYork

I wanted to find out what other people were doing, and see if I can follow someone else's lead.

This perhaps may not be the "greenest" idea, but I started doing this when the Level 4 drought was declared in Cobb County.

I reuse my wash and rinse water from the washer machine. My house is designed that the laundry room is on the 1st floor. (Multi-level house).

I bought some PVC pipe and installed another "drain recepticle" in the laundry room. When the washer spins out the used water, instead of going into the sewer, I fills up two "soaker" hoses in the front and/or back yard and drains out accordingly. I had to poke a few holes in the black soaker hose because once it drained "too fast" and I had a flood inside. But it works great now. Cost me about $20-30 in PVC pipe, fittings and connectors.

Cannot do this if I use bleach or anything like that. Seems to keep my azaleas and other plants from drying up.

[martarider]

Originally Posted by rswlguy

I bought some PVC pipe and installed another "drain recepticle" in the laundry room.

Very cool... Did you have to cut a hole through your exterior wall?

[rswlguy]

Originally Posted by martarider

Very cool... Did you have to cut a hole through your exterior wall?

Thank you kindly ... actually since the laundry room is right above the "crawl space" ... just went straight down with the PVC ... then utilized the existing braces and yes, cut a hole to accomodate the PVC to the outside and easily caulked and weather-proofed. End capped with "male" faucet end which the hose is coupled onto. It's very indiscreet, hardly seen.

I believe years ago when folks used a wash tub they called this "gray water" that they "reused". I think that's how the old saying, "don't throw the baby out with the bath water?"

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by LoufromNewYork

I was reading this article on AJC (http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/fayette/stories/2008/07/18/solar_powered_home.html - broken link) about someone that shed some light to me about the idea of incorporation more eco-friendly ideas (ex. solar panels) into our daily lives. It helps out the earth, but can also help us out by lowering our electric bills and helping us keep some green in our wallets.

I wanted to find out what other people were doing, and see if I can follow someone else's lead.

I'd guess if you guys raise my taxes enough and force me to buy solar panels then it's a good deal.......

I ride the xpress bus, I buy one tank of gas per month (15 gallons). I don't do it to be 'green'.

I recycle all my 'cans' for the lst 20+ years. It's not to be 'green'.

There's only 2 people in my house, we take short showers.

If you ask me to spend more money to save, I'm going to tell you to go %uck yourself!

[LoufromNewYork]

That's the thing though. Being enviromentally conscious happens in a bunch of ways and it's not for the sole purpose of being green, that's just a fancy tagline people have given to it.

We've relied on so many people and companies for so many things that now many of us are at a point where we have to learn how to do more for ourselves. It helps us all to become more resourceful.

"Gray water" is a great idea since the water can be better used instead of wasting it. It's just hard if you don't have it already set it up to set it up. At least that's the trouble I've been running into.

There are actually some other really simple things that help conserve and preserve that I've learned about.

-Using CFL's instead of regular bulbs in fixtures that end up getting turned on often or for long periods of time.

-Making sure the caulking around windows and fireplace are in good shape. (Learned about this one the hard way.)

-Make sure the seal around doors is tight to prevent warm air from leaving in the winter or cool air in the summer.

-Using shades to shield sun in the summer, so you don't need the AC so much. Using curtains also works really well too.

Solar's been around for decades, and it's gonna take a while for it to get more mainstream. I mean, I can't spend $20,000 when I only use 100/month in electricity a month. It would take more than a decade to recoup, and I'm not even sure I'll be in this house that long.

I take MARTA, but I guess I'm curious to see how other people are coping to find out what extra I and others can be doing.

[rswlguy]

Originally Posted by LoufromNewYork

We've relied on so many people and companies for so many things that now many of us are at a point where we have to learn how to do more for ourselves. It helps us all to become more resourceful.

That is so very true. It's very surprising how $$$ can be saved for the smallest attention to details.

Originally Posted by LoufromNewYork

"Gray water" is a great idea since the water can be better used instead of wasting it. It's just hard if you don't have it already set it up to set it up. At least that's the trouble I've been running into.

I was very lucky since the house was designed whereas the W/D was on the 1st level of the house (originally unfinished). Below that is the "crawl space" therefore easily accessible. That was a really easy thing to do (in my mind) however as you stated, difficult in other setups.

Originally Posted by LoufromNewYork

There are actually some other really simple things that help conserve and preserve that I've learned about.

-Using CFL's instead of regular bulbs in fixtures that end up getting turned on often or for long periods of time.

-Making sure the caulking around windows and fireplace are in good shape. (Learned about this one the hard way)

-Make sure the seal around doors is tight to prevent warm air from leaving in the winter or cool air in the summer.

Those are all great ideas. They really DO save $$$ to the consumer and help the 'green' idea(s) even further. First I started with the programmable thermostat which saved a great deal. However the caulking and sealing really made all the difference.

I'm a bigger proponent of "motion sensors". It would be difficult for me to replace all the lighting fixtures in the house (most all is recessed lighting) with the CFL bulbs simply because they won't fit (have mini low voltage). But they are all on dimmers.

Thank you for all the nice points and proactive tips.

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by LoufromNewYork

-Using CFL's instead of regular bulbs in fixtures that end up getting turned on often or for long periods of time.
.

Yeah but until this month there was no where to recycle them and they contain harmful materials. Home Depot now recycles them.

I still don't believe in 'us' causing global warming. I believe in warming, but we're not the major cause. This wasn't even discussed 5 years ago.

I also don't want to pay taxes on going 'green', let private corps lead the way with tax breaks by the govt. Not the govt. trying to enforce green.

I also take my coffee mug with me to starbucks. The give me $.20 off and I'm 'green'.

You don't have to shove 'green' down people's throats. You just have to make it cheaper! There's no way in Hell I'd by a hybrid right now, not cost effective.

[atlantagreg30127]

Well, some folks go all-out with the stuff, and I have to be honest, I don't do as much as I probably could. But then, I don't have thousands of dollars laying around to invest in windmills or solar panels, either. I DO agree though, that more Federal money should be invested into solar, wind, and water generated electric plants.

On a personal level, I replaced most of the indoor and outdoor light bulbs in my house with compact fluorescent bulbs (I'll switch to LED bulbs once they hit the mass market and prices go down enough). I stopped drinking bottled water and instead now use a combination double filter by having a Pur filter on my faucet and fill my Brita pitcher from that (yeah, I'm anal). I use rechargeable AA batteries in stuff that will work with them instead of throwaway alkalines. I use "green" cleaners on stuff they work on best around the house, and put filled up water bottles in the toilets so I save 20 ounces of water every time I flush.

So - that's what I do. Not as much as some folks, but a lot more than many others.