This is a list of Things I would do to this house if I wasn’t renting. (When you rent you don’t get to renovate.)
1. I’d put in a garden. It wouldn’t be large but right now anything I grow myself would help. I would get fresher veggies, use less gas to go to the store and I could guarantee that it is organic.
2. I would add solar power. So far as I can tell we get plenty of sunlight here in Long Island and the electric bill is rather high. (even though we haven’t need the AC and the lights stay off all day.) I believe this would pay for itself very very quickly here.
3. I would replace the old appliances with Energy Star appliances (this is probable where most of our electric bill comes from.)
4. I would have the house tested for air leaks then have them sealed to save on heating and cooling costs.
5. I would install Low Flow toilets to save water.
6. I would add water barrels to the gutters to save the water run off use in the summer on the grass and the garden.
7. I would have a full size compost bin instead of the small (hidden from the landlord) pile that I have now. Composting is the ultimate in reuse and recycling
8. I pull up the boring overgrown bushes in the flowerbed then using xeriscaping to reintroduce the plants that belong here in Long Island. Then add bird houses, bat houses, and a water feature to create a habitat for local wild life.
9. I would install drip irrigation instead of the spray one that is there now. There is so much water wasted with that thing you wouldn’t believe it. The owner pays the water bill so I can’t complain if she wants to water the grass (sidewalk, road and my car) every day.
10. I would add a tank-less or solar powered water heater to the house. A tank-less water heater heats water as you use it so you aren’t constantly reheating the same water over and over. A solar powered water heater uses solar energy to heat the water. My choice would be based on what is available locally and which model I could get that gives me the most bang for my environmental buck.
5 comments:
Hi, your blog says you live in AR yet you reference Long Island. You mention you are renting and I am selling my awesome green house in an awesome town. I have all of the features you mention and then some. You can see the pics on my blog. Good luck!
Sorry I forgot to change my bio we just move here to Long Island in July. My husband is in the Military so we move alot
You could do container gardening to grow your own veggies.
You can put a brick down in the toilet tank to displace some of the water - creating your own hand made low water tank.
Oh - composting - my pile has threatened to take over the back yard. I did not realize just how BIG it would grow in such a short time.
Can't help much with the whole solar power thing. I would love to install solar panels here, but we have to get HOA approval first - and then there's the up front expense...
Hi Mom You should check into the solar yes it has an upfront cost but most places its a tax deductable cost. I'm going to try the container garden next year its too late in the year to start one now LOL. Yeah compost piles grow out of control if you let them. Make sure you turn it often to help it cook faster. and if the kids leave any juice or soft drinks behind the sugar is a sure fire way to heat up the pile
Just found your blog(s), and I am glad I did - I'll be reading them from now on :)
I was going to ask why you move around so much, but I see you mentioned that your husband is in the military. Oh well, I was going to see if you were maybe interested in making one last move, to an environment that sounds like it would be just your cup of tea (so to speak), but I guess moving is not really you choice.
Still, if your husband leaves the service any time soon (or anytime at all), you can look us up at www.ecoactuality.com and see if our little project interests you :)
Take care, and keep up the good fight!
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