How green is your home? Take a look at this list and see how your home stacks up:

Do you have Energy-Star appliances? Refrigerators are known to use a lot of energy and a new refrigerator can save you up to $150 per year according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (Energy-star appliances use 10-50% less energy and water than older models.)

Temperature in Your Home
Keeping the thermostat down in colder weather and higher during warm months affects your energy use and bill. Each degree below 68 degree F in colder months saves 3-5% of heating energy. A thermostat at 78 degrees F in warmer times will also save money and energy. (Use a programmable thermostat to help regulate temperatures.)

Additional insulation in your home will help to prevent leaks from ducts, walls, windows and doors and thus improve your home’s energy use.

Water Usage

• An aerator on faucets can help cut water consumption by 50%
• Low-flow commodes use 1.6 gallons per flush (versus 3.5 gallons in pre-1994 models)
• Turn off the water when brushing your teeth and save 4.5 gallons each time

See more water-saving products here.

Lights
Compact Fluorescent light bulbs use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and they last a lot longer.

Installing New Flooring
Think bamboo if you are planning on installing new floors. Bamboo is fast-paced in replenishing its resource with 4-6 years for bamboo to mature versus 50-100 years for hardwood trees.

Paint
Use zero or low-VOC paint (made by most major paint manufacturers today) instead of paints with toxic metals and solvents.

Cleaners
Use “green” cleaners to reduce air pollution.

Interested in learning more? Go to the US Environmental Agency’s Green Building webpages here for more tips.