Be Inspired to Think GREEN!

As you start your new projects or dream of completing current ones, think green! Making conscious decisions to use environmentally friendly products is easier than you might think and actually saves you money, and more important, our planet.

Here at Project Kraemer Lane we’re thinking green as part of our whole house renovation. Something as simple as a changing light bulb can make a huge impact. We’ve recently begun using Energy Star compact fluorescent light bulbs which last up to 10 times longer and use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs. Imagine this: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if every American home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, save more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

• Consider using Energy Star rated/water efficient appliances
• Install programmable thermostats and radiant flooring
• Repair, Replace, Sustain by using existing materials
• Use Low- or No- VOC paints and finishes

For the truly environmentally-conscious homeowner, the opportunities to help the environment are growing every day and it’s getting easier to be green!

Also, as you decorate, there are excellent green products out there to consider from fabrics and wall coverings to flooring. One product that we’ve just discovered is FLOR. An inspired modular floor covering, FLOR comes in gorgeous patterns, lush textures, and colors that pop. Martha Stewart even has an exclusive line with FLOR. The best part? Through their R&R™ program (Return-Recycle), when you’re ready to part with your existing FLOR, they’ll pick it up and ship it back to their mill where the old tiles are recycled into new product. Now that’s inspiring!

And, even in the garden, we’re composting and using organic fertilizer and insect control. There are several free options. Starbucks Coffee, for example, offers “Grounds for the Garden” and many local townships and municipalities give away free mulch. We also have plans for a rainwater collection system for the garden.

So, take the pledge, change your space, and change the planet! Conscientious choices make for a better world.

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