Twelve Practical Ways to Green-Up Your Autumn
By Chris Baskind in Living
The arrival of autumn means cooler temperatures, darker evenings — and a last chance to get your home ready for winter. Here are twelve ways to get started!
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you’ve probably already noticed the first hints of autumn: a blush of color in the leaves; earlier sunsets; and cooler evenings. The winter constellations are slowly creeping higher in the night sky, and it won’t be long before we’re all involved in the downhill rush toward the holidays.
Spring and autumn are the “fix-up” seasons, as we make ready for big changes in the weather. What you do over the next few weeks can make a tremendous difference to the size of your environmental footprint through the winter. So we’ve put together a few autumn to-do items to get you started. Sharpen your pencil — and start checking a few off your list!
In the home
Checking wall insulation
- Check your weather stripping. You should do this twice a year. Look for cracks and deterioration, and verify that door seals are tight.
- Review attic insulation, particularly if your home is over 20 years old. This is the area in which you can make the most dramatic savings in annual heating bills. Take a ruler into the attic. If you have less than a foot of insulation, you probably need more.
- Seal window air conditioners. Once you’re past warm weather, unplug and seal your window units. If it’s practical, store them. This will also allow you to seal your windows with energy-efficient plastic film.
- Replace incandescent bulbs with CFL or LED lighting. Shorter days and cooler temperatures means more time spent indoors. If you’ve not already re-lamped with energy efficient bulbs, now is the time.
- Install a programmable thermostat. Smart temperature control can easily save 10% of your annual heating and cooling bills — a significant reduction in your household’s carbon footprint. Basic programmable thermostats can be purchased for less than $30, so you’ll recover you investment very quickly.
In the yard
- Start a compost pile. Compost heaps need both green and brown matter to get cooking — but there’s no shortage of carbon-rich leaves in the fall. Grab then while you can.
- Consider planting trees. Some varieties do well in the gap between summer’s heat and the real onset of winter. Consult your local nursery or agricultural agent for advice on what sort of trees might be appropriate for autumn planting.
- Bring your summer herbs indoors. There’s no reason not to enjoy fresh basil, mint, and rosemary through the winter months — and having some green indoors will remind you of spring. It takes a few weeks to transition herbs to indoor living, so start before the weather turns.In your car
In your car
- Most automobile owner’s manuals recommend a switch of engine oil weights between seasons. If you did this last summer, switch to your car’s recommended winter weight as soon as the weather cools.
- There’s really no such thing as a “safe” antifreeze, but if you’re getting your radiator flushed before winter, ask for a propylene glycol (PG) formula. It’s less toxic to children, pets, and wildlife than ethylene glycol (EG) coolants.
- Do you have a roof rack for carrying summer recreational equipment? Remove it until next year. Roof racks decrease your vehicle’s aerodynamic efficiency and hurts fuel mileage — particularly at highway speeds. While you’re at it, check you car for any unnecessary summer items, such as coolers or picnic gear. No need to burn fuel by carrying unnecessary weight.
- Evaluate your tires. Worn tread and improper tire pressure aren’t just bad for fuel economy — they’re not safe, particularly if you live in an area where highway icing is likely. Inspect, rotate, and balance. Whip out your tire pressure gauge at least once a month and check all four corners.
We’ll make this list a baker’s dozen: If you’re shopping for sweaters, jackets, and winter wear, start at your local secondhand store. It’s not just price — though shopping the thrift shop and rummage sale circuit can save your hundreds of dollars — it’s putting perfectly good clothing back to use, rather than consuming fresh resources. You may also be supporting a worthy local charity or civic group with your purchase.
So there’s a start. Once you get into autumn “green-up” mode, you’ll probably think of other small projects. Get to them before Jack Frost beats you to it. And here’s wishing you a rich, warm, and Earth-friendly autumn.
Do you have some autumn tips to share with the Lighter Footstep community? Please add your best practices in our Comments section!
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Nice article. Some good ideas that I need to add to my list of “Honey-dos”.
Nice article. Some good ideas that I need to add to my list of “Honey-dos”.
In the cold climate is a good idea to use engine or interior heater before starting the car. Two hours warm-up before the start and you will save a fortune.
In the cold climate is a good idea to use engine or interior heater before starting the car. Two hours warm-up before the start and you will save a fortune.
As a new homeowner (a 1927 Asheville Arts & Crafts bungalow — with old insulation, ancient single-pane windows, oil-furnace heat… yipe, love this house but what have I gotten myself into), I definitely appreciate the common-sense pointers. Lots of stuff I don't yet even know to think of.
As a new homeowner (a 1927 Asheville Arts & Crafts bungalow — with old insulation, ancient single-pane windows, oil-furnace heat… yipe, love this house but what have I gotten myself into), I definitely appreciate the common-sense pointers. Lots of stuff I don't yet even know to think of.
As a new homeowner (a 1927 Asheville Arts & Crafts bungalow — with old insulation, ancient single-pane windows, oil-furnace heat… yipe, love this house but what have I gotten myself into), I definitely appreciate the common-sense pointers. Lots of stuff I don't yet even know to think of.
You so owe it to yourself to have a green building specialist have a look at your vintage bungalow — what a treasure. And it just happens to be located in one of my favorite cities on the planet, too.
You so owe it to yourself to have a green building specialist have a look at your vintage bungalow — what a treasure. And it just happens to be located in one of my favorite cities on the planet, too.
Before running out to buy LEDs, do a little homework to make sure the lights you are buying are not simply directional lighting. One of my favorite is LLR 6, now owned by Cree, but it is pricey and does not work with all lighting fixtures. It provides general lighting.
As for leaves in autumn, I actually collect them and hold them for the spring since my compost needs brown to make compost in the spring and there is no leaves to be found then. I go through 6 bags of leaves during the spring in my attempts to make compost.
I also plant during autumn since plants are so much cheaper then and it is not too hot for the plant to acclimate before winter. Plus, it is best to seed your lawn in early Fall!
Anna http://www.green-talk.com
Before running out to buy LEDs, do a little homework to make sure the lights you are buying are not simply directional lighting. One of my favorite is LLR 6, now owned by Cree, but it is pricey and does not work with all lighting fixtures. It provides general lighting.
As for leaves in autumn, I actually collect them and hold them for the spring since my compost needs brown to make compost in the spring and there is no leaves to be found then. I go through 6 bags of leaves during the spring in my attempts to make compost.
I also plant during autumn since plants are so much cheaper then and it is not too hot for the plant to acclimate before winter. Plus, it is best to seed your lawn in early Fall!
Anna http://www.green-talk.com
Since I live in an apartment I can't do 2 out of 3, but the car information is just good car knowledge to keep it running smoothly. You made it easy to read and I bet more will be following your advice because of it. Great job. (We just got a scooter, so we don't drive the car anymore.)
Once again, you have designed an impeccable list. I was expecting this to be generic, but you had some really specific examples that are useful as well as conservative. To you, I give a genuine thanks.
Once again, you have designed an impeccable list. I was expecting this to be generic, but you had some really specific examples that are useful as well as conservative. To you, I give a genuine thanks.
Clean windows in the autumn. Dirty windows won't add insulation value to glass, but it will block sunlight that turns into natural warmth. I live in the boonies in a cabin with lots of glass windows and get all sorts of spiders/webs, bugs and oogies in a year's time. There may not be a huge amount of energy savings, but its nice to go into the doldrums of winter with clean windows.
Clean windows in the autumn. Dirty windows won't add insulation value to glass, but it will block sunlight that turns into natural warmth. I live in the boonies in a cabin with lots of glass windows and get all sorts of spiders/webs, bugs and oogies in a year's time. There may not be a huge amount of energy savings, but its nice to go into the doldrums of winter with clean windows.
This is a great article, Chris! You thought of everything!
Totally diggin the tips. And heading to a second-hand store for a really great, hip coat this week!
Thanks~