Twelve Practical Ways to Green-Up Your Autumn

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

• 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!

Save $150 a Year with a Programmable Thermostat

Programmable thermostats are free money. With another change of season on the way, it’s time to increase your home’s comfort — and bank the savings.

With stock markets around the globe in turmoil, investors have been left scratching their heads over safe and profitable places to put their money.

Here’s one investment with an enviable rate of return and no risk: a programmable home thermostat.

Basic programmable thermostats start at around $30. According to ENERGY STAR, switching from a conventional thermostat to a programmable model can save the average household $150 a year. They’re more accurate than standard models — which means you’ll be more comfortable — and the energy saved reduces greenhouse emissions which would have been dumped into the atmosphere.

The basic idea behind programmable thermostats is that your energy needs change throughout the day. You can set your thermostat to use less energy while you’re away at work, for instance, and have the unit get things comfortable before you arrive home. During the winter, you need less heat at night when you’re under the covers. The thermostat will wake up before you do and warm things to your preset preference.

Choose the right model

There are three basic varieties of programmables: 7-day units, which can be set with individual schedules for each day; 5+2 models, which accommodate weekday and weekend routines; and 5+1+1 thermostats, which have weekday schedules and separate settings for Saturdays and Sundays.

ENERGY STAR certified programmable thermostats have four default program periods per day, and feature 2-degree accuracy. Most are backlit and feature touch controls for easy use. Some can be addressed remotely via a telephone link, and you’re likely for find models which remind you to change your batteries or clean the air filter.

Should you do it yourself?

As home projects go, thermostats are pretty easy. If you’re uncomfortable working around electricity, have an HVAC professional do the job for you. Even with installation, you should recover your investment in about a year.

Check your old unit before throwing it out. Many have mercury switches, which will require disposal or recycling by a qualified facility. There’s about 3 grams of mercury inside a thermostat switch — almost a thousand times more than the average CFL bulb. So dispose of old thermostats properly.

A programmable thermostat should last for years, multiplying your investment many times over in energy savings. It’s a simple project that means more money in the bank. And you don’t need a financial counselor to make it happen.

Ten First Steps Toward Lighter Living

Ready to start living a greener lifestyle? Not sure where to start? Here are ten easy steps to get you underway.

It all seems so daunting: Climate change. Carbon credits. Biofuels, hydrogen power, and solar energy. The vocabulary of a new century. There’s a lot to learn.

The news is full of disturbing reports about global warming, threatened species, and the gradual realization that the way we live — particularly in the developed nations — will have to change if we want to enjoy a clean and sustainable future.

Take your first step today

But there’s no reason to feel overwhelmed. Every journey begins with a single step. At Lighter Footstep, we’ve rounded-up the ten easiest ways for you to start moving toward a lighter lifestyle. Some cost nothing at all. Others provide a lot bang for your eco-dollar. In every case, these ideas will save you money, cut energy use, and help balance your household’s greenhouse gas budget — the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere to produce goods or electrical power.

So pick a few, and give them a try. Before long, you’ll establish the habits we all need to develop as we face the challenges of a resource-hungry planet.

Make the switch to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs). Just a few years ago, CFLs were bulky, expensive, and hard to find. Thanks to environmental commitments by companies such as Wal-Mart, CFLs are now readily available at about $2.00 each. That’s more expensive at purchase than incandescent bulbs, but lumen for lumen (the unit by which a light bulb’s brightness is measured), CLFs use much less power. They also last up to ten times longer than regular bulbs. That means that the average CFL bulb will save $30 in energy costs over the course of its life. Accoring to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, if every American household were to swap just one bulb to CFL, we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.

Monitor your thermostat. Small changes make a big difference over time. Make a note of where you normally keep your thermostat. Once you’ve got an idea where it is usually set in the summer and winter, make the Two Degree Pledge: up two degrees in the warmer months, and down two degrees when it’s cold. Check Lighter Footstep for energy-efficient ways to stay comfortable through the seasons and save up to $100 a year on your power bill. That’s equivalent to one ton of greenhouse gases which would have been produced by the energy you saved.

Clean or replace your air conditioning filter. Depending on where you live, air conditioning filters can get dirty in a matter of days. An air conditioner with a clogged filter has to work harder, which means higher power bills and the creation of more greenhouse emissions. Running clean, you can save up to $150 each year. You’ll also enjoy the benefit of fewer allergy causing particles in the air, and a more comfortable home or office.

Unplug idle appliances and electronic devices. Just because that cellphone charger doesn’t have a phone attached to it doesn’t mean it’s not drawing energy. Devices such as televisions with standby modes can use up to half the power they would draw when turned on. Don’t just turn something off: unplug it. The average household can save up to several hundred dollars a year just by pulling the plug on silent energy vampires.

Buy a low-flow shower head with a shutoff valve. In most homes, you can replace an old-style shower head with a modern unit in about fifteen minutes. You’ll reap two-pronged savings, both in water and the energy you’d have used to heat it. You’re also saving your community the power it would have used to treat the wastewater. The benefits can be pretty impressive, since water heaters account for about 25-percent of home energy use. Put several hundred dollars back into your budget each year and keep water use to a minimum.

Drive smarter. In real world testing of common fuel-saving tips, the Edmund Automotive Network found some surprises. First, it’s a good thing to keep tires properly inflated, and this is a commonly recommended strategy for saving gas. But Edmund found others which make a more noticeable difference. Use your cruise control on the highway for up to a 15-percent improvement in mileage. Driving less aggressively is the single most effective way to save gasoline: accelerate out of lights more gently, avoid rapid braking, and only drive as fast as you must. And turn off your engine rather than idling excessively. If your car starts reliably, consider shutting it down at long lights. Skip the drive-through window, park, and walk your business inside whenever possible.

Get an annual tune-up for your car. At $200 to $300, a full engine tune-up sounds like a pricey way to save fuel and money. In practice, it’s a good investment. A faulty oxygen sensor, for instance, can penalize your car up to 3 miles per gallon. Worn spark plugs and dirty air filters can cost you another 4 MPG. It all adds up — fast. Set a fixed time each year to give your car the attention it needs. And check that fuel cap, while you’re at it. A loose or poorly sealed cap will vent gasoline vapor, polluting the air and costing you up to 2 miles per gallon. Tighten up!

Dust-off that bike. Bicycles are the most efficient form of human transportation, and the only thing they burn is calories. Consider whether bike commuting might fit your lifestyle. Even if this isn’t the case, bicycles are a healthy and environmentally friendly way to run those short errands. You’ll need a helmet, a good lock, and proper lighting if you’re out before dawn or after dusk. Start by resolving to use your bicycle instead of a car just once a week, a build from there. Watch Lighter Footstep for articles on choosing an appropriate commuter bike and outfitting for comfort and safety.

Go meatless once a week. If you’re not already practicing a vegetarian diet, consider cutting back on the amount of meat in you consume. As Frances Moore Lapp pointed out in her bestselling book, Diet for a Small Planet, livestock production absorbs sixteen pounds of grain and soy feed for every pound of meat that actually gets to the plate. Each calorie of animal protein requires 78 calories of fossil fuels to produce, and irrigation directly associated with livestock production (including feeds) amounts to about half of all the consumed water in the United States. Give meatless substitutes like Boca Burgers a try, or scan vegetarian recipes for healthy and earth-friendly meal ideas.

Buy local; buy in season. According to the non-profit group Sustainable Table, the typical carrot travels 1,838 miles before it ends up in your kitchen. That’s a lot of food miles, and a tremendous amount of wasted fossil fuels and packaging. Buying regionally produced food is a keystone of sustainability: not only does it save the energy costs associated with shipping bulk produce, it keeps a portion of your grocery money close to where live. So locate your local farmer’s market and add it to your weekly errands. You’ll be supporting local growers while enjoying fresh, seasonal produce.

And you’re on your way

By the time you’ve a few of these steps, you’ll probably be thinking of other actionable ways to present a lighter environmental footstep. And that’s how meaningful change begins: consistent, incremental improvements to the way we manage our personal and community resources. Join with Lighter Footstep in fashioning a wiser and more sustainable future.