Next time you’re inside, look around the floor. Near the wall. You might see something like this:

The red light at the top means this strip is ON. Turn it off when you don't need it!

It’s a smart strip, of course! Ever wonder why they’re called SMART? Or why it’s SMART to switch them off when you aren’t using them? Read on.

Did you know that even after you’ve turned off your TV or powered down your computer, they continue to use electricity? This is referred to as vampire or phantom energy use. Pretty much all electronics do this—unless unplugged from a socket—which is why phantom energy accounts for 10 percent or more of your energy bill each month. Unplugging devices is one way to stop wasting energy and cash, but it’s a very tedious process.

Enter the perfect solution: a smart power strip.

Belkin's Conserve Switch Surge Protector comes with a wireless remote, so you can shut off power—including standby power—to all of your electronics with the flick of a switch. It has six switchable & two always-on power outlets, so items you need on will remain on.

Depending on the kind of strip you purchase, it will either power down automatically or you simply press one switch. Either way, you’ve cut power completely to multiple devices at once—reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production of your electricity and saving money. Win-win.

The colorful Smart Strip in the photo is, well, smart. It stops drawing power when your gadgets are turned off so no more wasting money on vampire energy. It’s got ten outlets: a great choice for home offices or entertainment centers. Plug it in, start curbing your energy costs.

Buy a smart power strip at an electronics store or online (this will cost around $30). Plug in everything from your laptop to your phone charger and you’re on your way to saving energy. For bigger savings, consider investing in multiple power strips for your home office, media room, and kitchen.

Plug items you want to leave on into the wall. Or purchase a smart strip equipped with a mix of outlets that are always on, as well as power saving ones. This configuration allows you to keep some electronics on (like your cable modem or DVR), while shutting others off (like your TV or DVD player).

Cool mirrored Isole' power strip: combination power strip & motion sensor. With six outlets controlled by occupancy and two uncontrolled outlets, this energy saving power strip is ideal for home, school, or office.

• Unplggd.com: Roundup–Five Great Power Strips
• PracticallyGreen.com: Energy Vampires 101
• The New York Times: Atop TV Sets, A Power Drain That Runs Nonstop
• Terrapass.com: Remove Wall Warts And Slay Electricity Vampires

If you’d like to add 270 points to your Practically Green score, simply insulate your roof, walls, basement, and pipes.

No, this is not buttercream cake frosting: it's icynene insulation sprayed between the rafters: this keeps conditioned air where you want it!

For another 20 points, insulate your ductwork! “Ductwork!?” I can hear some of you renters screaming: “what’s that?”

To understand the concept of insulation: think of these dogs as your pipes, and their plaid coats as the insulation. (TY Bill Cunningham of the NYTimes Style section)

Okay, we know: if you rent your space, or merely inhabit it as a worker, a guest, a student, or other non-invested person, this set of actions might not be for you. But if you’re a home owner, a real-estate manager, a facilities manager, you know how important it is to insulate. And even if you are a tenant, you might be able to improve upon the stuffing in your walls.

If you're ever in San Francisco, visit the Levis headquarters for a fabulous example of denim insulation. 200,000 pairs of jeans were used in this location, many of them collected from Goodwill

Owens-Corning has a new product called EcoTouch and exacting green building guru Alex Wilson gave it a thumbs up: ”EcoTouch is a large, important step for Owens Corning…. Its introduction last year was the first step of a top-to-bottom transformation of the company’s ubiquitous pink fiberglass insulation, making that a healthier, safer product.” Click here for his February 2011 blog post on it at BuildingGreen.com.

Handy diagram at OwensCorning.com guides insulation choices

Excellent insulation, captured by Bill Cunningham

When properly installed, insulation reduces the energy necessary to heat your home in the winter and cool it in the summer. Reduced energy means lower bills, results in fewer emissions, and consumes fewer natural resources. A perfect trifecta.

Almost any insulation can be considered green because of the energy benefits, but some materials are eco-friendlier than others. Some manufacturers use high percentages of recycled content, or substitute natural castor oil for petroleum-based materials. There are versions created from recycled blue jeans, recycled newspaper newspapers, and wool. Some foams are made from renewable products like soy, and avoid use of ozone-depleting chemicals. Steer clear of dangerous ingredients such as formaldehyde, a “known” carcinogen in Europe and a “suspected” one in the U.S., which has also been linked to allergies and asthma and is routinely used as a binder in insulation.

Have an experienced contractor conduct an analysis of your home’s walls, and then walk you through your options.

Air sealing any leaks before adding new insulation is common practice (and highly recommended!). Wall insulation is often installed in combination with added roof insulation.

Tip: ask your contractor if insulation close to R-40 can be added to your walls (the R factor is the measure of resistance to heat flow). This will assure maximum effectiveness, quicker payback from your investment, and provide extra comfort throughout the home. Bonus!

• Energy Savers: Wall Insulation
• Inhabitat: New Ideas for Green Insulation
• Energy Savers: Adding Insulation to an Existing Home
• This Old House: “Insulation”
• Bookmark This Site: Simply Insulate

Even if you have a no Fur policy for your body, don't skimp on padding your building envelope! (TY Bill Cunningham for another great illustration.)

Dubbed the Magic Wand by many beauties, L'Oreal's Clarisonic is upgrading, which might mean swapping yours out... but what to do with the cast-off?

How exciting! You just received a new hairdryer, telephone handset, camera, electric toothbrush, rotating face exfoliator! (…you know who you are) You’re swapping out your energy-hog toaster oven for a new compact microwave! Good for you! Now what are you going to do with the old ones? Throw them into an opaque Hefty bag for the garbage guy to transport to a crammed landfill? Not so fast.

that is, the electronics besides computers and cellphones, which have their own special set of info (and points!)

Did Santa bring you a new scooter? Fab! What's the plan for the old electric scooter you don't need any more?

E-waste, otherwise known as discarded electronics, is one of the largest—and growing—contributors to solid waste today. This should come as no surprise considering how quickly the latest must-have gadgets become obsolete. And then what? People throw them out. Unfortunately electronics contain metals including lead, nickel, cadmium, and mercury that are extremely harmful if they end up in landfills, where they can leach into the ground and water. Some e-waste gets exported and burned—polluting the air and poisoning the workers charged with this unsafe task.

You're obsessed with the awesome new camera you got for your birthday. We know. But what to do with its predecessor?

While computer and cellphone recycling receive the bulk of e-waste attention, many other electronic items can and should be recycled—including microwaves, home theater items, and all kinds of equipment associated with computers and cameras. Basically it’s good common sense to keep anything with a circuit board out of landfills. Bonus: recycling e-waste also recovers some natural resources like copper, gold, and silicon, which can be reused in manufacturing processes.

Try Gazelle.com to trade in all sorts of stuff. They power e-cycling programs for Costco, Office Depot, Sears, Walmart and other stores.

Try repairing and reusing before recycling. Reuse includes donating items you no longer find useful to an organization or someone who might find it very useful. If you prefer not to donate, you can also resell many electronics.

When the time comes to recycle e-waste, check online for the best options near you. Some towns have e-waste collection centers. Others organize occasional e-waste collection drives, as do environmental organizations as well as schools.

At Earth911, type in your item and your location... and...

... choose the solution that works best for you!

Manufacturers and major retailers like Best Buy also accept most forms of e-waste. Call ahead about specific items before you lug them to a store.

Other helpful resources:

EcoSquid

Best Buy’s E-cycle

Perfect timing: just when we were beginning to obsess about all the egregious waste and outright landfill tossing that happens at this time of the year, along comes Robin Freedman with her tips on Waste Management for the Holidays:

Robin Freedman

“If each of us took a few small steps to reduce the waste we produce or increase the amount of materials we recycle during the holidays, we’d save a large amount of materials, energy and landfill space. There’s tons of ways to cut back on waste at this time of the year, or in any season!”

Robin works for Waste Management, headquartered in Kirkland, Washington. It’s the largest “environmental services provider” in North America, so they know a thing or two about trash. WM looks at waste as a resource, focuses on how to turn around materials in the waste stream, and finds ingenious ways to repurpose waste – into new materials, as energy, and via conversion technologies. Here are her ideas for bringing waste management to your life, with links to Practically Green so you can watch these actions contribute to your score.

1) Composting can reduce the amount of organic waste produced in the home. Holiday meal preparation can generate a large amount of potato peels, fruit rinds, coffee grinds, other vegetable waste and eggshells, that can all be composted. A new compost bin filled with homemade treats can make a great gift for those looking to take recycling to the next level.

2) If you have a fresh tree, garland or wreaths, be sure to recycle them when the holidays are over. Check Earth911’s Christmas tree recycling center for local tree collection and recycling opportunities.

3) If getting your holiday decorations out of storage makes you ask yourself where you’ll find space to put them away in January, maybe it is time to clean out the attic or basement. Before you throw things away, consider whether an item still has a service life and is acceptable for donation to an organization such as the local Value Village or Goodwill Services.

4) Thousands of paper and plastic shopping bags end up in landfills every year. Reduce the number of bags thrown out by bringing reusable cloth bags for holiday gift shopping. Tell store clerks you don’t need a bag for small or oversized purchases.

5) When packaging gifts, consider reduced or no-waste wrapping options. Put a reusable bow on the gift; place the gift in a reusable bag such as a backpack or purse; or package small, themed gifts in a larger item – such as plates or tableware in placemats or a tablecloth or kitchen utensils in an apron or decorative dishtowel. Also, you can use last year’s wrapping as packaging material.

6) Make your own wrapping paper by using old maps, posters or pages from the newspaper or magazines. Recycled-content wrapping paper is also available.  Save bags and bows to use again and be sure to recycle the newspapers or brown paper shopping bags after the gift is opened, or use it for padding when shipping gifts.

7) Consider giving no-waste gifts, such as music or sports lessons, memberships to a gym, the philharmonic or a museum, favors like babysitting or tickets to a sporting event or concert.  Find out the gift recipient’s favorite charity and make a donation in his or her honor, or commit to volunteering with that organization.

With a little imagination and commitment, we can use this holiday season to create new traditions that help preserve the environment. For more information about Waste Management’s comprehensive list of recycling services, visit www.thinkgreenfromhome.com.

Truck picks up the Bagster, literally!

P.S. if you’re still looking for a very special gift for that certain someone, consider a Bagster – WM’s Dumpster in a Bag! It’s a 4’ x 2’ x 8’ collection bag, perfect for the DIY guy or gal on your list. Why’s it green? It takes the place of a metal dumpster, which has to be fetched off your premises one at a time; a truck can haul off 12 Bagsters in a single trip for proper disposal. Find out more at Bagster’s thriving Facebook page.

Water: Got too much? Not enough? What are the coolest new products for conserving water? How do the experts view this precious resource?

** Please join our free webinar on November 16, 1-2pm ET to get expert advice and answers. **

Register here: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/458003078

Practically Green has 51 Water-related actions, from Wash only full loads of laundry (99% of PG users have done this already; 20 points) to Install a shower timer (Only 1% of PG has done this one! Why is it the least favorite Water action?)

What would happen if the entire country decided to Turn off the faucets while brushing teeth? Or if every Fortune 1000 headquarters Installed a rainwater harvesting system? (150 points!)

We’re hosting an online event for a deep dive on the subject.

Panelists:

•  Molly Hislop: Program Director, Green Education Foundation

•  Michele Hudec: VP of Product and BizDev, American Standard Brands

•  Stephanie Thornton: Community Outreach, WaterSense, EPA

•  Martin Wolf: Director of Product/Technology at Seventh Generation

•  Peter Yost: Director of Residential Services, BuildingGreen

•  Alexandra Zissu: Editorial Director, Practically Green; Author, Planet Home and more

Moderated by Practically Green’s Founder & CEO, Susan Hunt Stevens.

Save money being green

In a skittish economy, money trumps all. Everyone wants to boost efficiency, reduce waste, and be healthy not only because it’s the right thing to do but because it’s miserable watching cash float away any more than we must. Practically Green has 70+ actions you can do that are either free or that will yield impressive financial results.

Check the list! You’re probably doing lots of these things already. You’ll see several to do starting, well… Now!

Here’s a sampling. The point value tells you the relative impact of each action:

Turn thermostat down by 4 degrees in the winter (50 Points)

Turn down hot water heater (20 points)

Turn off the heat dry feature on your dishwasher (20 points)

Switch to reusable towels or dish cloths at home (20 points)

Install one low-flow shower head (20 points)

Use reusable shopping bags regularly (10 points)

Unplug (or avoiding buying) your second refrigerator (50 points)

Turn off the lights when you leave a room (10 points)

Unplug chargers and appliances when not in use (20 points)

Buy antique or secondhand furniture and home goods (50 points)

Buy a pre-owned home instead of building new (200 points)

Commit to 25 of these next steps, and you’ve earned the Frugalista badge. Who wouldn’t want this coy pig on their Practically Green dashboard?!

So go ahead, pick your 25 actions and get this savvy oinker on board your green program!

Five reasons to love the new Nest thermostat.

Our head of engineering is a smooth unflappable type, not given to gushing.

So when he gets excited, we pay attention:

Rajiv’s on his way to earning 50 points for this action:

Install a programmable thermostat

And another 50 points each for these two actions on Practically Green:

Turn thermostat down by 4 degrees in the winter

Turn thermostat up by 4 degrees in the summer

Nest shows how long it'll take to reach the temp you want; green leaf indicates you're in the smart green zone

Nest: it’s a brainy new thermostat designed by Tony Fadell, the guy who sold Steve Jobs on the iPod. In the past 48 hours, this stylish tool has been a complete thumbs-up for testers ranging from TechCrunch to Grist to Fast Company to Wired to the Wall Street Journal: “like Apple, Nest Labs has taken something you use every day and made it simple and delightful to use.”

Why is it so cool?

Let us count the ways:

1) It’s simple: a wheel. Rajiv says it reminds him of the rotary thermostat of his youth… and it clicks as you turn it, like the first iPods.

2) It’s gorgeous, something you’d love to have on your wall. (We’re thinking it would make a great belt buckle.)

3) It effortlessly matches your décor: the trim is a mirror. Did someone say elegant?

4) It adjusts to your behavior and routines: light and activity sensors learn your habits. You might not remember to adjust your thermostat every single time you need to – e.g., when you get up, when you go away, when you return, when you go to bed. Not to worry: this device does it for you.

5) It’s ubiquitous, i.e., you can access it from anywhere. You can set it up to connect to your Wi-Fi, then change the settings remotely from your smart phone. Say you’re heading home early, and it’s suddenly freezing outside. No problem: in a few clicks your house is getting comfortable for your return.

Watch this demo:

You can order it on Practically Green here, for $249 — scroll to the Recommended Products. We have a feeling it’ll sell out, because Rajiv is usually ahead of the pack.

Rajiv Manglani, Director of Engineering

Replacing a toilet sounds like a supreme hassle, but before you put it at the, um, bottom of your to-do list, consider this:

You will likely flush the toilet nearly 140,000 times over the course of a lifetime. A standard toilet uses 1.6 gallons per flush, while older toilets can use more than 3.5 gallons per flush. If you replace older, existing toilets with WaterSense labeled models, you can save 4,000 gallons per year.

Using less water allows more water to stay in the ground or in a surface reservoir which helps to maintain a natural water balance and saves water for future use. There are many parts of the country that do not have enough water to support the current population and levels of water usage. Over 36 states expect water shortages in the next 5 years.

Besides being green, reducing your water usage can reduce the amount of money you owe on your water bill. A family of four will save and average of $90 a year on their water bill by switching to a high efficiency or dual flush toilet.

That’s from Upgrade toilets that take more than 1.6 gallons per flush to standard toilets, one of 3 actions about toilets on Practically Green:

Upgrade toilets that take more than 1.6 gallons per flush to standard toilets (100 points)

Install a high-efficiency toilet (less than 1.28 gallons per flush) (50 points)

Install or upgrade to a dual-flush toilet (50 points)

Boulevard® dual-flush toilet from American Standard: 1.6 gpf OR 1.1 gpf

According to Michele Hudec, Product Development leader at American Standard, even the 1.6-gallon variety will be vintage in a couple of years, due to state mandates and customer demand:

“We’re focused on getting the industry and plumbers to transition to totally conserving toilets, 1.28-gallon per flush [gpf] maximum. Meanwhile, with record droughts in some areas and wildfires in others, people are becoming aware of water as a precious resource. Hotels, commercial builders, and municipalities such as NYC and Miami are all making huge changes for conservation.”

Save the date: Practically Green is hosting a Water Webinar on November 1st, 1 to 2 pm EST. Hope you’ll join us!

If you’ve been involved in a building project recently, or if you’re concerned about building efficiencies, you’ve heard about the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program. Practically Green’s founder discovered the LEED system when she renovated her family’s house, and the vision was born: why not have a manageable, clear framework for all of life, and not just for building? Solution: PracticallyGreen.com

The USGBC’s annual GreenBuild conference takes place this week in Toronto and — catching the GreenBuild fever — we’re throwing a Twitter party with Mythic Paint and a host of other eco-friendly building and design professionals. Check out this line-up, and we hope to see you there!

Please join us for a Twitter Party!!

During the @USGBC #GreenBuild Conference:

Wednesday, October 5 at Noon EST

Topic: Green Décor (use Hashtag #GreenDecor)

Q & A, experts, info, giveaways, and fun!

Hosted by @PracticallyGrn & @SafePaint

Special Guests

Alexandra Zissu @AlexandraZissu | Susanna Schultz @GreenDepotLLC

Marie Jessup BuildingGreen @bglive | Olga Adler @olgaadlerint

Avital Binshtock, SierraMag, @avitalb

Mae Hacking @HereInThisHouse | Spencer Kent @OrganicAuthorit

Corey Colwell-Lipson @CelebrateGreen | Paul Anater @Paul_Anater

Ronnie Citron-Fink @EcoNester | Carin Handsun @HeartPine

Cathy Hobbs @cathyhobbs (HGTV Design Star Finalist!)

Moderator: Elise Jones of Babybites & HereinThisHouse @emjnj

WaterSense is Common Sense, by Veronica Blette

Many people find the sound of running water to be soothing.  That may be true if you are in the woods having a picnic beside a babbling brook, but it isn’t when you are entering your house after a day of work. One day last winter I came home and found that the flapper on my toilet had become stuck in the open position, which led to its earnest, yet futile, efforts to fill the bowl all day long.  Not soothing at all to realize that while I was at work focusing on advancing a nationwide ethic of water efficiency, water was running down my drain. My water bill saw a big jump and I was shocked when I pulled information from my local water utility and saw how much water had actually been lost during that day of wasted toilet filling.

Veronica's water bill

Turns out, I wasn’t alone – the average American house wastes 10,000 gallons each year through leaks. How many of us have heard the ghost flush that happens in the middle of the night?  Well, it turns out that those flushes add up!  Across the country, easy-to-fix household leaks add up to more than one trillion gallons of water lost annually, robbing homeowners of 12 percent of their water bill.

Less than one percent of the Earth’s water is available for human use, and managing water is a growing concern in the United States. Using water more efficiently and avoiding waste helps maintain supplies at safe levels now and for future generations.

That’s where WaterSense comes in – we’re trying to make it simple for consumers to save water through water-efficient products, homes, services, and tips for around the house.  Over the past five years, WaterSense has helped Americans save 125 billion gallons of water and $2 billion in water and energy bills.

Besides finding and fixing leaks, there are lots of other things you can do around the house to save water.  Getting started is as easy as 1-2-3…just check-twist-replace!

1. Check toilets for silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank and seeing if the color appears in the bowl before you flush. Don’t forget to check irrigation systems and spigots, too. (Click here for Practically Green’s efficient-toilet suggestions!)

2. Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save even more water without a noticeable difference in flow, twist in a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator or showerhead. (Fix a leaky faucet; Install low-flow valves in all faucets)

3. Replace the fixture if necessary. It may be as easy as replacing a toilet flapper, but if you need a new fixture, look for the WaterSense label, which signifies the product has been certified to save water and perform well. (Upgrade older faucets & shower heads (older than 1994); Upgrade toilets that take more than 1.6 gallons per flush to standard toilets)

Veronica (at left) and her friends -- on the job!

Want to do more? Join my team and thousands of your neighbors by supporting the We’re for Water campaign. Visit the website to take the I’m for Water pledge, “like” WaterSense on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

About the author: Veronica Blette leads EPA’s WaterSense program. Veronica has been with the Agency for more than thirteen years and, going forward, will always make sure the toilet is not running before she goes to work.

Have you ever thought of installing a wind turbine at your house?

Or are you worried that it would be impossible, deafening, or cost-prohibitive? And/or prohibited in your neighborhood or not worth the bother?

All of the above?

Our advisor Jeffrey Hollender went ahead and installed one at his home in Vermont. We like to think he consulted Practically Green to clinch his decision! From the PG action:

Read the complete action here: http://practicallygreen.com/install-wind

Here is Jeffrey’s story:

The Wind Turbine is Up at Last, by Jeffrey Hollender

The Hollenders' back yard, with Wind Turbine

It took longer than expected, but my wind turbine is up and generating more C02 free electricity that we projected.  You may remember that back in June I embarked on installing a 10 kw Bergey www.bergey.com/ wind turbine. The Bergey Windpower Co. (BWC) has its origins in research activities at the University of Oklahoma dating back to 1970.  My plan was to take advantage of a new law passed this past summer by the Vermont Legislature that guarantees that any electricity generated by a residential turbine must be purchased by the local utility at $.20 a kilowatt hour. Not a bad deal considering that here in Vermont we pay between $.10 and $.13 for the energy we purchase.

Every time I look out my window and watch that turbine turn, I feel proud to be part of the solution to the single greatest challenge facing our planet. I know the investment is unaffordable to many, but just imagine the impact if everyone who could afford it committed to do the same.

The turbine will cost about $50,000 before rebates and tax credits. There is a cash incentive grant worth $12,500 lowering the net cost to $37,500, and then a 30% federal tax credit that will further reduce the cost to about $25,000. I had expected the turbine to generate at least 8,000 kilowatts a year but based on my first month I’m generating over 1,000 kilowatts a month, or 50% better than I’d planned.

Since I will sell all the electricity I generate back to the grid (something called net-metering) I will receive a credit against the electricity I use of about $2,400 a year. That means that it will take about 10 years to break even on my investment – unless the wind blows harder or the tax credits go up!

Note: Jeffrey co-founded Seventh Generation in 1987 and built it into a household word, contributing an integral component of the modern-day green-living movement. A prolific author, speaker, and blogger, he founded the American Sustainable Business Council to change the rules of business. Follow Jeffrey on Twitter @JeffHollender and join him on Facebook.

Learn more about Jeffrey and about Practically Green’s other advisors here.

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Maybe you’re inspired to install a wind turbine at your house – or at your school, your company, your town! Maybe you already have one? Please share your favorite big-ticket energy improvement stories with us.

Eco Build: Greening Up My New Home, by Renee Heath

I was lucky enough to grow up in a house my dad built.  And my husband was fortunate as well to have a home constructed by his dad’s two hands.  So it only felt right that we carry on the tradition and develop our own property.  Little did we know what we were getting into…all the decisions (and money)!

From flooring types to paint selections and beyond, we’re spoiled with choice in this country.  What has helped us narrow down the options during our construction process are the following two sentences:

• Will this help our family live healthier and greener?
• Can we afford the selection, and if not, does it make sense to spend extra money now to save cash later?

I thought I would share the questions we are still working through to get your brain ticking over and to hopefully get your input as well as to what we should do before breaking ground!

Recycled Materials

New Jersey gets hot summers, cold winters and everything in between.  So we asked ourselves how we can set up for lower energy bills.  Insulation was the first thing that came to mind.  We found that the cheapest option out there is fiberglass insulation.  Economical but scary to think you have to wear gloves and a mask to install it as to not breathe in any glass fibers!  We really like recycled blue jeans and newspapers lagging for inside of the walls.  I still have to compare what the difference in the “R factor” would be compared to fiberglass.

A different option for the roof, we are looking into blown foam insulation made from a soy renewable product.  Then there’s insulating duct work, pipes and water heater, oh my!

Click here for seven ways to insulate your home

Renewable Energy

New Jersey also has the most amount of people per square foot of land than any other state in America!  So we want to make sure we consume the least amount of natural resources as possible.  We are researching three forms of renewable energy: geo-thermal, solar panels and wind turbine.

Geo thermal is a great option for a natural cooling and heating system.  Love using the earth’s consistent underground temperature to virtually heat our home for free!  This will lower our green house emissions for sure!  We know our winters might get too cold, so we are contemplating a wood pellet stove to top up our heat as it emits less harmful pollutants compared to oil or gas.  Programmable thermostat installed is a no brainer but not sure I can convince hubby to go >78 degrees in summer and <68 degrees in winter.

Solar panel water heater is a want at this point and not a must have.  I already know we need to keep whatever kind of water heater we go with around 120 degrees to be green.  And we want low-flow shower heads too!

Wind turbine for electric is another on tier two/nice-to-have right now.  Plus, need to see if my neighbors agree with seeing a large fan spinning around all day and night.

Energy Efficient Products

Heat Map

I love seeing heat maps of houses showing where heat escapes; windows are always a major culprit.  We want dual-pane low-e windows (blocks radiant heat and prevents heat from escaping). Expensive but efficient, so think this is our spend-more-money-now to-save-later option.  Also there are thermal shades/shutters, weather stripping and window treatments, but to be honest, my eyes went crossed at this point!  I am still just getting my head around the NFRC (National Fenestration Research Council) window labeling system!

Any thought on our above options?  I know I took an energy slant as we are in pre-construction phase, but beyond formal building, there are options for fixtures, furnishing and finishing.  Do you have ideas on all-natural carpet, no-VOC paints and formaldehyde free furniture?

Note: Renee is Applegate’s Digital Social Media Manager, and you can follow her on Twitter @reneerants. Full disclosure: Applegate is one of our favorite sponsors at Practically Green; check out their Healthy Green lunch badge and enter their Sausage Contest!!

Does this Back to School season have you thinking about freshening up your interiors? Today’s guest blogger introduces us to makeover experts in Colorado Springs for solutions on materials & finishes that make any room a great place to learn and create – at home, at school at work.

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When I was asked to write an article about interior makeovers for Practically GreenI immediately knew I wanted to talk to Allyson Buck and Sarah Heinbaugh of Interilife Sustainable Interiors.

Just think about the rooms where kids spend most of their time. Many of the design choices we make can have very serious health implications, so it’s really important to choose nontoxic products. Paint, carpets and flooring can offgas dangerous chemicals that you do not want to breathe.  Luckily, there are healthier options, so you can create a great interiorwithout compromising anyone’s health.

Since times are tough economically I asked Allyson which 3 areas would be cheapest, easiest and have the greatest impact.  All of her are amazing for both the design and the health of your interior space — and can be completed without hiring expensive professionals!

Paint – Paint is cheap, easy and covers the largest surface area.  It is the most impactful change you can make to a room.  It’s the first thing people notice when they enter – both the way it looks and the way it smells when it’s new. If you only buy one nontoxic product for your makeover project, this is the one to make.

Allyson recommends using Mythic Paint.  Mythic is a No-VOC premium paint with No-VOC pigments. People are often concerned that Mythic costs more than paint from, say, Home Depot.  However, Allyson says to make sure you are comparing paints of equal quality. Yes, Home Depot paints are about ½ the price of Mythic. But Home Depot paints aren’t premium paints and they aren’t No-VOC. They aren’t going to last as long as Mythic.  They aren’t going to hold up to crayon drawings on the walls, the rocking chair hitting the wall and all the rest of the wear and tear young children put on a wall.

If you compare the price of Mythic to a premium paint such as Benjamin Moore (still not No-VOC) Mythic is actually cheaper. And, you get the added benefit of it not releasing toxic fumes. Who can put a price tag on that!

Mythic paint is so safe you can touch it up while your baby is sleeping in the same room with no fear of toxic fumes.  A few years ago you could only get No-VOC paint in a limited pallet of earth tones.  Now Mythic comes in a wide selection of colors and it can be color-matched to your favorite color from another brand or your décor.

Flooring – The next easiest thing to change is your flooring.  Carpeting holds dust, allergens, heavy metals and anything else you track into your home.  Even the best vacuum can’t remove everything from carpet.   Babies crawl around, play and lay down right next to the particles in the carpet.  They put their hands and all their toys in their mouths exposing them to anything that’s in your carpet.  Experts often recommend hard flooring, especially with young children around.

Allyson says if you use floating, snap together Marmoleum tiles you can change the entire look of your floor very easily and with minimal tools.  They come in a wide selection of colors giving you many options.  And, when your baby grows up and wants something more grown up you can just pull them up and donate them to your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore or sell them on Craigslist so they can be used again on someone else’s project.

Marmoleum is true linoleum, made from linseed oil.  It is certified asthma and allergy friendly.  The top layer of the tiles is Marmoleum and the bottom is cork.  In the middle is MDF which is free of added urea formaldehyde, which is a carcinogen.

Wool area rugs – Allyson says the next easiest & most affordable way to have a big green impact upon your room is by adding 100% wool area rugs.  The rugs they carry and recommend are made by INDI B and have a cotton backing and are naturally dyed.  Wool rugs are very durable and these come in a wide selection of colors and designs.  When you are done with them they are easy to get rid of.  You can sell them on Craigslist or donate them to a store like Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

We love this 5 x 7' rug from IndiB!

Going nontoxic in these 3 areas can have a huge impact upon the design of your nursery without negatively harming your baby’s health.  Allyson says no matter what green design products you use remember that there are no products that are perfect ecologically or socially.  Try not to get caught up in looking for perfection.  Find the best product you can that meets your design needs, lifestyle and budget.

If you are in Colorado you can visit Interilife’s store in Colorado Springs for each of these products and more.  For other parts of the country go to the individual websites for a list of distributors or to purchase online.

Danika Carter is the beauty editor for Greenwala.

“If I could snap my fingers and Vivaterra my whole house, I would,” says our Founder Susan Hunt Stevens — and we listen when Susan talks about design because 1) she’s completely redone her house, 2) she has a graduate degree in Sustainable Design, and 3) she is very very particular/thoughtful/thorough.

After all, Practically Green has twelve Home Design actions; the Healthy Home badge rewards you for completing any eight of them.

Pressed to name her favorite Vivaterra purchase, Susan picks the Lotus Flower Chandelier. Her dining table has three of these hanging overhead!

You can find out more about Vivaterra here. We decided to get in touch with the creative brain behind it, Bonnie Trust Dahan. Bonnie has written several lifestyle books including Living with the Seasons: Creating a Natural Home and Garden House, Bringing the Outdoors In. She’s a veteran of Banana Republic and Smith & Hawken, and she is passionate that “we do not have to sacrifice style for natural resources.” Her mantra: “Distinctive design that’s eco of course.”

The main thing is, you don’t buy something that’s disposable. And if you don’t need it any more, swap it. Put it on Craig’s list. Your trash is someone else’s treasure. As a last resort: donate it.

We asked Bonnie for three easy tips on how to revive your home this season.

“First: use vivid color. I don’t mean BIG. Accents are fine. It’s easy because vivid color works in every room: kitchen, bath, bedroom. For kitchen, bright plates and glassware. In the bath: change out your shower curtain. Look at this one made of an authentic spinnaker sailcloth! In the bedroom: Pick out a fresh toss pillow or coverlet. Just change the top of your bed! And please don’t neglect the utility closet! You can use color in even this ugliest room you can think of! Who would mind sweeping with this broom, or mopping with that bucket? See? Suddenly all that color makes you happy!”

Cheerful Chore Tools

Spinnaker sailcloth shower curtain

“Second, assuming you can, make the outdoors another room. Even if you live in a tiny apartment, you might have a fire escape: put a plant out there! This can be inspiring, and it will brighten your life. I encourage people to show personality, have fun.”

Fun? “Try some temple bells or a gong!”

A couple of Bonnie’s favorites that had us drooling:

But don't leave it out in the rain!!

“Very very chic teak chair, very oversized and comfy. It folds, it’s easy to move around, it can be left outdoors.”

One last concept: “Rotate your collections every season. By ‘collection’ I mean small things that are easy to put away. You might have a set of placemats and napkins you use for winter, in deep jewel tones… Switch them out for the warmer months! And please, please! Change the soap in your bathroom!”

A final indulgence, plant-dyed towels….

Botany pairs with beauty in these towels. Kusaki-zome, a Japanese technique that extracts pastel pigments from plants – chamomile, larkspur and olive leaves – creates an exquisite tonality of hues. Super-sized and dappled with slightly raised puffs, these color-safe, organic cotton Japanese originals offer extreme absorbency and sublime softness.

Join Vivaterra on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vivaterra and follow them on Twitter @vivaterra, sign up for the newsletter, and request the catalog. Perfect hammock reading.

Lightbulbs: A Picture Says a Thousand Words.

Credit: F. Martin Ramin

Steamy hot weather in Boston: it’s easier than ever to realize that the hotter the bulb to the touch, the more inefficient it must be.

We’ve blogged on inefficient bulbs previously (thank you, Brian Clark Howard), and we have three actions that give you points for switching yours to CFL or LED.

Frankly, we’re still conflicted.

Conventional “Edison” incandescents are inefficient, we know that. OUT. CFLs are more efficient, and they aren’t all THAT expensive. But they contain mercury, which is hard to recycle and dangerous on contact.

If price were no object, we’d outfit the whole house in LEDs…. BUT: the price is more what you expect to pay for a pair of decent shoes, not a lightbulb. And the light quality is not perfect — is it, really?

As Practically Green’s Product Editor Rebecca Sama reasons,

Rebecca Sama

“LEDs are superior, but they do have a higher up-front cost. I suspect two years from now, the costs will come down and they will be more mainstream, but for the time being I lean towards explaining the pros/cons of each and letting the consumer/reader decide… it is incredibly exciting to see how the technology is taking off and all the ways that manufacturers and designers are incorporating LEDs into their light fixture designs.”

Last week we pounced on an illuminating (sorry) story by Gwendolyn Bounds in the Wall Street Journal:

“…most of today’s incandescent bulbs will be phased out (some specialty bulbs are exempt) by 2014 and replaced by more efficient alternatives. While cheap at 25 to 50 cents a pop, incandescent bulbs waste nearly all their energy in heat output.

“The light-bulb industry now faces a daunting task of re-educating shoppers who are still in the dark about their choices. A recent survey by General Electric Co. shows three-quarters of consumers have no idea about the new regulation and impending changes.”

The article was illustrated with an infographic that we reprint above, with permission from the iridescent photographer F. Martin Ramin.

More on Bounds here. And here’s tip from her re: the halogen-incandescent option pictured #2 from left in the photo above.

Wendy Bounds

Another point I think is worth making – and which has been lost in this whole debate - is that people don’t actually have to give up incandescent technology if they like that kind of light. They can use new incandescent/halogen bulbs which are currently on the market and meet the new standards. And they are relatively cheap at about $1.50 to $2 a bulb. So for folks who don’t like CFL and can’t afford LED, there’s another alternative that very much is like the bulb they are using now.

What do you think? Have you switched the bulbs in your house? Your office?

Drafty Eye-Sore Window Makeover, by Adria Saracino

My home used to have seriously old windows. They were extremely drafty―it was as if you were sitting in front of an air conditioner. In addition, our windows looked dingy from the inside and out, with peeling paint and rotting wood. Our home was an eye sore, and we all knew it.

Fortunately, we finally installed energy-efficient windows and immediately experienced the benefits of newer windows.

Since this is a topic close to my heart, I thought I would do my part in encouraging homeowners to replace their windows.

Note: PG Editor personally loves Kolbe energy-efficient windows

Did you know windows account for about 30% of a home’s total energy loss and are responsible for up to 25% of a homeowner’s total energy bill? Evidently, inefficient windows make our heating and cooling systems work hard and our wallets work harder. Since today celebrates Practically Green’s “Upgrade your Windows to Dual-Pane with Low-E or Better ” eco action, I thought it would be fitting to make a list of all the reasons we should switch out our windows to more efficient models.

The Top 10 Reasons to Install Energy-Efficient Windows

1. Reduces Energy Bills. Homeowners can save about $130 – $465 a year on their energy bills when they replace their home’s single-pane windows, according to Energy Star (varies depending on location).

2. Improves Resale Value. Though installing new windows is not cheap (it can set you back a minimum of $10,000), you can achieve as high as an 85% rate of return! Added with the cost savings on your energy bills, greening your home in this way practically pays itself off.

3. Offers Tax Incentives. You can claim a tax credit of up to $1,500 when you install energy-efficient windows and/or skylights. See the IRS website for more details.

4. Makes a Healthier Home. New eco windows reduce instances of frost and condensation because they create a warmer interior glass surface. Excessive condensation and fluctuations in temperature can cause mold, which can lead to allergies, sinus infections, rashes/irritations, or lung disease.

5. Provides More Efficient Lighting. Energy-efficient windows can also help you save on your lighting bills and expenditure. Low-E windows have a special coating that protects windows from solar heat gain without losing visibility. Older windows generally have a tinted glaze or shading to prevent solar heat gain.

6. Protects your Interior from Fading. Organic materials are susceptible to fading when exposed to excessive amounts of UV radiation. Newer windows have coatings that can reduce the UV transmitted by up to 75%. This means you can reduce instances of fading in carpets, artwork, upholstery, and wood.

7. Reduces Noise Pollution. Double-pane windows have a special design that can reduce the amount of noise heard from outside while indoors.

8. Increases Comfort. Energy-efficient windows not only reduce how hard your heating/cooling system needs to work, but it also ensures indoor temperatures are comfortable. For example, ever sit next to a drafty window? A situation like this makes it feel colder than it actually is insider your home. New windows without air leaks will make it more comfortable indoors.

9. Makes Cleaning Easier. Specially-designed coatings keep dirt and grime off of energy-efficient windows, making newer windows virtually self-cleaning.

10. Adds Curb Appeal. Since newer windows are easier to clean and come in more modern styles, they can make your home look shiny and new. Many older windows use a steel frame, which can make a home look outdated.

About today’s guest blogger: Adria Saracino is the Business Development Specialist and Blogging Coordinator for eLocal.com, a network of sites where homeowners can find local plumbing, roofing, and electrical contractors. She manages eLocal’s popular Blog-Off series, where homeowners can find insider home improvement answers from industry experts. You can follow eLocal.com on twitter @eLocalUSA. If you are looking for more from Adria, you can find her talking and tweeting about fashion through her personal fashion blog, The Emerald Closet (@Emerald_Closet).

Twitter Party Sponsor Bash

Tuesday, May 17, 9 to 10 PM EST

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Healthy Green Living in all the Rooms of Your House!

TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE OUR VALUED LAUNCH SPONSORS:

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Alexandra Zissu, Editorial Director, Practically Green; and author, most recently of Planet Home and The Butcher’s Guide to Well-Raised Meat @alexandrazissu

Please use #PracticallyGreen and #giveaway – we’ll have amazing prizes!! (see photos)

With extra special expert guests:

• Laurie David and her group from The Family Dinner: @famdinner
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• Lauren Guite, EDF’s Moms Clean Air Force: @MomsCAF
• Sheila Hollender, Seventh Generation environmental health advocate: @SheilaHollender
• Franke James, author, Bothered by my Green Conscience: @frankejames
• Dr. Harvey Karp, HappiestBaby.com: @drharveykarp
• Holistic Moms Network:  Nancy Massotto, Founder: @HolisticMomsNet
• Kimberly Pinkson, Founder of EcoMom Alliance: @ecomom
• Toronto Star home columnist Vicky Sanderson: @vickysanderson
• Adria Saracino, eLocal, a national network of local resources for homeowners: @elocalusa
• Blogger Lynn Stone of SmilingGreenMom: @smilinggreenmom
  

  From Sheila Hollender & Seventh Generation: Healthy Home Starter Kit

  

  From Sheila Hollender & Seventh Generation: Fem Care Starter Kit

Applegate T-Shirts, Coloring Books, and $1 off Coupons

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Pick your color from the Mythic Paint fan deck

Chicago Green Home Guru Laura Stukel shares this report about Payback on top household remodeling projects, home-energy upgrades such as Weather Stripping your windows — a perfect project in between hot and cold seasons.  Laura’s examples are based on the Chicago climate.  But the idea of getting remodeling to pay you back applies wherever you live.  See the final paragraph for tips on getting started in your area.

Each year, Remodeling Magazine and Realtor Magazine team up to produce the Cost vs. Value report.  The study looks at regional building permit data to estimate remodeling costs for more than 30 common home improvement projects.  Then, Realtors weigh in to estimate the value these projects add to a home’s market value.  It’s a handy report that gives homeowners some perspective on the best way to spend home improvement dollars each year.

But the report is missing one thing.  What about payback? Many of the project scopes could be tweaked just a little to include some energy efficiency improvements at the same time. It’s a super-smart time to add these steps while drywall is already off and walls are already open – you cut the dust and prices later over doing these same improvements as stand-alone projects. These upgraded projects would potentially add not just value, but offer savings through reduced energy costs.

The following lists show the Top 5 Chicagoland projects based on estimates of remodeling costs recouped at resale as reported in the Cost vs. Value report.

The second list uses energy data compiled by the Center for Neighborhood Technology/Energy, Efficient Windows Collaborative, ENERGY STAR and Keep Warm Illinois to show the top projects based on natural gas savings for a typical/average home in the Chicagoland area.

2010 Top  Chicagoland Home Improvement Projects:

• #1 Steel Entry Door Replacement – Cost recouped:  102.1% – Cost:  $1,218, Resale value:  $1,243
• #2 Garage Door Replacement – Cost recouped:  83.9% – Cost:  $1,291, Resale value:  $1,083
• #3 Siding Replacement (Fiber Cement) – Cost recouped:  80% – Cost:  $13,382, Resale value:  $10,707
• #4 Minor Kitchen Remodel – Cost recouped:  72.8%  - Cost:  $21,695, Resale value:  $15,790
• #5 Deck Addition (wood) – Cost recouped:  72.8% – Cost:  $10,973, Resale value:  $7,986

2010 Top Chicagoland Payback + Value Projects:

#1 Basement Remodel + air sealing + insulation.  Extra energy efficiency costs:  1% (Upgrade to air seal & insulate basement – $1,000-2,000; Tip: be sure to also upgrade home ventilation)

Potential average energy savings: 24%

BuildingGreenTV.com

#2 Attic Bedroom + air sealing + insulation.  Extra energy efficiency costs:  3% (Upgrade to air seal and insulate attic – $1,800-2,400; Tip: be sure to also upgrade home ventilation)

Potential average energy savings: 24%

#3 Window Replacement (wood) + air sealing.  Extra energy efficiency costs:  10% (Upgrade to air seal walls, attic, basement – $1,300-1,700; Tip: The savings comes from the caulk around the windows more than the new windows themselves!  And, be sure to also upgrade home ventilation.)

Potential average energy savings: 24%

#4 Siding Replacement (Fiber Cement) + air sealing + insulation.  Extra energy efficiency costs:  21% (Upgrade to air seal walls and insulate side walls -$3,500-4,500; Tip: The savings comes from sealing leaks in the walls more than the new siding itself!  And, be sure to also upgrade home ventilation.)

Potential average energy savings: 32%

FengShui Society

#5 Steel Entry Door Replacement + air sealing.  Extra energy efficiency costs:  17% (Upgrade to advanced weather-stripping – $250; Tip: Savings comes from buying a well-insulated door and then sealing it with effective weather-stripping!)

Potential average energy savings:  11%

These Chicago estimates paint the picture of how to plan remodeling projects to achieve savings paybacks as well.  To determine the best opportunities for your project  A home energy audit is a great place to start. Also, your local utility can provide information on any rebates or incentives that may apply. Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency can also help. http://www.dsireusa.org/

*                          *                         *

If you live near Chicago, lucky you!! We advise you to call Laura asap:

Laura Reedy Stukel, REALTOR, NAR GREEN, EcoBroker Certified. Cell – 773-251-1631 Consulting Services:  Energy Efficiency powered by choice. Ask how you can qualify for a free energy audit to make your current or future home more comfortable, save energy and add value!

Check her out at www.notYETgreen.com. Follow her on FaceBook: Sage Living and on Twitter @NotYETGreen. See her progress on the GE EcoMagination Challenge: http://budurl.com/voteGEeco

Why I love LEDs, by Anna Hackman

How many of you want to switch out your current light bulbs to LEDs, the new cool lighting technology on the block?   Maybe you hate the color of your CFLs.   Perhaps the thought of mercury in your CFLs gives you the willies.  Or maybe your incandescent laden home with its high energy bills are burning a hole in your wallet.  For whatever reasons, LEDs have a bright future.

Why do I love LEDs?  Since 2007,  I became a convert to the LED technology when my eyes saw LED Lighting Fixture’s LR6’s downlight, (Cree has since bought the company.) The color was wonderful, the output was great, and best yet, I can say good bye to my energy hogging incandescent light bulbs and my ugly colored CFLs.  I have been a smitten puppy ever since.

The problem that I see with this new technology is the average Joe or Josephine really doesn’t understand what LEDs are all about.  Reading the Department of Energy’s Solid State Lighting website can give you a headache.   So, let me shed some light on why LEDs may be in your future, highlighting both the advantages and disadvantages of this new technology.

What is LED technology?

LED stands for light emitting diode.

“Basically, LEDs are just tiny light bulbs that fit easily into an electrical circuit. But unlike ordinary incandescent bulbs, they don’t have a filament that will burn out, and they don’t get especially hot. They are illuminated solely by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor material, and they last just as long as a standard transistor.” [Source]

The Advantages of LEDs:

Efficiency:

One of the advantage of an LED is its efficiency. The filament of an incandescent bulb must be heated to generate light.  This results in a lot of wasted heat.  Worse yet,  only 10-15% of the electricity consumed results in the light you see.  LEDs on the other hand use a higher percentage of the energy used to create its light.

Long Life:

According to the Department of Energy, LEDs have the longest life compared to the following traditional lighting:

If you have a high ceiling, LEDs could be a godsend for you.  Since their life expectancy is anywhere from 35,000 to 50,000 hours, you wouldn’t have to change hard to reach lights for a couple of years.

No Mercury:

One of the biggest concerns about fluorescent bulbs is that the bulbs contain mercury. CFLs contain on average 4 milligrams of mercury.  If the bulbs are broken, mercury vapor is released.  Mercury is a potential neurotoxin, and therefore especially dangerous for children and fetuses.

In addition, mercury can leach into our waterways when bulbs are disposed into our landfills rather than recycled. According to Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers,

“[g]eneral belief is that most of the breakage occurs in the container, as opposed to at the landfill, due to the fragile glass and compacting that occurs in containers. When these containers are also exposed to moisture from rain or other sources and they leak, or when they are washed out, mercury enters the environment. Studies have shown that when fluorescent lamps break in containers the mercury can hover for days, and eventually migrate downwind and back onto the land[2],[3].”

To put the mercury issue in perspective, the use of fluorescents over incandescent bulbs dramatically reduces mercury emissions from coal fired electrical plants. A worse case scenario according to Energy Star, the broken florescent bulbs could  ”add 0.12 metric tons, or 0.12 percent, to U.S. mercury emissions caused by humans.”

But in my mind, that small percentage is still a concern especially when there is another lighting option available.  Recycling all fluorescent bulbs should be mandatory.  (You can recycle your CFLs at Home Depot, Lowes, and Ikea.  See here for a list of lamp recyclers near you.)

Can be used in Cold Temperatures:

Fluorescent lamps and cold temperatures are not a mix made in heaven.   In order for florescent lamps to work in cold temperatures, the amalgam added lamp will take longer to brighten up.  In contrast, LEDs performance increases as temperatures drops, making it an ideal candidate for use in refrigeration.

Instant On:

One of my biggest complaints about fluorescent bulbs is that they have to warm up before they reach their full brightness.  LEDs on the other hand,  warm up instantaneously.

On and Off Cycling:

Turning on and off fluorescents lessens their lifespan.  According to a report by Rocky Mountain Institute in 2008,

“A study published in 1998 examined CFL performance for five different operating cycles. It found that when the length of time the lamps were on was reduced from 3 hours to 1 hour, the lamp lasted for 80 percent of its rated life. When reduced to 15 min and 5 min, the lamp lasted for 30 percent and 15 percent, respectively, of its rated life.²⁸ ”

Keep in mind: although turning off the bulbs may lessen their life, in most cases, the reduction in energy cost outweighs the bulb replacement.  (See this discussion of how to ascertain your energy savings from turning off your fluorescent bulbs.)  However, the advantages of LEDs are you can turn them off and on without shortening their life.  Just think about a traffic light which has LED bulbs in it.  Notice how the light’s constantly turning off and on?

Disadvantages of LEDs:

I would be remiss to not point out that there are disadvantages to LEDs.  My issues with LEDs are as follows:  Price, Heat, and of course, the Marketing Hype.

Price:

Recently I reviewed Lighting Science’s 60 watt comparable recess light bulb sold at Home Depot.  Although I loved the white halogen type light, would I splurge for multiple bulbs at a price tag of $40 a piece?  I figured the payoff would be about 4 years compared to a dimmable CFL.  However, prices are falling.  When I fell in love with the LR6 downlight in 2007, the cost of the bulb was $125! In a September, 2010 GreenTech Enterprise article, Bill Watkins, CEO of Bridgelux, predicted prices will continue to fall dramatically.

“To outfit a house with LED bulbs today could cost around $2,500, according to Bill Watkins, CEO of Bridgelux, at the ribbon-cutting ceremony that took place at the company’s manufacturing facility here. ”It will be down to $200 in three years,” he added.”

Heat:

Heat is a LED light bulb’s enemy. It converts 20-30% of its power into light but the remainder is converted to heat.  This heat is dissipated through a heat sink.

According to the Department of Energy,

“Excess heat directly affects both short-term and long-term LED performance. The shortterm (reversible) effects are color shift and reduced light output while the long-term effect is accelerated lumen depreciation and thus shortened useful life.”

However, not all heat sinks are created equal.

Fact vs Fiction:

In conjunction with this article, I interviewed three lighting experts about how to find the right bulb for commercial and residential applications. Think part two of the LED story. They walked me through on how to decipher the truth from the fiction.

Basically, not all LEDs produce the same type of light, nor last as long.  It is best to buy lighting from a store where you can return the lights. Test to see if you like the light output, the color of the light, and whether it dims with your switch.  As I mentioned above, I happen to like a white halogen light.  Others may not.

Join the Conversation:

• Have you bought any LEDs for your home and if so, which one do you like?
• Would you buy LEDs at this point in time?
• Are you uneasy about the marketing hype about LEDs?
• If you are a lighting expert, which ones do you recommend and why?

About today’s guest blogger: Anna Hackman is a sustainability consultant, mom of four boys (yes, no lamp allowed in the house), and the editor of Green Talk, a green living website that creates the conversation to live a greener lifestyle for home and business.  She is passionate about green living, green building, organic gardening, recycling, and green business. Tweet with her @greentalk, yak with her on the GT Facebook fan page, or just visit the blog.