MY GREEN BLOG

Gone green, being green, or going green are all very fluid things. There are many moving parts to the green movement. Constant changing of theories and knowing that what may have been “green” 6 months ago is now not-so-green can cause confusion. So what is a person to do??? Cameron Diaz (I do try to avoid Hollywood for my policies but this was good) had this to say about going green in the forward of The Green Book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M Kostigen. Her quote – “There is no one thing that we can all do to make it all [the environment] better. It’s about making the best choices that are available.” THIS is exactly how each one of us can make a difference. BTW… The Green Book offers many helpful hints on making those greener choices.

Since a hard line on environmental stewardship is actually a soft line, using Ms. Diaz’s philosophy is a wonderful tool to greening up your everyday actions. Buying just one item at a store and jumping in your car? You don’t need a bag. Drinking that cup of coffee at your local coffee shop? Ask for a mug instead of the paper cup. Taking it to go? Bring your own thermos mug for them to fill. Need to shave today? Brush your teeth while the water heats up. Or brush in the shower. There are thousands of little decisions that we make each day that if just tweaked slightly would have a positive impact on our environment. Grab The Green Book at your local book store for more great ideas.

Wanna think bigger? Like home upgrades bigger? Solar panels, energy efficient windows, radiant flooring bigger? Then give Go Green Mortgage a call to learn about Energy Efficient Mortgages where you can earn up to 10K ABOVE the approved loan amount and the 203(k)s FHA loan where you can get up to 40K in additional financing for upgrades. We are here to help.

Till Next Time,

Jeff

A long going conversation with my great friend and Eco-Broker Nancie Kosnoff has been about sustainability. She has been preaching this idea for years. Whether helping set up a local farmer’s market in her Queen Anne neighborhood or saving local businesses from national chain takeover, she has been on the forefront of sustainable living. Mix this conversation with a fact from a college econ class and it would seem that local is the way to go. That fact from my econ class is that money spent locally (i.e. local small businesses and not large retail chain stores) gets returned into the local economy 7 TIMES!!! So for every dollar spent at your local hardware store or the corner market vs. Lowe’s or Safeway turns into 7 dollars spent locally. This little combination is actually a VERY green concept as local companies tend to have more local products which means that product did not fly or drive 3000 miles to get to the shelf.

We are fortunate to have companies like Costco, Boeing, and Starbucks that are technically local. So the big bucks from them are coming back our way, but the next time you need a gallon of milk think about the little corner store on your way to work. Yeah the milk may be 20 cents more expensive but that owner may someday buy your home or the service that you offer. In fact, don’t forget about your local mortgage banker either. : - ) You can read more about Nancie Kosnoff under our Green Partners link on the homepage and be connected to her site.

Having had a wonderful lunch with my good friend and eco-consultant 'slash' eco-everywoman, Julie Beall, the discussion about CFL bulbs came up. For those that are unaware, CFL bulbs are Compressed Fluorescent Light bulbs. They are those bulbs that curve around in a spiral. Wiki "CFL" and it'll tell ya all about it.

Anyway, our conversation centered around the safety or overall impact of CFL bulbs as they are the a hot green item. "Of course they're GREEN!!!" I said and focused on the following statistics:

 - CFL uses 75% less energy and lasts 10 times longer

 - Saves the user $45 over the lifetime of JUST ONE BULB!!!

 - Reduces Carbon Emission by 67lbs of CO2!!!

All good...well ALL GREAT... RIGHT?.... WRONG. Though CFL bulbs are great for the environment and our energy savings, there is 1 factor that makes them not so great... MERCURY!!

According to Brown University, a CFL bulb's Mercury content exceeds the EPA's safety standards, BUT... and this is a big BUT... if disposed of properly and handled properly, CFL bulbs are WAY better than incandescent. I have a house full of them. They don't break easily and are easy to recycle. Make sure you recycle yours properly too. Go go Earth911.com to find the nearest place to recycle your old CFL bulbs.

Till Next Time,

Jeff