|
Dear GreenLight:
 I live
in a rented apartment. I would like to reduce my electric bill.
However, when I talked to the owner about replacing the existing
light fixtures he refused saying it would be far too expensive.
Is there anything I can do my self?
J. A.
Dear J. A.:
Even in
a rental unit there is a lot you can do to reduce your electric
bill.
The first
and simplest is to make a point of turning out the lights when
you leave the room.
Second,
you can install compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in the existing
fixtures. The new, sub-CFLs screw into conventional sockets and
fit inside most existing fixtures, with lengths ranging from
4.7 to 6.6 inches. They produce enough light to replace standard
60- to 100-watt incandescent light bulbs, using one-fourth to
one-third as much energy and they last 8 to 10 times longer.
Low cost CFLs may be purchased through most home improvement
centers. Recently, the Department of Energy, working with several
manufacturers, set up a web site to sell low cost CFLs (less
than $9). The DOE site may be accessed at: www.pnl.gov/cfl/.
Third,
if you own any halogen torchiere lamps, consider replacing them
with CFL torchieres. Halogen torchieres use about five times
more energy and are a potential safety hazard due to excess heat.
Finally,
when you purchase appliances, buy EnergyStar compliant products.
Even though EnergyStar compliant products may cost slightly more,
they reduce energy consumption and utilities bills significantly.
By turning
of lights when you leave a room, installing CFLs and buying Energy
Star compliant products, you can reasonably expect to reduce
you electric by up to one half.
Dear GreenLight:
I'm planning
to paint the several rooms in my house and would like to avoid
the paint odor as well as minimize any environmental impacts.
Any suggestions?
J. C.
Dear J. C.:
The primary
cause of the odor from drying paint is the release of volatile
organic compounds (VOCs). Although manufacturers have done a
lot to reduce the VOC content in paint, virtually all paints,
including water-based paints, contain some VOCs. As a result,
you can expect to get some smell. You should be able to minimize
the paint odor by opening windows to allow plenty of ventilation.
If possible, keep the freshly painted room ventilated for several
days.
In addition
to the issue of odor, other environmental issues associated with
painting include VOC emissions, which contribute to smog formation,
and waste disposal.
The only
effective approach for minimizing VOC emissions is to select
a good quality one-coat low-VOC paint. An Army base recently
studied commercial paints to identify acceptable low-VOC paints.
They recommended the following maximum VOC contents: interior
flat paints 50 milligrams/liter (mg/l); interior semigloss and
gloss paints 150 mg/l; exterior flat 100 mg/l; exterior semigloss
and gloss 200 mg/l. The study includes a list of products that
meet the above criteria. The complete study report is available
at: www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp/paint.pdf.
By selecting
a water-based paint you can dramatically reduce cleanup and waste
disposal issues by avoiding the need for solvent to clean brushes.
In the case of water-based paints, homeowners may simply wash
brushes and other equipment out in a sink. NEVER dump painting
cleanup water into a storm drain.
Leftover
paint and cleaning solvents should be resealed into their original
container and turned in to a local paint recycling center or
household hazardous waste collection facility. Contact you city
government for information on these programs. 
|
rain.org