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Community Corner

5 Simple Things to Do at Home to Save Energy

Earth day tips for the home.

April is the month of Earth Day, and as it approaches, it’s time to refocus on what can be done to help the environment. Whether it’s through cutting down on waste, saving energy, using biodegradable products or lowering our carbon footprint, there are small things that can ultimately make a huge positive difference on the earth.

Alegre Ramos, a native Californian and owner of the Studio City eco-living store, Green and Greener had a wealth of information to share about ways people can become more eco and environmentally friendly in their own homes. 

The top five things she suggested that anyone could start doing today are:

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  1. Switching to LED (light-emitting diode) light bulbs.  Although they seem pricey at first, costing about $45 per 40 watt bulb, they last 50 times longer than a regular bulb while using approximately 1/10th of the energy, saving quite a bit of money as well.
  2. Instead of using household cleaners such as disinfectants that contain chlorine and ammonia that produces a lethal vapor, Ramos suggests combining 30 percent white vinegar and 70 percent water into a spray bottle. This combination cleans just as well.  Also, instead of using the non biodegradable green and yellow sponges that end up in landfills, cellulose sponges are a better option, are biodegradable and can be tossed in the green bins that are used for biodegradable waste or compostable materials.
  3. Eating less meat will help to reduce your carbon footprint.  Ramos recommends starting small.  If you eat meat every day, try eliminating meat from your diet one day a week.  It takes a lot more energy to make meat that it does to produce vegetables.
  4. For people who live in homes, try drying laundry the old fashioned way, by hanging clothing on a clothesline.  This method not only saves energy, but makes the clothes smell better and look even whiter than machine drying.
  5. The fifth way to go green at home is as simple as not buying water bottles anymore.  Plastic bottles contain BPA, a toxic chemical for people and the environment.  Instead, invest in a reusable stainless steel bottle and use tap water, which is highly regulated. Putting a filter on the faucet can solve the uncertainty for any tap water skeptics.  In order to make plastic water bottles, large amounts of fuel are used and many water bottles are not recycled and end up in landfills, further polluting the environment.

Going green and becoming more environmentally conscious doesn’t have to be a difficult task, as demonstrated in Ramos’ five practical tips.  By starting small and creating habits, these changes can become second nature and before you know it, you will be on green autopilot.

These environmentally friendly products can be found at Green and Greener, in addition to many other hard to find items. 

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The store is located at 4838 Laurel Canyon Blvd. in Studio City and will be having a spring sale for 15 percent off bedding, towels and gardening items through Earth Day.

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