What are some ideas to have a "green" apartment?

Question

"Green" meaning environmentally friendly, reducing carbon footprint, lowering electric costs, etc.

Answer 1

If you're really ambitious, check out a library book on small scale indoor composting.  You can actually bury your garbage in a little container and have it be eaten by red worms.

Answer 2

1.  Try to reuse everything as much as you can before you get rid of it.

2.  Recycle plastic, alum., paper, newspaper, and plastic grocery bags.

3.  Make sure the weather stripping on your doors and windows is in tact, otherwise ask the apt. management to replace it.  This will lower your elec. bill.

4.  Also, use draft blockers at the bottom of your doors to keep the cold out.

5.  Draw curtains and shades in the summer to keep heat out.

6.  Use CFL bulbs.

Answer 3

Get containers and keep them frozen in your freezer when it is not full. This reduces the work it has to do and will serve as a back up if your fridge goes out.

1. Set your home’s thermostat at the coolest level you can without making your rooms uncomfortable. For most homes, the heating bill drops by about 2 percent for every 1 degree the thermostat is lowered.

2. Lower your home’s thermostat at bedtime or while you’re away during the day. (See Tip #7.) Setting the thermostat to 58 degrees while you’re asleep (you may need an extra blanket!) can cut your natural-gas bill by up to 7 percent.

3. Seal up leaky drafts around doors and windows with weather-stripping, caulking, and door sweeps. (And don’t forget to keep the damper closed on a fireplace or wood-burning stove when it’s not in use.) Also seal up any leaks or gaps in furnace ducts that extend through unheated basements or crawl spaces.

4. Have your furnace inspected and tuned up every two to three years (before the heating season starts), and clean or replace the air filters on your furnace every two months during the heating season. Your furnace will run more efficiently and use less energy.

5. Set your water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Lowering it from a higher setting will save you money and reduce the risk of being scalded.

6. Take shorter showers, wash clothes in cold water, and don’t over-dry your clothing.

7. Install a programmable thermostat for home heating. It can save lots of energy while you’re sleeping or away from home – and will re-warm your house shortly before you wake up or return home from work.

8. Replace traditional, incandescent lighting with Energy Star® compact fluorescent bulbs and fixtures (especially in the lights you use most).

9. Make sure you have adequate insulation in your home’s attic and walls, and around heating ducts that pass through unheated spaces.

10. Purchase an Energy Star® rated high-efficiency furnace, water heater, washer/dryer, and dishwasher when it’s time to replace worn-out models

Answer 4

Get reusable shopping bags.  Lower your heater and use a cozy throw blanket.  Unplug things not in use and charging cords (many still use 'ghost' energy).  Invest in indoor plants; nature's original air purifier.  Use environmentally friendly cleaning products and soaps.  Recycle, recycle, recycle!

Answer 5

Let items go bad in your refrigerator

Don't clean the shower

Don't brush your teeth

Invite and Irish escort over to your house

Any more??

Answer 6

The most simple thing is to use compact fluorescent light bulbs, recycle, turn your lights off when not using them, and conserve electricity and water.

Answer 7

Use distilled vinegar and baking soda for cleaning. 4 parts vinegar to 1 part water. even works as a disinfectant...Here is a great web site to look into.

http://www.vinegartips.com/