Natural and Sustainable

You recycle regularly, use compact fluorescent light bulbs, and try to buy organic. But, there’s a lot more you can do to your home to turn it into a healthier, safer and greener one as well. Do you know how to make your fridge more earth-friendly? How about the easiest way to keep the new-rug smell without the new-rug toxins? Take this eco-home quiz and find out how much you really are in the know about eco-conscious living.

1. Staying indoors protect you from pollution. {T/F}

2. The best way to save energy & lower electric bills is to turn off household appliances. {T/F}

3. Which type of refrigerator is the most energy efficient?
A. Freezer on the top, refrigerator on the bottom.
B. Side-by-Side Model
C. Freezer on the bottom, refrigerator on the top.

4. Which gives off more pollution?
A. Your Car
B. Your Snow blower
C. You lawn mower

5. Since mold and mildew quickly accumulate on shower curtains, it’s better to use a disposable vinyl version. {T/F}

6. Washing laundry in hot water is worth the extra energy because it gets clothes cleaner. {T/F}

Answers:

1. False: Pollutant levels in your house can be 2 to 5 times higher-and even as much as 100 times higher, than those outside. Paint, carpet, flooring, and furniture emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can cause a variety of ills. Formaldehyde, the most common VOC, can trigger headaches, coughing, nausea, and breathing problems after long term exposure. Plus, there’s less ventilation indoors to remove cigarette smoke, pet allergens, mold and other problems.

2. False: Most appliances, including televisions, DVD players, and cell phone, or anything with an LED display, takes electricity through the outlet even when they are turned off. In fact, about 75% of home electronics power is consumed while the products aren’t even being used at the time.

3. C: Your fridge accounts for about 9% of your home’s energy usage, that’s more than any other appliance. Freezer below versions require approximately 16% less energy than side-by-side models (The freezer-on-top configuration uses about 13% less than side-by-sides.)

4. C: A typical gas-powered lawn mower emits as much pollution in 1 hour as 11 cars. And though snow blowers come in third on the list, they’re not exactly easy on the environment either. They put about 2 pounds of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere per hour.

5. False: Vinyl curtains, made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), are cheap, but release VOCs for a month or more after they are purchased.

6. False: Cold water is almost always good enough. Set the temp gauge to cold, except for very soiled clothing. Cold water will give you the same benefit of clean as with warm or hot water. Always wash your bedding in hot water though to kill dust mites and allergens.

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Bring Your Own Bottled Water (B.Y.O.B). Make sure that bottled water is in a glass container and not a plastic one as well.