Kermit was WRONG! It is EASY to be green.

Kermit the frog was wrong! It is EASY to be green.

As a former marketing consultant for a few area energy companies, we used to recommend these tips and more to our area customers. Share them with your listings, too. It helps save homeowners towards their energy bills and you will do your part to help conserve energy.

You can also contact your local energy utility --- most offer a home energy audit --- that will help you save money in your home. If you are getting ready to list your home for sale be sure to have a PRE-Home Inspection. You will get valuable tips from the licensed home inspector about how to save $$$ in your home AND you can write up a list of those tips for the new buyers. See PSEG offer for an online analysis at: http://www.pseg.com/customer/home/save/njenergysmart.jsp .

1. Check your windows and doors. Air conditioned or heat loss here can be significant. Remove or replace caulking and weather-stripping. You can save 10% or more on your energy bill by reducing leaks with caulking or weather stripping. Close off vents or registers in rooms that you are not using and close the door

2. RAISE your thermostat. Set your thermostat to 73 0r 74 degrees. For every degree you raise the thermostat, you can save 3% on your air conditioning bill. The opposite holds true for heating, turn the thermostat down 2 or 3 degrees and you will save! In the winter , turn down your thermostat 5 to 10 degrees at bedtime.

3. Take showers instead of baths. Bathing uses more hot water in the average household - up to 25 gallons. A five-minute shower uses less hot water and could add up to substantial savings over time.

4. Keep COOL air inside. Make sure all windows are closed tightly and locked. Close shades and close the curtains during the day particularly those rooms that get full sun exposure. ( Do the opposite in the winter to take advantage of the sun's solar energy ).

5. Turn down your water heater to 120 Degrees. You may save up to 50 percent of a household's water cost.

6. Keep the garage doors closed if the garage is attached to the house. Even better --- change the garage doors to new, more energy efficient and insulated ones. You will be quick to realize the savings.

7. Remove furniture or items which block vents supplying and returning air to the air condenser. Also, use fans to help circulate air.

8. Increase insulation in the attic, crawl spaces, and basement. Adding a layer of insulation to your attic is one of the most cost effective ways to conserve heat and to keep homes cool during the summer.

9. Clean or change your air conditioning filters so that your air conditioner doesn't have to work as hard.

10. Change your lightbulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs are the most energy-efficient of all light bulbs. It has been reported that they use 67 percent less energy than standard light bulbs. And, they last up to 16 times longer. See the light and change the bulbs!

According the the New Jersey Website on Energy and Global warming: If every U.S. household replaced one incandescent light bulb with an energy-saving compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb, global warming pollution would be reduced by more than 90 billion pounds over the life of the bulbs.

Wow....that is incredible. It goes on to say,

If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

Those statistics are worth screaming about!

And, imagine what would happen if we replaced 5 or more in our home? I challenge you to go out, buy 5 CFL bulbs and replace them in your home and your office. It is simple, cost effective and something you not only can control --- you can include your children in the process so they understand that we are all doing a small part to save energy!

For more information go to:

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs : ENERGY STAR

Give a pack to your listings AND your buyers at closing...And, challenge someone else to save energy....It is that EASY!

Contact your local utility for more energy saving tips. You will realize the savings on your bills AND you will be doing your part to conserve energy, too.

http://www.pseg.com/customer/home/save/tips.jsp

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Thinking of buying or selling your home in Bergen County, New Jersey?

Let me help you. Know the sales value of your new home and your new neighborhood * based on actual market comps. Allow me to present a Comparative Market Analysis to you that is customized to your home, finances and your specific needs. This will give you detailed information about pricing and selling your home in the current market or BUYING your home in your new neighborhood.

For more information about buying or selling your largest financial asset, contact me at CupaT@aol.com.

Copyright - Pamela Stetson 2008, http://www.pamelastetson.com/

Kermit the Frog is a copyright of Disney.