At The Bud Bartley Family of Builders, we build green homes in Flower Mound, so we know a thing or two about being eco-friendly. Our homes provide indoor water efficiency, appliance and lighting efficiency, as well as enhanced durability and indoor environmental quality. The cornerstone of our results-based program is actual utility bills provided by real-life homeowners just like you!
We know it can be difficult to change habits that have been learned over a long period of time, so we compiled a list of essential green living tips that can deliver the greatest impact on the environment. They’re listed in order of easy to hard, to make the transition a little smoother, and we definitely suggest only taking on one to two changes at a time, since it can be difficult to adjust to new habits if you take on too much at once.
LED Lights
Not only do LED light bulbs waste less energy, but they also last longer and don’t contain dangerous chemicals. Whether you replace them all at once or just one at a time as your older bulbs die out, you’ll make a positive impact on your energy bills and the environment.
Energy Star Appliances
Not only do these devices use less electricity, but they also use that electricity more efficiently! It’s a win-win all around – you save money, the devices help the environment, and electricity is used in the smartest way possible. You can even get tax credits for utilizing Energy Star appliances.
Reusable Bags
It may be a no-brainer, and possibly a pain to remember to bring them to the store with you, but canvas bags/reusable bags are a big step in the right direction for being eco-friendly.
Are You Trying To Light The Whole Neighborhood?
Sounds silly, right? A lot of people forget that there’s passive energy being pulled from plugged in devices, let alone those that are being actively used. As Grandma said, “are you trying to give the whole neighborhood energy?”… make sure you’re watching your own usage and take advantage of savings when/if you don’t need to utilize energy sources.
Water’s Water, Right?”
No! No, it’s not! Monitor your water usage to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck! Our homes are designed to give you the most efficient energy bills, including water! Ask us for more details!
Apply, Consciously
You wouldn’t think that your appliances use energy simply being plugged in, but they do! If you want to save energy costs, passively, make sure to unplug those devices you aren’t using actively!
Recycle!
This is usually an easy one – most communities offer a recycling program. However, if they don’t, you can often find recycling bins in front of certain grocery stores for certain materials (e.g. plastic bags) or you may be able to find a recycling center near you.
Recycle!
This is usually an easy one – most communities offer a recycling program. However, if they don’t, you can often find recycling bins in front of certain grocery stores for certain materials (e.g. plastic bags) or you may be able to find a recycling center near you.
More Efficient Thermostats
Our homes come with Wi-Fi Ready Programmable Thermostats, which allows you to enter in certain temperatures for certain times of the day or based on whether someone is home or not. Here are some guidelines for thermostat settings:
- Summer: 75°F if someone is at home
- Summer: 80°F if no one is at home
- Winter: 68°F if someone is at home during the day
- Winter: 65°F if no one is at home, whether during the day or night
While we know it isn’t always possible to make dramatic changes overnight, even making small changes on a consistent basis can make a huge difference in your utility bills and have an amazing impact on the environment.
