Abberly Place Blog

With so much of North Carolina experiencing drought conditions, in fact 74 North Carolina counties are experiencing some type of drought conditions and 49 have been classified as being abnormally dry, it brings our attention to how we can conserve resources and become more green in our homes. Even if you are living in an apartment in Garner, NC you can go green. How?

Conserve water- if you are washing dishes by hand, fill a basin and do all of your dishes together without running the water the entire time. Rinse all the dishes at once rather than one a time, which reduces running water. Of course when brushing your teeth, turn off the water until it is time to rinse. Everyone loves a nice long shower, but cutting down on shower time even by just one or two minutes can reduce your water use.

Change your light bulbs. CFL light bulbs conserve energy and last longer. Rather than turning light into heat, they use less wattage by only making light.

Compost at home. There are under the sink compost containers where you can compost your garbage in your home with no odor. When the composter is full, grow some beautiful potted plants. In fact, houseplants add a little color, and also clean the air by cutting down pollutants in your apartment.

Turn down your thermostat. Most experts suggest setting your AC to 68ºF in the day and 60ºF at night.  Believe it or not, setting it at 72ºF degrees will cost you 39 percent more energy.

Unplug your cell phone charger when you are not using them.

By creating good practices in energy and water conservation you develop good habits. Pretty soon turning off lights when you leave the room, not running the water while you’re brushing your teeth, and taking shorter showers become second nature.