Dedicated to Going Green? Follow These 10 Easy Steps

Given the pressing environmental challenges facing the world, one day just
doesn't seem like enough to celebrate the earth and make long-term
environmental changes. Why not use this month as inspiration and make a
commitment to do environmentally friendly activities throughout the year?

Here are just 10 ideas, along with some online resources, that you could try.

Green your office–Establish a green team with colleagues to address ways
to reduce your office's impact. A recycling program is obvious. Other
strategies could entail ridding the kitchen of disposable goods, replacing
equipment that hogs energy, improving lighting and HVAC systems,
installing a bike rack, and replacing grass around the office with a
vegetable garden or native plants. For more information, visit
www.greenyour.com/office.

Shop locally–Swear off buying stuff from faraway places, even if it saves
some pennies. Just consider the impact that packaging and shipping your
goods has on the environment. Instead, shop locally. Walking to shops
saves energy and you also help neighborhood businesses thrive.

Make mini moves–Build new habits that will have an ongoing impact. Those
could include the basics, such as switching to CFL bulbs, fixing water
leaks (www.epa.gov/WaterSense), or cutting the phantom power at home.

Do an energy audit–Invest in an energy audit to figure out exactly how
your house wastes energy. Even if you're on a tight budget, commit
yourself to making some of the changes the auditor suggests, and start
setting aside money for costlier upgrades. Find an auditor at RESNET,
www.resnet.us/trade/find-raters-auditors [2].

Go car-free–Reorganize your schedule so you can take public transit or
walk to work and errands at least a day a week.

Become a locavore–Rely on local providers for your weekly produce by
shopping at a farmers' market or joining a CSA (Community Supported
Agriculture) program. And when it's time for gift giving, consider buying
CSA memberships for friends and clients. www.localharvest.org

Share your knowledge–Offer to make a presentation to colleagues at a
weekly sales meeting about green changes they can make. Or pass the torch
to the next generation by organizing an environmental event at a school or
with a Girl Scout troop.

Raise your profile–Whether it's a community garden, a rails-to-trails
group, or a transit improvement committee, get involved in your community.
Your participation raises your profile and connects you with new
prospective clients, and your efforts have a direct impact on improving
your community.

Learn something new–Still fuzzy on the details of programs like LEED or
Energy Star? Wondering about new rebates and incentives? Spend two hours
each week getting up to speed on industry programs and trends. One
resource for such education is the Green REsource Council's Webinars, one
of the many great benefits available to NAR Green Designees. All the
Webinars are archived at http://greenresourcecouncil.org/webinars.cfm for
deisngees, and they include sessions on Energy Star, EPA's WaterSense,
USGBC's REGREEN , LEED for Homes, and NAHB's Green Building Program.

Refer a colleague—Find out how much colleagues have benefitted by earning
NAR's GREEN Designation and urge others to get green education. Discuss
the greater knowledge you have to advise clients and how the designation
has allowed you to best prepare your business for a changing world in
which consumers increasingly value an efficient, sustainable housing
stock. Right now, the Green REsource Council is offering a discount on the
online Core Course and Residential elective. Registrants can save nearly
$100 off the original price of the online courses.

For more information, see http://GreenREsourceCouncil.org/Courses.cfm [3].

Carol Lusidia Morrow, REALTOR® CENTURY 21 Award
7676 Hazard Center Dr. #200 San Diego, CA 92108
(619)368-6382 www.CLMrealestate.com DRE# 01463404

Posted via email from CarolLusidiaMorrow's Blog