Trying to Go green...Need input

[Britesea]

Something I want to try, (except the ravenous deer are making it very difficult) is to install a trellis from the eaves to the ground on our south-facing wall, and train a vining plant to grow there- You can reduce the interior temperatures by at least 10 degrees this way.

 

[Hinotori]

I have two grapes in pots on our south facing wall. A hot wall is the only way to get ripe grapes here. They actually produced a few bunches each last year. I wasn't expecting any as I'd only planted them the year before. They grew quite a bit and I need to go prune them now into the shape I want. Eventually they will help with cooling. Keep those 80 degree, middle of summer temps away . I really did plant them for the grapes, though.

 

[Marianne]

Something I want to try, (except the ravenous deer are making it very difficult) is to install a trellis from the eaves to the ground on our south-facing wall, and train a vining plant to grow there- You can reduce the interior temperatures by at least 10 degrees this way.

I read about how someone did that on the south side of their chicken coop. She planted gourds. Lots of leaves when you need the shade, then the vine dies down when you need the solar gain and of course you get the gourds. You could probably do some edibles, too.
We're all electric here, too. My favorites are passive solar - you get the most bang for your buck that way. Usually cheap to build, low maintenance.

 

[Denim Deb]

I'm planning on planting taller amaranth and sunflower seeds on the south and west side of my house this year. East side is pretty much shaded, so that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Corn Woman]

One small step in going green that's often over looked is to go paperless when ever you can. I just started using e-pay for my household bills and I really like it. If there is a provider that charges a fee for e-pay then I still use the USPS but if not I'm saving a stamp and the fossil fuel that it takes to deliver my bills and payment.

 

[Britesea]

I'm not sure how you are paying for your bills, but if you are using a checking account, you might want to open a new one especially for this purpose, and only keep enough in there to cover the bills you pay. This way, you minimize losses if your e-billing gets hacked. Or you could get a credit card with a low ceiling

 

[Corn Woman]

I'm not sure how you are paying for your bills, but if you are using a checking account, you might want to open a new one especially for this purpose, and only keep enough in there to cover the bills you pay. This way, you minimize losses if your e-billing gets hacked. Or you could get a credit card with a low ceiling[/quote
Thanks Britesea I hadn't considered the possibility of getting hacked.

 

[goddessaside]

You might want to check around the Mother Earth News website--lots of ideas for home-made energy savers, like the solar collectors (made from old storm windows) to fasten to your windows.
Rain barrels.
Humanure toilets (see "The Humanure Handbook") You'll gain compost, and much less water use. (And I scavenge about anything not chemically tainted, like with pesticides, to add to my compost!)
Check around your house for "phantom" electric use--anything with a box-shaped plug (like a phone charger) continues to draw power even when whatever it charges is finished, so unplug it or plug it into a power bar that can be turned off. Computers, too.
Lots of great ideas from others!

 

[ducks4you]

Agreed with everything above.
Check our Dave Ramsey and learn to BUDGET. When you have more coming in than going out you are $'s ahead.
If you can afford it, go to tankless water heating. WE have had one for 7 years now, and you never pay to heat hot water that you aren't already using.
If you garden start SMALL, or it will feel like a BIG job. Check out Square Foot Gardening, OR The Easy Garden (sister web site). Many people start with freezing extras, bc you have to have equipment, time and patience to learn to can, but tomatoes are very easy and safe to can.
ORGANIZE your rooms, your closets, your house and garage. If you can find all of those extra things you bought, you won't have to spend money buying duplicates. After my father died, my mother found extra tools, extra jars of vaseline, extra baby powder, extra socks--YOU understand--bc he couldn't find it, so he bought more.
When you organize make lists, and give yourself rewards for making progress. Don't beat yourself up for not cleaning up an entire room--it might be the biggest mess in the house and might take a week to put back in order. WHO has time for this?!?!?
Good luck--we're rooting for you!