7 Ideas to go green on this Saint Patrick’s Day.

Cut your water usage. Not only does this conserve precious water resources but it saves you money as well.

Try a free carbon footprint calculator to identify the ways your household may be producing carbon. Then reflect on how you might reduce your footprint in feasible ways for you.

Choose LED bulbs for more energy efficiency. Not only will you not have to replace a bulb near as often but LED bulbs have some of the most versatile options today with numerous color temperatures, shapes, and sizes.

Install Solar PV on your roof. This can be a large investment, so it’s not surprising that there are often a lot of questions surrounding investment in solar. Eric Beck, owner of Green Hill Solar, and Charles Hendricks answer some of the questions we’ve heard the most. If you’re interested in hearing more, check out the answers and discussion in our blog posts: Should you install solar pv on your roof? Part 1 and Part 2.

Utilize Insulating Curtains for the spring days that suddenly get very hot or cold. They come in a variety of styles, colors, and textures. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, insulating curtains can cut heat loss in a room as much as 10% during cold days. They also help to keep intense sun-rays out on hot days.

Another option for when the Virginia Spring swings from cold to summer-feeling heat outside is to open your windows. This is called Natural Ventilation and it can improve the quality of your indoor air by circulating fresh air, while reducing energy bills when designed right. However, if your allergies are bad in the spring, this tip may not be worth it, and that’s ok.

Read more about what components are important to have a green HVAC system on our blog: Keep ducts in conditioned space, Properly size your HVAC system Green Term Defined: HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning system),