Saving the Planet Starts at Home: Your Home

It's Earth Day. You know what that means. Time to take stock of what you have done for the planet lately. Replaced your light bulbs? Check. Started recycling and maybe composting? Check. Purchased green cleaning products? Check. Found places to buy local, organic food when possible? Check.

What more can you do? If you're concerned about energy costs, the security or quantity of our supplies, or climate change, it's time to focus on the one place where you can make the biggest difference: YOUR HOME.

More than 20% of our local, Charlottesville-area carbon emissions comes from our homes and the energy we use to light, heat and cool them. Here are some friendly tips to start a new Earth Day conversation:

Top 10 Signs Your Home Isn't as Green as You Think It Is

1. Two words: stink bugs. Can't get rid of them? Have more than your neighbors do? They are getting in the same places air is leaking in and out.

2. You and your family sneeze a lot -- and not just when you're exposed to pollen outside. Mold and mildew in your home might be to blame.

3. You cringe when your heating bill arrives in the winter.

4. Can't kick that musty smell. A fragrant spray can't fix your indoor air smell or quality.

5. Socks and slippers are required for your cold feet in the winter.

6. You cannot get to sleep on hot summer nights and have to move to cooler spots.

7. You confine most of your activity to one section of your home because the other rooms aren't comfortable.

8. You need to run a dehumidifier in the summer and possibly a humidifier during the winter.

9. The snow or frost melts on your roof before anyone else's on the block.

10. You see various electronic lights on in your house in the middle of the night.

Want to find out how green your home really is and ways to go deeper? Learn more about the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program, and get started with a free home energy profile.

5 Reasons a Home Energy Assessment is One of the Greenest Things You Can Do this Earth Day

1. Greening the workforce starts with your home. Together we can spur local economic development and put people back to work doing building efficiency upgrades.

2. A "green home" helps more than the environment. A full home energy assessment also checks several health and safety aspects of the home, not to mention identifies ways you can be more comfortable.

3. Control your home and your footprint. Even if you drive a hybrid or take public transportation and work or study in a "green" space, a considerable amount of energy nationwide is used in homes -- and they are the source of a good chunk of carbon emissions. Choices like how you light, insulate, heat, cool and care for your home can have a huge impact.

4. Go green and save green. Energy efficiency improvements to your home can offer one of the highest returns for your investment. Air sealing, insulation and even new windows cost less than solar panels and hybrid cars and have a shorter payback period.

5. Have your heart set on solar panels? Get your home ready by lowering your energy demand and ultimately the cost of renewables. 

Bonus: The best way to fight polluting power plants is to remove the demand for them. The cheapest, cleanest source of energy is that which we don't use.

Learn more about a professional home energy assessment.

If you haven't taken care of your own home, now is your moment! We have rebates and financing to make a great idea even more affordable. Make energy efficiency improvements and also enhance the indoor air quality and overall health of your home while saving energy and lowering your carbon footprint.