In today’s marketplace, Green Living Homes have taken on a different connotation and seem to inspire different emotions as well.  In these economic times, it seems that you can’t do Green Living Homes without some sort of a major overhaul of your home , or so it seems.  When a new administration enters the White House, somebody or some group seems to think they may have a voice.  In America, the Green lovers are of the mindset that the next President will be so for them.

Granted, I am not coming at you from an environmentalist mindset.  In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.  I am of the mindset that a lot of the Green thinking borders on the “Guilt” aspect that characterizes  you  as bad if you aren’t Green for some reason.

Quite honestly, the Green movement can be a bit radical in its propagation of their overall message and, from a design standpoint, the lens that I often gage things, the materials have not been there to justify a Green Living Home.  That has begun to change with some great new design materials that has started to spark the interest of the design community, and, more importantly, become more reasonable from a price standpoint.

Now, here are some things you can do to be more Green just by making changes in the things you do everyday and in future design changes that you may be making in your home.

First, if you are about to do an Interior Design change, look at your electrical systems.  There can be a tremendous waste in your electrical output systems.  Even if you are not doing Interior Design changes , walk around your home and see it there are ways you can reduce some of you electrical waste.  If you just did some minor changes in the way you used your electricity by making sure appliances are turned off when not in use, etc, you could probably realize a 6% to 20 % difference in you bill each month a recent study showed.

From a Design standpoint, it goes without saying to spend the extra money for the  energy efficient appliances.  An option that is not as difficult to do these days, but still needs to be thoughtfully considered.

There are some simple changes from a lighting standpoint by changing out some of the bulbs that are claiming to be more efficient.  I am not talking about going crazy and just start changing them out, but when you need to make a change, do so then. 

Also look at you filters in heating and air conditioning units.  My Dad was a heating and air guy for years and was always shocked as to how people just wouldn’t take the time to change the filters which would cause countless dollars in repair bills yearly.  There are some pretty decent filtration systems, but are still a little pricey compared to regular ole filters.

Finally, from a Kitchen Design standpoint, Bamboo and cork flooring should be considered in Interior Design, as they are dynamic looking.  Kitchen cabinets can also be redone with similar alternatives to wood which can like just like exotic woods. 

There are some great looking Metal and Stone alternatives which are also good for Kitchen counters and cabinets and a great product, IceStone, one brand of recycled glass used to create countertops for kitchens and bathrooms that generally ranges between $100 and $150 a square foot. 

The point is that there is finally coming into the market place a great plethora of products that are Green focused to design and live in your  Green house.  With the changes you can make from a Design standpoint and just the changes you do by walking around the house, you can be Green.  Just don’t let it be out of guilt. 

It’s kind of like when I used to eat Twinkies that I loved so much and said that sooner or later there would be a low-fat version, and I was right. 

Its the same with going Green.  They’ll catch up.

DA Southern is a designer who learned the ropes as a set designer for theatrical productions and has taken what he has learned into all of his Interior Designs. As a designer from a more theatrical view, he sees how to build and Design with more of a creative eye towards trends that can save homeowners money. With more of a modern approach to design, DA blogs about design and the trends in the Design community from a Modern appeal. Green Design has become more of a focus and DA feels that Green and Modern Design can coexist in the modern era. Catch his blog at design.itsyourshowitsyourlife.com and see what trends seem to be moving the Design community.
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Did you ever wonder what the difference is between a $24 drinking water filter system and a $420 one?  I decided to find out. 

Here’s what I learned.

Mark up is the reason that there is such an expensive drinking water filter system on the market.  It works pretty well.  It’s not certified to remove MTBE, a gasoline additive that has contaminated the groundwater in some areas, but it does remove at least some of the other chemical contaminants we are faced with.

It’s just that you aren’t paying for the technology with this brand.  You are just making the company a bigger profit.  If you buy direct from the factory, you can get a better drinking water filter system for less than $125.

But, what about the one that only costs twenty four dollars?  Well, that’s a pitcher and it only removes about 75% of chlorine and 93% of lead.  Chlorine by-products (THMs and TCE) are probably a bigger health threat than chlorine, but since you can’t taste them or smell them, most people are unaware of their presence.

The EPA limits the total THMs that can be present at the treatment facility.  But, the tests are faulty.  There is a lot of room for human error and downright deceitfulness.

You have to pay at least a little more for a drinking water filter system that removes THMs, but if your health is important to you, it’s worth the extra money.

Now, don’t run out to buy, just yet.  Price is not always indicative of quality. There is a $150 drinking water filter system on the market that does not remove THMs, TCE, VOCs, lindane, alachlor, atrazine, benzene or MTBE. 

MTBE was mentioned above and may not be a problem in your area.  You can usually taste it or smell it.  But, the others are commonly used herbicides, pesticides, industrial solvents and other chemicals that have been identified in nearly every municipality in this country.  All of them are hazardous to your health and many of them cause cancer.

There is only one reasonably priced countertop unit ($124.95) that removes them all and it costs less than a dime a day to operate.  How much of a savings would that be over buying bottled?

Not to rant, but bottled beverages are no better than what you get from the tap.  The same contaminants can be present.  You can never be sure of the drinking water filter system that the company uses. 

Even pricey Perrier had to recall their entire US supply because of benzene contamination.  And it took a curious treatment facility employee to find it.  Apparently, they don’t always test before shipping. 

A drinking water filter system with certified performance is the only way to be sure that you are not exposing yourself to some chemical or another, and maybe even more than one.

The only “drawback” to these systems is that you have to remember to replace the cartridges.  One company has taken care of that.  They will automatically ship your replacement cartridges on schedule, if you want. 

It was the right drinking water filter system for my family.  It may be the right choice for yours, too.

Lauren Leddy is a consumer advocate and a dedicated researcher of health related issues. Visit her website now at http://www.safe-water-purifier.com and get free information on how to protect yourself from water contaminated with carcinogens, traces of drugs, hormones, parasites and other toxins.

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Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

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