Gina is all about reducing her carbon footprint. She drives a hybrid, has been using ENERGY STAR Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) for years and never leaves home without a reusable shopping bag. She is known as the neighborhood recycling queen, putting out one trash can every other week for a family of four. She pulled up the front lawn and planted a beautiful veggie garden out front which she feeds with the wonderful compost made from the kitchen waste. Gina uses the clothes dryer only when weather prohibits hanging clothes out on the line and ditched the power mower for a green, manual push mower. These are only some of the things she does everyday to be green!
Q: What is the smartest energy decision you have made? Buying the hybrid has probably made the most tangible impact on our wallet and daily lifestyle but in an equally important way is our overall decision to become more aware of how every activity in our daily lives can impact the environment.
Q: How has this decision affected your lifestyle and your wallet for the better? We made a commitment to buying energy efficient appliances and truly recycle EVERYTHING possible. Also, driving a hybrid has absolutely changed our lifestyle and impacted our wallet. When you drive a hybrid you become hyper aware of the waste of larger traditional vehicles. There’s also the satisfaction of lower carbon emissions. We have become more conscious of taking unnecessary trips or combining errands. We’re more likely to walk to the local market when we need a few items (with our reusable shopping bags)!
Q: Are you surprised at the big changes that came from making a small change? Yes!
Q: What led you to make the decision in the first place? What led to the decision was taking a new job that required a rush hour Rte. 128 commute. I would sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic watching the needle moving on the gas gauge. I have never been so grateful to have made a decision about a car EVER! I also grew up in the 70’s energy crisis so I’m already into policing plugged in appliances, lights left on in the house etc. Initially, I was conscious of costs, but now I’m more aware of environmental impact.
Q: How have you shared your experience with others? We have shared our experiences with others and our next goal is to look into things like solar power. We love touring the LEED and ENERGY STAR houses and would love to be in a position to build or renovate a home.
