Every year, April 22 marks the worldwide celebration of Earth Day. In 2010, more than half a billion people are expected to participate in this year’s events. The Earth Day Network hopes to have marches, parades, lectures and cleanup projects around the globe. You can find a list of events in your area at www.earthday.net.

You don’t have to wait until April 22 to incorporate the concepts of Earth Day in your own home, however. These simple, environmentally-friendly household suggestions can make you an Earth Day advocate all year long.

Conserve Water – and Your Pocketbook
The EPA estimates that the average family of four uses 400 gallons of water every day. To combat this, the agency suggests that you:
• Don’t let the water run while shaving or brushing teeth.
• Take short showers instead of tub baths.
• Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool.
• Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.
• Wash only full loads of laundry or use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine.
• Repair all leaks (a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons a day).
• Water the lawn or garden during the coolest part of the day (early morning is best).
• Group plants according to their water use so you don’t overwater. Check with your local extension service or nurseries for advice.
• Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only – not the street or sidewalk.
• Use soaker hoses or trickle irrigation systems for trees and shrubs.
• Keep your yard healthy – remove dead grass from your lawn, use mulch, and set your mower on a high setting to encourage grass growth and eliminate weeds naturally.
• Sweep the driveway and walkways outside instead of using a hose to spray it down.

A few behavioral changes in your water usage can make a big difference to the environment, and to your pocketbook.

Incorporate Energy-Efficient Appliances into Your Home
When the time comes, replace appliances with energy-efficient models. Tankless water heaters, for example, are comparable in cost to traditional gas water heaters but are 30 percent more efficient, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Another easy option is to replace your old thermostat with a programmable one. “These types of automatic thermostats will lower the heat when homeowners are at work, but will automatically raise it to make the home comfortable again when they return home,” said Jay Alderson, 2010 SHBA President.

As an added bonus, some home energy-efficient upgrades may provide tax credits of up to $1,500. Find out what qualifies at www.nahb.org/efficiencytaxcredit.

These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg. For more information on green household practices, visit the Inland Northwest Built Green® website at www.inwbuiltgreen.org or visit the NAHB green building Web site at www.nahbgreen.org.