The USA now has over 300 million people. Most of them flush a toilet 6 times every day.  Based on these numbers a change from a 5 gallon flush toilet to a 1 gallon flush would save 1,200,000,000  gallons of water if everyone flushed just one time. Multiply that by 6 and then by 365 for annual water usage by toilets alone. Imagine how much energy is used  to pump that much water from private wells into water towers.  The pollution and other ecological effects of this activity is catastrophic. The town of Falmouth recently installed a large windmill to power the waste water treatment plant, which is one of the town's largest energy users.The following are some steps I have taken to lower the impact of my home and my business.

  • 2002 Began using low VOC paints such as Safecoat which we used to have to have delivered via UPS. As of 2009 several other brands are available. Ask us about the local Sustainable Building Supply store which not carries this and many other brands and who's showroom you can visit on the Cape or in Boston.

  • 2005 Replaced (2) 5 gallon/flush toilet with 1.6 gallon/flush. As of Feb 2009 we saved approximately 40,000-50,000 gallons of water and the energy to pump it up into the water tower. Nowadays even lower flush toilets are available with two button flush toilets and composting toilets. Waterless urinals are also quite popular. See EPA's new Water Sense Label as well as the Department of Energy's matrix for fixtures.
  • Installed Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs in home and office. This reduced my energy use associated with electricity generation for lighting by 75% and thus proportionally reduced the associated pollution(NOx, sulfur dioxide to name a few) and the climate change gas C02. As more coal is used to replace scarce or expensive oil for electricity production, we will also be saving on mercury emissions and emissions that cause acid rain. Jan 2009 Energy Efficiency. Fluorescent makes cover to Time Magazine.-
  • Installed Bamboo flooring for it's durability and renewable qualities. Prefinished, so no chemical smell and no dust during or after install. 
  • Started recycling. This saves a gigantic amount of energy and resources nationally.
  • Installed Energy Star Rated Andersen High Performance Low E Windows in my home.
  • Had an energy audit performed on my home. Insulated rim joists in basement, applied weather strips to some of the older doors.
         2007 Began using phosphate free biodegradable laundry soap. Installed Carbon Monoxide Alarms. Very Important.
       
  • 2008: Started using Eco friendly biodegradable dishwasher detergent
  • Installed power strips and use them to turn off multiple vampires at once. Unplugged other vampires when electronic device not in use.
  • Began using DC from work truck to recharge batteries for mobile phone & digital work camera.
  • Raised height of lawn mower blades to increase length of grass.This has resulted in the lawn requiring substantially less watering this year. As a  result of less watering, it does not grow as fast and I can often skip a week of mowing, less gas burned and less emissions. Feb 09, received water bill, result-reduced annual water consumption by 12,000 gallons!
  • Started composting kitchen waste which reduces energy use related to transfer station hauling and disposal of this type of waste. The compost now can be reused onsite in our garden.
  • Began using out door shower(seasonally). Saves energy used  by bathroom vent fan & lighting. Purchased a Thermos to eliminate energy to make and recycle plastic water bottles. Eliminates emissions of trucked in out of town water.
  • Reduced size of lawn by converting part of  it to organic vegetable garden. Result less gas needed to mow lawn=less fuel for mower and less exhaust  emissions, many good eats that have a close to zero carbon footprint and are chemical free (no pesticides on these eats!) and also used only a small amount of organic fertilizer! As of late August the garden is producing more than we eat and am pleasantly surprised how very little work is required. Feb 09, check out National Geographic Energy Conservation and counting carbon.
  • Awarded Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation by NAHB Green.
  • Installed clothes line at my home to reduce use of gas clothes dryer and associated emissions.
  • Blower door tested my home. House was built in '74(Not by me). Blower door test revealed several areas of air infiltration / energy loss & pathways for unhealthy items such as, insulation dust, and what ever nasty things live in attics and basements to enter my living space. We are  holding off on air sealing until we have an air exchange system designed to include Heat Recovery Ventilator(HRV's) or Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERV's). We may also have some make up air provisions incorporated into design.
  • Installed smaller more energy efficient circulation pump in heating system. This pump uses much less energy. The smaller motor is more resource efficient in its design and costs less to operate. It is around 1/4 the size of the old circulation pump. The comfort benefit is that the small motor is much quieter.
  • Selected Dell Hybrid Computer for my business. This mini sized computer has many of the same features as green homes. It's Resource Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and it's quiet.  Office occupants and users are comfortable and happy. It's physically small, so it's very resource efficient and it meets the new Energy Star 4 compliance. Dell says it uses 75% less energy than a traditional desktop.
 
  • 2009: Tested my home for Radon Gas. Very important period. 
  • Redirected flow of baseboard heaters to the North side of the house first vs the original setting of which sent the heat to the Solar South first.
  • Installed Solar Thermal system on my home.
  • Purchased Energy Star 7 day programmable thermostat for heating system.
  • Discontinued the use of gas lawn mower & began using a plus mower without an engine. It does not need to be pull started, when you let go of handle it does not conk out and need to be restarted. Unlike gas mower it does not make a lot of dust or noise, needs no fuel and produces no emissions. See EPA lawn mower impact
  • For the past few years we have been using slow release organic fertilizer on our lawn once a year. Due to heavy rain and the negative impact of storm runoff we have not fertilized our lawn this year. See The Register (Wicked Local Media) related to large quantities of dead fish in Parkers River in Yarmouth MA and other Cape water ways depleted of oxygen due in part to  nitrogen run off from septic systems and fertilizers.

  • 2010 Another year of without of enjoying a organic lawn free of pesticides, petrochemicals, fertilizer, nitrogen run off, and free of fossil fueled mower, trimmer or leaf blower! The neighbors hood no longer has to listen to the noise of these devices or the smoke that comes from them. Now when my dog rolls on the lawn (daily) and cat less often, the lawn is safe for them and they no longer brings those chemicals and toxins into our home.  I love the Reel Mower! We are proud that choices we make regarding lawn maintenance do not contribute to the types of nitrogen loads that killed the fish in Dennis & Yarmouth last year, and do not contaminate the food supply for birds and bees.
  • Enjoyed a exponentially large crop of organic strawberries in a patch of  our land that used to be a lawn.
  • Became a EPA Certified Lead Safe  Firm
  • Air Sealed Penetrations in my attic and basement. Add R30 to attic.
  • Installed high R value Soy based closed cell spray foam in basement rim joists.
  • Sat for the Building Performance Institutes Building Analyst Exam and passed first sitting.
  • Installed controls in office to reduce energy on various devices
  • Installed an energy monitoring device in home and office that is compatible with Google Powermeter. Which allows me to monitor my energy use from anywhere in the world.
  • Upgraded select lighting to low watt LED's & Induction lights in home and office
  • Expanded our energy consulting & energy retrofit services to include commercial properties.

  • Please revaluate the impact of your home and/or business and lifestyle on energy, resources, Air, Soil, Water, ecosystems, people and other living things. 
                            
FHPB is here to assist owners of homes & buildings evaluate their options from the analysis of the free energy report and beyond to the many other energy efficient options that are outside the scope of the free energy audit.

Call is today 774-268-9370.
FLYNN High Performance, LLC
Green & Sustainable Steps
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