As the Atlanta home inspector I am always looking for information for the family.  My daughter is all into recycling and studying about “going green” so when I ran across the following I thought it would be an added benefit to all of us.  There’s no question that these days we are all more focused on green – both in terms of the environment and our pocketbooks. However, the holidays can often be a challenge for both with the abundance of parties, shopping and overall excess that accompanies this time of year. It is estimated that between Thanksgiving and the New Year, an extra million tons of waste are generated nationwide each week. According to the California Integrated Waste Management Board, 38,000 miles of ribbon alone is thrown out each year — enough to tie a bow around the Earth!

Rather than waiting for the New Year to get your green efforts back on track, try following these tips and ideas to live, give and save green this holiday season.

Go with the Glow
The holidays wouldn’t be the same without the bright, twinkly glow that comes with strings of lights adorning rooftops, eaves and trees. But beautiful holiday lights can be a real drain on your energy bill. Want an easy fix? LED lights use less than 10 percent of the electricity consumed by filament bulbs and can save you close to 95 percent on your electricity bill, according to www.ChristmasLightsandDecorations.com.

Home for the Holidays
Save time, money and stress — plan to stay home for the holidays this year. The money and gas you will save adds up. In fact, www.use-less-stuff.com reports that if every American family reduced holiday gas consumption by just one gallon — about 20 miles — we would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one million tons. So sit back, relax and enjoy the holidays — at home.

That’s a Wrap
Most mass-produced wrapping paper you find in stores is not recyclable and ends up in landfills. Instead, here’s a great chance to get creative. Wrap presents with old maps, the comics section of a newspaper, or children’s artwork. According to the Sierra Club, if every family wrapped just three gifts this way, it would save enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields.

The Gift of Giving
Planning to upgrade your electronics this holiday? Have toys and clothes that you and your family no longer use? Donate unwanted items to a local charity. In addition to ridding yourself of unwanted clutter and keeping extra waste out of landfills – you have the opportunity to make someone else’s holiday bright. Tighter budgets are sure to impact holiday spending this year and local thrift stores offer gently used goods at great prices. And, your donation is tax deductable, which means more green for you in the coming year.

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As the Atlanta Home Inspector I am always looking for articles on safety issues to share with all the home owners that I have had the privilege to do a home inspection for.  I ran across the following information and thought you might enjoy it as well as I did.  May you have a blessed holiday season and wonderful time with family and friends.

ARA) – When do millions of families bring a prickly fire hazard into their homes and surround it with blinking orbs and open flames? The holidays are filled with traditional celebrations and decorations like Christmas trees and candles.

Unfortunately QBE Regional companies General Casualty and Unigard often see an increase in fire claims during the holiday season. Property insurance experts Cindy Woodford and Jon Farris have several tips for homeowners that can help prevent a fire from ruining your festivities.

Trimming the tree
Typically shorts in electric lights or open flames from candles or matches start tree fires. Farris, homeowners assistant vice president for General Casualty, notes that if your tree is fresh and well watered and hasn’t dried out, the chances of a fire are much slimmer. A fire-resistant artificial tree is an even safer choice.

Candles
Candle fires peak during the holiday season. Many fires start when a burning candle is left unattended or placed too close to combustible decorations, like greenery or wrapping paper.

To help reduce the threat of a candle fire, Woodford, homeowners vice president for Unigard and QBE Regional insurance companies, advises keeping candles at least one foot away from other materials. Only place them in holders that are nonflammable and heat-resistant.

Lighting up the house
Holiday lights are another common cause of holiday fires. To reduce the chances of an electrical fire, only use lights that have been tested for safety and contain the label of an independent testing laboratory, such as the Underwriters Laboratories. Inspect old lights for cracks, broken sockets or exposed wires and either dispose of or repair them.

David Lelak, a Atlanta home inspector and owner of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.  Call David today at 404-788-2581 to get your dream home inspected.

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