Go Green this Mother’s Day with Caruso!

Mother’s Dayis TOMORROW. It’s a day to celebrate mothers and motherhood. But why not celebrate Mother Earth/Nature as well by going green this Mother’s Day! Here are some examples I have come across to help you have a Green Mother’s Day!

Homemade Organic Treats and Desserts: Why not switch to something healthy for a change? It is essential to select a good range of natural and certified organic ingredients from Organic Grocery Stores before experimenting on the recipes.

Greening the household: Green plants add a splash of color and fun to the household. They not only decorate your home, but also purify your indoor air. Thank your mother and show your love by giving plants that continue to grow day after day!

Green Cards: Express your gratitude and love in words and affirmations – give your mom a beautiful sustainable card with your own sentiments that she can keep and reread bringing a genuine smile to her face every time! Earth Greetings.com offers a great variety of eco-friendly paper goods and greeting cards, including wrapping paper, stationery and bookmarks. All products are sustainable and 100% post-consumer recycled. You can even make it more personal by creating your very own design of thank you card this year.

Organic Soaps: Pamper Mom on Mother’s Day with the highest quality certified organic soap from Soaps Plus. Enriched with natural and eco-friendly ingredients, their products are created and hand made by trained holistic therapist in order to moisturize and soften skin with a pure touch.

Ethical Jewellery: Women love accessories and looking beautiful. But what will make your gift stand out and green? Choose a lovely pair of earrings or gorgeous necklace that supports Fairtrade. Show off something special, hand-made and ethical.

Happy Mother’s Day!

And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.     

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Going Green at Home with Caruso!

With summer just around the corner, and temperatures heating up this is the time for conservation and thinking GREEN.  There are lots of ways you can contribute to making our Earth a better place to live. However, have you thought about how to make your home GREEN? To help you get started I provided you with some tips to having a GREEN home.

The first and probably most important one during the summer is to reduce air conditioning use! Air conditioning, whether a central system or an in-window unit uses tons of energy, so by using fans, keeping windows and doors shut, and closing shades during the day you are already helping the earth. Also you can add Energy Efficient Windows which will not only reduce the heat inside your home during the warmer months but will also help to keep the heat during the cooler months. Another thing I recommend, especially if you are up-grading your home is to look for and buy Energy Star Appliances. Significantly more energy efficient, Energy Star Appliances save you money by using less electricity and water than other appliances. Solar panels can also be a great investment when trying to make your home more green. Not only does it save you money but also increases the value of your property!

If you feel like you can’t utilize those tips mentioned above here are some very easy ways to go green around your home. Unplug electronics, battery chargers and other equipment when not in use. Taken together, these small items can use as much power as your refrigerator! Replace standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) and save 75% of lighting costs. Manage the power on all computers and ensure that they are turned off every night. Note: Laptops use 90% more energy than most desktop computers. When possible, wash clothes in cold water. About 90% of the energy used in a clothes washer goes to water heating.

Taking simple steps like switching to CFL light bulbs, energy star appliances, turning off electronics when not in use and making sure your windows, doors, and insulation are keeping your energy inside can make a huge difference in your energy usage at home.

And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.     

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Caruso’s Green Tip of the Day!

 Non-biodegradable packing materials

Styrofoam packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and foam are useful during a move, but not for the environment.

To go green on your next move, try using old newspapers to wrap fragile items, and then recycle the paper when you unpack.

Wrap pieces of furniture and art with blankets to ensure they do not get damaged during the move instead of packing them in foam.

If you must use non-biodegradable packing materials, ask around to see if anyone has any from a past move to give you. Reusing is always better than buying new for the environment and your wallet.

And that’s your green tip of the day!

And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.     

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Caruso’s Green Tip of the Day!

With the school year almost coming to a close and summer right around the corner, parents look ahead to plenty of hot summer days out on the road with the kids in the car. Just how hot those days can be may not hit you until you open the door of a car that’s been baking for hours in a parking lot. The fun really starts when the little ones have to get in. Here is where your new solar powered car gadget comes into play.

In these fuel-conscious times, when consumers may think twice before cranking the AC, one alternative is a solar powered car ventilator. Susita makes a model called the TO-230. It’s basically a small fan weighing 1-1/2 pounds that goes on top of a car window, with a solar panel facing outward.

The solar panel, which is 5 inches by 4.5 inches, powers the fan, which exchanges hot air inside the car for the presumably cooler air outside. If you park in the shade and want to use the fan, there’s a plug-in adapter for the car.

*The fan can reduce your parked car’s interior temperature from 25 degrees all the way to 160-180 degrees depending on where your car is parked. And that’s your green tip of the day!

And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.     

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900

Caruso’s Green Tip of the Day!

A New York-based company, ThinkEco, has developed the “modlet,”

a modern, two-plug outlet that automatically cuts power to plugged-in devices when not in use. 

The modlet JUST went on sale to consumers this year and will retail for approximately $40.

And that’s your green tip of the day!

 

And thank you for making me Your Orange County Real Estate Connection.     

www.MichaelCarusoRealEstate.com

Best regards,

Michael Caruso, Broker ABR ABRM CLHMS CRB CRS GREEN GRI

Past President, Orange County Association of Realtors (949) 753-7900