| By :
Mark Etinger
When it comes time to make small home repairs, pause just a moment and consider whether there is a way to make that repair greener, healthier and cheaper. Because guess what? There probably is! So before you start on that honey do list, take a look at our cheat sheet and see if some of these tips apply. 1. CFL or LED lighting. Need to replace a light bulb or two? Save big money with the latest in efficient lighting technology. Compact fluorescent bulbs are cheaper than LED, but LED is the wave of the future. Either one is much better than your old light bulb, alleviates your electric bill, and will last longer, too. 2. Low VOC paint. Time to repaint the dining room? Your daughter turned goth and can't stand her pink bedroom anymore? Why poison yourselves? Conventional paints are made from petrochemical-based solvents, which off-gas toxic indoor air pollutants called volatile organic compounds that smell funny and may lead to long-term problems over time. Most major paint companies offer a rainbow of safer alternatives that are priced competitively with standard products. 3. Use glue. Or tape. Lots of little things around the house break and we rush out to replace them without thinking twice. How easy is it to buy a new laundry basket at Target? But rather than filling landfills with your bruised stuff, why not mend it? This is the real essence of small home repairs. You really think the Joneses will look down their noses? If they do, look right back down yours and tell them to get green. 4. If it's not mend-able, get creative. You still might be able to use it. A broken hard shell suitcase could be a sweet bed for a cat or small dog. An old bedspread could be cut into pieces and sewn with simple seams into pot holders or chair arm protectors. 5. Try the vinegar solution. It's possibly that your project is just a matter of cleaning something. In that case, did you know that a rag soaked in warm water with a bit of vinegar in it will clean almost everything in your home better than any toxic, expensive, chemical cleaner on the market? If the smell isn't to your liking, rinse with warm water with a splash of lemon juice. Bye, bye germs without the hello, poison. 6. For small home repairs beyond your ken, do a little research before you hire the first name in the phone book. Reward the contractors and carpenters in your community who are making extra effort to be green. Their expenses may be a little higher--or not--but every time you choose them, you are investing in a future where options are increasingly environmentally friendly--and therefore, more affordable in the long run.
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