Our planet is all we really have; without it we will cease to exist. Yet we continue to abuse our greatest gift. Some (large companies) pilfer our planet simply for greed; others (mankind in general) pilfer it because they do not know any better. The clocks are chiming and the wake up calls have been sent out, we just need to stop long enough to hear them ringing. Our planet is in desperate need of our help. We cannot accomplish this on our own or within a day, but by starting at home, one step at a time, we can make a difference.

The term Energy Efficiency should not be a phrase we hear only on the News, it should be a lifestyle that we choose to adhere to. It should be your home’s new fashion statement. With the economy being what it is, the excuses are over; if you want your dollar to last longer then you should definitely find the time to adjust your lifestyle at home.

The following is a list of products you can integrate into your home. All these products can be picked up at your local Home Depot and installed in one weekend, saving you money and helping our planet.

Light Bulbs

• You can start by replacing the existing light bulbs in your home to CFL Bulbs. CFL stands for Compact Florescent Light. CFL bulbs consume up to 75% less energy and they last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. They will reduce your energy cost at the end of every month. If all homeowners in this country were to change their five most frequently used light fixtures with energy star qualified fixtures and/or bulbs there would be a savings of about $8 billion in energy cost to this country.

Thermostat

• The second most efficient way to save on both cost and energy is by replacing your existing thermostat. You may say to yourself, “the one I have at home is fine and I do not need to spend time or money on replacing something that is not broken”. That is where you are mistaken. Replacing your manual thermostat to a programmable thermostat can save you $150 or more on your energy bill at the end of the year. A programmable thermostat allows 4 program periods per day (each day of the week can be different) and can regulate your HVAC according to your schedule and lifestyle.

 Motion Activated Light Control/Sensor

• My children have a habit of going into the bathroom, turning on the light and leaving it on after they finish. Obviously this is a waste of energy. With a motion sensor, the light turns on when they enter the room and turns off when they leave. If you need to have the light on for an extended period of time, the ON/OFF switch permits normal ON/OFF operation.

Eco Dimmers

Replacing switches with dimmers conserves energy and adds fewer light bulbs to landfills. In eco mode, you can save at least 15% on energy and extend the life of your bulb as compared to using a standard switch. You can install a dimmer in as little as 15 minutes.

Timers

Timers are convenient and save you money. You can automatically control the time your air conditioner, holiday lights, indoor lamps and even lawn and garden lights turn on and off without being at home.

• If you do not have central air conditioning, you can program your air conditioner to turn itself on a half-hour before you get home so that it is cool when you walk in from a long day of work.
• You can also program it to turn off during the early morning hours. It’s also useful to use with door lamps when you are away on vacation to give the illusion that someone is home. Best of all, when utilized correctly timers are sure to save you money on your energy costs.

Shower Heads

• To save our planet’s precious resources while also saving on our monthly utility bills, Moen now provides water-saving faucets. These environmentally friendly faucets, which are offered in both standard and upgraded KB Home kitchens and baths, are designed to conserve water in everyday use without compromising performance

Sealant

• Sealing your home is not just for keeping the cold out during winter, but for keeping the cold in during summer. Check all your doors, windows and moldings for cracks

Yes, the end of summer is drawing near, but there’s still time to tackle a few remodeling projects before the hectic fall days begin. Kiplinger.com has assembled a list of 8 DIY Projects To Add Value to Your Home By Labor Day, 5 of which are listed below. Each costs less than $500, requires less than a day’s work, and will increase your home’s value.

Add a Backsplash

Estimated Price: $14 per 12-by-12-inch tile

The easiest way to add pizazz to your kitchen is with a new backsplash. You can go from country to modern in a snap with a variety of options for finishes and colors. To save money, time and frustration, consider the peel-and-stick tile options now available. The messier grout-and-tile approach will add $50 to $100 more in related supply costs but will appeal more to prospective buyers.

Install Vanity Cabinets & Toilets

Estimated Price: $200 (vanity), $250 (toilet)

Even relatively minor updates to your bathroom can produce a return on investment of 172%, according to HomeGain.com’s 2009 Prepare-to-Sell survey of 1,000 real estate agents nationwide. Because toilets fit neatly over existing plumbing, they’re surprisingly easy to install. Look for modern water-saving models that will both save on your water bills and appeal to energy-conscious buyers when it’s time to sell. If you’re feeling creative, save hundreds of dollars by using an old dresser as the foundation for a new vanity. Simply cut out room on the top to hold a basin sink and to connect pipes. 

Paint a Room

Estimated Price: $30 per paint can

It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint will do to immediately transform any room in your house. You’ll earn a 250% return on your investment in freshly painted interior walls, according to HomeGain.com’s survey. Just be sure to test colors — Home Depot sells 8-ounce sample cans of paint for $3 — before buying the full batch of paint needed for the room. Limit costly mistakes and spills by splurging on drop cloths and painter’s tape.

Install Crown Molding

Estimated Price: $5 per linear foot

Crown molding in your home compared with none in a similar home in your neighborhood could make a difference when it’s time to sell. You may not get the money back, but it’s a feature that most buyers appreciate when looking for a home. Fair warning: Installing crown molding might be the trickiest task on our list. There’s a lot of geometry involved — along with a nail gun and a miter saw. Follow the “measure thrice, cut once” rule to limit waste.

Replace the Front Door

Estimated Price: $150-$500 or more

As the first thing prospective buyers will see upon entering your home, a new front door will more than recoup your investment. Expect a fat 129% ROI on a steel door, according to Remodeling magazine’s 2009–10 “Cost vs. Value Report.” Bonus: Buy a qualifying energy-efficient door and reap a tax credit of 30% of your cost (up to a maximum of $1,500 in 2009 and 2010 combined).

View all 8 DIY projects in this slideshow click here.

As temperatures dip and snow flakes start to fall, your home will require extra maintenance to keep it in shape throughout the winter. 

Here are a few simple steps you can take to prepare your home for colder weather.

Smart Stock Up

Check shovels, snow blowers and ice scrapers to ensure they are in working order, and replace or repair any that are damaged or worn. Stock your car and garage with appropriate winter supplies (shovels, scrapers, blankets, flashlights, etc.), and don’t forget to keep walkways safe for your family and neighbors with ice melt.

Not all ice melters are effective in melting ice at subzero temperatures, and some melters can harm sidewalks, driveways and vegetation more than others. Some products on the market claim to be pet-safe but actually contain chlorides which can be harmful to pets digestive systems if ingested, and which can be painful or irritating to pets’ paws. Look for a brand of ice melter from a company that validates its ice melter performance claims using third party testing, such as Morton’s line of salt-based and salt-free melters. Also, purchase melters specifically designed to melt in your climate and that meet your safety needs.

Careful Clean Up

The harsh winter weather can be dangerous for your lawn and plants. Snow, wind, sleet and ice can result in weak tree trunks and broken branches that can damage your house, car or even worse, someone on your property. As winter approaches, don’t forget to cover your plants and trim your trees to get rid of those dead branches. Also be sure to clean the gutters on your house to prevent water from building up and freezing.

Cautious Check Up

Check all doors and windows for cracks or areas where cold air could seep in, and use caulk and weather-stripping to seal those drafty spots. Make sure all steps, handrails, sidewalks and driveway are in good shape. Broken stairs and cracked cement become even more dangerous when covered with snow and ice. All deicers can accelerate surface damage to concrete, since they increase the number of freeze-thaw cycles. In order to prevent additional cracks from forming in good quality concrete due to the use of deicing agents, use an ice melter such as Morton Safe-T-Plus ice melt, which contains ingredients that reduce the amount of surface damage to concrete and paved surfaces compared to rock salt. 

Prepared Pack Up

Create a winter emergency kit for both the home and car. For your home, be sure to have indoor candles, matches and batteries on hand in case of a power shortage. You never know how long the power might be out, so having non-perishable food, water bottles and blankets are essential. Write down important phone numbers and tape them inside the kit. For your car, have extra blankets, road flares, and a flashlight available in case of a roadside emergency. It is important to keep both a first aid kit and an emergency kit in your car as well. Keep Morton Safe-T-Salt Rock Salt in the trunk to weigh the car down to in order to provide additional stability when driving on a slippery road. If your car is stuck in snow or on ice, spread this product generously under the wheels to provide traction.

 For more product details and other winter tips, visit www.mortonmelters.com

Marlene Pratt, a Casa Latina co-founder, believes that designing for a contemporary American lifestyle is much more than changing colors and buying new furniture. It is about integrating the many elements of a person’s life into their home.

When Marlene takes on a project, she does not just redecorate a space; she redesigns a lifestyle. She gets personal in order to understand who you are, where you are in your life, and where you want to go. Marlene works with each person to make their home an expression of who they are, interweaving their passions, beliefs and desires into the home’s fabrics, colors, textures and designs to create an intensely personal, yet functional, space.

Introduction by Nora Maria Diaz Bretherton

In this article Marlene was featured in Woman’s Day magazine:

Harvest gold appliances and above-cabinet soffits were the height of the kitchen style when Richard and Ellyn Wira moved into their new home in 1973. Fast-forward 32 years. Despite the new wallpaper and replacement appliances, “you walked into that kitchen and automatically knew how old it was,” says Marlene Pratt, the Home Depot interior designer who helped the Wiras bring the room into the 21st century.

What was done:

• Home depot’s Marelene Pratt, above left, guided the Wiras toward KraftMaid maple cabinets in a medium stain for the traditional look they desired.  A two-tone glaze that makes them darker around the edges is a contemporary look.
• The old cabinets came together in the corner and created a non-man’s land of dead space that required a flashlight to explore.  A new catty-corner cabinet, with a lazy Susan inside, makes the space user friendly.  A louvered appliance garage keeps countertop clutter under control.
• Silestone natural quartz countertops in Tea leaf won’t readily show dirt, and beacuse it’s nonporous, the surface won’t absorb stains. A cream ceramic tile backsplash adds texture.
• Pratt persuaded the Wiras to replace their relatively new white appliances with stainless steel ones from Maytag. “You can match any color to it,” says Pratt, “and it makes that color more striking.”
• A built-in microwave above the range frees up counter space.  The wood caving above it was unexpected piece Pratt brought in to provide a focal point. The arch over that, an architectual element repeated above the sink and on the workstation, softens the square lines of the kitchen.
• The Kohler chrome faucet has the old-fashioned look Ellyn loves, but with a modern pullout spray nozzle.

• Stained-glass cubbies replace the soffit above the cabinets, showing off Ellyn’s china and collectibles.  “A soffit makes a room seem smaller than it really is,” says Pratt.  “To the ceilling cabinets give the room added height and elegance.”

• A stunning new workstation doubles the storage space of the old hutch, and adds a desk and a filling cabinet in the base.  Pratt chose Behr’s Mountain Haze paint, an airy, light sage hue, as an homage to the Wiras’ North Carolina vacation home.  A round glass-top table lightens things up further.  The dark cream porcelain tile flooring is easy to clean and dries quickly, Ellyn says.  It was laid on an angle , which creates the illusion of a bigger room.

The details at work:

1. A sleek flat-screen television replaces a bulky old set, freeing up counter space.
2. Two roll-out drawers in the pots and pans cabinet organize cookware, eliminating straining and searching.
3. A pullout pantry next to the refrigerator holds canned goods and puts an end to the typical spice jumble in cabinets.  “You can see everything at a glance,” syas Ellyn.
4. Making most of utensil storage is a dual-level flatware drawer: The top section slide across to reveal a divided bottom.
5. Slide-out wire baskets get onions and potatoes out of the bag and into easy-to-access vegetable bins.

Once the makeover was complete, the Wiras found that they were surprisingly enamored of some of the smaller touches: a cabinet unit that houses trash and recycling bin, the freezer on-the-bottom refrigerator (“You can see what needs to be used up,” says Richard).  “We’re overwhelmed,” Ellyn says.  “The only thing is, it looks so good, now we feel like we need to redo the rest of the house.”

In this NY1 segment, Marlene shares simple tips we often overlook when we take on our home’s annual Spring cleaning challenge!

To watch the segment, click on the image.

Edited by Nora Díaz Bretherton

Going green. It seems to be on everyone’s mind these days.

Casa Latina is proud to partner with IKEA to present some helpful tips and product ideas that can easily be incorporated into your home and lifestyle. As consumers, we need to become aware of what we buy so we can integrate eco friendly products into our everyday lives. By changing our habits in small ways we can make a large collective impact.

IKEA brainstormed with Green Guru Danny Seo for ideas on small changes and mindful products that can have a big impact on the environment:

Tips for Home

• Use the IKEA blue bag for all shopping trips. It’s big, reusable and lightweight. Place one in the car, in your briefcase, wherever they’ll work as a handy reminder to bring along to any store.
• Use a water filtering pitcher or system and a reusable container to avoid buying individual plastic water bottles. (Also good for on the go!)
• Use adjustable blinds to control heat build up from direct sunlight, reducing energy costs.

Tips for Work

• Make it company policy for all printing to be double sided. Reuse the backside of paper that would otherwise be discarded to create memo pads.
• Offer premium parking to employees using fuel efficient vehicles.
• Store and reuse packing materials such as bubble wrap and packing peanuts.

Tips for on the Road

• Use group shuttle services for transportation from airport to hotel, rather than individual taxis.
• Most hotels participate in linen and towel reuse programs. Request towels and linens only when necessary and not on a daily basis.
• Little things add up! Turn off all lights, and shut down laptops when leaving the room. Close curtains to keep room cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Lower the heat or air conditioner when out of the room.

BEHANDLA Stain (13.oz)

• Made of natural linseed oil and water

JANSJO Desk Light

• Includes light diode
• Has 50 times longer life than an incandescent bulb
• Consumes less energy
• Never has to be replace

IKEA PS GULLHOLMEN Rocker

• Made from banana leaves – a by product of harvesting industry-
• Made of a renewable, recyclable material

KAJSA TRAD Full/Queen Cover Set

• 100% cotton
• Free of harmful optical brighteners