I have been studying for my EcoBroker designation for real estate. It is simply amazing how much I am learning. There is so much information out there if only we know how to access it. The EPA has pamphlets on so many different topics, and then there is the information available from Energy Star. It is amazing.

One thing I came across today in my reading had to do with small things that can make a big difference. Did you know that the average home in the US is responsible for twice the greenhouse gas emissions as the average car? Unless you are using renewable energy sources, every time you flip on a light switch or turn on your computer, and electrical plant somewhere has to produce your electricity, and much of the time this is done by burning fossil fuels. Kudos to our electrical provider Alliant Energy for offering their Second Nature program. If you enroll, they guarantee to purchase energy from renewable sources in amounts equal to or greater than your usage. There is an extra cost for this program, but it is small (about $15/mo for us), and in my opinion it is a small premium to pay to protect the world for our grandchildren.

Change five lights. Change a light and you help change the world. If every American home replaced their 5 most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ones that have earned the ENERGY STAR, we would save close to $8 billion each year in energy costs, and together we'd prevent the greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.

Heat and cool smartly. Improve the performance of your heating and cooling system. Have it serviced annually by a licensed contractor, and remember to clean or replace air filters regularly. To avoid heating or cooling an empty house, use an ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostat. And when it’s time to replace old equipment, choose an ENERGY STAR qualified model, and make sure it’s sized and installed properly. If just one household in 10 did this, the change would prevent more than 17 billion pounds of greenhouse gases.

I have said it before and I'll say it again - Small Things Make a Huge Difference IF We All Do Them.