Snappy Green http://ctgreenrealestate.com Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:58:16 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 Lower Electric Rates for 2012 in Connecticut. http://ctgreenrealestate.com/lower-electric-rates-for-2012-in-connecticut/ http://ctgreenrealestate.com/lower-electric-rates-for-2012-in-connecticut/#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:30:41 +0000 DavidPopoff http://ctgreenrealestate.com/?p=3579 By David Popoff                    

Effective January 1st, 2012 the generation rates charged by The Connecticut Light and Power Company and The United Illuminating Company will be reduced.

On November 28, 2011, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) approved the 2012 generation rates for The Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) [...]]]> By David Popoff                    

Effective January 1st, 2012 the generation rates charged by The Connecticut Light and Power Company and The United Illuminating Company will be reduced.

On November 28, 2011, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) approved the 2012 generation rates for The Connecticut Light and Power Company (CL&P) and The United Illuminating Company (UI).

For UI customers:

The generation rate for residential customers will decline by about 1.8 cents/kWh going from 10.616 cents/kWh to 8.727cents/kWh. 

The generation cost for a residential customers using 750 kWh/month will drop by about $13.50.

The generation rates for standard service business customers will also decline by about 1.8 cents/kWh.

For CL&P customers:

The generation rate for residential customers will decline by about 1.2 cents/kWh going from 9.482 cents/kWh to 8.279.

The generation cost for a residential customer using 750 kWh/month will drop by about $9.

The generation rates for CL&P standard service business customer will decline by about 1.4 cents/kWh.

To find rates of other electric suppliers in Connecticut click here to go to the Connecticut Energy Information website.

David Popoff is a licensed real estate agent in Darien

]]> http://ctgreenrealestate.com/lower-electric-rates-for-2012-in-connecticut/feed/ 1 It’s National Radon Awareness Month http://ctgreenrealestate.com/its-national-radon-awareness-month/ http://ctgreenrealestate.com/its-national-radon-awareness-month/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:35:39 +0000 ctgreenrealtor http://ctgreenrealestate.com/?p=3550 When is the last time you tested your home for Radon?   Don’t wait until you buy a new house because the levels can change from year to year. Tell your family and friends about the health risk and encourage them to test their homes too.  You can call a radon mitigator or pick up a kit and do the testing yourself. It’s easy. Write to Snappy if you need help.

For more on this subject see:
Radon Facts: What Is It?
Factors Affecting Indoor Air Quality

]]> http://ctgreenrealestate.com/its-national-radon-awareness-month/feed/ 0 Holiday Stuff: In With The New, Recycle The Old http://ctgreenrealestate.com/holiday-stuff-in-with-the-new-recycle-the-old/ http://ctgreenrealestate.com/holiday-stuff-in-with-the-new-recycle-the-old/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:59:08 +0000 ctgreenrealtor http://ctgreenrealestate.com/?p=3537 by Wendy Brandt Martinenas

Are there traces of holidays still in your home? In our house, all the ornaments and decorations are packed away but the holiday cards and tree still remain in their stands and I’m staring at an older iphone which has been replaced by the brand new 4S.  How should I discard these items?  I asked Siri but her answer came up as ‘search the web’ so I thought I’d share my thoughts about what to do with the remants from Christmas past.

If you just had to have the latest and greatest gadget and still have an older version in good working order, MoneyTalksNews tells you where you can cash in your older Apple devices, Kindles and more, as well as how much money you can get from several places.  $340 instant sale on ebay for an iphone 4 is not bad. My iphone 4 has a cracked screen which according to Gazelle (a site that sells electronics for cash) is worth $65. That’s not bad either especially since I thought it was worthless.  Of course if you simply wish to recycle your old device, check out the Recyling Center Search on the Resources tab of Snappy Green.

Old holiday cards?  Store them away with the decorations and reminisce next year. Afterwards, cut them up into nice shapes, perhaps using scissors with decorative edges, punch a hole in the corner and use ribbon to create the new season’s gift tags. You’ll save trees and money and have unique looking gifts.

Our tree will get deposited in our Christmas tree graveyard but if you don’t have woods at your home, ask your hauler or check out the Recycling Center Search to find a drop-off location.  Be sure to read the fine print.  In searching for what to do with a tree in Fairfield, I found that Green Cycle picks up at the transfer station but specifies that all tinsel, nail, ornaments and stands need to be removed and they do not take flocked trees which have a covering of artificial snow.  If you have items you don’t know what to do with, check out the What to Recycle list to see if recycling is an option.

wendy@ctgreenrealestate.com     William Raveis Real Estate

]]> http://ctgreenrealestate.com/holiday-stuff-in-with-the-new-recycle-the-old/feed/ 0 Water for Wellness http://ctgreenrealestate.com/water-for-wellness/ http://ctgreenrealestate.com/water-for-wellness/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:57:02 +0000 ctgreenrealtor http://ctgreenrealestate.com/?p=3503 by Wendy Brandt Martinenas

Is the water fountain as we know it outdated?  According to JWT Intelligence, in 2012 we’ll be seeing a proliferation of Hydration Stations in public places where people can fill reusable bottles.  If you want the same setup at home, consider either a  whole house water filter, an under-the-counter filter which is a less expensive alternative, a faucet filter or the the least expensive and most common option, the Brita pitcher.  The automated filters are beneficial in that they filter more substances than pitchers.  While they certainly require a monetary investment, the under the counter version is reasonably priced and an adequate solution given that the most convenient and logical water source in our homes is in the Kitchen.  If interested, check out Culligan, a comprehensive resource in our local area.

To incent more college campuses to install hydration stations, like  the College of St. Benedict in the above video, Brita has implemented a Hydrate U program where purchases of custom-branded Nalgene bottles help the school to earn a free Brita®Hydration StationTM.  Don’t forget your water bottle.  Sigg is a also a good one and available at Whole Foods.   Here’s the healthy drinking in 2012.

wendy@ctgreenrealestate.com    William Raveis Real Estate

 

]]> http://ctgreenrealestate.com/water-for-wellness/feed/ 0 30 SNAPPY Green Tips for the New Year 2012. http://ctgreenrealestate.com/30-snappy-green-tips-for-the-new-year-2012/ http://ctgreenrealestate.com/30-snappy-green-tips-for-the-new-year-2012/#comments Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:39:21 +0000 DavidPopoff http://ctgreenrealestate.com/?p=3497 By David Popoff

When you think “green” sometimes you tend to think expensive, well here are 30 snappy simple ways to be environmentally conscious that you can incorporate into your daily routine. Once you have started you will see how simple they are and will just become common sense habits that will save you money over time. [...]]]> By David Popoff

When you think “green” sometimes you tend to think expensive, well here are 30 snappy simple ways to be environmentally conscious that you can incorporate into your daily routine. Once you have started you will see how simple they are and will just become common sense habits that will save you money over time. Please share your experience with friends.

  1. Use reusable bags instead of plastic throw always.
  2. Compost, even old coffee grinds work great for indoor and outdoor plants.
  3. Pay bills on line, remove your name from paper mailing catalogs, and reduce mail.
  4. Replace toxic home cleaners with organic all natural cleaners or make your own such as baking soda and vinegar.

  5. Keep live plants nearby be it a cactus or leafy to freshen the air.
  6. Put holiday lights on a timer.
  7. Set up recycle center in your house and office for composting, paper, bottles & cans
  8. Conserve water, turn off water when washing dishes, shaving and brushing teeth.
  9. Use a snow shovel instead of a gas snow blower.
  10. Recycle used CFL bulbs to local home improvement centers.
  11. Plan car trips (have tires at proper inflation) to reduce repeated trips, carpool, use public transport, bike or walk.
  12. Read books, newspapers on line, send e-mail cards
  13. Use Earth friendly de-icier instead of salt which could kill grass and plants.
  14. Share magazine subscriptions and recycle books
  15. Reuse as much as possible, recycling is awesome, reusing is better.
  16. Bring a useable cup for coffee to go, have reusable water bottles.
  17. Donate used old towels to animal shelters.
  18. Use master switches to turn off entertainment systems and home offices. Surge protector with on/off switch work great.
  19. Use major appliances during off peak hours.
  20. Lower temperature on hot water heater to 120 Fahrenheit.
  21. Recycle electronics, cell phones, computers, TV’s, etc.
  22. Use Tupperware and reusable containers when bringing lunch to work.
  23. Buy post consumer recycled paper products.
  24. Wash clothes in cold water.
  25. Install programmable thermostats and lower thermostat temperature a few degrees in winter and raise it a few degrees in summer.
  26. Change bulbs to CFL or LED’s.
  27. Buy locally, visit farmer’s markets.
  28. Plug home air leaks, use weather stripping, foam and caulk holes, cracks and door swepts.
  29. Replace filters on A/C, boilers and furnaces.
  30. Share your experience & knowledge about ‘green’ at work, holiday gatherings, with friends & family.

 David Popoff is a Real Estate agent in Darien

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