In honor of Earth Day this Sunday, here is our fifth green tip of the week. If you missed our previous tips, you can easily read them on our blog or Facebook timeline.
Green Tip #5
Spring is here and many of us will be freshening up the outside of our homes and businesses with new landscaping. A good landscaping plan can actually increase the energy efficiency of your building. According to the US Department of Energy, “On average, landscaping for energy efficiency provides enough energy savings to return an initial investment in less than 8 years.” The organization also states that trees positioned for energy efficiency can save a household up to 25% of its energy consumption.
Energy-efficient landscaping looks at the following characteristics: climate, microclimate, shading, windbreaks, and water conservation. For more details, visit the US Department of Energy’s Energy Savers landscaping site.
Think beyond begonias and past petunias. When its time for new landscaping, some simple changes can have a big impact.
For more information on the steps we take to be green at Minuteman Press, visit our Earth Day 2012 page.