Go Green: How to Build an Earth-Friendly Community
Nancy H. Taylor
Reviewed by Charity R. Bartley Howard
Going green and environmental concerns may be on the minds of many
today with stories in the news, celebrities promoting “green” living
and more products going green everyday. However, going green is more
than just the three R’s – Recycle, Reduce and Reuse. It is trying to
create a healthier and energy-efficient life for everyone. “Go Green:
How to Build an Earth-Friendly Community” is a nice guidebook to help
anyone start going green in his or her everyday lives.
Author Nancy H. Taylor doesn’t just give tips to going green she leads
by example by having her book published on recycled paper. The book
provides chapters of information to help community members build an
earth-friendly life. She gives suggestions such as creating
energy-efficient a living space, building green homes, schools and
hospitals, conserving energy and water, buying green products and
starting programs, including recycling centers, in the community.
She suggests a way to get started toward an earth-friendly life is
conducting a home energy audit. According to the author, “Many utility
companies offer programs that, for a small fee, will tell you where the
energy leaks are in your home or apartment. If your utility company
does not offer an audit, look in the yellow pages for words like ‘house
doctor’ or ‘blower door test.’ If you institute the recommended
changes, you will save a significant amount of energy and money. Some
utilities will even rebate their fee and help defray some of your cost.
The audit may suggest that you get new energy efficient windows; that
you increase the amount of insulation in your walls, ceiling, attic or
floor; or that you caulk and weather strip leaks around windows or
doors. We lose a third of the heat in our homes through windows and
doors.”
Throughout this book various things are mentioned that take little
effort and small lifestyle change toward living a “green” lifestyle.
Some ideas are using recycled items, such as paper, buying Energy Star
rating appliances, changing light fixtures to CFLs (compact fluorescent
light bulbs) or LEDs (light emitting diodes) and starting to recycle
aluminum cans, glass, cardboard, paper, newsprint and other such items
and using public transportation or carpools when possible.
Taylor also mentions carbon footprints, “Our carbon footprint is
calculated based on the amount of energy we use in a year or on a
particular trip. In order to figure out how much carbon you are
responsible for, you will need your yearly energy use or average
monthly utility bill, how many miles you drive in a year and how many
airplane trips you take. Each Web site is a little different in helping
you make your calculations. In the end, you learn how much carbon your
activities produce, and you can purchase green tags to offset your
emissions.” Green tags are a last effort with the purchase going toward
renewable energy programs.
This book is a useful guide for anyone wanting to create a more
environmentally safe home and help protect the planet no matter how big
the effort. “Go Green: How to Build an Earth-Friendly Community” is a
good starting point toward a healthier environment. Bullet points at
the end of each chapter help bring important elements to the reader at
a quick glance. Useful resources are also found in the back of the book
to provide extensive information in a effort to continue steps toward
environmentally-friendly living.
Nancy H. Taylor writes “Going Green,” a weekly column for the newspaper
Planet Jackson Hole. She also teaches a living green course and works
on a committee discussing green building guidelines.