2009 Fall Conference Highlight: It's Easy Being Green

Jim Casey, owner of Jim Casey Seminars and Consulting, is a Minnesota native recently transplanted in California. In addition to a degree in architecture, over 20 years of real estate experience and international speaking engagements, Jim also possesses a desire to work, play and live green. His recent “It’s Easy Being Green” breakout session at the 2009 Fall Conference gave REALTORS® ideas how to incorporate the “green lifestyle” into their work, recreation and day-to-day lives. The main reasons that people are motivated to make changes in their lives are 1) opportunity to gain and 2) fear of loss. One or both of these may be a factor contributing to recent changes you might have made.

One concept to consider is Precycling. According to Jim, Precycling is “being thoughtful at the point of purchase in addition to at the point of throwing out.” It can also be thought of as conscious consumption. Do you really need to purchase the product that is double-wrapped in plastic? You need to think about the time, cost and energy (and energy wasted) that goes in to the production, packaging and shipping of each product. Also, keep in mind the pollution associated with shipping those foreign products overseas. In the seminar, Jim advised to buy products that support a good cause, don’t buy a dog – ADOPT, and buy products that do not exploit people or the planet. Think BEFORE buying!

Reduce the amount of resources you are using. Save H2O by cutting back on lawn/garden watering. Also, check sprinkler heads to ensure effective, non-wasteful watering. Consider using plants that are native to you region for your yard, use water-saving shower heads with a cut-off valve and turn off water when shaving, brushing teeth or lathering. Reducing energy use is equally important and just as easy. Use portable space heaters to warm the rooms most frequently used in winter and use ceiling fans to circulate air, both warm and cool, throughout your house. Other easy steps include turning off lights when leaving a room, using cold water while doing laundry and putting computers in “sleep mode” when not in use. Most importantly, you need to swap out your incandescent light bulbs with Compact Florescent Lights (CFLs). SAR Members can find these in the SAR Retail Center for the cheapest prices in town! Come check it out!

Reuse as often as possible by eliminating the purchasing of single use products and finding a purpose for empty or used items. When shopping, think rechargeable batteries, reusable shopping bags, cloth towels and napkins (not paper), and glass or hard plastic cups over the throw away versions. People are obsessed with increasing their gas mileage in their cars – think about increasing the mileage of your everyday purchases too!

Recycling is getting easier everyday. Many cities have “recycle only” trash bins that are picked up on the same days as the regular trash bins. Think about what you are recycling; clean dry paper, aluminum/tin/steel cans, glass bottles and jars and most plastic containers are all acceptable. Items to NOT put in the recycle bin: soiled paper, wet garbage, CDs/DVDs, electronics, batteries, light bulbs, scrap metal. Check with your local waste management to verify what is acceptable or not. Many companies also offer take back programs where you can drop off or send back dilapidated electronics (BestBuy), old CFLs and rechargeable power tool batteries (Home Depot), household batteries (JiffyLube), computers (depending on brand) and more. Check for S.A.F.E. (Solvents, Automotive, Flammables, Electronics) Recycling Centers in your city.

Repair and Retire: Buy better quality products, maintain them and use them until they wear out. Regular oil changes, replacing air filters, aligning tires and schedule tune ups will keep your auto a dependable daily driver. Technology is always changing, but does your television or computer have to as well? Get your money’s worth out of your purchases and hold off replacing them until absolutely necessary. Let your friends get the latest gadgets to find out that each new product has its problems and wait until the revised, less-expensive version is released. Tools are timeless – provided they are built to last. Don’t bother buying cheap, no name tools. Look for name brands that have proven their dependability and endurance time and time again. The same goes for furniture purchase that which will last you for decades, not just for decoration.

Take the steps needed to reduce your impact on the earth. Be proud of your self-awareness and earth-friendly conscientiousness. Also, look into NAR’s Green REALTOR® Designation to add a little green to your portfolio. There is an upcoming Core Course taking place at SAR on October 15-16. How green are you really?

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