The City University's "Sustainable Living for Sustainable Cities" lecture series on Saturday afternoons is bringing even more green to our island this summer. The lectures are at 12:30 and continue through September 5.
Click to continue reading the highlights from talks about greening the home and office:
Click to continue reading the highlights from talks about greening the home and office:
How To Curb Catastrophic Waste in Your Home, Condo, Co-op or Multi-Family Building
Andy Padian, Vice President for Energy Initiatives at the Community Preservation Corporation, spoke on July 25. "Going green" need not be expensive, high-tech or inconvenient, he said. Nor does "green" mean discomfort, he said, citing pleasant fluorescent lights, water aerators that save water and prevent splashing, and efficient water temperature regulators that prevent burns.
He also emphasized simple, money-saving actions such as replacing inefficient air conditioners, refrigerators and boilers, using natural light rather than lamps, and caulking the gaps around pipes to avoid heat loss. Among "green" tools, he rated the caulk gun tops.
Easy Ways Everyone Can Green Their Workplace
On August 1, Dan Miner, chair of Sierra Club New York City, presented motives, plans and methods for businesses to go green that often work for homes, too.
Reasons to conserve energy include saving, climate change and resource depletion. Depleted fuel for transportation could harm industries from aviation to agriculture, he added.
"Most buildings can improve their efficiency and reduce their energy use by up to 40 percent," he said. For quick paybacks he recommended efficient lighting, heating, ventilating and air conditioning, solar panels and white or green roofs. Roofs painted with white reflective paint reduce heat absorption; green roofs use plants to reduce heat absorption and loss. He also suggested inspecting for air leaks and poor insulation.
For more information on the CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities, go to cunysustainablecities.org.