Archive for the ‘Home Decor’ Category

High Point Market: Harnessing the Power of Pinterest for Your Brand

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

Standing room only at the “Competitive Intelligence: The Power of Pinterest” event Monday night at High Point Market, proved that for brands, big and small, Pinterest is a platform with potential. Crystalyn Stuart, president of 5Loom powered by IMRE, provided insight on how best to turn that potential into power for your brand. Additionally, our four panelists provided diverse insight and best practices from the publishing, retail, brand and design industries.

7 Tips for Harnessing the Power of Pinterest for Your Brand

HPMKT High Point Market: Harnessing the Power of Pinterest for Your Brand

One of our pins from High Point Market

1. Understand and optimize for social discovery. Social discovery is adding a new layer of opportunity for brands to reach consumers in the discovery mode—before they’ve refined their want and conducted a keyword search for the item. This change in how users are acquiring knowledge is shifting the consumer-purchasing funnel. Social discovery allows users to discover products and quickly move to purchase with a simple click-through.

2. Identify industry influence. Sixty-five percent of top brands across the home category including furnishings and housewares are active on Pinterest. Look at how others in your industry are using the platform as well as how you can utilize the platform for your brand.

3. Create a balance of content. It is important to strike a balance with content that shows a brand’s personality while still promoting your business to customers. Boards can be organized in a myriad of ways depending on who is contributing, the seasonality of your boards, and what you personally consider to be important. Remember, however, that many followers don’t ever make it to your boards. Each pin is more likely to be viewed as a part rather than a whole of a themed board.

“At Furbish our ultimate goal is to build a lifestyle brand and to create an experience that people want to be part of and a lifestyle that they want to live. Throughout pins of rooms or funny sayings or dogs I will pepper in a piece of jewelry or a new pillow that we have, to engage someone who didn’t realize that I was a retailer. I’ve found that if I’m true to what I really like and continue pinning interesting images then the followers will come.” – panelist Jamie Meares, Owner, Furbish Studio

4. Attract a different audience. Brands are able to reach new readers, customers and influencers through Pinterest. Those who engage with your brand online may be a very different audience than those that gain information via traditional media channels.

“ Our online audience is traditionally very different than our print audience. The best part is when someone looks at a pin, clicks through and lands on Country Living and they’re like ‘I would never guess that this beautiful living room came from Country Living magazine.’” – panelist Rachel DeSchepper, Web Editor, Country Living

“We saw registration [for High Point Market] start to rise especially among those people we were trying to hit with Pinterest which were interior designers and small hip retailers.” – panelist Cheminne Taylor-Smith, Vice President of Marketing, High Point Market Authority

5. Get to know your customers, and let them get to know you. Pinterest provides a way for both the brand and the customer to get to know each other. The platform provides a space to express your personality and preferences allowing for a more harmonious relationship to be developed.

“Most of my clients follow me on Pinterest. If all of my kitchens I have pinned they find completely atrocious they aren’t going to hire me which is good because we aren’t going to work well together. On the flip side of that I’m thrilled if my clients use Pinterest to collect their dream kitchens because it’s a much faster and easier way than them sending me 1,000 emails of things they are interested in. I have the opportunity to look through their pin boards to get a better sense of who they are.” – panelist Traci Zeller, Associate ASID, Traci Zeller Designs

6. Mitigate your liability on Pinterest. Pin carefully. If you post original images, include a watermark on your image to retain your copyrighted material. As a brand pinning images that aren’t yours, we recommend placing a disclaimer on your profile and boards to state your intentions clearly. For more about Pinterest liability best practices, click here.

7. Build a promotional engine. Pinning great content is fun, but now it is time to get serious on Pinterest and build your promotional engine—the driver that takes Pinterest from a simple pilot to a top contributor to your marketing mix. This is your strategic plan for driving awareness, quantifying and increasing user engagement and building loyalty among your followers. A few ways to build a promotional engine include:

  • Cross-promote across your branded channels – Link pins to your website and other social channels to activate the way users discover your online services.
  • Loyalty Offers –Pinners collaborate and share with others for a special offer to unlock.
  • Blogger partnerships – Leverage or build your relationships with bloggers by repining their content to a specific board on your platform, or allowing them to curate or contribute to a board.
  • Contests and Sweepstakes – These are great for building excitement and increasing fan volumes but be careful to not overuse contests and sweepstakes. If conducted too frequently, brands can suffer high attrition rates and lower quality fan base.

Pinterest Picks: April Showers

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

As the old saying goes – April Showers bring May Flowers – a phrase that encourages us to look forward to the month of May with excitement and enthusiasm, leaving the dreary spring months behind us. But we at HomeIQ choose to celebrate April showers (and baths). In this week’s Pinterest Picks, HomeIQ expert McGavock Edwards shares some truly unique examples of excellence and innovation in shower and bath design. The biggest question of all is do you go for a shower or bath? Visit our IMRE Home IQ Pinterest page for inspiration.

April Showers 1 Pinterest Picks: April Showers

Bringing the outdoors, in

April Showers 2 Pinterest Picks: April Showers

Shower with a view

April Showers 3 Pinterest Picks: April Showers

Rain shower bathtub

April 4 Pinterest Picks: April Showers

Sleek and masculine

April Showers 5 Pinterest Picks: April Showers

Raindrops keep falling on my head

April Showers 6 Pinterest Picks: April Showers

tête-à-tête– a shower built for two

Fashion Takes Center Stage in Spring Home Trends

Thursday, April 19th, 2012
Handbag Fashion Takes Center Stage in Spring Home Trends

Photo from Harper's Bazaar

Oftentimes trends found in both home décor and home design are inspired by trends in fashion and vice versa. Recently, Harper’s Bazaar compiled their Spring 2012 Accessories Report and we predict the trends expected in fashion can be expected in the home as well.

  • Tribal Touches: While Missoni keeps us inspired from the runway, combining neutral tones with unique bright pops of color and designs like ikats or suzanis in the home, bring innovative tribal touches to any room.
  • Saturated Sorbets: The pink Jill Sanders bag against the forest green dress in the Harper’s Bazaar slide show is a perfect example of this year’s infamous color-blocking trend. We expect to see this in homes through the year- specifically in the spring.
  • Ladylike and White: In home décor terms, ladylike and white is synonymous with clean and crisp – a spring trend at the tip of everyone’s tongue. Whether it be about spring-cleaning, or a new kitchen design, bright and white will never go out of style.
  • Futurism: In fashion, this consists of funky, chic metallic accessories (think Alexander McQueen) but in the home, we are finding universal design, home automation and updates in technology all match this futuristic trend.
  • Floral Fetishes: As society becomes more eco-conscious at home, we expect trends in updating furniture with funky floral fabrics, vintage floral design and antiquing to decorate the home.
  • The Return of the Earring: In fashion, big earrings are statement pieces. In the home, statement pieces are becoming the main focal point of a room. It’s no longer a bland coffee table that defines your living room; it’s a funky owl statue or an updated turquoise side table.
  • Wrist Candy: (My personal favorite) Big watches, chunky bracelets, and multiple bangles are decorating wrists everywhere this spring. More is better in this case. In the home, we’ve always decorated with groups of three on the wall, or two candle holders on the table. Things have changed. Now we are decorating with the same more is better thinking in mind.
  • Funny Sunnies: Sunglasses cover our eyes. It’s that simple. But we don’t want simple this spring, so we’ll dress it up. We anticipate seeing the same trend in window coverings at home. Bright colors, different shapes and unique patterns will find their way to our windows.

What other spring home trends should we be looking for this year?

Wordless Wednesday: Go Bold

Wednesday, April 18th, 2012
HGTV TTango Wordless Wednesday: Go Bold

This hot red-orange hue is brightening up homes and accessories everywhere.

Show us your Tango for your chance to win!

Photo Courtesy of HGTV.com

Show Us Your Tango Pinterest Sweepstakes

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

IMRE Home IQ Pinterest Contest

Tangerine Tango, the 2012 Pantone Color of the Year, is bringing bright, bold and seductive rhythms into home furnishings. There is nothing like a dramatic hue to inspire design, and no easier way to collectively organize home décor must-haves than on Pinterest. Collect your favorite pins inspired by this trendy color and you could win Tangerine Tango accessories for your home!

Prizes:

  1. Vases and a ceramic tray from Furbish Studio
  2. 1 Year Subscription to Country Living Magazine
  3. Leather ‘tattooed’ Irezumi Dragon pattern pillow by Red Egg
  4. 10 yards of Burnt Orange fabric from Sensuede
  5. Riva chair from Lee Industries

Click here to see photos of all the prizes!

Entering is easy. See below for details.

OFFICIAL RULES

“SHOW US YOUR TANGO” PINTEREST SWEEPSTAKES

Sweepstakes dates: April 17, 2012 – April 27, 2012 Tangerine Tango, named Pantone’s 2012 Color of the Year, has already danced its way into home accents, furniture and so much more. IMRE invites you to show us your tango on Pinterest, for the chance to win tangerine décor for your home! Here’s how to enter: -Follow @IMREHOMEIQ on Pinterest -Create a board titled “Tangerine Tango Home Inspirations” -Pin at least five (5) inspiring tangerine images -Repin at least one (1) image from IMREHOMEIQ’s Tangerine Tango board http://pinterest.com/imrehomeiq/tango-sweepstakes/ -With each pin, include the hashtag #tangerine AND #imrehomeiq -Email your board link to IMREHOMEIQ@gmail.com with the subject line “Tangerine Tango” IMRE will randomly select four winners based on all eligible entries received. Have a look at our Tangerine Tango board for inspiration. Only one entry per person. Open to US residents only, 18 or older. Pinterest is invite-only, so if you haven’t already joined, you can request an invite from Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/about/help/

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. By entering the “Show Us Your Tango“ Pinterest Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”), you agree to comply with and be bound by the following official Sweepstakes rules. If you do not agree with the rules in their entirety, you are not permitted to enter the Sweepstakes.

ELIGIBILITY: THE SWEEPSTAKES IS OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WHO ARE 18 OR OLDER AT TIME OF ENTRY. Employees of IMRE (“Sponsor”), any parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies and their immediate family members (defined as spouse, siblings, parents and children) and/or those living in the same household (whether related or not) of each are not eligible to enter. Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void outside the 50 United States and the District of Columbia and where prohibited by law. This Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Pinterest. The winner will be notified via email on or around April 30, 2012. The information provided will only be used for the purposes of this Sweepstakes and as otherwise permitted by Sponsor’s privacy policy.

HOW TO ENTER: The IMRE “Show Us Your Tango” Pinterest Sweepstakes runs from April 17th, 12am EST to 11:59pm EST April 27, 2012. Only entrants who complete the rules required to enter the Sweepstakes during the aforementioned times are eligible to enter to win. Entrants can find the Sweepstakes on the IMREHOMEIQ Pinterest profile, located at pinterest.com/imrehomeiq/tango-sweepstakes/. Entrants must follow all online instructions to be eligible to win the Sweepstakes. Online entrants are subject to all notices posted online including but not limited to privacy policies of the Sponsor. Limit one (1) entry per person. Although subsequent attempts to create boards on a given day may be received, only the first complete board will be eligible; subsequent attempts by the same person to enter, including entries submitted with an alternate Pinterest profile, will be disqualified. All boards will become Sponsor’s property.

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES: Entrants may earn additional entries by commenting on the original contest image pin daily. Limit one (1) additional entry per entrant per day.

PRIZE & APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUE (“ARV”): Five winners will receive tangerine décor for their home valued between $10 and $1,500. The prizes (one prize per winner) include a tangerine tango ceramic tray and two vases donated by Furbish Studio, valued at $71, a one year subscription to Country Living magazine, valued at $12, a leather ‘tattooed’ Irezumi Dragon pattern pillow by Red Egg, valued at $350, 10 yards of burnt orange fabric from Sensuede, value at $1,000, and a Riva chairfrom Lee Industries, valued at $1,234.  The winners will be selected on or around April 30, 2012, and will be notified within 5 business days by email, and will be required to complete and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability and Publicity Release (“Affidavit/Release”) within 14 days of the date specified on the notification, or alternate winners will be selected. Prizes will be shipped within 14 days of the winner’s selection. If potential winners cannot be contacted, or if Affidavit/Release is returned as undeliverable or if selected winners cannot accept or receive the prize for any reason, or he/she is not in compliance with these Official Rules, the prize will be forfeited and awarded to alternate winners in a separate random drawing. If winners are otherwise eligible under these Official Rules, but is nevertheless deemed a minor in his or her state of primary residence, the prize will be awarded in the name of winner’s parent or legal guardian who will be required to execute an affidavit on the minor’s behalf. No substitutions are permitted except if prize is unavailable, in which case a prize of equal or greater value will be awarded. Prize may not be exchanged. Prize is not redeemable for cash. Prize is non-assignable and non-transferable except to a surviving spouse. Winners are responsible for all federal, state and local sales and income taxes. Any other incidental expenses on prize not specified herein are the sole responsibility of winners. Entry and acceptance of the prize constitute permission to use winner’s name, prize description, hometown and likeness for posting online, advertising and promotional purposes without further compensation, except where prohibited by law. Subject to the terms and conditions provided herein, the prize is guaranteed to be awarded. By participating, entrants fully and unconditionally agree to these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are binding. Entrants agree that they release the Sponsor, Pinterest, any parent company, affiliated companies, and all other businesses involved in this Sweepstakes, as well as the employees, officers, directors and agents of each such company, from all claims and liability relating to their participation, acceptance and use of the prize. Winners assume all liability for any injury or damage caused or claimed to be caused, by participation in this Sweepstakes or receipt or use of the prize. Sponsor has not made nor is in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guarantee express or implied, in fact or in law, with respect to the prize, including, without limitation, to the prize’s quality or fitness for a particular purpose. The Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the advertising for the Sweepstakes, administration of the Sweepstakes or in the announcement of the prize. Sponsor is not responsible if Sweepstakes cannot take place or if the prize cannot be awarded due to cancellations, delays or interruptions due to acts of God, acts of war (declared or undeclared), natural disasters, weather, acts of terrorism, riot or civil disturbance, satellite or equipment failure, federal state or local government law, order or regulation, public health crisis, order of any court or jurisdiction, or other cause not reasonably within Sponsor’s control (each a “Force Majeure” event or occurrence). In the event of a dispute over the identity of an online entrant, entry will be deemed submitted by the “Authorized Account Holder” of the Pinterest profile and/or e-mail address submitted at time of entry. Authorized Account Holder means the natural person who is assigned to a Pinterest profile email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address. Entry materials/data that have been tampered with or altered, or mass entries or entries generated by a script, macro or use of automated devices are void. The Sponsor is not responsible for: (i) error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions of any kind, or inaccurate transmission of or failure to receive entry information by Sponsor on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any web site or any combination thereof; or (ii) any injury or damage to persons or property, including but not limited to death, which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use of the prize. By participating in the Sweepstakes, you (i) agree to be bound by these Official Rules, including all eligibility requirements, and (ii) agree to be bound by the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding in all matters relating to the Sweepstakes. Behavior which is intended to disrupt or undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes, or which is intended to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person, or any failure to comply with these Official Rules, may result in disqualification from the Sweepstakes, and Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages and other remedies from any such person engaging in such behavior to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Sponsor reserves the right to: (i) permanently disqualify from the Sweepstakes any person it believes has intentionally violated these Official Rules; and (ii) cancel, suspend and/or modify the Sweepstakes without any liability if any fraud, virus or other factor beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control impairs the administration, functioning or proper play of the Sweepstakes, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, and withdraw the online method of entry if it becomes technically corrupted (including if a computer virus or system malfunction inalterably impairs its ability to conduct the Sweepstakes), and to select winners from among all eligible entries received prior to withdrawal. Inclusion in such drawing shall be each entrant’s sole and exclusive remedy under such circumstances. LEGAL WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER OR NOT AN ENTRANT, TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE, DESTROY, TAMPER OR VANDALIZE THIS WEB SITE OR INTERFERE WITH THE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES, IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND THE SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND DILIGENTLY PURSUE ALL REMEDIES AGAINST ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. APPLICABLE LAWS AND JURISDICTION: This Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Issues concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules shall be governed by and interpreted under the laws of the State of Maryland without regard to its conflicts of laws provisions. By participating, entrants agree that any and all disputes arising out of or relating in any way to this Sweepstakes shall be resolved individually, and without resort to class action, exclusively by a state or federal court located in Baltimore, Maryland. Should there be a conflict between the laws of the State of Maryland and any other laws, the conflict will be resolved in favor of the laws of the State of Maryland. All judgments or awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket damages (excluding attorneys’ fees) associated with participation in this Sweepstakes and shall not include any indirect, punitive, incidental and/or consequential damages.

WINNER LIST: For confirmation of the prize winners’ name and city of residence, send a self-addressed stamped envelope, to be received by June 1, 2012, to: IMREHOMEIQ Tangerine Tango Pinterest Sweepstakes List Request, c/o Social Media Team, 909 Ridgebrook Road, Suite 300, Baltimore, MD 21152 SPONSOR: IMRE, 909 Ridgebrook Road, Suite 300, Baltimore, MD 21152.

Universal Design is Creeping Into Our Lives

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

Universal Design is becoming more and more important in our homes, whether we like it or not. And most often, we don’t like it.

Face it. The idea of living in a “Universal Design” home does not sound appealing to you. People don’t want to be faced with their own mortality, and no matter how well-designed a home can be, mention the words “Universal Design” and all you can think of is a nursing home.universal design 300x234 Universal Design is Creeping Into Our Lives

Fortunately, the Universal Design philosophy is subtly making its way into the mainstream. Even if we don’t call something by that term, products and homes are being designed to be easily accessible and usable by a greater number of people. That’s when “Universal Design” becomes just good design.

Induction cooktops, which are gaining popularity in the United States, provide a great example of this concept. Using magnetism to transfer heat directly to a pan, induction cooktops work faster and waste almost no energy. But their primary Universal Design benefit is safety. The cooktops themselves stay cool, virtually eliminating the risk of accidental burns – an important feature for households with small children.

Homeowners are also choosing to incorporate automation and technology in their homes – lights that turn on and off automatically when you enter and exit a room, security systems that integrate with smart phones and tablets, heating and cooling systems that know when we’re home and when we’re away. These may seem like modern conveniences, but they are examples of Universal Design at work. As less manual work is required to perform simple functions in a home, it becomes safer, easier to use and more accommodating to everyone.

No matter what our age is, we can all benefit from the principles that Universal Design advances. As home builders, remodelers and product manufacturers continue to embrace these principles – without the stigma the term Universal Design carries – our homes will become more comfortable and livable.

Tablescapes: Not Just For Thanksgiving

Thursday, March 15th, 2012

For the longest time, when I heard the word ‘tablescape,’ I thought of the way a table is dressed up at weddings or Thanksgiving dinner and how dishware is paired with centerpieces, napkins and (my favorite part) dessert.

In all actuality, tablescapes are MUCH more than that. They’re a very unique, personal way to organize similar items or collections together to create a beautiful display in the home. While the idea is to make the organization of objects look natural and unforced, careful attention should be made to avoid having the arrangement look haphazard. Tablescapes: Not Just For Thanksgiving

I’m certainly no expert on this subject – I’ll leave that to the late David Hicks or Sandra Lee – but as a general rule of thumb, here are a few dos and don’ts to consider before creating tablescapes in your home:

  • DO think outside the box, or in this case, the table. Utilize every horizontal surface you can, including bookshelves, fireplace mantels or even the tops of dressers.
  • DON’T limit yourself to putting together a tablescape that’s seasonally oriented, such as Halloween, spring or the Super Bowl. Themes can be great, but consider using like items, such as mirrors or candles. Another approach is to group items with a similar style. These elements can include a lamp, a candle, a stack of books, a vase with flowers and a framed picture.
  • DO try to group items in odd numbers like 3, 5 or 7 – they tend to be more visually appealing than even numbers. However, adding too much to the ensemble can make it look cluttered, so use your best judgment.
  • DON’T overwhelm the display with too much color. Choose a small number of coordinating hues that tie nicely together. Or better yet, focus on the dominant color in the room and build from there.
  • DO add as much dimension to your tablescapes as possible. This can include alternating heights, a variety of sizes, an assortment of textures and the addition of greenery.

What techniques have you used to create tablescapes in your home? If you have pictures of your masterpieces, send them our way!

Wordless Wednesday: Housewares Hues

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
Footprints 764x1024 Wordless Wednesday: Housewares Hues

Following in the footsteps of Pantone's 2012 Color of the Year, Tangerine Tango, 2013 is forecasting a palette of vibrant, tribal colors

Pinterest Picks: Window Seats With a Pop of Color

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

Not every home has a window seat, but those of us lucky enough to have one should treat these neat little nooks as the treasure that they truly are.  Gather some window seat décor tips and inspiration in this week’s Pinterest Picks, brought to you by HomeIQ expert, Lindsay Nelson. Lindsay’s favorite window seats bring life to each room with a pop of color.

Window12 Pinterest Picks: Window Seats With a Pop of Color

Window2 Pinterest Picks: Window Seats With a Pop of Color

Window3 Pinterest Picks: Window Seats With a Pop of Color

Window4 Pinterest Picks: Window Seats With a Pop of Color

Window5 Pinterest Picks: Window Seats With a Pop of Color

window61 Pinterest Picks: Window Seats With a Pop of Color

Visit our IMRE Home IQ Pinterest page for additional ideas to tie your whole room together.

Four Tips to Keep Your Home Environmentally Conscious

Thursday, March 1st, 2012

Last week, the Sustainable Furnishings Council hosted a webinar showcasing a grounding in the environmental issues related to home furnishings. IMRE Green IQ participated and learned a few ways to keep our homes environmentally conscious.223068987762694431 UkOObcvg c 300x300 Four Tips to Keep Your Home Environmentally Conscious

  • Seek out and buy green products: By using chemical free cleaning products, energy efficient appliances, appropriate light bulbs, and products that last in your home, you are sure to live in an eco-friendly environment. Over time, you will also begin to notice that you are saving money. For a list of green home products, visit GreenHome.com
  • Recycle: Our favorite way to recycle is to “upcycle” as you’ve heard us say before. Using salvaged, second-hand, antique and used housewares in your home is one of the easiest and most eco-friendly ways to keep your home environmentally conscious.
  • Reduce energy use: Most of the energy produced in the U.S. is done so with fossil fuels, a major contributor to worldwide greenhouse gases. Replace the light bulbs throughout your homes with compact fluorescent bulbs. While initially more expensive than incandescent, they last 10 times longer, reduce your energy bills by about $15 per year, and keep a half a ton of carbon dioxide out of the air. Install automatic thermostat setters to raise and lower the temperature when you are not at home. Lower the setting on your water heater to no more than 120. Unplug appliances not in use. A TV consumes 25% of its total electricity when it is turned off. Set your computers to hibernate when inactive, and eliminate screen savers. Saving what? They use up to $50 a year in electricity.
  • Choose renewable energy: Examine options within your community for purchasing energy from suppliers that produce the highest percentage available of their power from water, wind, solar, or other clean sources. You may also support clean energy through the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates a transferable commodity intended to support the development of green energy sources by providing income indirectly to them.

What other tips would you add to this environmentally conscious list?


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