Summer is an ideal
time to work on home improvements that will help your home last longer, keep
you healthy, and increase energy efficiency. Take a walk around your home and
assess what improvements need doing this summer.
Inspect the
foundation for cracks. Foundation
cracks can be a pathway for moisture and pests to enter a home. Excessive
moisture can lead to mold and structural deterioration, and pests can affect
a home’s structure and indoor air quality. Repair indoor and outdoor cracks
right away or hire a professional to do it.
Inspect gutters and
downspouts for damage or blockage. To prevent water from coming into your home, gutters should
drain several feet away from the foundation. Add downspout extensions if
needed. Consider a raingarden at the base of a downspout to soak up the
water, but locate the garden at least 10 feet from your foundation.
Remove vegetation
within one foot of the foundation. Planting shrubs, bushes, and vines next to your house creates
dead air space that insulates your home in both summer and winter. But keep
full-grown vegetation at least one foot from the foundation to minimize
moisture problems.
Increase slope next to
foundation. Over time, soil has a tendency to settle, which can cause negative sloping that directs water towards, rather than away from, a home's foundation. Encourage proper
drainage by sloping the ground away from the house. This video shows you how.
Install a rain barrel. Save water and money by irrigating grass and ornamental
plants with water from a rain barrel. Most commercially sold
barrels are designed to keep mosquitoes out. You can also make your own! Organizations like Friends of the Mississippi River offer classes that teach you how.
Check the roof for
damaged shingles. Repair or replace loose and
raised shingles or bent flashing around chimneys and vents. For improved durability, consider installing a metal roof or a light
colored, 40-year asphalt roof. For more information on roofing choices, see Eco Roofing
Options.
Check siding for
peeling or blistered paint. Replace
peeling and blistering
paint. If repainting, use exterior paints that are low- or no- VOC (volatile
organic chemicals) and formaldehyde-free.
Seal exterior air
leaks. Sealing on the
outside of your home not only prevents air from entering, it can also prevent
damage to siding, walls, insulation, windows, and doors due to moisture
intrusion.
There are many places
to apply caulking or foam to weather seal the exterior of your home: doors and
windows; vents for furnaces, dryers, water heaters, air exchangers; entry
points for wires, pipes, cables, faucets. Learn to caulk and seal your house by
downloading the Home Energy Guide
from
the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
If re-siding your home, choose long-lasting materials. Steel and fiber-cement siding are especially durable. Steel
can be recycled at the end of its useful life. Remember to do an energy audit
if you replace siding. Properly installed, new siding can make your house much
tighter, which can change the fresh air requirements for occupants or for some
combustion appliances.
Upgrade exterior
lights. Switch exterior
bulbs to energy-efficient light-emitting diodes
(LED). Consider upgrading to ENERGY
STAR qualified outdoor fixtures. Adding motion detectors to exterior lights can also save energy.
Build a greener deck
or patio. If you build a deck,
use:
-
Recycled-content (composite)
materials.
Another option is to install
a patio. Compared to decks, patios typically require fewer materials
to construct. Consider constructing your patio with pavers
that let the water through. Pervious pavers allow water to soak
into the ground, which helps to recharge groundwater and reduce pollutant-laden runoff.
Consider solar. Adding solar electricity panels or solar hot
water panels can reduce your carbon footprint and save you money in the long-run.
An installer will perform a site assessment to determine if your house is a good
candidate for solar. Find an installer near you at Clean Energy Project Builder.
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Launch
your career and join Minnesota GreenCorps! Applications due June 9
What do Minnesota GreenCorps members do?
Minnesota GreenCorps is an AmeriCorps program, coordinated by the
MPCA, which places AmeriCorps members with organizations around the state to
spend 11 months addressing environmental issues and building community
resilience. More information on the program is available here, and a summary of the 40 service
positions is available here.
MPCA is planning to place up to 40 full-time Minnesota
GreenCorps members with local governments, nonprofit organizations and
educational institutions statewide to serve on projects in the areas of:
- Air Quality (including Energy
Conservation and Green Transportation)
- Waste Prevention and Recycling
- Green Infrastructure (including
Urban Forestry, Stormwater Management, and Local Foods)
-
Living Green
Where and when will you serve?
All service positions are full time for 11 months
beginning September 13, 2017 and lasting through August 2018. Members
must complete 1,700 hours of service (around 40 hours per week).
Member Benefits
In addition to gaining valuable skills and experience in the
environmental field, members receive a living allowance of $1,148 per
month, an offer of health insurance, and loan forbearance. Upon completing
the program, participants receive an Education Award of up to
$5,815 which can be used to pay off qualified student loans or to
finance future education.
How do you apply?
Please submit a completed member application with a
resume to mgcapplication.pca@state.mn.us by the
deadline of June 9, 2017. The member application and
guidance document are available at: www.pca.state.mn.us/mngreencorps.
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Community events and resources
Landscape Revival -- Native Plant Expo and Market. June 3, 9 AM - 3 PM. Location: Cub Foods Community Pavilion,1201 Larpenteur Avenue West, Roseville, MN. The Landscape Revival -- Native Plant Expo and Market offers gardeners one convenient location to shop for Minnesota native plants from 12 local native growers. Attendees can also learn from conservation organizations how to effectively use the plants. Free and open to all, rain or shine.
WaterFest 2017. June
3,11 AM - 4 PM. Location: Lake Phalen Park ,1600 Phalen Drive, Saint
Paul. WaterFest is a free celebration of our clean
lakes and offers outdoor fun and opportunities for hands-on learning about the
water quality, wildlife, and special ecological features of our beautiful
watershed.
Cell Phone Summer Kickoff Party by Tech Dump. June 10,11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Location: Tech Discounts - Bloomington, 724 West 98th Street, Bloomington, MN. Cell Phone Summer aims to be a ton of fun, literally. Tech Dump and Tech Discounts are going to collect ONE TON
of cell phones by Labor Day! They'll kick off with a celebration of all
of the fun that summer offers in Minnesota. Play beach games! Pet a
puppy! Meet special guests including The Gadget Guy! Enjoy refreshments!
Bring a phone to donate and be eligible to win a $100 gift card to Tech
Discounts! #CellPhoneSummer
Make & Take Rain
Barrel Workshop. June 20, 6-7:30 PM. Location: Wellstone Center, West Side St. Paul. Registration required. What’s one of the simplest, high-impact ways to save water and
help protect our local watersheds? Using a rain barrel. This workshop covers how home lawn and garden practices impact
our waters and then guides participants through the process of creating their
own rain barrel ($35 per kit). Claim your spot and rain barrel-to-be on the event
page. (Please note, the last rain barrel workshop sold out over two
weeks in advance.) Sponsored by Friends of the Mississippi River.
Thank you for reading Living Green 365. This newsletter is a
publication of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Please send questions or comments about living green to the
address below.
Sincerely,
Erin Barnes-Driscoll and the Living Green Team
livinggreen365.pca@state.mn.us
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