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Greetings!
We hope that you are enjoying the start of Spring! If you are like us, the sunshine just makes you feel happier and more energetic than ever. Despite the depressing news regarding the economy, we find ourselves busier than ever - both personally and professionally. Joann has been extra busy preparing for her daughter to graduate from high school and leave for college while Kelly has been putting in extra hours working with her yellow Lab, Lilly, who is now a certified pet therapist. Our first hotel opens up next week so we'll be sharing that news soon!
In this issue we will begin a quick and easy series introducing "Living Green". You are probably inundated with "green" marketing these days. Many people are overwhelmed with this notion of "eco-friendly" everything and they just don't know how it could apply to their lifestyle. You'll be surprised how easy it is!
Have a great May,
Joann and Kelly
P.S. Don't forget to check out the website - we update it all the time!
Kandrac & Kole Interior Designs
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What is Green Design?
Green design is the art of creating (and living in) beautiful homes by specifying sustainable products (i.e. made with renewable resources) that foster healthy living while reducing the overall environmental impact. As designers, this becomes our job for you!
This Month - The Price of (ouch) GAS!
We are all effected by the cost of gas and oil today. It effects not just the cost of travel, but of our groceries, building materials, and more.
What can we do?
- BUY LOCAL - If you shop at a nearby Whole Foods Market, you can see exactly where those oranges and green beans came from - choose the ones that took less travel time to get to your table. This also applies to choosing local artisans and manufacturers when making a special purchase.
- BE SMART - Choose energy and water efficient appliances (make sure they are Energy Star certified) - this includes toilets, faucets and showerheads!
- GO HYBRID - When you do need a new car, give green options serious consideration. More hybrids are becoming available every year, and cars like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight get 50 to 60 miles per gallon. Tax credits help offset the higher purchase price, and these vehicles can use carpool lanes. Purchase the smallest vehicle that you can get by with to conserve more fuel!
- CHANGE BY DEGREES - Turning down your thermostat in winter and turning it up in summer just two degrees can go a long way toward lowering your power consumption. Use a programmable thermostat to adjust temperatures when you're asleep or not at home. This one-time investment of less than $100 can save you thousands of dollars in energy costs over the years
- TUNE UP YOUR CAR - Here are a few ways to improve your gas mileage: 1) Check your tire pressure weekly. A tune-up can boost your mileage between 4 and 40 percent 2) Replace the air filter - a new filter can boost mileage by as much as 10 percent 3) Take the roof rack off your car when not using it and reduce wind drag.
To read more on how to save money in your home while you help the planet, check out this book: The Home Energy Diet by Paul Scheckel
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Living Authentically Green at Serenbe
 We recently attended a "Trend Forecasting" panel discussion at the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center. If you think that "Green Living" is a fad, you'll understand the reality of it when you visit this website: Living at Serenbe. Attending this panel discussion was the founder of Serenbe, Steve Nygren. Serenbe was founded to be a model for how development can be more environmentally responsibile. It is a 1,000 acre community with three critically-acclaimed restaurants, an inn, organic farm and weekly farmers' market, boutiques, art galleries, and private homes. We are now planning on taking our husbands on a getaway weekend to the beautiful Inn at Serenbe this summer. That's GREEEN living we can all handle!
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CHECK THIS OUT!
Let's face it - there is A LOT of information out there on eco-friendly designs, green living, sustainable products, blah blah. Here is the simpliest and most thorough website we have discovered to date if you want to learn more (because quite frankly, it's imperative to our future that we all become educated on this topic). |
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Words to Live By
"What is the use of a fine house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on? - Henry David Thoreau
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 Thanks again for ANOTHER referral!!
We swear we don't make this stuff up! Every single month we are SO grateful to be able to shop for another resident referral gift! A BIG thanks goes to Stacy Kennemur for referring her sister-in-law Leslie!
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