By Bari Auerbach

'Going Green'

The City of Sunny Isles Beach is always encouraging “green living” – so  here are some  innovative ways residents can help with “go green” initiatives:

*To use less electricity at home – beyond using compact fluorescent light bulbs, if you’re interested in sparking some romance, try lighting candles. Installing dimmers can also help minimize the appearance of tiny lines and wrinkles – saving us all lots of money on cosmetic procedures!

*There are many advantages associated with using energy efficient building materials – but now, here’s another great reason for investing in hurricane shutters - and keeping them up year-round! This would eliminate the need to expend a lot of energy putting them up and down during unpredictable hurricane seasons – plus with the perpetual “shutter shade” you wouldn’t need to turn the a/c down so low!

*There are also a myriad of environmentally-aware ways to maintain a condo building– but just think about how much power could be conserved if everyone expended a lot more energy promoting longevity by taking the stairs instead of the elevator!

*Recycling programs are a major component of “go green” initiatives - but  here’s a great idea seldom mentioned…Let’s all wait for some really good front page news to be printed and then ask the delivery guy to just keep bringing the same newspaper back every day!
   
*Everyone in South Florida is asked to conserve water – and we could all save gallons just by doing little things like taking all our laundry to the dry cleaners and waiting ‘til it rains to get a car wash. Of course, showering less often isn’t really an option – but if you happen to live in a community with one of those fancy fountains…well, you get the idea!!

*Beyond being environmentally conscious, we can also do our part to stimulate the economy by spending a little more green at stores offering great bargains. If you need another good rationale – think about the fact that Sunny Isles Beach has one of the lowest property tax rate in all of Miami-Dade County…So with the money you’re saving - you can spend more time shopping!