AARP gets downtown update
The local chapter of AARP meets monthly with guest speakers and programs.
Adrian King, executive director of Pride of Kinston, was the speaker at the May meeting. He was introduced by AARP Vice President Charles Davis. King gave an overview of downtown and a preview of plans for the future.
For more AARP information, call Davis at 252-522-9625.
Home Solutions: Green your home this spring
Spring is a good time to reassess how “green” your home is. Here are a few easy tips to “green” your home.
Reduce energy — insulate your attic. The cooler days of spring are a good time to work in attic spaces. More heat in winter, and cool in the summer, is lost through the attic than anywhere else in the house.
You can either use a spray foam product or the traditional batting insulation. If you do it yourself, it will only cost a couple hundred dollars and save you many hundreds over the course of a couple years.
Reduce storm water runoff and water consumption — install a rain barrel. For only a couple hundred dollars, you can install a rain barrel at the end of your downspout. Rain barrels can store enough water to get you through some of our dry spells this summer.
Not only will this pull your water bill down, but it also will reduce the amount of storm water runoff that flows into the drainage system and eventually into public streams and rivers.
Reduce water usage — install lower flow faucets. Install lower flow faucets in your bathrooms and kitchens. These faucets add air to the water stream which allows for sufficient pressure, but uses less water. You won’t even notice the difference.
Improve your air quality — install high quality air filters. Buy high quality pleated air filters and change them often. What is more important than the air you breathe? For only a few dollars more, you can significantly upgrade your air filter.
However, it is important to change it often. Dirty air filters significantly increase the work your system must perform. And that raises your utility bills.
Source: Brandon Green
Trudy W. Pickett is extension family and consumer agent at the Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Office, 1791 N.C. 11/55. Reach her at 252-527-2191 or trudy_pickett@ncsu.edu.