Q: Last spring, when our fifty-gallon hot water tank decided to give our basement floor a thorough cleaning, we had to scramble to find an energy-efficient alternative. After about a week of cold showers, we got an energy-friendly, natural-gas, heat-on-demand system. Planning ahead definitely would have saved us time, money, and goose bumps.
Liz, Silver Spring, Maryland
Find out what Umbra has to say about energy-efficient hot water heaters.
Q: If we’re talking about the balance sheet of the world, does it really matter if I use a more or less environmentally responsible solution to wash my fruit? I’m wondering what three major, concrete changes you recommend people make (ones a bit more difficult to implement than using lower energy lightbulbs!) that would really let us rest easy at night knowing we’d contributed?
Cate, New York