Earth Day 2022: Experts offer tips on how to incorporate green solutions into homes
NEW YORK -- This Earth Day you may be inspired to do a little something to help our home planet, and you may be surprised how easy it is to do right inside your own home.
CBS2s Vanessa Murdock has some tips from a New York City-based company focused on green solutions.
More than 100 million buildings and homes across America contribute 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, says Donnel Baird, founder and CEO of BlocPower.
"In New York City, buildings contribute 67% of greenhouse gas emissions. The number one thing that we can do as New Yorkers is figure out how to make our home healthier and greener," Baird said.
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His company does exactly that. Baird says BlocPower turns buildings across the five boroughs and beyond into Teslas.
"Just like Tesla has taken the fossils fuel engine out of automobiles, we can now take fossil fuel heating, cooling and hot water equipment out of buildings and replace it with all electric clean equipment," Baird said.
To get all the work done, the company hires locally with the intention of being a good neighbor and reducing crime across the city.
"We also have trained and hired over 800 residents of low-income, high-crime communities," Baird said.
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Employees learn solar panel and clean energy equipment installation, then get put to task. Just last month, some formerly incarcerated employees installed solar panels on Rikers Island.
While you may not be ready to tackle a complete green overhaul in your household, Baird says there are some simple things you can do to make an impact, like moving away from that gas stove toward electric.
"A Stanford University study was released last month that says that your natural gas stove actually leaks methane," Baird said.
He says install low-flow shower heads and toilets.
"We do want you to look at your lightbulbs. Do you have LED lightbulbs? Do you have organic insulation in your attic or in your walls?" Baird said.
They are hyperlocal low-cost solutions that make you and your home a better neighbor to Mother Earth.