Being green is nothing new to Harlem. Organizations such as Little Sisters of the Assumption, Harlem Children's Zone and WEACT have been around for years promoting an environmentally-conscious community. Here are some ideas to do your part to save the environment, better your health, and keep money in your pocket!

1. Replace household cleaners
Home-made cleaning solutions such as vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and peroxide can replace many toxic cleaning products in your home. Some chemicals in home cleaning products can contribute to illnesses such as asthma, which is a big problem in Harlem. With a little bit of elbow grease, you can save some money and keep you and your family healthy.

Links:
• Earth Easy: http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm
• Care2.com: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/healthy-home/nontoxic-cleaning
- Both sites include recipes for creating natural cleaning products at home as well as other suggestions for green living.

2. Replace light bulbs
There is a lot of news about changing standard incandescent light bulbs to more energy-efficient compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs While CFL bulbs are more expensive, your overall savings will be huge. Changing one 100 watt regular bulb to a CFL can save you over $70 on your energy bill over the life of the bulb and also help the environment.

Links:
• For more information about CFLs: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls
• Energy calculator on Environmental Defense Fund website: http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=602
- Estimates NYState avg cost of kilowatt/hr
• GE calculator: http://www.gelighting.com/na/home_lighting/products/pop_lighting_calc.htm
- Plug in the kilowatt/hr rate according to your electric bill to get the most accurate number.

3. Replace or fix leaky faucets
Leaky faucets contribute to mold, making breathing conditions like asthma much worse. Not fixing a leak can also cost money if it causes water damage. If you have contacted your building landlord or manager and they have not made a repair, you can call 311 (New York City's number for government information). The representative you speak with will report your complaint to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) who will send someone to inspect your apartment. If the problem is a legitimate issue, they will bring it before your landlord and/or building management.

4. Stop smoking
Since the cigarette tax increase of June 2024, the average price of a pack of cigarettes in New York City is over $8.00. At that price, a pack-a-day smoker will spend $240 per month and almost $3,000 per year on cigarettes. Imagine what you could do with all that extra money! In addition to the cost savings, you would be making your community cleaner and healthier.

For more information about quitting, please visit New York State's Quitline website at http://www.nysmokefree.com/newweb/default.aspx or call them for free coaching and support at 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487).