The Smyrna office of Bob Parks Realty is working hard to go green. So far we’ve set up lots of recycling bins, we’re collecting eye glasses, and we’re encouraging agents to carry over the efforts into home. We’ve been writing recycling ideas on shamrocks (e.g., teach children about recycling at a young age, re-use gift bags, etc.) and sharing them. Today my shamrock was drawn from a bowl and I won a Home Depot gift card.
Also at our meeting this morning, we heard from Woody Bruhn of TINTDesign Window Tinting. He presented his 3M window tinting products which do seem to be a great way to save on electric bills. Tinting your home windows greatly cools a home in the summer (not to mention that it helps keep items from fading in the sun). Twenty percent (20%) of all electric bills come from heating and cooling, so by tinting your windows at home it will take two to five years to pay for the window tinting you do. The pricing is about $5 to $7 p/square foot of window, so an average window might cost $80. Mr. Bruhn said you could use any product to clean (windex, etc.) but would not recommend using newspaper to clean the tinted windows because the “wood” in the newspaper can tear after extended use. He also said he had to do two re-do’s due to cats shredding the bottom of a door window.
I haven’t had my own windows tinted, but it’s something I’d definitely consider. Another agent in my office has had most of his house done and he highly recommends it. He showed some placemats he had on his table for two years and how they faded next to a new set. With the window tinting, his placemats are now unchanged.
If you do investigate, Mr. Bruhn does free estimates. Just tell him Kathy Tyson of Bob Parks sent you! 
3 responses so far ↓
mike // March 18, 2008 at 11:12 am |
Great job that real estate agents are leading the way. Do you give other home owner tips on how to be green?
Kathy T. // March 18, 2008 at 1:56 pm |
I’m so new at it, Mike. But I’ll do some research and see what I can find out for you!
North Georgia Mountain Cabins // March 20, 2008 at 4:46 pm |
Where we live we recycle with the trash service they provided tubs for glass, plastic and paper. The fire houses have other recycle options oil, paint, aluminum, batteries. You can also go to the local dump and pick up paint that people discard and take for free. They also take all the Xmas tree and chip them for yard landscaping and that is for free also. So as you see I would talk to your local Waste Management Company and city officials. We also have to pay to put construction waste to the street for pick up to be disposed of properly.