Comments on: Change is in the Air http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2007/10/change-is-in-the-air/ The Official Whole Foods Market Blog Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:14:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Lisa Nelsen-Woods http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2007/10/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1289 Lisa Nelsen-Woods Thu, 07 Feb 2008 00:16:07 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholegreen/2007/10/31/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1289 I did the candle test to all of the doors and windows of my house (built in 2004) to check for drafts and found quite a few. I added rope caulk around the interior seams of all of our double pane windows. I also checked that there is weatherstripping on both bottom panes of my windows. I added door sweeps to the front & back exterior doors. I looked for and sealed any gaps I found around exterior faucets, TV cables, etc. and the interior switchplate & exlectircal outlets. I also caulked around exterior windows & doors on the sides of our house that had to be resided due to a recent hail storm. We are also in the process of putting foam sealer in any gaps we find between the drywall and the floors that are covered up by the baseboards of our home. Even the most well-built home will have small gaps throughout it and by sealing them you can save up to 10 to 20% on your current heating and cooling costs. Granted in the green arena it's not as "sexy" as telling people to replace all of their current appliances with solar but it's a cheaper altnerative to the same green result. And you don't have to worry about how you can responsibly dispose of your old and still working applicances!mall gaps like this I did the candle test to all of the doors and windows of my house (built in 2004) to check for drafts and found quite a few. I added rope caulk around the interior seams of all of our double pane windows. I also checked that there is weatherstripping on both bottom panes of my windows. I added door sweeps to the front & back exterior doors. I looked for and sealed any gaps I found around exterior faucets, TV cables, etc. and the interior switchplate & exlectircal outlets. I also caulked around exterior windows & doors on the sides of our house that had to be resided due to a recent hail storm. We are also in the process of putting foam sealer in any gaps we find between the drywall and the floors that are covered up by the baseboards of our home. Even the most well-built home will have small gaps throughout it and by sealing them you can save up to 10 to 20% on your current heating and cooling costs. Granted in the green arena it’s not as “sexy” as telling people to replace all of their current appliances with solar but it’s a cheaper altnerative to the same green result. And you don’t have to worry about how you can responsibly dispose of your old and still working applicances!mall gaps like this

]]> By: Jon Labelle http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2007/10/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1256 Jon Labelle Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:36:32 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholegreen/2007/10/31/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1256 As long as you're going all green and stuff how about keeping an eye on the thermostat in the summer so that I don't have to wear a winter jacket and gloves to shop in your store in July.It's absolutely ridiculous.Granted practically every store and restaurant does the same thing but perhaps you could lead the way.I can't imagine how much energy could be conserved if every commercial establishment turned down the ac by even a few degrees. As long as you’re going all green and stuff how about keeping an eye on the thermostat in the summer so that I don’t have to wear a winter jacket and gloves to shop in your store in July.It’s absolutely ridiculous.Granted practically every store and restaurant does the same thing but perhaps you could lead the way.I can’t imagine how much energy could be conserved if every commercial establishment turned down the ac by even a few degrees.

]]> By: Steve Fine http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2007/10/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1251 Steve Fine Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:29:00 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholegreen/2007/10/31/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1251 Every time I shower I take a plastic pail into the shower with me. While waiting for the water to warm up, instead of wasting the water by letting it go down the drain I catch it in the pail for other uses. I've watered plants with it, added it to my washing machine, even used it to flush the toilet. Every time I shower I take a plastic pail into the shower with me. While waiting for the water to warm up, instead of wasting the water by letting it go down the drain I catch it in the pail for other uses. I’ve watered plants with it, added it to my washing machine, even used it to flush the toilet.

]]> By: Slaton, Whole Foods Market Team Member http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2007/10/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1250 Slaton, Whole Foods Market Team Member Thu, 15 Nov 2007 21:20:41 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholegreen/2007/10/31/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1250 Thanks everyone for the terrific comments! Hopefully, together we're all making folks more aware of how easy it is to make smarter decisions when it comes to the environment. Jennifer Lewis, In response to your observation that the Wild Oats store's (which recently closed) lights were on while it was vacant, I went ahead and followed up with those responsible for this property and confirmed the following information: "We had the Store Team Leader who closed down the location working in the store getting the last of the product out early that morning. We officially took that store over that afternoon after all the product was removed that morning. All the power and refrigeration was disconnected that evening." I hope this helps address your concern and please let us know should you have any further questions about this issue. Thanks for the feedback. Thanks everyone for the terrific comments! Hopefully, together we’re all making folks more aware of how easy it is to make smarter decisions when it comes to the environment.

Jennifer Lewis, In response to your observation that the Wild Oats store’s (which recently closed) lights were on while it was vacant, I went ahead and followed up with those responsible for this property and confirmed the following information:

“We had the Store Team Leader who closed down the location working in the store getting
the last of the product out early that morning. We officially took that store over that afternoon after all the product was removed that morning. All the power and refrigeration was disconnected that evening.”

I hope this helps address your concern and please let us know should you have any further questions about this issue. Thanks for the feedback.

]]> By: Energy-Guru.com http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2007/10/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1249 Energy-Guru.com Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:38:42 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholegreen/2007/10/31/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1249 Dear Whole Foods Customers: Please visit www.Energy-Guru.com today. Energy-Guru.com's mission is to enable global adoption of renewable energy. It provides FREE competititve quotes to consumers of renewable energy like Solar Thermal, Solar PV, Geothermal, Biomass, Small-Wind Systems. Submit your quotes/bids request today; hence save money on energy, reduce global warming. Thank you. Dear Whole Foods Customers:

Please visit http://www.Energy-Guru.com today. Energy-Guru.com’s mission is to enable global adoption of renewable energy. It provides FREE competititve quotes to consumers of renewable energy like Solar Thermal, Solar PV, Geothermal, Biomass, Small-Wind Systems.

Submit your quotes/bids request today; hence save money on energy, reduce global warming.

Thank you.

]]> By: Darvina Galla http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2007/10/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1248 Darvina Galla Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:47:52 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholegreen/2007/10/31/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1248 I love the fact that I can say that I telecommute. I have been doing this for the past 3 years. I have two jobs and I do both of them from home. I understand that not everyone is able to do this, but it makes me feel so great to know that I can. I save so much time, energy, gas, carbon, etc. My fiance teases me by saying that I only leave the house once a week to go shopping. I just look at him and say, "Yeah, well Im greener than you". :) I love the fact that I can say that I telecommute. I have been doing this for the past 3 years. I have two jobs and I do both of them from home. I understand that not everyone is able to do this, but it makes me feel so great to know that I can. I save so much time, energy, gas, carbon, etc. My fiance teases me by saying that I only leave the house once a week to go shopping. I just look at him and say, “Yeah, well Im greener than you”. :)

]]> By: L Worachek http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2007/10/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1247 L Worachek Sun, 11 Nov 2007 21:18:04 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholegreen/2007/10/31/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1247 In addition to replacing most of the bulbs in our house with CFLs, I had my husband install motion detector switches in the bathrooms that the kids use. The little ones (toddler +) use to forget to turn the lights out. Now the timer on the motion detector shuts it off after about 90 seconds. If they are still using the bathroom, they just need to wave their hand over their head to reset for another 90 seconds. We also put one in the laundry room since our hands are often full when leaving and we couldn't turn them off without scuffing the walls with the laundry basket. In addition to replacing most of the bulbs in our house with CFLs, I had my husband install motion detector switches in the bathrooms that the kids use. The little ones (toddler +) use to forget to turn the lights out. Now the timer on the motion detector shuts it off after about 90 seconds. If they are still using the bathroom, they just need to wave their hand over their head to reset for another 90 seconds. We also put one in the laundry room since our hands are often full when leaving and we couldn’t turn them off without scuffing the walls with the laundry basket.

]]> By: Jennifer Lewis http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2007/10/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1246 Jennifer Lewis Wed, 07 Nov 2007 04:01:45 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholegreen/2007/10/31/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1246 I just walked past my neighborhood Wild Oats location in Pasadena. It closed this past Sunday as you are opening a new Whole Foods superstore tomorrow. I was disappointed to see that EVERY LIGHT (including the neon signs over the kitchen area and Deli) were blazing, and there was not a sign of a single person in the now empty store. I strongly advocate your message of environmental awareness. I just think it would carry more weight to others if you actually practiced it. I just walked past my neighborhood Wild Oats location in Pasadena. It closed this past Sunday as you are opening a new Whole Foods superstore tomorrow. I was disappointed to see that EVERY LIGHT (including the neon signs over the kitchen area and Deli) were blazing, and there was not a sign of a single person in the now empty store. I strongly advocate your message of environmental awareness. I just think it would carry more weight to others if you actually practiced it.

]]> By: William Johnson http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2007/10/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1245 William Johnson Sat, 03 Nov 2007 01:29:11 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholegreen/2007/10/31/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1245 Everyone in our family has a designated color bath towel that they use until it really needs to be washed -- sometimes two or more weeks. This really cuts down on the loads of laundry we do each week. Everyone in our family has a designated color bath towel that they use until it really needs to be washed — sometimes two or more weeks. This really cuts down on the loads of laundry we do each week.

]]> By: Serena Vikki http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2007/10/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1244 Serena Vikki Fri, 02 Nov 2007 21:37:41 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/wholegreen/2007/10/31/change-is-in-the-air/#comment-1244 The days are getting shorter and we are turning the lights on more often in the house. This is a great opportunity to replace all your incandescent light bulbs to the energy efficient CFLs. The CFLs last much longer and your energy bill will be lower! The days are getting shorter and we are turning the lights on more often in the house. This is a great opportunity to replace all your incandescent light bulbs to the energy efficient CFLs. The CFLs last much longer and your energy bill will be lower!

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