Green Home Makeovers: A Trendy, Unique Holiday Gift Option

Oct. 9, 2009 - PRLog -- At the start of the holiday season, many of us struggle with what seems to be a recurring chore: figuring out what gifts to purchase for our loved ones. However, today, more people are "going green" and that may influence – and, perhaps, make it easier for – shoppers to make unique gift choices this forthcoming holiday season.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says on its Web site that America is shifting to a "green culture" where some 300 million citizens are embracing the fact that environmental responsibility is everyone's responsibility. This finding, combined with the fact that more people are looking to save money on home utilities, has opened doors for new holiday gift options this year.

A Green Home Makeover, for example, is a service offered nationwide by Green Irene, which encourages people to be eco-friendly, while saving money. The 90-minute service includes a walk-through of both the interior and yard areas of a home. Green Irene-trained Eco-Consultants walk through the home to develop a set of recommendations on how the homeowner can save money, save energy and live a healthier life. A Family Action Plan is also included to involve every member of the household in implementing the recommendations, as is three months of unlimited support. The $99 service is designed to show how easy it can be to save thousands of dollars while going green.

"Most of the eco-friendly gifts you see on the market are reusable bags and products made with recycled materials, but here is an idea that is intended to get more individuals on the path to a healthier, more sustainable life – for the long run," said Rosamaria Caballero, Green Irene Co-Founder and the original Green Irene, who adds that Green Home Makeovers are becoming popular in the United States. "You don't have to make a hobby out of going green; trained, local Eco-Consultants can implement proven green home solutions right in your home."

Caballero says below are some of the reasons why people should have a Green Home Makeover:
•   By replacing your wasteful incandescent bulbs (a 100-year-old technology) with energy-saving bulbs, you can save over $3,500 on your electric bill.
•   You can save thousands of dollars in water heating costs and almost 300,000 gallons of water by using low-flow showerheads and other easy-to-implement water conservation measures.
•   You can save 8 percent of energy used to heat your water and reduce your family's carbon emissions by 1,000 pounds a year with a few simple changes to your hot water heater.
•   You can create a less toxic indoor environment for your children and pets by learning to avoid Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and by learning about the benefits of non-toxic household cleaners.
•   You can learn how to kick the excessive paper towel habit, saving both virgin forests and hundreds of dollars a year.

With Green Irene’s green home products, Eco-Consultants show people how to zap phantom power loss, better filter indoor air with newly-available HVAC filters, how to buy green power from their current utilities, and how to offset your family's carbon footprint, among many other ideas, Caballero added. "A Green Home Makeover makes a great holiday present to a friend or loved one who wants to start living a greener life," she said.

"My husband and I were determined to create a business that was about improving the world that we live in for our children,” Caballero said. "Who wouldn't want to help their relative or friend live better and live smarter with a blueprint to green their home and their life – at an affordable cost? Our local Green Irene Eco-Consultants are a force for positive green change in their community and share our mission to green our world, one home at a time."

Along with a Green Home Makeover, individuals receive a three-month "Ask Green Irene" membership, which gives people access to the company's database of green answers and unlimited support on their path to greening their life.

For more information about Green Irene and how to give a Green Home Makeover or other green products this holiday season, visit www.HaveAGreenHoliday.com.

About Green Irene LLC
Founded in 2007 by the original “Green Irene”, Rosamaria Caballero, Green Irene helps people save energy, water, and money. Backed by the notion that everyone can make a difference with simple changes in lifestyle and habits, Green Irene Eco-Consultants perform Green Home Makeovers and Green Office Makeovers with advice and products to make your living or working area more eco-friendly. The only Green Home Consulting firm with a national reach, Green Irene has trained over 500 Eco-Consultants in 46 states. The goal for Green Irene Eco-Consultants is to lead your family members and coworkers to a healthier, safer and more sustainable lifestyle, and save you money, energy, and water with its consulting services and green home and office products. Green Irene is an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau and Green America's Green Business Network. For more information, visit www.greenirene.com.

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Green Irene is on a mission to “Green Our World, One Home and Office at a Time.” Local Eco-Consultants implement proven green home and small office solutions through its consulting services and Green Irene-recommended products.