Celebrate Earth Day in New Buffalo!

It’s a beautiful time of year in New Buffalo as we’ll begin to see signs of spring blooming all around us. It’s fitting then, that the nation will be celebrating Earth Day on April 22 to focus on our environment and how we care for our world!

In working as New Buffalo Prudential Rubloff Real Estate agents here at Shoreline Property Advisors, we enjoy telling those interested in renting or buying a vacation property, or even a permanent residence, about the scenic setting and breathtaking views that they’ll find in New Buffalo and all along the Lake Michigan shoreline. We know that the preservation of this beauty is something that draws guests into our community and even causes them to want to stay!

If you’re looking for a way to celebrate Earth Day this year with family and friends; you’ll want to be sure to check out the Woodland Wildflowers at the Fernwood Botanic Garden and Nature Preserve in nearby Niles. Check out the information below!

Woodland Wildflowers
Fernwood Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve
13988 Range Line Road, Niles

Sunday, April 21 from 1pm to 2:30pm

- Gather with family and friends to learn about woodland plants that bloom from April through June and how to break seed dormancy, produce plants from seed, and establish them in a shade garden. Also learn about soil development and the use of soil amendments that will help you to grow some of the more challenging native plants. To learn more about this exhibit, visit the Fernwood Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve website.

There are also other ways you can enjoy Earth Day and even promote a healthy, eco-friendly environment in your own New Buffalo home. Take a look at these simple ways to go green!

1. Close your windows- It may seem counterintuitive, but opening the windows will often make your New Buffalo home warmer, not cooler. Open your windows at night if the air outside is cooler than inside, and close them (along with blinds and shades) before the sun hits your house in the morning. When night falls, open windows wide, particularly those oriented toward prevailing winds so you can take advantage of cross ventilation. You may also put houseplants in front of sunny windows to absorb some of the sun’s energy.

2. Use fans strategically- Using ceiling fans or stand alone fans can create a nice breeze in a room and help keep you cool. If you’re using ceiling fans, make sure it’s running in the right direction, so that in the summer the breeze is blowing down, not up. Remember to turn fans off when you leave a room since they are made to keep people cool, and are not made to cool an entire room. If you’re buying a new fan, buy an Energy Star fan which will use 50% less energy than other models!

3. Cook (or don’t cook) a cool meal- Just as drinking an ice cold lemonade cools your body, eating cold food helps keep your internal temperature lower on a hot day. If you do cook, use the grill or the microwave, or else you’ll heat up your kitchen from using the oven and stove. And remember, kitchen appliances aren’t the only devices that give off heat; limiting your use of electronics will help keep your spaces cooler.

4. Shut off the lights- While modern lightning, like compact fluorescents and LEDs, are more efficient, incandescent light bulbs can produce as much heat as they do light. Energy Star-rated light bulbs produce 75% less heat, so consider that when replacing bulbs. It’s always a good idea to shut off lights to save energy, it makes a big difference on hot sunny summer days.

5. Plant a tree (or two or three) strategically- Your New Buffalo home may get hot because the sun beats down on it relentlessly on hot summer days. Let nature help reduce your energy bills by planting deciduous trees on the east and west sides of your home; in the summer, their broad leaves will shade your house. Also consider planting trees or shrubs to shade high-heat areas – air conditioning units that emit heat, for instance, and driveways and walkways that absorb it.

We hope these tips inspire you to help preserve the environment around New Buffalo! While these changes may seem small, if everyone does their part, it will help protect our surroundings and maintain the beauty of our community!

If you have questions about living or vacationing in New Buffalo and would like to learn more about the New Buffalo Real Estate market, please contact us today!