Vpen Door I Going Green Tips to run a planet-friendly home. G oing green at home doesn't have to turn your life upside down. There are simple measures you can take in your kitchen and garden to run a planet- friendly home. United States alone, according to a new re- port from the Cooper Ornithological Society. Ensure the safety of your airborne visi- tors by applying static-cling decals to your windows, which helps birds detect glass, thereby avoiding injury or death. Decals from WindowAlert, for example, rely on special ultraviolet-reflecting coating that looks like etched glass to humans, but is quite visible to birds, and add a decorative appearance to your home. Reduce Waste Ensure your kitchen is properly outfitted with labeled paper and plastic recycling bins. Keep these receptacles handy to encourage your family and guests to make use of them. Take your waste reduction a step further by setting up a bin for food scraps, which you can add to your yard trimmings. Compost- ing creates a natural fertilizer that makes a planet-friendly alternative to the chemical variety. By recycling and composting, you can join the ranks of Americans reducing the waste they send to the landfill. In fact, recycling and composting prevented 86.9 million tons of materials from being disposed in 2011 in the United States, up from 15 million tons in 1980, according to government estimates. Eat Local Protect Wildlife You may think of your yard as "yours," but you are actually sharing the space with furry creatures, insects and birds. Habitat destruction and loss, as well other manmade and natural threats, put beautiful species like humming birds at risk. Make your garden a safe haven with bird feeders and by planting native, sustentative shrubs, trees and flowers. Unfortunately, bird-to-building collisions, particularly with windows, are estimated to kill between 100 million and 1 billion birds in the Source your food locally to reduce your carbon footprint. If possible, buy local, in- season fruits and vegetables that didn't have to travel the world to reach your plate. When dinner comes from your own back- yard, it means fresher produce that's good for your family — and good for the planet. Don't just enjoy nature this season; take care of it. With a few small tweaks, it isn't hard to run your home more sustainably. ■ COURTESY OF STATE POINT Sprucing Ur Easy tips to refresh the look of your home's exterior trim. rimming out a house "from the top down" with colorful but low-main- tenance finishes and accessories is a growing trend for busy homeowners looking for easy-care home exteriors. Experts advise starting at the top of your home with gable vents and louvers, and then making your way down with decorative millwork, window and door trim, followed by a balustrade system and porch columns. "Today's homeowners are selecting ma- terials for the outside of the home that are long-lasting and require minimal upkeep," says T Heather Kovacs, product manager for Fypon. Depending on the look you're going for, keep in mind the finish. If you plan to paint the accessories, a smooth finish works best. For staining, opt for timber. A stone cast replicates concrete. With these options, you can personalize your home exterior and complement your home's design. Roofline At the roofline of the home, consider gable vents and louvers that come in shapes like octagons, cathedral, triangles and ovals. Functional venting louvers should feature corrosion-resistant screens to help keep insects out of the home and angled slates to protect interiors from rain. Windows and Doors Pilasters, pediments, crossheads and shutters can enhance key elements of a home's exterior. Eaves To add the ultimate finishing touch to eaves and window areas on the exterior, Kovacs recommends incorporating brackets, dentil blocks and corbels. Color ST Alvin Loving, "Hex 15", Acrylic on Canvas, 1969 [K'S Auctioneers & Appraisers of Antiques and Fine Art Sold for: $20,700 Whether it's simply a single piece or an entire collection, call Stefek's for a free consultation. AUCTIONS, APPRAISALS, ESTATE AND MOVING SALES 14 OPEN DOOR Magazine • May 2014 18450 Mack Avenue Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 313 - 881 - 1800 stefeks@comcast.net ■ stefeksltd.com With the right color combinations, the trim you add to your home can be striking, drawing together the entire exterior. For this reason, it's best to consider materials that come with a pre-primed surface ready to stain or paint. Fypon offers paintable detailed mouldings, brackets, trellis systems, louvers and other millwork pieces. For an easy way to add instant curb appeal and character to your home, consider trimming your home top to bottom. ■ COURTESY OF STATE POINT