WALL Class scheduled

By CAROLYN R. WILSON/Correspondent

Steven Taylor, a Saltville native, is passionate about taking care of the place he calls home and the unique resources of the Appalachian Mountains.
“There’s really no other place like this region, and we need to take care of it.”
Taylor will share his ideas about reducing energy usage and promoting sustainability when he presents a Weekend Adult Lifetime Learning (WALL) class at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center on Saturday, March 6.
Taylor said reusing paper, carrying groceries in canvas bags, and turning off the water while brushing teeth are small ways to make a big impact on the environment.
“All you have to do is make a few small changes to go green,” said Taylor, whose class “Go Green, Live Green!” will teach people how to makes those changes throughout life. “I hope people who attend the class will feel inspired to tell their friends and families that going green is actually fun. I know that sounds cliché, but it’s the truth. Learning the habits of conservation can easily become second nature.
“In addition to saving money, going green helps to preserve the earth so that our children and grandchildren can enjoy it years from now,” he said. “It’s a healthy way to live, too.”
Taylor believes that most people are interested in going green, but are not sure how to make the change. He recommends that people not change everything about their lifestyles all at once. Going green is a gradual process.
Taylor, a Web designer and photographer in Abingdon, has used his artistic expertise to design a Web page for his own OnlyGreen business, a company that markets environmentally safe products for everyday life. As an independent OnlyGreen EcoAdvisor, Taylor promotes healthier alternatives to benefit customers and the environment. His website at www.OnlyGreen4Life.com offers non-toxic, eco-friendly baby care products, home care products, paper and plastic alternatives, as well as organic snacks and beverages, some of which he will serve at the class.
His efforts to go green don’t stop there. Taylor is a committee member of Abingdon Green Initiative, a group of local residents which formed in 2008 to help lead the way to establishing more green initiatives in the community as well as the region. The Abingdon Town Council established a website at www.Abingdon.com/GoGreenInitiative to inform people of the Go Green effort in Abingdon. Families and businesses can register online to participate in a three-month challenge offered quarterly. Participants compare 2009 water usage to 2010 usage. The family or business that shows the largest difference in the comparisons will win a cash prize.
So, exactly what does going green mean? Taylor said there are many eco-friendly ways to make a difference and save money at the same time. Adjusting the air conditioning thermostat to 72 degrees instead of 69 degrees can save $12 to $25 per month. Installing a water filter on the kitchen faucet can substitute for purchasing water in plastic containers. Energy-efficient light bulbs are more expensive to buy, but Taylor has found the bulbs save at least $12 per month and last for years before needing to be replaced.
Taylor will share other energy-saving ideas at the class, such as unplug appliances and electrical equipment when not in use; set the clothes washer to the warm or cold-water setting, not hot; clean or replace air filters in furnaces; turn down the water heater thermostat; take showers instead of baths; use empty glass jars as containers in the garage, workshop or in the workplace; use old clothing for dust rags; and plant a deciduous tree, such as an oak or maple because they lose their leaves in the winter, letting the sun through to warm the house, and in the summer they offer shade.
In addition, he will discuss the different ways a consumer can receive tax breaks for going green. The United States government is offering tax incentives and credits to people who renovate their homes with energy-saving technologies, such as installing energy-efficient windows, insulation, roofs, doors, air conditioners and central heating units. Consumers can get a tax break from buying a hybrid vehicle that runs on an alternative power.
For more information about the Go Green, Live Green! class held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., call the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center at (276) 619-4380, or register online at www.swcenter.edu.