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There’s good news for Georgians who are looking into roofing Atlanta homes. Now the state insurance commissioner’s office has approved the first-ever “green” homeowners insurance that guarantees their modified homes will be rebuilt in the same environmentally-friendly way should damage or destruction occur. If homeowners do not have a green house, they can still add-on the Fireman’s Fund insurance to compliment their existing policy; so if their house does get damaged, it will be rebuilt with sustainable materials. This makes Georgia the 26th state to adopt the measure. “We hope this will encourage and promote people to be green in their homes,” said Commissioner John Oxendine.

So what better time to outfit your home with environmentally-friendly solar panels, recycled building materials or “green” roofing? There are many ways to keep the environment in mind when roofing Atlanta homes. One option is to have your roof painted white. In July 2009, California will mandate sloping residential roofs to be light-colored, cool-roof colors or white, said Arthur Rosenfeld of the California Energy Commission. Perhaps other states like Georgia will follow suit. According to Dr. Hashem Akbari, a researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a 1,000-square-foot rooftop painted white is equivalent to cutting 10 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. When light pours down through the atmosphere, it will bounce off the white rooftops and reflect back toward space, therefore keeping the earth relatively the same temperature. If the 360,000 square miles covered by rooftops and pavement were a white or lighter color, enough sunlight would reflect back to space to prevent 44 billion tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere and delay climate change by 11 years, his study found. Additionally, white roofing Atlanta homes will cut cooling costs by 20%, which gives a financial incentive for homeowners.

Another “green” option for roofing Atlanta is to choose green roof insulation, which will save you 13% on your energy bills. Instead of fiberglass, consider recycled cellulose fiber (which also acts as a flame retardant), recycled denim (which is flame retardant and treated with Borax to repel pests), soy insulation (which will last the life of the house) or sheep’s wool (which is considered one of the best products for its flame retardant, noise-deadening and filtering properties).

Some of the newer roofing Atlanta styles include PhotoVoltaic (PV) roof systems and Garden roofs. California is the third-largest purchaser of 30-year PV solar panel roofs, which are lowering attic temperatures 50% and saving consumers 30% on cooling costs. Garden roofs are more popular in Europe, Asia and on corporate buildings, but some homeowners like the idea of transforming their space into a living, breathing environment.

When choosing materials for roofing Atlanta homes, the eco-friendly consumer will ideally pick asphalt with a white or light tint (at no extra charge) or a slightly more expensive pastel or white tile. A study conducted by Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that highly reflective metal materials will reflect 34% more sunlight away from the home, thereby saving home owners up to 40% in cooling costs.

ed in 1779 at the convolution of three major rivers; the French Broad, Holston and Tennessee, Knoxville became the first capitol of the State of Tennessee. The city was named after General Henry Knox, a Revolutionary War hero and later the Secretary of War under President George Washington. The Knoxville area was occupied by Pre-Columbian Mound Builders, the indigenous natives who built huge burial and ceremonial mounds in the river valleys of the central United States. One such mound is located on the current site of the University of Tennessee. Early industry was the quarrying of “Tennessee Pink Marble” from rock quarries in the Knoxville area. The marble from these quarries was used in the construction of the National Art Gallery in Washington, DC. The later proliferation of textile mills led to the nickname, “The Underwear Capitol of the USA.” At the height of this industry, there were more than 20 such mills in Knoxville. In 1790, Blount College was established, later becoming The University of Tennessee, the main campus of which is still in Knoxville. The Tennessee Volunteers are widely known for academic and athletic excellence. The three navigable rivers led to Knoxville becoming a regional center of commerce for East Tennessee. Today, the city and metropolitan area are still home to a number of local, regional and national businesses and technical operations, including: University of Tennesse system; Tennessee Valley Authority, the government agency responsible for the building and administration of hydro-electric power on the rivers; the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the site of the development of the atom bomb in 1945. In 1982, Knoxville hosted The World’s Fair, one of the largest and most successful of all of these events. The 266 foot Sunsphere is still one of the most imposing structures in Tennessee, with the steel girder framework, topped by the golden glass sphere. The Knoxville Metropolitan Area is residence to about 655,000 people, with 184,000 within the city limits. The city is differentiated by different names, the area south of the Tennessee River, that bisects the city, is referred to as South Knoxville, the commercial and residential areas to the west are West Knoxville, as so forth. The Arts are well represented in Knoxville by galleries, festivals and performing arts. The annual Arts Festival is a major event and the Opera Company offers world class performances. Other events are arts-and-crafts festivals that feature the works of Appalachian craftsmen. Among the notable former residents of Knoxville are: Pulitzer Prize winning authors James Agee and Cormac McCarthy; actors Patricia Neal, Polly Bergen, David Keith and Brad Renfro; writer-director Quentin Tarrantino. Many fine restaurants are located here: Calhouns (barbeque) a local favorite, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Melting Pot (fondue), dinner cruises with The Tennessee River Boat Company and a plethora of other good eateries. The international flavor of the University and Oak Ridge Labs have encouraged many ethnic restaurants to flourish; Indian, Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern . . . Knoxville is the western gateway to the Great Smokey Mountains, home to many attractions: Dollywood theme park, Great Smokies National Park, Gatlinburg, a community that celebrates Tennessee’s mountain heritage. For more information on Knoxville, Tennessee visit http://knoxvillemicroblog.com and http://tennesseemicroblog.com

We don’t mean sitting back and not taking action. However, being lazy in some respects can help reduce emissions and help the planet. Going green doesn’t have to be a chore.

Five ways to be lazy and help the planet:

Let the laundry pile up – and leave the dishes for awhile. By waiting until clothes are truly dirty (not just worn) and until you have a full load, you can reduce the emissions required to run your washer. Same goes for dishes – dishwashers can actually be quite energy and water efficient if they are run on a full load.

Get your food delivered – Instead of making a trip to the grocery store, consider getting a seasonal box of organic locally grown produce delivered to your door. According to a University of Exeter study, on average, lower carbon emissions result from delivering a vegetable box than making a trip to a local farm shop. Considering that most food at your local supermarket is processed and packaged from regions around the world, you’re reducing some serious food miles. Check the Green Pages green directory for your local delivery service.

Work your neighbours and friends – For other groceries and essentials, consider switching off with a neighbour to make the weekly trip. Rather than two vehicles heading for the same destination every week, you can let your neighbour do some of the heavy lifting while you kick back and have a beer. With other trips, instead of driving, see if you can bum a ride from a friend. (Of course, you’ll have to return the favour every once in awhile!)

Shop online – Gift shopping too big a chore? Ditch the shops and jump online. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, reports that “desktop shoppers” are estimated to reduce substantial emissions by reducing the number of trips made in cars. “Trucks make multiple deliveries per trip, so that impact is reduced,” notes ORNL environmental scientist Jesse Miller. Also, while private parcel services add runs based on deliveries, the post makes the same number of runs regardless of package deliveries, so there is no net gain with them.

Leave grass clippings on the lawn – they contain great nutrients that are beneficial for your lawn and save landfill space. Cut back on artificial fertilisers and considering mowing less often to help reduce emissions.

Find more great green tips at the Green Pages green directory