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Hi, I'm Paddy Kim. From home theaters to plush sofas, hands down the family room is the coolest place to relax. But what makes this area such an amazing retreat for entertainment could also be adding dollars to your power bill and be affecting your health. And here are some easy ways to trim energy, and take out toxins.


More and more flat screen TVs, digital video recorders and theater sounds systems are becoming essential home fixtures. The nest of plugs and wires behind the counsel is testament to how these gadgets or the fastest growing sources of electricity used in the home.


Strangely enough, a good 10% or more of your power bill is actually spent on not using them. What do I mean? Well, if you've got a lot of those electronic devices at home, watch out, 'cause they are, they're kinda like vampires, they are sucking power even when they are turned off.

Televisions, computers, set-top boxes and other digital devices all sip electricity to power clocks, easy on features and little glowing lights. You can slay your vampires by unplugging devices when not in use, or use powerstrips to switch off multiple devices when outlets are in hard-to-reach areas. If you are expanding the whole entertainment system, consider how much electricity you'll be consuming. The biggest power guzzler is the television. LCD TVs generally consume less energy than CRT's, while Plasmas can use as much power as your fridge. And when you add on all the peripherals of DVD players and game counsels, you may be increasing your electricity bill by an extra 10%.

Having a happy living space/ is also about having a healthy one. Traditionally making family rooms comfortable has included wall-to-wall carpet.

Makes a room feel so much cozier, doesn't it? No wonder people love carpet, but the one thing / you might not realise about carpet is that it's actually been identified as a potential health hazard. You see, all the tiny fibers of a carpet can trap things like mold, dust, pesticide and you are gonna love this, droppings of dust mice, yep, I'm totally serious. And all of that can trigger allergies which isn't a lot of fun.

Fibers, backings and glue made from synthetic petroleum products are known to give off volatile organic chemicals and can cause irritation.

The key to having a carpet is actually cleaning it and cleaning it thoroughly and often. Using a vacuum cleaner like this one with a true help filter is a powerful way to remove those dust particles and clean the air too.

These filters are able to remove 99% of allergen particles. A nice alternative to carpet is hard wood. Wood floors made from renewable sources like Forest Stewardship Council-certified hard wood, bamboo or cortiles are all good choices.

Following these easy little tips will help you and your family breath easier, and help create a safer and healthier environment. And while you do that, I am gonna watch the rest of this movie.
To find out how green your family room is, click on the link below to take the quiz.