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Community Corner

Living Green Doesn't Have to Involve State-of-the-Art Science

A local man suggests simplicity and common sense when it comes to living green.

If you want to cut your energy bill by 20 percent, all you have to do is get out of bed in the morning, according to a local man who is putting his belief into practice.

Bob Rubino, a former Tolland Town Council member and businessman, lives with his family in a modest but efficient home on Weingold Road.

"I have always believed that humans should make only minimum impact on the environment," he said. "Take only pictures, leave only footprints. You need to ask yourself what it is you want and what it is you need. You might want a McMansion, but do you need it?"

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Rubino had those principles firmly in mind when he bought his house, which originally belonged to Harold Weingold, a former town historian.

"It was private, had the right exposure, sat on two acres of woodland, and had a small footprint," he said.

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He made the necessary upgrades, doing the work himself, and along the way installed practical items like a 1½-gallon flush toilet and a low water usage dishwasher.

The land itself provided much to meet at least some of the families needs: a cord of wood each year to help with the heating; a 20 foot by 30 foot garden that annually produces tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables; miniature apple trees for fruit; and, of course, mulch.

"I can't understand why people have their leaves removed each year then go out and buy bags of mulch," Rubino said. "Look at these trees. Every autumn they produce more mulch than anybody can use. They go into our mulch pile along with coffee grounds, vegetable scraps and other mulchables from the house."

Rubino 's current project is somewhat more ambitious. He's nearly finished building a small barn and deck adjacent to his above-ground pool with lumber cut and sawn on the property. The barn's metal roof will support solar panels, which will provide the energy to heat the pool.

"Hey, I'm just a cheap guy, y'know?" Rubino laughed. "If I can produce what I need for less money and at the same time do the earth a good turn, I'm going to do it."

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