This post begins my "New Year's Resolution blog series"! I have never been a big believer in New Year's Resolution's as they generally lead to me feeling overwhlemed and dissapointed but I've had a change of heart this year! It might be a result of being pregnant and feeling like I need to contribute more or just the fact that it's 2010 and this year seems a bit more monumental than the last few. Either way, here they go...
I will admit however important I feel "going green" is, Garry has always been the more enviromentally conscience one of us. So, these are some helpful tips for those of you who may not be as savvy at reducing your carbon footprint as you would like!
1) Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...do your part by choosing reusable products instead of disposables. Recycle paper, plastic, newspaper, glass and aluminum cans. By recycling half of your household waste, you can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide annually!!
2) Use Less Heat and Air Conditioning...Adding insulation to your walls and attic, and installing weather stripping or caulking around doors and windows can lower your heating costs more than 25 percent, by reducing the amount of energy you need to heat and cool your home.
Turn down the heat while you're sleeping at night or away during the day, and keep temperatures moderate at all times. Setting your thermostat just 2 degrees lower in winter and higher in summer could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.
3) Change a lightbulb...Wherever practical, replace regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. If every U.S. family replaced one regular light bulb with a CFL, it would eliminate 90 billion pounds of greenhouse gases, the same as taking 7.5 million cars off the road.
4. Drive less and drive smart...Less driving means fewer emissions. Besides saving gasoline, walking and biking are great forms of exercise.
When you do drive, make sure your car is running efficiently. For example, keeping your tires properly inflated can improve your gas mileage by more than 3 percent. Every gallon of gas you save not only helps your budget, it also keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
5. Buy Energy-Efficient Products...When it's time to buy a new car, choose one that offers good gas mileage. Home appliances now come in a range of energy-efficient models, and compact florescent bulbs are designed to provide more natural-looking light while using far less energy than standard light bulbs. Avoid products that come with excess packaging, especially molded plastic and other packaging that can't be recycled. If you reduce your household garbage by 10 percent, you can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.
6. Use Less Hot Water...Set your water heater at 120 degrees to save energy, and wrap it in an insulating blanket if it is more than 5 years old. Buy low-flow showerheads to save hot water and about 350 pounds of carbon dioxide yearly. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water to reduce your use of hot water and the energy required to produce it. That change alone can save at least 500 pounds of carbon dioxide annually in most households.
7. Use the "Off" Switch...Save electricity and reduce global warming by turning off lights when you leave a room, and using only as much light as you need. And remember to turn off your television, video player, stereo and computer when you're not using them.
8. Plant a Tree...If you have the means to plant a tree, start digging. During photosynthesis, trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. They are an integral part of the natural atmospheric exchange cycle here on Earth, but there are too few of them to fully counter the increases in carbon dioxide caused by automobile traffic, manufacturing and other human activities. A single tree will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime.
9. Get a report card from your Utility Company...Many utility companies provide free home energy audits to help consumers identify areas in their homes that may not be energy efficient. In addition, many utility companies offer rebate programs to help pay for the cost of energy-efficient upgrades.
10. Encourage Others to Conserve...Share information about recycling and energy conservation with your friends, neighbors and co-workers, and take opportunities to encourage public officials to establish programs and policies that are good for the environment.
These 10 steps will take you a long way toward reducing your energy use and your monthly budget. And less energy use means less dependence on the fossil fuels that create greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming. Happy Recycling to all!!
No comments:
Post a Comment