ELSIE'S GREEN TIPS
Around the House
Don’t leave taps running while you’re not using them. Did you know that when the tap is running at full force, shaving takes 20 gallons of water, teeth brushing takes 10 gallons, and hand washing takes 2 gallons of water?
Never get another bill in the mail. If all Americans viewed and paid bills online, we’d save 18.5 million trees a year. And think of the cost savings. Paying bills online can save the average person $6 in stamps and four hours of time each month.
Stay warm this winter but not really, really warm. For every degree you lower your thermostat in the winter you can save 3% on your heating bill.
Don’t get trapped into wasting energy. Cleaning your dryer’s lint trap after every load keeps the air circulating efficiently and can decrease the energy used per load by up to 30%.
A light bulb represents a great idea. When you use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), it’s an even better idea. If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star qualified CFL bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.
Gas up the grill and save. Consider going with propane instead of charcoal the next time you fire up the grill. The EPA says charcoal releases 105 times more carbon monoxide per unit of energy than propane does.
Don’t be in a hurry to wash those dirty dishes. Make an annual difference to your water bill and the environment by running the dishwasher and washing machine only when they are fully loaded. It can save up to 2,000 gallons of water a year.
Want to save energy? Well, put a lid on it. Keeping lids on your pots when cooking will use up to 20% less energy and your food will also cook more quickly and evenly. Mmm, now that’s a tasty way to save!
Out in the Yard
Take the grass catcher off the lawn mower. The sun and rain will break down the grass clippings and reward you with instant compost.
Take a little off the top. Set your mower blades to high. The minimum height for grass is two and a half inches. Anything shorter is hard to maintain, encourages weeds and disease, and requires more intervention. Longer grass also protects the roots, offering more shade and prevents water evaporation.
Get a green thumb and plant native plants in your garden. They need a lot less water and maintenance than introduced species.
Come out and play after the sun goes down. When you water your lawn and garden, water in the morning or at night to prevent evaporation. One inch of water a week is better than several short showers.
Driving Around Town
Take a load off. Carrying around an extra 100 pounds reduces fuel economy by about 1%. Take a few moments to unload your cargo area.
Chill out when looking for a parking space. Park in the shade in summer to keep your car cool and minimize evaporation of fuel.
Pump it up. Keep tires properly inflated. Under-inflated tires can decrease fuel economy by up to 1 mile per gallon and can affect the life of your tires.
Share a ride with a few friends. People who carpool report an average time savings of 40 minutes a day—or more than a third of their total commute time. Carpooling is another practice that reduces vehicle emissions, as does using public transit or combining errands. By ride-sharing every day, commuters can save up to $3,000 a year on gas, insurance, parking, and wear and tear on their cars. One person riding in a carpool can save the environment 9.1 pounds of harmful emissions every year.
Improve your mileage. High MPG vehicles like hybrids are good for the environment because they can reduce smog by 90%, and they use far less gasoline than conventional cars. While a typical SUV might only get 15-20 MPG in city driving, hybrids can get up to 55-60 MPG. That saves you three times as much gas for the same distance!
Out Shopping
Give up your bottled water. More than 60 million plastic water bottles are thrown away every day in the U.S. When you’re thirsty and on the go, drink from a reusable water bottle instead.
Take your own bags to the grocery store. Each reusable shopping bag you use can eliminate an average of 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime.
When you’re out shopping, buy organic. Organic products are healthier for your family and friendlier to the environment. And Borden® Organic milk is a great way to start.
Love thy neighborhood. Buy locally produced products. Not only is it good for the local economy, it will save energy because products haven’t traveled across the globe to get to you. A dollar spent in a locally owned business is worth three times as much to the local economy as one spent in a chain store.
Research is crucial for energy conservation. Check and compare energy ratings before buying large appliances. This tells you how many kilowatt-hours of energy it uses per month. Look for the Energy Star label which means it’s part of a joint program from the EPA and the Department of Energy. According to www.energystar.gov, Energy Star consumers “saved enough energy in 2006 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million cars.” The website has a convenient list of products that meet the guidelines, listed by appliance type. Remember, when you shop, shop smart.
