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Give Your Car a Break. Carpool,
use mass transit, walk or bike whenever possible.
Leaving your car at home just 2 days a week will
save 1,590 lbs. of greenhouse gas emissions each
year. Keep your car well-maintained to maximize
its fuel efficiency, safety, and reliability. |
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Light Up Your Life. Replacing
your five most frequently used light bulbs with
compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) can save
more than $65 a year in energy costs. They provide
high-quality light output, use less energy and last
up to 10 times longer than standard incandescent
light bulbs, saving money on energy bills and replacement
costs. Remember to always turn off your lights when
leaving a room. |
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Use a Low Flow Shower Head.
A 10-minute shower can use less water than a full
bath. A new showerhead also will save energy —
up to $145 each year on electricity. |
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Stop Your Leaky Faucet. A
leaky faucet can waste gallons of water. Hot water
leaking at a rate of one drip per second can waste
up to 1,661 gallons of water over the course of
a year, and waste up to $35 in electricity or $35
in natural gas. Fixing drips is a cost effective
and easy way to save energy. |
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Use the Proper Pot. A 6"
pot on an 8" burner wastes over 40 percent
of the burner’s heat. Using the right sized
pot on stove burners can save about $36 annually
for an electric range, or $18 for gas. Covering
pots and pans also helps you cook more efficiently
and keeps your kitchen cooler. |
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Safely Dispose of Household
Hazardous Waste. Many common chemicals you may have
in your house can pose hazards to people, pets and
the environment if they are not disposed of properly. |
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Turn Down the Temperature.
Set your water heater thermostat to 120 F or lower.
Savings resulting from turning down your water heater
temperature are based on two components: reduced
standby losses (heat lost from water heater into
surrounding basement area); and consumption (from
water demand or use in your home). Set too high,
or at 140 degrees F, your water heater can waste
anywhere from $36 to $61 annually in standby heat
losses and more than $400 in demand losses. Set
at 120 degrees F, you will save energy and money. |
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Reduce, Reuse , Recycle. Reduce
the amount of garbage you generate by looking for
products that have less packaging. Buy recycled
products. Reuse goods, you don’t need by donating
them. |
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Paper or Plastic? Neither.
Take your own reusable bags to the grocery store
and avoid having to choose between the lesser of
these two evils. |
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Plant a Tree. Trees absorb
carbon dioxide- as much as a ton over the lifetime
of the tree. Trees also provide shade, which can
reduce heating bills. |
