| 25 Things You Can Do | |
AT HOME
- Make sure taps don't drip...
- Did you know that a dripping tap can waste 9 liters a minute?
- A leaking toilet wastes 200,000 liters in 6 months! Put a little coloured dye in the tank and if colour shows in the bowl without flushing - there's a leak.
- Wash dishes with a basin of water instead of under a running tap. Use a bucket instead of a hose for washing the car.
- Be careful what you spill onto the Earth. Don't put paint, gasoline or bleach into the drainage system, it can pollute the rivers and seas and cause the death of thousands of fish and other marine life.
- Plant a tree. Trees provide shade and filter the carbon dioxide in the air. If you have a garden, plant 3 or 4. Ask the garden center what kinds of trees are best suited to the soil & area.
- Use cloth towels in the kitchen instead of paper towels. They can be re-used after washing.
- Save electricity:
- Always wait until you have a full load before using the washing machine. This saves both water and energy.
- If your fridge is set too cold and many are 5% colder than they need to be - then it's using 25% more electricity. Check it.
ON THE ROAD
- Cars are polluters. Limit the use of the car through car-pooling. Take turns to fetch children to and from school, music or sports or to drive to work.
- Have one day a week or month - when you leave the car at home and take public transport or walk when its a short journey - it's healthier! If you must drive, then maintain your car well:
- A well-tuned car with clean filters uses 9% less gasoline and that means less pollutants in the air.
- Correct tire pressure prevents damage to the tires and suspension and saves gas, too.
- Make sure your car air-conditioner does not leak CFC gas. Ask your mechanic to check if you're not sure.
- Maintaining a steady 55m/hr is safer and uses less fuel. At 75m/hr it's 25% less efficient in fuel consumption and of course you're more accident prone!
SHOPPING
- Be a green shopper. Whenever possible, buy products that have as little packaging as possible; refuse that extra little plastic bag. When you buy clothes that are already wrapped, ask the assistant to pin the receipt, instead of using another layer of wrapping.
- When you go to the supermarket - take along a reusable netting basket, they hardly take up any space in your handbag. You can then avoid taking home those plastic bags.
- More and more shops are offering environmentally friendly products. Shop there...it will encourage other shops to do the same.
- Never buy aerosol cans with CFC's.
- Cut up plastic six-pack holders before throwing them away. They can kill sea birds and marine life as they may be mistaken for jellyfish.
- Don't litter when you go on a picnic in the countryside or to the beach. Bring home your rubbish and dispose of them properly. Plastic containers and cans can take years to disintegrate.
AT WORK
- Set up a recycling center with cardboard boxes and label for various items, some of which can be reused for wrapping, packaging or internal mail.
- Copy only what you need. Don't waste photocopies & use both sides of the paper.
- Use electronic mail instead of paper. Use bulletin boards instead of sending memos.
- Ensure company car users share and car-pool whenever possible.
- Use mugs instead of disposable paper cups.
- Use recycled paper for stationery and business cards.
- Ask the cleaners to use environmentally friendly cleaning products.
- Office air-conditioners are often set too cold. Adjust the thermostat and clean or replace filters once a month. Note: Tinted glass, venetian blinds and curtains will lower air-conditioning bills, as they will deflect sunlight which heats up rooms.
- Switch off your computer when not in use or at lunch time. Also, most companies use fluorescent lights which save energy; but they also often leave them on when not needed. Switch them off lights when natural light is enough, or during lunch time.
- Offices are good places to save energy & set good examples. People will take these habits home. Form a GO GREEN group. Call TCSF for advice.
- Spread the GO GREEN message. Have a rubber stamp made, that goes on all outgoing mail and packages: Use Me Again, I'm Recyclable. or Please Reuse Me and Help Save the World.
Return to Resources, Tips, Info & Links for the Earth Conscious
This web site is maintained by Heather Babcock (heatherb@sierra.net),
Tahoe Center for a Sustainable Future.