January-February 2008

Simple Ways to Go Green

It doesn’t take much effort – easy solutions are all around you.

It can seem quite overwhelming. There’s a great deal of vocabulary to learn in this new century: climate change, biofuel, hydrogen power.

Every news report is full of frightening reports on the deteriorating state of the environment, newly endangered or extinct species, and the disturbing realization that the way we live must change if we want to enjoy a healthy and sustainable future.

Fortunately, there are simple things each and every person can do to help preserve the earth for future generations. Some of these solutions provide a great deal of bang for your eco-buck. Others cost nothing at all. All will cut energy use, save you money and go a long way toward preserving the beautiful planet we call home.

Try a few of these following eco-friendly tips:

  • Purchase a low-flow shower head: Replacing an outdated shower head with a new, water-efficient shower head can save you hundreds of dollars each year, and save countless gallons of water. Additionally, you’ll save on the power used to heat the water! Installation is easy and can be done in minutes.
  • Switch to Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs: Making the switch to CFLs is cheaper than ever, as the average bulb now costs about $2. Drawing significantly less energy than a standard incandescent bulb, CFLs also last an average of ten times longer. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, if every American household switched just one bulb to a CFL, we would save enough energy in one year to power 2.5 million homes.
  • Monitor refrigerator and freezer temperatures: Refrigerators and freezers use more power than any other household appliance. Maximize efficiency by setting the refrigerator temperature to 37º F and the freezer temperature to 0º F.
  • Buy local produce: Shop at your local farmers’ market. Though the offerings can be more expensive, you can generally count on a higher quality product – and the entire purchase price goes directly to the farmer.

Buying any goods produced locally saves energy by reducing the fossil fuels needed to transport food and other items across the country and around the globe.

n Utilize the sun. Open blinds or drapes to let in natural solar heat on cold days, then close them once the sun sets, and you can reduce your heating bills by 10 percent. You can also cut your cooling costs by up to 33 percent in the summer by blocking out sunlight with exterior blinds, shutters, or awnings.

n Go from scalding to just hot. Turn your water heater’s temperature setting down from the standard 140 degrees F to 120 degrees. Not only will this save you some bucks, it’ll also slow down mineral buildup and corrosion, prolonging the life of your tank. Since a new water heater costs about $900 installed, each additional year of use saves you money as well.

n Lose the lawnmower: Everyone wants a putting-green perfect lawn. But constant mowing, watering and fertilizing is a bore, as well as a burden on the environment. A two-stroke, gasoline-powered lawnmower releases as many hydrocarbons into the atmosphere in 30 minutes as a car does in 90 minutes. Switch to an electric mower, which costs $8 to $10 a year to operate

These are just a few of the many ways you can “go green,” saving money and preserving the environment. It doesn’t take much effort – easy solutions are all around you.

  

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