Get your whole family involved in reducing your family’s garbage output. Re-use as much of the stuff as possible. Get stuff from the store in re-usable containers so you don’t have to buy those heavily plasticized stuff that end up in landfills. Old Consumer electronics and appliances eat more electricity than newer more efficient ones. Throw out that old fridge and AC and replace them with newer less energy consuming ones.
Most electrical devices have stand-by modes that unbeknownst to all of us still consume electricity. Un-plug and save a ton on your electricity consumption. It also lessens the energy demand for coal-powered power plants. You can also save on heating and cooling by using sweaters and other warm clothes indoors during winter and lighter cooler ones in the summer to lessen the use of heaters and AC units. Insulation in the proper places saves you a ton in heating and cooling costs so have it installed on your roof, water heaters and other appliances that will perform better when insulated. Warm day, dry clothes naturally and skip the dryer and get sun-dried clothes that smell crisp and better that chemically treated ones (fabric softeners).
There are more tips and energy saving measures you can find in the many conservation sites which all have the same goal, which is to save the earth. We have to do our share so we get the earth to last us longer. If not for you, then for the future generations that will thank us a lot for the green and clean earth we worked together for them.
Lowering you Carbon Footprint (Part 1)
From the StopGlobarWarming.Org, there are many ways however small that can be done in order to lower your carbon footprint to help the earth. They come in many shapes and forms and are applicable for inside and outside of the home. These measures are meant to be behavior modification tips that would make earth conservation an automatic task for all of us. First, the switch form Incandescent to Compact Fluorescent bulbs. The old style incandescent bulbs are set for phasing out in the next few years to be replaced by more efficient CFL fixtures which are not only brighter but consume less electricity in their daily use. A single 5 watt CFL has the light output equivalent to 40 watts compared to a standard bulb so it does make sense. The tires on your vehicles are a major contributor to wasted gasoline as you drive around town making your car an inefficient machine. The insufficient air makes the engine run harder to push the vehicle forward consuming more gas. Clogged filters result in improper gas-air mixtures having your vehicle to poor gas mileage and lower overall efficiency which could also lead to premature engine wear. Inspect your air filters/cleaners to ensure the engine is getting ample air for it to work better and cleaner.
When using dishwashers and washing machines, be sure to maximize the load to allow more to be washed with enough water. Loading the washers with less than the recommended loads consumes just as much electricity and water as a fully loaded one. Recycled products are in and ones made from virgin products are out.