According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the concept of “reduce, reuse, recycle” is equally important for household hazardous waste as it is for industrial materials. We must all do our part to conserve our natural resources and protect our environment and health. This can be applied to our everyday lives and make a huge impact on the earth.
DID YOU KNOW?
For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.
- With the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can, you can run a TV for six hours.
- You save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours, by recycling one glass bottle.
- 100,000,000 trees are used each year to produce the unwanted junk mail that ends up in trash or recycling bins!
- Gas mowers are more polluting than your car!
Here are a few tips for a Green Home:
| Switch your light bulbs from standard filament bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s). They create the same amount of light and use a quarter of the energy. They last 10 times longer than a regular bulb. |
| Wrap your water heater in an insulating blanket. They retain more heat in the water heater and help lower your energy bill. |
| Turn down the thermostat on the water heater. You won’t get scalded, and you’ll save money on the heating bill. |
| Did you know that your TV and other electronics still use power when they’re turned off? Either turn them off or plug them into a “smart” power strip that can be turned off. Otherwise, they remain in a constant “ready” state and are using electricity. Unplug cell phone chargers, MP3 players, digital cameras, TV, DVD, VCR, coffee machine, microwave, etc., and save as much as 40% of wasted electricity. |
| Check your toilets for leaks. Usually the flapper is the cause, and it may not be as obvious as you think. Check by adding a few drops or food coloring to the tank water. Wait an hour and check if any water has leaked into the toilet bowl. If you find a leak, take the flapper to the hardware store – it’s an easy fix. Cleaning chemicals can erode the plastic on the flapper, but they still only last about 5 years. |
| Wash your laundry in cold water. Not only can you save energy on heating up to 35 gallons of water per load, you also preserve the color of your clothes. Whether you use gas or electric, you’ll save money. |
| Enjoy the sunshine and cool breeze. When the weather allows, hang your clothes outside on a clothesline. You can also use a drying rack inside. Use “dryer balls” when you must use the dryer. |
| You don’t need to run the water at full force to effectively wash fruits and vegetables, dishes or your hands. Since most of this running water goes down the drain, reducing the flow will save a valuable natural resource, and money! You should also install a faucet aerator to reduce water flow. |
| Have the pilot light on your home heater turned off during the months you are not running it. Call your local utility service company to turn it off in the spring and relight it in the fall. You can save a few dollars per month with this simple step. |
| Take shorter, cooler showers and install a low-flow showerhead. It will save energy and money! |
| Instead of buying small bottles of water, invest in a water purifier for your faucet. Pick up an aluminum water bottle to carry with you and keep container waste to a minimum. |
| Consider using craigslist, consignment shops and thrift stores, and local yard sales to find used furniture and appliances, as well as clothing and personal items. |
| Let’s go back to the library for books and movies! You’ll minimize the shelf space for storing books you may not read again, cuts down on the number of books that need to be printed (trees and chemical inks), and is fun for the whole family. |
| Buy locally produced food. It cuts down on transportation and fuel costs and is usually fresher since it doesn’t have to travel so far and will be in season. Farm markets and community coops are everywhere. |
| Make your own cleaning supplies. It saves money, reduces packaging, transportation – just a win-win all around! |
| Turn your computer off at the end of the day and set it to go into sleep mode when it’s not in use. This will save energy and prolong the life of your computer and is better for your computer than just leaving it on. Don’t set a screen saver, as this prevents the computer from going into sleep mode. They do not preserve your screen, as was once believed. |
| And most importantly – RECYCLE! |
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