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Household
CONSTRUCTION
Learn about Green
building systems that can save you money in the long run
and save the planet too. See if geothermal
heating and cooling is right for you. TV's This
Old House goes green this season.
INSULATION
Energy efficient insulated glass windows make a huge
difference in keeping heat inside in winter and cool inside
during summer. Save money on utility bills.
ELECTRICAL
POWER You can shift your electrical service provider
to renewable energy: It takes 5 minutes and will cost $2.50
per 100 kilowatt hours over your current bill. Everywhere in
the country is served, even New York City. NewWindEnergy.com
SOLAR
POWER The
Citizenré
Corporation will install Solar Panels to give you the chance
to adopt green energy in your home without having to make a
huge investment.
IS
WIND POWER RIGHT FOR YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS? Try
www.bergey.com
for American-made wind turbines. Look for the tax incentives
in your state.
HEATING
AND COOLING: Move
your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two
degrees in the summer. Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98
per year.
Turn your
hot water heater to 120 degrees.
Turn off your hot water heater when you're away.
APPLIANCES
When you buy a dishwasher, dryer, toaster oven, stereo,
refrigerator, you can judge its energy efficiency with the Energy
Star rating system.
Only run
you dishwasher when it's full.
Don't pre rinse your dishes.
Don't preheat the oven.
Turn off the oven 10 minutes before cooking is done.
LIGHTBULBS
Replace
your incandescent light bulbs with compact
fluorescents (available at hardware stores). It only takes
a 15-watt fluorescent bulb to produces the same amount of light
as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. Fluorescent bulbs are four times
more efficient than regular incandescent bulbs and last ten
times as long.
Always
turn off lights when leaving the room.
Teach your kids to conserve.
GARBAGE
BAGS Using recycled
plastic saves energy and dramatically reduces toxic pollution!
The process of manufacturing from recycled material requires
40% less energy compared to bags made from virgin plastic.
WATER
Conserve
water at home. Fight
for clean water internationally.
Take shorter
showers.
Buy a water conserving shower head.
Turn off the faucet when brushing teeth and shaving.
LAWNCARE
Lawn
Mowers and leaf blowers are the most polluting machines around
because there are no emissions standards on the books. Try an
Electric
mower; Try a rake!
PAPER
The
paper industry is the 3rd largest contributor to global warming
pollution. BUY recycled paper!
TOILET PAPER, TISSUES AND PAPER TOWELS
It seems beyond comprehension that we would use virgin timber
to make toilet paper, but
that is exactly the case. Make
a change today!
COMPUTER
PAPER Use 100% Recycled Paper
on your computer. Print and copy double-sided whenever practical.
If you can't find recycled paper at your local stationary store
or Staples, Ask for it! Show there's a demand.
SMALL
BUSINESS PRINT RUNS For
postcards, invitations, posters and brochures, try an eco-friendly
printer.
JUNK
MAIL
Catalog
retailers send out nearly 17 billion catalogs each year or 60
per person in the United States. Almost none use post-consumer
recycled paper. Norm
Thompson Outfitters Alliance has initiated a change.
| The
Victoria Secret Catalogue was printed on paper from VIRGIN
TIMBER!! until activist outcry caused a sea change at
the company December 6, 2006. ACTIVISM works! |
JUNK
MAIL To produce our junk mail for one
year 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water are used.
Here's
a program to rid you of Junk Mail
PLASTIC
Americans
throw away over 100 billion plastic bags a year; less than 1%
of these are recycled. Plastic is a petroleum based product.
Every 14 plastic bags manufactured consumes as much oil as driving
a car a mile. Paper
vs. Plastic?
Bring
a reusable bag when going shopping.
Refuse a bag for small items.
Do you need that double bag.?
Check
out 1bagatatime.com
for the story of someonewho couldn't take it any more.
SOAPS
AND DETERGENTS
Most
brand-name American laundry detergents are made from petroleum
and contain other hazardous ingredients that end up in our water
table. There are alternatives. Vegetable
based cleaners are made from renewable resources and break down
in the ecosystem more readily. Look for these products
at your local supermarket or health market. The leading alternative
brand is Seventh
Generation.
CLOTHING
Learn
which companies are taking an interest in sustainable practices
and which use sweatshops. Shop with your dollar. Check out the
eco-profile of Timberland.
The labor practices of American
Apparel.
RECYCLE
YOUR OLD CLOTHES:
donate them to second-hand shops, or let Patagonia
turn them into new clothes under their Common
Threads Garment recycling program.
REDUCE,
REUSE, RECYCLE
If
you can cut the trash you produce by 25% you’ll prevent
the emission of approximately 1,000 pounds of CO2 a year. Keep
as much refuse out of landfills.
For
further information on responsibly disposing of items from cell
phones, computers, batteries, paints, glass, plastic, clothing,
appliances, auto parts, check out earth911,
and enter your zip code to locate recycling opportunities near
you.
Packaging
Reward
products with less wasteful packaging. Your dollar is your vote
here in the US of A.
Computers
Which
computer company is the most green? Which is not? The answer
might surprise you. Write a letter for change.
INSTEAD OF GOOGLE,
try greensearch
SMALL
BUSINESS
Whatever
your business, large or small, you can make a diference.
Check
out this guy from Hot
Lips Pizza
in Portland, Oregon. Because
of his environmental innitiative, he's on this website and we've
never even tried his pizza!! That's good business!
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