Sometimes just knowing what to do is the hard part when it comes to energy and resource savings. Take a quick look over this short list, you may already know some of these saving techniques but we’re willing to be at least one will be new to you.
Shopping Next time you get the urge to shop, grab your laptop and browse the online aisles. Shipping a 10-pound package overnight by air uses nearly 50% less fuel than you’d use going to and from the mall. Do even more by opting for ground shipping which uses 20% less energy than air shipping. Many online stores such as ABSTRACTmall also use drop shipping which means they don’t stock items, instead they are shipped direct from manufacturer and that saves even more energy! Other websites such as Milo or Google Product Search help you identify stores that have what you want in stock and are nearby so you don’t have to visit multiple stores or waste gas.
In The Home Attaching aerators to your faucets can significantly cut down on water use. The savings in gallons-per-minute that you create will be close to 50% and most aerators cost under $5.
In The Kitchen Next time you want to heat up a TV dinner or a leftover casserole, use a toaster oven instead of a conventional oven. As long as it’s got enough room for air to circulate around it, the smaller appliance will consume about 50% less energy than a full sized oven.
At The Office Did you know that paper accounts for more than 50% of all trash? Cut down on the amount of paper you’re using by paying attention to what you send to the printer. The next time you print a document through Microsoft Word, change your layout settings to print 2 or more reduced-sized pages per sheet. You can also make your printer’s ink cartridges last a little longer by using Ecofont – an environmentally friendly font that uses up to 20% less ink. Developed by SPRANQ, the font is totally free and compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems.
On The Phone If you still have a landline, make sure you’re using a corded phone. Because corded phones don’t need to spend any time in a recharging cradle like their cordless counterparts, corded phones cut down on energy use by over 50% and are much less harmful on the environment because they don’t require batteries. They are also more likely to work if the electricity goes out say, in an earthquake or other emergency situation
Washing Clothes Filling your washing machine up with cold suds instead of hot ones will cut down on your energy usage by at least 50%. Combine this with non-toxic, biodegradable laundry detergent like Natural 2x Concentrate Laundry Liquid from Seventh Generation and you can get clean clothes with a clean conscience. When you do eventually wash your clothes or do the dishes, do it late in the evening when the electrical grid is less packed (off peak), during the day electricity is more expensive and more limited because everyone is using it all at the same time.
Laundry Detergent Pay careful attention to the amount of liquid detergent you use and pour only the recommended amount. Most people use twice as much as needed. Using less can save 50% of the product, which equals 50% less packaging and your clothes will still come out clean.
Drying Clothes If you’re throwing a half-sized load of laundry into the dryer, only use 50% of a dryer sheet. And when the load is done, you can repurpose the used dryer sheet as a duster. Keep one in your glove box to wipe down your dashboard or use it around the house. The antistatic properties of the laundry sheet will attract dust. Better yet, avoid using laundry sheets all together and just don’t dry all the way to avoid static cling. Here are some more tips specific to laundry.
Grocery Trips Try to plan your grocery shopping trips so that your purchases will keep you from going back to the store as often. 50% of the pollution it takes to transport food comes from your drive to and from the store.
Removing Stains Instead of spending money on stain removers that could be environmentally toxic, do a search for helpful home remedy tips. For instance, you can get rid of sweat stains on laundry by soaking the garment in salt water for an hour, then rubbing the area with a mix of 50% white vinegar and 50% water before washing it.
Outdoor Grilling Do you like to grill your food? Consider purchasing a gas grill which produces 50% less CO2 than charcoal grills and about 1/3 as much as electric grills. This also goes for your indoor stove! If you are going camping consider this biomass powered solar camp stove that doesn’t require any fuel aside from a few twigs you can pick up along the trail, the unit also weighs less than a conventional camp stove.
At The Table Your diet has an effect on greenhouse gas emissions. Start substituting one meal a week with a vegetarian option, and you can reduce your carbon footprint. If you take the plunge and go completely vegan, your diet will be 50% more effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions than switching to a hybrid car. Vegetarian options are usually cheaper, require 1/10th of the energy that livestock use, and livestock in the US are fed nearly 50% of the fresh water produce across the country so you’ll save water too!
In The Home Opt for a universal phone charger instead of one designed for your specific wireless phone and you’ll save yourself some hassle, plus use about 50% less energy. Don’t forget to recycle your old charger. You might also consider a portable solar charger which can cut 100% of the energy you use to charge your ipod, phones, and other electronic devices. When you’re on the go consider a universal battery charger instead of individual batteries for each of your devices.
In The Shower Install a low flow showerhead and use 50% less water every time you shower. These shower heads come in many different styles and can actually feel better than traditional high flow shower heads. You will probably spend between $15 and $50 depending on the style you choose, while you’re at it, fix that leaky sink or toilet and save even more water!
Leaking Got a leaky faucet? Fix it! A dripping faucet can waste the same water in one month that would otherwise provide enough for one person to live on for two weeks! Fix that faucet and use 50% less water. You can call a plumber or depending on the situation you can buy Teflon Plumber’s Tape for less than $5 and try to fix it yourself.
Energy Swap out your conventional incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones and you’ll use at least 50% less energy in every room. Plus, you’ll have to change them much less often; fluorescent lights last up to 10 times longer than their traditional counterparts. These days you can get many different styles, even dimmable CFL’s!
Printing Buy recycled paper for your printer and your school or work notes. One ton of paper made from recycled material saves 17 trees and uses 50% less water than non-recycled paper.
Dust Dust your light bulbs frequently and you’ll get better use out of them. A coat of dust on a light bulb can prevent 50% of the light that would otherwise reach your room. When you are cleaning or first installing lights, try to keep your fingers from touching the glass as it can heat up and cause the bulb to burn out faster or even explode in the case of older hot-burning bulbs.
Water Pollution Always recycle your glass products such as bottles and windows when they break. Also, purchase products made from recycled glass when possible. Recycled glass produces 50% less water pollution than glass made from non-recycled materials.
Landfill Waste Recycle paper whenever you can. If every American recycled all their paper products, landfills would be filled with almost 50% less waste because paper takes up so much volume.
Lawn Watering Water your lawn as little as possible. Most people water their lawns twice as much as needed and often their sprinklers aren’t adjusted properly and end up watering the sidewalk! One way to know how much water is enough is to place an empty tuna can in your yard. When the can is full, turn off your sprinkler and you’ll use about 50% less water. You should also try to water your lawn and other plants in the evening or shady times of the day so the water seeps down into the ground instead of evaporating as it would at hotter times.
Buy Aquafina And Biota Bottled Water Or Use A Nalgene / CamelBak Bottle Many of the “Save 50%” tips shared here are courtesy of Aquafina which has cut the plastic used in their water bottles by 50% since 2002. Biota uses biodegradable compostable plastic made of corn for their products. Using a Nalgene or CamelBak style bottle will save over 50% and if you don’t want to pay $10 for one of these, just use a glass bottle from a drink like Snapple or Nantucket Nectars.
