In
Your Home Conserve Energy
- Clean
or replace air filters on your air conditioning unit at least
once a month.
- If you
have central air conditioning, do not close vents in unused
rooms.
- Lower
the thermostat on your water heater to 120.
- Wrap your
water heater in an insulated blanket.
- Turn
down or shut off your water heater when you will be away for
extended periods.
- Turn off
unneeded lights even when leaving a room for a short time.
- Set your
refrigerator temperature at 36 to 38 and your freezer at 0 to
5 .
- When using
an oven, minimize door opening while it is in use; it reduces
oven temperature by 25 to 30 every time you open the door.
- Clean
the lint filter in your dryer after every load so that it uses
less energy.
- Unplug
seldom used appliances.
- Use a
microwave when- ever you can instead of a conventional oven
or stove.
- Wash clothes
with warm or cold water instead of hot.
- Reverse
your indoor ceiling fans for summer and winter operations as
recommended.
- Turn off
lights, computers and other appliances when not in use.
- Purchase
appliances and office equipment with the Energy Star Label;
old refridgerators, for example, use up to 50 more electricity
than newer models.
- Only use
electric appliances when you need them.
- Use
compact fluorescent light bulbs to save money and energy.
- Keep your
thermostat at 68 in winter and 78 in summer.
- Keep your
thermostat higher in summer and lower in winter when you are
away
- Insulate
your home as best as you can.
- Install
weather stripping around all doors and windows.
- Shut off
electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
- Plant
trees to shade your home.
- Shade
outside air conditioning units by trees or other means.
- Replace
old windows with energy efficient ones.
- Use cold
water instead of warm or hot water when possible.
- Connect
your outdoor lights to a timer.
- Buy green
electricity - electricity produced by low - or even zero-pollution
facilities (NC Greenpower for North Carolina - www.ncgreenpower.org).
In your home-reduce toxicity.
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In
Your Home Reduce Toxicity
- Eliminate
mercury from your home by purchasing items without mercury,
and dispose of items containing mercury at an appropriate drop-off
facility when necessary (e.g. old thermometers).
- Learn
about alternatives to household cleaning items that do not use
hazardous chemicals.
- Buy the
right amount of paint for the job.
- Review
labels of household cleaners you use. Consider alternatives
like baking soda, scouring pads, water or a little more elbow
grease.
- When no
good alternatives exist to a toxic item, find the least amount
required for an effective, sanitary result.
- If you
have an older home, have paint in your home tested for lead.
If you have lead-based paint, cover it with wall paper or other
material instead of sanding it or burning it off.
- Use traps
instead of rat and mouse poisons and insect killers.
- Have your
home tested for radon.
- Use cedar
chips or aromatic herbs instead of mothballs.
In
Your Yard
- Avoid
using leaf blowers and other dust-producing equipment.
- Use
an electric lawn- mower instead of a gas-powered one.
- Leave
grass clippings on the yard-they decompose and return nutrients
to the soil.
- Use recycled
wood chips as mulch to keep weeds down, retain moisture and
prevent erosion.
- Use only
the required amount of fertilizer.
- Minimize
pesticide use.
- Create
a wildlife habitat in your yard.
- Water
grass early in the morning.
- Rent
or borrow items like ladders, chain saws, party decorations
and others that are seldom used.
- Take actions
that use non hazardous components (e.g., to ward off pests,
plant marigolds in a garden instead of using pesticide).
- Put leaves
in a compost heap instead of burning them or throwing them away.
Yard debris too large for your compost bin should be taken to
a yard-debris recycler.
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In
Your Office
- Copy
and print on both sides of paper.
- Reuse
items like envelopes, folders and paper clips.
- Use mailer
sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.Use mailer
sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.
- Set
up a bulletin board for memos instead of sending a copy to each
employee.
- Use e-mail
instead of paper correspondence.
- Use recycled
paper.
- Use discarded
paper for scrap paper.
- Encourage
your school and/or company to print documents with soy-based
inks, which are less toxic.
- Use a
ceramic coffee mug instead of a disposable cup.
Ways To Protect Our Air
- Ask your
employer to consider flexible work schedules or telecommuting.
- Recycle
printer cartridges.
- Shut off
electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
- Report
smoking vehicles to your local air agency.
- Don't
use your wood stove or fireplace when air quality is poor.
- Avoid
slow-burning, smoldering fires. They produce the largest amount
of pollution.
- Burn seasoned
wood - it burns cleaner than green wood.
- Use solar
power for home and water heating.
- Use low-VOC
or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
- Purchase
radial tires and keep them properly inflated for your vehicle.
- Paint
with brushes or rollers instead of using spray paints to minimize
harmful emissions.
- Ignite
charcoal barbecues with an electric probe or other alternative
to lighter fluid.
- If you
use a wood stove, use one sold after 1990. They are required
to meet federal emissions standards and are more efficient and
cleaner burning.
- Walk or
ride your bike instead of driving, whenever possible.
- Join a
carpool or vanpool to get to work.
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Ways
to Use Less Water
- Check
and fix any water leaks.
- Install
water-saving devices on your faucets and toilets.
- Don't
wash dishes with the water running continuously.
- Wash and
dry only full loads of laundry and dishes.
- Follow
your community's water use restrictions or guidelines.
- Install
a low-flow shower head.
- Replace
old toilets with new ones that use a lot less water.
- Turn off
washing machine's water supply to prevent leaks.
Ways to Protect Our Water
- Revegetate
or mulch disturbed soil as soon as possible.
- Never
dump anything down a storm drain.
- Have your
septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly.
- Check
your car for oil or other leaks, and recycle motor oil.
- Take your
car to a car wash instead of washing it in the driveway.
- Learn
about your watershed.
Create
Less Trash
- Buy items
in bulk from loose bins when possible to reduce the packaging
wasted.
- Avoid
products with several layers of packaging when only one is sufficient.
About 33 of what we throw away is packaging.
- Buy products
that you can reuse.
- Maintain
and repair durable products instead of buying new ones.
- Check
reports for products that are easily repaired and have low breakdown
rates.
- Reuse
items like bags and containers when possible.
- Use cloth
napkins instead of paper ones.
- Use reusable
plates and utensils instead of disposable ones.
- Use reusable
containers to store food instead of aluminum foil and cling
wrap.
- Shop
with a canvas bag instead of using paper and plastic bags.
- Buy rechargeable
batteries for devices used frequently.
- Reuse
packaging cartons and shipping materials. Old newspapers make
great packaging material.
- Compost
your vegetable scraps.
- Buy used
furniture - there is a surplus of it, and it is much cheaper
than new furniture.
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