Save Energy on the Road
The Problem
In the U.S., cars are responsible for about 25 percent of the greenhouse gases produced -- 1/5 of the greenhouse gas total worldwide. Cars and other motor vehicles are a major source of pollutants that create smog and acid rain, and release other harmful substances that exacerbate conditions such as asthma and heart disease, and damage the lungs.
What you can do
1. Look for more fuel-efficient, less polluting cars - Think about trading in that old gas guzzler for a more fuel-efficient car. A car that gets 20 miles to the gallon will emit about 50 tons of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Double the gas mileage and you cut the emissions by half. Investigate the many new ultra-clean alternative fuel vehicles available. Reconsider extra features such as automatic transmission and 4-wheel drive -- they are often unnecessary and eat into gas mileage.
2. Keep your car in good condition - Get your engine tuned up regularly, change the oil, and keep your tires inflated properly -- proper maintenance can increase your car's fuel efficiency by 10 percent and reduce emissions.
3. Cut driving miles - Each gallon of gas used in your car releases about 24 pounds of atmospheric-warming carbon dioxide. Cutting your driving by just five miles each day would contribute to keeping tons of carbon dioxide from entering the air.
4. Carpool - If every car carried just one more passenger on its daily commute, 32 million gallons of gasoline (and the pollution produced by it) would be saved each day.
5. Leave the car at home - Get in the habit of riding buses or trains as often as you can (just think of all the new people you'll meet!). For short distances, ride a bike or walk whenever possible.
6. Encourage streets for bikes and pedestrians - Encourage officials in your community to increase features such as bike lanes and pedestrian malls, and push for traffic-calming techniques like speed bumps, raised crosswalks and extended and widened sidewalks. The more pedestrian- and bike-friendly an area is, the more people will walk and ride and the less they'll drive. This means less congestion, less energy consumption, less pollution.
Save Energy at Home
The Problem
On the average, Americans waste as much energy as two-thirds of the world's population consumes. That's largely the result of driving inefficient cars, using inefficient furnaces and appliances, and living and working in poorly insulated buildings.
What you can do
1. Buy energy-efficient products - When buying new appliances or electronics, shop for the highest energy-efficiency rating. Look for a yellow and black Energy Guide label on the product. It compares the energy use for that model against similar models. New energy-efficient models may cost more initially, but have a lower operating cost over their lifetimes. The most energy-efficient models carry the Energy Star label, which identifies products that use 20-40 percent less energy than standard new products. According to the EPA, the typical American household can save about $400 per year in energy bills with products that carry the Energy Star. Did you know your refrigerator typically accounts for 20 percent of your electric bill? On the average, new refrigerators and freezers are about 75 percent more efficient than those made 30 years ago, so investing in a state-of-the-art refrigerator can cut hundreds of dollars from your electric bill during its lifetime.
2. Switch to compact flourescent bulbs - Change the three bulbs you use most in your house to compact fluorescents. Each compact fluorescent bulb will keep half a ton of carbon dioxide out of the air over its lifetime. And while compact fluorescents are initially a lot more expensive than the incandescent bulbs you're used to using, they last ten times as long and can save $30 per year in electricity costs.
3. Set heating and cooling temperatures correctly - Check thermostats in your home to make sure they are set at a level that doesn't waste energy. Get an electronic thermostat that will allow your furnace to heat the house to a lower temperature when you're sleeping and return it to a more comfortable temperature before you wake up. In the winter, set your thermostat at 68° in the daytime and 55° at night. In the summer, keep it at 78°. Remember that water heaters work most efficiently between 120° and 140°. In your refrigerator, set the temperature at about 37°and adjust the freezer to operate at about 3°. Use a thermometer to take readings and set the temperatures correctly.
4. Turn off the lights - Turn off lights and other electrical appliances such as televisions and radios when you're not using them. This is a no-brainer, but it's surprising how many times we forget. Install automatic timers for lights that people in your house frequently forget to flick off when leaving a room. Use dimmers where you can.
5. Use your appliances more efficiently - The way you use an appliance can change the amount of energy it wastes. Make sure your oven gasket is tight, and resist the urge to open the oven door to peek, as each opening can reduce the oven temperature 25°. Preheat only as much as needed, and avoid placing foil on racks -- your food won't cook as quickly. Your second biggest household energy user after the fridge is the clothes dryer. Dryers kept in warm areas work more efficiently. Clear the lint filter after each load, and dry only full loads. And don't forget that hanging clothing outside in the sun and air to dry is the most energy-efficient method of all.
6. Check your utility's energy-efficiency incentives - Some utility companies have programs that encourage energy efficiency. Check with your utility to find out if it offers free home energy audits, cash rebates for using energy-efficient lighting and appliances, and lower electric rates for households meeting certain energy-efficiency criteria.
7. Weatherize your home or apartment - Drafty homes and apartments allow energy dollars to leak away. Seal and caulk around windows and doors. Make sure your home has adequate insulation. Many old homes do not have enough, especially in the attic. You can check the insulation yourself or have it done as part of an energy audit.
8. Choose renewable energy - Many consumers can now choose their energy supplier. If you have a choice, choose an electric utility that uses renewable power resources, such as solar, wind, low impact hydroelectric, or geothermal. Residents of California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Texas can get help choosing clean power from the Power Scorecard, developed by NRDC and other groups.
9. Let the sun shine in - The cheapest and most energy-efficient light and heat source is often right outside your window. On bright days, open blinds, drapes, and shutters to let the sun light your home for free. Also remember that sunlight entering a room equals passive solar heating. Even on cold winter days, sun streaming into a room can raise the temperature several degrees.
Save Resources at Home
The Problem
Most of the materials that go into making what we use -- from airplanes to toilet paper -- are made from nonrenewable resources that are being rapidly depleted. U.S. reserves of oil, aluminum ore, and iron ore are disappearing. At today's rates of consumption, world copper reserves will be depleted in less than 100 years. The world's forests are falling quickly under loggers' saws.
What you can do
1. Recycle materials you use - Recycling saves resources, decreases the use of toxic chemicals, cuts energy use, helps curb global warming, stems the flow of water and air pollution, and reduces the need for landfills and incinerators. Make an effort to participate fully in your town's or your building's recycling program. If there's no recycling program where you live, encourage local officials to start one. If you have a recycling program where you live, work to expand it. In the meantime, learn where you can take items such as paper, cardboard, glass, aluminum, plastic, and tires to be recycled, then make an effort to go there.
2. Buy recycled products - Look on the label for the products or packaging with the greatest percentage of post-consumer recycled content, which ensures that the materials have been used before. Try to buy paper products that have more than 50 percent post-consumer content.
3. Compost - Composting reduces the burden on overcrowded landfills and gives you a great natural fertilizer for plants and gardens. Buy a composting setup at a garden supply or hardware store. Start with yard trimmings, fruit and vegetable food scraps, and coffee grounds. If you don't know how to compost, check out this handy guide.
4. Buy products with less packaging - A large percentage of the paper, cardboard, and plastic we use goes into packaging -- much of it wasteful and unnecessary. When you buy a product, look at the packaging and ask: Can it be reused? Is it made of post-consumer recycled materials? Is it necessary at all? Reward those companies that are most enlightened about their use of packaging by purchasing their products. Contact companies that overpackage and tell them you will be more likely to buy if they change this policy.
5. Use durable goods - Bring your own cloth bags to local stores (join NRDC and get a stylish tote!). Replace plastic and paper cups with ceramic mugs, disposable razors with reusable ones. Refuse unneeded plastic utensils, napkins, and straws when you buy takeout foods. Use a cloth dishrag instead of paper towels at home, and reusable food containers instead of aluminum foil and plastic wrap.
6. Leave grass clippings on the lawn - Grass clippings make good fertilizer when they decompose. Leaving them on your lawn keeps them from occupying limited space in the local landfill.
Save Resources at Work
The Problem
The average workplace uses thousands of supplies on a daily basis -- and accounts for a lot of what we use and throw away.
What you can do
1. Buy energy-efficient office equipment - Energy Star-rated equipment is an option at work as well as at home. Energy Star equipment has power management features that allow it to reduce its power use or turn itself off when not in use. According to the EPA, Energy Star-labeled equipment can save up to 75 percent of total electricity use.
2. Recycle - If your office doesn't have a recycling program, work with your office manager and custodial staff to set one up. Paper, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles are easy to start with, and additional materials can be added as the staff gets used to recycling. Set up bins in convenient areas to collect each type of material your office recycles, and make sure everyone knows they are there.
3. Commit to environmentally friendly purchasing practices - Encourage your company to make a commitment to purchasing paper and plastic materials made with post-consumer recycled content. Companies should avoid paper products made from 100 percent virgin fiber content, and switch to paper that is 30 percent post-consumer content at minimum. For more on how green purchasing practices can push the paper industry toward more sustainable production methods, click here. Also look for plastic and metal products made with recycled or scrap material.
4. Be thrifty with paper - Don't print out each memo or email you receive. Read and delete the ones you don't need to save and electronically file others you might refer to later. Make sure your office copier can make two-sided copies, and badger everyone to get into the habit of doing so. If people don't take the hint, arrange to have your copier's default set to the two-sided rather than one-sided option. High-speed copiers that are set to automatically make two-sided copies reduce paper costs by $60 per month -- and, of course, save paper. Save even more paper by using the blank sides of used sheets of paper for note-taking and printing drafts.
5. Use reusable utensils for office parties - If you work in one of those offices where there's no excuse too small for a mid-afternoon get-together, encourage the office manager to invest in a set of dishes, cups, and utensils that can be used each time, rather than breaking out plastic utensils and paper plates.
6. Bring a waste-free lunch - Store your food in reusable containers rather than wrapping it in foil or plastic. Keep a knife, fork, spoon, and cloth napkins at work to avoid the need for plastic utensils and paper napkins. Bring your hot or cold drinks in a thermos, and drink them from a mug you keep at your desk or in your work area.
Conserve Water
The Problem
Groundwater is being used at a rate 25 percent greater than its rate of replenishment. As more pollutants spill into our water systems, it leaves even less clean, fresh water available for consumption.
What you can do
1. Take smarter showers - Showers can account for up to 16.8 percent of home water use. The law now requires that all showerheads sold be low-flow models. Installing a low-flow showerhead will save 2 gallons for every minute of showering. A family of four using low-flow showerheads can save about 20,000 gallons of water per year. Another simple way to save on gallons is to take shorter showers. A typical shower lasts about eight minutes and uses about 17 gallons, while an efficient shower lasts three or four minutes and uses 7.5 gallons. Purchase a shower timer if you need a reminder. You can also turn off the water while soaping up or shampooing, and keep a bucket in the shower to collect excess water. You can use this extra water to irrigate your plants. If you have small kids, you can save additional water by turning bath time into play time: Wash the kids together and save time, money and a couple tubs of water.
2. Install an ultra-low-flush toilet or a toilet displacement device - Toilets are water hogs. About 28 percent of the water you use in your home gets flushed down the toilet. That amounts to more than 4 billion gallons of water in the U.S. each day. That's why federal law now mandates that all new toilets installed for residential use be low-flush toilets. Conventional toilets generally use 3.5 to 5 gallons (sometimes more) of water per flush, while low-flush toilets use 1.6 gallons of water or less. If you're not building a new home, you can still benefit by installing one of these toilets. Still have an old toilet? You can save more than 1 gallon of water per flush with a displacement device -- a brick or plastic milk jug filled with water or pebbles placed in the toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used per flush.
3. Install flow restrictor aerators - Placing these inside faucets saves 3 to 4 gallons per minute when you turn on the tap. Of course, you can also help out by doing simple things such as not running water in the sink while soaping your face or brushing your teeth.
4. Repair leaks - Fix leaking and dripping faucets as soon as possible to save water and lower your water bill. A dripping faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water per day. A leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons every day. Not all leaks are visible: Diagnose leaks in your toilet by placing some food coloring in the tank, waiting 30 minutes and checking if it appears in the bowl. If it does, you've got a leak. You can also check for other types of leaks by reading your water meter when no one is home and no appliances are in use. Then check it again later. If the meter numbers have gone up, you've got a leak. It's easy to find do-it-yourself instructions online if you'd like to do the repairs yourself.
5. Landscape in tune with the natural environment - Planning on new landscaping? Try succulents or native plants, as some can go more than a week without watering. Cluster plants together with similar water needs and design your irrigation system to give them just what they need. Remember to adjust your irrigation controllers as weather conditions change. You can even buy a smart controller that automatically adjusts for weather conditions. To manage your current lawn or garden, water early (before 6 a.m.) or late (after midnight) or on cooler days to reduce evaporation. Allow your grass to grow a bit taller to reduce water loss by providing more ground shade for roots and promoting soil water retention. Don't fertilize, because the faster your vegetation grows, the more it eats. Avoid daily waterings, because skipping days encourages deeper roots. And use a rain barrel to water your plants when possible.
6. Use water wisely in everyday activities - Wasting water is easier than you might think. An open faucet lets about 5 gallons of water flow every 2 minutes. In the kitchen, you can save between 10 and 20 gallons of water a day by running the dishwasher only when it's full. You can save even more by washing dishes by hand in a sink or dishpan containing water, rather than by running the tap continuously as you scrub. Run the clothes washer only when full as well. Sweep sidewalks and driveways instead of hosing them down -- washing a sidewalk or driveway with a hose uses about 50 gallons of water every 5 minutes.
Support Organic & Sustainable Farming
The Problem
Pesticide use -- which has increased 50 percent over the last 30 years -- has been linked to cancer, birth defects, and reproductive problems. NRDC's own studies show that pesticides are among the five worst environmental threats to children's health. In addition, pesticides contaminate water and often poison wildlife. Non-sustainable farming has also been shown to lead to topsoil erosion, toxic runoff from farmland into rivers, lakes, and streams, and decreased biodiversity.
What you can do
1. Ask for organic produce - Often, organic produce costs more and is more difficult to get, but many supermarkets and greengrocers are willing to stock organic food if they know customers will buy it regularly. Talk to your friends and neighbors about their willingness to buy organic and then let your produce manager know that many customers are interested.
2. Deal directly with organic food growers and suppliers - If you can't find a local grocer who will stock organic food, contact organic growers and suppliers directly.
3. Become a Community Supported Agriculture supporter - Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) cooperatives bring together local farmers and consumers. As a member of the cooperative, you pledge to cover farm operation costs for the season. In return, you share in the harvest. CSA farms are not all organic, but they all strive to operate sustainably.
4. Farmers: cut down on pesticide use - Innovative and successful farmers around the country are switching from conventional pest management practices, which are heavily reliant on pesticides, to profitable alternative agricultural practices that substantially reduce pesticide use. Read profiles of these farmers and their methods in Fields of Change.
Comments (0)Subscribe to CommentsComment