If your idea of going green is drinking special St. Patty's Day beers, it's time to think again. Going green doesn't have to be a big production. In fact, there are lots of little no-hassle ways that make a big impact on the environment.
A bundle of energy
Most of us don't give a second thought to electricity. It's simply there when we need it. But it doesn't come from a bottomless, magical energy well. It takes fuels like natural gas, coal, oil and nuclear energy to create electricity. Each of those fuels has an environmental impact when we use them including air emissions (pollution), water use and water pollution, solid waste, and land use. Not to mention our reserves dwindle every year.
Saving energy saves our resources and, happily, saves you money in the bargain. Here are a few easy ways you can reduce your energy use and your energy bill.
- Lights: Switch your incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescents (CFLs). According to the EPA, if every home in America switched just one bulb, we'd save enough energy to light 3 million homes for a year. CFLs use about 75 percent less energy, which means a savings of about $30 over the lifetime of the bulb. Turning off lights in rooms you're not using will also save you $.
- Energy Star: You've probably seen the commercials for Energy Star appliances. Inefficient appliances eat up energy and release more greenhouse gases (that's bad). But, if you trade in your old clunker for a spanky new Energy Star appliance, you might qualify to save on sales tax, get a tax credit or even get a rebate.
- Cold water: Wash your clothes in cold water. Hot water uses more energy and your clothes don't really know the difference.
- Carpool: Cutting down on your gas consumption saves you and the planet. See if you can telecommute for a day or two a week or catch a ride with some co-workers.
- Consolidate errands: Planning your errands can save you bucks at the pump.
- E-cycle your old electronics: Don't toss those old DVD players, computers and stereo systems. Taking your old electronics to special e-cycling facilities keeps toxic materials out of landfills, saves resources and recycles things like plastics and glass.
Keeping the blue in blue planet
Water, water, every where; nor any drop to drink. Even though the earth is lousy with water, only about 1 percent of it is drinkable. Water conservation is not only earth-friendly, it's water bill friendly too.
- Fill 'er up: Make sure your dishwasher and clothes washer are full before you run a cycle. If your washers are old, they're less efficient. New models not only use less water and energy during the wash, you won't waste water and time by having to pre-rinse either.
- Take shorter showers: It doesn't take half an hour to get rid of the day's funk.
- Fix leaks: That drip, drip, drip can really add up. A little drip (one drip every 10 seconds) means you're wasting almost 30 gallons a month. Check out this handy drip calculator to see how much you could save.
What's old is new again and again and again
The mantra of every earth-loving greenie is reduce, reuse and recycle. Here are some ways you can join in.
- Paper or plastic? Bring your own reusable bags when you go to the grocery store. Get some snazzy looking ones (Envirosax) or you can even design your own (Zazzle).
- I want my bottle! If you're like most people, you drink bottled water. Get a reusable water bottle and stop adding plastic to the landfills.
- Save a tree: Pay bills online. Reuse paper at work. Unless you're prepping a big presentation, you can print on both sides of the paper.
- Embrace Craigslist and Freecycle: Consider buying something used rather than new. If you want to get rid of some of your old stuff, don't just junk it, try offering it on Craigslist or Freecycle.