| 1. Recycle cans, paper and bottles 2. Use compact florescent bulbs in your home. Florescent bulbs are better now than they were several years ago. They are brighter and light up faster. They need to be recycled and dispose of properly because they contain mercury. The mercury in the bulbs is significant and can be harmful to the environment if it is not handled properly. Why would you use a florescent bulb then? Burning fossil fuels produces a large amount of mercury. Much larger than the amount used in a florescent bulb. When it is recycled properly then there is no mercury emitted into the environment. They can be recycled at Ikea and at Local Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days. Check here for Pennsylvania and Delaware dates and locations 3. Buy used stuff (toys, bikes, furniture, cars, houses, clothes, tools, books, ect.) whenever possible. 4. Use mass transit, walk or ride a bike when possible 5. Reduce the temperature on your hot water to 115�F - 120�F. Most hot water heaters start out at 140�F which can also be dangerous. For each 10�F reduction in water temperature there is a 3%-5% reduction in hot water energy cost. Read your water heater owner's manual for instructions. Get more information at the website for the US Department of Energy. 6. Use a programmable thermostat to minimize usage when you are not home or awake. Reduce the temperature you keep your house at in the winter and increase the temperature in the summer. This is more important in humid summers as it takes more energy to cool your house when it�s humid. You can more info at US Department of Energy. 7. Teach your kids to be green 8. Buy recycled paper products. I.e. toilet paper, paper towels and napkins 9. Turn off water while brusing or shaving. 10. Use a water saver shower head and or take shorter showers 11. My new favorite is using concentrated cleaning chemicals. Getting concentrated dish detergent or laundry detergent greatly reduced the CO2 used in the transportation of the product. Look for products that say 2x or 3x concentrate. 12. Eat less meat. Raising animals creates a huge amount of CO2. Replacing some of your meat intake with veggies can reduce your carbon footprint. |
| Standard �Green� Things Most People Do Already |