LIVING GREEN IN DOMINICA

LIVING GREEN IN DOMINICA

“Conserving the earth’s resources should be a daily thought in the back of our mind. Let us keep the world in mind with each choice we make.”

Reduce | Reuse | Recycle | Respect

REDUCE
Water Conservation | Hot Water Conservation | Electricity Conservation

Water Conservation
In the past we had to carry all the water we used. Piped in water has brought many benefits to our lives but we need to use the water we have at our fingertips with respect like we are still carrying it from the river. Dominica is a country blessed with many streams and rivers. It was hard to take water conservation seriously with water flowing out of the ground everywhere. But after the drought of 2001 where many villages were without water for months and the rivers were the lowest I have ever seen them, more people are interested in how to save water.

TIPS FOR WATER CONSERVATION

Fill empty plastic bleach or drink bottles with water and place in the water tank of your toilet. I have 3 1/2 liter bottles in my toilet tank; the number that fits is different for each tank. Calculate the savings; each time we flush the toilet we are saving 11/2 liters of water, at 10 flushes a day that is over 400 liters a month saved!!
Fill the sink when completing a task. It takes 5 gallons of water to wash dishes using basins filled with water but it takes 30 gallons washing the dishes with the water running!
Turn off the tap when soaping, brushing teeth or shaving.
Install low flow showerheads and faucets. Available at Marinor Enterprises Ltd.
Check pipes, sinks and toilets for leaky faucets and pipes. A leaking faucet can waste 1000's of gallons of water!

Info on the Internet

Denver Water Department Water Saving Tips

Hot Water Conservation
The best environmental choice for hot water is solar water heating equipment. Locally; solar hot water heaters are made at Marinor Enterprises Ltd

TIPS FOR HOT WATER CONSERVATION

For All Water Heating Systems:

Use water saving showers and facets, saving electric and water!
Insulate hot water pipes and storage tanks.
Service and clean tanks yearly to prevent and remove built up silt.
Turn off the tap while shampooing or lathering up; saves electric and water!

For Electric and Gas Heating Systems:

1. Keep thermostat at lowest reading recommended by manufacturer (approx 130° F).
2. Heat the water when you need it.

Electricity Conservation

Until our energy is from renewable sources we need to use electricity keeping in mind that we are taking resources from the earth with each flick of the switch.

TIPS FOR ELECTRICITY CONSERVATION

Indoor Lights

Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
Replace standard light bulbs with energy efficient fluorescents which are available in local stores. DOMLEC says; replace one 60 watt light bulb with an 18 watt Energy Saving Fluorescent and save $60 per year.
Fluorescent Light bulbs are more efficient than standard light bulbs less efficient then efficient fluorescents. Turning fluorescent lights off and on does not save electricity.
If you must buy standard light bulbs purchase the lowest wattage possible for the area.
Install timers, sensors or solid state dimmer switches.
Light only the area you are using.
Use appropriate wattage light bulbs.
Use natural light where possible.
Keep light bulbs clean.
Keep walls clean and painted in a light colour to ensure maximum light reflection.

Outdoor Lights - Control outdoor lighting to lessen light pollution and more efficiently use light.

Use solar outdoor lights. Available locally at Marinor Enterprises Ltd.
Direct out door lights downwards where light is being used.
Switch off unnecessary night-time lighting, particularly decorative floodlighting, merchandising and advertising lighting and sports floodlighting at 11pm or midnight to reduce the total sky glow in the early morning pre-dawn hours.

Fridges and Freezers - Your fridge can use up to 60% of your household electricity.

Never put hot foods into the frig, let them cool down first.
Keep the fridge at least 6 inches out from the wall to let the condenser coils get air.
Do not hang clothes on the condenser coils; it lessens the efficiency of the motor.
Clean compressor at the back of the fridge.
Make sure all doors close properly and mouldings and gaskets fit tightly Fix any seals or interior walls where cold air can leak out. Check all units regularly for leakage.
Keep the fridge as far away as possible from cookers or other heat sources.
Keep freezers and refrigerators full as possible for maximum efficiency.
Keep at minimum temperature recommended by manufacturer for tropical climates.
Make ice at night.
Keep the motor in good repair.

REUSE
Reusing is a choice we can make. Take it as a challenge to find a way to reuse things we throw away. Reusing is an Old Tyme Dominican tradition, in fact it is an Old Tyme tradition in most cultures, it is only recently we have switched to disposable everything.

TIPS FOR REUSING

1. Make old cotton clothing into rags.

2. Reuse kitchen pots, large cans and bleach containers as plant pots.

3. Recycle tires as flower garden containers.

4. Wash and reuse plastic bags.

5. Onion net bags tied together make great dish scrubbers.

6. Take clothes you don’t want to the St. Vincent de Paul or Grotto Home for the Homeless.

7. Reuse dish soap containers as tub toys, water play or craft paint dispensers.

8. Make the lids of the dish soap containers as spinning tops, just remove the tip.

9. Great crafts for young children can be made from packaging that would normally be thrown away. Make a box of scraps of ribbon, confetti, tinsel, etc. for children to paste for arts and crafts.

RECYCLE

TIPS FOR RECYCLING

1. Purchase products that can be recycled such as spring water in bottles that can be recycled. Kubuli recycles their spring water bottles.

2. Use products made from recycled materials wherever possible, napkins, computer paper or toilet paper from recycled paper are all available on island. Green Purchasing.

3. Set up systems for recycling at home; deliver bottles to local farmers, bee keepers or producers of preserves.

RESPECT

Looking at the intricate systems and checks in place in nature, all that can be said is respect. Respect the earth, treat the earth with the love and care it needs to continue supporting us.

We can all contribute to the health and well being of the world!

Do you have a favourite eco/healthy living tip or listing you would like to contribute? Contact us.

Box 2349, Roseau,
Dominica , West Indies
767-315-6722
[email protected]

Green Adventures
Box 2349, Roseau,
Dominica , West Indies
767-448-1698
[email protected]

Conscious Conservation | Conscious Living | Conscious Conversation