Whether we believe that the earth resources are finite or not, that global warming is caused by man’s activity or not or that it is even happening at all, there are few very easy and FREE things we can do to save money and energy, and reduce our carbon emissions at the same time.
These easy to perform suggestions are the first line of defense before going to the expense of upgrading building materials and equipment, cars, etc…simply REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE!
Here are a dozen tips in not particular order:
1) Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth and washing dishes.
2) Put a brick or a rock inside your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water per flush.
3) Collect rain water in buckets for later reuse in landscaping irrigation.
4) Plug computer, TV and other appliance’s into a surge protector and turn it off when not in use.
5) Dry clothes on line, weather permitting.
6) Set thermostat lower that you usually do in the winter and higher in summer (every 1ยบ difference will save about 5% energy cost a year).
7) Turn off the light when leaving a room.
8) Walk and/or bike as much as possible.
9) Cook at home with fresh produce from your local farmer’s market.
10) Plant vegetables and fruits.
11) Compost kitchen and garden refuse.
12) Bring your own reusable shopping bags.
Perhaps the biggest challenge to adopting any of these practices is the status quo and an ego-centric entitlement to unlimited and cheap energy and resources. Today’s reality tells us something different, and calls for a reevaluation of our ways. Investing a little extra thought and work will go a long way towards adjusting the bottom line and helping the environment.
