1. Use multi-purpose or combination appliances to save space, outlets, and energy. For example, all-in-one printers/copiers/fax machines/scanners use the energy of one appliance but do the job of four separate machines. Also, unplug the system when it is not in use to save more energy.
2. To conserve in the freezer, fill it up. The more items in the freezer, the more they keep each other cool and there is less work for the freezer. If there are only a few items in the freezer, the appliance itself has to do all the work to keep the items frozen. Also, large ice packs or bags of ice can be added to a freezer fill it up and keep the energy usage down
Sources: "Going Green." HubPages. 2008. Hubpages Inc. . 5 Oct 2008
TURN OFF THE LIGHTS "This is such a simple thing to do, but sometimes it's so hard to remember! Put little stickers near the light switches you leave on the most often, reminding everyone to turn them off when they leave the room. Consider starting a Lights-Off Fund, to which each person must donate a nickel or dime every time he or she forgets to turn off the lights. As those nickels or dimes add up, you might donate them to an environmental organization.
Sources: " Going Green, A-to-Z Idea List. http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/4990/gglist.html
To measure the water consumption of your showerhead, pour 2.5 gallons into a bucket and mark the water level. Then, take a stopwatch and fill the bucket for a minute in your shower. If your showerhead sprays more than 2.5 gpm, get a new one. Delta's new H20Kinetics showerhead uses a frugal 1.6 gpm and is designed so that the water droplets are larger, holding on to heat and offering the feel of a 2.5-gpm shower
Collect "warm-up" water to irrigate your lawn and flowerbeds.
Sources: Main, Emily. "Bathroom Revamp: Savings by the Gallon." Green Guide. 2007. 07 Oct. 2008
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/122/bathroom "8 Ways to Save Water Without Spending a Dime." Green Guide. 2008 07 Oct. 2008
Replace regular light bulbs with compact flourescent light bulbs. "Energy-saving lights can save 80 percent of power than traditional lights, have a fivefold life expectancy of the traditional ones, and have a lighting effect 3.5 times of the traditional ones" ( China Daily 2008). 2)When making tea or a hot beverage, only boil the amount of water needed for that beverage.
Sources: http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview http://www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T4768588828&
Try not to preheat an oven unless absolutely necessary. If something is going to be cooked for over an hour, there is no need to preheat the oven anyway. "If 30 percent of U.S. households could each reduce total oven preheating time by just one hour per year, the sixty million kilowatt-hours of energy saved could bake a dozen cookies for every American," (Rogers and Kostigen 2007).
Turning off the water while you brush your teeth is one small action that can save a large amount of water. "You'll conserve up to 5 gallons of water per day. Throughout the entire United States, the daily savings could add up to 1.5 billion gallons--more water than is consumed per day across all of New York City," (Rogers and Kostigen 2007).
Sources: Rogers, Elizabeth, and Thomas M. Kostigen. "The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time." 2007. .
The environmental impacts of cleaning products are becoming more thoroughly understood, so more and more brands of healthier products have hit the market. “Many of these products are non-toxic, biodegradable, and made from renewable resources (not petroleum)”(“How to Green Your Cleaning”). But if you’re on a budget, home-mixed cleaners can be a great alternative for getting the job done. “Vinegar and baking soda can be used to clean almost anything. Mix in a little warm water with either of these and you’ve got yourself an all-purpose cleaner”(“How to Green Your Cleaning”). Baking soda can cost as little as $2.19 for a box of Arm and Hammer (“Nextag Comparison Shopping”). Also, a gallon of Vinegar can cost as low as $2.99 (“Food and Drink”). This is a very good alternative because products such as the well-known Simple green all-purpose cleaner can cost $29.95 for one gallon (“Simple Green Cleaning Supplies”).
Sources: “How to Green Your Cleaning”. 2007. http://green.yahoo.com/global-warming/treehugger-221/how-to-green- your-cleaning.html
“Nextag Comparison Shopping”. 1999-2008. http://www.nextag.com/arm-baking-hammer-soda/search-html
“Food and Drink”. 2000-2008. http://www2.shopping.com/xDN-food_and_drinks--wine_vinegar “Simple Green Cleaning Supplies”. 2008. http://shopping.yahoo.com/s:Cleaning%20Supplies:4168-Brand=Simple%20Green B.
Having plants in your home can be a very environmentally friendly way to decorate. They can be aesthetically pleasing and improve your indoor air quality. “Plants can act as natural air filters, removing harmful chemicals like benzene and carbon monoxide from the indoor air”(“Seven Tips for Creating Eco-Fabulous Interiors”). Plants are easy to find at stores such as Wal-Mart and grocery stores. Since we are near the city, there is a multitude of stores that offer plants. There is a list below including some of the names and contact information. “The best plants for improving indoor air quality include the peace lily, bamboo palm and gerbera daisy” (Seven Tips for Creating Eco-Fabulous Interiors”). Peace lilies can be purchased for as little as $15.00 (“Flowers and Plants”). Bamboo Palms plants can be quite costly because they are usually in tree form. This would be a good idea if you have roommates who can all chip in. However, you can buy the seeds for as little as $3.99 and grow your own (“Bamboo Palm Seeds 10”). Gerbera Daisies can cost as little as $3.50 (“Daisy, Giant Gerbera”). This is an easy way to transform your indoor air quality because “people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors”(“The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality”). Having plants to naturally clean the air can make it a much healthier environment. List of Plant Stores in Philadelphia:
1. Circle Florist Shop – 215-289-3737 6400 Castor Avenue - Philadelphia, PA
2. All Occasions Flowers Ltd – 215-625-9193 1002 South Street - Philadelphia, PA
3. Colleen's Corner - 215-335-2288 7400 Frankford Avenue - Philadelphia, PA
4. Fern Flower Shop - 215-483-5971 7100 Ridge Avenue - Philadelphia, PA
5. Flower World Intl - 215-567-7100 230 S Broad Street - Philadelphia, PA
6. Green Acres Garden Center - 215-238-1810 263 S 10th Street - Philadelphia, PA -
You can find more at: http://philadelphia.zami.com/busntype
Sources:
“Bamboo Palm Seeds 10”. 1996-2008. http://www.amazon.com/Bamboo-Palm-10-Seeds-Chamaedorea/dp/B000VC18LM “Daisy, Giant Gerbera”. 1999-2008. http://www.directgardening.com/detail.asp?pid=4261
“Flowers and Plants”. 2000-2008. http://www2.shopping.com/xDN-flowers_and_plants--peace_lily “Seven Tips for Creating Eco-Fabulous Interiors”. 2007. http://green.yahoo.com/global-warming/nrdc-230/seven-tips-for-creating-eco-fabulous-interiors.html “The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality”. 25 Apr 2008.
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/insidest.html#Intro1 .
By choosing products that are made from recycled materials that can be recycled and reused again. Examples are printer cartridges, canvas totes, and clothes. By using these recycled products, you are saving energy, and the use of new materials. (Being a Green Consumer 2008) Also, many times you can buy these products at a discount (for example, remanufactured ink cartridges) or receive a discount on your order (using reusable tote bags) which provides cost incentives to use these tricks. For example, HP has recycled over 250 million pounds in 2006. (HP Global Citizenship Report,2008).
By replacing one meal of red meat a week with something sustainable such as vegetables or fish will help lower carbon dioxide. The amount of energy that is used to feed and harvest the livestock as well as to process the meat contributes to more carbon dioxide. (Eat Green 2008)Red meat tends to be more expensive than most fruits and veggies so if you are a smart shopper, this will not affect your budget. By doing this, "Replacing a diet of red meat and dairy with a ‘chicken, fish, and vegetables’ diet saves 4,300 lbs. of CO2," a year (Statistical Grok, 2008).
Sources:
"Be a Green Consumer." 2008. Conservation International. 10 Oct. 2008
Two inexpensive ways to go green:
1. Insulate your water heater with an insulating blanket so that the heat being used is more efficient (Kiplinger Finance Money, 2008).
2. By insulating your heater, you can eliminate about 500lbs of Carbon dioxide emissions each year because the heater doesn’t have to use as much energy to stay warm (Crawford, 2007).
3. The blanket’s price is under the amount of $20. This will save 10% annually on your water heating bill (Crawford, 2007). 4. Water heaters use about 20% of the energy consumed by the average household. This is the second largest energy user in the home after space heating (Oikos, 2008). 1.) Use cold water to wash clothes in washing machine instead of hot water. Not only does it save energy, but it makes the fabric on your clothes last longer. 2.) Switching to cold water, this saves about 50% of the energy it would take to use hot water. It will also save about $850 in water and detergent (Consumer Energy Center, 2008). 3.) The average American household spends about $72 a month for their water, and if you cut down 15%, you can save $12 dollars a month, equating to $144 dollars a year (Terrapass Blog, 2008). Thirteen Inexpensive ways to go green. 2008 http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/13EasyInexpensiveWaysToGoGreen.aspx Going Green: 20 Small steps that make a big difference. June 2007 http://www.babycenter.com/0_going-green-20-small-steps-that-make-a-big-difference_1682233.bc Oikos. Water Heaters and Energy Efficiency. 2008. http://oikos.com/library/energy_outlet/water_heaters.html Consumer Energy Center. 2008 http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/appliances/washers.html Terrapass Blog. 2008. http://www.terrapass.com/blog/posts/energy-tip-17-w
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