Tips for Going Green

  1. Reduce the amount of junk mail that you receive. Take your name off national mailing lists by sending your name, address, and signature to:
    Mail Preference Service, C/O Direct Marketing Association
    P.O. Box 643
    Carmel, NY 10512
  2. If every American household replaced one standard incandescent light bulb with a fluorescent bulb, the energy saved would be equivalent to the energy generated by one nuclear power plant running full time for a year.
  3. Substituting a compact fluorescent light for a traditional bulb will keep a half-ton of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere over the life of the bulb.
  4. Utilize online banking services-They can often transfer money electronically, saving paper.
  5. Use "low-flow" faucet and shower heads to reduce water usage by as much as 50 percent.
  6. A household can save up to 20,000 gallons of water a year by not leaving the faucet running when doing things like brushing teeth, shaving, washing dishes in the sink, or washing the car at home instead of a self-service car wash.
  7. Electric dryers are twice as energy efficient as paper towels, event towels made from recycled paper. So, when you want to use a towel, think cloth, not paper.
  8. Reuse the clean side of printed paper for note-taking.
  9. Clean the filters of your air-conditioners once a month to improve energy efficiency.
  10. Wash clothes in cold water. Hot water is unnecessary for most clothes. When needed, use warm water.
  11. Buy durable products. These may cost more up-front, but will save you money in the long run as they will not need to be replaced as frequently.
  12. Use tankless water heaters, which use up to 50% less energy than conventional water heaters.
  13. Look for energy star appliances. They cost a little more up front, but save money over the life of the product.
  14. Use toaster ovens, crock pots, microwaves, and electric grills when possible, which require much less energy than the oven.
  15. Plant a tree. If every family in the United States planted a single tree, more than one billion pounds of "greenhouse gasses" would be removed from the atmosphere every year.