Jan 04 2008
11 Resolutions to Help You Become More Earth-Friendly for the New Year - Part 2
Part one of our 11 Resolutions to Help You Become More Earth-Friendly series covered five ways to help you become more energy-efficient in the new year. In this part two post, we will cover the remaining six tips. Again, if you have any additional tips or insight on how you are an energy-efficient individual or any tricks that you may use to cut down on energy use, feel free to leave a comment and let us know!
Strategy 6: Reuse plastic bags. Instead of chucking 100 billion plastic sacks a year (wow!), try and get a second, third, or tenth use out of them. Tote your lunch to work or your groceries home, or at least use them as garbage bags. Better yet, next time you shop, try a reusable bag. Learn how at ReusableBags.com
The payoff: You’re reducing pollution. The amount of oil it would take to make just 14 plastic bags would run your car for one mile.
Strategy 7: Green your car: The next time you’re in the market for a new car, check out an eco option like a hybrid model – whatever you do, don’t get an SUV. In the meantime, take care of your current ride with regular tune-ups and properly inflated tires.
The payoff: Driving a 13-mile-per-gallon SUV wastes more energy in one year than if you left your refrigerator door open for six years! Getting regular tune-ups, performing maintenance, and having clean air filters will help you burn less gas and therefore pollute the air less. And properly inflated tires could save around 2 billion gallons of gas each year.
Strategy 8: Use recycled paper…in the bathroom. Most of the TP we use is made from virgin trees found in forests previously untouched by humans. Seeing as trees absorb carbon dioxide, we’d get better use from them living than we would as a roll in the powder room.
The payoff: If every household in America replaced one roll of toilet paper with a recycled postconsumer waste roll, 424,000 trees would still be standing. Look for eco paper towels and napkins too. If every household used recycled napkins, we would spare one million trees.
Strategy 9: Buy energy-efficient appliances. The old fridge conked out. Great! Replace it with an Energy Star appliance (EngeryStar.gov) and you’ll use at least 15 percent less energy and water in your home. It might be a little pricier to buy, but you’ll be saving money on your utility bills and helping the environment.
The payoff: If we all installed one Energy Star appliance, it would be like planting 1.7 million acres of new trees.
Strategy 10: Plant a tree. Adding green to your garden is aesthetically – and earth – pleasing.
The payoff: Just one tree (native to your region) will help make cleaner air and save the environment from 5,000 pounds of hot carbon dioxide each year.
Strategy 11: Give and voice your support. Contribute or volunteer with the green organization of your choice. And tell a friend to do the same. Some we like: OnePercentForThePlanet.org, SaveOurEnvironment.org, SierraClub.org, and ConservationFund.org. Sign the “Emissions Petition” at EnvironmentalDefense.org, and send the message to your local government representatives that you want to undo global warming.
The payoff: Feeling like you’re doing something about this Earth-destroying epidemic.
We’d like to hear how you and your family try to be earth-friendly.
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