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Be Green, Save Green! 2007-04
Spring is in the air and its time to enjoy the out doors. Whether you believe there is a global warming trend or not http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming_controversy , being green can save you money- money you can use for fun.
We have created our own top 10 actions you can take immediately that don't cost money.
1. Don't circle the parking lot for the closest space. If you are not carrying heavy things, park at the first available space. I purposely park my car away from the office building's door. Why? Not driving around to find a closer space, I save gas and reduce emissions. The added benefit is I get some exercise walking a bit longer. Over the course of our working lives, it adds up.
2. Turn lights off when not in use. At home tonight, take a moment to observe how many lights you keep on at your house. If no one is in the Kitchen, turn the lights off! When I went through this exercise, I was amazed there were 4 rooms lit up, and we were all in the family room watching TV.
3. Don't run the water when you brush your teeth. Clean water is a precious commodity. According to this Washington Post article, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/19/AR2005091901295.html at least 2 million people, most of them children, die annually from water-borne diseases. For comparison, Philadelphia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States, the 5th largest city in the United States, has 1.5 million people.
4. Lower the temperature on your water heater. Do you really need 100F hot water for a shower? Turn the dial on your water heater down just a bit. You won't know the difference in the shower, and you will save money.
5. Check the air in your car's tires. Properly inflated tires use less gas and are much safer.
6. Stop junk paper and electronic mail http://www.obviously.com/junkmail/
7. Wash your clothes in cold water when you can. It saves both energy and water.
8. Use mugs instead of paper cups in the office.
9. Carpool, take mass transit, or bike to work. In the Metro DC area, http://www.mwcog.org/commuter/ccindex.html. A few other cities have teamed up with Google, http://www.google.com/transit. You can map your trips using public transportation before you setout. I ride my bike to work 2~3 times a week. By the end of the week, I have gotten my recommended 30 min per day exercise as well as saving gas and reducing emissions. The side benefit is the exercise makes me healthier and reduces my medical expenses. Money and physical energy for fun!
10. My personal favorite, when you play golf, if you can, walk instead of ride.
If you are looking to take a more proactive approach, install energy efficient products. These products WILL save you money in the long run. Here are some ideas.
1. Install motion sensors for all your outdoor lights and in each of the rooms in your house.
2. Use energy efficient, compact fluorescent light bulbs (cfl). CFL uses 60% less energy and there are all kinds of CFLs that are fashionable. Visit the Energy Federation http://www.energyfederation.org/consumer/default.php/cPath/25_44 for a sampling.
3. Use a programmable thermostat to automatically turn the heat down between 9 and 5 on weekdays when no one is at home. Definitely turn the heat down when you go on vacation.
4. Install and use low-flow showerheads and Low-flow toilets. They use 50% less water.
5. In the market for new appliances? http://www.energystar.gov/ Buy energy efficient products. For example, a front loading washer uses less water and saves electricity as well.
6. Use a notebook computer. Notebook computers are 90 percent more energy-efficient than desktop computers. They run on rechargeable batteries, and have energy-saving features like low-energy display screens.
7. If you have a house, install a turbine ventilator on the roof to pull hot air out of the attic. This will allow you to cool your house without running the air conditioner as frequently.
8. Get a mulching lawnmower that spreads the grass clippings back on the lawn, where they decompose and feed the soil. This saves you the time to bag the clippings, leaving more time for fun!
9. If you are in the market for a new vehicle, consider a hybrid. GM will be introducing a full sized hybrid SUV in 2007. http://www.hybridcars.com/ If you are curious as to how Hybrid cars work go to http://auto.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-car.htm
10. If you are building a house, build a green house. To learn how, visit the National Building Museum (did you know a museum for buildings existed?)
http://www.nbm.org/Exhibits/greenHouse2/greenHouse.htm , the Building America web site, http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america/for_consumers.html and the US Green Building council
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=147#build
Whether you believe there is a global warming crisis or not, there are many other things you can do to be environment friendly and save money at the same time. Visit http://www.climatecrisis.net/ to learn more about the planet's changes and things you can do. Make some simple life style changes and you will save money, money for fun.
Worthwhile reading. Go Green. Get Rich.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2007/02/01/8398986/index.htm
Green Wonders of the World
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/07/wow_green/index_01.htm?chan=search
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