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00 Ways to Save The EnvironmentDownload a Printer-FrienPDF of 100 Ways to SaveEnvironment

n Your Home onserve Energy

1. Clean or replace airfilters on your airconditioning unit atleast once a month.

2. If you have centralair conditioning, donot close vents inunused rooms.

3. Lower thethermostat on yourwater heater to 120.

4. Wrap your waterheater in aninsulated blanket.

5. Turn down orshut off yourwater heaterwhen you willbe away forextendedperiods.

6. Turn off unneededlights even whenleaving a room for a

short time.7. Set your refrigerator

temperature at 36 to38 and your freezerat 0 to 5 .

8. When using anoven, minimize dooropening while it is inuse; it reduces oventemperature by 25 to30 every time youopen the door.

9. Clean the lint filter inyour dryer afterevery load so that ituses lessenergy.

10.Unplugseldomusedappliances.

In Your Home Reduce Toxicity

29.Eliminatemercuryfromyourhome bypurchasing itemswithout mercury,and dispose ofitems containingmercury at anappropriate drop-offfacility whennecessary (e.g. oldthermometers).

30.Learnaboutalternatives to householdcleaning items thatdo not usehazardouschemicals.

31.Buy the rightamount of paint forthe job.

32.Review labels ofhousehold cleanersyou use. Consideralternatives likebaking soda,scouring pads,water or a little moreelbow grease.

33.When no goodalternatives exist toa toxic item, find theleast amountrequired for aneffective, sanitaryresult.

34.If you have an olderhome, have paint inyour home testedfor lead. If you havelead-based paint,

In Your Office

49.Copy and print onboth sides of paper.

50.Reuse items likeenvelopes, foldersand paper clips.

51.Use mailer sheetsfor interoffice mailinstead of anenvelope.Use mailersheets for interofficemail instead of anenvelop

e.52.Set up abulletinboard formemosinsteadofsending a copy toeach employee.

53.Use e-mail insteadof papercorrespondence.

54.Use recycled paper.

55.Use discardedpaper for scrappaper.

56.Encourage yourschool and/orcompany to printdocuments with soy-based inks, whichare less toxic.

57.Use a ceramiccoffee mug insteadof a disposable cup.

Ways ToProtect Our Air

58.Ask your employerto consider flexiblework schedules ortelecommuting.

59.Recycle printercartridges.

Ways to Use LessWater

73.Check and fix awaterleaks.

74.Installwater-savingdevices on youfaucets and toil

75.Don't wash dishwith the waterrunning

continuously.76.Wash and dry o

full loads of lauand dishes.

77.Follow yourcommunity's wause restrictionsguidelines.

78.Install a low-floshower head.

79.Replace old toiwith new ones use a lot less w

80.Turn off washinmachine's watesupply to preveleaks.

Ways to ProOur Water

81.Revegetate ormulch disturbedas soon as pos

82.Never dump

anything down storm drain.

83.Have your septtank pumped asystem inspectregularly.

84.Check your caroil or other leakand recycle mo

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11.Use a microwavewhen- ever you caninstead of aconventional oven orstove.

12.Wash clothes with

warm or cold waterinstead of hot.

13.Reverse your indoorceiling fans forsummer and winteroperations asrecommended.

14.Turn off lights,computers and otherappliances when notin use.

15.Purchase appliancesand office equipment

with the Energy StarLabel; oldrefridgerators, forexample, use up to50 more electricitythan newer models.

16.Only use electricappliances whenyou needthem.

17.Use compactfluorescentlight bulbs to

save moneyand energy.

18.Keep yourthermostat at 68 inwinter and 78 insummer.

19.Keep yourthermostat higher insummer and lower inwinter when you areaway

20.Insulate your homeas best as you can.

21.Install weatherstripping around alldoors and windows.

22.Shut off electricalequipment in theevening when youleave work.

23.Plant trees to shadeyour home.

cover it with wallpaper or othermaterial instead ofsanding it or burningit off.

35.Use traps instead of

rat and mousepoisons and insectkillers.

36.Have your hometested for radon.

37.Use cedar chips oraromatic herbsinstead ofmothballs.

In Your Yard

38.Avoid using leaf

blowers and otherdust-producingequipment.

39.Useanelectriclawn-mower instead of agas-powered one.

40.Leave grassclippings on the

yard-theydecompose andreturn nutrients tothe soil.

41.Use recycled woodchips as mulch tokeep weeds down,retain moisture andprevent erosion.

42.Use only therequired amount offertilizer.

43.Minimize pesticideuse.

44.Create a wildlifehabitat in your yard.

45.Water grass early inthemorning.

46.Rent orborrowitems like

60.Shut off electricalequipment in theevening when youleavework.

61.Report

smokingvehicles to yourlocal air agency.

62.Don't use your woodstove or fireplacewhen air quality ispoor.

63.Avoid slow-burning,smoldering fires.They produce thelargest amount ofpollution.

64.Burn seasonedwood - it burnscleaner than greenwood.

65.Use solar power forhome and waterheating.

66.Use low-VOC orwater-based paints,stains, finishes andpaint strippers.

67.Purchase radial tiresand keep them

properly inflated foryour vehicle.

68.Paint with brushesor rollers instead ofusing spray paintsto minimize harmfulemissions.

69.Ignitecharcoalbarbecues with an electric

probe or otheralternative to lighterfluid.

70.If you use a woodstove, use one soldafter 1990. They arerequired to meetfederal emissionsstandards and are

oil.

85.Take your car tcar wash insteawashing it in thdriveway.

86.Learn about yo

watershed.

Create LessTrash

87.Buy items in bufrom loose binswhen possible reduce thepackaging was

88.Avoid productsseveral layers o

packaging wheonly one issufficient. Abouof what we throaway is packag

89.Buy products thyou can reuse.

90.Maintain and redurable producinstead of buyinnew ones.

91.Check reports fproducts that aeasily repaired have low breakrates.

92.Reuse items likbags and contawhen possible.

93.Use cloth napkinstead of papeones.

94.Use reusable pand utensils insof disposable o

95.Use reusablecontainers to stfood instead ofaluminum foil aclingwrap.

96.Shopwith acanvasbag

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24.Shade outside airconditioning units bytrees or othermeans.

25.Replace oldwindows with energy

efficient ones.26.Use cold water

instead of warm orhot water whenpossible.

27.Connect youroutdoor lights to atimer.

28.Buy green electricity- electricity producedby low - or evenzero-pollutionfacilities (NC

Greenpower forNorth Carolina -www.ncgreenpower.org). In your home-reduce toxicity.

ladders, chain saws,party decorationsand others that areseldom used.

47.Take actions thatuse non hazardous

components (e.g., toward off pests, plantmarigolds in agarden instead ofusing pesticide).

48.Put leaves in acompost heapinstead of burningthem or throwingthem away. Yarddebris too large foryour compost binshould be taken to ayard-debris recycler.

more efficient andcleaner burning.

71.Walk or ride yourbike instead ofdriving, wheneverpossible.

72.Join a carpool orvanpool to get towork.

instead of usingpaper and plasbags.

97.Buy rechargeabbatteries for deused frequently

98.Reuse packagicartons andshipping materOld newspapermake greatpackaging mate

99.Compost yourvegetable scrap

100. Buy usfurniture - theresurplus of it, anmuch cheaper new furniture.