Help Mother Nature

Simple Changes Can Mean a Lot

From changing what you eat, to energy proofing your home, to living more sustainable lives, you and can make small, simple changes in your daily activities. The Earth will reap rewards from the collective effort from everyone who treats the Earth as kindly as you do.

• Eat less meat If everyone (including you) ate ¼ less meat, we’d save over 80 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions a year. Greenhouse gasses are the main cause of climate change.
• Defrost naturally. Plan in advance. If you’re cooking something from the freezer, take it out with enough time for it to defrost naturally.
• Buy renewable energy. Call your utility company to find out the source of the electricity they supply and see if they sell clean energy.
• Insulate your home. Add insulation, weather stripping and caulking around your home to substantially reduce your heating and air conditioning costs.
• Work in natural light. Design your home office using natural light to use less electricity.
• Walk more. It’s better for your mind, body and the planet to walk more often. In a hurry, bike it!
• Make recycled furniture. Use recycled materials, like pallets, to create innovative and environmentally smart furniture. Or buy used furniture instead of new.
• Buy energy-efficient appliances. They may cost more initially, but they will save you more over time. Look for appliances that are Energy Star certified.
• Adjust your thermostat and save. Adjust your thermostat to run 2 degrees lower in winter and 2 degrees higher in summer. You won’t notice the difference, but the Earth will!
• Install a programmable thermostat. Some of the newer smart thermostats cost about $170 and, on average, will save you that same amount your first year. After that, you will save money and energy for years to come.
• Switch to LED lightbulbs. They use 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent
  Look for top-rated ENERGY Star related products.
• Switch off lights when you leave a room.13. Turn off your ice maker. Hard to believe, but true, your ice maker increases your fridge’s energy consumption 12-20%. Go retro with an ice cube tray! Old-fashioned, but they do the job.
• Turn off your ice maker. Hard to believe, but true, your ice maker increases your fridge’s energy consumption 12-20%. Go retro with an ice cube tray! Old -fashioned, but they do the job.
• Turn off your computer at night. Leaving your computer on at night always uses more electricity than turning it
  on when you return. You both could use a break!
• Don’t pre-wash dishes before loading your dishwasher. And skip the pre-rinse cycle. Dishwashers do the job they’re supposed to -saving time, money and energy.
• Take shorter showers. It saves water and the energy that heats it. Showers, if they’re not too long are more environmentally friendly than baths.
• Wash your clothes in cold water. It’s just as effective as using warm water. Almost 75% of the energy used to do a load of laundry comes from using warm water.