Reduce Your Energy!

image courtesy of starrynightlights.com

for our final day of earth friendly celebrations, i am going to mention some fab eco tips to help save energy, & please comment to let us know ones we don't have listed here:

*hang your laundry to dry. i do it year round
from reused futon frames that my husband hung from our basement ceiling. hanging outside is also excellent!
*stock up on white towels and rags that can be used instead of paper towels
*switch lightbulbs!

If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars. (info from energystar.gov)

*drive the speed limit

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), as a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.21 per gallon for gas (at $3.00 per gallon).

So, the Fuel Economy Benefit of driving slower is between 7 and 23 percent. The equivalent gasoline savings is $0.21 to $0.71 per gallon. (info from consumerenergycenter.org)

*unplug or shut off (hibernate) appliances when not in use, like your computer, and after your cell phone is charged. (good info on energystar.gov and microsoft.com)

*shut off your lights when not in use

*adjust your thermostat. 75+ during the warmer months (85 when not at home), and 68 during the cooler (lower to 55 or off at night)

*try to cool house by using mother nature and fans more than your a.c.

i know there is way more we can do, but remember doing anything is better than nothing, and teaching your kids early will help in the long run!