Help the Earth and Be a Contributor
Unplug unused appliances. Do you have appliances plugged in that rarely get used? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, many plugged in appliances draw electricity even while the appliances are turned off. In fact, 75% of the power that is used by these products are being consumed while they are turned off. To prevent this you can either unplug the appliance(s) when not in use, or use a power strip and switch the strip off when not in use.
Drive smart. You can save gas by changing how you drive. Quick acceleration and braking waste gas, as does speeding. Another thing you can do to save gas is plan your shopping trips and errands together instead of making separate trips out. A few other things you can do to save is carpool or use pubic transportation. Keeping your car maintained and running well can also help save gas. These things can help you do your part for the Earth as well as save you money.
Wash and dry wisely. Energy can be saved by only washing full loads of laundry and dishes. You can also cut energy costs by using cooler water to wash clothes. Another way to help is by air drying your dishes if you have a dishwasher instead of using the drying cycle feature. Also, instead of using your dryer to dry your clothes this summer, take a few minutes of your time and hang them out to dry.
Cut down on heating and air conditioning usage. I for one love my air conditioner and don’t enjoy the hot summers. However, by using the air conditioner to keep cool for the spring and summer, it is just causing more problems for the Earth. Try opening your windows when you are at home to cool off instead of turning on the air conditioner. It may take some getting use to, but you will get use to it. Another thing you can do is to adjust the temperature to the lowest setting in the winter and the highest in the summer that you are comfortable with. Cutting down on the use of heating and cooling can not only help the Earth, but can also save you money.
