|
What can we do to
help minimize Climate Change?
(Source: EPA)
At Home
-
Change 5 lights
Change a light, and you help change the world. Replace the
conventional bulbs in your 5 most frequently used light fixtures
with bulbs that have the ENERGY STAR label and you will help the
environment while saving money on energy bills. If every
household in the U.S. took this one simple action we would
prevent more than 1 trillion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.
-
Look for ENERGY
STAR labeled products
When buying new products, such as appliances for your home,
get the features and performance you want AND help reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Look for ENERGY
STAR-qualified products in more than 50 product categories,
including lighting, home electronics, heating and cooling
equipment and appliances.
-
Heat and cool
smartly
Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your
heating and cooling equipment tuned annually by a licensed
contractor can save energy and increase comfort at home, and at
the same time reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to
replace your old equipment, choose a high efficiency model, and
make sure it is properly sized and installed.
-
Seal up your
home with better insulation and duct-work
Close up any visible cracks and gaps in your house, install
adequate insulation, check that ducts are sealed and choose
ENERGY STAR qualified windows when replacing old windows. Not
sure where the cracks and gaps are? A home energy auditor can
also help to identify areas with poor insulation and evaluate
the energy efficiency of your home. By taking these steps, you
can eliminate drafts, keep your home more comfortable year
round, save energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
-
Use green power
Green power is environmentally friendly electricity that is
generated from renewable energy sources such as wind and the
sun. There are two ways to use green power: you can buy green
power or you can modify your house to generate your own green
power. Buying green power is easy, it offers a number of
environmental and economic benefits over conventional
electricity, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, and it
helps increase clean energy supply. If you are interested, there
are a number of steps you can take to create a greener home ,
including installing solar panels and researching incentives for
renewable energy in your state.
-
Reduce, Reuse,
and Recycle
If there is a recycling program in your community, recycle
your newspapers, beverage containers, paper and other goods. Use
products in containers that can be recycled and items that can
be repaired or reused. In addition, support recycling markets by
buying products made from recycled materials. Reducing, reusing,
and recycling in your home helps conserve energy and reduces
pollution and greenhouse gases from resource extraction,
manufacturing, and disposal.
-
Be green in
your yard
Use a push mower, which, unlike a gas or electric mower,
consumes no fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases. If you
do use a power mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to reduce
grass clippings (PDF, 8 pp., 1.59 MB, About PDF). Composting
your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that you
send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Smart
Landscaping can save energy, save you money and reduce your
household’s greenhouse gas emissions.
-
Use water
efficiently
Everyone can save water through simple actions. Municipal
water systems require a lot of energy to purify and distribute
water to households, and saving water, especially hot water, can
lower greenhouse gas emissions. Do not let the water run while
shaving or brushing teeth. Do not use your toilet as a waste
basket for toiletry items - water is wasted with each flush. And
did you know a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per
day? Repair all toilet and faucet leaks right away.
-
Spread the Word
Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for
their homes and good for the environment because it lowers
greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Tell 5 people and
together we can help our homes help us all.
|
