LESS is MORE:
Do you really need all that room? Think back to when you were a child... Were you more comfortable in small or large spaces? By clarifying what you truly need, one can reduce the size of a new dwelling by up to 20%. Efficient design saves resources, building costs and requires less energy to maintain.
Rethink Quality:
Does new, necessarily equate to better? Using recycled and salvaged materials gives structures character that you just can't buy... though there are many companies that try to imitate this look, why not save the money, save the environment, and opt for the real deal and have true; old world charm.
Go Carbon Neutral:
Climate change is real. Its primary cause is the carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and coal. According to the Carbon Fund, Carbon dioxide emissions are about 40% higher than they were before the Industrial Revolution and at their highest levels in recorded history, covering over 650,000 years. What can we do about this? Make the decision to go carbon neutral! As the Carbon Fund says, Reduce what you Can, Offset what you Can't!
We need to hold ourselves accountable for our personal carbon emissions and make constant efforts to reduce them wherever we can. Making a commitment to go carbon neutral is one way we can take responsibility for the greenhouse gas emissions we create when we drive, take a plane, or even turn on our computers. Some things are easier to do than others. It's not always easy to stop driving our cars, many of us live in areas where public transportation is barely an option. Since climate change is a global problem, one way that we can work to neutralize our carbon emmision is to make a contribution that works to make a reduction some place else. How can one do this?
This can be done by purchasing what's known as, carbon offsets. Carbon offsets are emission reduction credits achieved by projects someplace else. These could be solar installations, wind farms, or countless other carbon reducing projects. You can purchase these credits through carbon offset services such as, Carbon Fund, Terra Pass and Native Energy, apply them to your own emissions, and reduce your net climate impact.
Though carbon offests are a practical way to reduce your carbon footprint, it is still important to make an effort to reduce your personal energy use. The following are some simple steps you can take to do this:
1. Calculate your own emmissions and get a sense of where you can make changes.
2. Turn off the lights when not in use and replace all incandescent bulbs with fluorescent bulbs and use 2/3 less energy.
3. Turn down the thermostat a few degrees in the winter and put on another layer instead. Turn it up in the summer and keep C02 out of the air, and save $$.
4.
Car-pool more, drive less.
5. Choose Energy Star Rated appliances
6. Unplug chargers and power strips when not in use, as they constantly draw energy. (40% of power used in our homes if from products that are turned "off.")
7. Use Cold water for laundry.
8. When idling for more than 30 seconds, TURN YOUR CAR OFF. An idling car gets exactly "0" mpg.
9. Drive slower, notice the world around you.
10. Ride your bike whenever possible.
11. Buy local produce.
12. Choose items without excessive packaging.
13. Use re-usable canvas grocery bags.
14. Use ceramic and/or travel mugs for coffee / tea in place of disposable ones.
15. Don't purchase bottled water - refill a reusable bottle instead.
16. Recycle paper, cardboard, cans and bottles. (save glass containers and use for storage - compost organic waste)
17. Improve your building envelope: Invest in Low "E" windows when it's time to replace them - cellulose insulation, and work to seal all drafts.
18.
Maintain all home energy systems to ensure they are running efficiently.
19. Conserve Water: Switch to low flow faucets & dual flush toilets and turn of the water while you brush your teeth.
20. Catch rainwater! Use rain chains or gutters, but collect your rainwater and use it for watering your garden! (*only recommended with metal roofs, not asphalt.)
21. Sustainable Landscaping: Choosing Native plants and limiting your lawn size reduces the need for watering and weeding.
22. If you're thinking about relocating, consider choosing a location that allows you to park your car and either walk, or ride a bike to work and shopping if you so choose.
23. Ceiling fans can be used to circulate warm air in the winter and cool air in the summer.
24. Eliminate paper by choosing e-mail over memos and faxes.
25. Schools should develop a good Website to store necessary parent information and communications, including policies.
26. When copying or printing, use both sides of the paper and change your margins to 1/2" and reduce font size.
27. Reduce your printing toxicity by choosing printers that use vegetable-based inks rather than petroleum-based inks.
28. Make Wise Purchases:
- Is this item really necessary? Don't impulse buy!
- What is this product made out of? Is it a readily available resource? Was any damage done to the environment while creating it?
- What safety standards does this product meet?
- How far is this item being transported? Buying as much as you can locally means less pollution and fewer transportation costs.
- How long will this product last?
- When the life cycle of this item is complete, how will you recycle or dispose of it? Are any parts of this item toxic and will it do harm to the environment in the disposal process?
- Will this product off-gas chemicals that are harmful to you and/or the environment?
29. Dispose of plastic items made before 1998, when labeling standards became more stringent.
30. Use washable cleanup rags and/or sponges instead of disposable ones.
31. Reduce your paper use: reduce margin and font size and print on both sides of the paper.
32. Cook food in glass dishes instead of metal ones: it is quicker and uses less energy - Save some money and use less resources.
33. Paper and ink are such an everyday part of our lives that we rarely think about what is in them. Chlorine and Chlorine derivatives are usually used to bleach wood pulp and lighten its color, which then form highly toxic compounds when released into the atmosphere. Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury are used in inks to this day. You can make a difference by paying your bills online and starting a scrap-paper pile in your home and office to reuse one-sided printouts.
