What are some easy ways to cut some carbon out of my busy lifestyle?
Think you don’t have the time to act “green” between your hard classes, long jobs and ever-important social life? With Earth Day tomorrow, here are a few easy tips to cut some carbon from your home life.
Moderate your home’s temperature. Bundle up a little during the winter and try out the summery attire during the hot spells. If you need some extra motivation, consider that the heating and cooling of your house will account for almost half your energy bill!
Turn down the water heater. Heating your water plays the next biggest role in home energy use. Turning down the water heater a few degrees or changing it to vacation mode for extended absences can help recover a lot of money from your energy bill.
Use your appliances minimally and only when absolutely necessary. Fill your dishwasher and washing machine before running – this will save you water and energy. Hang your clothes to dry whenever possible, but if you like that “dryer smell,” hang your clothes and then stick them in the dryer for a couple minutes.
Shut off your electronics and lighting when not in use. Many electronics idle in standby mode use unnecessary energy. And remember to hit the lights when you leave for the day!
Plan all your weekly shopping at once. Avoid visiting the same store over and over to reduce car use. Better yet, bike to the store and enjoy a nice workout or stop by the East Quad Farmer’s Market to ease your driving.
Make sure to come out for the last two days of EPPC’s Earth Week on the Quad or post a green action shot on the Campus Center for the Environment’s Facebook page!
Got a question for EPPC? Send it to margaret.link@gmail.com.
