If the fight to protect our environment really is war, then
we need weapons and war strategies And fortunately, we have
a list of the perfect weapons and strategies sure to help
you and your fellow citizens win the fight for earth's
resources. These include:
CFL's or Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs : Go through each
room in your house and determine which room gets the most
use, then rank them 1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on. Start with the
room that gets the most use and change out all of the light
Bulbs in that room to CFL bulbs.
You can change out all of the bulbs in your house at once
but this can get pricy. Remember, this is about conservation
of your monetary resources as well, so let's just go with
one room at a time.
"Energy Star" and other companies say that a CFL bulb lasts
longer (about 10 times longer) and uses 75% less energy than
regular incandescent bulbs. Do a bit of simple math and
you'll see that over time you can save quite a bit of money
using the bulbs, and since they put out less heat, you can
also save on your cooling costs too.
Unplug Your Appliances: Ok this sounds too simple and it is!
That's the beauty of it, and it won't cost you a dime extra
to implement it.
Each appliance you have in your home is plugged into an
electrical current/source. Whether or not that appliance is
being operated or running that electrical current is
constantly running through the appliance wiring so that you
can have access to that energy in a nano second just by
flipping the switch.
This is somewhat like leaving your car running at all times
just in case you want/need to use it. Even Bill Gates would
hardly opt for that convenience.
Go around your house, determine which appliances have a
clock or memory to maintain or need to keep things at a
certain temperature and allow those appliances to remain
plugged in. We'll call those the "Essential Appliances."
This makes all the rest of them "Non-Essential Appliance"
category. Then go out to your garage and grab a few of those
power strips you've got stored and put them to work on the
"Non-Essential Appliances" like your TV, Printer, Shredder
and Desk Lamps in your home office.
Each room will have "Non-Essential Appliances." Once you've
identified them plug them into the power strips so that when
your not using them all you have is one plug to remove from
the wall socket.
A good power strip not only protects against power grid
surges but the back up battery is sufficient to keep the
internal clocks and memory running even if it's not plugged
in. Just remember to "Shut Down" your computer before you
unplug the power strip.
Paper Towels : This habit may be one of the hardest of all
to break, but you must force yourself to stop using paper
towels. The cost is enormous, even if you buy them at one of
the big container warehouse stores.
Instead, invest in things like cloth napkins to use at
meals, and inchamois style towels . You can buy enough to
have around for any use in the house.
Also inexpensive and wrinkle free, cloth napkins can be
found anywhere. Buy enough to use at each meal for a week
and then just throw them in the wash once a week with the
Chamois towels then sit back and add up your savings.
There you have it: three simple tips to begin saving energy,
money and the environment at little to no cost. Yes, change
is difficult and it may take a bit to get used to, but hey
you managed to quit smoking and get back to the gym right?
Just stay focused and implement each of the tips one at a
time. Once you get used to the first, go on to the next and
before you know it you'll be a 21st Century Eco Warrior!