Earth Day, April 22
each year, is celebrated to increase awareness and appreciation of the Earth's
natural environment. It’s a reminder of the beauty of this planet that we all
call home. Environmentalism is an important issue for everyone – not just
“activists.” Having clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and a
neighborhood safe from toxins is important to ALL of us! You don't have to
change your life to reduce your carbon footprint and help the planet.
Make every day Earth Day
with these simple tips.
- Screensavers don't use less energy but putting it in "sleep mode" can reduce a computer's energy consumption by 60 to 70%. At the end of the day, power it off completely.
- Change a bulb. Replacing one regular light bulb with a compact fluorescent light (those energy-efficient, squiggly ones) can save 150 pounds of carbon dioxide per year.
- Take one Short Shower per week. If you cut your time in the shower by five minutes you can save 20 gallons of water. Try it this weekend. Take a five-minute shower. Bring a timer to the bathroom, or count to 300, or play one 5-minute song.
- Use reusable shopping bags. The U.S. uses 100 billion plastic bags annually, consuming about 12 million barrels of oil. Less than 1% of plastic bags are ever recycled. Reusable bags can help reduce the number of plastic bags you use. Keep them in your car so you never have to think about it.
- Use a microwave instead of the stove to save energy. Microwave ovens use around 50% less energy than conventional ovens do.
