When you finish dinner tonight, skip the pre-rinse and load your dishes. When you do, you’ll conserve as much as 35% more water than washing by hand. Newfangled dishwashers are super powerful (Haven’t you seen the commercials?) and can handle most everyday dirty plates and cups. Energy Star models will help you save even more resources (and money), meaning that you’ll be an eco-friendly all star when it comes to keeping your eating utensils nice and clean. Remember to only use your dishwasher when full and you’ll be making the most of your water and soap, too.
- Sam Davidson
Make sure your ceiling fans are moving in the right direction.
When most of us think about staying cool in the summer, our first instinct might be to turn on the central air conditioning. Being a Southerner, I’m very grateful for that cool blast of automatic air on a scorching hot day. Before the dog days of summer settle in, however, spring can be a great time to discover ways to stay cool and cut down on energy costs.
- Make sure your ceiling fans are moving in the right direction. You want the blades facing where the air is pushed down into the room, circulating the air in a more efficient manner. Remember that ceiling fans only move air around and do not actually cool a room, so turn them off when no one is around to enjoy the breeze.
- Box fans in windows are a great way to pull cool night air inside.
- Try to only turn on your dishwasher, oven, or clothes dryer in the evenings, and use other appliances sparingly to reduce generated heat.
- Close your windows and doors in the early morning. It might sound counterproductive, but by doing so, you’ll keep the cooler air from the night in the house longer. When the home starts to warm up as the day goes on, it’s time to open the windows.
- Keep blinds and shades drawn in the rooms facing the sun.
- Have fun with your child and bucket of water in the backyard. Children can be entertained with scoops, boats, and measuring spoons, all while staying cool as they splash around.
Better yet, try hand washing dishes, eating meals that don’t require cooking (easy in the summer months with all the fresh produce around) or hanging your clothes out to dry naturally in the sun. If you must cook in the middle of the day, take it outside- a gas grill uses little energy and the escaping heat won’t warm up your home.
Living without the convenience of instant comfort at the touch of a button allows us to pay more attention to our environment and daily routines. Making a few conscious decisions to offset energy costs benefits both your financial and ecological impact.
- Amy Hamiter
Shoes off to this idea!
Imagine what you and your kids pick up as you journey around this beautiful planet, from school to work to the park to the museum. Germs, allergens and toxins can be tracked into the home through those grimy shoes, so leave them at the door today. It will reduce the amount of exposure to outside elements (especially for those who still spend time one the floor more often) and needed cleaning for your floors (less work, water, energy, and harmful toxins). You can also try a good doormat or enforce a no-shoe policy in the house. - Michelle Andrade (Originally Posted 1/3/08 )
Clean your vents regularly for maximum energy savings.
It’s midnight. You’re asleep. Do you know what your vents are doing? All of those handy openings in your floors and ceilings are gathering dust, day and night. They’re silently accumulating all kinds of debris that can block maximum airflow, which means your heating and cooling system has to work harder and longer (increasing your energy bill) in order to keep you comfortable while you dream the night away. Spend some time this weekend dusting or vacuuming your vents so air can get where it needs to go. A few minutes spent cleaning will mean sweeter dreams for everyone. – Sam Davidson
Turn saving energy and money into a game fun for the whole family.
Sometimes they carefully bag my groceries, combining pantry items together, freezer friends alike and refrigerator roommates together in the same bag. But, if they don’t, I’ll take an extra few minutes at home to unpack and sort my groceries by their final destination, thus opening the fridge and freezer just once and keeping the cold air from escaping into the kitchen. And I invite our daughter to assist. It’s a fun game (for her) to see how quickly we can open, fill and close the fridge, and a fun game (for me) to not unnecessarily waste energy and money. -Stephen Moseley
Use a power strip to save money and the environment.
Here’s the skinny: most of our household appliances will use more electricity over their lifetime when they’re turned off than when they’re on. TVs, DVD players, coffee makers, stereos and blow dryers all suck energy when plugged in and not in use. But, it’s often tricky to remember to go around unplugging things all the time. So, grab a power strip
and look around your house for the best place to plug it in. Use it near your entertainment center and flip its switch when it’s time for bed to prevent your big screen from costing you big bucks.
- Sam Davidson
Save energy with a flick of the wrist.
As it’s getting cooler, it’s important to remember ways we can save energy and keep our family warm. Keep thermostats at 68 degrees or lower and take advantage of natural heat. During winter months, the sun sits lower in the sky, so collect heat through your south-facing windows. Keep windows that do not receive sunlight covered to help keep in the warmth. Close the door and vents to rooms not used to keep heat in the living areas of the house. Any of these tips takes less than 5 minutes, and will save money and energy in your home. - Michelle Andrade
Pots and pans now have a green alternative to Teflon.
Nonstick pans are super convenient and make cleaning up a lot easier. But do you ever wonder what’s in the cookware you use? Because I try to avoid using and eating things I can’t pronounce (like Polytetrafluoroethylene and Perfluorooctanoic acid), I’ve sought out some safer and greener alternatives. While few and far between, these items also have other great energy features, like energy saving construction, which retain heat better (thus allowing you to use less energy). See what you can find today that makes the world a little better and greener. Then, share what you find with a friend. - Michelle Andrade
