by Dashboard Mary
If you are like me, you worry about the environment but don’t quite
know what you can do about it. Global warming, smog, the plight of the
manatees — we want to help but feel powerless to do anything really
meaningful. Well, don’t feel powerless anymore.
You don’t have to stand outside of the White House with a poster board
to make a difference (although that doesn’t hurt…). You can help the
environment and your wallet with some minor adjustments to the way you
live your daily life.
Yes, what you don’t hear on the news is that many environmentally
friendly actions are also incredibly budget friendly. In our consume
consume society, it seems almost unpatriotic to ask Americans to
consume less. The good news is, however, if you want to be rich and
save the world, you can do both at the same time.
I’ve compiled a listing of things you can personally do to save money
and help the earth. Some of these are easy. Others are drastic, but
incorporating just a few of these into your everyday life is certainly
better than doing nothing at all.
Around the House
The
Department of Energy estimates that powering one single-family house
for a year produces more pollution than driving a car. They also report
that most of that energy is wasted. Here are a few tips to bump your
bill a bit lower and reduce your impact on the environment.
1. Reuse food containers.
No need to buy Tupperware or gladware. Just reuse the plastic tubs and
bottles the food you buy already comes in. They’re especially handy for
storing bulk foods. I use an old cranberry juice bottle to store
jasmine rice I bought at Whole Foods. I use sour cream containers to
tote leftovers to work for lunch. Reusing food containers saves you
money and reduces your oil consumption. Yes, plastics are made from
petrochemicals, which come from oil.
2. Open the window. 44% of a home’s energy bill goes to heating and air conditioning. Save yourself some dough and opt for fresh air instead of the thermostat. You can shave serious dollars off of your electric bill and reduce your impact on the environment by turning the thermostat off and going au natural. If you can’t stomach the heat, set you’re A/C thermostat a few degrees higher, to at least 78. In the winter, suck it up and put on a sweater. The EPA estimates you save 6 percent more energy for each degree you raise the temperature in the summer, and each degree you lower it during the winter.
3. Wash your clothes with cold water.
Turning the washer setting to cold instead of hot can save you $160 a
year in energy costs. Setting the water to warm instead of hot reduces
your annual energy bill by $60.
4.Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs.
The next time a light bulb burns out, replace it with a compact
fluorescent bulb. They use 66 percent less energy than regular bulbs
and last about 10 times longer. They are more expensive upfront — a 4
pack costs about $10 or $12 at Home Depot — but you won’t have to
replace those bulbs for about 7 years. Over the long haul, they are
cheaper than regular bulbs plus they can lower your electric bill by up
to $20 a month.
The EPA estimates if every household in America replaced just one regular lightbulb with a compact fluorescent, it would be the equivalent of removing the pollution of 1 million cars on the road. Also, turn your lights off when you are not home or are not in the room. Your mom was right to bug you about that as a child.
5. Dry your clothes on the line.
Clothes dryers are the largest home energy users behind refrigerators.
Hang your clothes to dry on the line every once in a while, and you
will save yourself money. You may also make your clothes last longer —
over-drying shortens the lifespan of your favorite duds.
6. Buy used first. When
it comes to clothes,home decor, cars, anything. Try to buy used first.
It's the simplest form of recycling. When you guys used, new resources
aren't being used to make something. The energy, water, and materials
have already been spent to make something that's used, so you may as
well max it out and put it to use. This is as easy as swapping clothes
with your friends, freecycling, bartering or trading on Craigslist, or
thrift shopping.
At the office
1. Avoid being a scourge on the earth by investing in a sturdy coffee mug
and using that instead of the office Styrofoam cup every time you want
to hit the coffeepot. If you are a big water drinker, buy an
inexpensive plastic drinking glass at Target and use that instead of
disposable plastic cups.
2. Pack your lunch.
Eating out — even if it’s a $5 a day Subway sandwich— really adds up
over time. The packaging also produces a lot of waste. Pack your lunch
in a reusable container. It’ll save you money, it’s usually better for
you and you won’t generate as much garbage.
Around town
1. Walk or ride your bike.
I once shared an office with a girl who would get in her car to drive
three blocks to the deli. Don’t let this be you. Take the time to walk
or ride your bike instead of driving. Start slowly by cutting out one
car trip a week, whether it’s to work or to the corner store to pick up
some eggs. All those little trips add up. Even an occasional bike ride
or walk will get you into shape, cut your gasoline and parking bills,
and reduce smog and exhaust fumes in your city.
If
you are feeling adventurous and live within reasonable distance of your
job, bike to work. If that doesn’t appeal to you, consider public
transit.
4. Evaluate your car.
If you already have a gas-sipping ride, pat yourself on the back. No
matter what you drive, even a modest increase in fuel efficiency helps
the environment and will save you a lot of money over the car’s life.
Keep your car tuned up and get regular oil changes; this will increase
your fuel efficiency and save you maintenance money in the long run.
To
save more gas, roll the window down instead of using the air
conditioner; run all of your errands in one trip instead of on many
short trips; avoid peak traffic times whenever possible; and clean the
junk out of your car — the lighter the car, the less gas needed to run
it.
5. Trade in the SUV.
There’s no excuse to drive a gas–guzzler when W is trying to drill for
oil in the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge. Trade it in for a stylish, yet
gas-sipping model like a Civic, a Mini Cooper or a Prius. Plus, gals on
a budget should always be on the lookout for the best fuel economy.
Those trips to the pump really add up. My 1997 Honda Civic, according
to the EPA, gets between 37 and 44 miles per gallon and costs about
$773 a year in gasoline. My friend’s 2004 Jeep Liberty gets 19 to 24
miles per gallon and costs her $1471 each year in gas. Can you think of
better things to do with $698 a year? I can.
Don’t fret if you can’t afford to trade in your guzzler for a sipper
car just yet. Just buy a more economical one when the time comes. And,
even if you are driving a gas sipper, you can always do better on your
next car. I’ve got my sights set on a Prius hybrid.
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