Give Green – Live Green – Get Green

Here are some simple suggestions you can follow to help reduce your environmental impact, save money, and live a healthier life.

1. Save energy to save money.

• Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter to save on heating costs.
• Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older bulbs burn out.
• Unplug appliances when you're not using them. Alternatively, use BITS Ltd. smart power strips that stop electricity from flowing to electronics like printers and scanners when they’re not in use. For more information visit www.bitsltd.net.
• Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.
• Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.

2. Save water to save money.

• Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.
• Install low-flow shower heads: Not only will they cut your water usage by 20,000 gallons per year, but they’re inexpensive and could save you 10 to 16 percent of your water heating costs.
• Fill your garden with indigenous plants that need only minimal watering. Find out which occur naturally in your area.
• Fix all drips and leaks on taps around the house and garden.

3. Less gas = more money (and better health!).

• Walk or cycle to work. This saves on fuel and parking costs while improving your cardiovascular health.
• If you must use your car, share your ride. Find a drive buddy in your local paper and start sharing fuel costs.
• Keep your car tuned. A well-tuned car uses approximately 9% less fuel than a poorly tuned car. You can also lose about two percent in fuel economy for every pound of pressure your tire is under the recommended level.
• When picking up your kids from school, turn your car off instead of idling in the parking lot. Idling 10 minutes less per day can keep 550 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air every year. For more information visit www.enginesoff.org.

4. Eat smart.

• If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week. Meat costs a lot at the store-and it's even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.
• Buy locally produced and organic meat, eggs, and dairy whenever you can. Purchasing from local farmers keeps money in the local economy.
• Buy in bulk. This will not only allow you to save money, but also save in the amount of packaging you use.

5. Skip the bottled water.

• Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying expensive bottled water that generates lots of container waste.
• Make use of a reusable water bottle when travelling or at work.
• Fill your garden with indigenous plants that need only minimal watering. Find out which occur naturally in your area.
• Fix all drips and leaks on taps around the house and garden.

6. Borrow instead of buying.

• Get a library card and borrow books instead of buying personal books and movies. This saves money, not to mention the ink and paper that goes into printing new books.
• Share power tools and other appliances. Get to know your neighbours while cutting down on the number of things cluttering your garage.