Below are 10 Earth-friendly ways to help save you a little bit of money:
1. Use efficient lighting – compact fluorescent lights use 70% less energy and last 10x longer than standard bulbs
2. Adjust your thermostat – Set it two degrees higher in the summer and two degrees lower in the winter, and watch your energy use and utility bills decrease
3. Reduce phantom load – 40% of all electricity used by home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. Unplug chargers and use power strips to turn on/off home entertainment systems.
4. Conserve water indoors and outdoors – It takes a tremendous amount of electricity to treat and pump water. Saving water is one of the most important things you can do to help the environment
5. Plant a tree at home – Trees soak up CO2 and shade your home for lower summer energy needs
6. Drive less – Walk, ride a bike, carpool, take the bus and combine errands when you can
7. Keep your car tuned up – A poorly tuned engine wastes 10-20% of the fuel it uses. Low tire pressure can waste up to 5% of a tank of gas. A clogged air filter can cause a 10% increase in fuel consumption
8. Reduce, reuse, recycle – Create less waste by reusing or recycling items
9. Buy local – Most food is shipped and trucked 1500 miles or more to get to your store and your plate. Locally grown food tastes better too!
10. Talk – Raise awareness and action by talking with your friends, family and co-workers. Tell state and federal leaders you want meaningful climate protection policies now.
Info. courtesy of Austin Energy