Take online
bill pay, for example: by paying your bills online, you
reduce paper waste and help save fuel consumption by the
trucks and planes that carry paper checks around the
country.
In fact, according to Javelin Strategy & Research, if
every American household paid their bills online, it
would cut solid waste by 1.45 billion tons and curb
greenhouse gas emission by 1.9 tons per year.
Here are a few other simple tips to help keep our
planet green:
- Inflate your tires. Increase your vehicles fuel
efficiency by ensuring that all your tires are
properly inflated.
- Turn off the lights. When you leave a room, turn
off lights and other energy consuming appliances.
- Change your bulbs. Switch to energy efficient
fluorescent bulbs that can last up to 10 times
longer and use 66% less energy than regular light
bulbs.
- Monitor your thermostat. Turning it up 3 degrees
in the summer and down 3 degrees in the winter could
prevent the emission of nearly 1,100 pounds of
carbon dioxide each year.
- Send eCards. Online greeting cards are a fun and
environmentally friendly alternative to paper cards.
For more information on things we can all do to help,
visit the US Department of Energy's consumer website at
www.doe.gov/generalinformation.
