Ways to Go Green

1. Save Energy

One easy action: Replace 4 lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs. This will eliminate 1800 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over the life of the bulbs.

2. Protect Our Water

One easy action: Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. This will save 4 gallons of water a day

3. Clean Our Air

Replace at least one trip a month with walking, bicycling or riding the bus. This will decrease carbon dioxide emission by 1,000 pounds.

4. Preserve Our Land

Plant or care for a city tree by watering, mulching, and removing litter. This will help to capture 3.6 pounds of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere.

5. Recylce and Reuse

Recycle ten aluminum cans a week. This will save enough energy to light a 100-watt incandescent bulb for 35 hours, or a 25-watt compact fluorescent bulb for 140 hours. Plus, it keeps the cans out of landfills.

More actions you can take to Save Energy:

• Buy Energy Star products and appliances.
• Turn lights and computers off when they are not in use.
• Clean your refrigerator coils. Dust on the coils located in the back of a refrigerator makes it less efficient.
• Change or clean the filters in your air conditioners and heaters.
• Use sleep mode on your computers at home and at the office. Turn them off at night.
• Open the dishwasher and air-dry dishes instead of using the hot air dry cycle. Only run the machine with full loads.
• Dry your laundry on a clothesline.
• Wash clothes on warm or cold cycle, not hot. Wash only full loads.
• Turn down your hot water heater to120F.
• Shorten showers by a few minutes to conserve hot water.
• Adjust thermostat when you leave the house (10F down in winter, 10F up in summer).
• Keep up with basic furnace maintenance. Have it professionally tuned and cleaned, and replace air filters regularly.
• Cook more efficiently. Cover pots, use a pressure cooker when appropriate, keep burners clean, cook several dishes at a time in the oven, and use a microwave to heat food.
• Keep drapes or blinds closed at night in winter and during the day in the summer to reduce heating and cooling needs.
• Install faucet aerators in sinks to reduce hot water use.
• Insulate the 4 ft of hot water pipes closest to hot water heater.
• Insulate all hot water pipes.
• Caulk and weatherstrip all your doors and windows.
• Have a professional seal your heating ducts to reduce the loss of heated air.
• Install a programmable thermostat.
• Eat one less beef meal per week. It takes far more energy to produce meat for consumption than it does to raise a crop.

More actions you can take to Protect Our Water:

• Install an efficient showerhead and low flow faucet aerators.
• Run the dishwasher and washing machine only when there is a full load, or use low water level features.
• Water your lawn in the early morning, when temperatures are cooler, to minimize evaporation.
• Repair dripping faucets and leaky toilets.
• Take your motor oil or household chemicals to city-sponsored household hazardous waste drop-off events for disposal. Do not pour them down the sewer drain.
• Disconnect your down spouts when appropriate.
• Don’t throw your old medicines down the drain. Look for a Perscription Drug Toss event in your area and keep those chemicals out of landfills and out of the water supply.

More actions you can take to Clean Our Air:

• Inflate car tires to the manufacturer’s recommended levels.
• Walk or ride a bicycle for short trips in your neighborhood.
• Do not warm up your car--idling releases emissions. Automatic transmissions do not need to be warmed.
• Use an electric or push lawn mower.
• Purchase low odor paints. These reduce the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or fumes in your home.
• Refuel when it’s cool. Refuel during the evenings or early in the morning when the air is cool.
• Stop at the “click.” Topping off your tank releases gas fumes into the air and cancels the benefits of the pump’s anti-pollution devices.
• Use a gas or electric grill instead of charcoal. Lighter fluid is harmful to the air. Maintain your propane tanks according to specifications.

More actions you can take to Preserve Our Land:

• Eliminate lawn and garden pesticides.
• Leave grass clippings on your lawn or compost them.
• Reduce disposable items by using canvas shopping bags, silverware and ceramic coffee mugs.
• Buy recycled products.
• Use rechargeable batteries.
• When it rains, let nature work for you and limit watering your lawn and/or garden.
• Cover plant beds with composted leaves or grass to help retain moisture and reduce the need for watering.
• Go organic. Most lawn and garden centers now offer several organic fertilizers and pesticides.
• Limit your lawn, and consider Low-Maintenance Landscaping. Most people over water their lawns, so consider planting native shrubs, ground covers or vegetables, which use less water.
• Plant trees to shade your house in the summer.

More actions you can take to Recycle & Reuse:

• Compost your food waste.
• Recycle your old computers, televisions and other electronics.
• Use curbside or drop off recycling where available.
• Pay your bills online to reduce paper.
• Choose products made with recycled content. Look for the chasing arrows symbol.
• Recycle newspapers, cans, and bottles.

Taken from Louisville Metro Government’s “Go Green” page on 4/7/2009. http://www.louisvilleky.gov/GoGreen/

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