20 Things YOU Can Do To Help The Earth
(printable copy of this list)
- Change 5 lights
Change a light, and you help change the world. Replace the conventional bulbs in your 5 most
frequently used light fixtures with bulbs that have the
ENERGY STAR label and you will help the environment while
saving money on energy bills. If every household in the U.S. took this one simple action we would
prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from nearly 10 million cars.
- Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products
When buying new products, such as appliances for your home, get the features and performance
you want AND help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Look for ENERGY STAR
qualified products
in more than 50 product categories, including
lighting,
home electronics,
heating and cooling equipment
and appliances.
- Heat and cool smartly
Simple steps like cleaning air filters regularly and having your heating and cooling equipment tuned
annually by a licensed contractor can save energy and increase comfort at home, and at the same time
reduce greenhouse gas emissions. When it's time to replace your old equipment, choose a high
efficiency model, and make sure it is properly sized and installed.
- Seal and insulate your home
Sealing air leaks and adding more insulation to your home is a great
do-it-yourself project.
The biggest leaks are usually found in the attic and basement. If you are planning to replace
windows, choose ENERGY STAR
qualified windows for
better performance. Forced air ducts that run through unconditioned spaces are often big energy
wasters.
Seal and insulate ducts
in attics and crawlspaces to improve the efficiency of your home.
Not sure where to begin? Go to the Energy Star
HOME ENERGY YARDSTICK.
Then, conider doing a home energy audit
can also help you find air leaks, areas with poor insulation, and evaluate the over-all energy
efficiency of your home. By taking these steps, you can eliminate drafts, keep your home more
comfortable year round, save energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reduce greenhouse gas
emissions.
- Plant a Garden, if can
Growing your own fruits and vegetables is not only rewarding, it’s nutritious and delicious!
Gardening is a great workout, and it's the ultimate in "local" produce, reducing the distance your
food travels to your backyard or lanai.
- Join the Movement to Push Hawai`i’s utilities to use green power
Green power is
environmentally friendly electricity that is generated from renewable energy sources such as wind
and the sun. Green power offers a number of environmental and economic benefits over conventional
electricity, including lower greenhouse gas emissions, and it helps increase clean energy supply.
- Plant trees
Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Create family and community projects, by planting trees in your yard, your neighborhood, and community. Trees beautify places, provide shade, and help the earth.
- Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
The stuff we throw away every year as solid waste
contributes to global warming.
The EPA also has great advice on how to reduce the amount of garbage we produce each year. Recycling
is of course a popular way to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. You can probably
find a community recycling center
near you in Honolulu and elsewhere in Hawaii. Use products in containers that can be recycled and
items that can be repaired or reused. In addition, support recycling markets by
buying products
made from recycled materials. Finally, once around is not enough! Consider buying used items:
clothing, cars, appliances, etc. instead of newly manufactured items, and donating usable items if
you no longer have a need for them.
- Be green in your yard
Greenscaping is the easy way to a greener, healthier yard. Use a push mower, which, unlike a
gas or electric mower, consumes no fossil fuels and emits no greenhouse gases. If you do use a power
mower, make sure it is a mulching mower to reduce grass clippings. Composting your food and yard
waste reduces the amount of garbage that you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
See EPA’s GreenScapes
program for tips on how to improve your lawn or garden while also benefiting the environment. Smart
landscaping can save energy, save you money and reduce your household’s greenhouse gas emissions.
- Use water efficiently
Saving water around the home is simple. Municipal water systems require a lot of energy to purify
and distribute water to households, and saving water, especially hot water, can lower greenhouse gas
emissions. Look for products with EPA's
WaterSense label; these
products save water and perform as well or better than their less efficient counterparts. There are
also simple actions you can take to save water. Be smart when irrigating your lawn or landscape;
only water when needed and do it during the coolest part of the day, early morning is best. Turn the water off while shaving or
brushing teeth. Do not use your toilet as a waste basket - water is wasted with each flush.
And did you know a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day? Repair all toilet and
faucet leaks right away. See EPA's
WaterSense site for
more water saving tips.
- Reduce your own energy use
Be mindful of your personal electricity use. Turn off lights when you leave a room; don’t leave the
coffee pot on after the coffee is brewed – use a thermos to keep the coffee warm; use power strips
that you can turn off to reduce ‘phantom power’ waste.
- Spread the Word
Tell family and friends that energy efficiency is good for their homes and good for the environment
because it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Tell 5 people and together we can help
our homes help us all.
- Buying a new car?
Consider a fuel smart car, hybrid or other high efficiency vehicle. Did you know there is a federal
tax credit for certain qualifying fuel-efficient vehicles? Go to
www.fueleconomy.gov for more information.
- Ride a bike
Better yet, give your car a rest and give your body a workout! Cycling is great exercise; you can
see your neighborhood from a different perspective; and meet other great cyclists.
- Walk more
Or take stroll through neighborhood. Meet your neighbors, walk to work, get your daily fitness
workout by walking to keep your heart healthy, your body trim, and your mind active!
- Consolidate your errands
Plan your day’s errands and appointments ahead of time. Map out a route so that you accomplish all
that you need to do in one trip instead of many short hops that waste gas, energy, and time.
- Give your car a day off – take the bus!
Start by giving your car a day off once a week. You may find that the bus is more convenient and you
meet some great folks on the ride!
- Calculate your own individual emissions
Individuals can produce greenhouse gas emissions directly by burning oil or gas for home heating or
indirectly by using electricity generated from fossil fuel burning. Calculate your
individual emissions
and see where you can cut back.
- Practice the 100-mile rule – BUY LOCAL!
Make a commitment to get your food and other commodities from local growers and dealers who live
within 100 miles of you.
- Encourage your employers to use Energy Star products, efficient lighting and lower the air
conditioning
Students at Saunders Hall at UH Manoa, led by a dynamic young student named Shanah Trevenna, have
taken this issue to heart and have created a group called
Sustainable Saunders. Their first
action was to do an energy audit of the entire building. They empowered students on each floor to
take responsibility for their own floors.
Their findings:
— The lighting was too bright, which negatively impacted the students’ study habits.
— The rooms were too cold, which also negatively impacted the students’ studies.
What they did:
— They removed lights from the fixtures – RESULT: Students had fewer headaches.
— They raised the thermostat temperature. RESULT: lower energy bills and more comfortable rooms.
— They installed a micro wind-turbine – with a horizontally spinning blade – atop Saunders Hall.