Living In My Own World

50 Things You and I Can Do Today to Save Our Planet

Thanks so much to Celsias for bringing this list to my attention.  (Adapted from the original list found at GlobalWarmingFacts.info)

Global warming is a dramatically urgent and serious problem. We don’t need to wait for governments to solve this problem. Each one of us can make a significant contribution by adopting a more responsible lifestyle - starting with little, everyday things. In fact, how you live and ‘consume’ will greatly shape our economies, and apply upward pressure on our leaders.

Here is a list of 50 simple things that everyone can do in order to fight against and reduce the Global Warming phenomenon: some of them are at no cost, some other require a little investment but can help you save a lot of money, in the middle-long term!

1. Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
   CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
2. Install a programmable thermostat
   Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill. If you don’t have central heating - get a cheap timer plug(s) for your heating appliance(s). During hot summer days, close your curtains to keep the house cooler. In winter, dress well rather than turn the heat up!
3. Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
   Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment. The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy has more tips for saving energy on heating and cooling.
4. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
   Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
5. Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
   Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most efficient models available.
6. Don’t leave appliances on standby - Unplug them!
   Appliances left plugged in are like a vampire on our grid. A TV set that’s switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode. Switch your TV and other appliances off completely - don’t use standby modes. Also, even appliances that are switched off can draw power from the grid (called ‘phantom load‘). Unplugging your appliances completely eliminates this waste (using multiboards enables you to unplug several appliances in one hit).
7. Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
   You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C.
8. Move your fridge and freezer
   Placing them next to the cooker or boiler consumes much more energy than if they were standing on their own. For example, if you put them in a hot cellar room where the room temperature is 30-35ºC, energy use is almost double and causes an extra 160kg of CO2 emissions for fridges per year and 320kg for freezers. Lighten the load - keep them in a cool place.
9. Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly
   Even better is to replace them with newer models, which all have automatic defrost cycles and are generally up to two times more energy-efficient than their predecessors.
10. Don’t let heat escape from your house over a long period
    When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2 emissions.
11. Replace your old single-glazed windows with double-glazing
    This requires a bit of upfront investment, but will halve the energy lost through windows and pay off in the long term. If you go for the best the market has to offer (wooden-framed double-glazed units with low-emission glass and filled with argon gas), you can even save more than 70% of the energy lost.
12. Get a home energy audit
    Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.
13. Cover your pots while cooking
    Doing so can save a lot of the energy needed for preparing the dish. Even better are pressure cookers and steamers: they can save around 70%!
14. Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full, or, not at all!
    If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting. There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures. Ideally, don’t use dishwashers or dryers at all! Dishwashers use an excessive amount of water and energy, and rob the family of one of the rare moments in modern life when they can work and talk together.
15. Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
    Instead of using a dryer, that shortens the life of your clothing, line dry your clothes - or if weather and/or circumstances don’t allow, use a clotheshorse to dry indoors.You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.

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Photographed in Khajurahu, India

(Click photo to enlarge) 

Taken on my recent trip to Kajurahu, India next to one of the many beautiful Kama Sutra temples.