How "Green" Are You?!?!

[Ragnarok]

Do you accomplish any of the following, or give a good effort at it:

1) Turn the water off while shaving or brushing your teeth?
2) Wait to have a full load of laundry or a full load in your dishwasher before turning it on?
3) Do you conserve water by washing your car at a recycled water area?
4) Are you selective when and how you water your landscaping and flowers?
5) Do you garden using organic materials and pesticides?
6) When there is a water shortage in your area, do you realllllllyyyyyy cooperate or do you sneak out and use the water?
7) Have you switched over to the low energy light bulbs? Expensive, but, maybe even only one bulb a month?
8) What do you keep your a/c set on while home, or away from home? Have you changed your a/c filters, cleaned out the air ducts, and, did your yearly maintenance?
9) Do you pull your blinds or curtains during the hottest parts of the day, and turn on your ceiling fans to recirulate the air?
10) Did you know that most area power companies will come out to your home or apartment FREE OF CHARGE and inspect your home for possible energy leaks/waste areas, and, give you a report complete with how to fix the problem and save on energy bills??!

Just some food for thought....since we live on the water, I try hard to monitor what goes out into the Bay. We were just levied with a fifty percent increase on our electric bills! YEWOOOOOOOWWW. Baltimore has a had a huge increase as well. Not sure what it is like in your area? Believe me, I have seen an extra eighty bucks this past month, and, I was GONE for over two weeks. Any other energy saving tips you all can share would be great! :wave:

 

[K Ma]

1. I have always turned off the water while brushing my teeth

2. I always have a full load of laundry or a full load for the dishwater. I also started washing everything but whites in cold water.

3. LOL Like I have time to wash the car!

4. We just did our very first landscaping so we are new at this.....

5. We are getting ready to buy weed killer and it will be environ friendly

6. We havent been in a water shortage situation, but we would abide. Water is a little more important than the looks of our lawn & flowers

7. We are slowly but surely switching to the new light bulbs

8. Our AC is set on 75 while we are here and 80 while we are away We change our filters monthly

9. We do close our blinds in the front room because the sun really beats down on the house in the afternoon.

10 No I didnt! Thanks Rags!

 

[callmeCrazyButt]

1. yes
2. yes
3. No...never heard of such a thing
4. Absolutely
5. I don't garden...except flowers and I don't use pesticide on them
6. I don't recall ever being in an area that has had water shortages
7. I only have a few of these
8. I like fresh air so I use the a/c as little as possible. Plus I have a pool to cool down in.
9. My blinds are all closed now, but I normally have them all open
10 I did not know about that.

 

[K Ma]

1. yes
2. yes
3. No...never heard of such a thing
4. Absolutely
5. I don't garden...except flowers and I don't use pesticide on them
6. I don't recall ever being in an area that has had water shortages
7. I only have a few of these
8. I like fresh air so I use the a/c as little as possible. Plus I have a pool to cool down in.
9. My blinds are all closed now, but I normally have them all open
10 I did not know about that.

Because you lost your tree in the storm and those nosy neighbors sitting on their porch can see in while they smoke a carton.

 

[sugarbean]

1) yes

2) yep and when doing laundry I use the cold water cycle with regular detergent, it works just as well.

3) if there was one in this area I would...and if I got my car washed regularly

4) the rain waters my lawn. I water my garden with a watering can that I fill myself (mixed with a little miracle gro) ...takes about a gallon and a half of water each day.

5) yes

6) It hasn't been an issue, but I don't use much water.

7) I have some low energy bulbs...the problem is they flicker like fluorescent lights and due to neuro problems I can't be around them too much.

8) The a/c is always on, but we do the yearly maintenance, and I clean the filters every 3-4 months.

9) Our blinds are always closed to keep the house cooler. I cannot stand the heat!

10) I did not know that! I will have to call them!

 

[Ragnarok]

Just read these ideas in my monthly bill insert. My bill was up despite my being away from home, the new energy hike is in effect:

Your water heater is the third highest energy expense in your home. If the water temperature is set at 140°F, turning it down to 120°F will save a few dollars each month.

Using a microwave to cook meals uses about half the energy of a conventional oven.

Washing clothes in cold water instead of hot is another energy saving tip that can save you about $50 per year.

Another way to save energy in the laundry room is to put a dry towel in the dryer with each load of wet clothes. The towel will absorb dampness and reduce drying time, saving energy and money.

If you have a crawl space, inspect it regularly to ensure that the insulation inside is dry. When insulation gets wet, its optimal effectiveness is significantly reduced. Be sure to find the source of the moisture and replace any damaged insulation.

Vacuum the coils on your refrigerator at least every three months. The dirt build-up makes the refrigerator work harder to keep the contents cool and therefore uses more energy.

Don’t keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures: 38 degrees F. to 40 degrees F. for fresh food compartments of the refrigerator; 5 degrees F. for the freezer compartment. Separate freezers for long-term storage should be kept at zero degrees F. Open the refrigerator or freezer door only when necessary, and don’t hold it open any longer than necessary.

When buying a dishwasher, look for an energy-efficient model with air power and/or overnight dry settings. These features automatically turn off the dishwasher after the rinse cycle. This can save you up to 10 percent of your dishwashing energy costs.

Use cold water rather than hot to operate your food disposal. Cold water also helps get rid of grease by solidifying it, so it can then be ground up and washed away.

Insulate your attic floor or top-floor ceiling to a minimum of R-49 for these spaces. R-values or numbers indicate the resistance of an insulation material to heat flow. The higher the R-number, the more effective the insulating capability. R-values appear on the packages of insulation materials.


WOW!!! Forgot about the fridge coils! Yewwwww I hate to see what is under there now!