save the environment and your wallet
Leonardo DiCaprio and Will Ferrell both drive a Prius, the not-so-cost-efficient hybrid vehicle that helps save the planet. Julia Roberts’ eco-friendly Malibu mansion, equipped with solar panels, recycled bathroom tiles and wood from sustainable forests cost her $20 million. Celebrities can afford these costly green solutions. But let’s face it, the average Joe can’t. Emptying your pockets is not the only way to preserve the world. If you think you can’t afford to go green, think again.
Stop pre-rinsing your dishes According to Consumer Reports, pre-rinsing your dishes wastes up to 20 gallons of water per load. A dripping faucet can emit just as much each day. Limit the water used on dirty pots and pans. Harvest rainwater to use in your garden.
Fix leaky toilets These leaks use up to 90,000 gallons of water a month. Also, try putting a water-filled plastic bottle into the cistern to reduce its water capacity.
Pay online You have the power to eliminate more than 800,000 tons of waste a year by simply receiving and paying your bills online.
Front AND back “Office workers use an average of 10,000 sheets of paper each year,” says Jasmin Robertson of Green Rocket, a media relations company devoted to social and environmental change. “Limit what you print and always print on front and back sides of sheets. You will find that it saves you money when you do not buy as much printing paper or ink.”
Roll it up If every household in the United States replaced one roll of regular paper towels with a roll of 100 percent recycled paper towel, we’d save 544,000 trees.
“If it’s yellow, let it mellow…” says infamous rocker, Dave Matthews, in a Rolling Stone interview. “If it’s brown, flush it down.” While a courtesy flush may seem like a good idea, it wastes a lot of water.
Get a library card Go to the library and check out a book instead of paying money for your own. It also saves on printing resources, according to the Worldwatch Institute.
Engines Elminate 550 pounds of carbon dioxide emission each year by simply turning off your car while waiting in a parking lot, instead of idling for 10 minutes. Keep your car maintenance updated. A well-tuned car burns less gasoline.
Unplug! While you’re sitting at home on your computer, keep in mind a computer screen saver uses up to 10 times more energy than one in sleep mode. When you are done using your computer, or any electronic device, turn it off.
Filter your water Invest in a water filter or a stainless steel water bottle so you’re buying fewer plastic bottles. A stainless steel bottle costs roughly $15 and lasts for years. Buying a new water bottle every day costs $2 each time—$730 a year!
Lose the lint Make an effort to clean your lint filters on your dryer, and you will be decreasing the energy you use per load by up to 30 percent. a
Kelly Jo Mitchell
And check out even more ways to save money.
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