(Thanx to Swathi for the article)
Well today is one of my friends birthday. So, lets do some good work!!! Pick your choice from 100 good deeds. ^_^
In Your Home – Conserve Energy
· Clean or replace air filters on your air conditioning unit at least once a month.
· If you have central air conditioning, do not close vents in unused rooms.
· Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120.
· Wrap your water heater in an insulated blanket.
· Turn down or shut off your water heater when you will be away for extended periods.
· Turn off unneeded lights even when leaving a room for a short time.
· Set your refrigerator temperature at 36 to 38 and your freezer at 0 to 5 .
· When using an oven, minimize door opening while it is in use; it reduces oven temperature by 25 to 30 every time you open the door.
· Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load so that it uses less energy.
· Unplug seldom used appliances.
· Use a microwave when- ever you can instead of a conventional oven or stove.
· Wash clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot.
· Reverse your indoor ceiling fans for summer and winter operations as recommended.
· Turn off lights, computers and other appliances when not in use.
· Purchase appliances and office equipment with the Energy Star Label; old refridgerators, for example, use up to 50 more electricity than newer models.
· Only use electric appliances when you need them.
· Use compact fluorescent light bulbs to save money and energy.
· Keep your thermostat at 68 in winter and 78 in summer.
· Keep your thermostat higher in summer and lower in winter when you are away
· Insulate your home as best as you can.
· Install weather stripping around all doors and windows.
· Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
· Plant trees to shade your home.
· Shade outside air conditioning units by trees or other means.
· Replace old windows with energy efficient ones.
· Use cold water instead of warm or hot water when possible.
· Connect your outdoor lights to a timer.
· Buy green electricity - electricity produced by low - or even zero-pollution facilities (NC Greenpower for North Carolina - www.ncgreenpower.org). In your home-reduce toxicity.
In Your Home – Reduce Toxicity
· Eliminate mercury from your home by purchasing items without mercury, and dispose of items containing mercury at an appropriate drop-off facility when necessary (e.g. old thermometers).
· Learn about alternatives to household cleaning items that do not use hazardous chemicals.
· Buy the right amount of paint for the job.
· Review labels of household cleaners you use. Consider alternatives like baking soda, scouring pads, water or a little more elbow grease.
· When no good alternatives exist to a toxic item, find the least amount required for an effective, sanitary result.
· If you have an older home, have paint in your home tested for lead. If you have lead-based paint, cover it with wall paper or other material instead of sanding it or burning it off.
· Use traps instead of rat and mouse poisons and insect killers.
· Have your home tested for radon.
· Use cedar chips or aromatic herbs instead of mothballs.
In Your Yard
· Avoid using leaf blowers and other dust-producing equipment.
· Use an electric lawn- mower instead of a gas-powered one.
· Leave grass clippings on the yard-they decompose and return nutrients to the soil.
· Use recycled wood chips as mulch to keep weeds down, retain moisture and prevent erosion.
· Use only the required amount of fertilizer.
· Minimize pesticide use.
· Create a wildlife habitat in your yard.
· Water grass early in the morning.
· Rent or borrow items like ladders, chain saws, party decorations and others that are seldom used.
· Take actions that use non hazardous components (e.g., to ward off pests, plant marigolds in a garden instead of using pesticide).
· Put leaves in a compost heap instead of burning them or throwing them away. Yard debris too large for your compost bin should be taken to a yard-debris recycler.
In Your Office
· Copy and print on both sides of paper.
· Reuse items like envelopes, folders and paper clips.
· Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.Use mailer sheets for interoffice mail instead of an envelope.
· Set up a bulletin board for memos instead of sending a copy to each employee.
· Use e-mail instead of paper correspondence.
· Use recycled paper.
· Use discarded paper for scrap paper.
· Encourage your school and/or company to print documents with soy-based inks, which are less toxic.
· Use a ceramic coffee mug instead of a disposable cup.
Ways To Protect Our Air
· Ask your employer to consider flexible work schedules or telecommuting.
· Recycle printer cartridges.
· Shut off electrical equipment in the evening when you leave work.
· Report smoking vehicles to your local air agency.
· Don't use your wood stove or fireplace when air quality is poor.
· Avoid slow-burning, smoldering fires. They produce the largest amount of pollution.
· Burn seasoned wood - it burns cleaner than green wood.
· Use solar power for home and water heating.
· Use low-VOC or water-based paints, stains, finishes and paint strippers.
· Purchase radial tires and keep them properly inflated for your vehicle.
· Paint with brushes or rollers instead of using spray paints to minimize harmful emissions.
· Ignite charcoal barbecues with an electric probe or other alternative to lighter fluid.
· If you use a wood stove, use one sold after 1990. They are required to meet federal emissions standards and are more efficient and cleaner burning.
· Walk or ride your bike instead of driving, whenever possible.
· Join a carpool or vanpool to get to work.
Ways to Use Less Water
· Check and fix any water leaks.
· Install water-saving devices on your faucets and toilets.
· Don't wash dishes with the water running continuously.
· Wash and dry only full loads of laundry and dishes.
· Follow your community's water use restrictions or guidelines.
· Install a low-flow shower head.
· Replace old toilets with new ones that use a lot less water.
· Turn off washing machine's water supply to prevent leaks.
Ways to Protect Our Water
· Revegetate or mulch disturbed soil as soon as possible.
· Never dump anything down a storm drain.
· Have your septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly.
· Check your car for oil or other leaks, and recycle motor oil.
· Take your car to a car wash instead of washing it in the driveway.
· Learn about your watershed.
Create Less Trash
· Buy items in bulk from loose bins when possible to reduce the packaging wasted.
· Avoid products with several layers of packaging when only one is sufficient. About 33 of what we throw away is packaging.
· Buy products that you can reuse.
· Maintain and repair durable products instead of buying new ones.
· Check reports for products that are easily repaired and have low breakdown rates.
· Reuse items like bags and containers when possible.
· Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.
· Use reusable plates and utensils instead of disposable ones.
· Use reusable containers to store food instead of aluminum foil and cling wrap.
· Shop with a canvas bag instead of using paper and plastic bags.
· Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently.
· Reuse packaging cartons and shipping materials. Old newspapers make great packaging material.
· Compost your vegetable scraps.
· Buy used furniture - there is a surplus of it, and it is much cheaper than new furniture.
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