Eco-Friendly Home and Office Tips

Use Energy Saving Appliances and Equipment
Consider the environmental costs of major decisions and purchases.

Using energy efficient designs, ENERGY STAR appliances and equipment help save energy allowing them to use less energy to perform regular tasks. ENERGY STAR labeled computer use 70% less electricity than computers without this designation and automatically adjusts to a low-power mode when not in use.

Energy Efficient Commuting
Use innovative ways to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on your way to and from work.

One-third of all traffic is commuters. When possible use alternative transportation. Use less energy for your commute by switching to public transportation, carpooling, biking or telecommuting. Encourage your employer to offer commuter benefits that address limited or expensive parking, reduce traffic congestion, improve employee recruiting and retention and minimize the environmental impacts associated with drive-alone commuting. If you must drive, to save fuel and lower emissions go slower and be sure tires are properly inflated. Also, when relocating or changing jobs try to live close to work. You can check the fuel efficiency of your vehicle using EPA’s and DOE’s fuel economy Web site (http://www.fueleconomy.gov).

Green Power
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.

The sun and wind are renewable energy sources that can be used to generate environmentally friendly electricity. Buying green power is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your organization’s environmental performance. Partnering with the EPA can help organizations lower the transaction costs of buying green power, reduce its carbon footprint, and communicate its leadership to key stakeholders. There are also a number of steps you can take to make your home greener. Modify your house to generate your own green power by installing solar panels and taking advantage of incentives offered for renewable energy in your state.  

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost

Help conserve energy and reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal.

Avoiding extra packaging saves both energy and landfill space. Reusing packaging material saves more energy than recycling. Recycle office paper, newspapers, beverage containers, electronic equipment and batteries.

Yard and kitchen waste (leaves/grass/vegetable scraps) are 30% of trash. This amount can be reduced by composting. Biodegradable products have the ability to break down rather quickly and safely into the raw materials of nature and dissipate into the environment. Sustainable disposal of any product requires that its wastes are returned to the earth and able to biodegrade.

Heating & Cooling
Save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in your home or office by implementing effective measures for cutting energy costs.

Lower your thermostat in the winter. Raise it in the summer. Keep air filters clean and have heating and cooling equipment serviced regularly by a licensed contractor. When replacing old equipment, choose a high efficiency model and make sure it’s installed properly.

Sealing and insulating ducts in attics and crawlspaces will improve the efficiency of a home. When replacing windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified windows for better performance. Getting a home energy audit will help detect air leaks, identify poorly insulated areas and will evaluate the over-all energy efficiency of your home or office.

Lighting & Controlling Energy Use
Decrease your office expenses, lower your energy bills and operate more efficiently by cutting back on unnecessary energy use.

Shut off unnecessary lights throughout the day and at night or installing motion-activated sensors. By replacing conventional bulbs with ENERGY STAR bulbs will not only help save money it will help save the environment. Unplug electronics from the wall when you are not using them. Even when turned off computers and other electronic devices still use small amounts of energy.

Water Conservation
Municipal water systems require a lot of energy to purify and distribute water. Conserving water can help lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Saving water around the home and in the office is easy. Get in the habit of turning the water off while shaving or brushing your teeth. Water the lawn or landscape during the coolest part of the day and only when needed. Don’t let faucet and toilet repairs go unattended. A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day! Look for products with EPA’s WaterSense label.  

Purchase Eco-Friendly Supplies
Stock your home and office with products that are made from recycled materials, are biodegradable or have reduced chemical content.

Finding eco-friendly supplies has never been easier! Buy only post-consumer recycled paper products, including journals and supplies such as paper towels, tissues, toilet paper and even break-room provisions.

School
Teachers and faculty members should continue to learn about and teach students about the impacts of climate change and the effect it has on the planet.

It’s important to educate our youth as to how their actions and decisions today might impact their future and the wellbeing of our planet. They need to be made aware of steps they can take to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by generating renewable energy. Student campaigns should be established to develop ways to decrease their emissions and help increase energy efficiency on campus.

While at school every student should understand and utilize a reducing, reusing and recycling regimen. These effective programs will help children understand that they are responsible for their actions and how their actions can have a direct effect on other circumstances.

Students should be taught about the potential effects global warming could have on ecosystems, wildlife and their habitats.

Reduce Plastic Bag Consumption
Start using reusable shopping bags. Refuse a bag. If you don’t need one, don’t take one. Reuse plastic bags you have accumulated as garbage liners. 


Outdoors
Composting your food and yard waste reduces the amount of garbage that you send to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Smart Landscaping can save energy, save you money and reduce your household’s greenhouse gas emissions.
 
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.

Plant a tree with a child

Teaching children to love and care for the planet is the most important thing we can do to insure the future of humankind. Trees beautify an area and clean the air. Take a walk in the woods, or plant trees which store CO2.

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.