WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING

List courtesy of Chuck Tooley.

Opportunities abound ... at home, with your car, while shopping and traveling ... to help reduce global warming.  To raise your own awareness, you can place an  X  next to those items you have done or are already doing and use the rest of the list as a memory jogger.

 YOUR HOME

1.  Get an energy audit for your home or business. 
2. Make sure your home is insulated properly.
3. Invest in a programmable thermostat.
4. Turn your thermostat down 2 degrees in the winter and up 2 degrees in the summer.
5. Use home air conditioning sparingly.
6. Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning.
7. Use kitchen and bathroom venting fans sparingly to reduce heat loss in winter.
8. Close doors and heating/cooling vents of spare rooms in your house.
9. Open or close blinds on South-facing windows to let heat in or keep it out.
10. As appliances need to be replaced, purchase energy efficient models.
11. Turn off lights, appliances and computers when you are not using them.
12. Whenever practical, unplug electronic devices when you are not using them. Up to 75% of energy is consumed by "phantom draw" when devices are off!  (Plug into power strips with switches.)=
13. Install compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs in your home.
14. Turn the temperature of your hot water heater down to 120 degrees.
15. Insulate your hot water heater.
16. Install low flow showerheads.
17. Take shorter showers.
18. Turn your water heater to its lowest setting (or off) when you travel.
19. Use the energy saver setting on your dishwasher.
20. Wait until you have full loads before running dishwashers and washing machines.
21. Use cold or warm water to wash clothes.
22. Adjust your irrigation system for upcoming weather.
23. Enroll in paperless billing for utilities and credit cards.
24. Remove yourself from junk mail lists at http://www.newdream.org/junkmail/
25. Print on both sides of paper when feasible. Follow this sequence on your screen:"file", "print", "properties", "finishing", "print on both sides"
26. Stop your newspaper when you travel.    Read it on line.
27. Use digital cameras instead of disposable ones.
28.  Buy rechargeable batteries.
29.  Buy organic foods and clothes.

YOUR CAR

1. Drive less.  Walk or ride a bike whenever possible.
2. Carpool or use public transportation.
3. Make your next new car a hybrid.
4. Drive slower. Energy efficiency decreases by 2% for every MPH that you drive over 60 MPH.'
5. Use cruise control.
6. Keep your tires inflated to recommended pressure.
7.  Follow maintenance schedule recommended in owner's manual.
8.  Remove unnecessary items from your car to reduce weight.

REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE

1. Participate in your community's recycling program.
2. Donate usable clothing and household items to thrift stores/salvation army.
3. Buy used items from thrift/salvation army stores.
4. Buy products that have less packaging.
5. Buy fresh foods instead of packaged foods when feasible.
6. Ask your grocery bagger to FILL your bags.
7. Say "No, thank you" to bags if you only have an item or two.
8. Take your own reusable bags to the grocery store.

OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO

1. Plant trees ... especially if you burn wood!
2. Leave healthy trees standing.
3. Buy acres of tropical rainforests.  http://www.rainforest.org/help/save-an-acre.html
4. Compost food scraps so they are not transported to landfills.
5. Stay at hotels that are members of the Green Association.
6. Use the courtesy van at your hotel.
7. Turn A/C, heat and lights off in your hotel room.
8. Pack a night light for children instead of leaving the bathroom light on in your hotel  room.