Here are some tips on how we can do our part to tip the scales toward a better environment.

Water - Every Drop Counts!

• Overall, always ask yourself if water going down the drain could be used for other purposes.
• Do not run water while you brush your teeth - saves 3 - 5 gallons.
• Try to use less water in the tub when taking a bath, filling it half way saves 10 - 15 gallons.
• Turn off the shower when "lathering" up with soap, turning it back on to rinse - a shower uses as much as 10 gallons a minute.
• Make sure the dishwasher is full before running it - dishwashers use 8 - 12 gallons per load.
• Do not run the water while doing dishes in the sink.
• Do not use the toilet as a wastebasket - a toilet uses around 5 gallons every flush.

Electricity - Power to the Environment = Power to the People

• Overall, always ask yourself if electricity is in use unnecessarily.
• Turn off lights when they're not in use.
• Turn the power off of VCRs, DVD players, and stereos when they're not in use.
• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs - they are more expensive but the savings from energy efficiency add up quickly.
• Use motion-detector lighting outside rather than leaving lights on.
• Check the temperatures in your refrigerator, so they're not set too low - the fresh food section should be between 37 and 40 degrees, and the freezer should be 5 degrees.
• Keep range tops clean - heating chunks of food over and over uses energy. (This tip applies to gas ranges, too!)

Gasoline - Fuel for Thought

• Overall, try to drive/ride less by walking, by combining multiple errands into one trip, and/or by carpooling.
• Keep tires fully inflated.
• Remove unnecessary weight from the trunk or back of the vehicle.
• Drive the speed limit - every mile per hour over 55 decreases fuel efficiency.
• Accelerate gradually, don't "gun it" when the vehicle is stopped.
• Keep the engine tuned up regularly and change the oil.

Solid Waste - Keep Landfills from Filling

• Overall, try to reuse materials before throwing them away. If you can't reuse them, recycle whenever you can.
• Instead of throwing away plastic utensils you may take to school, wash them and use them again and again.
• If you take too many napkins from a restaurant, keep the extras to use later.
• Use canvas bags for shopping, or if you have no canvas bags, reuse paper and/or plastic bags.
• When purchasing only a few items, request that the clerk not use a bag.
• Use reusable plastic containers instead of zip-top plastic bags.
• Compost fruit and vegetable peelings, grass clippings, coffee grounds, egg shells, and other materials that can be composted.