Saturday, December 12, 2009

Let's volt in!

10 quick and painless things you can do to help save the climate

1. Disengage.
This also applies to transformers and voltage regulators. When left plugged or on standby, your home appliances are still using energy – and that’s energy you pay for that benefits no one. Hitting that power button and unplugging your appliances when not in use saves you roughly P2300 a year.

2. Whip out the clothesline.
Forego the clothes dryer and hang your laundry out in the sun to dry instead. Clothes dryers average 1,600 watts of energy per hour, so if you wash and dry your clothes every two weeks, that computes to around P120 slashed off your monthly electric bill.

3. Eat everything on your plate.
Or at least just take, cook or buy only as much food as you can finish. Uneaten food that goes straight to the garbage adds to the trash you produce, and when you reduce food waste you automatically decrease your carbon emissions.

4. Check your tire pressure constantly.
Optimal tire pressure helps your car burn fuel more efficiently. If you own a car and are looking to get more mileage from your vehicle, keeping your tires inflated right hits two birds with one stone – it reduces your carbon emissions while giving you more value for money.

5. Keep a close watch on your air filter.
Score another one for the motorists: replacing or cleaning out your air filters also helps your use your fuel more efficiently. You can have this done along with your tire pressure adjustments whenever you have your oil changed.

6. Better yet, travel on two wheels, or on your own two feet.
Walking or biking beats a fuel efficient vehicle every time. Because neither mode of transport requires the burning of fossil fuels, choosing the heel over the steering wheel is the best way to cut back on carbon while still getting to your destination.

7. The matter of meat.
Most Pinoys love eating meat so much that it’s a non-negotiable, even when it comes to climate advocacy. However, the slightest reduction in meat consumption can still impact your total carbon emission, so for every week, make at least 3 to 5 meals meat-less. Remember, a little effort goes a long way!

8. Spare the pulp.
Rainforests are Mother Nature’s very own carbon dioxide regulating systems. Without their gallant stewardship, we wouldn’t be here today! We need to keep them alive and flourishing if we want to stay in the game. So be it tissue, a note pad, office documents, paper coffee cups, or store paper bags, think twice – there is always an alternative to paper!

9. Lighten up.
You’ve probably deduced by now that the more fuel or energy efficient you are, the less carbon dioxide emissions you make. The same rule stands for lighting – fluorescent bulbs trump incandescent bulbs every time, which is win-win for everyone since it’s both carbon and cost efficient.

10. Shop wisely.
On your grocery or mall run, bring a sizable canvas tote and stash everything you buy inside. This saves you and the businesses you support on plastic bags. This habit not only reduces your waste but also lessens the need for production of problematic plastic.

let's do our share. click the link to learn more.

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