go green

I got a 2009 calendar today. Medtronic orders calendars for all of their employees every year. You browse the Staples catalog and pick out whatever you want (desk, wall, pocket, etc or even all three if you want). And people wonder why Medtronic doesn't have enough money to give us a big bonus every year. But I digress. Anyway, concerned for my bonus, I opted for a plain, simple, cheap one. It's made out of recycled paper and for each month, they have a little "go green" tip. I thought I would share them. Keep in mind I don't necessarily agree or disagree with all of these. You can take 'em or leave 'em. :)

1. Buy locally- not only is it good for the local economy, it will save energy because products haven't traveled across the globe to get to you.

2. Avoid running large appliances during peak energy demand hours: 7-9 am and 4-7 pm.

3. Use ceramic coffee cups, plates, and silverware instead of disposables to reduce waste.

4. Using cruise control while driving can improve fuel efficiency by maintaining a consistent speed.

5. When not in use, cover your swimming pool or hot tub to reduce evaporation by 90%.

6. Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.

7. Set air conditioners at 78 degrees or higher to conserve energy and reduce cooling costs.

8. Plan ahead when driving by combining trips and errands to reduce cost on gas and its emissions in our environment.

9. Use the cool-down cycle to allow clothes to finish drying with the residual dryer heat to conserve energy.

10. An average of 30 gallons of water can be conserved if the water is turned off while washing dishes.

11. You can save several hundred dollars a year by using rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones.

12. Turning off your car engine wen you wait for more than 30 seconds will reduce pollution of gas.

And one of my own:

Start riding a bike! It's fun, really. And you lose weight. But please, wear a helmet. =D