Energy saving tips/being greener tips?

Question

hello im making a book for a uni project about being environmentally friendly id like to know all the ways you try to help the environment

Answer 1

recycle stuff, use energy efficient light bulbs, use less heating(therefore less co2) by putting insulation in your house and placing silver foil or something silver behind radiators to reflect heat, travel using a bike, walking or public transport(to reduce the number of individual cars), don't burn fossil fuels, have a compost heap, use recycled/biodegradeable objects, re-use plastic bags, collect rainwater using a water butt to use on your garden(rather than using piped water). can't think of anything else at the mo. gd luck!

Answer 2

hmm....maybe paint your face green. Sure, if your into saving energy, use different sources of it, flourescent lights, blablabla, but don't make anyone else do it! and don't put government in charge of regulating anything, cuz they'll s***w up bigtime.

Answer 3

OK, so far in our household:

- Ecoballs, so we can wash laundry using no detergents (mother and mother in law got these for Mother's Day too)

- dryer balls, to reduce the tumble drying time (I know, I know, I should put them on a line but I really don't like that!)

- compost bins for all our kitchen and garden organic waste

- low energy light bulbs

- using special cleaning cloths that don't need sprays/cleaners

- water butts fitted to every down pipe

- giving the Tescos delivery man all the carrier bags back so they can recycle them

- glass and tins going in the council recycling box

- all TVs turned off properly, not on standby

- car converted to LPG

....but, I confess to still wanting a bath full of piping hot water to soak in regularly! Sod showers.

Answer 4

Hi!  This is a good question because I can focus on what we do, and perhaps then I shall think of further things we could do!  At the moment:

Although we're both drivers, we no longer own a car, but use the public transport, or cycle, instead. (Yes, we could afford a one, but choose not to, as a car is no longer an essential for us - although having one would sometimes make life easier!).

Use solar energy power for our hot water

Use low energy, long-life light bulbs (the spiral ones)

Always turn lights off when leaving a room

Only put just enough water in electric kettle when using

Never leave TV, PC, etc., running on standby and always turn off when not watching/using

Always save water that might be wasted and use it for watering the garden, or garden pots, eg.,when running the tap and waiting for the hot water, etc.

Always shower - never bath

Only use the washing machine for full loads

When washing clothes that simply need 'freshening', ie., not actually dirty in the true sense, only use 30 degree wash

Recycle everything that is recyclable, including the re-use of plastic bags

Never use a wash dryer

Never burn fossil fuels

Can't think of anything else, but will be watching the other answers to give me ideas.  I know some say that being 'green' as an individual is fruitless, but I really don't like waste, and once started on the 'energy saving road' it really does become addictive; the idea of reverting back to our earlier behaviours is unthinkable! Good luck with your project!

Answer 5

use BOTH sides of the toilet paper?

Answer 6

by recycling your plastic,glass,metal,clothing

buy solar panels,turn the tap off when not using it, only fill the kettle as much as you need, wash your clothes at 30.c, walk or get a bike, buy energy saving light bulbs and always turn lights off when you dont need them on.you can also recycle your waste food and make it into compost how loverly

Answer 7

This is an excellent question and a great idea for you book and project. These are my own ways of helping.

1) Use of energy saving lightbulbs. These save both energy and money on fuel bills- eg. an 11W energy saving bulb produces light equivalent to a 60W ordinary bulb and lasts 8 times as long; in the same way, 15W bulb is equivalent to a 75W ordinary bulb and a 20W energy saving bulb produces light equivalent to 100W.

2) Recycling household waste (separating paper, plastic, aluminium cans, food waste, composting, etc).

3) using a cooking basket (based on traditional hay-box technology) where a thickly padded basket acts like a thermos to help cook food. (you can find more info about this at the Cooking in a Basket website (http://cookinginabasket.blogspot.com).

4) If I have to use a car then I share rides with neighbours and friends or work colleagues. A shared taxi service also helps rather than running more than 1 vehicle to the same destination.

5) Trying to find ways of discouraging unsolicited mail through your letter box at home and at the office. Think of all the trees you could help to save!

6) Use recycled paper and don't unnecessarily waste paper

7) Insulate my house, hot water pipes, around windows, etc.

8) Use renewable energy in the form wind power and back up inverter (battery system).

9) Turning light off in rooms that aren't being used, not leaving the gas or electricity or electricity stove on for too long (eg when the kettle boils, cover saucepans with a lid when cooking, use a steamer set so that fewer gas rings need to be used when cooking)

10) Use a smaller water cystern for the toilet so that less water is flushed each time. Flush a little less frequently.

11) Use a charity shop for buying/recycling clothes. Don't be afraid to buy clothes from a charity shop, many items are of good quality and in good condition and by using them, you are also helping out the charity in the process.

There are other ways, but I hope these are enough for you to be going on with.

Answer 8

Only buy energy star products like energy-saving light bulbs, don't drive a gas hogging SUV, walk or ride a bike instead of driving, carpool.

Answer 9

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Well, here's what I did. I bought an electric car.

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A couple years ago I spotted an electric car for sale on eBay. On a whim, I bought it - it only cost me $2000. It took another couple thousand to fix up the rust and replace the batteries (it's quite old, from 1981.)

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But now I drive it to and from work every day. It gets about 4 miles to the kilowatt-hour, and there is a special off-peak electric rate available here for charging (overnight) of only 3 cents per KWH. So that's less than ONE PENNY per mile!

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It does freeway speeds, and looks and handles like a normal car. The battery pack is good for 20,000 miles, and costs $800 to replace, so that's another 4 cents per mile. Total cost of driving, 5 cents per mile - way cheaper than gas.

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Why is electricity so much cheaper than gas? Because electric cars are several times more efficient than gas vehicles. This also means that more miles can be driven on less fuel (and far less pollution per mile is created, even when dirty fuel is burned at powerplants.)

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And there's almost no maintenance! The electric motor has only one moving part - there's no oil changes, no filters, timing belts, spark plugs, coolant, none of that stuff. My motor still has all the original parts from 1981 - it has never needed service!

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I made a webpage - a picture of my car is at the top. Here's some info on how to find inexpensive electric cars:

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http://www.squidoo.com/cheap-electric-ca...

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Answer 10

Let's see, what we do to be "green":

* recycle items we use that can be

* bought energy efficient washer and dryer with moisture sensor

* hang clothes to dry much of the time

* use non-toxic cleaning agents

* walk rather than drive when we're not going far and don't have lots of stuff to carry

* use cfl's

* bring our own canvas bags to supermarket

* try to buy products made of recycled material

* try to buy less "stuff"

* support local farmer's markets

* keep thermostat low-ish in winter/ fans rather than air in summer

That's all I can think of right now.

Answer 11

use economy washes on washing machines and dishwashers. i do this and they do work just as well plus it will save you money. also when buying apliances buy a rated or even better a plus rated ones

Answer 12

why bother when its not the individual causeing the major enviromental problems, its the hard headed government and coperations who still use fossil fuels to create electricitywhen wind solar even tidal technology  is readly avalible to create cheap enviromental friendly power also cutting the green house gasses by more then a 3rd and brazil allowin there people to burn forest for farmland that becomes leached within a short time span man what differnce is one extra car when they just burn enough **** to power thousands of cars and shiit they can make everything electrical powered but then all the rich lose mony.

Answer 13

CFLS!

Compact fluorescent lights!  They are the WAY TO GO!

That and we recycle our paper and plastics.