Simple ideas for our planet
These are by no means comprehensive lists, but when we integrate these ideas into our daily lives we will have a significant positive impact on the planet.
Simple ideas for reducing consumption
- Use your pants to dry your hands (or use your hair or your shirt or your shorts).
- Avoid single use food and beverage containers.
- Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or washing your hands or lathering in the shower.
- Print less stuff.
- Use canvas shopping bags.
- Read your newspaper online.
- Don’t use straws or lids for your drinks unless you’re getting them to go.
- Rent tools rather than buying them.
- Take care of your stuff so that it lasts longer.
- Repair things rather than replacing them unless replacing saves so many resources that it’s better for the environment.
- Are you contemplating buying a truck for the few times a year when you go antiquing? Don’t. Instead, buy a fuel-efficient vehicle and rent a truck when you need it. You’ll save big on fuel, insurance, registration, and maintenance.
Simple ideas for reducing energy use
- Live close to work
- Ride a bike
- Take a bus
- Use an energy efficient car
- Carpool
- Take a train
- If you’re thinking of buying a truck for occasional use, consider owning a smaller car and then renting a truck when you need one. It can save you thousands of dollars!
- Drive more slowly.
- Use cruise control. It saves you gas and can help prevent tickets.
- Did you know that you can easily drive four kids around in a fuel efficient Corolla? It’s not even a Hybrid, but it seats five and it gets great gas mileage. But why stop there? Can you imagine how much more exercise everyone would be getting if we just walked or rode bikes some of the time? Or better yet most of the time.
- When you walk instead of driving, you are saving 100% of the energy that you would have used if you had driven. Just think of the savings!
- Maintain proper tire pressure. It improves gas mileage.
