Created by Simply Living's Peak Oil & Global Warming Learning Group
GENERAL- The Three R's - Reduce (1st) -- Re-use (2nd) -- Recycle (last)
- Buy local (choose local over non-local - food, restaurant, grocery, bank,…anything)
- Move to less energy-consuming residence
- Move to a walkable/sustainable neighborhood
- Use more efficient means of transport
- Ride bicycle instead
- Walk instead
- Take mass transit instead
- Car pool
- Take better mileage car (including hybrid)
- Limit car use to fewer days per week
- Combine errands into one car trip
- Telecommute
- Grow food
- Buy a greater percentage of less-energy-to-create foods
- meat requires more energy than almost all non-meat foods
- organic local is best; local non-organic next;
organic non-local is next; non-organic, non-local is last
(Average grocery item travels 1,200 - 1,500 miles)
(Hawaiian pineapple, Spanish clementines, Chilean grapes etc) - Drink local water instead of packaged water or soda
- Buy from local farmers through farmers' markets or co-ops
(e.g., Clintonville Co-op or CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) local farm) - Microwave oven - for smaller portions of food, or water, microwave uses up to 65% less energy than gas or electric oven or stovetop when cooking, reheating or defrosting.
- Improve house
- More insulation
- More energy efficient windows (different ones on sunny side vs. shady side)
- Caulk/weatherstrip - windows, doorjambs, thresholds
- Replace furnace with higher efficiency model
- Insulate hot water heater (do not go to central tankless model - does not save)
- Replace old toilet with low-flush toilet
- Use window shades & drapes to prevent heat transfer
- Use less air conditioning in summer (raise thermostat, use fans - whole house exhaust or attic-only exhaust or inside house fans)
- Use less heating in winter (lower thermostat)
- Replace old appliances and computers with energy star models (www.energystar.gov)
- In summer, shut off gas furnace's pilot light
- Use all natural, non-toxic household cleaners (e.g., for carpet, upholstery, floor, sink, toilet)
- Turn down thermostat on hot water heater
- Run dishwasher only when it is full
- Wash clothes in cooler water, both wash and rinse cycles
- Dry clothes in the air, outside or inside
- Replace air filters frequently in forced air systems
- Use more energy efficient light bulbs where appropriate
- Use less hot (and cold) water when showering
- Decrease (eliminate) lawn chemicals or pesticides
- Mow grass with non-motor mower
- Replace lawn with ground cover or other plants, especially native plants that don't require watering
- Compost
- Plant trees near home to keep it cool
- BRING YOUR OWN BAG instead of using store-supplied shopping bags (plastic or paper) - cloth bags pay for themselves in 2 years or less, or use no bag, when possible
- Print on both sides of computer printer paper (one Simply Living member can supply all the "reuse" paper you need)
- Don't dry clean
- Buy clothes made from hemp or organic cotton
- Recycle by:
- Buying/selling through garage/yard/church sales and thrift or consignment shops
- Give away goods through your local freecycle system, e.g., groups.yahoo.com/group/FreecycleColumbus
- Recycle old furniture instead of landfill (Furniture Bank by Material Assistance Providers - www.mapfurniturebank.org)
- Buy minimally packaged goods - ultimate is buy in bulk/unpackaged - Clintonville Co-op, Wild Oats, Sunflower (High St near Hudson), Beechwold Natural Foods, Whole Foods
- If you buy in bulk, bring your own containers - staff will gladly "tare" your containers.
- Sign the EDF's petition to curb CO2 emissions by passing the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act actionnetwork.org/campaign/globalwarming_petition?source=
- Contact your federal, state and local government officials about changing legislation/regulations to use less energy. See Progress Report on Local Action Plan on Global Warming at www.sustainableportland.org. Then click "Publications & Reports", then scroll down to "Global Warming".
