Grist prez Chip Giller appeared on NBC's Today show on Monday, Nov. 5, chatting with Meredith Vieira about easy ways anyone can cut their energy use and help fight global warming. Follow one hint a day and you're on your way!
Day 1: Turn Down the Heat
Here's a quick, easy solution that will save you money and save energy: turn down your thermostat. Lowering your heat in winter by just 2 degrees can cut your energy bill by 10 percent. Get an automatic or programmable thermostat to make it easy to save on heating; set it to turn down when you're away from home or sleeping, and to turn back up half an hour before you'll be up and about.
Day 2: Unplug Gadgets
Electronic equipment and appliances suck up energy even when they're turned off -- they've actually earned the nickname "vampires." Americans waste $1 billion a year powering items like TVs and DVD players while they're turned off. So unplug your TV, stereo, computer, microwave, and other equipment when you're not using them -- or plug a bunch of things into a power strip that you keep turned off unless you're using one of the items. And make sure to unplug your cell-phone and MP3 chargers as soon as the devices are powered up.
Get tips from Grist advice columnist Umbra Fisk on using power strips and electric-use meters.
Day 3: Wash Clothes Efficiently
When it comes to laundry, there's lots of room for savings. Ninety percent of the energy used in clothes washing goes to heat the water, so washing in cold is a simple way to cut energy use drastically. Wash only full loads. When it comes time to dry, make sure to check the lint screen before every load and clean it afterward. And if you want to take efficiency a step further, hang some or all items and let them air-dry instead of running them through the dryer.
Check out advice from Umbra Fisk on air-drying laundry and buying an efficient washing machine.
Day 4: Eat Less Meat
Meat production requires heaps more energy and resources than growing vegetables or grains; in fact, 18 percent of human-caused greenhouse gases comes from the livestock industry. You don't have to be a strict vegetarian to make a difference in this area: try skipping meat just one day a week. If every American had one meat-free day per week, it would reduce emissions as much as taking 8 million cars off the roads.
Read more reasons to cut meat consumption from Grist advice guru Umbra Fisk, Grist staff writer David Roberts, and activist Bruce Friedrich.
Day 5: Get Out of the Car
Vehicles consume half of the world's oil, and spew a quarter of the world's greenhouse-gas emissions. Leaving your car at home even one day a week can save a lot of gas and emissions over a year. Try walking, biking, carpooling, or taking the bus or subway to get where you need to go -- or see if you could telecommute to work one day a week. When you do drive, make sure your tires are properly inflated -- underinflated tires can cut your gas mileage by 5 percent.
Day 6: Green Your Home
Pick one small project you can do around the house to cut energy use. Here are a few ideas: Replace regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs use about one-fifth as much energy as regular bulbs, and last about 12 times longer). Install a low-flow showerhead, which will save on water heating and use. Lower the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees, and insulate the tank. If you're feeling ambitious, undertake a home energy audit to identify projects for the future.
Day 7: Write a Letter
While it's true that small changes at home can make a big difference, one of the most important things you can do when it comes to climate and energy is let business and political leaders know that you care about these issues. Take some time to write a letter to a store, a manufacturer, or your representative to thank them for their good work -- or to encourage them to do better. Look at their websites for contact info. You don't have to be an expert on the issues to speak up. And if we all put in our two cents, it will add up to some positive planetary change.
Get tips from Umbra Fisk on writing letters to representatives and businesses.
But Wait, There's More!
Curious about additional things you can do to green your lifestyle and protect the planet? Check out Grist's new book, Wake Up and Smell the Planet. It's chock-full of friendly advice, and 100 percent free of preachiness and pomposity.
Grist's Chip Giller and Katharine Wroth also appeared on NBC's Today show on Tuesday, Nov. 6, talking about recycling things you didn't know you could recycle.
Making buildings more efficient: rationalizing retrofit markets
This Friday, don’t just Buy Nothing—use nothing!
Making buildings more efficient: looking beyond price
Comments
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blueberrysushi Posted 2:21 am
05 Nov 2007
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earthaidben Posted 3:29 am
05 Nov 2007
The Earth Aid Kit is meant to serve as an easy way for folks to follow-up on precisely the sort of simple steps that Chip advocated.
Our website allows you to browse home energy efficiency products - and estimates both your energy and emissions savings right as you shop. The site also rewards you for doing more to fight global warming - if you buy products from at least four different categories of energy efficiency, it automatically drops your prices.
Grist readers in DC have been exceptionally helpful in developing this idea, and I'd be very grateful for your feedback on our site and on our project. You can visit our Kit-building site at www.earthaidkit.com or our company site at www.earthaidenterprises.com.
Thanks!
Ben
P.S. replying to the comment above, all but one of our CFLs ship in cardboard boxes - be sure to call your favorite CFL source to ask them to switch from the plastic if they haven't already. Consumer (and distributor) activism works.
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blueberrysushi Posted 4:06 am
05 Nov 2007
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PolluteLessDotCom Posted 5:39 am
05 Nov 2007
Day 1: Good way to begin saving. Some questions though: What temperature is reasonable? What size house is reasonable? How about suggesting to dress warmly and then turn back the thermostat? How about telling folks not to heat all rooms equally? How about warm water bottles instead of heating you whole house?
Day 2: Cute, but a drop in the bucket. Embarrassing that we design and purchase products that cannot be unplugged without loss of function or memory. Don't forget the microwave oven. It uses more energy while it does nothing than show time than when it is actually used for cooking! Not using gadgets has a much bigger impact than unplugging them while they are not used.
Day 3: Very good.
Day 4: Very good, but how much less is really enough? Indians eat on average 5 pounds of meat per year. Americans over 120 pounds per year. Does less mean just 100 pound per year? How much less decadent, wasteful behavior results in at least sustainable habits? Americans eating meat 6 days per week cannot be sustained on a planet with 6.5 billion people. Imagine other countries doing only a little less of what we are doing. Oh boy.
Day 5: Good. Not enough ideas. If you have to drive a car, go to the website below and learn how to drive a car well. I get 36-40 mpg with a 1997 Saturn. And do not forget that a new car is not necessarily an energy saving solution. They do not grow on trees, you know. There are energy and pollution costs before and after you are using anything.
Day 6: Focus on the things that matter: Heat and hot water. And cooling if you are using machines to do it. The rest is peanuts in comparison. CFLs are a drop in the bucket if we continue to use energy the way we do. Shade your house. Open curtains to let sun in in winter. Close them to keep it out in the summer. Take 5 minute showers. Soap up with water off. So much more can be done. Again, see the website. http://www.polluteless.com
Day 7: Good. And while you are at it, start talking to all those who live those life styles we may be forced to give up one day (unless you are rich or don't mind killing people for energy, food, or water).
Don't forget: A product you do not use does not need to be made, transported, distributed, used, recycled, etc. All this pollutes and requires energy. In my mind, simple living is what will create the change. Today's children will have to learn that they cannot live like their parents and grandparents. They need knowledge, role models and ideas. And they need to be protected from those who will sell you anything for a profit, currently labeled "green" to sell better.
BTW, there is no true post-consumer "re"cycling. Just downcycling. Meaning that recycled materials are inferior to the individual collected materials and can only be made into less quality products while being shipped all over the planet using energy and creating toxic by-products. We have to learn what to do to avoid garbage altogether rather than learning what to do with the garbage that we continue to make because it is used for something that we do not really need.
Karsten
http://www.polluteless.com
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jrusch Posted 7:44 am
05 Nov 2007
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stephanieh Posted 12:56 pm
05 Nov 2007
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coveark Posted 9:37 pm
05 Nov 2007
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amc89 Posted 1:45 am
06 Nov 2007
My car is in the shop, so I've been carless the past few weeks and it's amazing how used to it you become. I'm certainly getting lots of exercise.
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eriqa Posted 11:28 pm
12 Nov 2007
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PolluteLessDotCom Posted 4:52 am
13 Nov 2007
I have no idea how to change this. As long it is cheaper to abuse the environment many (if not most) people will do it. I only know how to change my own attitude and habits or offer advice to those who would like to change. Move if you can, but I can understand if that is not possible or easy. hopefully one day it will be at least embarrassing to have a house with tenants who cannot regulate their heat or have few options to be good.
I imagine many people are in the same boat as you.
Karsten
http://www.polluteless.com
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batticdoor Posted 10:17 am
23 Oct 2008
These often overlooked sources of heat loss and air leakage can cause heat to pour out and the cold outside air to rush in -- costing you higher heating bills.
Air leaks are the largest source of heating and cooling loss in the home. Air leaks occur through the small cracks around doors, windows, pipes, etc. Most homeowners are well aware of the benefits caulk and weatherstripping provide to minimize heat loss and cold drafts.
But what can you do about the four largest "holes" in your home -- the folding attic stair, the whole house fan or AC return, the fireplace, and the clothes dryer?
For complete info visit http://www.batticdoor.com
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