Using the Carbon calculator provided by stopglobalwarming.org, I have learned that there are three changes you can make to quickly and easily reduce your carbon footprint and save money. Best of all, two of these changes only need to be made once and none of them require you to spend a dime! As a matter of fact, you could save $168 and reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 2,700 pounds each year.
Using the Carboncalculator provided bystopglobalwarming.org, I have learned that there are three changes youcan make to quickly and easily reduce your carbon footprint and savemoney. Best of all, two of these changes only need to be made once andnone of them require you to spend a dime!
1. Change your thermostat by twodegrees:
Annual carbonsavings: 2,000 pounds CO2
Annual dollar savings: $98
Because space heating and cooling takes such a tremendousamount of energy, just this slight change can have a great impact.
During the hot months, turn the thermostat up two degrees and in thecold months, turn it down two degrees.
Also, many thermostats are programmable, allowing you to maintain thedesired temperature only when a building's occupants are in thebuilding and awake. Learnmore about programmable thermostats.
Consult your thermostat's owner's manual to learn how to program it. Ifyou are unable to find the manual, it is very likely that you candownload it from the manufacturer's website. If these changes prove to bring lots of savings for you, it might beworth considering reducing your reliance on carbon-intensive heatingand cooling even further. In the summer, opening windows to allow forcross-ventilation combined with the use of fans could easily achievesome of the cooling of air conditioning, just as wearing layeredclothing in the winter could take the place of a furnace or spaceheater in more mild cold spells.
2. Set your hot watertemperature to 120°F or below:
Annual carbonsavings: 500 pounds CO2
Annual dollar savings: $30
When shipped, water heaters aretypically set to 140°F. However, most households' needs can stillbe met after decreasing this setting to 120°F or lower.
This easy fix has the potential to significantly decrease the amount ofcarbon dioxide emissions yourhome, apartment or condominium creates while heating water. Forreference, imagine using the water from a hot tub orjacuzzi (usually between 100°F and 110°F) to shower or washdishes or clothes. If you foresee that temperature as being sufficient,it is likely that you won't even notice a difference in the temperatureof the water at the faucet after making this change. Perhaps you'll beso impressed that you will try lowering the temperature even more!
3. Only run your dishwasher whenit is full:
Annual carbon savings: 200 pounds CO2
Annual dollar savings: $40
The energy used to heat water, spray it on the dishes andfinally dry them can add up very quickly. Try loading the machinecompletely before running it. Also, it is important to remember to usethe machine's energy-saving setting for drying dishes and to not useheat to dry them. If you are unsure about how to do this, consult theappliance's owner's manual or look for it online. As a last resort, youcan always turn the machine off when it gets to the drying cycle andlet the dishes air dry.
Loading the dishwasher fully will also decrease your time spentunloading, especially if you're able to bypass putting dishes away byremoving them from the dishwasher as you prepare for the next meal.
Total annual carbon savings: 2,700 pounds
Total annual dollar savings: $168
This quantity of carbon dioxideemissionsis roughly equivalent to what would be saved by driving a compact car 4,000 fewer miles each year. If you find these tips helpful and enjoying knowing that you are easilysaving money and the environment, tell your friends and family! Makingsmall changes like these can only have a big impact if there are lotsof people making the changes. I strongly encourage you to make thesmall steps to being the change you wish to see and helping others todo the same. Nathan Brown
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