So I said I'd talk about the environment in this blog. Im an Environmental Studies and Policy Major so this is kind of what my future holds. I'm not saying I am the "greenest" person or an environmental freak, Im a realist, i mean shit I drove a V8 F150 and now an Xterra that gets 12mpg (soon to change to an more fuel efficient vehicle..Sorry EPA). I know people including myself aren't going to completely change their lives to save the environment but I do know that if each person does something little, like change energy saving light bulbs, or turn off the lights, don't idle the car, then a lot can be done. I did a bit of research and found a few ways for the "average american" to help become greener a few things at a time. I did most of my research at thedailygreen.com* (my go to green source). So here are five easy things to do. Check it out and give it all a try, trust me its nothing too rigorous!
1. DONT IDLE! - turn off the car, save gas, you're only hurting your own wallet. Fact: "Americans idle away 2.9 billion gallons of gas a year, worth around $78.2 billion"
2. TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER - I am a culprit of not doing this, face it we're too lazy. Who wants to go through the hassle of clicking the button, then clicking shutdown when they could simply close their laptop or just leave the computer and let the screensaver come up. Fact: keeping your computer on and not shutting down wears on your machine and costs an average of $90 a year... ill take that money for beer and take a few more seconds to save the computer I spent 1K on.. you should too!
3. TURN DOWN/OFF YOUR THERMOSTAT - yeah its a pain in the ass to be a little cold every now and then or a little hot. BUT, it will save you serious dough at the end of the day. Fact: up to 70% of our energy costs come from heating and cooling and for every 1 degree you lower or turn off your thermostat, you will save 1-3% on your bill. Sounds good to me, I don't mind sweats, hoodies and a snuggie in the winter and "bro-ing"(i had to) out in shorts and a tank top in the summer, fresh air is good for you. MAN UP.
4. WASH CLOTHES WITH COLD WATER - its similar to the heating and cooling. Fact: 90% of the energy used in the laundry is heating of the water. Obviously some things need to be washed with warm water (I never understood why, I just throw all my shit in together and pop on the cold water and hope for the best) so I understand. But cutting down the use will save you cash on your bill.
5. PAY BILLS ONLINE - you don't even need to do anything here, most companies are going paperless. It's the new thing to do, all the cool kids are doing it. Truth is paper=cutting trees=deforestation=global warming= The Day After Tomorrow (joke, that movie is off in every way). Most companies will give you the option of going paperless, whether it is on your bill or on their website. It's easier, don't need check books, just a direct link to your bank account, click a few buttons and you're done and continue looking at Worn Trails! SO DO IT
Here are 5 things that are ridiculously easy to do and will save you a lot of money at the end of the year on your bills. Everyone loves extra money. After doing my research, I will be switching to these methods and racking in about $200-300 a year in savings. Sounds good to me. Give it a shot, I'm sure it'll take some adjusting but keep going. Helping the environment is good, I mean you do live on Earth, so at least try and help out!
*note all facts are from this website
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