Blog Archives

Experiment

6/26/2020

Experiment with small changes to your routine. We do so many things by habit, without really noticing our actions. You may be able to save energy or resources in small ways that add up over time. I’m sure you can think of many ideas, but here are a few to get you started:

Can you use a smaller blob of shampoo or conditioner and still get the same effect?
What amount of coffee grounds or loose tea leaves gives you the best flavor? (and remember that most plants love used coffee grounds sprinkled on the soil around them).
Is there a different route or time to commute to work? Sometimes slightly adjusting the time of day you make your trip will get you out of traffic slowdown timeframes.
If you dry your clothes in a dryer, check your owner’s manual and experiment with dryer settings to reduce the energy used. Drying clothes slightly longer but at a lower temperature uses less energy than drying at high temperatures.
Heat only the amount of water in your teakettle that you need.
Can you change the settings on your thermostat by a degree or two and still feel comfortable? You may also find that different settings are appropriate for various times of the day.

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Home energy savings

6/17/2020

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I found an article in the Washington Post about retrofits to the Empire State Building that reduced its carbon emissions by 40% and its annual electric bill by $4.4 million. The main topic of the article is how the rest of us can use some of their techniques and ideas to reduce energy use in our own homes. The Washington Post allows readers without subscriptions to access a few free articles each month, so I hope most of you can access the article at the link below.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2020/05/28/energy-efficient-homes/

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Climate change 101

6/7/2020

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We hear a lot about climate change. I found a series of five articles that explain what climate change is, how we can adapt to it, and a brief discussion of what can be done to slow or reverse it. The articles are fairly short and are easy to understand. If you want to know more, the articles contain a lot of links for more explanation of the various concepts. I have not followed all of the links yet, but found these five articles to be a good place to start explaining a complex topic.

https://earth911.com/eco-watch/climate-change-101-what-is-climate-change/
https://earth911.com/eco-watch/what-causes-climate-change/
https://earth911.com/eco-watch/climate-change-consequences/
https://earth911.com/living-well-being/adapting-to-climate-change/
https://earth911.com/eco-watch/pollution/how-can-we-stop-climate-change/

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