Tips to Help Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

   By SheSpeaksTeam  Apr 10, 2012
203

April 22nd is Earth Day! The day marks the anniversary of what many consider to be the birth of the modern day environmental movement in 1970. Earth Day was founded by Gaylord Nelson, who came up with the idea after he witnessed the ravages of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Check out earthday.org for more information on the history of Earth Day as well as information on how to become involved with Earth Day events in your area.

 
To help prepare for Earth Day, we're sharing some great environmentally friendly tips that will help you save the environment, and money, in the process.
 
To be entered to win one of our giveaway prizes this week, simply post a comment below sharing your tips on how to cut down on your carbon footprint!  Have you influenced your friends and family to make environmentally responsible choices? We'd love to hear about that too!
 
Using the Thermostat Less Saves Energy: Resist the temptation to turn up the thermostat when the weather is chilly. Instead, put on a sweater or wrap yourself in a blanket and keep the thermostat at the energy-efficient temperature of 68 degrees F. Likewise, use a fan instead of air conditioning when the weather is hot. A fan uses less energy, produces no fluorocarbons, and even requires less energy to manufacture.
 
 
LED bulbsChange Your Light Bulbs to Save Money and Light Your Home: Switching out your old light bulbs and replacing them with eco-friendly ones can save you a ton of money. LED bulbs shine for about 60,000 hours and Compact Fluorescent bulbs for about 10,000 hours. Compare that to your traditional incandescent bulb, which only lasts 1,500 hours.
 
 
Unplug Your Electronics at Night: Though you may not realize it, electronics like TVs, DVD players, and computers use energy even when turned off. Unplug them when you sleep to reduce your energy use and your monthly bill. Another tip: your phone only takes about two hours to completely recharge, so don’t leave it plugged in and charging overnight.
 
 
save waterSave as Much Water as You Can: The number one source of wasted water is keeping the faucet running while you’re brushing your teeth. Did you know that the average bathroom faucet runs at 2 gallons of water per minute? Turn off the water when brushing to save in the easiest way possible. Another tip: if you’re waiting for the water to heat up when running a bath or shower, put a bucket underneath to catch the water and use it to water plants around the house or for cleaning.
 
 
Wash Your Clothes in Cold Water: Did you know that when doing laundry, heating water could account for up to 80% of the energy used per wash load in the U.S.? You can Take A Load Off the energy grid, your wallet, and the environment by making the simple change of washing your clothes in cold water. You can make the promise to switch to washing in cold water on P&G's Future Friendly Facebook page and you'll be entered to win a High Efficiency Washer and Dryer and a one-year supply of Tide Coldwater! Enter once per day to increase your chances of winning. A new winner will be picked each week through May 13th. It’s all part of P&G’s effort to convert 70% of all wash loads worldwide to cold by 2020.
 
 
Learn more about saving energy and helping the environment at our Tide Coldwater #takealoadoff Twitter Party taking place on April 12th at 9PM ET. If you haven’t already, RSVP to be eligible to win the door prize.
 
Now we’d like to hear from you! What are your eco-friendly tips and tricks? Do you plan on doing something special to celebrate Earth Day this year? To be entered to win one of our giveaway prizes this week, simply POST A COMMENT BELOW sharing your tips on how to cut down on your carbon footprint! Comments must be submitted by 6pm EST on April 16th, 2012. Good luck!
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The contest starts April 10th, 2012 and ends April 16th, 2012 at 6pm EST. Must be a US resident. No purchase necessary. 

GOOD LUCK!

 

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SpeakingForYou by SpeakingForYou | JONESBORO, AR
Apr 11, 2012

I recycle newspapers, plastics, aluminum cans and plastic shopping bags. It really bothers me to put that stuff in the trash instead of recycling it. My trash bag doesn't fill up near as fast, so I guess I'm saving money on trash bags, too!

nico2317 by nico2317 | PINEVILLE, LA
Apr 11, 2012

I wash my clothes in cold water and keep the lights off during the day

Jamaica11434 by Jamaica11434 | MONROE TWP, NJ
Apr 11, 2012

At work rather than throwing away paper I use it for notes and scrap. My boss hates it but I am saving him money and helping the environment.

carriethehokie by carriethehokie | Roanoke, VA
Apr 11, 2012

I always use cloth shopping bags -- but not just at the grocery store. Take them to target (you get a 5 cent credit) and department stores as well. Just make sure to keep one set for groceries and another perfectly clean set for items such as new clothes or shoes!

catnip1222 by catnip1222 | ROCKY FACE, GA
Apr 11, 2012

We keep a clearly labeled recycle bin beside our trash can so everyone can help in our recycling efforts. We reuse and recycle paper, and we turn off lights and unplug appliances/electronics not in use.

mallikarjuna by mallikarjuna | EDISON, NJ
Apr 11, 2012

nice blog

basilandcatnip by basilandcatnip | GARLAND, TX
Apr 11, 2012

I also use the library, ours has a great newspaper and magazine selection. Earth Day and several other green events are HUGE where I live. The city even puts on a very very large event to teach green, promote local green businesses and through out the year puts on free classes to teach composting, etc. The local mall even provides space for a farmers market 3 months each spring/early summer.

basilandcatnip by basilandcatnip | GARLAND, TX
Apr 11, 2012

Back in the 70's as a really young kid we had a sticker on the light switch by the front door, it said "nose down on way out." So I've always remembered to turn out the lights, unplug items not in use. Reuse back side of paper and junk mail for scrap paper. I generally try to find a 2nd purpose for everything before throwing it out. And remember to ask myself these questions before I put things in my cart or bag, even when printing things on the computer, do I really need this? Will I use it? Does it have more than one purpose? And I think about packaging and waste amount when I buy things. Buying refillables and not getting bags when I check out when I don't need to.

GinaLola by GinaLola | ELK GROVE, CA
Apr 11, 2012

I use the reusable grocery bags every time I go shopping, I turn the water off while brushing my teeth, make sure all my lights stay off during the day, unplug all electronics when not in use, and all my light bulbs are energy efficient. I try to do what I can everyday!

pokergirl by pokergirl | FRESNO, CA
Apr 10, 2012

I always wash my clothes in cold water, turn the water off when brushing my teeth , and for the most part, lights stay off during the day. Open the blinds and get that natural light. I recently bought those reusable bags for grocery shopping. I believe the little things like that can make a difference.

Dottylucy by Dottylucy | Warren, PA
Apr 10, 2012

I knew that running the water while brushing one's teeth wastes water, what I didn't know was how much it wastes 2 gallons. Oprah said one time referring to wastes water, think about the people in Africa who walk 5 miles just to get water and than carry it back on their heads. Ten miles a day for water and perhaps it isn't even clean water. My mother wash the clothes in warm water, I am going to change my washer setting to cold. I use water is water. Thanks for the advice. Brenda

penguinbar by penguinbar | NEW YORK, NY
Apr 10, 2012

I use microfiber cloths instead of paper towels for cleaning. I also use vinegar, baking soda and lemon instead of store bought cleaners. I also use Tea tree oils as a double duty product. It's great for cuts, burns and breakouts and it also gets rid of mold and mildew!

brat_27320 by brat_27320 | Reidsville, NC
Apr 10, 2012

I run all my errands during one trip: write down where I'm going, plan my route, stick to it...saves gas. I also don't use the drive-thru options at fast food eateries. I park& go inside. Gets me outta the car, saves gas, and cuts down on emissions.

Page55 by Page55 | Schoolcraft, MI
Apr 10, 2012

I buy local whenever possible. Purchasing produce from Mexico doesn't make sense when I can buy many of our favorite fruits and vegetables fresh locally. The transportation costs of trucking food around the country is staggering. Plus, locally grown produce is fresher and I like knowing where my food comes from.

bidahune by bidahune | Copley, OH
Apr 10, 2012

Have always celebrated Earth day and do what we can't. A family of 5 produces a lot of waste. Love our worm composter! There are so many things we try to do. One little one is buying eggs in the cardboard carton instead of the styrofoam....easy to compost.