Marlboro Township Green Team
Top 10 Green Tips
Shower Power!
A full bath uses about 75 gallons of water. A shower?..only 10-25. Put a little timer in the bathroom to keep those showers energy efficient and water saving. Low flow shower heads will conserve water and save money.
Compost and Save!
Compost improves soil. You can make it with your own food scraps too. This will save the expense and additional garbage generated by throwing it out and compost helps soil retain nutrients and water and helps plants grow strong. Grass clippings work much the same way...leave 'em, don't bag 'em.
Tread Lightly!
Alternative transportation is a winner. Busses, Trains, Carpools and Bikes. Walking too! Good for the environment and good for your health. Do it just twice a week and you can reduce your green house gas emissions by about 1,600 pounds per year. Telecommute, if you can. It's economical, environmental and fun!
Don't be a Drip!
Fix those leaky faucets. A leak can waste thousands of gallons of water per year. Check your water meter before and after a period of time when you know that no water is being used. You may find a leak you did not know about.
Bright Idea!
Go LED! In the recent past, Compact Flourescent Light Bulbs (CFL) were a great start to something big with 25% of the energy use of incandescent bulps. But technology continues to meet the challenges of protecting our environment. Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs use 10% of what an incandescent bulb uses and with lighting at about a quarter of energy usage for the average homeowner, savings for consumers and the earth can be great. LED bulbs can last up to 10 years. LEDs are truly a Bright Idea!
One Man's Trash...
Is another man's treasure. Don't trash it, re-use it. T' shirt stained? Tie dye it!. Card board tubes are great for little fury animals like gerbils and hamsters, egg cartons are great for starting seeds, cans are great for pencil holders and jars are a green alternative for packaging homemade treats like cookies, candy, soups and sauces. Use the Buddy System. Swap stuff you're sick of and books you've read.
Stretch a Single into a Homerun...
Recycling is important, but even better, avoid single use plastics completely. Plastic lasts forever. It can be a valuable resource which should only be used when absolutely necessary. Plastics are made from petroleum and, for example, it takes 17 million barrels of oil each year to make 66 billion bottles (50 billion of those are thrown away). Seek materials packaged in glass, paper or aluminum, all of which are easier on the environment, recycled more often and more recycled effectively.
Recycling isn't just for Cans anymore!
Definitely keep up with bottles and cans but there is more! Electronics have tons of stuff inside that can be re-used like copper and gold and other natural resources. We can prevent unnecessary mining and pollution caused by the discarding of some pretty hazardous waste.
Bag It!
We've all got 'em. We just have to remember to bring 'em. Keep re-usable shopping bags in the car. Think about combining your purchases into one bag when strolling thru the mall.
Fill it Up!
Make sure to run your washing machine and dishwasher with full loads. Energy star models can cut water consumption to a fraction. No need to pre-rinse those dishes before washing. Scraping over rinsing can save 20 gallons of water per load. That's water and money down the drain.
Idle Hands...
Watch for excessive idling. It pollutes the air and wastes the fuel. Electric/Hybrid cars are new technologies that are evolving every day. Consider these expanding options and pollute less.
Adapted from the EPA's Green Tips