Everyone Can Help

We are linked to our environment in nearly all aspects of our life, and it is of vital importance to our survival! We must take responsibility for its care and do our best to live in a sustainable manner!   

Most of our individual greenhouse gas emissions come from two sources: driving our cars and heating our homes.  

Don’t worry, we’re not going to ask you to stop driving, and we’re certainly not going to ask you to turn off the heat! But there are small changes we can make to our daily lives that will add up to make a big difference!

1. We can stop idling our cars! Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more gas than stopping and restarting the engine.  
2. We can make sure our cars are well tuned and our tires are inflated properly! Both actions make our cars drive more efficiently, therefore emitting fewer pollutants and saving us money on gas!  
3. When we’re buying a car, whether new or used, we can choose a model with good fuel efficiency!  
4. We could choose to use our own power to get around (when safe and sensible to do so)!
5. We also need to consider energy efficiency in our homes too! Did you know that all of the cracks and gaps in the average house add up to a 2.3 square foot hole? If we caulk and weather-strip all the leaks around doors and windows where heat escapes, we can save up to 20% on our heating bills!  
6. We could make sure that we turn off all appliances when we are not using them! Small actions like turning off the lights, TVs, and computers in our homes can quickly make a positive impact on the environment!
7. Be An Energy Detective! Is valuable heat escaping from your home? Find ways to stop wasting energy and tell your family what you’ve discovered. Saving energy saves money! Talk to your family about having an energy evaluation performed on their home.