Category: Energy
Posted by Kisha Dunn (The Detroit News) on Fri, July 3, 2009 at 1:00 AMSee if an instant water heater is right for you
If you’re in the market for a new water heater, consider a tankless or natural-gas on-demand model. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you could see up to a 34 percent energy savings than with a standard tank water heater depending on your water consumption. Check out this primer to learn more about instant water heaters and see if one might be right for you.
Category: Energy
Posted by Kisha Dunn (The Detroit News) on Thu, July 2, 2009 at 1:00 AMKeep your air conditioner cool
Shade your air conditioning unit by planting trees or shrubs nearby -- but be careful not to block the air flow. A unit operating in a shady spot uses up to 10 percent less electricity than one operating in the sun, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Category: Clean
Posted by Kisha Dunn (The Detroit News) on Wed, July 1, 2009 at 1:00 AMKeep heavyweights in a class of their own
The next time you do laundry, dry your towels, denim and other heavy-weight fabrics separately from light-weight ones, which take less time to dry (consuming less energy). For bonus points, skip the dryer altogether and use a drying rack or clothes line.
Category: Reduce, re-use, recycle
Posted by Kisha Dunn (The Detroit News) on Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 1:00 AMBook travel online
Purchase electronic tickets whenever possible for air travel. You’ll not only cut the use of unwanted paper, but the tickets are easier to keep track of via the Internet.
Category: Reduce, re-use, recycle
Posted by Kisha Dunn (The Detroit News) on Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 1:00 AMEat more veggies
The amount of water used to raise livestock is far more than the amount of water used for growing vegetables and grains. You can cut your overall water use by eating less meat.
Category: Around the house
Posted by Kisha Dunn (The Detroit News) on Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 1:00 AMSave virtual files, instead of paper ones
Make your online bill paying even greener When paying bills online, many web sites recommend that you print a copy of the transaction for your records. Instead of printing to paper, consider “printing” to a PDF file. Just hit print and select the option to save as a file. You can store all your documents in a virtual folder on your computer -- instead of a file cabinet.
Category: Reduce, re-use, recycle
Posted by Kisha Dunn (The Detroit News) on Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 1:00 AMGive old shoes a new purpose
You can give your old sneakers new life through Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program. The company collects old athletic shoes of any brand, grinds them up and uses them to build playgrounds, basketball courts and running tracks. To learn how to donate, check out the Reuse-A-Shoe web site.
Category: Clean
Posted by Kisha Dunn (The Detroit News) on Wed, Jun 24, 2009 at 1:00 AMSelect dish detergent carefully
Select a low-phosphate dishwashing liquid to get your dishes sparkling. Phosphates, which are also commonly found in fertilizers, leach into the water supply and promote excessive plant growth. The growth can cause algae blooms, which ultimately chokes oxygen supply to the plants and marine life below the water’s surface. There are many choices on the market, whether you choose to wash dishes by hand or in a machine.
Category: Transportation
Posted by Kisha Dunn (The Detroit News) on Tue, Jun 23, 2009 at 1:00 AMElectronic tickets are greener
Purchase electronic tickets whenever possible for air travel. You’ll not only cut the use of unwanted paper, but the tickets are easier to keep track of via the Internet.
Category: Reduce, re-use, recycle
Posted by Kisha Dunn (The Detroit News) on Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 1:00 AMFilter water instead of turning to the bottle
Cut down on bottled water use by investing in a water filtration system for your home. You can get freshly filtered water from the tap and save up to $600 annually on the cost of bottled water. Making the switch can prevent up to $3,200 plastic bottles from being discarded each year. For water on the go, just fill up a reusable water bottle. To get started, check out this comparison of water filters on the market.
