The Five Re’s ~ January 2008
This month, we focus on Resolutions to reduce our footprint, to live a little lighter on our Earth. How can each one of us do more by reducing, reusing, recycling, repurposing, and rethinking the way we go about every day tasks? The Five Re’s will hopefully start you on your way with fresh ideas and meaningful New Years Resolutions.
Reduce
Reduce your family’s energy usage in 2008. Challenge each member of your family to come up with one way to save even more energy in the coming year. Here are some ideas:
- Walk to the grocery store…you’ll buy less and save money!
- Walk, carpool, or ride the bus to work one additional day per week.
- Turn down your thermostat an extra 2-5 degrees.
- Take a “military” shower one or two days per week….OK, maybe not on those really cold mornings!!!
- Reduce the number of hours for watching TV, play a game or read a book instead.
- Take a room-by-room inventory, purchase CFL’s, and replace those incandescent lightbulbs. RPU offers a 50% rebate on CFL purchases.
Reuse
Stop the scourge of plastic! Switch to reusable items like the following:
- Canvas grocery bags
- Stainless steel water bottles and coffee thermos
- If you must use a ziploc bag, wash it out and use it over and over again.
Recycle
Resolve to recycle more. Keep a “garbage journal” and document the things that you throw away during one day/week. There are probably things that you are throwing in the regular trash that could be recycled.
Recycle old appliances. RPU offers rebates on recycling your old dehumidifiers, freezers and other appliances. You can apply for a rebate for purchasing Energy Star appliances and also receive an additional rebate when you recycle your old appliance.
Repurpose
Instead to throwing something away, think of a new use for it. Old socks or t-shirts make great dust or cleaning cloths. Jars make great storage containers.
Instead of purchasing something new, look around the house! There must be something laying around that can be put to good use.
Rethink
Challenge yourself and your family to find new ways to reduce your footprint by rethinking all aspects of daily life. Come up with 5 New Year Resolutions on how you can live lighter, reduce your consumption, reduce your energy usage. Here are some thought starters:
- Rethinking consumption: Challenge every purchase! Before making a purchase, wait one week or one month. Challenge yourself to repurpose something you already own. Is this purchase a want or a need? Can this item be purchased locally, from a locally owned business? Is this item (or something similar) made locally?
- Challenge gasoline usage: Make lists and combine shopping trips to reduce gasoline usage. Walk, bike, or ride the bus to work instead of driving.
- Turn down the thermostat: Do you really need to sit around the house in your underwear?!? Put some clothes on! OK, how about throwing on a sweater or covering up with a cozy blanket? Set the temp down and extra 2-5 degrees will not only save energy, but it will save you money! Seriously, you will hardly notice this small adjustment, but you sure will see a difference in your heating bill.