EnviroHQ

Efficient Water Use on the lawn

Direct sprinklers away from sidewalks and streets to minimize water waste and help to reduce oil and contaminate runoff that collects on the roadway.

Clean out your closets and give or sell used items to someone who needs them

Saves resources that made those items, re-uses or recycles them into further use, reduces the cost to buy "new," and saves landfill space. This is an especially good time of year to donate to those less fortunate.

Flushing the Toilet

Some of the toilets in our house date back to the 1950s, and while they still do the job, there's hardly a cruder vision of waste: Three to five gallons of water disappearing with every flush. (Low-flow and dual-flush toilets can use less than two gallons per visit.)

So consider saving water the old-fashioned way: Make your own low-flow toilet by filling a small milk jug with water and rocks and placing it in your toilet tank. It saves the amount of water it displaces with every flush.

Getting rid or pests in the home

Don't spray pesticides in your home. If you do it yourself, use less toxic methods like soaps, baits and traps.

How to cool a Home without air-conditioning

Keep out daytime sun by closing drapes or blinds.
Keep lights low or off.
Do your cooking and use other heat-generating appliances in the early morning and late evening hours whenever possible.
Open the windows instead of using your air conditioner or electric fan on cooler days.
Dress for the warmer indoor temperatures.
Do not place lamps and TV’s near air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
Keep windows and outside doors closed during the hottest hours of the day.
Use window or whole-house ventilating fans to cool the house when it's cool outside.
Use vents and exhaust fans to pull heat and moisture from the attic, kitchen and laundry directly to the outside.

Naturally Ventilate your Home!

If you wish to ventilate your home naturally these suggestions can be helpful.

Learn how air flows naturally through your home.

Take advantage of cool night air and ventilate your home by natural or mechanical methods.

Keep a clear path for airflow both inside and outside your windows.

Close windows, doors, and window coverings in the morning before your home starts to heat up.

Avoid producing heat in your home when it's hot outside.

Wear cool clothing.

Thermostat Placement

Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.

Use a Power Strip

Use a power strip as a central “turn off” point when you are done using equipment. Even when turned off, electronic and IT equipment often use a small amount of electricity. For home office equipment, this stand-by or “phantom” power load can range from a few watts to as much as 20 or even 40 watts for each piece of equipment.

Using a power strip for your computer and all peripheral equipment allows you to completely disconnect the power supply from the power source, eliminating standby power consumption.

Use a Celing Fan for a Cooler Home

Ceiling fans have returned to many homes and are no longer just a nostalgic appliance but a prominent element in interior design and can help save energy.

Ceiling fans move large quantities of air unobtrusively. They help move air uniformly with less noise than other type fans.

A ceiling fan will save energy only if the homeowner turns the thermostat up and/or off in the air-conditioned summer home.

Several research reports on comfort and temperature suggest moving air can make a room feel 6 to 7 degrees cooler. On a hot day this may mean an air conditioner could be set at 82 degrees F rather than 76 degrees F.

Use Lighting Controls to Reduce Energy Use

Photocells turn lights on and off in response to natural light levels - for example, on at dusk and off at dawn.

Crank timers, which are spring-driven and similar to old oven timers, limit lights to short durations where the need for light is brief.

Occupancy sensors activate lights when you enter a room and turn them off after you leave. They are good for areas of infrequent use, such as storerooms.

Dimmers reduce the wattage and output of light bulbs. They also significantly increase the life of incandescent bulbs.

Don't overuse kitchen and bathroom ventilation fans. Left on for too long, these fans can pull out much of your heated air.