Today is Earth Day! Here are 5 easy tips for you and your family to reduce waste and save energy:
1. Recycle. Natural resources are conserved and waste is reduced when we all recycle. Items such as newspapers, magazines, glass and plastic objects and aluminum and steel products can all be recycled. Many localities in the Richmond area offer curbside recycling, but if your locality doesn't, check with the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority for a recycling location near you.
2. Reduce your energy usage. It’s easy to reduce your energy usage at home (and it saves you money, too)! Try turning off lights when you leave a room, unplugging idle electronics and running your dishwasher or washing machine during off peak hours. Choose LED light bulbs over a conventional light bulb...LED light bulbs put out less heat and use less electricity than conventional light bulbs. Check your energy provider for more tips on how to save energy around your home.
3. Buy local. Buying local produce and visiting local restaurants reduces the time and energy it takes to get your food from the farm to your table. The Richmond area has so many great local restaurants and farmers’ markets to choose from and it helps our local economy, too!
4. Use less water. Using less water in our homes can also save you money on your water bill. Try turning off the water when you brush your teeth or shave. Shorter showers and running full loads in your dishwasher and washing machine can help, too. With summer approaching, try watering your lawn during the cooler part of the day, such as the mornings. Watering when it’s cooler helps prevent evaporation, meaning you don’t have to water your lawn as much.
5. Reduce paper usage. Reducing paper usage helps save trees by not requiring as many of them to be cut down to produce paper, as well as saving the energy required to turn tree pulp into paper. Go paperless with your bills and choose digital magazines over print versions. Other ways you can reduce paper usage is by printing on both sides of the paper and using online cloud file storage services. One way Option 1 Realty saves paper usage is by using online file storage services, where our clients can sign “paperwork” digitally and retain a copy of their files in the cloud for future reference.
Earth Day was started on April 22, 1970 as a way to create awareness about pollution and our environment in America. By using just some of these energy-reducing tips, we can reduce waste and save money. Now that’s something to celebrate!
