Think Green!
Posted by Paige
With Earth Day last month I was extremely busy. I was all over Charlottesville and the state of Virginia talking "Eco-Living" to businesses and community groups. It was very inspiring, yet slightly frustrating. It got me thinking about why we don’t celebrate Earth Day everyday?
Many businesses and organizations made it a priority to honor Earth Day last month by bringing in speakers, circulating education and even making company changes for the special day. If we can make such an emphasis one day a year, why can’t we continue that momentum everyday? Using alternate transportation or having zero waste once does make a difference, but it makes even more of a difference if we were to continue that habit throughout the year.
So in honor if it NOT being Earth Day or even Earth Week, I wanted to remind myself and others of some stagering statistics and encourage each of you to continue being green minded everyday!
- Lowering your thermostat 2 degrees will lower your energy bill by 10%.
- Americans consume 26% of the worlds energy.
- About 95% of the water entering our homes goes down the drain, one quarter down the toilet–be mindful when you flush and if you are considering a new fixture, dual flush toilets are now equivalent in price to standard toilets.
- 1 drop/minute equals 2,700 gallons each year–fix that leaky faucet or toilet!
- Up to 2/3 of most household trash can be composted–Composting is easy, start today. Don’t know how? Come into the Blue Ridge Eco Shop, we would love to teach you.
- The average roof collects 25,000 gallons of rain each year–make a difference and buy or make a rain barrel.
- A gas powered lawn mower pollutes as much in an hour as a car driving for 100 miles–need a new mower? Consider a Brill push mower–works just as efficient without the pollution.
If you are considering buying a rain barrel, or own one already, the County of Albemarle now offers up to a $30 rebate for residents who install rain barrels. Stop into the shop to pick up a rebate form! Downloadable Form
My wife thinks I’m crazy, but I put a bucket in the shower while the water warms up in the morning. I then use the bucket to water the garden or fill the backs of my toilets.
We’re also going to install a timer on our hot water heater. Most tanks keep water hot enough for 15 hours after the heater shuts off. Why heat water continuously? Paige - any thoughts or recommendations on these?
The most popular brand of water heater timers is Intematic. Hot water heater timers range from $40-$60 and pay for themselves usually in the first year.
If you aren’t in the market to buy a tankless, they make a lot of sense. Either turning the heating element off over night or at peak draw periods when you don’t need the hot water.