Recycle Glass
Glass takes 1 million years to decompose. If you’re not going to wait around to see those benefits, recycle glass containers as well as broken glass (like mirrors and picture frames) to reduce glass related air pollution by 20% and water related pollution by 50%. That was easy!
Use the light, not the door!
When you’re checking on your goods baking in the oven, use the light not the door. Make an exception if and when you need to do a tooth-pick check on treats like cakes and brownies, but just keep the glass clean and use the light to check in on your baking items!
Don’t Preheat
This is one that I’m not sure about. I’d have to hear a response from a baking guru, but I’m going to try it. Don’t preheat unless you’re baking pastries or bread. Instead, turn the oven on when you put the food in to save valuable energy.
Green Tip: Stop Pre-Washing
Save time, energy, money, AND water with this tip. Are you still washing your dishes before you wash them in the dish washer? I’ll admit that some dishwashers don’t do a great job, but most do and those that don’t may need to be replaced with a new energy and cleaning efficient one. This can save as much as 20 gallons of water my skipping the pre-wash! Scrape the bulk off and let the dishwasher do the heavy work for you and you’ll save water and energy used to heat that water as well as your own time and energy!
Let Your Electronics Sleep
Save the planet and your pennies by turning off your computers at night. This is a hard one for me as well, but it is simple to get into the habit of turning them back on in the mornings while you organize and prepare for your day. Computers also have a “wake on LAN” feature if you have a computer that you only use for file and/or print sharing. Also, most household electronics don’t actually turn off when you hit the power button. Instead, they go into a standby mode. This is wasteful of electricity (and your money) and it’s easy to avoid by putting the electronics that don’t need to be in a standby mode on a powerstrip where you can turn them all completely off at once.
Changing Your Lights is a Bright Idea
If every house in America replaced one incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent one, the effect would measure the same as removing one million cars from the road. Tossing all of your bulbs is wasteful, so start with those that burn out and those in areas where you have the lights on daily like your kitchen, bathroom, and porch. Don’t forget that these CF bulbs come in a large variety of styles now and come in the same shapes and sizes as traditional bulbs including the classic bulb shape. If the color bothers you, try installing them in rooms like your laundry room where you aren’t trying to relax. However, the new bulbs are designed to mimic the glow of traditional incandescent bulbs so the only thing that you will likely notice is a short warm-up period and a lower electric bill.
Curbside Blues?
Curbside service in Austin currently leaves something to be desired. New plans are in progress to bring more services to your curbside recycling program, but in the mean time, here is an easy way to waste less and save more.
Make use of those paper bags you bring home from the grocery store. I know you mean to bring your own totes, but they aren’t always handy. Find a place to line a few up based on the materials that you would like to recycle but curbside does not take. Maybe this is in the garage, pantry, or on the back porch (if you don’t have nosy dogs!). Make it a convenient place but keep it out of sight so that you won’t feel the need to “clean it up” later. Designate one for styrophome, one for No. 3+ plastics, one for electronics, one for batteries. If you have kids, you can involve them by having them decorate the bags and labeling them. This can really help them get into recycling. When the bags fill (or you have an opportunity), take the materials to other recycling centers like the one at 7th & I-35 or Goodwill for electronics (see more at Recycling in Austin).
If you prefer a more durable option, I like these bins that are conveniently available at Office Depots. I have these in my pantry and at my office and designate them by material (like paper and plastics).
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