Day 12- Turn off all of your electronic devices and unplug
them.
Turn your cell phone off. Sit in silence. Contemplate
Jesus' life and teachings, and consider the implications this has for the day
to day choices you make which affect the environment and climate change.
Think of what being a follower of Jesus means with regard to your
responsibilities in your home, your church, your community and the world.
Day 13 - Take a shower instead of a
bath.
If you already shower, consider taking a "military
shower" - turn the water on only to rinse. Look into getting a more
efficient shower with a "low-flow" showerhead. Try to limit
your shower to less than 5 minutes. An
average bath uses 40-60 gallons of water; an average shower 17 gallons; a
military shower less than 5 gallons.
Day 14 -Put on a sweater.
Turn down your thermostat to 65°- 68° when people are home and
active and 55°- 58° at night as well as when no one is home. In warm climates, raise your air-conditioner
thermostat 4° or up one setting. Home
heating and air-conditioning are responsible for a large portion of our carbon footprint.
Day 15 -Consider setting your hot water thermostat to 120°F.
Your hot water heater represents about 20-30% of the carbon emissions of your home, the biggest user of energy in
your house. Insulate your hot water tank with an insulation jacket if
available for your system. Arrange for your boiler to be serviced so it
runs more efficiently. When you next replace your boiler, get a condensing
boiler - they use less fuel than conventional boilers to produce the same
amount of heat and can save 32% on fuel bills.
Day 16 -Dry your clothes on a clothes line instead of in an electric
drier.
Electric driers use up to 10% of residential electricity in the
United States. The average household can save more than $100 a year by
forgoing the electric clothes dryer and using a clothesline. Clothes
dried in the fresh air smell better, too! Some say that you can soften
your towels and prevent them from drying stiff on the line by adding a ½ cup of
white vinegar to the rinse cycle.
Day 17-Reduce water usage in
your home by fixing leaky faucets.
They can waste up to 50 gallons a day. Turn the tap
off and on during shaving, washing hands and brushing teeth. (You can
save a gallon of water while washing hands, 9 ½ gallons brushing teeth, and up
to 19 while shaving by turning the water on and off.) Only flush the
toilet when absolutely necessary. Most toilets use about 5 to 8 liters of
water every time you flush. You can reduce this by placing a milk jug
filled with water inside the tank. If you need to replace your toilet,
buy an energy efficient model that uses less than two gallons of water and
consider purchasing a dual flush toilet.
Day 18 - Celebrate Earth Hour today.
Join millions of people around the globe by turning off your
lights for one hour, beginning at 8:30 pm. For more information, see
www.earthhour.org.
