P2 EPA Incentive Programs
Energy Use:
Don't leave unnecessary lights on - Try only having lights on in the areas where you need them, and always remember to turn lights off when you leave. It really does make a difference.
Use fluorescent lights - A 40-Watt fluorescent bulb produces as much light as a 150-Watt incandescent bulb. Fluorescent lights use about 27% of the energy, and therefore create only 27% of the pollution, and cost 27% percent of an equal amount of light cast by incandescent bulbs.
How heated do you need it? - Most hot water heaters are set much higher than needed, and therefore waste a lot of fuel by heating water to scalding temperatures which must then be tempered with cold water. Try turning it down to 120°F. Not only will you save money, but you can eliminate the risk of getting burned. In the winter, try leaving the heat below 65 °F and putting on an extra sweater.
Other tips:
- Drafts reduce heating efficiency dramatically. If you have storm windows, make sure they're closed. Request your landlord/ the university to seal the windows. If all else fails, seal your windows yourself by blow-drying plastic wrap onto the window frame on the inside.
- Reduce your driving time.
- On average, it takes 0.5 ounces of gas to start a car, and 1.6 ounces to let it idle for one minute.
- Turn your computer off overnight.
Water Use:
Don't leave the water running while brushing your teeth, washing your face, etc. - This is more wasteful than it appears. Taking the moment to turn the faucet off and on again will save up to a gallon a minute of water.
Fix leaking fixtures - Drips add up. The average toilet uses 5-7 gallons of water every time it?s flushed. A leaky toilet can lose 50 gallons a day, 18,000 gallons a year. Take action to make your living space leak-free!
Other Tips:
- Request and support the use of low-flow fixtures.
- If possible, wait until you have a full load before doing you laundry.
Your Garbage:
Know which items cannot be thrown in the regular trash - Batteries, motor oil, anti-freeze, liquid paint and household chemicals are considered special waste and must be dealt with accordingly. Please contact Rob Gogan for proper disposal instructions.
Know what items can be recycled - A large amount of items can be recycled, depending on where you are. By learning the specifics, you will be able to take full advantage of recycling without contaminating batches of recycleables. Holding onto recyclable trash until you find a proper recycling place is one of the easiest ways to reduce the trash you produce.
- The energy saved by recycling one aluminum can could power your television for 3 hours.
- Each ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees and 3 cubic yards of landfill space.
- Manufacturing one ton of recycled paper takes 4100 KWH less power and 7,000 gallons less water than manufacturing one ton of virgin paper.
What do you do with objects you no longer want? - Rather than throwing away old clothes, books, computers, furniture, etc, see if there is a charitable organization that could use them. Many charities in Harvard Square accept donations.
For more good ideas, see Harvard's Recycling page
Utilizing Your Purchasing Power:
Buy recycled objects when they are available - This closes the recycling loop. Until products made from pre-used materials are bought, recycling has not occurred.
Don't buy items that are excessively packaged - Packaging usually becomes trash. Buying excessively packaged items is the same as buying trash.
Buy from producers who do not exploit the environment - Try shopping at The Ecomall. This lets corporations know how you feel. In our market economy of supply and demand, we must create a demand for recycled, environmentally friendly products. Next time you shop, keep the environment in mind, buy from corporations who do the same.
