The 90-Day Plan: DAY 30

DAY 30

WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE A FULL LOAD TO WASH DISHES & CLOTHES

Washing machines and dishwashers are great devices; just make sure to run them FULLY LOADED.

These appliances use a lot of energy and water; dishwashers use between 20-30 gallons per wash and washing machines use between 40-55 gallons.


Challenge: Hold off on running these appliances during and shortly after storms. This is because waste-water treatment plants need to process large quantities of water during storms and this is a way to ease the burden and prevent untreated discharges.


For More Information:

http://www.epa.gov/watersense/index.htm
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/laundry.html

The 90-Day Plan: DAY 29

DAY 29

KNOW WHAT'S IN YOUR HOME (and ways to properly dispose of hazardous household waste)

Every year, households in America tend to generate about 100 pounds of Hazardous Household Waste (HHW).

KNOW WHAT is in YOUR HOME! HHW ranges from: paints and drain cleaners to fluorescent bulbs and used motor oil. Go through your home to investigate and tally HHW sources. By checking under sinks, in cabinets, the basement and garage you will find the majority of HHW.

Using the EPA link below, you can learn more about HHW and proper disposal methods.




Challenge: Choose three standard cleaning products that are considered HHW and find a way to replace them with a safer alternative. Example: a plunger is an alternative to harsh chemicals used to un-clog drains.

Also, I cleaned a slow kitchen drain yesterday by pouring baking soda and vinegar down the rain--followed by a kettle of boiling water (it worked much better than the drano my mom tried a few days ago)!


For More Information:

http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/hhw.htm

http://www.scjohnson.com/environment/growing_1.asp

The 90-Day Plan: DAY 28

DAY 28

DOWNLOAD MUSIC and other files as opposed to printing, burning CDs, DVDs, etc

With the variety of audio options on the rise, opt to DOWNLOAD music, movies, and other files instead of burning them to a disc.

CD’s, DVD’s, and their protective jewel cases are made of plastic and last I heard, it wasn’t the best thing for our planet.

Speaking of music, songs have done a lot for the water. For instance, Pete Seeger helped clean the Hudson River through, The Power of Song."

Challenge: What can we learn from Pete? How can we apply what he has done for the Hudson to the Mississippi River? Any takers? It could be a lot of fun!


For More Information:

http://www.clearwater.org/

www.allatonce.org

The 90-Day Plan: DAY 27

DAY 27

CHOOSE ENERGY STAR

Power plants across the country use 136 billion gallons of freshwater everyday

Compare that to 4 billion gallons for home use.

Saving energy ultimately saves water; encourage your family to invest in ENERGY STAR appliances before their next purchase.

By 2013, thirty-six states are anticipating water shortages at the local, regional, or statewide level.

Is your state???

Challenge: Conventional energy production uses a lot of water, desalination uses a lot of energy; essentially, it takes water to make water. Research why is desalination not currently cost-effective for most parts of the world and see for yourself why water reclamation a better option.


For More Information:

www.energystar.gov

http://www.eere.energy.gov/

www.epa.gov/watersense

http://lwwd.org/

The 90-Day Plan: DAY 26

DAY 26

IDENTIFY and REPAIR LEAKS

Prevent Your Household From Losing Money

It might not seem like a big problem but small leaks in your home can really add up...

Here's how much you could be losing with average leaks:

20 gallons per day 1 toilet

1faucet 50 gallons per day

20 GALLONS X 30 DAYS = a lot of stolen water

Prevent Your Household From Losing Money

—don’t forget to check for leaks in your basement and outside-


Challenge: Municipalities that provide water lose, on average, 10-20% of water to leaks in the system. Call your water district and ask, how much water they are losing to leakage? Are they doing anything to perform infrastructure repair?


For More Information:

www.awwa.org

The 90-Day Plan: DAY 25

DAY 25

CHECK the BILLS

It’s one of the best ways to assess your energy and water use.

A good way to do this is by making a spreadsheet and logging all of your utility bills every month. This will only take a few minutes and could $$$AVE you big!

This will give you a good visualization of where your $$$ is going, and as you make changes in your usage you track the impact to see how worthwhile your efforts are. They'll pay off--it all adds up!


Challenge: Is it more practical to make your current appliances more efficient or replace them with high efficiency models? Look into the cost of the appliances vs. money saved.


For More Information:

http://www.eere.energy.gov/

The 90-Day Plan: DAY 24

DAY 24

TRY THE TOILET TANK TRICK

It is amazing how simple saving water can be.

For instance try the toilet tank trick find a plastic bottle to reuse (a ½ gallon jug works well) fill it with sand, pebbles, or pennies, cap it and place it in the toilet tank. This works by displacing, and saving, the volume of water with a solid object.

Note: It is not recommended that you use a brick because it can break down and clog the fixture--if you do use a brick, place it in a Ziplock Bag.

Challenge: Figure out what type of wastewater treatment service does your home use?

What level is effluent treated and where does it go after processing?

Have you considered a dual-flush or high efficiency toilet?



For More Information:

http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-Any-Toilet-to-a-Low-Flush-Toilet