In honor of Earth Day (Tuesday, April 22nd), we at Let’s Dish! wanted to share a fantastic handout from the Baltimore Parents for Climate Action, a school-based group of parent volunteers working toward a healthier environment. To learn the data sources used for carbon reduction figures or to learn more about us, you can send a quick email to the group. Thanks to Laurel Peltier, our Dish Green guest expert, for passing it on!
It’s Time to Make Earth Day, Every Day 24/7
(Click here or on image to right to download a printable version of this handout.)
Starting Point: The average Maryland household emmits 39,000 pounds of CO2 per year
1. SWITCH TO GREEN POWER – Reduces CO2 by 16,500 Pounds/Year
This is the “Mack Daddy” change and costs much less than you’d expect. BG&E consumers can switch to a green electric supplier offering 100% emission-free wind power. Visit www.bge.com, click on the “Energy Choices” button, and then click on “Choice-Residential Supplier List” for the three providers and details. Expect to sign-up for a fixed yearly rate and pay roughly a 3¢ kWh premium with the payoff that your home supports emission-free power. This means the average home would pay only $375 more per year.
2. SWITCH YOUR CAR DOWN A SIZE OR TWO – Reduces CO2 by 4,000 Pounds/Year
Heavy SUV’s guzzle gas while smaller cars sip gas and hybrids use batteries for city driving and idling. Your next car purchase is very important – consider your gas mileage in the purchase. You can visit www.terrapass.org to estimate your car’s CO2 output. While walking, car-pooling and driving less are the real goals, switching one of your cars down a size level or two has a real impact. And, turn your car off if idling over ten seconds, it’s better for your car and saves gas.
AVERAGE CO2 EMISSIONS BY CAR TYPE (source:terrapass.org)
Car Type CO2 Pounds/Year
SUV (ex. Suburban) 13,600
SUV hybrid (ex: Toyota Highlander) 9,000
Minivan (ex: Odyssey/Sienna) 10,500
Car (ex: Volvo) 9,500
Small Car (ex: Accord) 6,500
Hybrid Car (ex: Prius, Civic) 5,000
3. REDUCE, REUSE, RECYLE… A LOT – Reduces CO2 by 2,400 Pounds/Year
About half of each home’s garbage is recyclable and curbside recycling is easy. Making plastic, steel, glass, paper and especially aluminum from scratch is energy-intensive as is the transportation of the raw and finished materials (usually global in scope). As energy costs soar and recyclables prices climb, municipal recycling incomes are growing – it’s a win-win for the earth and the taxpayer. Also, landfills generate methane which is 20 times more potent than CO2. Consider trash-free lunches, using reusable containers, buying in bulk, and just buying less.
4. RE-THINK USING HOT WATER – Reduces CO2 by 2,000 Pounds/Year
As much as 25% of your electricity bill is from heating water. Water heaters are always on standby and setting the temperature to 120º saves 500 lbs/year. Insulate your water heater with a “parka” and save another 1,000 lbs/year. When doing laundry, using warm or cold water saves 500+ lbs/year because 90% of the energy used is to heat the water. Other tips – buy front-loader washing machines which use 10 gallons of water versus 40+ gallons for top loaders, place dishes unrinsed into an Energy Star dishwasher and cut water usage by 50%, and use low flow showerheads to save another 350 lbs/year.
5. TURN THE HEAT DOWN! – Reduces CO2 by 2,000 Pounds/Year
Turn down the heat 2 degrees less and cool 2 degrees higher to save carbon. For just $35, install programmable thermostats and adjust heat to cooler at night, lower in the basement or off when on vacation. Replacing dirty air filters saves another 350 lbs/year because less energy is required to force the air to circulate. This is just the beginning, check out www.epa.org for many ideas to better contain heat.
6. SWITCH 5 OF THOSE LIGHT BULBS! – Reduces CO2 by 1,500 Pounds/Year
Only 10% of the power used in light bulbs makes light with the rest wasted on heat. Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are cheaper now, emit a better quality light, are available in any size (including recessed, dimmable and outdoor) and saves you money. Go to the dark side and be “Dark Vader” and turn off lights. It’s amazingly simple and this action saves another 750 lbs in CO2 and lowers your electricity bills.
7. SLAY THE ELECTRONIC VOLTAGE VAMPIRE – Reduces CO2 by 1,500 Pounds/Year
Who knew that ‘off’ for electronics means standby or sleep mode and it’s estimated that 5% of your electric bill pays for electronics switched ‘off’? Utilize a power strip or low-tech timer to really turn off power with ease. The most costly phantom is your PC in sleep mode – turn it off when not in use and save 1,250 lbs in CO2/year. Better yet, enable your PC’s Windows power management system under properties, screen saver tab, then monitor power tab and enter the time limits for your monitor and hard-drive to shut down.
8. GO ON A DIET “DIET”–EAT LOCAL AND ORGANIC – Reduces CO2 by 1,500 Pounds/Year
The average U.S. meal travels 1,200 miles from farm to plate. Local food means less transportation CO2 and organic foods are grown with earth-friendly practices. Beef is the big offender due to high water and energy use and a lot of ‘methane’ output – so choose grass-fed and organic meat. Learn about buying seasonal, local and often organic produce through Community Supported Agricultural farms (CSA) and tour local farmer’s markets.
9. BUY CARBON OFFSETS – A Lot More CO2 Pounds Saved
Consumers and businesses can now buy carbon credits with the goal being to offset household, business or travel emissions. This new concept is unregulated, yet there are credible non-profits investing in additional green projects such as alternative energies and tree planting (trees absorb carbon). Check out: www.terrapass.org or www.climatetrust.org to name a few. Though carbon credits don’t reduce your emissions, the idea supports green thinking, green investment and cleaner air.
— If you’d like to contribute posts to our “Dish Green” category, please email Food for Thought. Thank you again to Laurel Peltier, an environmental freelance writer. Feel free to email Laurel for more information on her “green” articles focused on families.
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