Go Green Annapolis and Eastern Shore!
By Anne-Marie Sweeney
Invented by a 19th century biologist the term “ecology” is now sometimes considered synonymous with the term “green.” Today “going green" can mean conserving natural resources and saving money at the same time. Most utility companies, government regulators, and “green” websites offer many practical ways to minimize home use of fuel, electricity, gas, and water. Here are some tips that may fit the continuing greening of your home lifestyle.
1. Save Your Books, Make Shelves
Books are too valuable to send to already-crowded landfills. Recycle your books; give them to others, or turn them into art. For inspired project ideas visit “ReadingHack’s” website.
Book Shelves Made From Books
2. Save Water, Try a Home Audit
The benefit of saving water at home is a reduced water bill. For a complete home water audit checklist visit Maryland’s “Department of the Environment” website.
Conducting Homewater Audits
3. Choose Tap Over Bottled Water
Water from the tap is less expensive than bottled water. For a full tap water report visit “Food and Water Watch’s” web site.
Take Back the Tap
4. Save the Rain, Water Your Garden
An irrigation rain barrel can be made into a low cost “drip” irrigation system by
running an ordinary irrigation hose to a garden or flowerbed making it very easy to water the garden. To learn how to install a rain barrel see Montgomery County’s website and workshop schedule.
Montgomery County's RainScapes
5. Drive Smarter, Maintain Space Cushions
“Ecomodders” use tricks to stretch fuel economy further than most people can imagine. For 100 ecologically oriented driving tips visit “Ecomodder’s” website.
Eco-Driving Tips
6. Save Cash, Use Home Tax Incentives
Homeowners know good home maintenance means saving money and energy without sacrificing comfort. For a summary of available energy efficient tax credits visit the
“Department of Energy’s” web site. www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm.
7. Negativewatt Your Home, Eliminate Standby Power
A power strip with an indicator light can be used as a central “switch” to turn-off groups of appliances. For a free brochure on more ways to reduce your electric bill visit the “Edison Electric’s” web site.
Public Policy and Research
8. Enjoy Fresh Food, Buy Local
This pocket size grocery list provides the top 25 cleanest (pesticide free) vegetables and fruits. To print a free copy of the list and learn more about healthy foods visit “The Environmental Working Group’s” web site.
Wallet Guide
9. Reuse Grocery Bags, Plastic or Canvas
If you haven’t purchased one of the new reusable cotton grocery bags try reusing the plastic ones.
Visit Planet Green’s web site for 99 ways to reuse plastic grocery bags.
Reuse Plastic Bags
10. Reduce paper waste, Go Paperless
CatalogChoice offers a free Internet service where in exchange for resigning from paper catalogues you can choose to receive internet email news from their companies instead. To reduce the amount of junk mail in your mailbox and to reduce paper waste see the form on the Ecology Center sponsored web site
www.Catalogchoice.org’s.
11. Take Responsibility, Volunteer Green
Ecomall Volunteers
Volunteermatch.org
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