Green Tips for the Summer

Summer is only one week away, and if you live in the South it already feels like it's here! Hopefully by now you know of many ways to save energy and reduce pollution. Keep putting that knowledge to work by making environmentally conscious decisions everyday. Below are some refresher summertime tips to help you stay "green" and cool this summer.

1. Weatherize your home. A drafty house will cause your cooling efforts to not work as well. Seal doors and windows with weather-stripping and caulk. Get your attic/ducts/basement checked for leaks, as these are the biggest culprits to wasted cool air.
2. Be smart about watering your lawn. Water at night or early in the morning so the water has a chance to soak in and not be evaporated by the sun. Don't water frequently - a good soaking every so often is actually better for your lawn than frequent shallow watering. Learn more here: http://www.wikihow.com/Water-Your-Lawn-Efficiently
3. Save energy (and money) by making simple adjustments to your A/C. When you are away from home, turn your thermostat up to the 80's. While home, set it to the upper 70's and use ceiling fans in a clockwise direction to further cool the air. Make sure to turn fans off when you are not around.
4. Don't wash your car at home. It wastes water and drains dirty chemicals and oils into your yard the water system. Instead, bring your car to a wash that has the proper wastewater facilities.
5. Take advantage of all that sunlight and warm air. Dry your laundry outdoors to save electricity.
6. Some other ways to cool your home is to use window shading such as curtains and solar screens. Keep the curtains drawn to block the sun from heating up your home. You could even plant trees around your home to provide shade to openly sunny areas.
7. Drink plenty of water, but make sure to drink from reusable mugs, thermoses or bottles.
8. Support healthy, environmentally friendly farms by buying local food and produce. Save electricity by grilling on a propane grill, which is a clean burning fuel.
9. For summer vacation, consider enjoying a train ride or road trip instead of flying. So much fuel can be prevented from burning into the atmosphere that way.
10. Hold a garage sale and donate clothing and other household items so they can be reused and repurposed. You know those closets could use some reorganizing, and you'll help prevent unnecessary items from ending up in landfills!