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DON'T LET YOUR VEHICLE IDLE WHILE YOU WAIT
When a vehicle is idling, it is getting 0 mpg! It uses less fuel to turn the engine off while you wait and then restart the car, than to let it idle for 10 seconds. When you leave your car running while you are waiting in line at the drive-thru, or as you wait for another employee at work or outside your kids' school, you are wasting fuel and adding to our Valley Smog. On cold days, only let your car idle for 30 seconds to warm up before starting to drive. The best way to warm up your car is to drive gently for a few minutes; this warms up all the parts of the car and is recommended by all major vehicle manufacturers and mechanics.
Courtesy Hancock Happenings, July 2010
HIGH-FLUSH TOILETS
Replace high-flush flush toilets with a high-efficiency toilet (HET) that uses 1.28 gallons per flush to save up to 4,000 gallons of water per year. If you don’t want to make a capital investment, you can put a bag of air in the tank to minimize water volume (check the local hardware store).
RESOLUTION: I WILL REDUCE MY USE OF PLASTIC BAGS
Using reusable shopping bags, instead of the free plastic bags at the store, is one of the easiest steps anyone can take to fight global warming, reduce our use of natural resources, and protect our waterways and wildlife.
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Reported statistics about plastic bags:
- Plastic bags are made from oil. (Producing 14 plastic bags uses the same amount of oil as driving one mile.)
- Just one percent of plastic bags are recycled.
- Plastic bags significantly contribute to litter problems as they are lightweight and blow around easily.
- Many plastic bags end up in our waterways, endangering wildlife and degrading water and soil quality.
Tips for REDUCING plastic bag use:
- Don’t bag big items or items with handles like gallon milk jugs, cases of soda or large detergent bottles.
- Avoid double bagging.
- Always try to put one extra item in your bag. If you are purchasing one or two items ask yourself, “Do I really need a bag?”
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Tips for remembering your reusable bags:
- Store bags in your vehicle.
- After you unpack your groceries, return the bags to your vehicle.
- Store a bag in your desk at work.
- Purchase a few compact reusable bags you can keep in your purse, jacket pocket, backpack or briefcase.
- Ask the kids to remind you to bring your bags as part of earning their allowance.
- Hang the bags next to the door.
Item #1 on shopping list: REMEMBER BAGS.
Brought to you by HEAT (Hancock Energy Advisory Team). Come and check us out the second Thursday of month at the Town Office! asulborski@yahoo.com
Submitted by Amy Sulborski
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TUNE UP YOUR LAWN MOWER
Spring is just around the corner. Tune up your lawn mower and you'll reduce emissions up to 50 percent! The local hardware shop can do it for you or visit www.mowertuneup.com for do-it-yourself information.
Courtesy Hancock Happenings, February 2010
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STAKE OUT ELECTRONIC VAMPIRES IN "STANDBY MODE"
TVs, stereos, DVD players, etc. use almost as much electricity running in standby mode as they do when they are actually on. For convenience put them on a power strip and switch them off when you are not using them. Save money too!
Courtesy Hancock Happenings, December 2009
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