Living Like Ed by Ed Jr. (whitelam books .txt) 📗

of clothing you hardly ever need, why buy it and have it sit in your closet, unused and practically wasted, when you can rent it for far less money and allow other people to make use of it, too?

Leather production involves a toxic soup of chemicals, many of which have been linked to all kinds of cancers and other health issues, including asthma.

Many dry cleaners have found that making the switch to green processes wasn’t just good for their health, it was good for their business. To ensure it remains that way, be sure to spend your dry-cleaning dollars with meerchants who follow eco-friendly practices.

When it comes to buying cosmetics and toiletries, read the labels and stay away from anything with ingredients that are hard to pronounce.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), there are about 36,000 dry cleaning shops in the United States, and about 85 percent of them use

perchloroethylene as their primary solvent.

Some types of hair dye contain lead acetate.

Hair bleach and nail polish may contain formaldehyde.

WORKBOOK

Want to know if this stuff really works? Keep track of just how much money—and energy—you save by making some of the Little Changes, Not-So-Big Changes, and Big Changes outlined in this book. Each time you make a change, record the date you implemented the change. If, for instance, you replace ten incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) or institute a new policy, such as running only full dishwasher or washing machine loads, note the date. When your next utility bill arrives, calculate the difference, and then note which changes were made within that billing period. I bet you will be amazed to see how much it was lowered by making those simple changes.

You’ll also find a section for tracking your results. This includes changes in your energy usage as well as health benefits you’ve noticed, differences in your grocery bills, differences in your gasoline costs, differences in your water usage, and a lot more.

Keeping track of the changes you make and the results in your life is the best way to prove that these changes are good for you and good for the environment. After all, the proof is in the savings—and in your improved physical and mental health, too.

CHANGES

ELECTRICITY SAVINGS

Ditch the dirty air filter DATE:_____ COST:_____

Turn down/up the thermostat

I CHANGED THE TEMPERATURE ON MY HEATING SYSTEM FROM:

_____ TO:_____ °F. DATE:_____

I CHANGED THE TEMPERATURE ON MY AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM FROM:_°F TO:_____ °F. DATE:_____

Clean the refrigerator coils         DATE:_____

Reseal the refrigerator         DATE:_____

COST (FOR MATERIALS AND LABOR, IF APPLICABLE):_____

Reset the refrigerator and freezer settings

I CHANGED THE REFRIGERATOR FROM:_____°F. TO:_____°F.

I CHANGED THE FREEZER FROM:_____°F. TO:_____°F. DATE:_____

Run only full dishwasher loads DATE:_____

Skip the dishwasher’s Heated Dry cycle DATE:_____

Don’t prerinse the dishes DATE:_____

Wash only full loads of clothes in cold water

DATE I BEGAN WAITING FOR A FULL LOAD:_____

DATE I SWITCHED TO COLD WATER:_____

Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs)

LIGHTBULB CHANGED:_____ DATE:_____ COST:_____

LIGHTBULB CHANGED:_____ DATE:_____ COST:_____

LIGHTBULB CHANGED:_____ DATE:_____ COST:_____

Start turning off appliances, lights, etc. when not in use

DATE:_____

Buy a home energy management system

DATE I INSTALLED THE SYSTEM:_____

COST:_____

Install a net metering setup         DATE:_____COST:_____

Check a box on your electricity bill for green power

PROVIDER:_____

TYPE OF GREEN POWER (E.G., WIND, SMALL HYDROELECTRIC, SOLAR):_____

DATE:_____COST:_____

Go solar

DATE I INSTALLED A SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM:_____COST:_____

PERCENT OF MY POWER NEEDS BEING MET BY THE SYSTEM:_____

Lease a solar setup

DATE I INSTALLED A LEASED SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEM:_____COST:_____

PERCENT OF MY POWER NEEDS BEING MET BY THE SYSTEM:_____

Install a wind power system DATE:_____ COST:_____

PERCENT OF MY POWER NEEDS BEING MET BY THE SYSTEM:_____

Install a time-of-use meter DATE:_____COST:_____

Use power off-peak

AMOUNT OF ENERGY I USED TO USE DURING HIGH-PEAK HOURS:_____

DURING LOW-PEAK HOURS:_____DURING OFF-PEAK HOURS:_____

AMOUNT OF ENERGY I NOW USE DURING HIGH-PEAK HOURS:_____

DURING LOW-PEAK HOURS:_____DURING OFF-PEAK HOURS:_____

ACTIVITIES I’VE BEEN ABLE TO SWITCH TO OFF-PEAK HOURS

GAS/OTHER ENERGY SAVINGS

Dry clothes on a rack or line DATE:_____ COST:_____

Use the dryer’s moisture sensor instead of timed dry

DATE:_____

Clean the dryer’s lint filter before each load

DATE:_____

Change the water heater’s setting

DATE:_____

I CHANGED IT FROM:_____°F. TO:_____°F.

Wrap the water heater         DATE:_____ COST:_____

Draw the drapes

DATE I BEGAN DRAWING THE DRAPES OR CLOSING THE BLINDS OR SHUTTERS AT NIGHT INTHE WINTER:_____

DATE I BEGAN DRAWING THE DRAPES OR CLOSING THE BLINDS OR SHUTTERS DURING THE DAY IN THE SUMMER:_____

Install window film to block UV rays DATE:_____COST:_____

Caulk around the windows DATE: COST:

Install an energy-saving thermostat DATE: COST: Swap a gas mower for an electric or manual model

Swap a gas mower for an electric or manual model

DATE:_____ COST:_____

Plant a no-mow meadow or lawn DATE:_____ COST:_____

Get a rechargeable leaf blower DATE:_____ COST:_____

Install awnings on south-facing windows (and possibly east-and west-facing windows, too) DATE:_____ COST:_____

Get an Energy Star-qualified air conditioner

DATE:_____COST:_____

Get a more efficient dishwasher DATE INSTALLED:_____ COST:_____

Get an air purifier DATE:_____ COST:_____

Get an Energy Star-qualified refrigerator

DATE INSTALLED:_____ COST:_____

Get an Energy Star-qualified washing machine

DATE INSTALLED:_____ COST:_____

Add insulation

DATE ADDED TO THE ATTIC:_____ COST:_____

DATE ADDED TO THE WALLS:_____ COST:_____

Get energy-efficient windows

DATE INSTALLED:_____ NUMBER OF WINDOWS CHANGED:_____ COST:_____

Get a highly efficient gas hot water heater DATE INSTALLED:_____ COST:_____

Let the sun heat your water DATE INSTALLED:_____ COST:_____

WATER SAVINGS

Turn off the tap while brushing teeth, shaving, doing dishes

DATE:_____

Take shorter showers NUMBER OF MINUTES’ DIFFERENCE:_____ DATE:_____

Stop hosing off the sidewalk DATE:_____

Take baths instead of showering DATE:_____

Stop flushing your trash DATE:_____

Fix a leaky toilet

DATE:_____ COST (MATERIALS AND LABOR, IF ANY):_____

Get a new low-flow toilet DATE:_____ COST:_____

Water garden/lawns early or late in the day DATE:_____

Do extra watering with a hose or watering can DATE:_____

Buy a rain barrel DATE:_____ COST:_____

Lose the lawn

WHAT IT WAS REPLACED WITH:_____ DATE:_____ COST:_____

RECYCLING CRIB SHEET