Make good use of nature’s resources: Tips for an eco-friendly temperatures
With warmer temperatures on the rise, everyone will be looking for relief from the heat. Rather than tinkering with your thermostat, check out these tips on how to stay cool, enjoy the weather and show your appreciation to Mother Nature for all the sun and fun she’ll provide us with this summer season.
- Set the Air Conditioner to 24C (75F) in the Summer
The fact is, setting your air conditioner any lower increases your personal costs considerably, and it’s a terrible waste of energy. Small, thoughtful acts like changing the settings on your air conditioning are easy to do, and make a big difference. There are lots of ways to stay cool in the summer, without setting your AC at sub-arctic levels:
* Open the windows at night to let cooler air in
* Turn off lamps and other electrical heat sources
* Wear looser clothing to help keep you cool - Install a Programmable Thermostat
Controlling the thermostat is one of the easiest and most economical ways to control your energy costs. A programmable thermostat lets you program the temperature of your home for different times or days. You can lower the temperature during the day or overnight, and raise it before you get home or when you wake up. You could do this at work too. - Air-dry clothes
It’s not just your washing machine that uses a lot of energy. Your dryer is one of the biggest contributors to your monthly electricity bill. They are energy pigs, no doubt about it. Save some money and reduce your carbon footprint by letting clothes air dry. Try a clothesline in your backyard, or use collapsible clothes racks. Now’s the time to get that fresh summer smell without having to toss in an artificial freshener. - Install a ceiling fan
A ceiling fan can reduce your household’s energy consumption by decreasing the use of an air conditioner – they can cool your house by a few degrees or more during summer months. Fans cost much less than air conditioners to run. Bonus: Long after the days of summer, ceiling fans still have use – a ceiling fan in the winter displaces hot air that rises with cooler air from the room’s lower levels. - Walk or Bike to Work Instead of Driving
We live in the car era. Most of us drive without much thought. But do you really need to drive to that nearby store? Why not walk? Or will riding a bike get you there just as easily? If you ride a bike, can you skip the gym? The answer quite often is yes. Not only will you save money and get some exercise, you’ll cut down on car emissions. - Plant a tree
Planting a tree is an easy way to help the environment. They absorb carbon dioxide from the environment and release oxygen, which helps offset the damage done to the planet by greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, just one tree produces more than 100 kilograms of oxygen a year. Trees can also help cool down areas. An area with no trees can easily be 5 degrees warmer than an area with a lot of trees.
To add your green acts to the total, visit www.OneMillionActsofGreen.com and register these acts towards the goal of one million. One Million Acts of Green is presented by The Hour, in partnership with CBC and Cisco, with the idea that one small act can make a big difference. Cisco calls this the Human Network Effect: a network of people with the power to change the world in which we live and work. As individual acts combine, the positive impact on our planet is much greater.
Cisco Canada – One Million Acts of Green
