With Earth Day right around the corner (Monday, April 22nd) we wanted to share a few tips and events to help our residents green their lifestyle and commemorate this special day in Salt Lake City!
15 Earth Day Tips that Really Make a Difference
We spotted this excellent article on The Daily Green, and thought we would share their 15 tips to a greener lifestyle. We love how simple their recommendations are, and the fact that each of them can have an impact! Get the full scoop on The Daily Green.
- Avoid waste: recycle. Salt Lake City makes it easy to recycle common household waste with curbside mixed recycling and curbside glass.
- Give up plastic (and paper) bags. Bring your own reusable grocery bags and save money, energy and natural resources.
- Stop buying bottled water. Buy one reusable water bottle and save some serious cash. We recommend aluminum or stainless steel.
- Stop receiving unwanted catalogs. We have tips on stopping unwanted junk mail on our website.
- Give up conventional detergents. Natural cleaners have less chemicals and work effectively at cooler temperatures.
- Give up hot water (at least in the clothes washer). About 90% of the energy used during a wash cycle is to heat the water.
- Give up the clothes dryer. Or optimize your dryer loads.
- Check for leaks in your toilet. Save water and money with a simple test.
- Use recycled toilet paper. It costs about the same as regular toilet paper.
- Give up paper towels. Invest in some reusable microfiber towels, which can be easily washed and reused again.
- Run a fully loaded dishwasher. Save energy and water when you skip partial loads.
- Lower the temp in your fridge. The fridge accounts for 10 to 15 percent of the average home energy bill each month!
- Give up 2 degrees. Set your thermostat to 78 degrees or more during the summer months.
- Give up dry cleaning. Check the labels when you purchase new clothes.
- Stop wasting gas! Be idle free, avoid jack rabbit starts and stops and check your tire pressure.
Earth Week @ The U
The University of Utah is celebrating Earth Week with a variety of events. View the Earth Week schedule.
Get Involved in SLC
Service in the City has created an excellent handout that outlines a variety of events and other opportunities in conjunction with Earth Day 2013. Check it out and get involved! (PDF)
