CW22/MyRDC is proud to announce a new campaign focusing on environmental awareness. This website is an extension of our “Get into Green” initiative and provides tips on simple things you can do in your daily life — what you eat, what you drive, how you build your home — to impact not only your immediate surroundings, but places as far away as Antarctica. Here is a list of things that you can do to make a difference now.

YOUR VEHICLE:

Inflate Your Tires
Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $840 per year.

Change Your Air Filter
Check your car’s air filter monthly. Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $130 per year.

Carpool When You Can
Carpooling with friends and co-workers saves fuel. Save 790 lbs. Carbon dioxide and hundreds per year.

Don’t Idle in Your Car
Idling waste money and gas, and generates pollution. Except when in traffic, turn your engine off if you must wait for more than 30 seconds.

Buy a Hybrid Car
The average driver could save 16,000 lbs. of CO2 and $3,750 per year driving a hybrid.

Buy a Fuel Efficient Car
Getting a few extra miles per gallon makes a big difference. Save thousands of puns of CO2 and a lot of money per year.

AROUND THE HOME:

Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
Replace 3 frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $60 per year.

Check Your Water Heater
Keep your water heater thermostat no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Save 550 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $30 per year.

Change the AC Filter
Clean or replace dirty air condition filters as recommended. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150 per year.

Replace Old Appliances
Inefficient appliances waste energy. Save hundreds of pounds of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year.

Weatherize Your Home
Caulk and weather strip your doorways and windows. Save 1,700 pounds of carbon dioxide and $274 per year.

Insulate Your Home
Make sure your walls and ceiling are insulated. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $245 per year.

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
Using less water in the shower means less energy to heat the water. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150 per year.

Insulate Your Water Heater
Keeping your water heater insulated could save 1,000 lbs of carbon Dioxide and $40 per year.

Switch to a Tankless Water Heater
Your water will be heated as you use it rather than keeping a tank of Hot water. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $390 per year.

Switch to Double Pane Windows
Double pane windows keep more heat inside your home so you use less energy. Save 10,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $436 per year

DAILY HOUSEHOLD ACTIVIES:

Use a Push Mower
Use your muscles instead of fossil fuels and get some exercise. Save 80 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.

Take Shorter Showers
Showers account for 2/3 of all water heating cost. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $99 per year.

Air Dry Your Clothes
Line-dry your clothes in the spring and summer instead of
using the dryer. Save700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $75 per year.

Fill the Dishwasher
Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year.

Adjust Your Thermostat
Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in the winter and up two degrees in the summer.

Reduce Garbage
Buy products with less packaging and recycle paper, plastic and glass.

Unplug Unused Electronics
Even when electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. Save over 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide and $256 per year.

SHOPPING:

Buy Products Locally
Buy locally and reduce the amount of energy required to drive your products to your store.

Bring Cloth Bags to the Market
Using your own cloth bag instead of plastic or paper bags reduces waste and requires no additional energy.

Buy Minimally Packaged Goods
Less packaging could reduce your garbage by 10%. Save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and $1,000 per year.

Buy Organic Food
The chemicals used in modern agriculture pollute the water supply, and require energy to produce.

KIDS CAN HELP, TOO:

Put on a Sweater
Instead of turning up the heat in your home, wear more clothes Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $250 per year.

Turn off Your Computer
Shut off your computer when not in use, and save 200 lbs of C02. Conserve energy by using your computer's "sleep mode" instead of a screensaver.

Use Recycled Paper
Make sure your printer is 100% post consumer recycled paper. Save 5 lbs of carbon dioxide per ream of paper.

Plant a Tree
Trees suck up carbon dioxide and make clean air for us to breath. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.