75 Ideas to Spend and Consume Less In Your Life (16-30) MERRY CHRISTMAS NATURAL AND SUSTAINABLE READERS!
16. Barter for Service with Carpenters: Try Time Banks.org.
17. Buy Into a Piece of Land with another Family or Your Neighborhood: Be sure to check local zoning ordinances to be sure you can legally sudivide a property before you buy it.
18. Build with Natural Materials Found On-Site: If you have wood, the equipment to mill it yourself is relatively inexpensive compared to buying lumber. If you want to really go all-natural build with stone or straw and use clay as plaster.
19. Close Off Unused Rooms: Especially in the summer when you run an air conditioner. It will save on cooling your home in the heat.
20. Be efficient with Your Appliances: Have a big baking night when you are going to use the oven. Let your woodstove also be your dryer and water heater.
21. Take Advantage of Natural Weather Patterns to Heat and Cool your Home: In the summer, open the windows at night and close them again by noon.
22. Place your Refrigerator in the Coldest Part of the House: It will require less energy to keep the temperature low.
23. Wash your Clothes in Cold Water: It’s the friction of the clothes rubbing against each other that does most of the cleaning, not the heat. For serious stains, use hot water only on those clothes.
24. Switch off Your Water Heater: When you are not going to use it for an extended period of time, like going on vacation.
25. Buy Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs: The savings on your electric bill adds up fast when you use these over time.
26. Unplug any Unused Electric Items with Lights, Clocks or Timers: They use some much power just sitting there.
27. Carpool with Friends or a Co-Worker: Some cities maintain online listings to help people connect with other carpoolers.
28. Ask if Your City Has a Carshare Program: Or start one with some people you trust.
29. Covert a Diesel Car to Run on Used Vegetable Oil: You will pay once for the conversion kit, but after that all your fuel will be free. All you have to do is find a restaurant that wants to dispose of their used oil and will let you cart it away.
30. Keep Track of Your Gas Milage: Look for ways to improve it. Keep your tires properly inflated and don’t speed. (Source: NH 2007)
*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Pass on the paper towels and paper napkins, opt for cloth ones and just wash them. At your favorite restaurant, ask them to switch to cloth napkins instead of the paper ones.
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