Going Green Pledge

At home, I pledge to....

turn off lights and appliances when not in use
use computer sleep mode at home and office, turn off computer at night
open the dishwasher and air dry dishes instead of using the hot air dry cycle, run only full loads
dry laundry on a clothesline
wash clothes on warm cycle, wash only full loads
turn down your hot water heater to 120F
shorten showers by a few minutes to conserve hot water
lower your thermostat by 1F during the winter season
adjust thermostat when you leave the house (10F down in winter, 10F up in summer)
keep up with basic furnace maintenance- have it professionally tuned and cleaned, replace air filters regularly
cook more efficiently- cover pots, use a pressure cooker when appropriate, keep burners clean, cook several dishes at a time in the oven, use microwave to heat food
keep drapes or blinds closed at night in winter and during the day in the summer to reduce heating and cooling needs
clean refrigerator coil every 4-6 months
replace at least 3 incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
install faucet aerators in sinks to reduce hot water use
install low-flow shower heads to conserve hot water
insulate 4 ft of hot water pipes closest to hot water heater
insulate all hot water pipes
caulk and weatherstrip all your doors and windows
have a professional seal your heating ducts to reduce loss of heated air
install programmable thermostat
replace old inefficient dishwasher (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
replace old inefficient refrigerator (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
replace old inefficient clothes washing machine (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
improve your home's insulation
replace old furnace with efficient Energy Star model
install a solar hot water heater
eat one less beef meal per week