Save the Earth: Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle

Summer `09 seems to be one of the hottest in recent years. Apart from being assaulted by high humidity and excruciating heat, we are most like being floored by soaring electric bills!
And have your water utility bills been hitting the roof,too? Most likely we take showers twice a day and do our laundry more often as we shed sweat-drenched clothes a few times a day. But hey, we need to cool down lest we suffer from heat stroke, so what other means do we have to keep water consumption down to a comfortable level?
For one, have you been using more valuable fresh water to keep your lawns green? Well, read on for some simple ideas on how to reduce the amount of water we use on our plants and gardens.
* Water before the sun is fully up. This cuts down on evaporation.
* Use a low-pressure sprinkler and when in use, check he lawn to be sure it`s not getting soaked.
* Resist watering until such time that your lawn really needs it. This will tend to make the grass hardier.
* When you do, use just enough so it sinks into the grass bed. This encourages deeper root growth, where more moisture is usually available.
* Consider investing in rain barrels. Or use one or two old drums that may be lying around idle. You can accumulate gallons of fresh water that cab be directly used on your lawn and garden without any treatment.

Repair, Not Replace
This may seem like a no-brainer, but when you think about it, when was the last time you had something small repaired? If it is a major appliance, chances are we will call a repairman before we spend thousands of pesos to replace it. But what about a toaster oven or a microwave or a television set?
Our consumers-driven society makes it too easy to simply replace something when it goes on the blink. Think of what the little extra effort to find a reliable repairman will save in resources and material!
Fix one item this year. Doing so will save you from buying a new one. One exception may be when the appliance that has broken down has seen five or more years of service. This is because new washing machines, dryers, airconditioners, fridges and the like are more efficient now than in the past, and new ones can save massive amounts of energy. However, if you make a big purchase, donate your old item to a cause.

Remember The 3 R`s
Most people don`t realize how big of an impact petroleum has on our daily lives. Some of its products we can`t live without, but others are mere conveniences we have simply gotten used too, like plastic bags!
When it comes to living green, always remember to reduce, re-use and recycle. When you reduce plastics, you reduce global warming. Each year, in the U.S.A. alone, millions throw away some 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags-from grocery and trash bags to those ultra-convenient sandwich bags.
Unfortunately, plastics are made from petroleum, the processing and burning of which is considered one of the main contributors to global warming.
In addition, sending plastics to the landfill also increases greenhouse gases. Reduce, re-use, and recycle your plastics for one of the best ways to combat global warming.