Green Suggestions
Education
-Generating environmental awareness in children is the key to achieving a sustainable present and future
For example, you can teach them to reduce, reuse, and recycle trash, care for their play areas and public spaces, make recycled paper, and to plant trees.
Environmental education in kindergartens and schools is a fundamental pillar.
- We recommend movies and documentaries that we think will not only inform, but also awaken the Sustentator in you.
Lighting
- Take advantage of sunlight as much as possible… it is natural, free, and does not cause pollution.
- Switch off lights that you are not using. This can make a big difference in your electricity consumption, as well as reduce your electric bill.
- To make the most of natural light, use light colors on walls and ceilings.
- Use low-consumption or fluorescent lightbulbs in places where lights are not turned on and off frequently.
- For exterior lighting, take advantage of the sun’s energy by using solar lamps.
- If you have a battery-operated flashlight, try to use rechargeable batteries.
Cooling
- Install awnings on windows where the sun enters most. Close your blinds and shut the curtains: these are very effective and simple methods for keeping your home cool.
- In many cases, a fan is enough to maintain a comfortable temperature: the movement of air produces the feeling that the temperature has dropped between 3 and 5°C. At the same time, it consumes a low amount of electricity.
- The best spot to place an air conditioner is on a shady part of your house. On warm days, turn on your air conditioner before your house heats up and keep the windows closed.
- Keep the thermostat of your air conditioner at a temperature around 24°C.
- When turning on your air conditioner, don’t adjust the thermostat to a temperature lower than normal: it won’t cool down the house faster, and it may cool it down too much. This causes an unnecessary waste.
Heating
- Maintain indoor temperature between 18° and 22°C in the winter: the ideal temperature is fairly subjective, but every degree counts.
- Close the chimney flue when you are not using it.
- Close your blinds and curtains at night: you will avoid heat loss.
- For boiler systems and hot water radiators, it is best to install thermostats over each radiator to maintain the desired temperature in each room.
- If your house is empty for several hours, consider replacing your normal thermostat with a programmable thermostat, which will allow you to set different temperatures during different time frames or even on weekends or special days.
Hot Water Heater
- Systems that work with tanks are more efficient than water heaters with instantaneous production.
- It is very important that your hot water tank and hot water distribution pipes be well-insulated.
- Temperature regulators that have a thermostat, principally for the shower, can save between 4% and 6% of energy.
- The worst way to heat water is with electricity. A family that does this emits an average of half a ton of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. Greenpeace
- Solar powered water heaters are highly recommended. You can save up to 80% of the gas traditionally used and even more energy, if your water used to be heated with electricity. If you want to learn about how a solar powered water heater works, you can find information in the Where Do I Begin? section, under Hot Water Heater.
Appliances
There are two basic principles that rule any appliance: the first is to adapt the power of the device to your needs, and the second is to get an appliance with an energy class rating of A or better. For more information, see the appliance section of Where Do I Begin?. This way you will be optimizing your energy use and achieving savings on your electric bill.
Refrigerator
- Adjust your thermostat to maintain a temperature of 6° C in the refrigeration compartment and -18° C in the freezer compartment.
- Make sure your freezer and refrigerator door close hermetically; keep them open for as little time as possible.
- Clean the back part of your appliance at least once a year.
- Never place hot food in the refrigerator or freezer, since this stresses the appliance.
- When you take food out of the freezer to eat it the next day, thaw it in the refrigerator; that way you will take advantage of the free cooling effect it offers.
- Open the door as few times as possible and make sure to close it properly: you will avoid wasting energy.
- If you are going to buy a new refrigerator, you can find some recommendations in the appliances section of Where Do I Begin?.
Washing machines and dishwashers
- Wash with the low temperature cycles.
- Take advantage of the maximum capacity of your appliance; do not turn it on until it is completely full. You will reduce your consumption of water, detergent, energy, and lengthen the life of the appliance.
- Proper maintenance improves energy use: regularly clean impurities from the filter and review the levels of polish and salt in your dishwasher.
- Dryers use a lot of energy; limit their use to urgent situations. Don’t mix light and heavy clothing. The best thing to do is hang clothes out to dry in the air and sun.
- If you buy a new dishwasher, choose a model with a mechanism for washing a half load. They use less detergent and save up to 30% in water and energy every time you wash.
- Bithermic appliances have two separate pipes- one for cold water and the other for hot water. This way, the hot water comes from the solar-powered or gas hot water heater. Thanks to this setup, washing time is reduced by 25% and you save energy.
TV, Video and Computers
- Not all devices consume the same amount of electricity, and the difference between some models can be significant. That is why you should request information about energy consumption when buying a device, and purchase the one that uses the least energy.
- Many devices consume energy just for being plugged in, just because they are on stand-by mode. In the case of a television, a DVD player, and other types of electronics controlled by remote: when turned off, they consume an average of about a third of the energy that they use when they are on. One solution to this problem is to plug all related electronics (TV, DVD player, Playstation, CD player) in an area into a power strip and turn it off when you’re not using them.
- The size of your screen is directly related to its energy consumption (except with projectors.)
- CRT (cathode ray tube) televisions use more energy than flat-screen televisions. Generally, plasmas use more energy than LCDs of the same size.
- Although the new technologies are a little more expensive, they have less of an impact on the environment, from the materials and energy used to manufacture them to the energy they will consume in their useful lifetimes.
Computer
- Turn off your computer if you won’t be using it for a long period of time. For shorter periods, just turn off the screen.
- Computers with “Energy Star“ labels have the ability to go into a sleep mode after a specific period of non-use. In sleep mode, energy consumption is a maximum of 15% of regular consumption.
- The screen is the part of the computer that consumes the most energy and its consumption is directly proportional to its size. Flat screens (TFT) consume less energy than conventional screens.
Water
Single controlled faucets are more efficient as far as water use goes than independent hot and cold water faucets.
1- In the bathroom
- Choose to shower rather than take a bath. This choice can save around 150 liters of water every time you wash. On top of that, you can increase these savings if you turn off the shower while washing and install efficient showerheads to reduce the amount of water consumed. Single controlled or thermostatic faucets can allow you to turn off the shower while washing and then turn it on again without having to readjust the water temperature. Water used for bathing typically represents 20% to 30% of the total amount of water consumed at home. At the same time, it is estimated that a shower consumes approx. 50 to 100 liters of water, and a bath consumes between 150 and 250 liters.
- Ration water consumption: Water used at sinks can represent around 17% of the total water consumed in a household. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or shaving. A running faucet uses approximately 10 liters of water per minute.
- Fix drips: A dripping faucet can waste around 30 liters of water per day, and if it is a fast drip, the number can increase to 700 liters of water per day.
- Do not flush the toilet if you do not have to. It uses between 8 and 10 liters of water per flush.
There is a toilet that uses water from the sink or shower to flush the toilet. It is called “ Ecoflush”
- Use water aerators on faucets, for example: AMConservationGroup
2- In the kitchen:
- Turn off the tap when washing dishes by hand. Do not leave it running when you wash fruits, vegetables, or other foods, either.
- Thaw foods by leaving them in the refrigerator for a few hours instead of leaving them under cold running water.
- Wait until the dishwasher is full before running it. A dishwasher uses about 40 liters of water per wash and a washing machine uses about 100 liters per wash.
3- In the garden or backyard:
- Choose native plants; they require less water.
- Water plants in the morning or evening, since if you water them during peak sunlight hours at midday, approx. 30% of the water will evaporate. You will also avoid moistening the leaves, which can then be burned by the sun.
Food:
- Reduce your consumption of foods of animal origin as much as possible. Aside from improving your health, you will be contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions. In the review of “The China Study” you can find the scientific basis for this. Click here (in Spanish).
- Choose organic foods: Organic agriculture attempts to be sustainable; it doesn’t use up non-renewable resources. There is increasing awareness of organic foods. Even Barack Obama promoted it from the White House, with his own organic garden. You can find the article here.
- Choose fresh produce: they are healthier and require less energy than frozen produce from the store (from the freezing process, to shipping, to the raw materials used for packaging.)
- Buy fruits and vegetables in season locally: this limits the use of fuel for shipping.
- Do NOT pour used cooking oil down the drain of the kitchen sink. One liter of oil contaminates about one thousand liters of water. What you should do is collect the oil in an empty plastic soda bottle, such as a Coke or 7-Up bottle, close it well, and throw it in the trash. It is not the ideal solution, but it is without a doubt better than contaminating water.
Clothing
- According to several studies, the greatest environmental impact occurs from washing clothing. This produces a large output of energy, water, and chemicals. Because of this, choose clothing that you can wash in cold water and hang out to dry.
- Plan before buying. The success of a purchase hinges on your maximizing the use and the useful life of the purchased article. Giving up impulsive shopping sounds boring, but having a closet full of clothes with nothing to wear is not very exciting either.
- Choose clothes that meet your own needs, but that you can wear for several years. It’s better to buy a traditional cotton shirt that you like and wear for several seasons than an organic bamboo shirt that you only wear a couple of times.
- Durability also counts when selecting clothing. Organic materials are biodegradable and generally less durable. Often, adding synthetics to natural fibers extends their useful life. For example, Patagonia created a pair of pants from hemp and PCR (post-consumer recycled) polyester made from water bottles.
- Take care of your clothing. You are saving money and helping the environment.
- Try to avoid dry-cleaning. It is very likely that your dry-cleaner uses tetrachloroethylene, a known carcinogen. Many articles of clothing with labels that recommend dry-cleaning can be washed by hand, especially clothing made of silk, wool, and linen. Find information for each specific piece of clothing.
- Reuse clothing: If you need clothes, maybe you can find used clothes that you like. For example, you can organize an exchange of used clothing in good condition between some of your friends.
- Donate clothes that you no longer wear; there is always someone else who will look good in them.
- If you are going to buy new clothing, try to choose organic clothing.
- It is important to be aware of what organic means: even if the cotton is organic, the piece of clothing itself may have been transformed by chemical products and loaded with metals and dyes. Try to get more information about the label and certification.
Transportation
- In the spirit of efficiency, if you buy a car, adapt it to your needs. For example, if you drive primarily in urban areas, you do not need a powerful 4×4. This choice means greater gas consumption, greater emissions of polluting gases and greater maintenance costs, but without being able to enjoy the size and power advantages, since these are not taken advantage of in urban travel.
- If you can, share your car with friends and acquaintances. Organize a car pool to take your kids to school; you will use less gas per person transported, and will also split the cost.
- Use public transportation as much as possible, since it is much more efficient. (The emissions per person are drastically reduced)
- If time and distance permit, walk or bike, which is also healthier than driving.
Sustentator efficient driving tips
1 –Start the car without stepping on the gas.
2. Acceleration and shifting: pay attention to revolutions per minute: Gasoline motors: between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm, Diesel motors: between 1,500 and 2,000 rpm. After shifting gears, accelerate lightly.
3- Driving speed: Keep it as uniform as possible; seek fluid driving, avoiding unnecessary braking, acceleration, and shifting of gears.
4. Deceleration: Take your foot off the accelerator and let the vehicle move forward in neutral for a moment, without braking. When needed, brake gently and progressively.
5- Over 100 km/h, gas consumption multiplies.
Efficient driving allows for an average saving of gas and CO2 emissions of 15%.
More Tips:
– Exterior accessories increase a vehicle’s air resistance, and therefore increase gas consumption. Try to avoid transporting objects on the outside of your car.
– The use of auxiliary equipment significantly increases gas consumption; air conditioning in particular has the greatest influence. Because of this, use equipment such as air conditioning in moderation.
- Driving with your windows down causes greater resistance to movement and therefore the engine has to expend more effort and there is greater gas consumption. For ventilation, the best thing is to use the forced air circulation feature on your vehicle.
- Car maintenance affects gas consumption. It is especially important to have your engine in good shape and control fluid levels and filters, and above all, to have your tires inflated to the correct pressure. The pressure and condition of the tires are fundamental for safety.
Waste: The Basics: the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
REDUCE
- Do not accept packages or bags when they do not have a vital function for conserving a product or easing its transport. For example, if you are going to buy a candy bar at a newsstand or a bottle of medicine at a pharmacy, do not take the plastic bag that they typically offer you.
- Avoid using products with excessive packaging, disposable products, and all kinds of plastics.
- Bottled water: If you buy bottled water, the bigger the container, the better. For example, buy the big 20 liter jugs.
- The best thing to do is to use a water filter instead of bottled water. These remove chlorine and sediments from the faucet. There are several disposable models.
- The large family sizes are preferable to containers with individual portions.
- When you go shopping, carry your own cloth bag. You can buy these at many supermarkets. You can also use a shopping cart. This way you can minimize the amount of plastic bags thrown into landfills.
REUSE
- Returnable glass bottles are preferable to plastic bottles (for example, for beer), since they are washed and then used again.
- If you need batteries, use rechargeable ones. If possible, get a solar charger.
- If you have plastic bags from the supermarket, reuse them as trash bags.
- When you use paper, print on both sides of the page and reuse sheets that only have writing on one side.
- Take advantage of used items that you cannot use any more, for example, by having a garage sale or taking them to a flea market. You also may be able to find a used product in good condition that you need to buy.
- You can share books with friends instead of all owning copies of the same book.
RECYCLE
Recycled materials can be made into a wide range of products.
Organic Waste
- If you have plants, compost. It saves energy, and it is useful. We recommend that you compost only organic vegetable waste (all types of fruit and vegetable peels) and egg shells (these are composed mainly of calcium and other elements that become a very useful fertilizer.) Decomposition time for organic animal waste is much greater than that for vegetable waste. For more information, read this article.
Paper and cardboard
- Paper, envelopes, newspapers, pamphlets, cardboard boxes, magazines, etc. can be recycled. However, laminated papers, adhesives, wax-coated papers, fax paper, used napkins, and papers with food stains on them (for example, oil from a box of cookies) cannot be recycled.
- Instead of throwing away paper and cardboard, give it to a recycling company in your area.
Plastic:
- Try to minimize your consumption of plastic bottles, especially water bottles, since there are substitutes available: 20 liter jugs, or even better, a water filter that you install on your faucet.
Electronics and Appliance Waste:
- You can find information on what to do with your electronics and appliances waste, in the website of the Environmental Protection Agency.
MISCELLANEOUS
- Urine is a magnificent fertilizer if and when diluted 1 part to 10 parts water. You can use this for watering plants. It is much better than sending it to the sewer system where it does not serve any function.
- Plant a tree. Trees help purify the environment.
- Grow local, native plants. These are always the best suited to live in your habitat and attract native wildlife.
- Support Green Companies: Buy products from companies that use alternative sources of energy to make their products, as well as those that promote a green culture. These days there are more and more companies that do business in an ecological way, especially in Europe. One of these, for example, is H&M
- Expand your sustainable awareness: Between all of us, we can work toward a sustainable future. Every action counts, no matter how small. The more of us there are, the better it will be for the planet. Tell your friends how you contribute…maybe they want to contribute too, but do not know how!
We would love to hear more of your green suggestions. Send an email to info@sustentator.com.
Sources:
Energy Savings Guide, Greenpeace
http://www.panasonic.com.au/energy-wise/plasmavslcd.cfm
http://www.projectorpeople.com/resources/lcd-plasma-projector.asp
http://www.energyrating.gov.au/forums-2008-televisions.html
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/wardrobe/index.html
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/06/ecotip_choosing.php
http://www.fida.es/cabecera/queesfida.htm
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2004/10/patagonia_exten.php
