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Reduce Global Warming Emissions in your home |
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Written by Stephanie Horka
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The path to a greener home. Every step you take to save energy trims pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reduces your global-warming burden. Read more to see a room-by-room guide to trim the "fat" from your home.
| ROOM | LBS. CO2 Emitted Annually | ACTION (savings are annual averages) | | BATHROOM | | | | 8 minute daily shower | 1,368 | Take 2 minutes off your shower and save 342 lbs. | | BEDROOM | | | | Lighting | 73 | Replacing one 75-watt incandescent bulb with a 19-watt CFL can cut 55 lbs. | | KITCHEN | | | | Food | 3,274 | If, like most Americans, you get close to 30 percent of your calories from meat, dairy and poultry, your diet contributes over 3,274 lbs. Vegetarian diets contribute half that, but you can also replace your calories from red meat with fish, eggs and poultry, for savings of over 950 lbs. | | Refrigerator | 1,660 | If your fridge door can't hold a dollar, you'll be leaking carbon and money as well as cold air, so get it fixed. If the seal holds, and you clean your refrigerator's coils, defrost regularly and keep the top clear of clutter, you can save over 700 lbs. | | Switch to an Energy Star Fridge | | Pre-2001 fridges are much less energy-efficient than today's Energy Star models, which can save you over 500 lbs. | | Recycling | | Recycle paper, plastic and glass and save 1,000 lbs. | | LAUNDRY | | | | Clothes Washer | 160 | 90 percent of the electricity a washing machine consumes goes to heat the water. If you wash just half your loads in cold water, you'll save at least 72 lbs. | | Dryer | 1,446 | Line- or rack-drying just half your loads will slash 723 lbs. | | LIVING ROOM | | | | TV sets, DVD players, cable boxes and other home entertainment peripherals | up to 1,608 | These electronics can pump out CO2 while they're off because of clocks and easy-on features like "standby" mode. Plug them into a power strip and turn it off when not in use to save 240 lbs. | | Computer | 497 | Do the same for your computer and you'll save 43 lbs. | | WHOLE HOUSE | | | | Heating | 6,389 (natural gas) 4,722 (electric heat) | With natural gas heat, you can shave up to 320 lbs. for every degree you lower your thermostat below 70 in winter (236 lbs. for electrical heat). | | Air Conditioner | 2,263 | In the summer, save 121 lbs. for every degree above 72 you raise your thermostat (even more if you raise it above 78 degrees). | | Sealing your home | | Caulking and weather stripping your home can knock off 639 lbs. from your natural gas heating (472 if electric) and 226 lbs. from your a/c. | | Water Heater | 3,419 | Lowering your water temperature from 140 degrees to 120 degrees F prevents scalds and cuts out 479 lbs |
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