'Got this from an inquirer article (http://globalnation.inquirer.net/mindfeeds/mindfeeds/view_article.php?article_id=78230) by Queena Lee-Chua.
1. Choose energy-efficient lighting. The old incandescent light bulbs in our homes are inefficient; only 10 percent of their energy generates light (the rest is lost as heat). Replace them with efficient compact fluorescent lights that may cost more at first, but which last 10 times longer and use 66 percent less energy.
2. Maintain appliances properly. Do not place the fridge next to the oven; the fridge works harder to keep cold. Clean air-con filters. Wash dishes by hand (not dishwasher) and use the clothesline (not the dryer). Unplug appliances when not in use. Twenty-five percent of the energy our TVs use is consumed when they are plugged but not turned on.
3. Conserve water. Take showers instead of baths. Install low-flow showerheads. Use the more efficient front-load rather than top-load washing machines. Better still, wash clothes by hand, in cold water rather than hot.
4. Use computers wisely. Computers are usually left on when not in use, but keep them in low-power mode. Laptops and inkjets are more expensive than desktops and lasers, but they are 90 percent more energy-efficient. Choose multi-function devices that print, fax, copy and scan, since they use less energy than individual machines.
5. Reduce driving miles. Walk, bike, carpool or take public transport. Avoid commuting in rush hour to lessen traffic time and fuel burned. Keep cars in good condition. Plan and combine different errands into one trip.
6. Reduce air travel. With today’s communications technology, I often wonder why business people need to travel so frequently when they can telecommute or conference-call instead. Take the bus, train, boat or even car instead of the plane.
7. Buy less. Energy is consumed in making and transporting everything we buy. Borrow, rent, recycle or use an item secondhand. Choose durable items over disposable ones. Repair rather than discard. Filter tap water instead of buying imported bottled water, since it has to be transported from long distances.
8. Bag groceries in a reusable bag. Gore says, “Americans use more than 12 million barrels of oil each year just to produce plastic grocery bags that end up in landfills after only one use and then take centuries to decompose. Paper bags require cutting down 15 million trees annually.” Bring a reusable bag when shopping. I applaud Rustan’s Fresh Supermarket for encouraging this.
9. Compost. Organic waste such as kitchen scraps and raked leaves usually end up in landfills. Without oxygen to make them decay, they ferment and give off methane, 23 times worse than carbon dioxide in global warming terms. Compost organic waste in gardens—this even makes the soil richer and gives us a good workout, too.
10. Eat less red meat. Aside from health risks, a diet rich in meat requires more energy to produce and transport. Most of our forests have been cleared to create grazing land for livestock, at the expense of our trees. Eat fruits, vegetables and grains instead, which are healthier for us, and which require 95 percent less energy than meat to produce.
“The earth is our only home,” Gore says. “And that is what is at stake - our ability to live on this planet, to have a future as a civilization.”
