Collectively, small lifestyle changes can make a huge impact on the environment-and your life. Looking for happiness and health? What’s good for the environment is also, it turns out, great for you. Here’s a collection of tips from the No Impact community.
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I enjoy getting myself around by my own “people power”; by foot and by bicycle!
Although winters in Western New York can be harsh, I heard that people in cold weather areas are happier if they spend time outdoors in the winter and allow their bodies to acclimate to the cold.
My tip is to get outside, even when it seems “too cold” or “too snowy”. Walk, bicycle, and run in the cold. You’ll thank yourself for it!
This post was submitted by Rebekah in Buffalo, NY.
well, honestly this came about for convenience’s sake, but it works. i have a 180-year-old philadelphia rowhome and a dehumidifier is necessary for the basement or else it will grow a mold coat. the washer and dryer happen to be next to the dehumidifier. so i use the water collected by the dehumidifier to wash my clothes. been up to this for about a year now, the clothes don’t seem to mind.
This post was submitted by brynn.
I put a timer on my water heater, turning on before showers and off afterwards. The water in the tank stays warm enough to cover our needs until the next on cycle. This cut about 20% to 25% off our energy use.
This post was submitted by Stephanee.
Also here in Italy we’re working on reducing our impact, some useful tips I follow:
In winter*turn on the heating only in the evening, two three hours a day,(but where I live it’s not very cold), turn off the light when watching TV,
use the washing machine just after seven in the evening or during the week ends(in Italy saves) at low temperatures, on Saturday and Sunday I get around by bike, I bought an ecologic car, Use cooking water of pasta and rice to wash dishes and cutlery, starch is an excellent degreaser, use the vinegar as anti limestone and water and baking soda to clean stainless steel and ceramics, is also sanitizing. Since last year do the shopping through a group of collective purchase directly from producers of the area, a sort of short chain from the producers of organic meat, organic vegetables, and organic soaps to buyers, it’s less expensive and more safe!
I use cotton bags to do my shoppings. I try to do my rubbish collection for recycling….Little things to stay better!
This post was submitted by monica.
One of my wackier energey saving ideas is my solar oven. A friend told me you could buy a solar oven and I became obsessed, but I really didn’t want to waste the money/carbon on purchasing one. Then I discovered that you can build one yourself! There are plans for all different sorts of solar cookers here: http://solarcooking.org/plans/
My oven is made from a few cardboard boxes and some aluminum foil with a piece of glass for a cover. It’s really wonderful during the summer months because not only can you cook without using power, you also don’t heat up the house in the process of cooking! I’m told you can also use them in the winter, but I haven’t tried yet.
My cooker gets up to about 275 degrees Farenheit so it cooks at about the speed of a crock pot. There are several design changes I could make to improve its efficiency, but I’m pretty content at the moment. I’ve made rice, veggies, soups, casseroles and all sorts of things it it! Believe it or not, my only disasters have been overcooking a few things!
This post was submitted by Rebecca Miklich.