Consider these actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that you may wish to do:

• Recycle, reuse and reduce the materials, products, and appliances you use and purchase those products with a high post consumer waste content.
• Purchase energy saving appliances when replacing old stoves, water heaters and refrigerators.
• When buying new cars, look for the best mileage or mile per gallon ratings (CAFE standards short for Corporate Average Fleet Efficiency) or if you can afford to buy a hybrid automobile -- or better a hybrid plug-in vehicle.
• For new air conditioning units ask about and buy the most efficient unit in terms of its cost to run from year to year measured in electricity used and the cost of electricity in your service area.
• Put a timer on your hot water heater and set the appliance to on only when you need to use the hot water -- say an hour before you use it -- and insulate the appliance. Or install a solar thermal water system!
• Plant shade trees on the warmest side of your home or heavily occupied buildings.
• Awnings, blinds, or shade and insulating window treatment can and may be used to cool windows that are exposed to direct sun and become very hot.
• Insulate the duct work, patch the holes and be sure that you are not heating the outdoors on cold days or air conditioning your yard on hot days!
• Invest in solar thermal for making hot water, or solar electricity for some of your appliance needs.
• Test drive and consider buying a hybrid fuel vehicle, now marketed by Toyota, Honda, Saturn, and Ford, in several models to choose from.
• Call the Florida Solar Energy Center for expert advice.
  

Every small savings mounts up because if one in every ten homes had solar the demand for electricity at two peak times, in the morning and evening, per day would be diminished considerably.

Remember that:

Becoming an energy miser
Saves money, and what can be wiser?

last updated on 8-5-08