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Living green may be easier than you think. Tuesday was Earth Day, a day intended to increase awareness of our planet's environmental issues while conveying the urgency for all humans to live more environmentally friendly.
Turning your lights off and bumping the thermostat to 78 or 80 degrees before you leave the house are great ways to lower energy consumption and cost, officials said. But that's just the beginning.
Jim Riley, Texas A&M University's director for utilities, said residents could make a positive impact on the environment by making simple changes in their daily habits.
"The biggest energy consumer is the air-conditioning and heating unit in both residential and commercial businesses," Riley said. "Even doing something as simple as installing a few ceiling fans can allow you to raise the thermostat a few degrees, and in turn, save a lot of money and energy."
According to College Station Utilities, raising your thermostat from 72 to 78 degrees can save as much as 18 percent on a monthly cooling bill.
Riley also said that it's important that air-conditioning and heating systems are in good condition and operate properly.
And when it's time for new appliances, replace your old ones with high-efficiency models. Although they might be more expensive initially, they will end up saving you money, he said.
"New appliances, such as computers, washers, dryers and refrigerators may have an Energy Star rating from the EPA," Riley said. "The ones that have this rating will be the most energy efficient to operate."
Although the biggest energy consumption may come from heating and cooling your house, College Station Utilities lists numerous other ways that local residents can live more environmentally friendly.
Replacing your air filter once a month, switching to lower wattage and compact fluorescent light bulbs, doing your cooking, laundry and dishwashing in the early morning or late night, closing your blinds and shades, checking the weather-stripping on doors and windows and using a microwave rather than oven when possible are all ways that you can reduce your impact on the environment.
Recycling can also play a major role in helping the environment.
Only about 35 percent of the population makes the constant effort to recycle, said Sheila McQueen, Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management Agency program coordinator.
"We service about 18,000 homes with our curbside recycling program," McQueen said. "[Recycling] saves our natural resources and landfill space. The more we can recycle and reduce, the more landfill space we are saving. Hopefully we can get everybody on board to recycle because the more we get, the better off our environment will be."
McQueen said the BVSWMA offers a backyard composting class that teaches residents how to properly reuse lawn and garden materials. Learning how to use compost on your yard is a great way to reuse plant materials, she said.
"We are always asking for the public's support and participation in our recycling programs," Riley said. "For just a little extra effort, you can save space in landfills and help promote this environmentally friendly system. As we raise awareness, recycling will become a way of life."
• John Braden's e-mail address is john.braden@theeagle.com.
