August Mack's Monthly Newsletter

* This article was written by one of August Mack's work study students from Providence Cristo Rey High School. Vincent Sharp works one day a week at August Mack as part of the Corporate Work Study program the school has set-up. For more information on Providence Cristo Rey's Work Study program, visit http://www.providencecristorey.org/.

Being green is becoming an increasingly important issue in this country, and it's time for everyone to do their part and help save the earth. Luckily, I have some tools and tips to get you started on the quest to use our resources more effectively and become a more productive society. Although getting green is no easy task, I believe we have the perseverance to overcome our need for certain things that hold us back from being green. When we go green we can save our resources, protect our planet and save money all at the same time.

To start out, here are a few ways to save energy at your home. One of the easiest ways to be green is to swap your old power-hungry standard light bulbs with energy saving compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL). When you replace a standard incandescent light bulb with a CFL bulb, you can save up to 75 percent of your lighting costs. They also last up to 10 times longer and shine for 8,000 to 10,000 hours compared to a standard light bulb at 1,000 hours. Switching to CFLs will save you approximately $30 per bulb during the course of its lifetime. If every home in the United States replaced one bulb with a CFL bulb, it could save enough energy to light three million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases (GHG) equal to the emissions of 800,000 cars.

Next, you can install faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads; they can cut water heating costs and water usage by 50 percent and result in a savings of up to $300 per year. Also, turning your water heater down to 120 degrees or the "normal" setting when you are at home and to the lowest setting when you are away can also be helpful since water heating accounts for approximately 13 percent of a home's energy costs.

The next set of tips is mainly designed for office use, but can be implemented at home as well. First, you should turn off PCs, monitors, printers, copiers and lights at night and when they are not being used. If you cannot turn off the whole computer, considering turning off the monitor and any printers. Second, when purchasing PCs, monitors, fax machines, etc. consider ENERGY STAR models that power down after a period of inactivity. If possible, consider using a laptop computer since they consume 90 percent less energy than desktop computers. You also could use an ink-jet printer to save on energy since they consume 90 percent less energy than a laser printer.

Another way to stay green is to walk, run or ride a bike to work. I know it sounds difficult and sometimes you may not want to bike to work, but think of the benefits associated with it. For example, you will have a good feeling about yourself because you are helping the earth while burning off calories! Those individuals who live far away from the office should consider creating a carpool or taking the city bus. This will not only help you save money, but also will help save the environment at the same time.