Going Green for Summer

When we think of summer, we think of spending time outside in the wonderful sunshine. You could be enjoying the ocean at the shore or taking a jog through the park. With all this time outdoors, we need to think about the environment and doing what we can to help out. Here are a few tips and tricks for going green this summer.

Set your thermostat a few degrees higher

Always set your thermostat to 73 degrees Fahrenheit for the air conditioner? Maybe you could try setting it a few degrees higher. Sometimes, all it takes is just to resetting the temperature to not only use a little less energy but to save you some green. If your air conditioner is not running as much, the less energy it uses and the more your energy bill goes down.

Save some water

A combined household effort can go a long way when it comes to saving water, especially with the predicted hot summer still ahead of us. Two incredibly easy ways to save water are 1) turning off the tap while you brush your teeth and 2) cutting off a few minutes to your shower time. If you water your lawn, instead of setting out a sprinkler, spend a little time watering it yourself. That way, you can control exactly how much water is going and where.

Go digital with your bills

Take a moment to think of the number of bills you get in a month through the mail. Now think of all those papers ending up in a dump. If you want to save some paper, think about converting all your physical bills to digital bills. You may even want to check to see if there is a discount for opting into paperless billing as opposed to receiving your bills via snail mail each month.

Need new furniture? Remember to reduce-reuse-recycle.

Maybe you need a change of pace in your home – whether it's new furniture or a special accent piece. Save yourself some money and the environment by looking for some lightly used pieces. A great place to go is a Habitat for Humanity ReStore (one is conveniently located in Chalfont), where proceeds go to help out local affiliates fund the construction of Habitat houses within the community. You can even donate your old furniture to them in turn.

Take a walk (or a bike ride).

Look, we understand that when you need to get somewhere fast, sometimes your car is just the easiest way to go. But if you need to just travel a little ways, consider walking (or biking) there. This is especially true when you are in a shopping center where the stores are relatively close to each other. Bucks County is filled with walkable communities that lend themselves to a healthy and relatively car-free lifestyle.

Following these simple tips will put you well on your way to declaring 2012 as “The Green Summer” – saving energy, reducing waste, and getting some additional exercise!