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Take steps to green your home, office, and environment throughout the year. Many of these ideas correspond to environmental celebrations going on around their respective week of the year, so each week – try something new!
Protect Your Home during National Radon Month
Radon is a radioactive gas that is released from the natural decay of uranium in soil, rock, and water. You may be breathing this gas every day and not even know it.
Radon testing can be easily performed on your own or with professional help. The cost of performing radon testing is comparable to basic building repairs. Self, radon testing kits can be found and purchased at local home improvement centers/stores. If you have a positive test for radon, contact Mundell to help you determine your next best course of action.
Week of Year: 1
Pack a Waste-Free Lunch
Use reusable containers, water bottles, and lunchboxes instead of paper bags and disposable water bottles. Refilling your water bottle at the tap or water fountain uses less plastic, saves energy, and saves you lots of money!
Source: EPA
Week of Year: 2
Use Only What is Needed
Minimize negative impacts on the earth by maximizing the positive change:
- Turn off computers at night
- Think twice before making a purchase and try to reuse or borrow if necessary
- Monitor food waste at home
Source: The Earth Cube
Week of Year: 3
Cover Your Air Conditioner
During the winter, cover your air conditioner. Besides protecting your air-conditioning unit, these covers also help keep cold air from entering your home through the space around the air-conditioner and can be a great way to lower utility bills.
Source: EarthShare
Week of Year: 4
Put Your Generator Outside
Firing up the generator for a winter power outage? Remember that generator exhaust is toxic. Always put generators outside well away from doors, windows, and vents. Carbon monoxide (CO) is deadly, can build up quickly, and linger for hours.
Source: EPA
Week of Year: 5
Help Protect Your Nearby Wetland
No matter where you live, chances are there is a wetland nearby. (Wetlands go by many names: estuaries, bogs, swamps, marshes, playa lakes, and more). Keep lawns and driveways free of pet waste, fertilizers and motor oil. These pollutants can wash into storm drains and eventually reach a wetland.
Source: Mother Earth News
Week of Year: 6
Plan an Eco-Friendly Valentine’s Day
If you are going out to eat, choose a restaurant that uses local and seasonal ingredients. If you’re planning a multi-day getaway, consider a staycation, camping, or a green hotel. Consider giving an experience rather than a thing that may come in extra packing.
Source: Sierra Club
Week of Year: 7
Check Your Heating Ducts
To ensure that as much warm air as possible is delivered through your central system, check the ductwork and wrap any leaks with duct mastic. Distribution losses (what’s lost while air is transported from your furnace through ductwork to the vents) often amounts to 30%. So, sealing ductwork could increase efficiency and the warm air you receive considerably … keeping you warmer and making your furnace work less.
Source: EPA
Week of Year: 8
Become a “Green Shopper”
Keep reusable bags in your car or near the door so they are easy to grab when you go. You can also shop with the environment in mind. “Green purchasing” means buying smart. Look for products that help conserve natural resources, save energy and prevent waste.
Week of Year: 9
Protect Your Groundwater Source
99% of all available freshwater comes from aquifers underground. To protect our groundwater sources we must keep it safe from contamination and use water wisely.
One of the biggest household water wastes is in the bathroom. For starters: Put a bucket in the shower while you’re waiting for the water to warm up, and use the water you catch for watering plants, flushing the toilet or cleaning. Install a low-flow showerhead and spend less time in the shower.
Source: NGWA
Week of Year: 10
