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Educate others, including politicians. Let your friends, family and political leaders know what you've learned about the importance of reducing your emissions. Urge political leaders to adopt mandatory policies that will help reduce emissions. www.savesnow.com |
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Drive Less.
Every gallon of gasoline used in your car to drive to skiing or work puts 20 pounds of CO2 into the air. So if your car gets 20 miles per gallon, it emits one pound of CO2 for every mile driven. Walk, bike, ride the bus, carpool, or telecommute whenever you can. Never let your car idle while you finish your mocha or run inside "for just a minute". Visit www.aspenpitkin.com/depts/57/employerservices.cfm for more information on alternative transportation in Aspen.
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Eat more vegetarian and local meals. What you eat has as much impact on greenhouse gas emissions as what you drive. Producing grain-fed meat like chickens, pigs, and cattle requires significantly more energy (like driving an SUV) than eating protein-rich grains directly (like driving a sedan). Eating locally grown and processed foods eliminates heavy transportation burdens that increase the greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. Not convinced? Visit: http://geosci.uchicago.edu/~gidon/papers/nutri/nutriEI.pdf
www.mayoclinic.com/health/vegetarian-diet/HQ01596
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Sign up for clean power. Contact your electricity provider to sign-up for clean energy (www.holycross.com or www.xcelenergy.com). Each $5 block of wind power you buy keeps 2400 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air. If you get your electricity from the Aspen municipal utility, you already get 57% of your electricity from renewable wind or hydro! |
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Consider a fuel-efficient car. Next time you buy a car, make fuel economy an important consideration. Hybrid cars, which park for free in Aspen, and the new clean diesels (especially if you use bio-diesel fuel) are some good options. Always keep your car tuned up and the tires properly inflated. Check out the resources provided at www.newcenturytrans.org to help you find your new, fuel efficient vehicle. |
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Vacation close to home and offset your emissions. Flying a family of four from Aspen to Orlando and back puts about 8500 pounds of CO2 in the air. Instead, consider piling the gang in your most fuel-efficient car and going hiking in the Colorado National Monument or take advantage of off-season specials at local hotels. Wherever you decide to travel, several websites offer opportunities to offset your emissions by investing your money in energy-saving projects and renewable energy sources. For example, Terrapass.com charges $50 to offset the auto emissions of an average driver for a year. (The money goes to pay for projects that lower greenhouse gas emissions.) Calculate your total emissions and offset them at the site below:
www.canarytags.com
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Weatherize your home. Sealing up large air leaks like windows that don't completely close, weatherizing doors and windows, and adding attic insulation will save on heating energy, the largest emissions-producer in most homes, especially in Aspen. Visit www.energystar.gov and www.coloradonewhomechoices.org for suggestions and calculations on savings. |
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Choose appliances carefully. If you're in the market for a new appliance, buy an energy efficient model (look for the Energy Star label). The best new refrigerators use half as much energy as many older ones. CORE offers rebates on efficient models (aspencore.org) of many home appliances. For specific information on energy efficient appliances, visit www.energystar.gov or www.cee1.org |
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Unplug, turn down, turn off. If you have a back-up refrigerator or freezer that's not storing much, unplug it. Turn down the temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees F. Wash clothes in cold water. Air dry clothes. Use energy-saving features on appliances. Turn off computers and unplug chargers for cell phones and other devices, when not in use. Turn heat down when you leave for the day or go to bed. |
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Produce Your Power. Consider installing a solar energy system (rebates are available from aspencore.org). And in new construction, be sure to consider the home's orientation to the sun, the efficiency of your windows and insulation, and other factors that can maximize solar potential. Visit Solar Energy International for more information on what you can do to install renewables in your home. |
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What you can do...
