1. Use water-based paints. Rinse paint brushes and other equipment in an interior drain only. Reduce smog (low level ozone) by painting when temperatures are under 90 degrees.
2. Bike or walk instead of driving. (Every 25 miles you don't drive prevents a pound of pollution.)
3. Consider using solar energy in your house. Solar energy prevents water and air pollution associated with burning fossil fuels for energy.
4. Park your car on hot summer days when ozone levels rise to unhealthy levels. Consider leaving your car home once a week and ride the bus or your bike instead.
5. A well insulated house & energy efficient windows conserve energy and saves money.
6. Recycle burned out fluorescent lamps at the Lane County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center. Fluorescent lamps may contain mercury.
7. Choose earth friendly lawn care methods & products. When using chemicals, follow package instructions for use and disposal. (Excess chemicals can destroy beneficial insects). If in doubt, ask an expert.
8. Consider using a push mower for your lawn. No air pollution, minimal maintenance & good exercise.
9. Replace the water your soil has lost through evapotranspiration (ET). Call EWEB or SUB to determine the weekly ET rates for your area. (Thorough soaking promotes healthy root systems.)
10. Leaving small grass clippings on the lawn, "grasscycling", provides nutrients to the soil, creates healthy lawns and diverts yard debris from the landfill.
11. Commercially available eco-lawn mixes can reduce watering and yard maintenance.
12. Plant trees! They provide shade, clean air, mask noise and need much less water than lawns.
13. Charcoal-starting chimneys prevent the need for lighter fluid w/traditional BBQs.
14. Consider plastic lumber for a deck or bench. Recycled content plastic lumber is durable and requires no painting.
15. Create a backyard compost pile or invest in a composter. Composting is nature's way of recycling. It converts plant waste into a rich soil additive.
16. Avoid aerosol products. They can pose safety hazards and require special processing at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center.
17. Low flow shower heads reduce water use from 4 to 2.5 gal/min. Therefore, a shower head using only 2 1/2 gallons a minute can save as much as 15 gallons of water during a normal 10-minute shower.
18. Faucet aerators provide good pressure while reducing water use. The standard faucet flow rate is 5 gallons a minute. A low flow aerator can reduce this flow to approximately 2 1/2 gallons a minute while still providing adequate water for washing and rinsing. Installing aerators on the kitchen sink and lavatory faucets will save hot water and cut water use by as much as 60 gallons a month for a typical family of four.
19. Save water and money by fixing leaky faucets. A dripping faucet can waste 20 gallons of water a day or more.
20. Install low flow toilets. Toilets using only 2 gallons per flush can save 60% more water than a higher gallon per flush toilet. Leaky toilets can waste up to
500 gallons of water a day.
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