While waiting for a prescription at the drugstore I took a few minutes to leaf through the latest issue of Natural Health magazine. In an article called Save the Planet Today the magazine listed 16 ways you can reduce your impact on the earth. As is often the case I found that some of the earth-saving tips will also help you save money. Here are a few of those tips:
- Choose Matches, Not Lighters. (On the environmental side: Lighters are made from petroleum based fuels and plastics, while matches are made from biodegradable wood or cardboard. On the financial side: Lighters cost money, while matches can often be picked up at local restaurants and hotels for free.)
- Keep Your Tires Inflated. (On the environmental side: Proper tire pressure can improve your vehicle’s gas mileage by more than 10% and can extend the life of your tires by 15%. Accelerating slowly and braking gradually can reduce gas usage by 35%, compared to aggressive drivers. On the financial side: Fewer fill-ups clearly saves you money.)
- Pick Pans That Fit Your Burners. (On the environmental side: Matching pans to burners increases energy-efficiency. On the financial side: The more energy efficient the less money wasted on sky high electric bills.)
- Pat Your Razor Blade Dry After Each Use. (On the environmental side: Wiping moisture from the blade prevents microscopic rusting and can double the life of the blade. This simple act will reduce the number of disposable razors and razor blades being tossed each year. On the financial side: Extending the life of the razor means you’ll have to buy new ones less frequently.)
- Cool and Cover Foods Before Storing Them. (On the environmental side: Placing warm foods in the refrigerator forces your fridge or freezer to work harder to maintain cold temperatures. On the financial side: The less energy spent, the smaller the electricity bill.)
- Clean the Lint Out of Your Dryer After Each Load of Laundry. (On the environmental side: You’ll improve the dryer’s efficiency by 30%. On the financial side: You’ll save $40 a year on your utility bill.)
I’d say “Stop or minimize the use of your dryer” would be an even better tip for the earth and your pocketbook (our energy bill went down 20% when we started hanging clothes!)
I read a post about that this afternoon.