Garbage:

• Recycle!
  • Madison and Middleton now recycle any plastic with a number on it. See information for Madison or Middleton.
• Buy products that come use recycled materials (post-consumer content) or have little/no packaging.
• Reduce the amount of new shopping bags that you use:
  • Bring your own bags.  Some places give discounts for doing this.
    • Canvas
    • Re-use existing plastic or paper bags
  • Don’t bag small purchases if possible
• Compost non-meat food waste.

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Bread/grains
• Cut down on junk mail. It costs $1. Use this site or write to the following address:
•  
  • Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association

P.O. Box 9008

Farmingdale, NY 11735

• Use cloth napkins
• Use reusable eating utensils, dinnerware.
• Repair items instead of throwing them away whenever possible.
• Instead of throwing another’s treasure as trash, check out the Madison Stuff Exchange.
• Share infrequently used items with family, neighbors or friends instead of everyone buying their own.
• Plant trees.

Water:

• Find and fix any leaks in your home.
• Use a toilet dam or place something in the tank so that it uses 40% less water.
• When buying new, purchase low flow toilets.
• Use low-flow shower heads.
• Don’t run the water unless necessary when:

• Washing hands – turn on the faucet to get hands wet, turn off the water, lather, then turn on to rinse.
• Brushing teeth
• Shaving
• Only run the dishwasher when full.
• If you have two sinks, use one for washing and fill the second part-way for rinsing.
• Reuse water bottles instead of always buying new.
• Reduce your shower time to under 5 minutes.
• Watering your lawn:
  • Most lawns need 1 inch of water per week.
  • Water early in morning or early evening to avoid a lot of evaporation
• Mulch your lawn mower clippings
• Landscape to avoid high-water needs.
• Use a rain garden to improve water retention by your properly and reduce run-off.

Energy:

• Turn off lights and appliances when they are not in use.
• Set the thermostat to be warmer in summer and cooler in winter, especially at times when no one is home.
• Weatherize your home:

• plastic on windows
• weather-stripping at doorways
• Keep the refrigerator in good working order:
  • Tight seal. You can use Vaseline to help tighten the seal.
  • Twice a year, vacuum/wipe the coils at the bottom-front free of dust/dirt.
• Furnace:
  • Tune up your furnace every two years.
  • Seal and/or insulate the duct work to prevent leaks.
  • Purchase a high-efficiency unit when the time comes to replace it.
• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Start with your most commonly used light fixtures.
• Water heater:
  • Set the temperature to 120 degrees F.
  • Put an insulation blanket around it to prevent heat loss.
  • Consider a solar unit or tankless water heater to save on heating and water use as well.
• Windows:
  • Use shades/blinds to keep the sun out in the summer.
  • Replace older windows with more modern, energy-efficient kinds.
• Washing clothes:
  • Re-wear clothes more than once if they are not dirty.
  • Wash clothes in cold water.
  • Use a full load but don’t pack the tub.
  • Use a clothesline instead of drying when possible.
  • Dry full loads (but not over-full)
  • When the time comes, buy energy star appliances. A front-loading washer uses less water than a top-loading unit.
  •  

Transportation:

• Carpool to work, church, other activities
• Walk or bike to nearby places instead of driving
• Ride public transportation on a regularly traveled route.
• Have your car serviced on a regular basis

• Avoid jackrabbit starts and stops
• Keep your tires properly inflated
• Combine errands into fewer trips
• If you have more than one vehicle, drive the more fuel-efficient one.
• Reduce excess weight in your car.
• Minimize cold starts and limit warm-ups to 30 seconds.
• Maintain a steady speed when driving.
• When appropriate, drive 35-55 mph, the most fuel-efficient range.
• Buy the minimum octane level gas as needed for your car.
• If there are long lines in a drive-through, turn off the car and go inside.
• When purchasing a vehicle, purchase the most energy-efficient one possible.
  • Highest miles/gallon
  • Lightest
  • Most aerodynamic
• Take a vacation that is close to home or reachable by public transportation.
  • If driving, find a place within a day’s drive.
• Explore working from home one or more days/week if possible.
• When searching for places to live, try to live as close to your workplace as possible.

Consumption:

• Choose products with the best quality.
• Buy products with as little packaging as possible.
• Consider the earth-friendliness of the product.

• Is it made or packaged with recycled materials?
• Can it be recycled?
• Is it locally made?
• Is it non-toxic?
• Biodegradable?
• Energy-efficient?
• Buy as many locally made/grown products as possible. It will reduce the energy needed to transport the products.
• When choosing between otherwise comparable items, choose the item made closest to home.
• Replace toxic substances in your home with non-toxic ones.
  • Dispose of toxic items properly
  • Loan and borrow items from neighbors.
  • Have a swap party where people bring functional items they no longer use and can swap with others.
• Eat less meat
• Buy organic products.
• Buy products made from recycled materials
• Don’t buy needlessly. If you really don’t need it, don’t buy it. Don’t buy things to make yourself feel good or to “help the economy”.
• Use natural materials when furnishing your home.
• Grow things in your own garden.