Released January 16, 2009
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Trish Ouei finds the same old New Year's resolutions, such as losing weight, hard to do, so she's now trying some new resolutions. And these are resolutions we should all vow to keep, she says.
Ouei, an extension stormwater educator for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture in Fayetteville, says there are many simple things each of us can do that will help save energy, water and money this year.
Here are her suggestions:
- Take a shorter shower. By reducing shower time by one or two minutes, you can save up to 700 gallons of water a month.
- Turn the faucet off while you shave. Filling the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water and using it to rinse your razor, will save about 3 gallons of water each time.
- Start turning your computer and monitor off or use the sleep mode when not in use. Because computers are so different, the actual money and energy savings are varied, but there are Web sites out there that can help you calculate savings.
- Recycle more. We may be good at recycling articles from the kitchen, but think about other articles such as shampoo bottles and shower gels. Many articles are also recyclable.
- Turn down the thermostat during the winter months. You can save up to 1 percent on your heating bill for every degree you turn it down.
- Stop using the automatic/heat dry setting on your dishwasher. Allowing the dishes to air-dry will reduce the amount of energy used by the dishwasher by 15-50 percent.
"These energy and water resource saving tips only require a slight change to your regular routine," Ouei said. "They make great New Year's resolutions, so why not try them?"
She says you can find other great conservation tips by visiting you're your county extension agent or going to http://www.uaex.edu. The federal government also has good tips at http://www.energysavers.gov.
The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.
Trish Ouei is a Stormwater Educator with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Call her at (479) 271-1060 or email pouei@uaex.edu
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http://www.uaex.edu/news/january2009/0116water_resolutions.htm
Contact: Lamar James, (501) 671-2187 or (501) 753-0207, ljames@uaex.edu
