Home About Us Program Schedule Carbon Footprint Plymouth Church website

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint:
25 Simple Steps Under $25

    LIGHTING
  1. Buy energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs for your most-used lights. About $2/bulb. CO2 reduction (by replacing one frequently used bulb): about 180 pounds a year.
    2. Turn off unneeded lights. CO2 reduction: 380 pounds a year.
  2. Replace halogen lamp with compact fluorescent lamp. CO2 reduction: 475 pounds a year.
  3. Light your Christmas tree with LED lights rather than incandescent. CO2 reduction: 122 pounds a season.


    4. HOME APPLIANCES / GADGETS
  4. Unplug/dispose of old fridge in basement. CO2 reduction: 2500 pounds a year.
  5. Line dry clothes in summer. CO2 reduction: 780 pounds a year.
  6. Line dry clothes all year (using indoor clothes drying rack adds benefit of additional humidity in the winter.) CO2 reduction: 1400 pounds a year. OR use one less dryer load/wk. CO2 reduction: 200 pounds a year.
  7. Cut phantom electric loads in half…buy surge protectors for TVs/stereo and turn off home office equipment when not in use. (Phantom loads account for 6% of electric usage in the US). CO2 reduction: 500 pounds a year.
  8. Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Use the energy-saving setting to dry dishes. Don't use heat when drying. CO2 reduction: 200 pounds a year.
  9. Use a manual push mower. (Blade sharpening @ Your local hardware store $6/blade, ea 2-3 yrs) CO2 reduction: 80 pounds a year.


    10. HOME HEATING AND COOLING
  10. Ask your utility company for a home energy audit to find out where your home is poorly insulated or energy-inefficient. CO2 reduction: Potentially, thousands of pounds a year.
  11. Don't overheat or overcool rooms. Adjust your thermostat (lower in winter, higher in summer) CO2 reduction (for each 2-degree adjustment): 500 pounds a year.
  12. Clean or replace air filters as recommended. Cleaning a dirty air conditioner filter can save 5% of the energy used. CO2 reduction: About 175 pounds a year.
  13. Install programmable thermostat to automatically adjust temperatures. CO2 reduction: 600 pounds a year.
  14. Caulk and weatherstrip around doors and windows to plug air leaks. CO2 reduction: Up to 1350 pounds a year.


    15. WATER
  15. Reduce showers time by 5 min/person. (Showers account for 2/3 water heating costs.) CO2 reduction: 250 pounds/person a year.
  16. Wash clothes in warm or cold water, not hot. CO2 reduction (for two loads a week): 500 pounds a year.
  17. Turn down your water heater thermostat; 120 degrees is hot enough. CO2 reduction (for each 10 degree adjustment): 500 pounds a year.
  18. Install low-flow shower heads to use less hot water. CO2 reduction: Up to 300 pounds a year.
  19. Install faucet aerators. CO2 reduction: 20 pounds/faucet a year.
  20. Wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket (only if it is over 5 years old) CO2 reduction: Up to 1000 pounds a year.


    21. GETTING AROUND
  21. Whenever possible walk, bike, carpool or use mass transit. CO2 reduction (for every gallon of gasoline you save): 20 pounds.
  22. Check the inflation in your auto’s tires monthly. Increases fuel efficiency. CO2 reduction: 250 pounds a year.
  23. Change your auto’s air filter according to manufacturer’s specifications. CO2 reduction: 200 pounds a year


    24. REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE
  24. Reduce waste by recycling: (for every gallon of garbage reduced/wk, you save 100 pounds). CO2 Reduction for 10 less gallons/wk: 1000 pounds a year
  25. Reduce waste by buying minimally packaged goods; choose reusable products over disposable ones, begin composting, reuse your own cloth grocery bags, buy food in bulk. CO2 reduction (if you cut down your garbage by one gallon/wk): 1000 pounds/ year